//------------------------------// // Ch. 15: Emptiness // Story: Sin // by MemoryLane //------------------------------// "No!" Cashmere screamed, as he had noticed the rock that was being gingerly placed over the exit. He sprinted with the ferocity that I've never seen from him. I could almost hear him lowly growl at the situation, refusing to be toyed with for any longer. Right when the rock was going to leave us imprisoned, Cashmere grabbed the other side of the rock and began to push the rock against Applejack's forces in an attempt to rescue himself. "I will not! Be locked! In a filthy...CAVE!" As he spoke those words, I realized something: Him and Rarity would make a good match...kind of. Applejack grunted as Cashmere's forces worked against her, causing her to loudly groan with exertion. I remained there, unmoving. This was all happening too fast! Cashmere opened an eye and looked at the three of us before yelling through his gritted teeth. "Will someone PLEASE give me a hoof!?" His fore hooves were bulging with ever shove he gave to the rock. Soon he just gave up trying to push the rock out of the way, and changed his goal to just making sure that everyone didn't get imprisoned. Something didn't seem right to me. I've seen Applejack move bigger things by herself...why is this such an issue for her? Rarity and Covette simultaneously sprinted after Cashmere, reaching the rock within mere moments. Rarity said nothing, and Covette did not stop shouting curse words, ones that I'd rather not repeat. They began to push, and I saw that Applejack was starting to give in to the immense weight. I stood there, absolutely frozen. I didn't know what to do. My first instinct was to help, but my mind wouldn't let me. Everything almost seemed to stop in place, to the point where the sound of my own breathing was pounding in my ears. I'm not sure if I could take it. My heart was beating so hard that it almost shook my whole body. I began to get lightheaded, and I raised a hoof to it just as I lost feeling in everything else inside of me. I felt myself crash onto the floor, still listening to the sounds of the other three ponies fighting to save themselves. "F-Fluttershy?" Cashmere asked in a calm voice from somewhere near me. My eyes fluttered open at the sudden voice in shock. I let out a little squeal as I realized that I was belly-up on the floor, and that Cashmere, Rarity and Covette were all standing over me. Everyone having a very concerned look on their face, minus Covette, who looked very annoyed. "Are you alright darling? You collapsed!" Rarity told me, helping me to my hooves and giving me a big hug, to which I graciously returned. Cashmere smiled at me, obviously resorting to reconcile with me that way. Which only leads to believe that he still doesn't feel comfortable with getting close to me yet. Which is fine in my book. I hope that didn't come off as mean... Covette huffed loudly as she made her way towards the exit of the cave. While I was passed out, it seemed that they must have succeeded in moving the rock. "Yes. I'm fine...I see that you all succeede-" Covette was suddenly in my face, uncomfortably close to me now. "Yeah! No thanks to you!" She shouted at me, causing me to once again squeal and hide behind my mane. "I-I'm sorry...that happens when I-" Once again, I was interrupted. I now feel Cashmere's pain, since this is all that happened to him earlier when we first started to travel with him. "WE KNOW! You got 'scared'. What else is knew? Did you hear that Rarity made this SNAZZY dress? Oh! What about Cashmere? Didja hear about his fancy new mansion!?" I didn't know what to say to defend myself, I really couldn't help it, and when I didn't give a response, Covette was going to walk away again before Rarity stepped up for me again. She stepped in front of Covette and angrily poked her chest, causing her to reel back a bit before regaining her determined posture. "Look. I do not know what this attitude problem of yours is all about. But you need to fix it! You cannot be getting angry at the things we do, simply because it inconveniences you! Fluttershy could not help what happened back there!" She explained. Covette chuckled to herself before making her way for the exit. "Fine, if you inconvenience me, then I'll do the same to you. Good luck activating your stupid Medallion without 'Envy'. And good luck explaining to your friends why you failed. I will not be killed because of you idiots." And with that she trotted for the exit. She was only a step out of the door before Cashmere spoke up. "Ha. You're not going anywhere." Covette stopped dead in her tracks, and angrily turned her head. A vein in her forehead was visibly throbbing, and I was a little intimidated. Yet Cashmere seemed unfazed, and he actually walked CLOSER to her. "What?" She spat sharply, turning to face the stallion eye to eye. Cashmere gave her a satisfactory grin. "You're not going anywhere, and you know it." He muttered. Covette was seething, I had a good idea what her response was going to be, and to my surprise, she said exactly that. "Oh yeah, Rich Guy? Are you going to stop me? What, are you going to somehow 'greed' me into staying? It's not like your going to offer me anything to stay." She growled, but for some reason, Cashmere remained confident. "I'm not going to stop you. You are." Covette raised an eyebrow, and so did I. What was that supposed to mean? "You're going to give up a chance to help others. Are you? Otherwise, why are you with us right now?" Covette had forgotten the reason why she came along for in the first place, and stammered, looking for a good comeback. But Cashmere continued when he decided that she had taken to long. "Exactly." He walked behind Rarity and I and literally SHOVED us over to Covette, eventually shoving her out the cavern was well. "So shut up. Let's get going." *** "Ennui! Ennui!?" I shouted, not sure of what to do. I was never good with doctor-y type stuff, but what I did know was that she was freezing to death. You don't need a medical expert to be able to figure that out. To my surprise, Ennui was actually awake. She poked her head through the window as usual. As she did, the snow hit her hard, and she had a hard time seeing straight. "What? What? What is it? I was almost asleep...someone better be dying!" She exclaimed. She probably didn't see, but I gave her the dirtiest glare I could muster. But even if she did see, she probably couldn't tell due to the fact that my face was completely frozen. "It's Rainbow! Help me! She's frozen solid!" I yelled to her over the sound of the wind. I heard Ennui loudly groan. "But it's cold out there-" "ENNUI GIT YER FLANK OUT HERE BEFORE I KICK IT OUT HERE!" I screamed. This was a serious situation, and I needed help. I did not was not in the mood for Ennui's antics. And laziness. And inappropriate attitude. Ennui sighed before closing the window and walking out of the carriage. At first, I had a hard time spotting her, as her mane and her tail blended into the snow, but her sandy body is what helped me find her. She took one look at the pegasus, poked her flank, and shrugged knowingly. "Hm, hypothermia...you know it's fatal right?" My heart dropped as I heard her say that. Rainbow Dash can't die! Not out here! I started to wonder how Ennui knew that, but it wasn't important right now. I lied down in the snow next to Rainbow and beckoned over to Ennui, who looked genuinely clueless right about now. "Hehe...Rainbow flavored popsicles..." "WHAT?" "I said...potato...are...t-ticklish. Yeah. That's what I said." I considered bucking her in her mouth, but now wasn't the time for that. I made a mental note to do it later. "Ennui! Put Rainbow on mah back!" I asked, unsure if she was even capable of doing such a thing. She grunted, and it took a little bit, to my dismay, but she finally succeeded in putting the rainbow mare on my back. I groaned as I stood on my hooves, and made my way for the carriage, which Ennui generously left open. Speaking of her, I have no idea what happened to her, but she must have went to the bathroom or something in the snow, because she definitely didn't follow me. I walked inside, only to be hit with slightly warm air. I set Rainbow down on the hard wooden floor and simply stared at her. My mind was racing with possibilities, with things that I could do to help. But this was a serious condition...I felt entirely useless. I maneuvered myself so that I was basically hugging her, hoping to warm her up since that was the only thing I could thing to do at this point. Warmth. Just what the doctor(Or...I, is more like it) ordered. I sighed as my mind floated off to imagining if Rainbow wasn't able to get out of this. It would've been my fault. I'm the one who asked her to help me pull the cart. Although I did need help. It was my fault. There's no getting around it. Eventually, I feel asleep next to Rainbow Dash. The time seemed to fly by. Strangely enough, I didn't dream. I dreamt almost every night. Ever since I was just a little filly, anyways. It was almost like a tradition, but for some reason, it didn't come. And to be honest, I was a little concerned because of that. When I awoke, I turned to see that Rainbow had thawed throughout the night, and that she was steadily breathing. Good, that meant I did something right. When I looked to my left, I almost flinched as I was staring right at Ennui. Her eyes stared into mine, and that devious smile of hers was on her face. I jumped up and scooted away from her. Now, I was comfortable being close to Dash, but Ennui was a whole different story. "Mornin' sexy. Sleep good?" She said as she mockingly placed a hoof on her chin, trying her best to be sexy. Ugh. That reminded me. I reached up and smacked her across the face, making a loud SMACK. The force made her head swing to her left, and she stared up at me broken heartedly. "Jeez...If I'm bad in bed just say so..." She laughed, rubbing her throbbing cheek. "That was for the popsicle joke!" I told her, ignoring her pointless words. She sighed and I turned back to Rainbow Dash, and I quietly called her name, only to receive her soft breathing as a reply. "Do ya think she's going to make it?" I asked. Apparently, Ennui knew more than I did about this type of thing, and anything was better than nothing at this point. "I think so." She muttered, staring over my shoulder. I felt her warm breathe on the back of my neck, which only got me angry. But I didn't know if she was doing it on purpose or not, so I didn't say anything. "We need to get her someplace more warm." "But where?" I inquired. We were in the middle of nowhere. Albeit it was daytime now, it was still cold, and snowing like crazy. "I found a cabin nearby last night. It's pretty nice, and warm. We could see if someone could help us there." She muttered, before opening the carriage door, almost causing me to go blind from the snow, I shielded my eyes for a moment before looking at Rainbow Dash, feeling a tinge of guilt, before facing the facts. "Show me." *** It took a little bit, but Warble finally grabbed his things that he planned to take and put them in saddlebags that were snuggly strapped around his back, grumbling loudly. Apparently he was still a little peeved about this situation. But it only raises even more of my suspicions. Being a glutton isn't a BAD thing. I don't know why he jumped to such conclusions like that when I told him what attribute he represents. I didn't call him a "Food gobbling, fat ass". He just put words in my mouth. I might need to talk to him later, but only when we are alone. "All set?" Aphrodite asked as she looked the stallion up and down wistfully, causing him to shift his eyes nervously. Wow, was she good at making ponies uncomfortable. But it was a good thing this time, because it took his mind off the facts that were currently boiling him inside. "Yeah. Let's get this over with...you're going to look mighty stupid when we get back to Ponyville only to find out you've got the wrong guy." He deadpanned, and Aphrodite laughed at him. "Ohh stop being a stick in the mud. It's going to be a grand time." She lifted up a hoof and ran it along the stallions ear, to his chin, making him shiver. "Just you...and me...and-" Warble suddenly turned to me, his back legs bent nervously and he almost begged to me though his eyes. "Is...is she always like this?" He asked me, and I rolled my eyes. I considered telling him that she almost got her way with me while I slept, but I decided not to. I didn't really want to tell ponies I just met that kind of information. "Yes." I leaned close to him."Sleep with one eye open..." Warble gasped and turned back to Aphrodite, who simply blew him a kiss. "Uh...let's go now..." He mumbled. Another thing I noticed is that this must not be easy for him, because right as I met him it was apparent that he was pretty socially awkward. Especially around me, and don't get me started on Aprodite. Albeit he got along with Pinkie Pie pretty well, as she has won his respect after the competition earlier. It took me just a moment, since I still wasn't used to teleporting this many ponies that far a distance, but I successfully teleported all of us back to the Library back in Ponyville. Unfortunately it was a bad time. Because the first thing every pony saw was Spike. He was lying on his stomach, playing with dolls(Or as he calls them, "action figures"). "Oh...uh...back already?" Spike blushed as he hid the dolls(ACTION FIGURES) behind his back, and whistling nonchalantly. "Yeah..." Spike looked at all four of us, before his eyes landed on Aphrodite. I could have swore I saw little hearts form in his eyes at the sight of her, almost similar to what had happened when he first laid eyes on Rarity. "Wow..." Oh boy. This won't be good. "Spike, I'd like you to meet-" I started, but Pinkie felt the need to intrude. "This is Warble! He's a friend of mine and he beat me in a pie eating contest!" Pinkie whispered over to Spike, but not quiet enough as to where she was heard by the entire room. "Don't call him a glutton. He doesn't like it!" Warble seethed at Pinkie, but didn't say a word. Knowing that if he did say something that something bad may slip out. And that he shouldn't be offended, considering he wasn't a glutton anyways. Spike disregarded Warble and pointed at Aphrodite weakly. "And...who is that?" "Oh...that's Aprodite." Spike looked like he was starting to get lost in his own fantasies again, but after realizing his mistake(And that Rarity would soon be his anyways) he quickly snapped out of it. Sometimes I wonder about him. "Oh...cool." He glanced behind the four of us, but he soon furrowed his brow. "Where's everyone else?" I assumed he meant Rainbow, Applejack, Fluttershy and Rarity. "They're looking for the other ponies. Celestia knows where they are right now..." I replied, and Spike sighed. "I hope Rarity's alright..." "I hope they're all okay. Everyone needs to be here within the next three days." I was starting to get just a little bit paranoid, again. What if they didn't make it? What if we fail the Princess? What if the Changelings attack?! "I need a nap..." "Well, yeah, it is ten o'clock at night." As he said that, I looked at the clock, only to realize that he was right. And to confirm my suspicions, I looked outside, only to see pitch blackess. I turned back over to everyone else in the room. I felt bad for Warble at the words that were about to come out of my mouth. "I think we should hit the hay." Warble suddenly looked very frightened. And I was faced with a horrible decision. There is a couch in my room that someone could sleep on, but that pony would have to be Pinkie. Aphrodite is not sleeping ANYWHERE near me tonight, and it'd be very weird to share a room with a male. Especially one I've just met just a few hours ago. "Sorry Warble, but you're going to have to sleeping in the living room with Spike-" Aphrodite was now creeping a hoof down Warble's spine sensually, smiling as the stallion took an edgy step away from her. She whispered in his ear. "And me~" Warble seemed desperate and got down on his knees and almost begged. "Please don't do this to me...I'm saving myself." Aphrodite took that as an invitation, and loudly smacked the stallions flank, causing him to yelp and rub his backside. "Don't work Big Boy, it won't be that bad...it'll only hurt for the first few minutes. But trust me, it gets better..." Warble looked like he wanted to cry. "I'm sorry, but we have to. Don't worry, Spike's rooming with you guys too." I pointed over to the baby dragon, and he puffed up his chest. Warble didn't look to enthused. In fact I think I saw the color flush from his face. "But...but....but-" He groaned as Spike went and pulled out a few blankets for Aphrodite and Warble. But she stopped him. "We're only going to need one tonight, hun." She winked. Spike raised an eyebrow, completely oblivious to what the mare was talking about(Thank God...I'm not ready to have that talk with him yet). He went to go put it back, but Warble stopped him and quickly grabbed a blanket. "NO! We're going to need two...trust me." Aphrodite sighed sadly and grabbed the other blanket, and Spike went over to his bed as Pinkie and I headed upstairs with another blanket in tow for her. "Good night, see you all in the morning." I called down. I made a mental note that if some sort of noise wakes me up in the night, that I HAD to make sure everything was okay down here. Plus...what if Spike saw if they did...it? "Night Twilight!" Called Spike. "Oh, it will be..." Aphrodite moaned, scooting closer to the stallion. "Help..."