//------------------------------//
// Chapter 20 
// Story: Emerald Chronicles 
// by Dandereshy 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 20

The tunnel was long and dark, musty and humid. The walls were made of the same stone as the house, but they were so old and damp that they were rotting away, and the path was littered with parts of softened stone. Sounds of bats and water dripping echoed in the distance. It was dark, so Twilight and Rarity used light spells to help lead their friends out of the house.
"This is taking forever." Rainbow Dash groused. She walked slower than everypony else, thoroughly examining every inch of the walls for an exit.
"So? It's better than having to sit in the messy basement." Pinkie Pie replied.
"Well at least there was something to look at. This wall is completely barren. And we've been walking for half an hour." Rainbow went on.
Everypony sighed in irritation.
"You know, I have a feeling this tunnel isn't going to end for a while." Twilight said casually.
Emerald raised an eyebrow. "And why is that?"
Twilight looked back at everypony. "I think this used to be a sewer drainage system."
"Wah!" Rarity leapt onto Applejacks back, avoiding the walls and floor.
"Relax, Rarity. I believe this sewage system is from the early days of Ponyville. It should go somewhere downtown. We should be close."
Rarity sluggishly climbed off an annoyed Applejack, who suddenly yelled, "Hurry up, girl!"
Rarity jumped off and smiled innocently.
"Come on, Rarity. I need your light to help me see further down the tunnel." Twilight said.
Rarity joined her and they continued on unabated.
"Is that a rat?" Fluttershy pointed ahead to the small furry grey spot on the floor.
They all stopped and stared closely at it. It went into the wall and disappeared. They all gasped.
"There must be a new tunnel path up there. Come on, everypony, let's go!" Rainbow Dash flew past them and went towards the spot where the rat just was. She, too disappeared.
The others caught up and made the corner, only to fall out into a flatland outside. They all piled up below the exit.
Rainbow Dash laughed at them. "You guys didn't see that coming, did you!"
They all groaned and got up, brushing themselves off.
"Alright, we have a lot of work to do. Let's get to the Elements of Harmony before Black and Trixie realize we're gone." Applejack turned and ran off toward the Spiral Tower, which was barely visible above the trees of the Everfree forest. The others took off after her.
"Are you sure this will be safe? I just have this really bad feeling…" Fluttershy let her voice trail off.
Emerald sighed. "I don't think he knows yet. If he did, we'd have been caught by now. Let's just get the Elements and get this over with. I don't like violence."
Fluttershy smiled. "I know, just like me. It doesn't solve anything."
"No, it just causes more problems."
They reached the edge of Ponyville. The streets were empty due to the current dilemma. It was good everypony was hiding, as the friends didn't want them hurt.
Just as Fluttershy recently announced, Emerald felt a horrible feeling in his gut…like an instinct of impending danger. He opened his mouth to say something, but they'd just come up on the Elements – and they were all shocked.
The Elements were okay – besides the fact that they were encased in a magic force field spell.
"No! I can't believe this!" Rainbow Dash tried ramming the bubble just like she'd done the door earlier, but it was futile. The Elements were completely useless.
"Now what?" Pinkie Pie asked unhappily.
Twilight stepped up to the bubble. "I'm not just going to give up." Her horn began glowing. "I'm going to try every spell I know that could fix this."
Every spell she tried was to no prevail. The bubble remained.
"This is hopeless!" Rarity moaned and collapsed to the ground, her hooves over her eyes.
"No, we don't give up! That's not what we did in the past. We've come up against some bogus problems in the past, and this is no different. We need to find some way to get through this force field!" Rainbow exclaimed, flying around like an angry, buzzing bee.
"If we can't get in, we can't get in. I'm sorry to break it to you, but I think maybe, this time, Black got us." Emerald said, sounding far more negative than he intended. That earned him a few dirty looks. "Look, you misunderstand me. I'm not saying there's nothing we can do, I'm saying there's clearly no options with this force field thingy. We have to go about this from a different angle."
"But I've hit this thing a dozen times! How else can I hit it?" Rainbow complained, throwing her hooves up.
"I don't think that's what he meant, Rainbow Dash." Applejack said.
"What kind of different way?" Pinkie Pie asked curiously.
Emerald started pacing. "I think I may have an idea, but it would require everyponies full cooperation. That means no chickening out."
They gathered around him. "Okay, let's hear it." Rarity said.
________________________________________
Trixie left Black in the bedroom. She was going to bed, but was going downstairs to get a drink and check on the ponies. She got a long gulp of milk and yawned as she walked down the hall to the basement door. She slid the latch over to look inside. It was empty. "WHAT?! NOOOOOOO!"
Black Flame came rushing downstairs. "What's wrong, my love?" He asked urgently as he seen her and ran over.
She pointed a hoof at the door. "They're gone!"
He looked inside and seen the trapdoor open on the floor. He turned and grabbed Trixie's hoof. "I know exactly where they went. Which means that this is their next destination. Why don't we be good hosts and throw them a welcome party?"
She grinned darkly. "Yes, Trixie agrees."
"Good. Let's get started."
________________________________________
The group had split up to infiltrate the house that Black and Trixie were staying at. The plan was to kidnap Trixie and make her undo the shield spell, then use her as bait for Black. They'd thought the plan through pretty well, and prepared for the first and hardest part of the mission.
Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Emerald could fly, so they went up to go through the chimney. Rarity and Twilight went through the back area, near the basement to use their magic from the dark. Applejack and Pinkie Pie were at the front, ready for anypony to come out of the house.
Emerald winked at Twilight.
"Alright gang. This is it! Showtime!"
The three pegasi dropped down the chimney. As they reached the bottom, they stopped to avoid hitting the soot. Emerald was the first down, then Rainbow, then Fluttershy.
The house was silent, but they didn't take any chances.
"Okay," Emerald whispered. "First, we go upstairs, since that's where the bedroom is. We want to just look inside, not get her there, since it's likely that Black will be in there, too. I'll wait in the kitchen for her, you wait in the entry hall for her Rainbow, and Fluttershy, you wait for her in the bathroom. If she comes into your area, take her out quietly and don't let her make any noise. Drag her out to the entry hall if you're not already there. Got it?"
They both nodded.
Emerald looked up the stairs. "Okay, let's get to it."