15 - Underground
Approaching the landing zone,” Skies reported through the muffling of his air mask.
Twilight Sparkle, seated directly behind him, remained in awe. In spite of the air mask she was also required to wear, the ride had been an amazing experience. She had only known flight by wing or lighter-than-air craft. This was nothing like those methods. The height was considerable but the speed was what was truly incredible.
“Вектор два,” the engineer in the third seat behind her said. Clearly, it was some technical communication to the pilot, who nodded and hit a switch of the complex control panel that wrapped all around him.
“Releasing external passenger,” Skies reported next. A clicking sound followed before a muted “bumph” sounded off outside the cockpit. It was the sound of Pinkie engaging the turbines on her mechanical wings.
Twilight leaned over to look out of the cockpit glass and could barely see Pinkie flying downwards below their craft and making for the landing area. As far as landing areas went, it appeared “doable,” but it was by no means an official landing field. As Skies had informed her on the way, arachne territory was wilderness. There were no artificial clearings or structures above ground.
“Brace for landing,” Skies warned after pulling a lever and carefully controlling the pedals with his bottom hooves while gripping two control sticks with his front.
Twilight kept her mouth shut, remembering the earlier warning about not talking. She had no desire to bite her own tongue. The land came up fast and the peaks of the mountains went even higher. The tops were all around them already and the landing area was, in fact, an unusual straight flat spot on the side of one mountain. It was covered with grass but could hide rocks that would make the landing bumpy at best.
BOOMP!
The landing gear tapped the first part of the ground.
BOOMP!
Boomp!
The impacts turned into rattling as the vibrations threatened to shake Twilight’s very bones apart. The fact that the ship was not falling apart was clearly some engineering feat these Union ponies could be proud of. With a final bump, the craft came to a stop. The pilot wasted no time in popping the canopy to let them all out. Before even the pilot could disengage his harness, the engineer was already swinging up over the lip of the cockpit. He landed with a soft thud and immediately went to inspecting the vehicle.
Skies assisted Twilight out, careful not to knock the equipment all around him. He had done this a thousand times and so it came naturally to him even though Twilight didn’t necessarily need any assistance to begin with. Her wings allowed her to merely fly directly up and out if she pleased. Not to mention teleportation.
“Thanks again, Skies,” she gave her appreciation as they settled their hooves onto the grass and weed-heavy ground. “Need any help to get back out?”
“If you could turn the ship one hundred eighty degree,” he joked lightly.
In a flash of purple and green magic, the entire aircraft levitated upwards a few hooves, gently rotated to face the way it came, and then settled back down again. The engineer had been quite startled, but the turning hadn’t caused the vehicle to hit any of them.
“You are incredible,” Skies laughed aloud. He walked over to a panel in the side of the craft and unlocked it to pull a saddlepack out. He carried this to Twilight, which she accepted and put on her back. “Rations, light, and other tools I’m sure alicorns have no use for,” he lost none of his mirth.
“I’ll see you later, Skies,” Twilight smiled and waved goodbye. She noticed the pilot already joining the engineer for take-off procedure as she walked away.
Pinkie Pie was at a distant edge of the landing area, looking out down below their high vantage point. When Twilight joined her, she beheld the marvelous view. The jungle of the Far West seemed to stretch on forever, but the many mountains, hills, and ridges meant that visibility to the horizon was limited. Pinkie made an “oooo, ahhh” sound as she rocked back and forth on her hooves.
“Hey!” Pinkie suddenly frowned. “We should have brought our safari-jungle-savanna exploration hats like Daring Do!”
“I don’t-” Twilight began to say but was interrupted.
“Don’t worry,” Pinkie suddenly bounced in her spot and pulled a pair of hats from her voluminous mane. “I brought backs ups just in case we forgot the originals back home!”
The hat made an odd suctioning sound when Pinkie pushed it onto her head, somehow setting atop the part of mane that it covered even though it should have been too much for the hat to handle. Twilight was banned from protest after her changeling crown was swapped for the identical hat. It wasn’t that she disliked Daring Do’s look – she was a fan long before Rainbow was – but she rather liked her new crown.
With a sigh, Twilight returned her gaze to the thick jungle below. The beacon was still operating and, in spite of having to land away from it due to borders, the beam of light was still visible over a pair of mountains that formed natural barriers in the jungle labyrinth.
“Ready for a flight?” Twilight looked back to Pinkie with a steady determination.
Pinkie slipped her changeling goggles over her eyes. “I was born ready. No! I was ready before I was born!”
Their travel was shorter than Twilight thought it would be. Sometimes she forgot how quickly the land could fly by when she used her wings. On the other hoof, it seemed incredibly slow in comparison to the aircraft they had come in on. The effort was much more on her part as well. In any case, the jungle landscape they passed was extraordinary with its tall trees connected by ropes of hanging vines and broken up by powerful streams and waterfalls.
What greeted them when they flew down to the base of the green light was unexpected. It surprised Twilight because nopony was actually there. Chrysalis was supposed to have waited. Upon closer inspection of the area, Twilight gulped in realization.
There had been a scuffle and drag marks leading towards a large boulder with a hole in it. The hole lead downwards into the ground and there were no torches within sight. Twilight lit her horn with a crack of green electricity and bathed the dark opening with a purple glow occasionally sparked by tiny surges.
“Is it a mine?!” Pinkie hopped up and down behind her in excitement. Her mechanical wings folded inwards onto her back, which allowed her to enter behind her queen. “A mine like back home on the rock farm!”
“I’m not sure,” Twilight squinted and cautiously proceeded downwards. “I don’t sense Chrysalis anywhere. I should have been able to for a while once we were close enough. Something’s not right.”
“Lack of chocolate cake?” Pinkie whispered her guess.
Twilight led them down and down until the tunnel evened out and they walked for what seemed an eternity. Eventually, they reached a large chamber that the pathway opened up into. The chamber was spherical in shape and had holes leading into other passages in every possible direction.
“Great,” Twilight deadpanned sarcastically.
“Oh, lookie!” Pinkie exclaimed with her idea. A burst of green power lit from her mechanical horn and illuminated the space around them. Her Pinkie Hive Power showed a dotted line leading through one specific hole on their upper right.
“Thank you, Pinkie,” Twilight responded with a regal tone. “Now...”
Another burst of her own magic rotated the room around them. Or rather, it rotated themselves and their relation to gravity.
“Gravity spells really do have so many useful applications,” Twilight smiled happily to herself and practically skipped through the target passageway.
“Why can’t I use those gravity spells?” Pinkie pouted as she followed along behind her queen.
“Because you can already jump out of rosebuds,” Twilight responded coolly. “And haven’t you already defied gravity countless times already?”
Pinkie took to innocent whistling rather than answering that question.
“It sure is dark,” Twilight decided to remark instead of pursing the topic. “Haven’t they heard of guest lighting? I mean, I understand if they don’t need it themselves, but even-”
Pinkie ran into Twilight’s tail as the mare stopped mid-stride.
What caused Twilight to stop was the very thing she had just been talking about. There were lights ahead. Some kind of ancient gem torches by the color spectrum she saw. Twilight increased her pace, lifting up Pinkie’s hope over the hivemind that there were dessert-toting baker arachnes ahead. Just thinking about the frosting was making the pink Earth pony drool.
“Think they have chocolate-frosted cinnamon buns?” she fantasized. “Or maybe strawberry crème-filled donuts with party balloon sprinkles?”
Twilight facehoofed. “No, Pinkie. I don’t think half-spiders are into Sugarcube Corner confections.”
When they reached the first torch that was fixed into the wall of the rocky tunnel, it was rather anti-climatic. There was nothing there except the torch itself. More torches were further down the tunnel, but Twilight took a moment to inspect this one first. It was lit in a gentle yellow hue and powered by a unique spell that glowed brightly as it gradually evaporated the gem it was cast on. Depending on the gem, the process could take thousands of years.
“Ooooooh,” Pinkie realized as Twilight concluded over their hivemind. This was an obscure spell not used in a very long time. Princess Celestia and Luna were the only ones to have made it known to Twilight. This had been set here by the sisters a very very long time ago.
“How old are these tunnels?” Twilight breathed out in amazement and continued their forward trek. A series of the torches could be seen lighting the tunnel in the distance until it turned enough for sight to be lost.
“A hundred bits says there’s a spidey baker somewhere in here,” Pinkie insisted, her fantasies unabated.
Twilight was about to stop and take the bet, but then remembered. Never bet against Pinkie. Ever.
An echo of sound reached their ears, causing Twilight’s fur to stand on end. It sounded like the tapping of needles against rock. Horrible images of part-spider monsters filled her head even as she assured herself they must be reasonable and respectful creatures. So with an ever increased caution, she crept forward down the tunnel with Pinkie pressing up against her from behind – eager for cinnamon buns.
“I told you they are a hybrid species,” an insectile voice argued with another. “Her magic interacts very well with our binding material.”
“She doesn’t look like us, though.”
“Of course not! Changelings became a unique species only after many hybrids and mutations.”
Twilight’s eyes narrowed. They were talking about Chrysalis. She couldn’t see the speakers since the tunnel bent upwards and she guessed by the looks of it that the end would have them going straight up into another spherical chamber. Or rather down. Twilight’s gravity distortion effect was still active.
Trying not to make too much of a sound, the pony queen crept up to the bend of the tunnel and peered around into the chamber. The speakers were still out of sight but obviously around the side of some large and very strange equipment that blocked her view. The chamber was, however, lit with a couple gem torches so the soft yellow ambiance made it easy to see.
“She’s not going anywhere, though,” Voice Two insisted. “She keeps saying her queen will come get her.”
“Perhaps we should have just left her alone out there.”
“The Vine said to take them in, though. It’s looking forward to meeting this so-called queen.”
“The Vine doesn’t give us food stock. That changeling is eating far too much, in my opinion!”
“I wonder if all changelings can eat physical food in addition to emotional food…”
“I don’t know, but what I do know is that we’ve run out of strawberry crème-filled donuts with party balloon sprinkles again because of her.”
“I KNEW IT!!!” Pinkie shouted in joy behind Twilight.
The purple pony’s heart froze.
The speakers had fallen silent at that before a skittering of spider legs sounded off towards them. Twilight started to panic. She backed up on instinct but just wound up falling over Pinkie Pie in the process. Before they could get up, a large form lunged from the chamber opening. It was dark like a changeling and illuminated only in the faint yellow light of the nearest gem torch.
Twilight screamed.
The creature screamed.
Pinkie Pie screamed.
But Pinkie clearly was only doing so to join in on the screaming fun. Her face was beaming with a cheerful smile rather than horror.
“You’re a pony!”
“You’re an arachne!”
“I’m Pinkie Pie~!”
Another arachne came up behind the first out of the chamber. It peered around its companion curiously.
The half-spider creatures were actually only scary at first. The more Twilight laid there, looked at them, and realized she wasn’t going to be eaten, she settled her nerves. The unusual creature had six powerful-looking spider legs propping it upright and two forelegs folded against its chest. The forlegs were, however, not spider legs like the others. They were pony legs! Instead of forming into pronged points, the forelegs had hooves.
The arachnes truly were half-spider half-pony after all.
The lower body and rear abdomen were rather typical looking for some bulky spider like a tarantula. In fact, the hair that covered it was reminiscent of that, though more pony-like in length and quality. The upper torso, which might have formed into a head on a spider, turned into a pony’s upper body. That was where the pony forelegs were attached and held against a pony chest.
As for the head atop the pony neck, it was rather different. Fangs could clearly be seen poking out of the mouth, and a set of six visible eyes populated the face. Two large black orbs were close together at the front and center. Above and to the outward sides were a smaller pair of black orbs. A third pair was located higher on the forehead.
Besides the numerous eyes, the ears appeared jagged and irregular. Something of a mane was present, however. The color came into focus the more Twilight stared. The body fur was in fact not black but deep hues of color. The first arachne was a deep green while the one behind it was a deep purple. The mane of this first one was like the blue of the deep ocean and, in terms of style, it curled about in waves that Rarity might appreciate.
The second arachne had a mane gathered up into a ponytail that hung down from the back of its head. On its pony chest was what looked by all means to be an apron. It was black, but it was definitely an apron.
“Are you the baker?!” Pinkie asked in excitement as she sprung instantly back onto her hooves.
The second arachne looked just as lost as Twilight was in her slow recovery. Even if the arachne were not as scary as she envisioned, it was still quite intimidating to see the enormous half-spider form.
“Umm...” Twilight said as she more gradually got to her hooves.
“Yes, I am,” the second arachne replied at last. “Ka’lah is my name.”
“And mine is Ka’Ran,” the first arachne added. She didn’t sound as worried or combative as she did apprehensive. “It means Prison Keeper. My sister’s name means Baked Food Keeper.”
Once again, Twilight was perfectly happy she did not take that bet.
“I’m Queen Twilight Sparkle of Equestria and this is Pinkie Pie, my...baker.”
“Maybe we can swap recipes! Oh, I want to see your spidey kitchen!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed without any sensitivity to the tension.
“I-”
“If you are the pony the Vine has been waiting for,” Ka’Ran interrupted her sister behind her, “then you must be brought to it immediately.”
“What have you done with Chrysalis?” Twilight gave as her first question. Her eyes narrowed, though she suspected the changeling was fine based on the previous talking she had overheard.
“The changeling is in perfect shape,” Ka’Ran answered smoothly. “We do not harm prisoners even if they are violent. This Chrysalis was more scared of us than we were of her.”
Afraid of bugs, Twilight thought to herself with an amusing giggle she held back. Her outward face remained neutral. “May I see her? And possibly have her released?”
“That is up to Ka’Ling, our queen,” Ka’Ran stated. “But the Vine is above her and has ordered the presence of a purple pony alicorn named Twilight. I can only assume that means you.”
“And I wish to see it as well but only with my changeling freed,” Twilight insisted, not backing down from the notion.
Ka’Ran made a hissing noise before replying. “I will take you to her. This way.”
Both of the spiderponies backed into the chamber they came from so smoothly and effortlessly that it reminded Twilight how spider-like they were in motion rather than just appearance. She was more than a little disturbed, but knew better than to dislike them merely for such a thing.
Modifying her gravity spell as they went, Twilight kept herself and Pinkie following the arachne through various tunnels and chambers only because Ka’Ran slowed herself so as not to lose them. Eventually they arrived in a large chamber lit by many gem torches. Stone carvings were all around of various creatures. They intrigued Twilight but she stayed focused on the arache in the center.
This was the queen. Impossible to miss. As big as half the chamber and easily three times Twilight’s size. A long flowing mane of red came down the arachne queen’s head. Her six eyes blinked at the newcomers.
“My queen,” Ka’Ran bowed and then presented her followers. “Queen Twilight Sparkle from Equestria. Her companion is known as Pinkie Pie. She wishes to have the two south entrance captives released.”
Ka’Ling took a deep breath and then spoke in a whispery voice. “Release them to their pleasure. The Vine will have them in good measure.”
Surprised at how quickly and smoothly this was all happening, Twilight felt the need to ask. “Why did you capture them in the first place?”
“Strange creatures in our land,” Ka’Ling answered as if to throw her voice onto the back of a gentle breeze. Her insectile voice gave it a melodic rather than disjointed tone. “We knew the beacon would bring another band. But we see you are the one for the Vine, thus your passage we allow in kind.”
Twilight bowed in thanks. “You are very gracious, your highness.”
“Hey, do you like strawberry crème-filled donuts too?” Pinkie Pie blurted out without a care or caution in the world.
“They are divine,” the queen arachne answered in a cool even voice.
“Come on, Pinkie,” Twilight winced as Ka’Ran beckoned them again to follow.
Before they left the chamber, however, Pinkie shouted back to the massive spiderpony. “I like you too, queeny spidergirl!”
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Perfect. Now bring me another!
8278431
That was fast.
8278432
You mean me reading or demanding of another amazing work if art you call a chapter
well it's fortunate that the Vine-- oh wait, it has vested interest in Twilight. Hmmm well for now the buckets of excrement will remain at rest.
Keep going! ;)
... Snrk, gets captured and still demands royal treatment. We love you, Chryssie.
Huh, now I wonder if changelings and Arachne are related indeed.
8278783
Most likely the same way we are related to gorillas.
Once again Pinkie's weird strange power of prediction at work, even with the Hive Mind connection Pinkie's still weird in a good way.
Scared of spiders actually as spiders eat insects. So of course an insect pony should be scared of a spider pony.