The Mystery of Breakwater Island
Chapter Six: Tied Up in a Crystal Plot
Told from the journal kept by Ribbonetta Samantha Hearthus
Written by Feather
* * *
When I wake I'm back in the ratty building. What was that fluid Rarity injected into us? Why are we on this island?
And most importantly, will we get out alive?
"Ah, she's awake," Brickwork says.
"Yay"s from all round.
I look up at them all. Tired, sweaty mares and colts with exhausted smiles on their faces.
"You're a hero, darl," says a filly with a Western drawl. "If you escaped it means we all can."
"But we didn't escape."
"You weren't far from it."
I smile. "We need a plan."
Most of the heads turn to a surveillance camera in one corner of the room.
"Outside there are guards," somepony says.
I think for a moment.
"I have an idea."
*
Sombrero's the first one to know the plan when she wakes up. The other ponies will be told in the mines.
Brickwork and a few other stallions are going to cause a distraction in the gem mines, while Gem Rod, Lucky Dreams and her crew will make a ruckus on the peanut plantations. We've removed all our ribbon bracelets and replaced them with normal ones from my cruise cabin. It took nearly two months to get them all, slinking in and out of the cruise ship while nopony was looking.
Anyway, once the guards rush off to see what has happened, me, Sombrero and everypony else will make a run for the boat. Once we get on, Steer Wheel, Port and Starboard will pilot us far enough away so that the guards can't reach us. We'll then steer over to the East Dock to pick up Brickwork, Gem Rod and their teams.
This has gone round the mines like wildfire. Since there are no cameras or guards in the mines (only Rarity comes to visit and gloat once an hour) it's the perfect place to discuss things. I whisper the plan to Lucky Swirl one evening and she takes the news to the peanut plantations.
*
Tomorrow the plan will come into play. Right now we're down in the mines.
Usually all the mares are up in the plantations, but because rebellion has been a problem Rarity has had to send some 'naughty mares' down into the mines.
It's horrible here. The only light comes from the rare torch or lantern. The rock we're mining is cold and damp. The air is freezing cold, clammy, and worst of all, full of the screams of workers as they are caught under falling rocks or mine cart accidents.
I met Gem Rod down here. She is a good pony. She knows a gem-showing spell that shows us where the nearest gems are. She doesn't know that I'm a Crystal Pony, nopony does, but I think she's intelligent enough to guess since I don't lay a hoof on any gem.
*
Tonight will be out last night here. Glad for the brief respite in work, I don't pay any attention to the little parties (which have to be quiet enough to avoid Rarity's wrath) and just roll over, shut my eyes and sleep.