Chapter Eleven
It's dark down here. Really dark. The only light I have are the dim glows of the crystals imbedded in the jagged walls of the cave which grow brighter as I walk by. It's a marvelous sight, really. Though It doesn't help me much when I trip over every stray stone or slam my head against the low ceiling. I'm sure a normal-sized human being would have no problem navigating this place.
To make things even better, these caves are way colder than I was expecting them to be. It's nowhere near the frozen-over hell that the lands outside the force field were, but it's still enough to make me unwrap my brown fleece jacket from my waist and put it on. If it weren't so dim I'm sure I could see my breath down here.
I don't know where I'm going, either. I'm just not fully convinced I'm not being followed, so I keep trudging forward. I've passed several other possible paths which veered off of the one I was currently on, but for fear of getting lost, I continued on my simple and easy-to-backtrack straight path. Slowly, the way began to dip, until I was essentially walking downhill.
The path downwards continued for a while, and everything was the same. I'd pass some sort of wooden support arch every now and then, but all they did for me was force me to duck even lower. My back was starting to ache from the hunched-over pose I was sporting, and I was getting a bit desperate for a change of scenery.
And eventually, my wish was granted. Before I could develop scoliosis, the descending path flattened eventually out. The narrow, small cave suddenly became wider, taller, and much less stuffy. I could finally stand to my full height without bashing my skull against the roof. It was only after I crackled my bones and stretched everything that I took in the scenery around me.
I had underestimated earlier just how huge the room was. I couldn't even see the ceiling in the thick darkness. From what I could see though, there were pickaxes and scraps of wood lying around the dusty floors of these caverns. (Mostly near the walls.) Into one wall, a railway traveled through, but there was no mine cart on the tracks that I could see.
If my cell phone were to be believed, it was almost one in the afternoon. At least it was back on Earth. Here, I might as well throw my phone into the darkness. This thing was nearly useless. Hell, it would be useless once the battery died.
Suddenly, my legs start hurting, and I find myself sitting on the cave floor trying to massage them. Soon, my entire body follows suit and sharp pains flow through my body. It hurts too much to move at all, and I just feel exhausted. I was feeling just fine a while ago. Incredible, even! Why was I completely drained, now?
My eyes started getting heavy, and the only thing I care about is falling asleep. It occurs to me that I have no idea when the last time I actually slept was. Painfully, I dragged my pathetic corpse near the wall, and bunched up my hood in an attempt to make a pillow. I could figure this stuff out when I woke up. Right now I just... I just really needed to rest.
So I lay in the darkness, and close my eyes.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Amethyst nickered. "Well, what else are we going to do?"
"Use common sense, for one. Do you even have any idea what you suggested we do?"
Glass Pond leaned against the counter to his tavern, silently wishing Amethyst Glory had an off switch. They retreated here after a stray pegasus guard nearly caught them snooping around. She paced around his empty establishment, endlessly contemplating their "next move." He had been learning a lot about his new acquaintance, particularly the fact that she was a bit dense at times.
"We can't just stop here, we have to find out more about this... this ruse!" Amethyst huffed.
Pond rubbed his forehead. "We don't have to do anything, much less follow the thing into the Celestia-forsaken mines."
"You would give up now?" she accused.
"I'm not giving up, I'm just being patient. Something you seem to have trouble with, might I remind you?"
Amethyst ignored his advice. "Do you ever think of the possibilities? We might not have the time be patient!" she retorted, stomping a hoof. "For all we know, the monster is down there hatching his scheme as we speak!"
"I'd rather be safe and let the guards handle the danger, thank you very much." Losing interest, Glass Pond levitated a filthy rag from nowhere. If I'm trapped in here, I may as well get some work done, he thought.
"Are you even listening to me?"
Glass grunted disinterestedly.
The already-frustrated Amethyst saw red. "Am I just a joke to you!?"
Glass Pond perked his ears up, turning towards the raging mare.
She narrowed her eyes. "Do you even care for what I have to say!? I am not just some raving old loon!"
The bartender looked accused. "Of course I care for your opinion. Now, settle down! Nopony said anything about calling you a loon."
"Nopony had to say it. I saw the look on all their faces back in the street!" Amethyst "'She's completely mad,' their faces said. 'She's off her rocker,' their eyes told!"
"What are yo—"
"Then you come along. Possibly the biggest insult thus far!"
"Me!?"
"I have yet to see why you even bothered trying to help!" she flipped her mane. "You hold me back, and belittle me even now! You may have given me an extra push, but every suggestion I make, you try to shoot it down with your... your cowardice!" The last word was spat with every ounce of poison she could muster.
If Glass wasn't insulted then, he certainly was now. "Don't you dare," he whispered dangerously. "Call me a coward."
Pond's face had moved closer to hers with eyes that could burn through steel. Amethyst matched his glower. For a few tense moments, neither of them spoke a word, instead trying to injure each other with their glares.
Glass finally stepped back, with malice still clear on his face. "You want to take action? Fine." He trotted away, motioning for her to follow him.
Amethyst followed suit as Glass guided them both through his place of residence. The two trotted to an area clearly not meant for customers, as entire sections of the living space were covered in a thin layer of dust. Glass halted his trot suddenly, and before Amethyst could question why, he faced a door she didn't even notice was there. It bore no knob or keyhole, almost seamlessly blending in with the wall.
As if the boards were stuck, glass rammed his entire body into the door. The hidden wall complied and opened with one solid push. They stepped into a small, cramped room which held very few items. Each of which seemed would be of little importance to anypony. The head of a shovel, a couple stray pieces of scrap metal, and a few brown rocks of various shapes. From the ceiling hung an oil lamp tied from a rope, and it was lit by Pond swiftly.
"Why did you bring us here?"
Glass Pond pushed the door shut. "Because every known entrance to the mines are probably guarded by now," he quickly replied, still a bit miffed. "So I'm showing you an entrance that nopony knows about." He kicked around, scanning the floor with his eyes until he found what he was looking for.
Loose floorboards were lifted, and the large, sturdy stones sitting underneath were lifted out as well.
"You made your own entrance?"
Glass made to untie the lamp from the ceiling, but it was snatched by Amethyst faster than he could get it.
"This is perfect!" she nearly shouted in glee. "I can't believe you didn't mention this sooner!"
Glass Pond snorted.
"Now we can handle this problem ourselves! Let's hurry!"
As if a switch was flipped, Glass Pond's anger melted away, and calm reason showed it's face again.
He had made a mistake.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
The shapeless blobs I see before me shift and warp themselves. They do their dance for a while, and it's not too long before they create a familiar scene. I can faintly hear a voice.
"Bottoms up."
Wait, did I say that?
Neil, Brian and Trevor all followed suit, and soon four shot glasses sat empty on the cheap, creaky table. The bar hadn't changed one bit.
"You still haven't told me what that was," I licked my lips. "Man that was bitter."
"Don't worry, we just roofied your drink," Neil jested.
"We might as well get out of here now," Brian chimed in. "This place is startin' to wear on me like the Jews did to Hitler."
We all looked his way in disgust.
I said what we were all thinking, "Brian what the fuck, man?"
"That wasn't even a very good analogy," Neil mumbled.
"Oh, sixty years later and it's still too soon?" he rolled his eyes. "Pussies."
Oh, now we're in a car. Brian's car, I think it is, since Brian's in the driver's seat, with me and Trevor in the back. Neil called shotgun before anybody, the fucker. It's not like this was supposed to be my night, or anything.
They're arguing about our next destination, and I'm not listening to any of it. It's just a bunch of annoying noise to me. Before I can knock some sense into them, they finally agree on some place I've never heard of. Whatever.
The all-you-can-eat restaurant wasn't high-end in the least, but we ate like kings. I piled my plate with so much food I doubt a weaker man could've even carried it. Chicken, corn, other various meats and veggies, it didn't matter. I gobbled it all up without a second thought, and my friends did the same. Judging from the stares other customers were giving us, I'd say we were making a bit too much noise, too.
I find myself in a dimly lit room, now. The walls are stained, the air smells like cigarettes and sweat, and relatively young women are spinning themselves seductively around metal poles.
So I was in that kind of place, then.
I see my three friends again. They're all sitting with me around a wobbly table, chuckling at one of Trevor's quips. Despite being at a strip club, there's nothing out of the ordinary here.
Then Espresso stepped out of the curtains, and trudged my way.
Apparently my friends thought it was hilarious to find the largest, ugliest stripper they could find and pay her to give me a lap dance. Thus, they found Espresso. Her dark-skinned fat folds rippled with every step she took, I'm pretty sure she could start an earthquake if she wanted to.
"Come here, suga'," she said in baritone. "I'm-a get you wired."
In the corner of my eye, I could see three schmucks laughing their heads off at my expense. Those assholes.
Now I'm standing on pavement. I can hear waves crashing against the cliff face ahead of me and my friends. The stars twinkle as we walk up to the metal railing on the edge of a cliff. I can't imagine how we ended up here. I lean against the railing and look out across the ocean horizon, and everyone else joins me. I can't recall ever visiting this place.
"Whose idea was it to come out here?" I ask them.
They all give confused mumbles.
"Great, thanks."
Time passes. I don't know how for how long, but we all just stay there gazing out into the night. It's nice. Good on whoever suggested to come here.
"What is this place, anyways?" I ask.
Trevor answers first, "This is the point that earned the nickname of Pebble's Drop."
That was quite the name. "That's an odd one. Why is it called that?"
"Oh, it's cuz of an old tale that supposedly took place right here a long time ago. I think it's Native American or something." Trevor scratched his beard.
I look around the area. "You'd think there would be a sign or plaque around here telling that story."
"Not many people come out here. Nobody has time for fairy-tales anymore," Trevor yawned.
Now I'm genuinely curious. "Do any of you know the story?"
"Aw can we not get into it right now?" Brian shut down. "Let's just enjoy the view."
"Actually it's kind of fitting, given the situation." Neil paused to spit over the railing into the ocean. "It's a love story, after all."
I made a mistake here. "Never mind, then. I don't need to hear it," I try to backtrack.
Neil turns to me. "No, no. I insist."
The railings disappears off the cliff, and I nearly stumble forward off the side of the bluff. The pavement beneath me melts away to reveal the dirt and grass. The moon races across the sky in a split second, and the sun takes it's turn doing the same. Day and night dash by a thousand times. Aside from Neil, whose eyes are missing their pupils, my friends aren't here anymore.
While time speeds backwards, Neil grows taller and skinnier to the point where he towers over me. "After all," the malformed Neil says even though his facial features melted away. "It may help you."
The monster before me vanishes, and I do as well.
---++---
A grisly man trudged through the woods. The one odd sapphire he held shined in the sunlight; it was all he had left.
He was possibly the most kindest soul known in their region, though strength and beauty was hardly his strong-suit. Those faults reared their ugly heads for him often when others picked a fight with him, or jeered at his ugliness.
This kind man found beauty here on this crag, watching the sun dip into the ocean. Her stunning radiance was matched only by her ferocity in battle. She was strong to her enemies, but open to her friends.
These two opposites met here, and their stories intertwined. The man offered his sapphire as a gift to her. She could hardly believe his generosity.
They asked each others names. As far as history is concerned, the man was named Pebble, and the woman Thunder.
Many happy years passed by for Pebble and Thunder. They fought for each other, whether the situation called for the sharpened stone of her weapon, or his warm diplomacy. Their struggles were endless and exhausting, but they never faltered. As long as they had each other, they were content.
They soon grew to be renowned and respected across the lands. People praised their names, hoping one day they could be as respected as Pebble and Thunder.
Though for every thousand that loved them, there were still few who despised the two.
Old rivals of Pebble emerged once again, jealous that such an ugly man could be with an elegant woman. Their minds sick with hatred, they gathered in great enough numbers that their cowardice was veiled. The evil men set up an ambush on Thunder in the dark of the night when the two lovers slept.
Pebble and Thunder's shelter was raided, and the two victims were dragged out in bindings even Thunder could not break free of. The raiders separated and imprisoned them for weeks, torturing them both relentlessly.
Thunder tried to fight her way out many times, as did Pebble. They were both struck down each time, but no matter what their captors did, Pebble and Thunder's wills refused to break.
Then Pebble's enemies hatched a heinous plan. The evil men told Thunder they would kill Pebble unless she lied and convinced him she didn't love him anymore. If she did, the brutes would let them both go free.
Pebble had been beaten, bruised and bloodied many times already, but he held on for her. He had to.
Then Thunder walked into his cell at night, free of bindings. She acted her disdain for him as best as she could, fighting back tears to hold remain convincing. In one final act, she held the sapphire he gave her before in front of him, and told Pebble that she would sell it to show how much his love meant to her.
Pebble was shattered by the end of it. His one light at the end of the tunnel was diminished. This usually calm man screamed, cursing her and his assailants. He was no more the man he used to be.
Thunder choked back her tears as she left his cell, telling the savages to release them both.
They responded with a knife in her back. She bled out while wringing a mans neck.
The evil men carried the kicking and screaming Pebble to the cliff face where he met the woman who betrayed him. His hollering echoed to the stars as they beat him again, and left him for dead on the cliff under the Northern Lights.
His beaten body was not there the next day, and Thunder's body disappeared as well. Only the sapphire remained as proof they ever existed.
It is believed that Pebble dragged himself off the cliff, and that Thunder was buried deep beneath the trees of the earth. Some say Pebble became a dark spirit of hatred and greed, Doing whatever he can to trouble others relationships in spite, and others tell that the wind one hears on this cliff is the spirit of Thunder, crying over her horrible mistake.
Such is the tragic tale of Pebble and Thunder.
---++---
"Andy."
The terrain snaps back to normal, and my companions fade back into existence with me. Brian, Neil and Trevor are staring at me, waiting for me to say anything.
So I respond. "Neil, that was the most depressing story I've ever heard. What the hell was the point of that?"
"To make an example," he answered. "Thunder was willing to do anything for Pebble, even though he didn't have much to offer her besides kind words. You know why?"
"Why?" I humor him.
Nobody says anything. Instead, all three of them stare at me with dead eyes.
Then they vanish again. I had told them all I'd meet them back at the car. After all the heavy talks and depressing stories, I just needed a few minutes to myself right now.
The Aurora Borealis is dancing in the night sky.
"The Northern Lights? Here in California?" I raise an eyebrow.
The lights in the sky shine as bright as they can, guiding my eyes to their end at the horizon. I can't explain why, but they send me into a trance. My steps are heavy, carrying me to find just where the auroras ended.
I can faintly hear a woman's voice in my ear, though that could just be the wind raging around me as I step towards the cliff's edge.
What is carrying me forward?
I clamber over the safety fence. Some guard against falling it was.
I stop in my tracks just shy of stepping off the cliff face. The sky no longer houses the Northern Lights, because now they occupy the space in front of me. The colorful lights swirl in front of me at breakneck speeds, forcing the air to roar violently.
Something pulls me forward again, much to my internal dismay. I fight with all of my might, but my mind is nothing compared to the hypnotic spells of the magical essence in front of me.
I step off the cliff, and on to empty air.
The last thing I hear is my name being called out before a loud bang sounds out. I wonder who that was? It almost sounded like Trevor.
Pure white is all there is.
A whisper reverberates in my head, "Love will show you the way."
I'm suddenly very cold.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
I awoke in a cold sweat, still deep under the earth. I had never had a such a vivid dream before, and I remembered everything about it.
I wipe the sweat off my brow with a hand, contemplating what I just saw. Pebble's Drop. That unnoticeable tourist attraction had something to do with my transportation to this alien world. I finally had a clue. Though, how it was supposed to help me now was another matter entirely.
I hear noises of stone crumbling under force. My breath catches in my throat, and I frantically look around. I couldn't decipher where the sounds where coming from.
The noise gets louder, and I stand back on my feet in preparation for whatever is coming.
Then the wall of stacked rocks behind me pushes towards me, shaking dust and dirt free. I knew it was a poorly covered tunnel, but I had no idea something could actually be in there. I just assumed it was blocked off to keep people from going in.
I backed away slowly in fear of whatever was attempting to knock down the false wall of boulders. The rocks collapsed, and I steeled myself for the worst.
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Didn't like this chapter at all.
5101563
That's fine. I'm aware it has... shortcomings
Could you tell me why, though, if you don't mind?
5101569 I don't know about hs0003, but to me, this felt too disjointed. You just added a crapton of things unrelated to the story so far, such as the legend of Pebble's Drop, Shamrock's revenge out of frickin nowhere, and absolutely no action. It didn't move the plot in any expectable or even conceivable way.
5101672
Well, my urge to get this chapter out of the way certainly didn't help matters there, I'm sure. As you probably know, the chapter's been in the works for a long while now, and all of the substance in there is necessary.
Maybe if I cut out the bit with Shamrock and Poppy and added that in the next chapter? What do you think? I do care what you guys have to say.
EDIT: Yeah, the more I look at it, the more that idea sounds appealing. I'll just go forward with that plan.
Eh, the dream sequences and the miniscule amount of time spent on the protagonist killed the chapter for me.
5101795
I'm sorry you feel that way. If it's any comfort, You'll get plenty of Andy in the next chapter.
In any case, thank you for reading and telling me what you didn't like! I appreciate it.
I wait months for a new chapter and I get what is essentially a long winded dream sequence. Are you deliberately trying our patience?
5101569 Jack took the words out of my mouth.
Also, the dream/flashback was too long.
5101994
Deliberately? Wow. You make it sound like I don't care about you guys at all.
My intentions were good, I swear that to you. I can also swear to you that I care what each and every one of you has to say.
With that said, thank you for reading and letting me know your feelings. If it's any consolation, I will try to do better by you and everyone else.
... I may have forgotten the events that have transpired in this fanfic thus far by this point...
5102601 So did I. I had to reread the story.
5102806 give me a summary?
Is okay.
5102881 Normally I would not but he we go. First off he was having bachelor party when he woke up in the snowy tundra. After a bit he finds the crystal Empire. There he scares a busy body scard-y pony. He yells at another in frustration since they cannot understand each other. He gets hungry and a bit paranoid about where he is, knocks out a stallion to steal some food from the market place, scaring a foal in the process and causing a panic. Finds out all the food tastes like butt.
Enter the crystal guard who are being retrained by shining Armor right after Sombras defeat and being given some insights into what is now species behavior after their 1000 year nap.
A couple of guards are sent out to investigate. The act like keels and have their plots handed to them because he is apparently super powered kind of from magic even though magic apparently has no effect on him. Also he now has a healing factor liked dead pool.
The two guards come back beaten up. Shining wants them to find him but not engage him.
Seeing the pegasi searching be breaks into a cellar not knowing it is an entrance to Sombras slave mines. He gets tired, begins to feel hurt and then falls asleep to a flash back of how he got there. .. maybe anyway.
meanwhile the busy body scared mare and a stallion decide they know better than the guard so they go into the mine to "stop sombrero minion".
There. You are now more or less caught up. Any complaints of my possible embellishments/take on it then try reading it again. Fnord.
oh. Cadence is also asleep during all of this so far because she is still exhausted from dealing with Sombra.
Sprinkles....
5103551 are those sprinkles of the titty variety?
5103551
I'm still laughing at this.
5103581 Definitely!
5101700 Yes, that sounds reasonable. But my real gripe is that we were holding our breath for Shining and Cadence, since they're the characters we know best, and they're not even mentioned.
Ouch, poor Pebble and thunder.
This chapter was... eh.
Yeah, I can see you were not having any fun at all while writing this. I hope the next chapters are easier to write than this one.
5104245 what makes the titty variety of sprinkles different?
I love this story, but please try to update more often.
5106543 I know right?
If I have any complaint, it's that I'm not sure what the point of erasing most of his memories of the night only to give them back to him in a dream was supposed to be.
Here ya go:
The placement of the word "eventually" in this sentence is kind of weird. Did you mean “evenly”?
Amethyst said? Exclaimed? Shouted?
Forgot to capitalize Glass' name
"most kindest" is redundant
missing apostrophe
capitalization error
capitalization error
5101569 Next chapter! Andy drains the two ponies of their magic, and knocks them out, following the tunnel out into the house, and as the guards are busy watching the entrances and exits to the slave mines, Andy is free to pillage and plunder at will. At least until somepony reports him. However, considering that they had all the entrances to the mines covered, the guards will start to become extremely jumpy, thinking that he's able to take on the smoky, shadowy form like Sombra did and it will wear on their nerves and alertness.
Also, it's been 5 weeks. Is this a dead fic?
5293407
It ain't dead. It just hasn't moved a muscle in a while.
(But yes, this story is still alive.)
Another chapter with Neil, and he still has zero redeeming qualities. Why would anyone willingly be his friend, again?
its
6535209
It feels like his purpose is to make Andrew look good by comparison.
It doesn't work.
To be fair, Amethyst does seem a bit mentally unstable.