Deep Rock Equestria: Into The Abyss

by The Atlantean

14. [Rarity] Horrors of Hoxxes (Salvagers, Part 2)

Full Mission Roll:
2 Mini M.U.L.E.s, 15 Apoca Blooms, Haz 2, Crystalline Caverns
Warning: N/A, Anomaly: N/A
Machine Event: N/A
Encounters: N/A
Extra Resources: Bittergem x1, Compressed Gold x1
Same Mission as Chapter 13

A massive red creature with yellowish protrusions climbed out of the cavern walls. It roared a deeper, throatier version of the same scream the smaller Glyphid Exploders had and slowly approached from its entry point, throwing up fiery particles as it shook the ground with its steps. It was the same kind of creature that Fluttershy stayed behind to distract on that fateful mission. It might even be the same one.

“Rarity, open the pod doors!” Rainbow Dash screamed. “Open them now!”

“I would if it was under my control!” Rarity yelled back. She shut her eyes momentarily to collect her thoughts and calm herself. “Applejack, we need to ensure that the fuel cells remain operational until the Drop Pod’s tanks are full. Your weapons aren’t very good at long range--which I suspect we’ll need given that that thing is probably on fire--so you stay here. Don’t leave the zone. I’d like to return home when this is over.”

“Fuel cells at 50%,” Mission Control reported.

“What about all y’all?”

Rarity swapped to her grenade launcher and checked its firing chamber. It was loaded. “Sunset and I will distract the Detonator as long as we can. Rainbow Dash, you’re going to shoot that thing. As long as it’s aggravated at us, you should have a chance, but we can’t do it for long.”

“Ah don’t control how long this is gonna take, Rarity.”

“I know, but you’ll have to kill the Glyphids that come for you by yourself,” Rarity said as she threw down a resupply beacon. “Use this if you must. Say the word, and Rainbow Dash will throw a shield for you. Right, Rainbow?”

“Uh, yeah, I will,” Rainbow stuttered. “I have a shield?”

“It’s on your belt. Am I the only one who read up on everyone else’s equipment?” Rarity sighed. “Never mind. Remember, Rainbow, keeping Applejack conscious is how we’re going to get out of here, so if she calls for a shield, you’d better do it, or that monstrous creature will be the least of your concerns.”

“Who put you in charge? You’ve been ordering us around for the last two missions!”

Rarity glared at her friend. “If you don’t, we are going to die down here. I’m trying to bring us home safely, so either do as I say, or you are never leaving the station again! I’m not going to lose another friend if I can help it.”

“Alright, alright, I got it.” Rainbow Dash pulled a flat circular device from her belt. “Okay, I’m pretty sure this is the shield thingy. Gotcha.”

“Good. Let’s move!”

Sunset pulled out her grapple gun and zipped away, disappearing into the darkness as Rarity jogged out of the holographically marked area where at least one person had to be to keep the fuel cells operational.

“Hang in there, supplies are on the way,” Mission Control said over the comms.

“As if I needed confirmation,” Rarity muttered to herself. “Rainbow Dash, I’m going to get its attention. Shoot as many bullets as you can into that thing! Maybe aim for those bulbs on its back--they look like weaker points.”

“If you say, Captain.” As Rarity fired a grenade into the monster’s face to get its attention, Rainbow Dash let loose a hailstorm of bullets into its thick, bulbous, disgusting hide. “This is for Fluttershy, you horror of Hoxxes!”

Meanwhile, a flare fired from a vantage point far above and to the side, fully illuminating the bioluminescent creature. Moments later, Sunset’s rifle started pounding away at one of the three large glowing bulbs.

“Sweet Celestia, how tough is this thing?” Sunset called from her vantage point. The Detonator howled and turned to face her, stomping hellish fire into the rock.

“I don’t know. Just keep shooting it!” Rarity ordered. She reloaded and fired another grenade into the nearest tumor, which was glowing from Rainbow’s sustained fire. It exploded from the sustained fire, causing the Detonator to stagger back and howl.

“One down!” Rainbow whooped. Her near-continuous stream of lead wandered from the destroyed tumor to target one that still glowed with energy.

“Get ready, team. Horde of Glyphid Swarmers, heading your way! Get your stomping boots on.”

“As if we needed more bugs,” Sunset yelled. She threw an empty clip and grappled away from the Detonator. Seconds later, her rifle barked again, and her muzzle flashes lit the darkening cave.

Rarity fired yet another grenade into the Detonator. Two left. She stole a glance back at Applejack and saw her swarmed with Glyphid Swarmers. The farm girl torched them with her flamethrower, but there were so many more than she could handle.

“Rainbow, Ah need that shield!”

Before Rarity could repeat the call, Rainbow threw her disk-shaped device as far as she could. It landed perfectly at Applejack’s feet and immediately activated a green energy shield that pushed the Swarmers away from her, protecting her from damage. Rarity’s supply pod dropped into the shield, missing her by only a couple feet. Applejack whooped and let her flames loose again, burning Swarmers and Grunts alike. Many screeches were suddenly cut as she turned around and around.

Rarity focused back on the Bulk Detonator. It still lumbered toward Sunset, and the tumor on its back was fully exposed as it started climbing. She fired a grenade, but it didn’t pop. Rainbow’s minigun clanked to a stop and spewed smoke. Without continuous fire, the tumor dimmed.

“Keep shooting that tumor!” she ordered as the Sunset destroyed the second of the three.

“My gun’s broken!”

“Use your revolver!” Rarity switched for her pickaxe and sprinted toward the Detonator.

“Where are you going?!”

“HIIIYAAAHHHH!!” Rarity screamed as she leaped through the fiery particles and slammed her pickaxe down on the dimming tumor. It exploded yellow goop all over her, and the Detonator howled. The wind rushed in, then blew out in a massive explosion that knocked her against the ground.

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

“Rarity? Rarity, are you okay?” Rainbow Dash frantically asked. “Please be okay!”

“I’m fine,” Rarity groaned. “Did we get it?”

Rarity’s eyes fluttered open, and she saw Rainbow’s green shield around her. She was in the middle of a giant crater, surrounded by her friends with the Drop Pod’s dwarf’s-face front, scorched but not destroyed, blinking behind them.

“Did we get it?” Sunset sounded ecstatic. “You killed the thing!” She pulled Rarity to her feet, smiling.

“I did?”

“Yeah, whatever you did knocked that bug clear into the afterlife,” Applejack said. “Fuel’s pumped. We’re counting down until the Pod’s ready to go again.”

“Calculating orbital trajectory,” Mission Control reported.

“Well, we shouldn’t just hang around and see what happens,” Rarity said. “Let’s keep those Glyphids clear of the Pod.”

“Saved a leaf for you,” Sunset said. “Come on!” She bounded out of the shield and grappled out of the crater, using the ceiling as a temporary grapple point.

Rainbow clicked her minigun and grinned. “Right behind you, Sunset!” she shouted as she clambered up next to Applejack, throwing a shield around the Supply Pod as she ran toward the front of the Drop Pod.

“Powering radiation shielding.”

Rarity followed her friends and saw the carnage the Detonator had left. Besides the big one where it had been, there were several smaller ones, as if the monster had launched exploding projectiles across the cavern in its final moments. The Supply Pod still blinked with one leaf extended near the empty fueling pod.

“ECCOM operational.”

Rarity grabbed the last ammo while the cave echoed with her friends’ fire.

“Pod thrusters calibrated.”

Sunset disappeared to the other side of the Pod, where the dwarf’s face blinked as the Pod powered up.

“Drop Pod powered up and ready to leave!” Mission Control reported. It’s time to bring it all home. Get on board, we’re leaving with or without you!”

Sunset was first, followed closely by Applejack. Rainbow Dash bounded up the ramp a few seconds later, turning around to fire into the mess of Glyphids bunching near the entrance. Rarity was last, diving into the room just as the ramp started to retract.

“That’s one for the books! Retrieving escape pod.”

Author's Note:

It's a bit of a rocky road, but the teamwork is building. Slowly.

Comments

[Venerable Ro]

“HIIIYAAAHHHH!!” Rarity screamed as she leaped through the fiery particles and slammed her pickaxe down on the dimming tumor. It exploded yellow goop all over her, and the Detonator howled. The wind rushed in, then blew out in a massive explosion that knocked her against the ground.

Karl would approve of this.

Good story so far, but we need more salutes! For rock and stone!

[The Atlantean]

10657345
They have yet to learn the salute. Perhaps now is a good time to teach them...

[Venerable Ro]

10657466

"If you don't rock and stone, you ain't coming home."

No wonder they've been having difficulties.