-INSTALLATION: THE ISLAND-
Upon truly comprehending her surroundings, Rainbow Dash lifts herself from the bedding with a sudden loud gasp. Her forehooves keep her upper body aloft as she begins to scan her local area once more.
"Where in the hay am I? Did the others build this?"
Rainbow could see the inner portions of a room, and the nearby staircase indicated that this was a multi-floored structure. And judging by the ceiling's design, she is positioned in the highest room of the entire shelter. She can see various windows placed around the room and other bunk beds alongside her own. Complete with a currently lit candle, albeit she questioned if that was a wise choice.
She rubs her temple with a forelimb, "The last thing I can remember was that stupid gator thing and- oh, buck." She looks over her body, only to see that her right-wing is covered in a bandage while her left-wing is free and folded against her side—a one-winged pegasus, in a sense. In addition, her Cloth Armor is unequipped.
"Ugh!" She roars out in frustration but winces from momentary pain. "Ouch! That thing broke my wing! Celestia damn it; now I've gotta hoof it!"
Many questions start to fill her mind. She was still confused about her current location, but how exactly did she get here? Where were the others? Does this mean they succeeded in HLN-A's challenge? She could never know for sure unless she got some answers.
"Well, I'm not gonna find out by sitting on my flank."
The pegasus crawls towards the end of her bunks bed and lifts her hind legs over the railing, placing them onto the trim ladder. She could've just hopped off the bunk, but she didn't want to take any chances considering her current condition.
Reaching the wooden floor via the ladder, she places her hooves onto the chilled surface as a resounding series of clops echo out from her following steps. She peeked out a nearby window, and what she saw was an absolute marvel.
"Woah… this place looks awesome. I've gotta get out there!"
Without hesitation, the rainbow-maned pegasus treks down the flight of stairs and descends to the next floor, albeit it wasn't the grounded level—thus revealing that this is, in fact, a three-story building.
Rainbow stops on the last few flights of stairs as she notices what is, essentially, a study—a library. Turning her gaze to the right, she can see a series of ample storage compartments of a wooden composition and another descending staircase in the adjacent corner of the room.
The pegasus turns to their left and sees the library's 'meats and potatoes.' A duo of tables with a singular accompanying chair is positioned against a nearby window. Albeit these pieces of furniture are in the epicenter of several bookshelves and storages. One shelf is set to the right, with two more on the left. And much like the room upstairs, this one had an assortment of candles etched onto the walls.
Despite being admittedly impressed, Rainbow Dash groans, "This has Twilight written all over it. Speaking of which, where in the hay is everyone?"
Then, a grumbling sensation occurs within the pegasus's stomach region. Something she seemed to have ignored ever since she awakened: hunger.
"Yeah, I hear you," She comments, rubbing her stomach region. "Here's hoping there's some food downstairs."
As if fate had answered her call, a powerful aroma of berries meets her nostrils. Her eyes widened before closing them contently, taking in several sniffs.
"Hah! It smells like that's coming from downstairs. Sightseeing can wait; I'm starving!"
Her hooves go to work as they clop against the floor. She passes the storage boxes and proceeds down the flight of stairs. And once again, her gaze is met with another portion of the structure—the final section of the shelter, which makes up the base of the three-story building.
Her current hunger instantly locked her gaze onto her prize, which sat on a table, said furniture placed next to an exit. Among the many things the ponies had realized since coming to this Ark, the vegetation here is incredibly rich in quality, especially when it came to the Mejoberries. Said fruit taking on a purple coloration.
Rainbow approaches the table, drool threatening to leave the hungry pegasus's muzzle. But what she saw etched onto a sign mounted on the wall, just above the berries, caused her to jump into action:
For Rainbow Dash! Eat Up!
Her eyes practically formed stars, "You guys are so awesome~!"
Rainbow didn't need any more stalling as she licked her lips, lowered her mouth, and started to devour the feast. She didn't even bother to sit on the chair positioned before it.
During her satiation of hunger, the room all around her seemed to play the role of a dining room. A collective of tables with accompanying chairs for each member of the tribe is in attendance. In addition to another door that gave access to the outside, just adjacent to the entrance located next to the feasting pegasus.
Incidentally, and located underneath the stairs, a duo of primal preservatives seem to be active as a white steam fog creeps out from the closed bins. However, it is currently unknown what consumables lie within.
……….
"Awwww, yeah~," Rainbow said with a moan as she finished her meal, juices from the berries present on her muzzle. "Buck, I needed that," She licks the juices clean off her muzzle with her tongue. "Thanks, everyone."
Rainbow immediately places a forehoof onto the door next to her with a satisfied stomach.
"And now to get some answers. World, here I come."
The pegasus pushes the door open as sunlight blinds her momentarily from the transition, causing Rainbow to shield her sight with a forehoof. She adapts to the new lighting, lowers her limb, and takes in the world.
A moment of dumbfoundedness overtakes her as she seems to be in a small canyon. Cliffs and rockfaces are all around her as treelines crept over the precipice of the boundaries.
"Ok, seriously… how did I get here?"
Her hooves are currently resting on a stone-comprised foundation, railings creating a perimeter with the same makeup. In front of her, Rainbow Dash saw two smaller shelters compared to the large house she had just emerged from, along with stone steps that descended and merged into the dirt. Two lit standing torches are placed before the two structures.
These smaller buildings incited her curiosity, but as Rainbow turned to her right, she saw the full scale of what she had seen through the third-floor window. The pegasus trots forth, her hooves clopping against the stone, and rests a forelimb onto the stone railing.
The rainbow pegasus was about to comment on the beauty before her until she saw the faint form of an encroaching entity. After spotting the pegasus, a familiar mechanical wonder seems to pick up its pace, a stream of blue light left in their wake.
"Rainbow!" Shouts Helena, or at least The Island's own AI unit. "Top of the morning to ya, mate!"
Rainbow waves a forehoof towards the mechanical wonder, and after a brief moment, Helena performs a hug by digging their visor into Rainbow's chest. The little flaps on the AI's form perform a 'hug.'
"Good to see ya on your fee- er, hooves!"
The pegasus chuckles, returning the gesture with her forelimb, "Thanks for that, Helena. And especially for those berries, Celestia knows I needed that."
The two parts from the embrace, "Think nothing of it, mate! After being unconscious for nearly two days, your friends and I knew you'd be starving."
"T-two days?!" The pegasus screams out, her voice echoing through the canyon. "I've been out for that long?! And speaking of which, where are we?! How'd I even get here?! What happened after-"
"Woah, woah, take it easy, love," The AI interjects. "I know you have many questions, and we'll answer them in just a bit. But as for where we are, this is what past survivors called the Hidden Lake." The AI floats high into the air as a clapping emoji pops up on their visor, "But I like to call it Sanctuary!" She melodically emphasizes 'Sanctuary.'
Rainbow cocks her head, "Sanctuary?"
"Exactly!" The AI responds, lowering itself and floating before the pegasus, "Don't you remember my challenge?"
"Well, yeah, but what does-" She cuts off her own words in realization. "Wait… is this the location you wanted us to reach?!"
"Eureka!" Fireworks erupt on their visor, followed by stars. "It sure is, mate, and it's all thanks to you and Vanellope that your tribe has completed the task."
Rainbow facelifts slowly with pride, a grin forming alongside it.
"Well, to be honest, and no offense to you, but Vanellope did most of the work. Considering you were unconscious on her back and all."
Rainbow's face drops into disappointment, her smile turning into a frown before muttering:
"Can't believe I got showed up by that dumb Raptor..."