Chapter 6: Drawn and Traced
"Wow," Twilight said, amazed of her first kiss, "that was... Wow." Then she noticed something.
"Flash," Twilight said, "are you seeing what I am seeing?"
Flash blinked and shook his head, he was still shocked of his bravery to kiss Twilight. Then he noticed something to.
"You mean the floating diamonds," he said.
"There not just floating diamonds, that's Rarity's cutie mark."
Twilight took a step towards it and it moved backwards, away from her.
"Quick Flash, the flare."
He shot it up. Dash and Fluttershy, since they fly, arrived first, followed by the rest of the search party.
"Did you find her?" They all said in unison.
"Sort of, we found her cutie mark," Twilight replied. They were all taken by surprise by her answer.
"You know what, let me just show you." She cast the spell.
"Oh, now I see what you mean," Applejack said.
"I still can't see what you mean," exclaimed Rainbow Dash.
"You know, when you think about it, your sight being 'clouded' makes sense," Twilight joked.
Flash and Twilight started laughing as Rainbow Dash stood there in confusion.
"Your just going to have to follow us following the mark," Twilight said, with still a smile on her face.
They followed the mark deeper into the forest. Although, it might as well have been there personal tour guide, because it felt like took them everywhere around the forest.
It started to slow down and stopped in front of cave. Then, it vanished.
"She must be in that cave," Matt said.
"Well thank you captain obvious," Winny said. Matt was about to argue back until Flash gave both of them a look.
"We don't have time for this. Do you know what cave this is," Flash said, "It's the cave of Neverending. A never ending maze that many ponies gone in, and never come out. Not only that, it is filled with the deadliest traps around, and a terrible, living weapon. It was rumored that the first ponies of ponyville lived here, and hid the most powerful weapon in Equestria. It was so powerful that it destroy enemies in seconds. After sometime, the living weapon realized what it can do... and turned evil... and was banished by Princess Celestia's Ancestor. It forever roams the maze, never to find the exit."
Everypony was quiet, then Matt started laughing. "Yea, right. That is just an old myth. This is just a regular, old cave."
Matt tooked a step in, then stepped a rock that sunk into the ground. Suddenly an arrow shot and missed Matt by an inch in front of his face. He stood there, petrified.
"One of their most famous trap was the arrow rock. Probably should have told you that. Just make sure that you don't step on any more rocks," Flash grinned.
The joke cheered everyone up (except Matt, who stood still, petrified with his brush with death); but soon the cheer faded as they entered the cave. The cave was dark, damp, and gloomy. The moment they stepped in, everyone wanted out. It started out like a normal cave, but then turned into a stone wall like structure with what looked like pony-placed rocks.
"I-I-It looks kinda... unstable," said the trembling Fluttershy. They all looked up at the props that held the top of the cave. They we're all rotted and sort of sunk in. "Maybe we should turn back," said a nervous Rainbow Dash, " not that I am scared or anything, but if I know Rarity, this is probably the last place she would want to hide." Everyone was agreeing, either because Rainbow Dash's argument of 'why would the perfectionist pony want to come in here' made sense, or they were just trying to find an excuse to leave.
They were all about to turn around when a high pitched shriek came from within the maze.
"Rarity," Twilight exclaimed. She ran into the maze, not even thinking of what kind of traps it might hold.
"Twilight wait," Flash yelled running after her, followed by the rest of the group.
Twilight stopped at a fork in the maze, trying to figure out were the shriek came from. She was about to turn left when the other ponies slammed into her. They all hit one of the maze's props. It cracked under pressure and the maze started to cave in.
"Rrrruuuunnnn," Pinkie yelled. The maze shook while cracks in the ceiling where the prop once stood collapsed. Each pony ran to one side or the other. After the rumbling finally stopped, the fork was no more.
"Is everyone ok," Flash coughed.
"We're ok," replied Matt, "It's me... Winny... and Pinkie Pie. I can see sunlight behind us. So I think we are in the corridor leading back outside."
"Applejack, Twilight, Fluttershy, Randy, and I are on this side," Flash yelled.
"Then where is Rainbow Dash," Twilight said, scared that the cave in crushed her friend.
"I'm on this side," yelled Rainbow Dash. She tried to get up but fell down with a cry of agony.
"Dash," Twilight cried out.
" I think I broke my front left leg," she yelled. The other ponies heard her try to fly, followed by another cry of agony. "It hurts so much."
"Just sit still and try to stay off it. We will come back with help," yelled Winny.
"You don't have to tell me twice," joked Rainbow Dash, but ended her sentence with another cry of pain.
"Can't you just try and move the rocks ouy of the way Twilight," asked Flash.
"I could try, but there is no telling how big the cave in is," she said, "Plus, if I move the wrong rock, I could cause a another one."
"Just go and try to find Rarity, we will find someponies to help try to get through. In the meantime, Rainbow Dash, sit tight and rest," Matt ordered. With that, the three left for ponyville.
"Com'on Twilight, we need to find Rarity," Applejack said.
Rainbow Dash let out a gasp of air to compensate the pain.
"Don't worry Dash, we will get through this, " Twilight reasurred her. Rainbow Dash tried to say something back, but moaned in pain instead.
"Come on Twilight," Flash said, "We need to get moving."
The crying Twilight turned her back to the pile of rubble, and start walking deeper into the maze. Leaving Rainbow Dash to the torture that has unfortunately struck her.
(To Be Continued...)