Sunset Shimmer and the others were venturing towards the plateau. Eventually, they found a slope they could safely climb.
"So, Daring." said Sunset. "Would you care to tell us just who the Ram King really is?"
"Sorry, but I don't really know a lot about him." said Daring Do. "Just brief details here and there."
"Like?"
"Like that he's one of the oldest living beings in the history of our world. Before even the foundation of Equestria."
"Any specific details I should know?" asked Sunset.
"Just that he hasn't been seen in the flesh in this world for millennia." said Daring Do. "Lots of ponyfolk even think he's a myth."
"Thank Celestia for that, then." said Sunset.
Back at the Summerstar, Frosty was outside the Summerstar, telekinetically using some canisters of spray-paint he found in the engine room to paint the sides of the zeppelin. After a while, Pressure Point went outside.
"Alright, Mr. Flake." Pressure said unamused. "Just what are you doing out here? I thought you said you would check on the engine room."
"Yeah...uh, in a minute." said Frosty. "I thought I'd give myself a li'l free-time. Ya know, take'a break!"
"Dare I ask how?" asked Pressure.
"Well...just look above ya, smahtee-hooves." said Frosty, pointing at the frame of the zeppelin's balloon.
Pressure looked up at the zeppelin.
"And what would I be--" his jaw dropped.
Painted along the side of the cab was a mural of Princess Luna in sleek black armor.
"What'dya think, huh?" asked Frosty.
"If I were Princess Luna, I'd probably banish you to the Moon." Pressure said, dryly.
"Hey!" Frosty shot a frustrated look at Pressure. "You don't see me tellin' you how ta do yo' job, so don't bug me about mine!"
"I'm not." said Pressure Point. "But when I last checked, your job was to make sure this flying contraption is still able to fly!" said Pressure. "Not to mention, if the Neo-Templars see our airship with a mural of an alicorn princess emblazoned on it, then we'll be as good as dead the next time we pass them by."
"Ah...you're right." sighed Frosty.
"Now if you don't mind, I'd appreciate it if you stayed inside. I'd hate to have something happen to the only other pony qualified to fly this thing out of here."
"Yeah, well since I am the only other pony qualified to fly this thing, I'd say you get back inside and shut yer noise-hole. Don't make sic Sunflower on ya."
Pressure Point scoffed and went back up the ramp.
"Nooooo respect for artists..." Frosty grumbled.
Teddy was inspecting the Summerstar's armory with Sunflower. Sunflower was humming a song to break what would have otherwise been an uncomfortable silence.
"So...what's that song?" asked Teddy, after a few minutes.
"It's just some song I heard a while back." said Sunflower, casually. "Forgot who sang it, though. I think it was the Ponytones or the Silver Starlings."
"I know who the Ponytones are, but who are the Silver Starlings?" asked Teddy.
"They're this very old band." said Sunflower. "I think you'd like 'em. Got some awesome tunes!"
"Uh-huh..." nodded Teddy, uncertainly.
"What's da mattuh, Ted?" asked Sunflower.
"I'm feeling kinda...funny right now." said Teddy.
"Anypony buggin' ya?" asked Sunflower. "I could give 'em a talkin' for ya."
"You'd do that?" asked Teddy.
"Sure!" said Sunflower.
"Okay, well...it's about Trixie." said Teddy.
"Oh, yeah." said Sunflower. "Li'l Miss Showpony, huh? Lemme guess, did she humiliate ya or somethin'?"
"No, it's not that." said Teddy. "Actually, I think that she's starting to grow on me."
"Join da club." said Sunflower. "She's actually pretty funny when ya get ta know her."
"That's...not what I meant." Teddy stammered, blushing.
"Awww...looks like somepony's gotten 'emselves smitten with somepony else!" Sunflower giggled.
"It's not something to laugh at!" Teddy flushed even deeper.
"I know, hon." said Sunflower. "I actually think ya would be a real cute couple!"
"I'm not saying I want a relationship with her." said Teddy, hesitantly. "But I do think I-I'm...I'm really attracted to...to her."
"Did ya evuh think ta tell her about this?" asked Sunflower.
"I would, but...I think she's mad at me." said Teddy. "And even if she wasn't...she'd probably laugh in my face."
"Well, you ain't gonna know until ya find out, right?" asked Sunflower, encouragingly.
Before Teddy could answer, there was suddenly a series of loud cawing noises coming from outside.
"Hey!" Frosty's voice shouted. "Get away from me! You betta stop that! Don'tcha dare touch me! I mean it, if you peck me one more time, I'll--Ow! That's it, yer gonna geddit! Eat magic, ya stupid boid-brains!"
"Looks like we've got company..." Teddy said, leaving the armory with one of Crimson Blade's makeshift weapons.
"Right behind ya." said Sunflower.
Eventually, the group made it to the top of the plateau, which was still as barren as it was when Daring Do sighted it from the Summerstar. Just as the sun started to go down, they set up a camp near the large crevice in the plateau's center. expected at any moment for some hidden guardian to rise out to meet and challenge them. But nothing rose up out of the hole to meet them, short of the occasional gust of chilled air.
"This place really gives me the chills." said Lightning Dust, who was holding the Megamite larva she brought with her.
The larva was swiveling its antennae around, as if it was trying to detect something.
"What's the matter, girl?" Lightning asked. "Do ya sense something?"
She set the larva down on the ground.
"Go find it." Lightning said, encouragingly.
But the larva made a few clicking noises and started wandering in circles, its head tilted downwards.
"That's one clueless cockroach." commented Nose Nip.
Lightning sped over to him, glaring.
"Hey, get off her back." said Lightning Dust in a defensive tone, her hooves on her hips. "She's just a baby."
"You two, knock it off." said Radiant Dawn. "I hear something down there."
There was a faint crackling coming from the wide crevice, which then ceased after a moment. The larva stopped circling around.
"What do you think that was?" Radiant asked Nose Nip.
"I dunno." said Nose Nip. "Maybe some rocks were loosened."
"But by what?" asked Lightning.
"I think there's something down there." said Radiant Dawn. "But what?"
They waited for a while at the edge of the chasm, as dusk finally settled in. Then they gave up, and went back to the others.
"What took you guys?" questioned Sunset.
"I dunno, Sunny." said Radiant. "But I think there's something up with that pit."
"Like what?"
"Exactly. Sunny, I think you should wait by the Summerstar. I think it might be too dangerous for you."
Sunset shook her head, and put her hoof against Radiant's chest.
"Red, I'm fine." said Sunset, looking up at his worried face. "I love you and you're my brother. I'll never forget that. But you and I both know this is something we've got to do together, or not at all."
Nose Nip and Golden Sun approached the edge of the pit, and looked down.
"So do you think we'll be able to climb down there?" asked Golden Sun.
"I was about to ask you the same thing." said Nose Nip, nervously. "It's too dark to say if there are any decent places to hang on, and--oops!"
Nose Nip suddenly slipped his front left hoof against a rock he was leaning against, tipping it over the edge. The rock ruptured a natural formation jutting out from the side of the chasm, obliterating it and leaving a big hole. Suddenly, there was a slight tremor.
"And...this plateau seems kinda unstable." Nose Nip continued, nervously.
"I...don't think that was the plateau." said Golden Sun, as the rumbling grew.
"I'm a mountain-climber, and I know an earthquake when I feel it." said Nose Nip.
"And I'm the professor here, and I decree that this tremor is too small to be one. It feels and sounds like something big moving underground."
"Think it might be that giant scorpion again?" asked Nose Nip.
"No, it sounds like..."
Then a massive stream of water blasted forth from the hole in the side of the chasm, and streamed downwards into the darkness below. Nose Nip was so flabbergasted that he swore loudly. But the word he uttered was completely drowned out by the loud crash caused by the tide of water.
"Incredible!" said Golden Sun. "Nose Nip, you and I just unearthed an underground river!"
"In the middle of a desert?!" exclaimed Nose Nip.
The water kept flowing, and eventually the others rushed over to investigate the noise.
"Dad, what happened?!" Sunset shouted over the thunderous waterfall.
Suddenly, the plateau started to crack in nearly every direction.
"Okay, everypony!" said Daring Do. "Let's not panic!"
"But what's happening?!" Trixie exclaimed.
"I think the sudden release of all that water must be causing a landslide." deduced Golden Sun. "Careful where you stand, because another pit might open any--"
Then the ground around Golden Sun and Nose Nip sank with another tremor, and they found themselves sliding into the waterfall. Another pitfall opened up around the others, and they sank into a wide crevice with many openings.
"Hold on!" Sunset shouted, her horn glowing as she covered herself and the other ponies nearby with a protective field of her bluish-green aura.
Golden Sun, using his telekinesis, managed to catch himself and Nose Nip in mid-air before they would have reached terminal velocity. They reach a dry part of the chasm, and looked up from where they were.
""
Sunset's spell managed to protect them from the fall, but the stress and pressure caused her to collapse.
"Sunset, are you okay?" said Scarlet Blaze, frantically.
"I'm okay, I'm okay." said Sunset, staggering back up.
She paused for a moment, illuminated her horn again and realized they were all deep in a vast underground chamber, not unlike one someone would expect to find inside of a temple or a pyramid.
"I think we just found our way in." commented Sunset. "But..."
"I think we're missing a few other ponies." said Trixie, looking around.
"Where's dad, grandpa, and Nose Nip?" asked Radiant Dawn.
"And I don't think I see Maud, Daring Do, or any of the others with us." said Scarlet.
"Maybe they're still on the surface." said Trixie.
"Or they fell somewhere else." suggested Sunset. "There's only one way to know, though: We've gotta look around."