The Cavern Down in Everfree

by SlushieMountain

Cutie Mark Crusaders Cavern Finders

“I’m not so sure about this, Scootaloo.” The yellow filly squirmed as her orange friend butted her forward towards the dreary, menacing forest.

“It’ll be fine, Apple Bloom! I mean, I think so.” Scootaloo’s purple eyes showcased a flash of doubt and the pegasus filly hesitated for a moment, but that moment passed and she continued to talk about her new idea. “Plus, you’ve been here tons of times!”

“Yeah, with Zecora!” The stubborn yellow filly stomped her hoof, her red mane was fluttering lightly in the breeze along with her large bow. “Not alone!”

“But you won’t be alone!” A unicorn filly grinned at her friend, “You’ll be with us!”

Apple Bloom was unable to speak another word as her giggling friends ushered her into the forest. Everything became dark and a twig hit the side of her face, making her yelp slightly. After what seemed like an eternity, the trio emerged into a sparkling clearing.

“What is it?” The white filly bounced towards it, her horn making a small spark in excitement, she turned to her orange friend, her green eyes twinkling in wonder.

“This.” Scootaloo gestured to the clearing, “Is where we get our cutie marks, girls.”

“Here?” Apple Bloom tipped her head to the side, her orange eyes dimmed, “Really, Scoot?”

“Really!” The pegasus rushed out to the center of the clearing and parted the grass to reveal a hole large enough to allow a filly to wriggle through it, “Here.”

“Where does it go?” The white filly jumped at it, wiggling her purple and pink tail as she attempted to peer into the darkness.

“I don’t know, Sweetie Belle, how about we go find out?” Scootaloo’s eyes sparked in a challenge and she dropped down to the hole and began to wriggle through it. Sweetie Belle followed close behind, Scootaloo’s hot pink tail brushed at her nose, making her sneeze.

“Guys, I don’t think this is a good idea.” Apple Bloom called into the hole where her two closest friends had disappeared. No response drifted to her. She glanced all around her, her eyes resting on a pair of bright blue eyes in the darkness. “Guys! Come out of there!” The filly screamed down the hole, not checking to see if her advice was taken before she galloped away through the bushes.

Neither Scootaloo nor Sweetie Belle heard her. “Hey, is Apple Bloom with us?” Sweetie Belle tried to twist her head but was unable to do so in the narrow tunnel.

“I don’t think so, she probably went home. Ah well, more fun for us, right?” Scootaloo wriggled on, shoving forward when one of her shoulders got stuck.

“I hope she gets out of the Everfree Forest okay.” The unicorn followed her friend, keeping her head low so her horn didn’t hit the ceiling. “Woah, it’s really cold down here.”

“I think we’re almost there!” The pegasus filly sped up, feeling the cavern widen until she could stand. Squinting, she peered around as Sweetie Belle appeared at her side. “Where are we?” Scootaloo took a step forward, finding that there was a steep slope. She couldn’t keep herself balanced, and she slid down the dirty slope, landing with a soft thud at the bottom.

“Whee!” Sweetie Belle followed, sliding on her back. “That was fun!” She glanced all around, squinting, “I can’t see anything. Where are we?”

“I just asked that.” Scootaloo stood and shook out her wings nonchalantly. “You’re the one with the magic, try and light the place up.”

“I don’t know if I can…” The unicorn filly sighed, “But I can try.” She closed her eyes and focused so hard that she was shaking. At last, a small light flickered at the tip of her horn. Hearing Scootaloo gasp, she flung her eyes open, “Did I do it?”

Surrounding them on all sides were bright blue eyed changelings. Their teeth glinted off the light that had flooded their cavern. “They don’t look happy!” Scootaloo backed up, bumping into something. She looked up into the face of her idol, “Oh thank Celestia, Rainbow Dash!”

Rainbow Dash opened her mouth and all at once changed her appearance into a changeling. It shook out its wings, making a buzzing noise, and launched at the filly. Its fangs plunged into her neck, making black spots swim through Scootaloo’s vision.

Sweetie Belle made a soft squeal as she backed away from her friend as the orange filly’s appearance shifted and morphed. At one moment, she’d looked like a giant orange. Then, all of a sudden, a small purple eyed changeling blinked at her. “Sc-Scootaloo?” Sweetie Belle reached a hoof forward and it was attacked by the newly made changeling.

What had once been Scootaloo was now the changeling that was digging its sharpened fangs just above the unicorn filly’s hoof. Sweetie Belle screamed and began to flip her leg all around, but she could feel her form stretching and bloating until her brain seemed to close. The green eyed changeling blinked into the face of the purple eyed one, but neither made any move that suggested they’d known each other and they went their separate ways.

***

Apple Bloom rushed through the rows and rows of apple trees, closing in on her older sister. “Applejack!” She screeched, putting on an extra burst of speed, she flung towards her sister and slammed into her orange flank.

“Apple Bloom? What in tarnation?” Applejack blinked at her sister curiously with her emerald green eyes.

“It’s Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo! They’re in trouble!” It was hard for the filly to choke back her tears as she collapsed to the ground in front of her sister.

“What kinda trouble?” The mare hesitated, “Where are they?”

Apple Bloom explained everything, from Scootaloo telling her and Sweetie Belle about some cool thing she found all the way to the pair of eyes she saw in the forest. As she told the story, her eyes brimmed with tears, “And when I came back here, they weren’t following me! But I couldn’t go back, that thing was there!”

“You did good by comin’ to me, Apple Bloom, but you need to lead me back there.” Applejack was tense, the barrel of apples that she’d worked hard to collect had been forgotten for the time being. “Let’s go find Rarity and Rainbow, then we’ll head out.” She pulled her hat down so it shadowed her eyes and led the filly away from the farm and into town.