//------------------------------// // Chapter: 2 From Equestria // Story: From Equestria to Dust // by Tresviri //------------------------------// Chapter 2 From Equestria "It's right over this hill!" Pinkie exclaimed, bouncing ahead of the group. "Pinkie you said that about the last three hills." Twilight grumbled, rolling her eyes. Rainbow laughed. "Lighten up Twilight. If her Pinkie sense made her flop like a fish out of water, this must be big." "Rainbow's right Twi," Applejack agreed. "don't cha' remember what happen' last time?" "Don't remind me." She mumbled, rousing a laugh from her friends. They continued to follow their friend Pinkie up the hill. Twilight and rarity where getting a little tired, being the least active members of their group. The forth hill that they climbed was proving to be tasking for both the bookworm and fashionista. Twilight's breathing was heavy and she struggled with every step. Rarity, was like Twilight, struggling to keep up with the group but was taking it much worse than her. She complained continuously about how a mare of her class should not be engaging in such strenuous activities. Rainbow had had just about enough of her whining when she said, "Rarity I know this is not your thing but could you please just be quiet? “Rainbow asked growing tired of her voice. "I most certainly will not!" She shot back. "Just look at me! I'm hideous!" Rainbow and Applejack shared a glance and rolled their eyes. Their marshmallow friend continued to whine up the slop about her own appearance. "This sweat! It has ruined my gorgeous mane!" She shrieked, appalled by her purple manes current state. "There it is!" Shouted Pinkie from the crest of the hill. "Thank Celestia!" Groaned Rainbow speeding away from Rarity. The rest of the group hurried over as well. Twilight, followed by rarity, were the last to arrive and collapsed to the ground. They gasped for air thinking that that was the hardest thing they had ever done in their lives. Rarity had no further energy to complain as she lay next to Twilight. "Wow Girls'." Chuckled Applejack. "Yur' really outta' shape." Rarity and Twilight failed to answer her as they struggled to breathe. Rainbow laughed hard at her friends’ pitiful states. She rolled onto her back finding herself struggling to breathe. Flutershy showed some concern and gently floated over to help her friends up. "Thank -gasp- you." Twilight said wheezing. She shot Rainbow a glare as she wiped a tear of joy from her eye. "Are you girls gonna take a look at this or not?" Pouted Pinkie. Applejack rolled her eyes as she walked over to Pinkie. "Pinks Ah'm sure whatever it is it can wait. Your friends need a restin'..." She paused when she looked over the hill. "Well I’ll be." She gawked in amazement. "Rainbow, come check this out." "What is it Aj?" She asked rolling her eyes. “It can't be that impre.... Whoa." Rainbows eyes widen when she saw the object below. "Uh... Twilight you might want to see this." With Fluttershy as a crutch she hobbled over to the group. "It can’t be -gasp- that interesting." She managed to roll her eyes. When she reached the edge however she too was amazed at what she saw. Further down the hill was a platform with a strange stone structure in its center. It had a somewhat curved appearance and some crude steps leading up to what seemed to be an entrance. Small wisps of dust clouds surrounded it from the unnatural golden sand that surrounded it. "What is that?" Asked Rainbow. "I don't know Rainbow, but I intent to find out!" Twilight said, forgetting her exhaustion and becoming overwhelmed with excitement. She slid down the hill side toward the construction and her friends followed. Unlike her they were a little concerned instead of excited... Except for Pinkie, who of course, took dangerous leaps done the hill. Twilight frantically maneuvered her hooves desperately trying to remain up right. Her futile efforts were rewarded when she reached the bottom and lost her footing. Unable to stop her momentum her snout firmly planted itself in the sand. "Twi you OK?!" Applejack shouted part way up the slope. Twilight sputtered uncontrollably in an attempt to void the grains of stone from her mouth. She spat, gagged and even dragged her hooves over her tongue to be rid herself of the feeling. "I'm -phew- fine!" She struggled to say. The rest of her friends made it too her without incident. She picked herself up with a few more gags before she steadied herself again. Everyone stood perfectly still staring at the strange stone structure that lay before them. The silence only lasted a few seconds when Twilight squealed like a fan girl at a concert. She dashed up to the stone obelisk, nearly galloping over Rarity, and quickly ran her eyes all over its features. Her friends approached the construct with their own interest, but not quite as excited as Twilight. They all cantered over while their lavender friend spoke utter nonsense. "OHMUGOSHOHMYGOSHOYMYGOSH!" She squealed. The sound was so loud and high of pitch Rainbow had to cover her ears. "This is incredible! It looks ancient!" Twilight continued to excitedly examine the artifact like a true scholar. Meanwhile the others walked around the stone making their own observations. "Twi can ya' read these her' strange symbols?" Applejack asked. "I'm afraid not." Twilight admitted. "But that's what makes this so wonderful! This looks like something that's completely undiscovered!" “This looks like an entrance dear." Rarity called, peering at the darkness. Twilight quickly galloped around to where Rarity was. She was looking up the crude steps toward an equally unrefined whole. It was large enough to have accommodated Celestia's height and then some. Twilight's jaw dropped in awe. "Where do you think it goes?" Rainbow asked floating closer to the entrance. "Oh no you don't." Commanded Rarity. "If you think we are going in there you are sadly mistaken." Rainbow frowned and gave her the best 'sad foal eyes' she could muster. "That is not working on me Rainbow Dash! -hmpf- That place is most certainly unbecoming of a high class lady such as myself!" "We need to go in there." Twilight said calmly. Rarity's head wiped around so fast her neck gave a most 'unladylike' like crack. “You can't be serious." She asked with concern and fear in her trembling voice. "Rarity, just think about what secrets could be lying under there!" She said with her eyes glittering with possibilities. "And all we have to do is look." Meanwhile the snake god is once again struggling to cope with his followers’ incompetence. He was at the moment giving one particular follower an angry glare. However not having eyes, or a face for that matter, made that very difficult. "Please help God!" He pleaded. (It's like a fifty degree incline! You can climb!) The little man continued to plead on his knees for his powerful deity to aid him. (Oh for the love of... Look the tsunami's coming; I'm gonna go grab some sand. Don't. Do. Anything!) A few seconds later the little man was running as fast as his little legs would carry him. He could hear the thunderous sound of the approaching tsunami prompting him to quicken his pace to the stone entrance. (RUN YOU LITTLE ASSHOLE! YOU'RE ALMOST THERE!) "No. I refuse to go down there." She raised her head in a high and mighty stance. "Rarity there could be some ancient treasure or even gems." Twilight poked for weakness. Rarity's ear twitched slightly, prompting her continue. "I can just imagine all the rare and beautiful jewels and jewelry now." "Well what are you girls dilly dallying for? Let's be off." She said trotting up the steps to the entrance "There's not gonna' be any gems is there?" Applejack asked, out of ear shot of Rarity. "Probably not." Twilight smirked trotting after her mash mellow friend. Rainbow chuckled as she followed her and Applejack in, followed by Fluttershy and Pinkie. "I-It's Really d-dark in here." Fluttershy squirmed uncomfortably. "Oh here let me get that." Twilight said lighting up her horn. The area around the six became illuminated in the purple glow. What was revealed was a series of intertwining tunnels. Most of the tunnels where to small and impossible to traverse or where just wide cut ins, extending the sides. All over the walls where strange carvings and symbols that illustrated some kind of story. Twilight continued to follow the linear path examining the pictographs and what they could represent. The first Picture was of some strange bipedal creatures wearing a wide assortment of masks. They were situated in a circle with some large horns and drums during of a storm. "What are these creatures? I've never read about such a thing anywhere." Twilight began to speculate. "Twi Ah' suggest we keep movin'." Applejack said breaking her train of thought. "We'll be here' all day at this rate." Twilight shook her head. "Yes, of course." She walked on down the halls only slowing down to catch a little more of the carvings she passed. The last few she saw were of some kind of large snake defending the masked creatures from various threats. Mostly it was massive waves from the sea or large rivers of molten rock. "What a strange criter'." Applejack comment not hiding her impressed tone. "Defendin' those masked fellers." Twilight nodded. "Ya, but we should head back now-" There was a series of rumbling sound behind the ponies followed by a loud crash. All the ponies jump and stared at the now blocked passage behind them. "A cave in!" Exclaimed Rarity. "We're trapped! This is THE. WORST. POSSIBLE. THING!" "Rarity!" Twilight shouted. "You need to calm down!" Rarity was about to point out the seriousness of their situation when an orange glow mixed with Twilight purple one. The group turned their gaze to Pinkie who was holding a blazing torch in her mouth. She spat it into her hoof. "What?" "Pinkie..." Rarity spoke slowly. "Where did you get that?" "Oh this?" She waved the torch. "I found it on the ground." "Pinkie!" Shouted Twilight. "That thing is ancient! Why would you put it in your mouth?!" Pinkie giggled. "You’re supposed to grab one of these when you’re going to the next level silly." Twilight just stared at Pinkie waiting for a better explanation. However Pinkie just bounced past her after placing the torch between her teeth. Twilight's eye twitched in irritation as she once again tried to comprehend the being, known as Pinkie Pie. "Twi don't think about it to hard." Suggested Applejack. Twilight sighed. "Ya, OK. Now let’s keep going. There should be another exit." They all walked further and further into the cave system. Thanks to Pinkie and her torch Rainbow was able to fly ahead, after she convinced her to give it to her. "Girls I'm sorry I got you all into this mess." Twilight apologized hanging her head in shame. "Twi, it's not your' fault." Applejack reassured. "I know but I still feel responsible for this." She pouted. Rarity placed a hoof on her shoulder. "Twilight dear, let's just find a way out of this together." Twilight smiled and gave her a confident nod. "I'll get you all out of this I swear!" "There's an exit over here!" Called Rainbow further down the tunnel. The other fours' eyes grew wide and a glimmer of hope shined in them. They quickly galloped down the tunnel being careful to not trip on any louse rocks. They soon found Pinkie jumping up and down under a ray of light. Rainbow was floating nearby glancing up judging the hazards. "Oh radiant light I am so happy to see you!" Rarity dived into the ray of hope kissing the ground. She basked in the light as if she had just been reunited with a long lost lover. "Woooowe!" Whistled Applejack. "That's a bit of a climb." "Fluttershy and Rainbow can fly up, I'll teleport everyone else." Twilight offered. "Sounds like a plan." Rainbow nodded flying up the shaft and the meek pink manned pegasus fluttered after her. They were about half way up when Twilight enveloped her horn in a concentrated purple aura. A few sparks shot out with a sizzling sound indicating the spell was ready. A few seconds later the six where all topside dumb founded by their surroundings. There was sand. Endless amounts of sand that stretched in all directions. Valleys of sand, plains of sand, hills of sand and a pit of water... Oh wait, no that's just sand. "What?" Twilight asked no pony in particular.