//------------------------------//
// Chapter 45: Blake 
// Story: Forbidden Places 
// by Starscribe 
//------------------------------//

The native pony stared back at the two of them. For a few seconds, Blake was unsure if she was really seeing them—had Janet somehow spoken forbidden words? But no, a few seconds and she went back to her fridge, removing plastic trays of fresh produce from inside.

Blake hadn't ever been a big fan of simple salads. But the stuff Rose was pulling out of her fridge was so fresh he could smell it. Maybe he'd give it a chance, even if the mare proceeded to remove ingredients for some kind of sandwich. A sandwich with tomatoes and mushrooms instead of meat, apparently. 

So maybe the hippogriffs knew how to make a sandwich better than ponies do. Can't expect them to get everything right. He swallowed his annoyance, and focused on the task at hand. "I'm from the same place your... boyfriend is. I have an entire airship of my friends that have been trying to find their way back for over two months now. We're searching for Worldgates, have you heard of them?"

Roseluck nodded, glancing sidelong down a door just behind him. "Used to be one right there that led to somewhere called... San Jose? But Discord took it away as soon as he was finished. Nothing there now."

"Really?" Blake followed her gaze to the back door, resting one hoof against it. "Do you mind if I..."

He didn't actually wait for her confirmation, pushing it open.

There was a coat closet beyond, with a few boots and other gardening tools leaned up against the wall. A heavy steel door was behind it, with an unusually high handle. Blake touched against it with one hoof, confirming the steel plates that made its basic frame, and feeling the metal anti-prybar parallel with the locks. "You guys afraid of a break-in?"

Their front door had felt like balsa wood by comparison.

"Long story," Rose called. From the sound of her voice, she was still in the kitchen, and had made no effort to follow him. "You can go ahead and open it! There's nothing back there anymore. Turns out there was poison joke, but we cleared it. Nice and safe."

He pushed the door, and found it wasn't even locked. What he swore was an Earth brand's logo was stamped into the side of the frame, along with more security features. The other side had just one lock for the deadbolt, but it was another exotic lock, with complex anti-picking mechanisms and a hardened steel shackle. 

There was no Worldgate outside, or anything like one. Instead, he found a series of strange holes dug into the ground of a grassy field just behind the building. A few were filled with cement, with steel beams emerging from within. Most were just empty. "And you're sure there's nothing left of it?"

"Nothing," Rose said, her voice faint. "Spark Gap made sure. We didn't want anyone crossing from the other side accidentally. Or... following him intentionally. Either way."

Blake shut the door, then returned. "Sorry, I'm not trying to be rude. It's just that my friends and I are eager to find a way home. Any clue that would help us get back is worth investigating, even if it ultimately doesn't lead anywhere."

She worked fast. Somehow Roseluck had already constructed an entire sandwich tray, and had moved on to slicing fruit. "I understand better than most. I've been with Spark for over a year now. He wasn't very social for most of that time, but I still picked up all kinds of things. I saw movies from your world. Met visitors... like Janet! I assume this airship captain is your latest attempt to find your way back?"

"My last." Janet settled into her seat. She faced the huge glass window to Ponyville, expression distant. "I'm running out of time, Roseluck. If I stay for much longer, or I'm exposed to much more magic... that will be it for me. Stuck."

"And that bothers you," Roseluck supplied. "I remember. I feel fortunate that Spark did not have to make such a choice. He lost his Earth family. It made sense that he decided to spend time around me, to take Everwake...

"Did you have other questions, Blake? I don't want to get into old memories."

He made his way over to the table. "Just one. So Roseluck, we have a map of every Worldgate. We think it's very old. It sends us to places that aren't safe anymore, or that aren't useful on the other side. Worldgates that go to dead ends, or rooms full of poison gas. We're lucky that we have survived each trip so far."

She carried both trays over to the table. She used her mouth, and could only bring one at a time. That didn't seem to bother her, and she managed to keep level despite what would've been an awkward grip. Even fresh grapes didn't tumble off the sides.

"Sounds risky," she said. "More than Spark or I could handle. We like living somewhere stable, somewhere that's not going to catch fire or explode."

The door banged open, and another creature entered. It was a bat—taller and more rugged-looking than Vesper. He wore no more than the other creatures of Ponyville, which for him meant a satchel that jangled and clanked together with bits of metal.

His eyes jumped between them, and settled on Janet within a second. "Janet. I didn't think I'd see you again. I hope this doesn't mean—" His voice was higher than many other ponies, at least the stallions. Like Vesper on that front too.

"Not yet," Janet interrupted. "I must have more time. But that moment is fast approaching. I'm desperate."

He finally seemed to see Blake standing beside her. "You've made an exception to your policy about friends in Equestria? That seems strange to do when you're almost out of time."

"No." Janet reached across with one leg, touching Blake's shoulder. "This is Blake, he... he's the captain of an airship called the Bright Hawk."

"Blake," the bat repeated. "I've never met a pony like you, but I'm going to take a wild guess. You're not from Equestria either?"

"Nope." Blake smiled ruefully. "I came with four others from Earth. We found a Worldgate by mistake. It’s quite the story, actually."

He told it over lunch. He was right that the local fare would be fantastic, even something as simple as pony sandwiches and fresh fruit. They should really stop for resupply more often, if only to get some fresh produce into the hold. Saving their limited gold wouldn't even matter so much if they used some of their weight for trading...

He explained everything, in as much detail as he could without actually telling them about what they kept aboard the Bright Hawk or where they stashed their copies of the original map. There was no reason to keep secrets from the person they hoped would help them find their way to the other side.

"I need to know if you've heard anything else," Janet said. "Any other Worldgate. I don't need it to stay open for long, and I don't care where it goes. Anywhere in the Americas, I'll find my way back. Hell, I'm desperate enough that I'd try for Europe at this point too. Any way back you can find."

The bat pushed his plate aside with one wing. In almost every way, Blake took him for one of the natives. He used his wings interchangeably with his hooves, or even his mouth. He didn't seem particularly shy or embarrassed about wearing so little.

"There is a student here, in the friendship school. He does not have a Worldgate, though... I'm not sure what he's using. I think Starlight Glimmer made him some kind of magical... ward. So far as I know, he's staying until his semester ends in four months. Probably too late for you."

Janet slumped forward, resting her face in her claws. "I've talked to Caleb already. That ward is one-of-a-kind, some magic-draining artifact that she can't make more of. The kind they won't let me borrow."

"Oh." He sighed. "Then I don't have more news for you. I'm sorry."

Blake could feel the hope seeping out of her. It was practically pooling on the floor beneath them. But he wasn't going to give up just because something he didn’t even know existed wasn't going to take the problem away.

"I mentioned this earlier, but we have a map of Worldgates," he said. "Hundreds of them. We probably won't be able to search every single one before we run out of time. But there's one that's close, maybe you can give us some advice. The really hard part hasn't been finding them in this world, but dealing with local conditions once we do."

"Oh, sure." Spark Gap sat up, suddenly more alert. "If we know anything. But we don't travel much. Rose and I both work from Ponyville, and don't go anywhere else that often. I'd like to explore Equestria one day, see the sights... but I haven't got around to it."

"There's a Worldgate in the same place as Canterlot, or almost the same place... but it's labeled something else. "What is Crystal Caverns? Is there anything we need to know before going inside?"

Roseluck and Spark shared a look of instant recognition. It was Rose who finally answered. "Used to be a mine under Canterlot," she explained. "Helped supply the wealth that built the city, until they ran out of gemstones, and all that was left was rock crystal and glass. It's a maze down there."

"And it connects with some sacred sites for the bat-ponies of Equestria," Spark added. "That part is called Echo Caverns, for whatever reason. Used to be totally sealed off, since they didn't want anyone who wasn't a bat to find it. But it's open now. There are festivals down there every year."

"But only bats are allowed to go!" Rose exclaimed. "Even when festivals aren't happening. It's a sacred place, with lots of old traditions. You have to respect their customs."

Blake wasn't exactly sure how to respond to that. He looked between them, then to Janet for help. What did they expect him to say? Of course we'll stay trapped in another universe forever. We couldn't possibly disrespect the religion of some bat-shaped horses!

"We'll do everything we can," Janet said. "Is there anything you can tell us about the local conditions. Maybe... places to avoid? Dangers we could find there. Even just how to make the trip. We're running on limited time, so the less research we have to do, the better."

Roseluck folded her hooves on the table in front of her. "Crystal Caverns has tours that leave from Canterlot once a day, using the old rail-carts. I've done them before, they're... okay. A little touristy. There's no official way to go down there. It's just too dangerous, too easy for ponies to get themselves lost. A lost pony might stumble somewhere they don't belong. Maybe you should just find another Worldgate."

"Janet doesn't have a lot of time," Spark said. "I think I saw a book upstairs about the caves, Rose. Is it okay if we give it to them?"

She twitched, eyebrows going up. From the look on her face, the question had probably earned Spark a night out on the couch. "Of course, how could I forget. We have a book about the cave. I'll... just go get it."

She turned, hurrying away up the stairs.

Only when she was gone did Spark speak again. "She means well. You have to understand, thestrals are kinda her thing. She's forgotten more about their culture and customs than I'll ever know."

Janet leaned across the table, gripping his hoof with one claw. "We're not going to be dicks about local custom, Tracy. I just need a door. Once I use it, I'm gone. The locals can forget they ever met me."

"I hope you can find it," he answered. "Believe me. I'm sorry there wasn't a better way. It still feels wrong, after all these months. Like... Princess Celestia should've done more to help you."

Janet straightened, just as Rose came pounding back down the stairs. She had a book on her back, which she somehow managed to keep balanced as she walked. 

"I got this after my last experience with the caves," Roseluck said, her voice stiff. "It wasn’t a... particularly pleasant experience. Maybe it's about the right time for me to move on. Just make sure you two don't get lost. Stay where you belong."

Janet took the book in one outstretched claw. "That's what we'll do," she said. "The sooner I can get back to where I belong, the better."