Ponywatching

by ThunderTempest


Prompt #230: Eldritch

Six sets of hooves clacked on the stone, the sound echoing and bouncing around the rough walls. Breath came in short bursts, causing small clouds of steam to wash back over the runner's faces. Sweat flew off the six, droplets hitting the floor, the walls and even the ceiling.
In the depths behind them, things chittered and scratched, the sound almost drowning out the echoes of the six's hoofbeats.

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Six little ponies went out one day;

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Twilight Sparkle's mind raced as she guided her friends through the labyrinthine tunnels that comprised the Changeling Queen's hive. One part of her mind was running through the layout of the hive, trying to remember the way out and keeping up a magical scanning spell, while the other parts were already planning backup plans of what they could do if they got caught. Her research had all indicated that the changelings were not pleasant to their captives. And so they ran, Twilight leading the desperate charge through the tunnels, only speaking when she had to call out directions, or to ask Applejack to crumble a tunnel on occasion, whenever the scratching and chittering got too loud.

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Under the hills, so far away.

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Twilight stopped running, though not because she had a choice. Somehow, the changelings had managed to block off the exit with their slime.

"We were so close," she panted, "the exit's not far beyond here."

"I can basically smell the open air," said Rainbow, "can't you or Rarity do something with magic?"

Rarity shook her head, her chest still heaving from the run. Twilight also gave a negative. Her magic was running low from the initial getaway from the bulk of the changeling horde, as well as using it for navigation through the tunnels. There was a wet thunk, as Applejack attempted to kick down the gooey barrier.

Twilight mentally cursed her lack of foresight. She hadn't considered that the changelings would block off their own tunnel entrance right after she and her friends had entered, but that was probably what they had done. Fluttershy had basically curled up of the floor, but Twilight could see that Rarity and Rainbow were trying to convince her that it would be okay in the end. Another wet smack told Twilight that Applejack hadn't given up trying to kick the semi-rigid goo into submission yet. And Pinkie was just sitting down, looking thoughtful.

The chittering and scratching grew louder, and over the countless echoes, Twilight could hear a shrill voice barking orders out. IT wouldn't be long before they were completely overrun.

"Hey, Twilight?" asked Pinkie, locking eyes with Twilight's. "I've got an idea. Do you trust me?"

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The princess called out 'Please come back.'

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Over the course of their time together, through many adventures and friendship lessons, Twilight had learnt a few things about Pinkie Pie. She would never understand the Pinkie sense, that was certain, but other things were more concrete, such as her unusual resistance to normally corrupting and/or sanity depriving tomes. Pinkie said that she got it from her father's side of her family.

Pinkie had rummaged around in her tail, and produced something that even Twilight, an alicorn, couldn't look at directly.

"Pinkie," asked Twilight, "what is that?"

Pinkie spewed out a long string of consonants and clicks and what sounded like a dolphin whistle.

"It's a really nasty book," she finished.

"And this will get us out of here?" asked Rainbow. Pinkie Pie nodded. "Do whatever," said Rainbow.

The changelings were getting closer, but were also moving slower now. The chittering wasn't so frantic, but it was still getting louder and closer, as was the Changeling Queen.

"Pinkie, you can't just summon an eldritch being," said Twilight, "they're completely unreliable, for one. And second, without anything to protect you, you could not survive the ritual."

"You once thought I was crazy, Twilight," said Pinkie, "I know what I'm doing. Once the goo dissolves, run." As Pinkie Pie finished, she wrenched the book open, and began reciting in a language that really sounded like it shouldn't have been coming from an equine mouth. Twilight began to feel something old, and unspeakable push against the fabric of the world. It wasn't something that she could readily describe. All she knew was that it felt completely and utterly wrong. As reality tried to bed to accommodate the new occupant, the slime covering the entrance fell away, and the five rushed through. Only Twilight spared a glance back, at a tunnel filled with tentacles, with the barest hint of pink flashing through the mass.

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And five little ponies came weeping back.