//------------------------------//
// The Next to Go 
// Story: Griffon the Death Sentence 
// by neorenamon 
//------------------------------//

by neorenamon
"How did this happen?!" asked Twilight in dismay, "How did we lose them?!"
"Ah reckon ah don't know, sugarcube. Ah swore they was both right behind us until we all found the silver spoon."
"Me too!" agreed Rainbow Dash.
Pinkie started moaning.
"Oh good," said Rarity, "I think she's coming around."
"Pinkie?!" asked Twilight as she floated her down to the floor, "Pinkie?! What happened?!"
"My head," she moaned back.
"It's not much," she said as her horn glowed, "but this should dull the pain for a while."
Pinkie glowed until she stood up and smiled. "I feel good!" she said quickly.
"Now what happened with you and Fluttershy?"
"I guess she got spooked and started leaving," she replied, "so I did the good mare thing and followed."
"Why didn't you tell the rest of us?"
"You said we had to be more quiet," she reminded Twilight.
She grimaced as she continued, "So what happened after that?"
"I guess she got turned around and went down the wrong passage," she replied.
"And then?"
"Something must have spooked her because she took of flying in the dark. I couldn't keep up so I got a glowball, hit it against the tunnel wall to turn it on, and threw it ahead of me down the passage. I slipped while I was running and the next thing I know, I'm on Twillie's back with a splitting headache." She looked into Twilight's eyes as she asked, "Did you catch up with her?"
No one spoke until AJ pointed at her body with her hoof.
"OH NO!!" she cried in dismay. For a second, her mane went flat and straight (like Pinkamena). But that passed quickly.
"We have to stay together from here on out!" said Twilight, "If this is the Midnight Stranger's doing, then she must know these caves like the back of her hoof. The fact Flutters' head is gone... proves it."
"They ain't gonna take no more of us like that! I swear!"
"Then let's look around this area to make sure the killer isn't still here."
They nodded as they looked around.
"The killer must have stuffed her head in a leather satchel or something," she mused, "There's no sign of a blood trail away from the body. Even a normal cloth or burlap sack would leak blood or at least water soon if there's so much of it."
The others had no comment.
"This here cave's pretty big," commented AJ, "Ah can see how y'all could git lost in here."
"But I don't see signs of anyone else," added Rainbow.
"Any of y'all see another way outta here?"
"Not yet," replied Twillie.
"Oh look," said Pinkie, "Someone is stuck on knives!"
They turned to see a silver knife stuck in the loose rocks of the cave floor at her feet.
"Pinkie," sighed RD, "That's a butter knife. Hardly a tool of a serial killer. What is that even doing here?"
Rarity picked it up and stuffed it in one of her bags.
"Collecting evidence?" asked the violet unicorn.
"No, I'm taking it along with the spoon and fork because they're obviously solid silver." The others glared at her before she replied, "What?!"
AJ just sighed. "One of these here days..." she muttered.
"Whatever!" she replied as she turned up her nose.
The cave was in fact large and soon they were getting somewhat separated as they wove their way around the clusters of stalagmites.
"Hmm," said Pinkie, "Pinkie Pie is hungry. Pinkie Pie needs sandwich." She pulled a large multi-barreled gun from her mane as she said, "Oh that is not sandwich." She put it back as she pulled out a white bread sandwich with a toothpick through it and an olive. "This is sandwich!"
"Pinkie!" said AJ, "We ain't got time fer this!"
But Pinkie ate it saying, "Nom nom nom." Then she paused as she said, "What?! It's good."
RD groaned.
"Hmm. Maybe not such a good time to make that reference," she said as she swallowed.
"What all was that?!"
"Nothing!"
"Hey!" said Dash, "There's some water coming in here from a small hole over my head!"
"This must be where some of the water came in that originally formed these caverns," mused Twilight.
"Well unless y'all are a foal whose part mountain goat, ya ain't gettin out thatta way."
"Pity there's no time to record all this. This is surely one of the most interesting caves I've ever seen."
"Yeah yeah," muttered RD, "I'm sure somepony like Flim and Flam will turn this place into a tourist trap."
"That would truly be a shame."
"Whatever," she sniffed.
"Just a cotton pickin minute," said AJ as she looked around, "Where all is Miss Rarity?!"
"She was just here," said RD, "I swear."
Pinkie sprang out from behind a cluster of stalagmites. "Maybe she detected some gems!" she said in her usual giddy tone.
"Right now?!" she asked in dismay.
"She real generous an all, but her greed is gonna do her in one day."
"We gotta find her quick!"
The backtracked in search of Rarity until Twilight said, "Wait. Remember when Rarity was caught by the Diamond Dogs?"
"Yeah?" asked RD.
"I just need to use Rarity's gem seeking spell," she replied, "I'm sure that will take us where she went!"
"That all is brilliant!"
She cast the spell and looked about as she said, "There's a cluster of gems this way!" Her legs moved as she went in the direction her horn was pointing. They soon found a smaller passage leading away from the cave.
"How long has she all been gone?!"
"I... I don't know," replied Twilight, "The light from her horn should have been obvious."
"Well let's git down there and set Miss Rarity straight on things!" fumed AJ as she stomped ahead.
"Don't rush! It could be a trap and Rarity just might have walked right into it!"
"I'm not afraid!" said Rainbow Dash in a crouching walk.
"It's about common sense, not fear."
"Whatever."
"Pinkie Pie laughs in the face of danger!" laughed Pinkie.
"Whatever."
They continued to move ahead in silence. Up ahead, they saw a white body laying on the floor. It was their worst fears confirmed. Rarity was laying down on the path just before a pile of gems. They rushed ahead to see her head was gone and only a pool of blood remained.
"NO!!" screamed Twilight, "Not Rarity too!!"
The rest were struck speechless.
"Dagnabbit!" cussed Applejack, "We all gotta stop lettin ourselves git separated like this!"
"Former friend or no," swore Rainbow Dash, "She's going to pay for this!"