Children of Chaos

by shirotora

Chapter 4: Disaster in the Crystal Caves

Chapter 4: Disaster in the Crystal Caves

The six just finished setting up camp in the mouth of the cave. The kids donned their headlights and packs, and took their first steps into the famous landmark. It was extremely dark, even with lights, until they reached the first crystal chamber. The crystals in this cavern were known for the perpetual light they emitted, so as soon as the lights were no longer needed they were shut off.

“Look at this place!” Surprise shouted with glee, “It's so beautiful!”

“Ah'll say,” Autumn mused.

“Ohmygosh, Goldie, we should totally make necklaces out of these!” Surprise exclaimed.

“That would be purdy,” replied Autumn, “What do you think, Blaze?”

“Hmm, I think I'd look better in a tiara,” joked the dragony.

The ladies rolled their eyes and took to looking for any glowing crystals that would work for their purposes. The group moved further in, staring in wonder at the multitude of crystals.

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

“They're inside,” said the shadow.

“Good, is everything ready?”

“Yes sir. I already know where in the caves they're heading and have already rigged it.”

“Excellent. Don't fail. I can care less what happens to the other four, but the tiger's spawn must die.”

“They will, my lord.”

The shadow put the crystal back in his belt pocket and swiftly, stealthily, scurried into the caves.

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

“Woah!” all six said in unison at the massive room they had just entered. The walls were lined with multicolored crystals of incredible size. Along one wall, several crystals laid scattered in front of a smaller room as if something had broken through it. Inside the tiny space was an old rusted bucket and fragments of what was likely a wooden bowl.

“Hey, I think we found it!” Razor cheered, “This is where Princess Cadence was held captive!”

Oak looked around the small cell, “Why though?” When everyone else looked at him in confusion, he clarified, “I mean, why lock her up? Why didn't Chrysalis just kill her and get it over with?”

“She ordered her killed,” Surprise said, “Aunt Lyra told me about it. Not every changeling was for the invasion, but they weren't strong enough to go against Chrysalis, so they decided to work through subterfuge. When Lyra and her squad was ordered to eliminate the princess, they brought her down here instead. They were protecting her. Then, when Chrysalis cast a cremation spell to kill Twilight, they opened a portal under her to save her before the fire closed in on her.”

Surprise picked up one of the shards and examined it before continuing, “When Twilight and Cadence tried to escape, Lyra was scared that all they would do was get themselves killed and tried to stop them, but Twilight put a small want-it-need-it spell on a flower bouquet and tossed it in a ravine. Luckily, it wore off before they hit the bottom and flew back out. When the Love Shield was cast, those that were kind, and held no hatred for ponies, like my mother and aunt Lyra, were spared.”

“Wow... I didn't know there were changelings fighting on our side,” Oak said, pondering what he heard.

“Yeah, quite a few,” Surprise confirmed, “We've been living side by side with ponies in peace for centuries. When Chrysalis showed up, she proclaimed herself queen and promised any who followed her power. We were hunted like rabid animals because of that bitch.”

Razor placed a comforting paw on his fillyfriend's back, “And you showed everypony that changelings aren't all bad. You saved the changelings.”

Surprise smiled sadly, “No, mom did. She adopted me, raised me, and taught me to be good. She gave a monster a chance and showed the world that we're good... even if we're ugly.”

“Hey, don't say that, you're beautiful,” Razor said, upset at the way she put herself down.

“Well, yeah, like this. Nopony could love me if I couldn't transform.”

“I love you for who you are,” Razor said as he looked into Surprise' baby blue eyes, “I think you're beautiful in your real form. Your velvety fur, the way your wings shimmer.”

“I know you do,” she sighed, “But admit it... the fact that I can change into anypony you want is a plus.”

Razor grinned, “Like Pinkie?”

“I'll cut you.”

That got a chuckle out of everyone.

“Alright, you two love birds,” Autumn said with a smile, “Let's see what else... wait...” her ears swiveled around, listening, “Do y'all hear that?”

Razor, and Snow listened for anything out of the ordinary. They could hear it too, a faint humming. Razor walked around, searching for the source. Finally, he came to the entrance and froze, eyes widened in fear at the sight of a glyph glowing on a large crystal above the room's entrance.

“Get back!” he bellowed just before a massive explosion dislodged several boulders, blocking the path and trapping them.

Before any of them could truly comprehend what happened a series of detonations came from high above. They all looked up to see the ceiling falling on them. Panic started to set in and they huddled around each other, holding to whoever was close as their deaths draw nearer.

Surprise, acting on instinct raised her fore-hooves, the green ribbon in her mane glowing faintly.

“Oculus Abyssi!”

The air shimmered briefly before a hole opened in the fabric of space-time, sucking in everything nearby.

“Everypony, hold on to each other!” advised the changeling as they were pulled inside of the rift, a few pieces of debris following.

The six found themselves tumbling through a void, the only things other than themselves were a few crystals that followed them... and one glyph covered boulder. Their eyes widened with horror as it began glowing brighter as it approached them. Razor felt someone squirming and looked over to see his little sister breaking free of the others' hold on her.

“Snow! What are you doing!” he called, but too late.

The unicorn tigony launched herself toward the bomb. She let out a billowing war cry as she slammed her back hooves into the deadly stone, launching it away. It only traveled a few feet before erupting in a terrible blast. The force slammed into Snow, engulfing her in flames and launching her away from the group. When the shockwave hit the others, Razor and Surprise lost their grip on the others, splitting the remainder of the group in two.

The blast sent a tremor through the void. It was as if the entire place suddenly warped and contorted. Surprise shouted in pain as she ripped the ribbon from her mane and looked at it. Along the middle was a deep gash, almost splitting it in half. With a shudder, the dimension collapsed, ejecting its occupants back into the world.

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

Razor and Surprise still clung to each other as the ground came up to meet them. They flared their wings to slow their descent, but still landed harder than they would have liked. Razor slowly got to his hooves and paws, rubbing his aching head. Surprise followed suit and they took in their surroundings. They were in a clearing in the middle of the woods. Though he didn't recognize the area, he knew a lot of the plants he saw.

“Great,” he groaned, “We're in the Everfree.”

“Do you know where?”

Razor shook his head, “No, but we can find out.”

He stretched his wings and took off, circling overhead as he searched for any landmarks. He landed with a look of confusion.

“Well?”

Razor shook his head, “I don't know, but there's a huge city way up north that I don't recognize.”

Surprise looked at him with furrowed eyebrows, “But there aren't any cities by the Everfree...”

“There's a town to the west that's pretty close,” Razor informed, “Let's head there and see if we can get some information.”

“Good idea.”

The two spread their wings and took to the skies

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

An unconscious tigony soared through the air. She slammed hard into the ground, bouncing and rolling several dozen feet. Her broken, mangled body was splayed in unnatural angles, as her breath came in ragged gasps. The noise and commotion drove every living creature away within a few hundred yards... except one.

A pair of draconic eyes peered from the underbrush, assessing the situation. The watcher could tell the injured mare wouldn't survive her injuries, even if taken to a hospital. The fact that she was still breathing at all was testament to her strength.

The eyes vanished as a black mist snaked its way from the shadows and enveloped the dying creature in its embrace.

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

Blaze, Autumn, and Oak landed hard. Autumn reached a hoof up, relieved to find her mother's stetson still perched atop her head.

“Au... Autumn,” came a desperate wheeze, “Can't breathe.”

Autumn looked down to see a cyan face quickly turning purple, “Oh! Sorry 'bout that.”

She jumped off Blaze, allowing him to take in a much needed breath of air. The clanging of trashcans alerted the others to Oak's location.

“A little help here!” he begged.

The farmer and the pegasus righted their new friend, holding back a snicker at the old garbage he was covered in. Thankfully, it was mostly papers, and didn't stink.

“Where are we?” Autumn asked as she looked down the unfamiliar alley.

The stallions followed the mare into a familiar, yet foreign sight. A highway, traveled by dozens of cars, in a massive city. Both Blaze and Autumn had seen plenty on Shiro's TV, but what made these stand apart was the fact that the drivers were ponies. The city was also unfamiliar. There were buildings larger than the ones in Manehattan even.

“What... What the hell are those?” Oak asked.

“G-guy's...” Blaze's voice wavered with shock.

The others look at him as he pointed at something. They followed his hoof to a large, official looking building. Their expressions matched Blaze's as the read the sign in front...

Ponyville Town Hall.

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

Shiro and Jynx sat at their dinner table listening to Midnight and Applebloom talk about their lives. They especially loved hearing about the antics of their grandchildren.

“...And somehow, came out covered head to tail in sap!” Midnight finished a particularly funny story.

“She's definitely your daughter, Bloom,” Shiro laughed, picturing little Candy Apple covered like that.

“Grandpa!” Moonlight Orchard ran up to his favorite relative, “Are you going to make that cake like last time? Huh, are you, are you?”

Shiro looked down at the colt. He was the spitting image of his father, though a more grayish blue with a crescent shape on his forehead instead of a star.

“I suppose I could,” answered Shiro.

“Yipee! Hay sis, gramps is making the Chocolate Heart-attack!” he ran off, his cheering joined by his sister's.

“Oh, great,” Applebloom deadpanned, “'Cause they ain't hyper enough. You're an evil cat, pa.”

“Mwahahahaha!” Shiro gave his best evil laugh, “Revenge is mine!”

“You got some onions for mine?” the pregnant alchemist asked.

Before Shiro could answer, a knock came from the front door.

“I got it,” Shiro jumped up and went to the front.

He opened the door to find a royal guard pegasus wearing a solemn expression. Shiro's heart clenched as an icy feeling came over him.

“Lord Tora,” the guard began, “There's been an incident...”

Author's Note:

Dun-dun-duuunnnn! Now things are getting moving. Oak Blaze and Autumn are in Ponyville, but it's suddenly a bustling metropolis, Razor and Surprise are in the middle of the Everfree heading to an unknown town, and Snow, she's... . What's going to happen to our hero's? What's Shiro going to do? Find out next week

Comments

[random reader]

Hmm, something isn't adding up here. This story lacks a "Tragedy" tag, which would be warranted if any of the main characters were to die in this story. Although there was a surprise tragedy chapter in the prequel, the death in question was not foretold many chapters in advance, like what Fluttershy foretold near the beginning in this story. Something tells me that everyone will survive this in some shape or form.

[shirotora]

3766076 But there IS a dark tag, and it will come into play a little in the next chapter but the reason for it is in chapter 7.

[shirotora]

3766252 Get used to them, I use them alot

[Clawstar]

Time travel. If nothing else (aside from interdimensional travel) doesn't work, it HAS to be time travel...

[shirotora]

3769064 Well, considering the description says,

The friends find themselves flung far into the future where things have taken a turn for the worse.

, I'd say it's safe to assume you're right

[ARC190]

a cliffhanger...you're an evil cat!

[shirotora]

3769523 Mwahahahaha!

[Fayte]

3766076 Tis not a tragedy. Its A JOYOUS EVENT!

[shirotora]

3771040 Getting blown up is joyous?

[Fayte]

3771074 They lived though, So its Joyous. Plus, I like bad guys better than good guys.

[Hekate Sketch]

Hmm. I don't like these antagonists. HEY DACHE!!!

-What?-

Events aren't set yet, wanna go hunt some villians? They just screwed with Shiro's family. Even though I'm sure they'll get what's coming to them, I still want to beat them into limbo.

-Sure, but...Limbo? why are we going to play limbo?-

Wrong limbo, Dache. The realm in between life and death.

[shirotora]

3772137 Oh, I don't know... one of the antagonists might be a little too much for you...

[Hekate Sketch]

3776147

Probably, but it won't hurt to try!

[shirotora]

3776563 Oh, but it will... a lot.

[Hekate Sketch]

3776594

lol, probably.

I have so much fun trying to rp in comments.

[Timstro59]

Shiro rage fueled shit storm about to erupt.

I'm forecasting blood rain for the next week.