Just ten blocks down Spike and Rainbow Dash managed to strike through a stone wall, opening up into a dark long cave. The light from the desert above was shining in, but just barely.
"In in in in in!" said Soarin, rushing past everyone and into the cavern. Twilight quickly put down some torches, illuminating the dark tunnel.
"Seal it! Quickly!" said Big Macintosh. Twilight had to admit that he was quite able to easily take command with that tone.
Within seconds they cut themselves off from the surface, filling in the hole with spare dirt. Twilight told them to follow the tunnel, but there was one problem she quickly realized: that they most likely would soon be followed. They couldn't just run blindly into the darkness, one wrong step and some bad luck was all that stood between them and a lethal drop into a cold and sudden death. They had to hide their trail.
"Rainbow Dash, go behind us and pick up any torches we put down!" said Twilight.
"Got it!"
"Spike, you rush ahead and find a path!"
"Sure thing, Twilight!"
All Twilight had tried to do was to find the optimal strategy. Rainbow Dash was quick, even without her wings, and Spike was an expert on orienting himself inside caverns. Twilight had only been underground a couple of times, and she had always despised it. The constant crushing feeling of being watched from inside the deep darkness constantly surrounding her, the necessity to always keep your eyes open for any threat, the risk of loosing your orientation and being lost to the countless labyrinths hiding just beneath their hooves. She preferred to have landmarks and being able to see where she was going.
Spike, however, was rushing through tunnels after tunnels, slashing at any monster popping up within the newly lit torches like it was child's play. This was his element, this is where he could really shine. Twilight didn't even think he blinked, his attention was fully on the task at hand.
As the group turned around a corner, Twilight heard the unmistakable sound of their entrance being broken down.
"Princess," said Time Turner, keeping his voice down despite his breathing, failing only because of a slight sudden cough. He nodded towards a branching path up ahead. It was obvious one didn't lead anywhere, the other one went downwards.
"I have an idea. Everyone, go for the dead end," said Twilight.
Trusting her words unconditionally, the group rushed in. Just as Rainbow Dash joined them, Twilight heard the first yell of their pursuers. "They must've gone to the left, get them!"
"Stone, I need smooth stone and dirt," said Twilight.
"I've got some," said Spike, tossing a bunch of the material out on the ground. Suddenly, Time Turner reached for them and placed them properly along their only exit.
"What are you doing?" asked Rarity.
"That was actually, that was my plan," said Twilight, surprised as the stallion created a convincing fake wall.
"Great minds think alike, do they not? This is second nature to me," said Time Turner.
"Camouflage and hiding?" asked Spike.
"U- um, I actually meant details and quick thinking," said Time Turner, having quickly made the wall, boxing them in.
"You're so quick at building. Busy as a bee," said Rarity.
"Quiet," hushed Twilight.
Silence fell immediately, and they were intently listening. Their fates could very well be decided by how convincing Time Turner's wall looked from the other side. Twilight hardly even breathed, fearing their enemies would hear her through the thin wall. They had to be only seconds away from turning the corner. Twilight heard the threat zoom by their little hiding place.
"Damn they're fast!" a deep aggressive voice yelled through the wall.
"Shut up and get moving, they couldn't have gotten far!" another voice yelled.
"Ugh, I hate caves!"
Twilight made sure to keep a cool head and note how many sets of hooves that passed them, at least six, maybe even seven or nine, most seemed to belong to big and heavy stallions. They just waited for their enemies to pass, which didn't take long. Eventually it became dead silent, but Twilight didn't even begin to feel safe. The silence only made it easier to keep her head cool. For several minutes she gave a sharp hush whenever somebody spoke, until it finally felt alright to speak again.
"So... what was their deal?" asked Rainbow Dash.
"I don't know why they attacked us, but I think we'll stay here until we know they've left," said Twilight. "There's no reason to risk getting spotted."
"I meant how they could freaking fly," said Rainbow Dash, visibly holding back both her voice and jealousy. "I've tried for years, Intent and all, trying everything to get to taste that freedom again. Nothing has worked. What's their secret?"
"Keep your voice down, Rainbow Dash, please," said Rarity.
"Right, sorry. I'm just saying I want to find out how they did that," said Rainbow Dash. Her eyes very clearly displayed a sense of longing and impatience.
"Well, what are we going to do now? We know they are not friendly, and I didn't recognize any one of them," said Spike.
"Are we going to go back home and forget this ever happened?" asked Soarin.
"Coward," said Rainbow Dash. He turned, almost mortified at her words.
"No! No, I'm just careful, I promise. I just think we should, um... a good word..."
"'Confront'?" coughed Time Turner. "Confounded caverns, the air here is so stagnant."
"Confront, yeah! We shouldn't confront these guys. Keeping out of trouble might be the best. I mean, what if they capture us and force us to tell where we came from? They could keep us prisoners while Haven becomes a target, and nopony at home would even know they were coming," said Soarin.
Twilight thought about it carefully, but while she realized that Soarin was right in some respects, there was one thing they severely lacked.
"We still don't know anything about these ponies. Have they been here as long as we have? Longer? Are there many of them? Are everyone in the town ahead just as violent, or are these but a few outcasts? While it seems likely that... the strange locals were attacked by the ponies, we still don't know the whole picture. How are we going to make the right decision without all the facts?" asked Twilight.
"What are you suggesting?" asked Spike.
"We dig a tunnel straight in the direction of the town, 8,000 blocks north. We peek out and get a good look, maybe sneak in during the night to find out more, and depending on what we find, we'll either stay to get more information, or we return to Haven with the knowledge," said Twilight.
"This is probably going to be very dangerous, Twilight," said Rarity.
"Are you implying you wish to not partake in this quest any further?" asked Time Turner, oddly awkwardly.
"Certainly not, I'm up for any challenge. I simply wish for dear Twilight to know what she is getting herself into," said Rarity. She turned to Twilight. "I will follow you anywhere, dear."
Twilight felt a hint of inner warmth as everyone present nodded.
"No big deal, we've got Spike the Great on our team," said Soarin. Spike smirked, confidently.
"Very well, we shall wait just a little more, then we'll start digging," said Twilight.
"Can't we just go now?" asked Soarin.
"Better safe than sorry, besides...," said Twilight. "It's, well, I'm just, it's a bit much. While they could have been taken, I have to face the likelihood that the natives of the village were killed, I wasn't ready for that. I need to rest a bit after that."
"You're taking it well," said Time Turner.
"I've dealt with loss for a long time. Another one hurts, just as much as the first time, but it's easier to deal with," said Twilight.
***
The group waited for quite some time, often in complete silence, for it to feel completely safe to leave the cave. Air was in infinite supply, so their only worry came from being discovered, or hearing a monster walk by their hiding place. Unlike any other spot they have rested in, this one was relatively safe and roomy, and warm with a few extra torches around. Another thing Twilight hated with unlit caves was how oddly damp and cold it was. The air thick with moisture, the stone surfaces she walked on feeling just a bit wet, it felt like she was walking inside something large and... for a better lack of terms, alive, or at least inside the veins of a beast's cold decaying corpse.
As they had waited quite a while, something finally broke the silence. Voices from outside.
"They got away. Typical," said the voice of one of their attackers.
"I'm going to get them for this." said another voice. Twilight counted the sets of hooves. There were only two ponies out there. "I wonder if Sharp's gotten the news yet?"
"Probably, the other guys should have gotten there now. Unless they were attacked," said the first voice.
"So, these guys that got away, how many were mares?"
"Get your mind out of the gutter, you ass."
"Hey, I've been deprived for a long time now."
"Shut up, let's fly back to Promise Peak, I'm getting hungry," said the first voice.
"Okay, what do we tell the others?"
"That we found those ponies and killed them, what else? Would you get back and tell Sharp that we failed?"
Twilight heard them both walk off, and before long the group was in the clear. She turned to her friends, looking a bit contemplative.
"These ponies are a genuine threat, so we have to very careful, alright?" asked Twilight.
"Otherwise, well, I don't want to think about it," said Rarity. "Clearly they are brutes!" she said, scoffing with her head held high.
Twilight agreed. "More importantly, I think we heard some important keywords. Promise Peak, and Sharp. So come on, let's go get some context," she said, turning towards the fake wall and tearing it apart.
***
Their fake little wall was not the only thing getting torn down. The entire group worked together to work through the hard thick earth. Stone quickly gave way to torches and open spaces. Block after block was destroyed with pickaxes, making way for a path forward, bit after bit. It was hard work, and before long their tools broke, as was expected. It was always at a specific number of uses that it happened, so Twilight kept her mind occupied by counting the number of tools used while at the same time keeping track of everything she could keep in her head, like how many tools they had to quickly craft, how many blocks they had removed and left behind to vanish, and how far they traveled underground. Eventually she just lost count. Whenever they hit a naturally formed cave, they simply used that to travel forward, until hitting another wall where they promptly returned to working on the tunnel.
If not for a very peculiar clock, discovered and used by Time Turner, they wouldn't have known if it was day or night. They worked well into the night.
"How far down are we?" asked Rainbow Dash.
"I spotted some gold in a cave before, we must have sort of gone downhill in those caves. No redstone, though, so we can't be too deep," said Spike from behind the group. As he was undoubtedly the most efficient in a fight, he kept watch behind them, making sure no Creeper or malicious pony surprised them.
"How much more do we need to do this?" asked Time Turner. Twilight noticed that he was shivering.
"Are you alright, Time Turner?" asked Twilight.
"Oh, quite. Loving this, no doubt," said Time Turner. His gaze was a bit unfocused.
"You sure?" asked Spike, looking over his shoulder.
"I'm fine!" Time Turner snapped back.
"Hey, relax. I didn't mean anything."
"Sorry, just a bit... a bit... I have a headache," said Time Turner. "All these things to keep track off in my head... exhausting," he said, stroking his forehead. "I miss Derpy." The way he said it felt disjointed, like he hadn't even been holding a conversation. Twilight noticed something about him, something that made him stand out from the rest of them, except maybe Spike.
"Time Turner, you're not even sweating," said Twilight.
"What?" he asked.
"I mean, everyone else here is sweating, hard work in a cold environment, but you're as dry as a bone. Are you sure you're alright?" asked Twilight. "I... I think you might be sick. You have been coughing a bit lately."
"Me? Sick? N- Nonsense. I know it's been cold, but I'm as healthy as ever!"
And that's the moment when Time Turner basically just collapsed.
***
"I assure you, I'm fine," said Time Turner, but still lying down on a small bed. They were all inside a crevice, overlooking a surprisingly majestic sight they hadn't expected to find down there. It was an underground ravine, stretching far and wide, as well as reaching much further down into the earth. If not for a wide stream of magma flowing and giving light, Twilight wouldn't have guessed it even had a bottom. Twilight turned to the torches keeping them warm and safe from monsters.
"Whatever happened, it's best that you rest," said Twilight. "With a bit of luck this will just pass on its own. This makes our situation a bit more problematic, though."
"Why, specifically?" asked Spike.
"Well, if Time Turner collapses again, or if he stops being able to walk, it would be a lot more difficult to get him back to Haven, and it would make it more dangerous to bring him towards this Promise Peak-place. Nothing has changed, though. We'll keep going as soon as you're better, Time Turner," said Twilight.
"Very well, Princess."
"Come on, everypony. Get some rest, we've managed to come halfway, but we'll have to continue tomorrow. Spike, I know you've kept watch a lot today, but could you take the first shift here?"
"Everypony else have been working their butts off mining, of course I can keep doing this, no problem," said Spike.
Twilight nodded gratefully. No longer a baby, my little Spike, is he?
***
Twilight was sleeping soundly, basking the the warmth of a nearby torch. It was almost amusing, that in Ponyville she couldn't have ever slept with a single light in the room, but here it was the opposite: any piece of darkness nearby made it impossible to relax. Those little musing rarely came to her anymore.
Hearing something, yet unable to really place it, Twilight ignored a slight noise somewhere in the ravine. Perhaps it was a simple spider searching for prey. It wouldn't be able to get past the simple yet efficient fortification Spike had built against just those despicable arachnids. Whatever it was, Spike would take care of it, if it became a problem. Besides, she was deep asleep, barely registering anything. Except that something managed to make her wake, just slightly. She would go back to sleep within moments, most likely.
"M... Miner... tell... how you feel," said a voice in the dark. Twilight just knew it was someone there, maybe Rainbow Dash? She couldn't even tell. Then, after she was resting in comfortable silence, there was something else...
"Twi..." a voice whispered, barely audible yet surprisingly efficient to pierce her consciousness. This was something to register, to think about no matter how much she slept.
Spike? Rainbow Dash? Time Turner?
"Twi... light," it whispered again, just a tad more clearly.
Slowly Twilight opened her eyes, just to find herself looking at something faintly green, and eternally deep: a pair of eyes.
Enderpony.
Twilight screamed as loudly as she could. The Enderpony, tall and darker than any void, disappeared, leaving only a few purple particles behind that quickly disappeared.
"What's going on!?" yelled Soarin, sitting up from his own bed, looking around terrified. "Did we get captured?!"
"Twilight!? What is it!?" said Spike, getting a hold of the startled mare. Big Macintosh was standing right behind him, looking concerned.
"Enderpony, there's an Enderpony here!" said Twilight, desperately looking around, trying to find it.
"What are you talking about, there's no Enderpony here," said Spike.
"But I just saw it! It was right above me, looking at me! Tal... it was talking, it knew my name," said Twilight.
"Twilight, it must have been a dream," said Spike.
"A talking Enderpony?" asked Rainbow Dash, with quite the doubt in her voice.
"I swear, and it had green eyes and-"
"Enderponies don't have green eyes, go back to sleep, Twilight," said Rainbow Dash.
"Twilight, it's okay. Even if it wasn't a dream, and me and Big Mac just missed it somehow, we are ready for an attack. We have plenty of water ready. Try to sleep, okay?" asked Spike.
"But I heard it, after hearing something about a miner and a noise out in the ravine," said Twilight.
"NOW!" yelled an unfamiliar voice. Suddenly they were all washed over by a wave of cold water, removing all torches. Sure, it woke them up instantly, but also completely disoriented them and covering everything in darkness. Twilight felt someone larger than her drag her out of the bed, and before long she was unable to struggle. Her mouth was bound, her legs tied together, even her wings were wrapped up tight.
"Get the big one!" yelled a voice on the dark. Chaos everywhere. There must have been at least fifteen assailants.
"Nope!"
"Spike, fire!" yelled Time Turner. Two green bursts of flame temporarily lit up the space. It was impossible to see details, no fire hit the attackers. All Twilight managed to see was four ponies pouncing at Spike, knocking him down into the water covering the ground. Soarin fought alongside Rainbow Dash, both quite fiercely, but to no avail.
The element of surprise had been a key factor. They had been defeated in mere seconds, Rarity being the one lasting the longest. Twilight was breathing quite quickly through her bound muzzle, keeping a cool head and making sure to notice everything around her as she and her friends were being taken away, out from their camp and into the darkness of the ravine.
This is bad, very bad. Spike isn't moving, is he breathing? Yes, he is. Big Mac is dragged along the ground, but he can manage. Soarin and Rainbow Dash are still struggling. Good, we can't make this easy for them. Rarity is biting her carrier, great, Rarity, keep at it! Wait... where is Time Turner?! Twilight thought, looking around her. None of the ponies carrying them was carrying Time Turner. Had he escaped? Or worse?
Twilight realized that Spike, unconscious as he was, must have dropped all his belongings back at the camp. He would not be happy about that when he woke up.
"Are we really taking them back to base?" asked the strong mare carrying Twilight.
"The chief's orders. Prisoners are to be kept and interrogated," said another mare.
"Great. That's just what we need, another base compromised," said a large stallion dragging Big Macintosh.
"Doesn't something seem weird about these ones?" asked another stallion.
"Actually, this one is... this is an Alicorn," said the mare under Twilight.
"That lizard had some really nice stuff on him," said a stallion, admiring some of Spike's loot.
"Who cares? We can get the info from them in their cell. Come on, they might have reinforcements coming," said a mare at the front of the line.
***
Twilight didn't know for how long they walked through tunnels after tunnels. It was almost always completely dark, the ponies didn't even bother putting down torches, instead simply being ready for whatever monster came their way, without any fear. They were all proper fighters, judging from both their iron and diamond blades, as well as their posture. It reminded Twilight of the stance Big Macintosh had developed after his years serving as a guard of Haven.
Eventually, they could spot light from torches further ahead. They approached the light, turning around a corner and then...
The cavern was simply gigantic and could not have been a natural formation. It was simply as large as a mountain, completely hollowed out except for some large pillars of stone left untouched. There were wooden platforms built everywhere, both for further construction work and just to get around amongst the numerous levels and walkways outlining the cavern walls. There were caves everywhere, both up and down, going further into the depths of this place, this 'base'. There were torches everywhere, lighting up everything quite efficiently. There must have been at least a hundred ponies walking around, some running, some chatting, some building, some mining. Most had this aura of seriousness about them, the few who seemed even the slightest bit cheerful were hard to spot.
Twilight and the group didn't get to see much of the impressive place for very long, instead climbing up some stairs and being brought into the wall of the large cavern. They came into a properly constructed hallway, with a cobblestone floor and stone walls. They turned several corners before entering through two large iron doors. On the other side, there was a hallway, turning at least once, with strange rooms on both the left and right. They were covered in mostly metal fences, had one iron door each. They were cells. The walls, floor and ceiling of the cells were made from obsidian, almost indestructible.
"Oh, company?" asked one stallion inside a cell. "Oh, pretty ones," said the inmate.
"Shut up, Clear Cut," said the mare leading the group with an authoritative voice.
They placed each prisoner alone in a cell, Twilight had to be put in one around the first corner because of lack of space. The ponies closed the door behind her, removing a lever functioning as a crude makeshift key. Inside the cell there was a simple bed, and two strange items, one near the ceiling, like a stone box with a hole in it, and one in the corner, like some sort of blocky cone leading down into the floor.
Twilight didn't have time to examine much, because the leading mare, a tall, red and strong creature, started to speak to the prisoners.
"Listen up, new arrivals. In the floor there is something called a hopper. We want you to place all of your belongings inside that hopper. To do this, stand on the hopper while our ponies use their Intent," said the mare.
"Where did you learn that word?" asked Twilight to the mare around the corner.
"No talking!" shouted the mare. There was a beat of silence. "You will stand on the hopper and let your inventory be drained, if you fail to do this, then we will use the dispenser, the box near the ceiling, to dispense flowing magma onto you. Do you understand?"
There was a silence, Twilight got the distinct impression her friend were, like her, staring rebelliously.
"Understand?" asked the mare, quite cold.
"Yeah, we understand. Understand that you're a bunch of-"
"Soarin! Not now. Wait until later," said Rainbow Dash, oddly serious. "Fine, we'll do what you want us to," said Rainbow Dash.
"Twilight?" asked Big Macintosh.
"We don't have a choice," said Twilight. She walked over to the hopper, and within moments she felt like the air was sucked out of her. She felt both lighter, and more able to focus. Still, no matter how much she thought about it, she couldn't come up with a plan. It was most likely up to Time Turner, if he was still alive. In any case, their fate was uncertain.
"Most of them have given up their items, warden, Ma'am."
"Good."
"Except for the lizard."
"I'm a dragon," said Spike, his voice filled with defiance.
"And I'm not joking. Step on the hopper. Now," said the red mare, the warden.
"Go ahead. I don't fear any magma," said Spike.
There was a silence for just a few seconds. Twilight guessed they had a staring contest, a battle of wills, it seemed appropriate.
"Do it."
Twilight suddenly heard the flow of magma from around the corner.
"Ouch, that stings," said Spike dryly. "Like a bubble-bath."
"Cute," said the warden. "Alright, Hard Hat," she said to a fellow pony. "Fry the Alicorn."
"NO!" yelled Spike. "I'll- wasn't serious, I just meant that you had knocked me out, I dropped all my items back at the camp! I knew heat couldn't hurt me, and I just wanted to... please don't hurt her," said Spike.
"His story checks out, Ma'am," said a mare.
"That's more like it. Alright, let's report to the chief. We're done here," said the warden.
"And after you're done with the chief, maybe you can get something done with me," said the stranger Clear Cut in a disgusting tone.
"Shut up, Clear Cut," said the warden. Twilight heard them all leave.
"Are they gone?" asked Rarity.
"Yeah, they're gone," said the pony Clear Cut. "Those are some real jerks, aren't they?"
"Tell me about it," said Soarin.
"Don't worry, they don't come around too often. I always act like this sleaze among the girls, and if I have to, guys, to make them stay outside so I can get some peace and quiet while I try to get out."
"Are you alright, Spiky, Twilight?" asked Rarity.
"Yeah, yeah, fine, just a bit shaken up," said Spike. "Twilight, I'm sorry."
Twilight just shook her head. "I'm proud of you, Spike. You're brave. That's why you got the title Spike the Great."
"No, I have a better reason for that," said Spike.
"What reason?" asked Twilight.
"I have a way to escape," said Spike.
"Well, okay, I don't know you by that much, but if you would bring me along, that would be fantastic," said Clear Cut.
"No way, not until we know more," said Soarin.
"How, Spike?" asked Rainbow Dash.
"Remember how I was knocked out? Well, I wasn't. As soon as I lit up the scene, I knew we would lose no matter what we did. Twilight was bound and gagged, despite them not knowing who was who in the darkness, so I knew they would be taking us prisoners. I just pretended to faint, dropping everything I had... except this one little iron pick, and this little sword," said Spike.
"Spike... you're a genius," said Rarity.
"I do have some talents."
"MA'AM!" yelled Clear Cut. Twilight heard the entrance door instantly opened.
"Ha! I knew it! Good work, Clear Cut," said the warden.
"This was the best idea I ever had, wouldn't you say, Ma'am?"
"Absolutely. You're the best warden we've ever had, Sir."
"What," said Soarin and Rainbow Dash, just in complete disbelief as Clear Cut's door seemed to open.
"I'm Clear Cut, your warden, and this is the fake warden, my wife. She is more capable than me, but somepony has to have the menial jobs, so I became warden. Dragon, if you don't give up your items now, we will give your Alicorn a hot bath. What do you say?"
"...Fine," said Spike, sounding defeated.
"Great. Thank you all for your cooperation. Come on, guys! Let's go and eat to celebrate! I can't wait to tell the chief this," said Clear Cut. Several of the real warden's allies laughed as they left the prison, seemingly in good spirit.
"What. A. Jerk," said Rainbow Dash, still in disbelief.
"Clever... jerk," said Soarin, seemingly unable to come up with something more creative to call Clear Cut.
"What do we do now?" asked Rarity.
"Ponder our place in the universe? And in my case, our mistakes," said Twilight, feeling so guilty for the mess she had gotten her friends into.
***
Twilight just lied on the bed, trying to come up with some sort of plan. A way out, tricking her captors, because physically breaking out of the cell was certainly not an option, not with these materials. Whatever vaguely defined plan she was trying to make create was interrupted by somepony opening the door to the prison. Twilight heard someone, quite slowly, walk past cell after cell, eventually passing the corner and into her field of view.
It was one of the ponies that had apprehended the group.
"T-Twilight Sparkle?" asked the guard, at least she thought he was a guard, because he didn't wear armor.
"Yeah... do I know you?" she asked.
"N-No. I- I- I, I need you, peacefully, come- come with me- me... okay? It's... important. The ch- chief- wants to see- see you," said the guard. He seemed quite weak, almost tiny.
"And if I-"
"Please, there's not time to discuss this. Please, come."
Despite a moment's hesitation, Twilight eventually agreed to the his terms. With surprising difficulty, he pulled out a lever and opened the door. Twilight could take him, probably.
"Pl- please, put this on," said the guard, giving her a simple cloak. This confused the princess.
"What? Why?" she asked, but did as she was instructed.
"L- later..."
Twilight followed the guard along the prison cells, most of the ponies were watching her, quite worried about what could happen. Spike just gave Twilight a look, and then punched his clenched fist into his palm behind the pony's back. 'Take him out!' was something his gaze alone conveyed. Twilight nodded subtly. She was just going to go outside, make sure no guards were near... and then...
The moment the two of them stepped out into the empty hallway the guard turned around, he looked exhausted.
"Listen, there isn't much time. I couldn't talk to you in the prison, because I didn't want the others to know. I'm getting you out of here! You have to run back home! Please!"
"W-what?" asked Twilight, completely taken aback by this stallion's suddenly intense pleading. She got the impression he would break out into tears any moment.
"The others have to be confused for real, they have to be, even... even Soarin. The Princ- Queen- Princsssssess have to be safe, please! Twilight Sparkle, just walk with me out of here, to safety, you are important," said the pony.
"Who are you?"
"It never matters. You have to be sssssafe... please..."
"What's going on?" asked Twilight.
"This way, hurry, before they notice you are gone!" said the stallion. He started to quickly pace, quite tired, away from the prison. "If there are too many of us, they will see, but not notice one in a cloak, I know this, and I can only save one... come, please." He stopped to look at Twilight.
"I'm not leaving my friends!" said Twilight, putting her hoof down.
"Royalty b-b-before the rests... my head... it's gone split..." said the stallion, almost breaking down on the spot.
"Hey, what's...?" said a pony just walking past the corner. He saw both of them, his eyes quickly widening as his gears were almost visibly turning. "GUARDS!"
"RUN!" yelled the strange guard, grabbing hold of Twilight and forcing her to run.
They both pushed into the pony stopping them and ran past him, as well as several paths to the side where commotion was brewing.
"What's your name?" asked Twilight as they ran.
"Don't- don't have... one," said the stallion.
They both walked the same way as they had entered, and came out into the large open space. Several dozen ponies were on high-alert, and Twilight and the stranger had to stop as about fifty eyes focused on them at once. There was this unusual silence for just a moment. It was interrupted by a young pony pointing at them both.
"Get them!"
Twilight and the strange pony ran down the stairs, aiming towards the nearest cave. They almost reached it, but then somepony quite strong tackled Twilight. All she saw as she fell was the stranger being tackled even harder, by a dog of all things. Twilight felt the hard stone floor hit her back as the pony above her held her down with considerable strength.
Suddenly, all attention was drawn to the stranger as he screamed in terrible pain. "No- Not now! Please, not now... Argh!" and then, as he screamed in agony towards the stone ceiling, his eyes widened, and widened, and widened even more. In fact, his iris seemed to just stretch out, covering most of his eye-socket, just a big, sky blue color filling his big eyes.
Then, he burst into flames, green, bright flames. Ponies jumped back in shock.
Twilight looked on in horror as the pony's body contorted in ways that seemed impossible, teeth becoming fangs, legs becoming downright hollow, fur becoming black carapace. But, before the transformation was complete, Twilight saw one last, almost futile attempt for the creature to recompose itself into something familiar. For just a moment it had a very distinct outline of hair, scruffy, wild, spiky, then, the creature fell down on the ground, tired beyond understanding, strained in ways unrecognizable. It had reverted to its true form.
Still with the last image of that silhouette clear in her mind, all Twilight managed to say was:
"Time Turner... you were... a changeling?"
Unable to really give any inflection in the way she spoke, she just looked on. Surprised. Betrayed? She wasn't sure of a lot of things. It had been an extremely tiring day, filled to the brim with surprises.
Though, the sick thing was that this revelation of Time Turner's secret wouldn't be the biggest surprise for Twilight that day and night. Of all the twists she would experience, the biggest one came when she finally managed to take her eyes off the changeling body, and actually look up at her assailant. She seemed just as shocked as Twilight was, for similar reasons.
"Twilight?" asked the mare.
"Applejack?"