//------------------------------//
// Exposition Woods 
// Story: Eljunbyro 
// by Imploding Colon 
//------------------------------//

	"What I can't wrap my head around is the fact that you found another pegasus inside that cave," Bellesmith said.

"I'm still betting it's a bored earth pony that got into a wrestling contest with an albatross," Rainbow Dash said from a low hover.

"That's not very likely," Belle replied with a thin glare.

"A giant centipede is not very likely."

"How many times have you run into giant creatures in caves?" Belle remarked as she, Rainbow Dash, and Pilate shuffled under the dimly-lit canopy of Foxtaur Forest.  They navigated brambles and low-hanging vines and bowing trees.  "And the one time you stumble into something that's remarkable beyond measure, you play it off like it's nothing!"

"Hey!  I scavenged the book from there!"  Rainbow Dash exclaimed with a wave of her hooves.  "That counts for something, right?"

"And a remarkable book it was," Pilate remarked as Belle reached back to help him scale a bumpy series of exposed roots.  "Full of alarmingly detailed illustrations and maps."

"Yeah, you got a good look at that thing, didn't ya?" Rainbow exclaimed.

"Indeed."  The zebra smiled blankly.  "Now if only I could have interpreted it."

"You mean not a single word inside that thing caught your attention?"

"Oh, several bits caught my attention, alright," Pilate said with a nod.  He spoke solidly into the dense forest air.  "I saw several symbols that I had studied before in Blue Shelf.  Some carry more gravity than others.  What intrigues me the most is one reoccuring symbol, one that you said was on a piece of clothing located near the body of the winged pony, if I'm not mistaken."

"Oh, right.  That thing."  Rainbow Dash nodded from above. "Yeah, the pony had a swell hoodie of sorts.  The symbol was on that."

"Just what we need," Belle muttered with glazed eyes.  "More symbols."

"I can only imagine if it's something of special significance," Pilate thought aloud.

"Probably the Secret Cabal of Zadubadabu or somecrap," Rainbow Dash uttered with rolling eyes.

"You may not be that far off."

Rainbow squinted down at him.  "You're kidding, right?"

"I only mean to say that it most likely is an organization of sorts," Pilate said, briefly stumbling over a cluster of twigs as Belle caught him.  "Erm... or at least it was."

"Was?"

"There's no telling just how old that skeleton was, or what it was doing inside that cave."

"There were symbols carved into the wall besides where the body was lying, right?" Belle said.

"Yeah."  Rainbow Dash nodded.  "Seems like a lousy way to go."

"I seriously doubt that the pony went down there completely by accident," Pilate said.  "If I had my guess, I'd say it was a purposeful expedition."

"To what end?"  Bellesmith remarked.  "What would bring a pegasus pony so far into ancient Ledomaritan country?"

"What has brought Rainbow Dash so far?"

Belle glanced up at Rainbow, then squinted at Pilate.  "Beloved, you don't think... you don't think that—"

"Another Austraeoh?"  Pilate shook his head.  "I doubt it.  That would belittle Rainbow's significance as the 'spark.'  Though, stranger things have happened."

"Well, one thing is for sure."  Belle smiled up at their guide.  "Rainbow Dash is one of a kind."

Rainbow Dash belched.  She scratched her left armpit and squinted up at the forest canopy.

Belle sighed and trotted alongside Pilate.  "Checks and balances, I suppose..."

"Someone explain to me again why we're just trudging around in this dank and dark forest," Rainbow uttered.  "I have a good mind to hoist each of you under a foreleg and take us the easy way to the far side."

"Rainbow, you saw those flying unicorns who attacked us!"

"Yeah?  So?  The centipede kicked their butts!  Then I kicked its butt!"

"That's not the point!"  Belle frowned.  "The Enforcers not only know which direction we've taken through the countryside, but they're sending scouts by air to find us!"

"And...?"

"And... we have the Foxtaur Forest acting as a means of masking our trail!"  Belle smiled.  "I know how much you wanna whisk us to safety, Rainbow, but we gotta lay low for a bit.  You may be able to show a giant arthropod who's boss, but an entire Ledomaritan army?"

"Come on!  We can take them!"  Rainbow Dash grinned wide.

Bellesmith merely glared at her.

Rainbow sighed and folded her front limbs in a limp over.  "Fine.  At least let's figure out what that stupid book's about.  I'm bored."

"I'm not sure that's possible," Pilate said.  "I'd need access to a huge library of ancient languages, the likes of which could only be found in hidden archives protected by the Council of Ledo."

"Oh right," Rainbow Dash said with a shudder.  "You told me about their dumb phobia of—like—old languages and stuff."

"Also, we really need to give O.A.S.I.S. a rest," Belle added.

"What for?" Rainbow Dash asked with a quizzical expression.  "I got the glowy crystals that you needed, right?"

"It's of no use to us until we find a unicorn who can transfer energy into the implant in Pilate's skull," Belle explained.  She blushed.  "Erm... a unicorn with a horn, that is."

"Ahhhhh.  Okay."  Rainbow gazed ahead of them.  "Guess you're in for a long, dark hike, Pilate."

"I don't mind one bit!"  Pilate said with a grin.  "I find the forest air invigorating."

Belle giggled and nuzzled him.  "Only you, beloved.  Only you."

"Besides..."  Rainbow Dash yawned and flew upside down in a reclining pose.  "What are the friggin' odds we'd run into a unicorn lame enough to be hanging out in a place like this?"