//------------------------------// // Chapter 7-C - Spike, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle // Story: 10 Days, 3 Adventures - Part 1 - "In Dreams They Came" // by TP Night //------------------------------// Please note - Chapter 7 is divided into three sub-chapters, 7-A, 7-B and 7-C, each following one of the three groups of ponies as they search for the orbs. ALL THREE have the same opening scene, but each sub-chapter follows a different group of poneis after they split up. “Okay.” Twilight started as they all walked out from the library. “Me and Luna will go deep within the forest to find the stone furthest away from here, since Luna knows the Everfree forest better than anypony else here. Applejack and Applebloom, you two head for the stone in or near the river west of here. Spike, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, you three go east and try to find the stone at the everfree outskirts near Fluttershys cottage.” After she had given everypony directions, they all split up into their respective groups and went away towards the direction they had been assigned. * * * Shortly after they all split up, Spike took the lead of his group. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle followed as the ran toward Fluttershys cottage. “So.. Spike?” Sweetie Belle started. “Yeah?” “How... how did you know where to dig when you found yours? The stone. I mean, You didn’t just look at the flowers and decide to start digging, did you?” “Well, actually.. That IS basically what happened. I was walking around and saw the flowers. I didn’t really pay them much attention though. Then, I closed my eyes for a few moments. I guess I dozed off for a few minutes. Then, when I woke up, I felt this sudden urge to dig the flowers away and make a hole there instead. It just felt like something I needed to do, and I can’t really explain why. It just felt right. And as I dug, I found the stone a hoof-lenght down in the ground.” “That’s weird.” Scootaloo interrupted. “What do you mean?” Spike said. “I mean, how you dozed off and then suddenly wanted to dig when you woke up. Me and Winona was resting for a while before she found hers too. I’m not sure, but I think she slept a few minutes too. And then when she got back up, we went for a run. She lead the way... and started digging at the black flowers. Just like you did. And then Luna spoke of creatures that only exist inside dreams...” “You think it’s connected?” Sweetie Belle asked. “Sounds like something we should wait with, and ask Luna about when we get back. No use discussing it now, we don’t know enough about these things anyway. We should focus on just finding it.” Spike said. They all agreed and continued their run to the cottage. They arrived and started looking around. “Now then.. Where can it be? Should we start near the forest?” Spike said as he pointed to the edge of the woods. “After all, it’s supposed to have come from within the forest, so it’s probably close to it. Maybe even inside it.” “What if we split up and take one section each?” Scootaloo suggested. “One at the forest edge, one around the cottage itself, and one in the inbetween field.” “That’s a good idea.” Spike said. “I’ll take the forest edge. You take the field, Sweetie can take the cottage surroundings.” “Agreed!” They both said in determined tones. Spike went to the forest edge and started looking at the ground to see if he could spot the flowers. Meanwhile, Scootaloo carefully scanned the field, while Sweetie Belle made her way in a circle around the cottage. They went bacl and forth for a while, and Sweetie went around the cottage in expanding circles. “Hey guys, I think I found them!” Sweetie Belle yelled. Spike and Scootaloo quickly ran to Sweetie Belle. Sweetie was pointing at what looked like a rabbit’s hole in the ground, near a few small rocks. on top of, and around the opening was a few black flowers. Spike examined them closer. “Yeah, these look like the ones I found. I think they’re the same.” “So, the stone is down in the rabbit hole?” Scootaloo said and moved closer to the hole. “How do we get it out? Is it big enough to fit one of us crawling in there to get it?” “Looks big enough, but it’s deep. So it’s completely pitch black in there.” Spike said. “I’d use my fire, but we don’t know if such strong heat can damage the stones. Or if there are flammable roots or something in the hole. Or food. Or even the rabbit itself.” “Hm....” Scootaloo mumbled and glanced at Sweetie Belle. Or more accurately, at Sweetie Belles horn. Sweetie Belle noticed and her own eyes moved upwards. “No...” She said. “I still can’t get the lamp-spell working. You know I’m not very good at magic.” “I know. But first of all, it’ll only take a few minutes at most. Secondly, you don’t need light constantly, a few quick flashes would be enough to see, and then you can ‘see’ with your hoofs. Like we do at night when we stay awake. Just a flash to see how deep the hole is, and if there’s a rabbit in there. Then another flash when you’re in, to locate the stone and dig it out.” “Come on, Sweetie.” Spike said with a smile. “I know you can do it. And also, it would be good practice! And like Scoot said, you only need to make a couple of quick flashes, not a continuous shine.” He added and gave her an encouraging nudge. “We need you to do this, Sweetie. We need that stone, and you’re the best option among us for getting it.” Sweetie smiled a little, slowly gaining confidence from her friends. “....Okay, I’ll give it a try!” She said. She took a few deep breaths, and steeled herself. She focused as she moved closer to the hole. Her horn sparked a little, and suddenly there was a strong but short flash of clear, white light. It lasted just a second, but it was enough for her to see inside the hole and determine it was a few hoofs deep, but empty. Deep inside she could also see the upper half of the stone sticking up, still with the other half under ground. “It’s in there, I saw it. It’s half covered and half free.” She told the others, who stood beside the hole. “Okay, so our plan still works.” Scootaloo said. “You crawl in and get it, and then we get back to the library.” “..Okay, here goes!” Sweetie Belle said, and disappeared into the hole. They could hear her groan, grunt and sigh as she squeezed her small body through the barely-wide-enough tunnel. They saw another flash of light in the hole. Then some scratching noises, like hoofs digging. Then more groans, grunts and sighs as she moved backwards, squeezing through the tunnel again. She emerged covered in dirt. She was holding the stone carefully, trying not to touch it too much. “I’ll take that.” Spike offered. “I’ve already touched one, So I don’t think another will do any difference now.” Sweetie Belle gave Spike the stone, and began dusting herself off. On the way back, they ran alongside the small river that goes past Fluttershys cottage and runs all through Ponyville. But just as they got back to the town, Scootaloo lost her grip and slipped on some wet rocks on the edge of the river. She stumbled on her own hoofs and fell into the water. “Are you okay?” Spike asked with a mixture of worry and friendly gloat. Scootaloo climbed up from the river, completely drenched. “Yeah, I’m okay... Let’s just get back to the library and get me a towel.” “I could always just dry you off with my fire.” Spike teased. “I prefer to keep my fur intact, thank you.” Scootaloo teased back. “Seriously speaking though, thanks for the offer bu I prefer towels. It’s too hot for fires, it’s still summer. I’d just get drenched in sweat instead of river.” She said and laughed. Spike just smiled. “Fine, towel it is. Let’s go then, we’re almost there.” As they opened the door to the library and walked in, they say Luna and Twilight drinking tea, and the two Apple sisters standing in the middle of the room, waiting for their return. “We got the stone.” Spike said. “Was it under water somewhere?” Applebloom asked when she noticed Scootaloo. “No, I slipped and fell into the river on the way back. The stone was deep inside a rabbit hole. Sweetie got it.” Scootaloo responded with a sheepish grin. “What about you guys?” She then asked. “Applejack threw me into a tree top!” Applebloom exclaimed with a wide grin. “Awesome!” Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle said with equally large grins. Luna rose up from the couch and took the stone from Spike. “I will take this, if you excuse me.” She placed it with the other four. “Now, we have all five. I can begin the next step.” “What is the next step?” Twilight asked.