//------------------------------// // Digging is what I do // Story: Drill Through The Heavens!! // by Zaki //------------------------------// The cavern was dark and quiet, the occasional snatch of conversation drifting and echoing in the large space. Here and there a few ponies were gathered in small groups, huddled together and speaking with hushed voices. The dim lighting was barely enough to see in the gloom but the years spent underground had allowed them to adjust and see even when there was no light, an invaluable skill in the oppressive darkness. In a tunnel far from the cavern village, a yellow pegasus was in a small tunnel of her own creation. The drill she held in her hooves was carving through the dirt and rock with ease, the silvery metal reflecting off the goggles she wore. Her job was one of the most important in the village: to create tunnels for the village to expand. While she enjoyed being able to help the village in such a way, the darkness and claustrophobia had terrified her at first, preventing her from even drilling into the ground out of fear she would be swallowed by the earth and never seen again. That fear was present but to a much lesser extent now. Instead of being afraid of it, she had accepted the knowledge that one day perhaps the earth would collapse on her and she would never be found. It was a risk Fluttershy took every time she dug a new tunnel but it was one someone had to take. She would never admit it, but there were other reasons she dug these tunnels. It was the possibility of treasure. A sharp clink interrupted her thoughts then and she paused, her drill stalling for a moment. Adjusting her goggles, Fluttershy revved the drill and began clearing out a hollow big enough for her to sit in and inspect what she found. The pegasus coughed a bit, dirt kicking up as she drilled the object out. After a few moments and the dust had settled, the yellow pegasus lifted her goggles to examine what she had unearthed. It was a drill. She examined it closely, adjusting her goggles so they shone a bit brighter. The metal was a golden yellow, the grooves curving gracefully around the head. It seemed to glow for a brief moment but when she looked closer, it flicked back into its old self. She frowned and put inside of the vest she wore. There would be time to examine it once she got back to the village. Fluttershy’s thoughts turned to her friend as she began the long turn towards the village, her drill boring steadily. She had been in conflict with the head of the village recently and had been punished more than once for her actions, most of them involving escaping to the “surface” and failing miserably. The surface. That’s what she was always on about. How her father had told her stories about it before disappearing who knew where. The way she spoke about it made Fluttershy almost giddy and willing to follow her fellow pegasus wherever she went, regardless of the consequences. She hadn’t seen her lately and Fluttershy wondered if- CRASH!! Fluttershy groaned in pain from the sudden drop, her limbs aching. Raising her head, she spied a few earth ponies looming over her. Their expressions were full of concern at the pegasus, one offering a hoof. “Th-thank you…” She mumbled, being pulled to her feet. She had emerged in one of the opposite tunnels from where she started but that was fine. Her digging shift was over for the day meaning she could rest and examine the drill piece she found in private. After replacing the drill on the wall and letting her eyes adjust to the normal light, Fluttershy took a deep breath and looked up at the ceiling, wondering what really lay behind that smooth domed barrier. Was her friend alright? Was she in trouble with the village leader again? “That would be dreadful…” She murmured, walking with her head down. “I really hope she hasn’t gotten into any trouble.” Without warning, she bumped into somepony and gulped in fear. Stepping back, she kept her eyes averted and began uttering apologies. “I-I’m sorry I didn’t see you there. I-I’ll be more careful-“ “What are you up to, Shy?” The familiar cocky voice brought the yellow pegasus’s gaze up to meet a grinning face clad in her traditional red glasses. Fluttershy felt a small smile appear on her own face at the cyan pegasus. "Hey there Rainbow Dash.” The rainbow-maned pegasus groaned, putting a hoof to her forehead. “Oh no… Do you have a headache?” “I’ve told you Fluttershy.” The smaller pegasus whimpered as Rainbow Dash wrapped her foreleg around her neck. She pointed towards the ceiling and spoke with an all-too-familiar cadence. “Call me Dash, little sis. We’re a family after all. Blood makes you related. Loyalty makes you family!” Fluttershy watched mesmerized as her friend continues. “Besides all we need is each other. With the bonds born from the obstacles we’ve overcome, there is nothing we can’t accomplish!” Deafening silence was her answer, Fluttershy blushing at all the attention they were getting from ponies around the room. After a few moments, Dash released her and dropped back into all four hooves. Flashing a grin at Fluttershy, she motioned for her to follow. “Find anything interesting?” She whispered as the timid pony fell in step besides her. Dash was aware of her little sister’s fondness for finding trinkets in the dirt that came from ages before. Fluttershy hesitated before reaching into her vest, wordlessly handing the drill bit over. The cyan pony lifted it up to the light, her eyes squinting to take in the detail on it. “It’s… definitely shiny. I bet ya if you wore it around your neck, you’d be twenty percent cooler.” Handing it back, the cyan pegasus adjusted her glasses before stretching out her wings. Even though there was no need to fly underground, Dash was probably the only pegasus who kept her wings in shape. “Y-yeah?” Fluttershy was always wary of her friend, no her big sister’s way of judging things. They were always cool, awesome, or other variation she couldn’t think of. True, it was irritating sometimes but it was nice to have someone she could rely on. And Dash was definitely loyal. “Loyal to the end! And even beyond that!” Dash would say if Fluttershy asked for help. Ever since her parents and some of her friends had been crushed in the cave in from a few years ago, Fluttershy had fought to find a reason to continue. All they did was dig and dig until their world began to fall. Then they would expand and the cycle would continue. An endless spiral downward was all life down here was. “Don’t worry your little head about it, Shy!” Dash rustled Fluttershy’s dirty mane, earning a squeak. “I got us a drill and a plan!” “Wait, what?!” Fluttershy felt like she had blanked out at a very important stage of the conversation. Once again, Dash had taken a dramatic stance, light shining down on her. She spread her wings and raised a hoof towards the ceiling, taking a deep breath before speaking. “What the hay do you think I mean? We’re going to the surface! And there’s no way that old hag is going to stop us this time! This time, we’ll pierce through the clouds of the heavens and continues to drill our way onwards, creating our own path and our own destiny! Our destiny will be created from the broken fragments of those who oppose us! That’s our way! The way of the mighty Team Hurricane!” She dropped down into a crouch and grinned. “Come on, Shy! The surface awaits!” “Dash wait-!” Fluttershy felt herself pulled along in the cyan pegasus’s grip, her mind going frantic at the thought of drilling straight up. Plus, she didn’t like heights… A few minutes of ill preparation later “Alright, you ready, Shy?!” Dash asked, grinning from ear to ear. There were a few other pegasi with them carrying their own drills, who had overheard and been inspired to attempt to reach the surface as well. “A-actually Dash-“ Fluttershy began before Dash cut her off. “LET’S DO THIS!!” The cyan pony took off far faster than Fluttershy expected, being pulled along in her wake. Her wings flapped instinctively and she followed, her heart racing in her chest. The other pegasi whooped and took off as well, blazing towards the surface; their drills were already spinning in anticipation of boring through the limits of their world. “WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!” Dash yelled, weaving around the spiraling staircases on her path upwards. Other ponies were yelping and dodging out of the speeding group. Fluttershy let a reluctant grin cross her face. They were going to do it! This time, they were really going to do it! “I don’t think so!” Fluttershy looked to her right where a midnight blue unicorn was leaping up the staircases, her horn flashing with energy. She felt her heart sink. It was Trixie, the self-appointed leader of the village and enforcer as well. “You’re not stopping us this time, old hag!” Dash taunted her, blazing past her and causing the unicorn to stumble for a moment before a scowl appeared on her face. The other pegasi called out taunts as they passed, emboldened by Dash. “We’ll see about that!” She shouted in response, her horn glowing brighter and sending out ropes of magic out that grabbed Dash’s left hind leg. With an almighty pull, Trixie managed to cause Dash to spin and drop her drill, narrowly missing the others. They scattered as their upwards momentum began to die. With as much time as they all spent underground, their wings just weren’t strong enough to keep them airborne without forward motion. Nevertheless, they tried to continue but another heave from Trixie caused Dash to crash into the group, sending them spiraling downwards. Luckily, Trixie managed to cushion their fall so all the group received was minor bruises which was nothing compared to the crushing disappointment they felt at being so close and being thwarted yet again. The pegasi detached themselves from one another with groans as the panting Trixie reached them. “Another failed escape, Dash?” Trixie smirked, the sword on her back, bouncing as her shoulders heaved. “Although I gotta say, I’m impressed you got that many to follow you into yet another doomed failure. How many is that?” “Ha! As if!” Dash leapt to her feet before magical binds locked her legs and wings down. The other pegasi were likewise subdued, cowering before their leader. “Um… Dash, I think she caught us…” Fluttershy mumbled, her lips barely moving. She kept her gaze down, fixated on the drill around her neck. “She didn’t stop us. She’s only delayed the inevitable!” Dash stomped her hoof, the sound echoing loudly throughout the silent cavern. Ponies were watching in interest. This was the fifteenth escape attempt this month alone and it did liven things up for the ponies’ mostly dull lives. “A pegasi’s spirit can never be chained down nor can it ever be broken! We are meant to break through the heavens!” “Is that what your crazy father told you before he died in that cave in?” Trixie smiled as Dash growled in fury. “Your father told you those tales so you’d follow him down the path of the mentally unstable.” “The surface exists!” Dash insisted her voice slightly manic now. “I know it does! I’ve seen it! For bucks sake, I’ve flown its skies when I was a filly!” “Then why are you down here?” Trixie asked curiously, tilting her head slightly. “If you were there, then why come down here with the rest of us trapped ponies?” Dash remained silent, her expression unreadable behind her glasses. Trixie smirked again. “Like I said, the surface doesn’t exist. Stop spreading false hope to all these colts and mares. It’s bad to have their dreams crushed.” “I’m telling the truth, I swear!” Dash insisted as Trixie released the other ponies from their binds. The unicorn rolled her eyes. Turning to Fluttershy, she released the binds on her as well. “You shouldn’t follow this reckless pony, Fluttershy. You have the potential to be great but you can’t keep following this… psycho.” “Um…” Fluttershy looked uncertain as the other ponies walked away, heads down and glancing back with shame. She looked at Dash who stood defiantly face to face with Trixie. The cyan pegasus met her little sister’s gaze and smiled. “Its fine, Shy. I’ll be fine. Just make sure to keep out of trouble, deal?” Trixie snorted in response. “Since when do you care-“ A deep rumbling caused all the ponies gathered to panic, running for their alcoves. Fluttershy made to follow and realized that Dash and Trixie hadn’t moved at all, their eyes locked upon each other. “What are you doing?!” She yelled at them. Neither of them spared a glance at her as a massive chunk of stone fell less than five feet away, showering them with stone shards. “I don’t run.” Dash said flatly. “The village needs a fearless and strong leader.” Trixie replied as another large boulder smashed nearby. “I will not let them see weakness from me.” On the verge of tears, Fluttershy rushed up her friend, pulling on her mane. “Please, Dash! We’re gonna be crushed!” Wrapping her foreleg around Fluttershy’s neck, Dash pulled her close. “Trust me. We’ll be fine.” Burying her face into Dash’s mane, she waited for the inevitable end. For a tense few seconds, the rumbling intensified before stopping completely. Trixie breathed a sigh of relief and looked around to survey the damage. Several sections of the village were crushed beneath tons of rock but luckily nopony seemed hurt. “Alright, drilling crew! I need a new wing carved out in three hours along with seven branching tunnels for those with crushed homes as well as the boulders drilled into moveable chunks. The rest of you worry about cleaning up your houses and such. And somepony take Dash to her cell please.” Dash followed the earth pony, turning her head and calling over her shoulder. “You gonna live the rest of your lives cowering in fear?” Trixie watched as the cyan pony disappeared into the shadows. “Sometimes the only thing we can do is weather the storm and hope for a warmer tomorrow.” Fluttershy hiccupped, trying to catch her breath. Trixie placed a hoof on her shoulder. “I’m sorry you had to experience that, Fluttershy. I know you’re the best digger but you need to go lay down and-“ “No!” Trixie looked taken aback at her outburst. “I mean, I’m sorry but I can’t just rest when the village needs my help.” “Are you sure?” Trixie asked gently. “We can always have Pinkie Pie dig. She has plenty of energy…” “With all due respect, Pinkie Pie is an explosion waiting to happen.” A stallion replied as he passed the pair. “Last time, she touched a drill; we had to replace three whole tunnels.” “I can do this.” Fluttershy insisted. Trixie still looked torn between letting the small pegasus go and getting somepony else to do it. “I need to get my mind off this…” “If you insist.” Fluttershy turned to leave before Trixie spoke again. “Just… be careful, ok?” “I-I will.” She continued along her way, passing several ponies digging out the rocks from their homes. Reaching the drilling area, she heard a familiar bubbly voice. The pink pony was begging for a chance to help, trying to get past the large stallion guarding the drills. “Please? Pretty please with ice cream, sugar, and chocolate covered cherries on top?” Pinkie whimpered, giving the stallion a watery pout. The stallion merely shook his head in response. The pink earth pony slumped, turning to leave when she spotted Fluttershy. The pegasus gulped and braced herself for the onslaught. “Oh hi Fluttershy!” The pink pony bounced over to her while the pegasus tried to maneuver around the hyperactive Pinkie. “Whatcha doing?!” “I’m trying to give a hoof at digging the new tunnels we need now…” Fluttershy mumbled trying to get past her. “Will you please let me go by?” “Only if you Pinkie Promise to take me to the surface next time!” The earth pony raised a hoof and waited expectantly. Shaking her head in exasperation, Fluttershy resigned herself to the infamous Pinkie Promise. “Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye…” Fluttershy muttered, more for her sake than Pinkie’s. “Yay! And nopony breaks a Pinkie Promise!” Pinkie got really close to Fluttershy, their muzzles inches apart. “Nopony, got that?” Fluttershy whimpered in response to those cold maniacal eyes. As soon as she was able to, the pegasus seized a drill and began boring full speed through the dirt, desperate to put distance between herself and the psychotic pink pony. She didn’t pay attention to where she was going, twisting and diving wherever her whim took her. The truth was she needed some time alone and digging was what she was good at. The solitude gave her time to calm down and think about what both Trixie and Dash had said. “Maybe Trixie is right… sometimes Dash is reckless and doesn’t think things through but… Trixie isn’t perfect either.” Fluttershy wiped a line of dust from her goggles as she continued deeper into the earth. “Maybe there isn’t a surface though… But why would Dash lie…?” Time wore on as she continued to dig. It felt like forever as she dug, meandering through the dirt, not caring about the tunnels at all. It felt good to have no destination as she dug. Although she was getting kind of far from the village… A resounding clang from the drill startled Fluttershy out of her reverie. She pulled her drill back and brightened her goggles so she could see. There was something metal and large there. And it was directly in her path. Two in one day? That was rare. Revving her drill, she quickly dug around and under it, creating a chamber large enough to stand in comfortably. Fluttershy dug carefully, making sure to not damage the object whatever it was. Within a few moments, she had unearthed it. As she examined it, she realized it was mechanical in nature and was… a head. A big head. It looked like she could sit in what Fluttershy determined was a cockpit. Climbing in, the pegasus fit comfortably almost as if the machine was designed for her. There was a spiral plate on the front of console. Reaching a hoof out, she touched it gingerly. She cried out as the screen glowed gold for a brief instant before fading back into darkness. Trying to calm her racing heart, Fluttershy had only one thought in her head. “I have to show Dash this. Whatever this is..." Meanwhile... Dash’s stomach growled in hunger. She was bored, tired, and hungry. Being unable to sleep because she was so hungry and she was tired because she couldn’t sleep. Hence the boredom. It was one thing to be jailed and another to not be provided food. A squeaking caused her to raise her head. She peered into the darkness as a small white creature with long ears hopped out of the darkness and peered at the pegasus. An albino rabbit? Down here? “Hey come here, little guy.” The rabbit tilted its head at her before shaking it in a very pony like fashion. Dash frowned before trying again. “Why not?” Dash’s stomach protested loudly at the sudden appearance of the animal. While it would be weird to eat an animal, she was starving. And food was food. The rabbit shook its head and pointed at the pony before miming eating. Dash felt her heart fall at that. This little thing was smart. “I’m not gonna eat ya, little guy.” The rabbit folded his arms and looked at her with disbelief. “Well, I was going to…”