//------------------------------//
// Chapter 2.) Two Months Later 
// Story: Blaze: Part II 
// by Blazing_Mane01 
//------------------------------//


Two months later...

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"Blaze, it's time to get up..."

I shut my eyes slightly tighter, because the hole we found in the cave was trying to force Celestia's son into the windows of my soul. After a short moment, I rolled over and opened them. Afterwards, I quickly rub them with my forehooves. Once I can see straight, I take a quick look around me.
Nothing has changed. It all still looks like big blue rocks and a tiny hole in the ground above us. Yes, we have tried digging at it, but it's lined with extremely durable gemstones and won't budge. Twilight even tried yanking them out with magic, but to no avail. The caves are heavily enchanted, making all magic within fail. Hence why we haven't teleported out of here a long time ago.
We found that hole in the ground about, say, like a week ago? I don't even know how long it's been. Feels like eternity to me. And Twilight also looked like she had suffered through some eternity. Then again, I hadn't fared any better. I was just as scrawny, weak, tired, and hungry as she was.
Finally, I look back to Twilight Sparkle. "Alright." I stretch, but I regret it as it makes my stomach ache. "So, uhh... Find anything interesting?"

Twilight shook her head. "No, sorry... There's absolutely nothing in here, except that little pond we found a couple days ago."

I sigh. "Shit. What does Celestia wanna do? Kill us?"

"That's not Celestia," Twilight said quickly. "The Celestia I know would never have done this to us. No, there's some evil force at work here..."

"Ivory."

"Mmm... I don't know anymore." She finally dropped her vision to the floor. "I don't care anymore..."

I pat her gently on the back, because I know that if I put too much pressure, she'll probably fall over. "Man, I wish I could say something to comfort you, but I'm fresh out of ideas..."

She shook her head. "I know... There's just no point anymore. Ivory wins..."

Wait. Ivory! That made me get an idea. "Wait a second!" I bounded up. "Twilight, you're a genius! Ivory's ultimate goal was to be my marefriend. If that's still true, then no, she hasn't won! She still needs to find me and make amends!"

"But Blaze, it's been, like, forever up there, and we have no idea what's happened since Celestia threw us in here."

"Think about it. If Ivory is in control of Celestia, and Ivory wants me for her to-be, then she's eventually gonna find out what Celestia's done, and reverse it! She's our only hope right now!"

"Do you honestly think it would take this long for Ivory to figure out you've gone missing?"

"Twilight, what other hope do we have?"

Twilight sighed. "Oh... I don't know..."

Seeing her in her sad state always made me sad, too. I lowered my ears in disappointment. "Ehh, I guess you're right. It is a little far-fetched, isn't it? It HAS been a while --" I stop, and perk my ears up again. I hear hoofsteps above us. "Wait... You hear that?"

"Yeah. So?"

I raise my forehoof and smile, then put my ear next to the hole to hear if the other ponies are saying anything.

"It's reacting! It's reacting! Is this the place!?"

"I'm not sure. It seems like a pretty random location, does it not?"

"C'mon, guys! There's only one way to find out!"

"Fire up the spell!"

"Okay, okay, I'm working on it."

There was a second of silence. I took this second to tell Twilight. "Somepony's looking for something above us! You think they're looking for us?"

"I don't know. Do their voices sound familiar?"

"Well, I could swear I've heard one of them before --"

The voice above us shouts, "Yes! It's here! Start digging!"

"I'm on it!"

"Wait!" Twilight's voice startled me. "That sounded like Spike! Is that him!?"

I facehoof. "THAT'S where I've heard that voice!"

"Lemme see!" Twilight pushed me aside to look up herself. "Spike!?"

For the moment, all we could hear was a scratching at the gemstones around the peek hole. "It's no use. I can't shift the dirt. It's too hard!"

"Oh, hang on. Lemme see it." More hoofsteps. I could barely make out the ignition of magic, and after a second, the gemstones lit up around the hole. "There's why. We're directly above some gems!"

"Ooh... Gems..."

"Check it again. Are you sure this is where we need to be?"

"Yup! No doubt about it! The signal's coming from directly under us!"

I gasp. I knew that voice. I turn my head to Twilight, who had her eyes fixed on the hole. "Twilight."

She violently fell out of her trance, and looked back at me. "Yes?"

I smile. "We're getting out of here! That's Ivory!"

"Hang on." She said, then started moving around our immediate area.

"Guys! The reading's coming from over here now!"

"What!?"

"Yeah! We got it! She's here!"

"Finally!!" There was a short burst of hoofsteps around the gemstones. "Twilight!!"

Twilight quickly ran up to the hole. "Rarity!!"

"Yes! She's right down here! Spike!"

"Roger!"

After that, the dirt around the gems started to shift. Spike was working on one side, so that the gems would lose stability and fall in. Learning this message quicker than Twilight, I say, "Get away from there! Spike's diggin around the hole! Once he makes the dirt loose enough, the gems are gonna fall right through! You don't wanna be there when that happens."

"Oh, right! Thanks." She said, then backed behind me.

A couple minutes later was followed by the collapse of the ceiling. Shortly after, a cloud of dust blinded us from seeing anything for a moment. While we were coughing, Spike's voice found its way in. "Twilight!?"

"Spike!"

There was a thud. "I'm coming, Twilight!"

After the dust cleared out, I saw Twilight and Spike caught in each other's embrace. Seeing her happy again made me smile. "Hey, Spike."

Spike looked up. "Blaze! You're here too!"

Another voice above chimed in. "What!? Blaze!? Lemme in!!"

Another thud was heard, and I could see a blur of sea green and white. "Ivory!"

"Blaze!" She ran up to me, and threw her hooves around me. "I've been looking for you for two months!"

"It's been two months?"

She backed up. "Uhh, yeah. How long do you think it's been?"

"Eternity."

"Oh, my. Sounds - and looks - like you've been through Hell."

"Yeah. Through Hell and back."

"We need to get you two some food, quick. You're probably both starving! Applejack!"

"Comin!" She jumped down into the cave. "How y'all doin?"

"Well, we're alive."

"Sweet Celestia, it was worse than Ah imagined! Here, take these!"

She pulled two perfectly round apples out of the saddlebag she wore. Slowly, I accepted it, but furiously wolfed it down. Twilight fared no better with her food, either. She even bounded up and said, "More!"

"Easy, Twi. Here comes round two." Applejack said calmly, and handed us both one more apple.

Once she finished that one, she cleared her throat. "Wow, that was amazing! Even better when you're hungry!"

I smile. "Twilight, anything sounds good when you're hungry. Worms probably sound good, even."

"Blaze! Seriously!? You're gonna ruin my appetite!"

"Well, that would be bad, considering we both have a huge appetite right now."

Applejack stepped in between us. "Oh, shush, you two. En feel free to stuff ya faces!" She once again pulled two apples out of her saddlebag. "Ah've got enough to hold ya 'til we get to our hideaway."

Twilight had already taken a bite, but quickly spit it out. "Wait, what? What 'hideaway?' What about Ponyville?"


Applejack lowered her ears and her smile. "Well, uhh, Twilight... Princess Celestia had the five of us banished from Ponyville."