“Ugh! Honestly, Rainbow Dash, would this cave not be simpler to travel were you to fly us through it?” Rarity asked, grimacing at the mud that was starting to get on her hooves.
“Aw, you bummed by a little dirt and mud on your hooves, Rarity?” Rainbow teased, hovering above the ground as she lead the way, knowing she was getting on her friend’s nerves.
“YES! Being locked up in that filthy shed was bad enough, you feel need to make me suffer more?” the unicorn demanded.
“Yap-yap-yap that’s all I hear. No "where could the next sanctuary be"? I’d like to get this over with as soon as I can, Rarity,” Rainbow answered with an eyeroll, then dropped to the ground. “Hey, you hear that?” she asked.
“I heard nothing, Rainbow Dash.” Rarity said, looking about.
“Figures, you were too busy complaining,” Rainbow muttered. The sound went off again and several small creatures came their way. “Hey… are those…?” she wondered, only to suddenly get tackled by the offending rodents. “GET OFF OF ME!” Rainbow cried out, rolling about on the ground angrily and trying to get them off of her.
“Well those moles are certainly playing rough,” Rarity mused, watching the scuffle. “Wouldn’t you agree, bear?” she asked, looking over at the huge bear next to her that was staring down at her with a toothy grin. In a quick double-take Rarity screamed and backed away. “Stay back! Stay back you horrid thing!” she yelled, backing past Rainbow Dash as the huge bear advanced on her, its eyes flashing green briefly as it let out a roar, startling the moles and causing them to climb off of Rainbow Dash and flee.
“Now, honestly! Was that even necessary? Now in hindsight perhaps useful, Rainbow Dash was getting scratched up back there, but still! You expect a nasty brute like yourself can get away with menacing a lady?” Rarity demanded, glaring at the bear. “I most certainly think NOT!” Her horn glowed, and a stalactite broke loose and descended, turning and bashing the large beast on the head like a club. “Serves you right!” she said, briskly walking past the now unconscious bear and over to her pegasus friend.
“Okay, that was pretty cool, but I’m still not carrying you,” Rainbow said, standing back up.
~
“Okay, those bats were pretty pathetic, I mean they were attacking each-other!” Rainbow said in disbelief. Rarity simply looked around, her horn glowing to light the way but she seemed curious of the place itself. “Hey, you listening?” Rainbow asked.
“Dig right there, not two steps from your left!” Rarity said, earning an eyeroll from the pegasus who dug as fast as she could and found three gems; two purple one blue.
“Really, Rarity? We’re gem hunting while trying to save Equestria from total destruction?” the pegasus asked.
“Of course we are, Rainbow Dash! When this is over I don’t intend to travel this far again from Ponyville if I can help it, and not to mention this cave is hardly a place of my liking, so it’s only right we make the most of this,” Rarity said matter-of-factly, and her prim demeanor changed to excitement when she got a good look at the gems. “Oh my! These will be perfect for this new design I had!” Her horn glowed brightly again. “Now over there, in the wall!” she said, floating a rock and marking the spot with an X and earning a frustrated groan from the pegasus as she reluctantly complied. As she flew over, Rainbow noticed a shimmering light on a high ledge above them. “Hey, Rarity! Check it out! I think we found it!”
“Found what, pray tell? The gems are right where I marked them,” the unicorn answered.
“No, the sanctuary! It’s right up there, let’s go get it!” Rainbow said, flying over to Rarity and wrapping her forelegs around the mare and carrying her up.
“Wait! Rainbow! The gems! The GEMS!” Rarity hung her head, "That one had been rather nicely-sized too..." As Rainbow set her down, she noticed the shining light at the entrance of a tunnel. “Well, go on! Get the melody from it!” she urged.
Rainbow stuck her head into her satchel to take out the stone, but then remembered what had happened last time. “Something’s wrong about this,” she said. She slowly approached the light, cocking her head in curiosity. Suddenly the piercing feedback emanated from the stone as it failed to absorb the melody. Something had taken over this place too!
“You made it… you found second sanctuary!” a voice said and a large shape emerged from the light. It was a digger dog, like the ones the three creatures who’d captured Rarity one time had employed but much larger with glowing green eyes that had wisps of purple smoke trailing from them. “…But shiny place all mine now!”
“Seriously?!” Rainbow asked in annoyance. The creature’s drool spilled from its open jaws as it let out an angry snarl. Its armor barely fit its massive, transformed body now. “Where’s your pals?”
“Oh, them? They go to some big mine near Manehattan! Leave me in charge here but I don’t feel like leaving now! Other digger dogs run away when become Mondo Dog so have place to self now, even bears scared!” He let out an evil laugh and slammed his fist on the ground, causing it to shake and make the two ponies fall over. The beast’s body glowed brightly as it charged forward to tear into them with its huge claws. Rainbow immediately grabbed Rarity and they rolled out of the way, barely avoiding the hulking canine.
“A filthy creature like you keeping these gems to yourself? I won’t allow it!” Rarity said, floating several rocks at the creature but he swung his large paw and knocked them away. “With some extra effort, that is,” the unicorn added.
Rainbow Dash flew around the creature as fast as she could avoiding its swipes and attempting several kicks but the power of the sanctuary seemed to have made the creature’s reflexes improve as well. Finally a well-aimed paw strike sent her flying into a wall.
“Now crush annoying little horsey!” the ‘mondo dog’ said with a grin. Rarity’s eyes widened immediately.
“What. Did you. CALL ME?!” Rarity demanded furiously, her horn glowing brightly and discharging a blast of magical energy at the towering canine creature. When it impacted, an aura engulfed the monster and froze it in place, seemingly unable to move now despite its efforts. “I’ll have you know I am a pony NOT a horsey and if you call me that again, I… I don’t know what I’ll do but I assure you, you won’t like it!” the unicorn said sternly. The gigantic dog creature tried but failed to move let alone show much of a sign of reaction given its circumstances. Rainbow Dash meanwhile had gotten off the ground and got herself ready. Rarity seemed to have paralyzed it with her magic, which was sure to make this fight a lot easier now. Galloping forward, Rainbow jumped into the air and flew as fast as she could, her hoof out as she kicked the creature as hard as she could between the eyes, causing it to fall backwards against the opposing wall and several stalactites rained down on it, knocking the giant creature unconscious. Seconds later, its body glowed and shrank back down to that of a normal digger dog, and Rainbow gave a nod of satisfaction.
“Okay, Rarity, on a scale of one to ten, how would you rate that move?” she asked, earning a look from her friend. “Fine, you just don’t know awesome like I do. Let’s go.” With that, the pegasus lead them through the passage behind where the light had been and soon found themselves outside in a small enclosed summit.
“Well, it’s certainly very lovely out here, isn’t it?” Rarity said, taking in the fresh air. “Wouldn’t you say so, Rainbow Dash?” She noticed her friend had wandered closer to the tiny hoofsteps.
“Filly prints?” Rainbow wondered, looking closely at them. It was odd they’d stay intact this long, but there was an odd warmth about this place, like with the first sanctuary. She took the stone from her satchel and closed her eyes as she listened to the melody that began to play, and memories came back to her.
In her mind, she saw a tiny foal, cyan blue with a rainbow mane and tail. Sitting down cradling the foal was a pink pegasus mare with a blue mane and tail, with twin lightning bolts for a cutie mark, smiling down at her.
Rainbow Dash froze a moment, she could feel her eyes water. Her dad always said she was like her mother. Wiping her eyes, the pegasus looked back at her friend, who was staring at her in confusion.
“Oh my, are you alright, Rainbow Dash? You look…” Rarity began, but the pegasus just raised a hoof up.
“I’m fine. Just, remembering some stuff. We’re done here anyway,” Rainbow answered with a slight smile. “Look, I’ll fly us back to Fillydelphia and we can let Sweetie Belle and the others know you’re alright.”
~
“Absolutely not! Under no circumstances are you coming along, it’s far too dangerous for you three and I won’t allow it!” Rarity said sternly to her little sister, ignoring the big pleading eyes Sweetie Belle and the others attempted.
“Awww, but we could get world-saving cutie marks for it!” Sweetie Belle insisted.
“Sorry, but I’m gonna have to go with your sister on this one, Sweetie Belle,” Rainbow said as she leaned against the doorframe.
“But we made that nifty invention for you! You even said it helped and you were able to help Pinkie Pie!” Scootaloo said.
“Wait! That’s it!” Apple Bloom said with a grin. “We can keep makin’ stuff for ‘em and send ‘em when they need ‘em!”
“How’ll you even know where we are? We got a few places to go,” Rainbow asked.
“Just write us or somethin’! Look, we already got this nifty idea goin’ ever since the stuff we been hearin’ about in Hollow Shades!” Apple Bloom said.
“What would that be?” Rainbow asked.
“ZOMPONIES!” the three fillies shouted, all of them going into attempted looming poses.
“…Zomponies?” Rainbow asked, cocking an eyebrow.
“Yeah, they’re takin’ over the town, an’ they got weird purple goo on ‘em and stuff an’ keep sayin’ that nothin’ can stop their boss! An’ nopony can get in there now! Somepony came runnin’ out in a panic said the tunnels’re haunted an’ nopony else can get out!” Apple Bloom explained. “So now it’s Cutie Mark Crusaders Zompony Stoppers! YAY!” The three hoofbumped.
“Yeeeaaaahh. Better leave this to me,” Rainbow said. “Probably Sombra’s doing! Wanna go check it out, Rarity?”
“I—“ the seamstress began but Dash instantly wrapped her forehoof around her.
“Of course you do!” the pegasus said. Now let’s go deal with those ghosts, they’ll be no match for the awesome Rainbow Dash!
~
“No match, huh?” Rarity asked, staring at the pegasus who now lay at her hooves shaking all over not ten seconds after attempting to fly through the tunnel leading to Hollow Shades.
“We’re gonna need another way in,” Rainbow muttered.
As if to answer that, a familiar gray pegasus with a blonde mane and tail suddenly flew clumsily towards them, crashing in front of Rainbow Dash and causing dirt to fly in her face.
“Hi there, Rainbow Dash!” Derpy said in her usual cheerful tone.
“Oh, hey Derpy. What do you want?” Rainbow said, standing back up and finally feeling the unbearable chills she’d experienced seconds ago going away.
“Care package from Fluttershy! A buncha birds gave it to me, who’da thought?” Derpy said, pulling a small box from her satchel. Tearing it open, Rainbow found a letter inside.
“Hello, Rainbow Dash! I’m hoping everything’s okay and that I’m not bothering you by sending this. Um, anyway I sent you some sandwiches and figured I’d let you know that back in Ponyville, the Pony Pizza Parlor has expanded its deliveries, so if you want to order something from them… or… maybe send me a letter sometime, you don’t have to if you don’t want to… well, now you know. Good luck!
~Fluttershy
Rainbow smiled a little, hearing from Fluttershy did have a soothing effect. Taking out the magic candle and some paper she looked over at Rarity. “Hey, can you write up a letter to tell Fluttershy you’re alright, and don’t make it too long okay?”
“Why certainly, Rainbow Dash,” the unicorn answered, floating out a quill from her own satchel and setting to work.
“Ohhh yeaaah, forgot! I was meant to give ya a message, too! Those two unicorns with the cider-thingy! Uhhh… Flim and Flam? They wanna see you! It’s like, way important and stuff!” the mailpony said with a smile.
“Those scoundrels? Whatever could they want?” Rarity asked in disgust as she looked up from her writing.
“I dunno, but we may as well see if we’re gonna be stuck here till we find a way past the tunnel,” Rainbow grumbled.
~
“You WHAT?!” Rainbow asked, unable to believe what the two unicorns were saying when they’d returned to the park, where the brothers had finished repairing their machine.
“Well, see you did manage to snap us outta that weird trance my brother and I were in so we figured a reward was an order!” Flim explained.
Rainbow and Rarity snorted, doubting this was the reason, but still… all those bits!
“Well anyway it’s yours, accept our rare moment of generosity!” Flam said with a grin. “See, everypony! Even the world-famous Flim Flam Brothers can be generous!”
Flim leaned next to his brother. “Charity? Well that excuse backfired on us didn’t it, brother of mine? Can’t leave town till we give it away!” Overhearing, Rainbow gave an eyeroll.
Figures...
“Next time, I only hope we don’t have to use the charity excuse to do business! It cost us dearly, brother!” Flam said dramatically. “But our business here is over! Next town, Brother?”
“Absolutely!” Flim said.
“Wait, any way we can get a ride through the tunnel?” Rainbow asked.
“The haunted one? No chance, ma’am!” Flim replied with a glare. “We’re not going near Hollow Shades, we’re taking a trip straight to Manehattan! Turns out that statue we sold was worth way more then we got for it!”
“Absolutely, brother!” With a brief dance, the two climbed atop their Cider Squeezy and drove off.
“How do we get to Hollow Shades now?” Rainbow wondered, facehoofing.
“Well on the bright side, we’ve got ten thousand bits right here in this bag!” Rarity said with a smile. Her eyes widened. “Hang on! I have an idea!”
“What? A shopping spree?” Rainbow asked. There were honestly a lot of things she’d have liked to buy with that much money…
“Oh come now, Rainbow! Why do shopping sprees when I make my own accessories?” Rarity asked. “I just recalled something going on at the Wild Mustang club here, perhaps a favor can be arranged… Come along,” the unicorn ordered, floating the bulging bag alongside her.
As they approached the club, they noticed the large carriage parked outside with a crazy mural of a white unicorn with purple shades and an electric blue mane painted on the side. Next to it was the unicorn it had been modeled after, drinking some bottled cider and looking none too happy.
“Well hello, there Miss Vinyl,” Rarity said.
“Hey, look, kinda not in the mood here. That stupid manager’s gone crazy! Now he keeps screwin’ me outta my cut of the profits for my shows here like he’s plannin’ to leave me in debt to him forever!” Vinyl said grimly, a stark contrast to the eccentric deejay’s usual cheerful demeanor.
“Ah yes, dreadful isn’t it? How much was it again?” Rarity asked.
“Ten thousand bits. With all the deductions he takes, I figure I’ll be outta this place in just as many years give or take. How did I end up in this mess?!” Vinyl asked, snorting. The accidents that happened with equipment that were blamed on her were ridiculous but she had no way of proving it and thus no way out.
“Well, I’m sure it doesn’t matter, but what does matter is Rainbow Dash and I may have a way to get you out of it, for a favor of course.”
Vinyl paused and looked over. “Babe, if you can get me outta here there’d be a shorter list of what I wouldn’t do if you asked.”
“Well, we just so happened to have ten thousand bits,” she said.
“Pull the other one,” Vinyl said, frowning.
“Rainbow, if you please?” Rarity asked. The pegasus sighed and opened the bag, revealing the much larger inside which was filled with bits. Vinyl raised her shades and her mouth hung agape.
“And this isn’t some kinda joke to yank my chain?” Vinyl asked, staring in complete disbelief at the two mares.
“Well I didn’t become the bearer of generosity for nothing, did I?” Rarity asked smugly. “Of course, if you don’t want it, I hear the vacation packages are to die for this time of yea—“
“No! I’ll totally take it! Thankyouthankyouthankyou!” the deejay said, pulling both ponies into a tight hug before letting them go with a sheepish grin. “Sorry, just, if you two are serious this means a lot to me. So what is it you want from me anyway?”
“We need a ride through the tunnel to get to Hollow Shades,” Rainbow explained.
“The haunted one? It’s a little outta the way to Manehattan but I guess I can take that way since you guys’re doing this for me!” Vinyl said with a smile. “And hey, don’t worry about those ghosties, the guy who got here from Hollow Shades said they don’t like music, and lemme tell ya if that’s true then they’re no match for DJ PON-3’s wubs! Just you watch they’ll scatter like roaches!”
Rarity cringed at the idea of such loud, pulsing noise. “Well in that event perhaps once you’re all paid off we can leave immediately?” she asked, wanting to get this over with.
“Sorry, I still got another show to do, first. I skip out on that it hurts my image more then the club’s. Bring that to the manager and we’ll roll out soon as I’m done!” Vinyl said, grinning as she went to her carriage and opened the back. “Also, backstage passes on me!” she said, floating them over to around Rarity and Rainbow Dash’s neck. “I may hate this place now but still check out the show ‘cause it’ll totally be worth it!”
~
“So let me get this straight, is that…?” the stallion dressed in a sharp business suit coat with a trio of coins for a cutie mark asked as he looked inside the bag.
“Ten thousand bits, you deaf?!” Rainbow asked, getting in the manager’s face. “Take the money, and let DJ PON-3 leave already!”
“Yeah! Sure! No problem! I’ll just… enjoy this!” he replied, his horn glowing as the bag floated behind the desk. “Consider her debt cleared, she’s free to leave.”
“Good, I’d hate to make you have to spend all your new money on hospital bills,” Rainbow said, forehoof raised threateningly, then smirking and flying out of the office, followed by Rarity who simply glared at him and stuck her muzzle in the air as she left.
After telling Vinyl the good news backstage, the deejay let out a cheer and went off to the stage in a better mood then ever before while Rainbow Dash and Rarity found themselves some seats.
~
“WUB-A-DUB-DUB! LET’S GET ROLLIN’!” Vinyl said cheerfully, her horn glowing as the carriage van suddenly came to life and blaring dubstep music began playing. Rarity sought out a pillow in the corner of the carriage van which she presumed to be Vinyl’s bed and held it over her ears, her sense of hearing having already been violated at the show and making her wonder how Octavia stood to be with the deejay. Rainbow Dash on the other hoof, was having the time of her life dancing in the back to the pulsing music while Vinyl bobbed her head in rhythm while she steered. The vehicle soon approached the dark tunnel ahead, causing Rainbow Dash to cringe as she looked out the window at the menacing creatures that drifted about. They looked a little like the legendary wendigo spirits, except they had an odd purple substance dripping off them and their eyes glowed yellow. They seemed to be backing away though, unwilling to come closer.
“Told ya! Told ya DJ PON-3’s wubs can’t be beat, by neither pony NOR ghost!” Vinyl said as they emerged from the tunnel and out into the streets of Hollow Shades. The place was… dark. It had been late afternoon when they’d gotten out of the club, but it seemed unnaturally dark here, the overcast was filled with black clouds, and nopony seemed to be outside. The cottages and buildings all had closed doors, and Rainbow swore she saw a circus tent sitting where town square should be.
“You two sure you wanna get off here? It’s a little spooky,” Vinyl said, regarding the two with concern.
“Yeah, we’re sure,” Rainbow said as she came off the carriage van, followed by Rarity.
“If ya say so. This place is way too creepy for me! You two get done with fixing this zompony apocalypse thing here, come see me in Manehattan!” the unicorn deejay said, and with that, the carriage came to life again and sped off down the road.
“I’m feeling far less certain this was a good idea, Rainbow,” Rarity said as several ponies with glassy eyes, disheveled manes, and traces of purple goo on their coats moaned and shuffled towards them.