//------------------------------// // Tunnels and Giants // Story: Arrival // by ChemIisan //------------------------------// Dirt fell in chunks overhead as the giant axe chopped away at the library. Pinkie Pie rummaged through a chest near the entrance, handing out headlamps to her friends. Twilight was barely conscious, and Pinkie Pie had to strap the yellow helmet on for her. Applejack was huddled next to Rarity and hugging her for comfort. Fluttershy was wide awake but frozen with fear. In a matter of minutes, everything had gone to hell. "The Two-Legs? Who are the Two-Legs?" It was Spike who piped up and broke the heavy silence. Pinkie Pie handed the candle to Spike before responding. "The Two-Legs are creatures much bigger than ourselves. They have pink, fleshy skin (like mine), deep, throaty voices, and long, bushy beards." "But why are they here? Why now, in the middle of winter?" "If I knew, we wouldn't be waiting here, would we?" Pinkie Pie continued rummaging through the chest. Rainbow Dash was huddled in the opposite corner of Rarity. This room was a large, hoof-carved dome that had many connecting tunnels. It reminded Rarity of her time with the Diamond Dogs. In fact, a few of the walls resembled the caverns they used to mine for gems. "Where are we, Pinkie Pie? I don't recognize this place at all..." "Really? I thought you, of all ponies, would recognize the work of the Diamond Dogs! I've been using their tunnels for years now. Sure, any gems I find here go to their stash, but it's really easy to get around with this network." "If these are the same tunnels I was trapped in, why didn't you just save me when I needed it?" Rarity was a little bit angry, but she was also overwhelmingly curious of Pinkie's reasoning. "A secrets no longer a secret if everyone knows about it! DUH." "Yeah, perfect reasonin', right? How come you get t'be hidin' secrets? We're s'posed to tell ev'rythin' t'each other, Pinkie! Y'can't just give us part've th' whole story and expect us to trust you!" Pinkie Pie was voiceless. Applejack was within reaching distance. Her eyes burned deep into Pinkie's own. They held this for what seemed like years. Rarity could not stand this. Rainbow Dash groaned slightly, and the silence was broken. She felt like her ribcage was broken in several places. "Wh-where are we?" slowly stuttered Rainbow Dash. "In the depths of the Diamond Dog caverns." Rarity was looking around. She flashed her horn to see if there were any nearby gems, and the room lit up. "I didn't know yer spell created light..." "It doesn't..." Rarity became a brighter shade of white. "All of you! Get out, quickly!" Spot came running by quickly, followed by several other Diamond Dogs. "What-" "The Pink Flesh! In our tunnels!" Pinkie Pie grabbed the Element of Laughter and put it on. "Grab Twilight! Fluttershy, get up!" Pinkie Pie was nudging Fluttershy. "We have to go! Now!" It was no use. "My w-wings are locked!" Fluttershy squealed as a large chunk of dirt missed her narrowly. Applejack, Spike and Rarity were out of the main cavern before Rainbow Dash could respond. A rock fell from the ceiling, pinning Twilight's leg. Rainbow Dash rushed to her side, rocks raining over the room. Fluttershy's wings unlocked as she rushed towards the falling clods to help her friends. "Rainbow Dash! Twilight!" Pinkie snagged Fluttershy's wing and pulled her away. "What are you doing? Let me go! I need to help Rainbow Dash!" "It's too late for them! We don't need more dead if we can help it!" "Rainbow Dash would do the same for us!" "Yeah? Well, you're not Rainbow Dash!" Pinkie tugged once more as the entrance to the main cavern was sealed off. Fluttershy broke free from Pinkie's grasp, spitting on the floor. "Y-you aren't Pinkie Pie! You're a heartless monster!" "What? I am Pinkie Pie, thank you very much!" "The real Pinkie Pie would never abandon her friends!" "Those rocks could have killed us!" "Those rocks killed them!" Silence fell as Fluttershy's words echoed throughout the cavern. Both ponies stopped as the words sank in. Fluttershy began to tear up. "Th-th-they, they...waaahaahaahaaaaaa!" Fluttershy fell down, sobbing violently. Pinkie Pie was also crying. This could have been avoided. She felt the twitch, she really did. That deep twitch of her tail, less up-down and more side-side. Side-side means danger. She could have avoided it all. ~~~ "Where's Fluttershy?" Rarity and Applejack had taken a quick rest in a small chamber a few miles from where they started. Spike was lagging behind and told them to go ahead without him. He would be fine, he said, he just needed to eat. "I've got a better question for ya; where's that no-good smells-rotten Pinkie Pie? I still got some talkin' t'do with her." Applejack and Rarity rested, waiting for their friends. They would be waiting for a long time. ~~~ A big, bulky giant was helping his rotund friend squeeze out of the hole he was jammed in. "I'm telling yeh, I don't know how I got here! One minute I was cutting this here tree down, and the next minute I was stuck in this here hole!" "Yeh probably stepped in a sinkhole er somethin'. Tuck in yer gut! You're making it hard to get yeh out!" The lardy giant sucked in deep and popped out like a cork. "Ahh." The fat one stretched. "That feels so much better. Thanks again, Aggs!" "ENOUGH CHITCHAT!" It was Hagar, the commander of the group. His presence was as imposing as his sholders were wide. His from alone was enough to block out the sun over half of Ponyville. He was a giant... among giants. "I'm not paying meh worthless sons t'stand by idly! I need these ponies captured, pronto!" "Y-yes mister Commander Sir!" The fat son saluted his father, waiting for orders. Hagar looked him in the eye before turning around. "If I don't see a thousan' ponies in cages by the end've t'night, it's yer ass fer dinner, Haggis!" "U-understood, sir! My ass fer dinner!" "Good. And as for ye, Agger; I better not see a single spot o' blood on yer clumsy little boots! This cargo is precious, yeh hear?" Agger nodded vigorously. "Now, if you don't mind me, I have a princess to catch." Hagar grabbed seven sacks and stomped away, taking care not to step on any fleeing playthings. Haggis and Agger were silent for a moment, but Agger snapped out of it. "Uh, Haggs?" "Yeah?" "Some pegasi er gettin' 'way!" "So?" "You gonna catch 'em?" "Oh! Yeah, right!" Haggis exhaled, then inhaled with a mighty intake. His mouth created a vacuum, sucking in cloud, roof, and pony alike. Trees and homes were uprooted, inhabitants thrown out. Snow was cleared from the ground. Soon Haggis's cheeks were full with ponies and debris. Haggis swished around the materials in his mouth before grabbing a sack. He spat pegasi like watermelon seeds into a trash can, taking care to not spit out the houses. He swished once more before spitting out a slimy Derpy. As he did this, Agger shook the toppled library around. "This tree is no good! It's all hollow inside!" Haggis spit another three, checking to make sure he got them all. He did, and he swallowed the rest, tightening the bag. "What do yeh mean, 'no good'?" "Look! Some sorta... library er somethin'." "What's this?" A small crown had fallen from the library and landed in the snow. "Heh, it's some sort of jewel!" "Look at this! Pure gold!" "Gold? Let me see!" Agger snatched the crown from Haggis. It fit neatly between his fingers. "Give it back!" "This is gold, isn't it?" Before Haggis could respond, another giant tugged on his shirt. Haggis turned around to see Stumps. "Where do we put th' bags, Haggis?" "Good question there. I'm not sure. Agger, where do we put the bags?" "Hmm..." Agger looked around before thinking of something suitable. "Let me clear out this 'ere hole. It would be perfect fer the bags." Agger stamped and the ground shook, ejecting the rocks and dirt from the hole. Agger quickly caught the rocks with his hand, placing them to the side. He peered in to look for leftovers and found something very unexpected. "And what do we have here?