Answers Beneath
Answers Beneath
////Applejack
Applejack’s party had set out once again towards the old diamond dog mines. The last time she had set out with the others in this direction, they had been all together. This time however, they were split into two groups, each seeking out an eidolon.
And once again, Applejack was taking time from her busy life to go on an adventure that would have her preoccupied for who knew how long. She knew how important it was to help Equestria, especially when a glowing tree asks you for help, but she wondered just how much time she’d spent away from her responsibilities.
Well, at least the tree was nice enough to give us something for the trip.
“Ah reckon we won’t be havin any trouble with any spiders this time around.” Applejack said, looking over her armor. “Ah’m pretty sure one look at us this time and they’ll turn tail.”
“We should probably try to avoid them anyway, just to be on the safe side.” Twilight said.
“Oh, I’m sure it was just a little misunderstanding.” Fluttershy said. “After all, we were the ones who stumbled into their home. If we just explain ourselves this time, I’m sure they’ll let us pass.”
Ah wonder if she’s just sayin that because her stare’s gotten a whole lot stronger. Applejack thought. But then again, these powers might just be the thing this girl needs.
“So Applejack, what did the eidolon look like in your vision?” Twilight asked.
“Well the thing is, Ah never got a look at it.” Applejack replied. “But Ah did get the feelin that we were supposed to come back here. Ah felt it in mah hooves.”
“That’s an earth pony saying, right?” Twilight asked.
“Sure is, and it means something.” Applejack said. “That magic we have that makes us strong also gives us a way to feel something in the ground. And when Ah was in that dream or whatever it was, Ah felt something about these mines.”
“Well, Rainbow Dash seemed to have a similar experience as you, but it’s a bit strange that your eidlon didn’t reveal her or himself to you.” Twilight said. “Although it may mean we’d need to have seen them before in order to know who they are.” Twilight said. “But its only speculation.”
The group had begun to make their way through dense forests in order to find the mines. Unlike a certain other forest in Equestria, this one much more serene and didn’t put anypony at unease. Any other day, it would have been a peaceful walk with some friends.
Something didn’t sit well with Applejack though. Maybe it was that it felt too peaceful, but she just couldn’t shake the feeling that they were being watched. Just nerves. Applejack thought.
“Well, this looks to be where we were when the crusaders got foal-knapped.” Applejack said.
“Wait.” Fluttershy said. “Wasn’t there a golem near the entrance inside of the mines?”
“Right. Ah forgot about him.” Applejack said. “Ah wonder how we’re supposed to get past him this time without Rarity to make decoys.” The last time, Rarity had subdued the golem by making stone look a likes for the childish creature to play with instead of them.
“We can always hope that he’s too preoccupied with the ones from last time.” Twilight said.
“I’ve got an idea.” Fluttershy said, looking up at the trees. “Oh, hello there.” A sparrow flew down towards her and landed on a nearby plant.
“My friends and I are going into this cave, but we need to see what the golem inside is up to. Would you be a sweetheart and check for us?” The bird chirped and flew into the cave.
“Great idea Fluttershy.” Applejack said. “Your critter know-how really helped there.”
Moments later, the bird returned and landed back on the plant and began chirping to Fluttershy.
“Really?” Fluttershy said. “Is that so? Oh thank you so much.” She reached into her saddlebags and pulled out some berries and gave them to the bird and sent him on his way.
“So what did he say?” Twilight asked. “Is the golem busy with his old distractions?”
“Well, he’s not there.” Fluttershy said. “Mr. Sparrow said that the whole entrance was empty.”
“So he went someplace else?” Applejack asked.
“Maybe,” Twilight said. “but as long as he’s not at the entrance, we can use this opportunity to go inside and begin our search.”
The three of them nodded in agreement and proceeded into the cave.
Applejack then felt another one of her “hunches”. There it is again. This time, it felt like it was coming from outside of the cave. There are all sorts of critters in the forest, probably just bein a bit jumpy.
////
“Wow, this place has really been cleared out.” Twilight said, her voice echoeing in the huge entrance chamber. “I wonder where the golem went to, he seemed pretty content here.”
“Let’s just hope far away from here.” Applejack said. “We don’t need him trying to brush our manes for us. Ah’m a grown mare, thank ya very much.”
“Okay, so let’s try to stay together this time.” Twilight said. “There are less of us so we really don’t need to bet separated, alright?”
They made their way further down the mines, torches that remained lit over the years through some magic illuminated their path.
“So does anything feel different now Applejack?” Twilight asked.
“Ah’m getting the feelin that we’re getting closer.” Applejack said. There was a stronger energy she could sense through her hooves. It was like feeling the earth at her farm. There was a sense of life giving energy and minerals, but far much stronger here.
“We should keep moving then.” Twilight said.
Fluttershy remained alert, staying close to her friends. She looked a bit more tense than usual.
Don’t tell me she’s gone and lost her nerve already. She was doin pretty good up til now. Applejack thought. “What’s wrong Fluttershy?” She asked.
“I don’t know.” Fluttershy replied. “I hear something strange.”
“These mines can carry sound waves from who knows where.” Twilight said. “Maybe it’s just a normal sound that’s been distorted.”
“Maybe.” Fluttershy said. “But there’s something else, not like bats or the pitter patter of spiders.”
“Speakin of those spiders.” Applejack said. “They’re not tryin to get the jump on us again or something?”
“Well, I haven’t heard something like them.” Fluttershy said.
“Ya think they’re just doin a good job of hidin?” Applejack asked.
“I don’t know.” Fluttershy said, looking up at the ceiling of the mines.
Given her uneasiness since they entered the mines, Applejack still couldn’t shake the notion that they weren’t alone. It could never just be this simple. Something or somepony was here with them. Hopefully only the eidolon.
“Just keep your wits about ya girls.” Applejack said.
////
The party found itself in a large, open area of the mines. The floor was barren and it appeared as if this section of the mines had been exhausted long ago. Webs hung from the ceilings, but there wasn’t even a sign of the large spiders that had given the mane six problems the last time they were here.
The only thing, however, that proved to be ominous was the gaping hole that began at one section of the chamber. It wasn’t a pitfall or sinkhole, rather it was if something large had burrowed in or out of this entrance.
“Does anypony remember seeing something like that the last time we were here?” Twilight asked.
“Oh my, a very large creature must have made this.” Fluttershy said, trotting over to the opening.
Ah really don’t get her. Applejack thought. “Uh, Fluttershy, aren’t ya worried that whatever made that might try to snack on us?”
Then, the sound of something like mud hitting the ground resonated. The three ponies turned around to see a blue gel plopping from the ceiling as if there was a leak of sorts above.
“What is that?” Twilight asked, trotting up to the strange substance.
“Easy, Twi!” Applejack said. “Somethin don’t seem raht about that stuff.”
“Well, I’ve never seen anything like this.” Twilight said. “This demands investigation.” She then began using her magic to scan over the substance. “Hmm, Some miners use chemicals to get every trace of metal they can get out of the rock, but that’s usally for gold.”
Twi, ya sure can forget about the danger we’re in sometimes. Applejack thought. But that uneasiness was in her still remained, if not, it was getting stronger now.
“Diamond dogs are really only known for their pursuit of gems,” Twilight continued, still oblivious to everything else around her. “So why would they be going after gold here? And that still doesn’t explain the gelatinous appearance of this material, or why it would be dripping from the ceiling.”
Unbeknown to Twilight, , the puddle began to stir. “That may mean there are levels of the mines above us.” She said, turning towards the others. “How deep are we?”
“Uh, Twilight.” Applejack said with growing worry.
“Way ahead of you on your concern AJ.” Twilight said. “You’re probably thinking that there might be some more of this ‘acid’ above us too.”
By this time, the globule had begun to rise to about the height of the pony in front of it. “But don’t worry, I’m pretty sure that its only a trace remnant of the acids used before, so we should be fine.” Twilight said with confidence.
By this time, a large blob had formed with recesses that gave it the appearance of eyes and a gaping mouth.
“Twilight!” Applejack yelled.
The scholar turned around to see the creature before her, gurgling and opening its mouth wider. Twilight screamed and bolted away as the thing closed in.
“Ok, I have no idea what the heck that is!” Twilight exclaimed. “Okay, let’s be rash. Maybe we can try reasoning with it? Fluttershy?”
The pegasus moved to the front of the group and spoke to the creature. “Um, hello Mr. Slime.”
The creature slowly moved forward. “We’re just trying to find our way here, so can you please help us?” Fluttershy asked.”
It gurgled and continued on its path.
Somethin’s not raht. Applejack thought. Usually, them varmints at least stop a little bit to hear her out.
“Do you know where that tunnel goes?” Fluttershy asked. “I know you look scary, but I bet you’re sweet.”
Despite her kind words, the creature kept its pace.
Nope, not on ma watch! Applejack then made a move to grab Fluttershy just vefore the creature was upon them. “Somethin ain’t raht with that thing.” She said.
“It didn’t even care what I said at all.” Fluttershy said quietly to herself.
“Alraht, that tears it.” Applejack said, brandishing her axe. “Ah can’t have ya tryin to eat mah friends!”
Before anyone else could react, AJ swung at the creature. Twilight and Fluttershy flinched as they heard the weapon pass through the creature. To everyone’s surprise, nothing seemed to have happened.
All there was was a small splatter on the ground next to the creature, which was still in one piece.
“What the hay?” Applejack said through clenched teeth. She swung again, and noticed that her axe passed clean through, save for bits of its viscous body that were launched as the axe exited. The slimy creature didn’t seem at all fazed by the attack and moved towards AJ and then grabbed her with arms that formed from its mass.
“Hey! Stop that!” Applejack said. However the monster began to envelope the fighter through its maw. Ah did not sign up for this!
“Leave her alone!” Fluttershy yelled. She unhooked her whip and last it tawards the creature. Instead of striking the creature, her whip wrapped itself around one of Applejack’s legs. Fluttershy then yanked her friend free from the attacker and back towards the group.
She collided with them and sent them tumbling. Applejack was covered in the creature’s goop. The all scrambled back on their hooves to face the creature. “How are we supposed to stop that thing if none of us can even scratch it?” the fighter asked.
Twilight then fired a bolt of magic from her horn, but the pink blast seemd to glance off as if it were nothing more than a cup of water. “Great, my magic doesn’t work either.” She said.
Ya have got to be kiddin me. Applejack thought. We come all this way, we get all this fancy smancy new “powers” and we can’t even deal with a single crazed critter! Her train of thought was interrupted by the alicorn next to her that began sniffing her.
“Uh, now’s not the time for you to go and act like Winona.” Applejack said.
“That smell, it’s like a composition I used in my experiments a while back.” Twilight said.
“What’s that got to do with this?” Applejack asked.
The creature slid its way closer to the group amid the strange behavior of her friend. The three of them ran towards different sides of the chamber.
“I remember that substance having a weird reaction during one of my experiments.” Twilight said, unbuckling her tome. “Now let’s see.” It then began to glow a light blue and she swung at the creature.
Cold and frost moved over the surface of the assailant before it shattered in a small explosion.
“Sentient chemicals? How strange.” Twilight said, musing.
But before anyone else could add more to the conversation, more audible plops could be heard as additional gelatinous creatures appeared. Two of them were red, two yellow, another blue one had made their way slowly into the chamber, making room to maneuver noticeably smaller.
“Get in the air Fluttershy!” Twilight said. “Give AJ some extra room to run!”
“Ah’ll keep ‘em busy down here!” Applejack replied.
Twilight had already begun to focus her magic inter tome once more and made short work of the blue creature. “Well, that takes care of that one, but the yellow and red creatures?”
Fluttershy looked at the ceiling and her eyes began to glow as they did when she stared into the cragodile from before. She stared deep into the darkness of the mines. Bats came flying out in a swarm, each one with eyes glowing the same color as Fluttershy’s.
The pegasus then directed her gaze to the ground, at the slime creatures. The swarm flew down, following her guidance. The bats screeched at the monsters, drawing some of the yellow ones then moved towards the bat swarm.
Well, that makes things a bit easier. Applejack thought. She brandished her axe and tried waving it to ward off the remaining creatures. Dang, nothing seems to spook ‘em.
The bats then moved in front of Fluttershy and began to make chittering sounds to her.
“Twilight, I had the bats smell those slimy things to see if theyre was anything special about them.” Fluttershy said.
“Well, what did the bats tell you?” Twilight asked eagerly. “They said the one they flew by, the yellow ones, smelled like metal.” They can’t see color that well.”
“Then we’ve got to do something.” Twilight said. “AJ is outnumbered down there.” The scholar charged her tome ot make it glow and crackle with electricity. “Let’s hope this works.”
Twilight sent the tome to slam with one of the yellow creatures. It began to shake violently until it exploded, leaving sparkling dust in ist aftermath.
Fluttershy cringed at the creature’s untimely end.
“Alright, time for the other one!” Twilight said. The “other” one didn’t seem fazed or even care that two of its kind had been eradicated, which offset Fluttershy’s demeanor. “We have to stop them Fluttershy, they’re trying to eat Applejack.” She then slammed the tome into her target, causing it to exlpode.
Applejack was growing more and more frustrated with every ineffective strike against the creatures. Consarnit, why can’t Ah do anythin to these monsters? She thought. Ya get these “new” powers and ya still can’t do anything. Twilight’s already gone and been more useful with her magic like always. She dodged another lunge from one of the creatures. And here ya are again, with not much to show other than yer earth pony strength.
Applejack cleaved the creature vertically, only for it to reform as quickly as it had been split. It’s not that Ah don’t appreciate the help, but am Ah really this useless? The mare huffed in frustration after dealing another ineffective blow.
“Ah gotta do something raht!” Applejack yelled, and then she felt her axe begin to get hotter, mid-swing. The blade turned orange and became engulfed in flames a moment before she struck the jelly-like creature.
As soon as the axe made contact, the creature exploded and shoved Applejack a few feet back. “Whoa.” she said. She looked up at her friends in the air and asked. “Did you do that, Twilight?”
Twilight shook her head and held her forelegs up in puzzlement. Applejack then turned to the remaining gel creature and unleashed her attack once more and put an end to last enemy.
“We did it!” Twilight exclaimed. Their celebration was cut short when Fluttershy poked at her.
“Um, Twilight.” Fluttershy said, pointing to even more masses of goo falling from the ceiling. Worse yet, some of them were amassing into a blob that stayed stuck to the ceiling.
“Aw nuts.” Applejack said.
Stats
Page generated in 0.032 seconds
Total duration
1,027 users online
2,263,251 hits today, 2,054,621 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Did Applejack Just learn Flametongue?
8343400
I think the skill is known as backdraft.
8343546
So yeah, Flametongue. They renamed it for FFXIV.
7876883
I assume you'll be adding things from ALL variations of the classes? Like Scholars having double potency on recovery items?
8343570
Yes, nothing will be precisely from only one iteration of that class.
Haven't played FFXIV, looks amazing though.
8343646
Sweet. Btw, Did you read the description for Backdraft(COUGHFlametongueCOUGH)?
AJ swung the ax so hard and so fast it ignited.
8343815
8343646
Backdraft, from my knowledge, is a fire-type attack, but it is also a double-edge skill and the user takes 10% of the damage they inflict on the enemy. Applejack didn't feel anywhere exhausted after use, so I think it is probably Flame Slash. Of course, she may have used Backdraft and, due to her magically-enhanced strength and endurance, not feel the aftereffects at all.
And Flametongue is actually now a sword imbued with fire in the series.
8343876
It's also an Ability. It HAS BEEN since at LEAST X-2. It was in several other games, like Crystal Chronicles, even. Also, Flame slash isnt even a THING in Final Fantasy. Unless you mean the Black Magic Sword thing with Vivi and Steiner....
8343876
8343926
Now there's a thought on Backdraft. I am definitely going to say its not flame slash, at least not the one being mentioned by Timelord.
8343926
8344009
In the original FFXIV, the one for PC before "A Realm Reborn", the Gladiator class have an ability called Flame Slash, or Fire Slash. I don't know which since I only seen a friend play the game.
And in FFV, one of the jobs can learn elemental abilities that upgrades their regular attacks for several turns, such as Fire Sword, Ice Sword and Bolt Sword. I can't remember the name of the job since I haven't played the game in a long time.
Of course, Flame Slash may not have been mentioned in FF and I may have confused it for the Dragon Quest series, but that isn't relevant. It is true that FFXIV did have it as a skill.
Oh, and in the Crystal Chronicles which I clearly remember everything because I've beaten it 4 times, Flametongue isn't a skill, but you can combine an Elemental Magicite with an unequipped weapon and use its charge ability to deal elemental damage. They just call it Flamestrike, Icestrike and Thunderstrike.
8344135
You're thinking of the FFV class, the Mystic Knight, That's not a Warrior skill. It just isn't. Flametongue, in the Japanese Version, is what they call it in CC when you use the Magicite with a weapon as a combo.
8344009
Yeah, which means the argument is completely pointless, since you have confirmed it to Be the Skill known as BackDraft. And Far be it from either of us to demand that you use a specific variation of the skill. And You've already pointed out that it's an AX and Flametongue is a Sword Ability.
8344170
Ah. Well, I only played the English version of CC, so I can't argue with that point.
8344170
8344188
Okay, settling this right now. Fighters in Tactics Advance have this specific ability, and yes it has recoil. AJ just hasnt felt it yet.
8344188
A hobby of mine is to look up the Japanese Scripts for games like that. Namely for Abilities and Areas. For Example, the FFXIV Dragoon Skill, Chaos Thrust, is actually called Lunatic Cherry Blossom. Fitting, since it throws the petals everywhere.
8344196
8344199
(Raises hands in defense) We understand, and we're not fighting if that's you're thinking, Bindlestiff. If we are, we apologize.
And nice hobby, Timelord. Thanks for the info.