Displaced Diet-y

by MetalBrony20

Chapter 1 - The Abyss Across Worlds

Somnambula, a quiet town in southern Equestria. A rather small place that housed only a modest population. And yet, despite its size, the historic location shrouded a great many mysteries. One only has to look at the pyramid, it’s limestone and sandstone exterior shimmering in the sun, the constant battering of sand polishing the rock. Inside, events both documented and lost to history continued to fascinate travellers and archaeologists alike, the mystery palpable. Not to mention the rest of the artefacts and monuments scattered throughout Somnambula. But for some, there were many more mysteries to uncover.

The town itself was only a small fraction of the ancient civilisation that lived in these lands, where the River Stile once flowed, bringing life and prosperity to the creatures who sought to eke out a living amongst sand and stone. When the river dried up, so did the population, abandoning the old city, leaving it to erode and sink into the desert. Those that did survive, did so only from the existence of underground wells, the rest fleeing to nearby Saddle Arabia or further afield. Experts had long theorised that there were treasures amongst the rolling dunes and valleys of the now barren, sand blown landscape.

So, for many years, generations of treasure hunters, archaeology professors and ruin maniacs had scoured the sands, looking for any evidence of the old city. They spent weeks and months digging and tunnelling through boiling sediment and gravel, constantly hounded by the sweltering weather and an ever present need for more water. And as with their forefathers, they returned with little but sunburn and shame. That was how it was for years, trips returning with little to show for the thousands of bits wasted, the most successful ones returning with only shards of battered pottery and shattered statues.

That was until Somnambula, the ancient pony who had lived in the city, made her reappearance. Though lacking in any of the cartographical details, she helped to point out some places of interest that she remembered from all those eons ago.

A prominent location being situated close to a cliff face, towards the mouth of the valley, where the ancient river had carved through the rock. Here, excavation work had been extensive. Volumes of sand, greater than houses had been dug and pushed out of the way, leading to the discovery of carved stone blocks, jammed into the wall, ancient Somnambulan hieroglyphics etched into them.

After hundreds of years, the work of so many was finally fulfilled.

From this, the organisers decided that they would enlist the help of specialists to ensure that the first documentation of the structure was executed without so much as a hitch. Fortunately, they had one pony in mind for such a task.

Daring Do received a letter through her door mere days after the news broke, the archaeologist having a diverse set of skills, perfect for investigating an unknown structure. That, and her knack for surviving even the most dangerous of traps thrown her way. Naturally, she accepted, eager to help with the project. To assist in the work, she allowed a certain somepony to come along for the ride; an avid fan of her books, they’d helped her out of a few pinches here and there.

And so, the Prismatic Pegasus known as Rainbow Dash was currently sitting upon a small mound of sand, watching with growing impatience as the material over the entrance was painstakingly removed, one wheelbarrow at a time. “Oh come on! How long is this going to take?” She was dressed in a simple light shirt and pants combination, walking boots laced tightly to her feet.

“Heh… I know that feeling, Rainbow. Stuff like this seems to drag on and on, and yet you keep waiting.” Daring fluttered alongside, her classic pith helmet buckled, digging into her golden skin. “But just you wait, I’m willing to bet there will be an entire load of cool artefacts to find in there. From what we’ve been able to translate from outside, it mentions a god or goddess of harvests.” She grinned, taking a sip from her canteen.

“Aww come on! You can’t just talk about something cool like that and expect me to be any less hyped!” Rainbow groaned, wiping her forehead and taking a long slurp from her water bottle.

“Sorry about that. But I’m just as excited about this as you. Do you know how many times I’ve been led to a tomb based on a tip off from somepony else, which almost always leads into a trap of some sort?”

“Er, yeah? At least 23 times. A lot of your books have that happening in the first dozen pages.”

“See, you get my point! I’m not usually the one who gets to investigate something new for the first time.” Patting Rainbow on the shoulder, she gave her a smile. “This is the stuff adventurers dream, something I’ve dreamed of for so long. And it’s Somnambulan to boot. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. This will be one adventure you’ll never forget…”

As if she had spoken some magic words, there was a shout from the entrance. Looking up, they had moved the vast majority of the sand. There, an inset slab of dark rock had been exposed, covering a rectangular entrance, several meters tall. “That looks like our cue.” Daring mused, jogging over as Rainbow scrambled to her feet. Approaching, the pair could start to make out details, as a myriad of images were carved into the basalt. What, however, wasn't obvious, was any way of opening it. Not a single handle or latch could be seen.

Several workers scanned the rock face, hoping for something to leap out at them, blatantly ignoring the inscriptions etched upon the rockface. “Don’t worry guy’s, I’ve got this handled.” Daring called, shooing the workers to the side with a wave of her hand. One worker, a sweaty Griffon, however, was still determined to get inside. Brandishing a pickaxe, he swung wildly at the seal, letting out a scream not dissimilar from an eagle. Daring was caught off guard, watching on as the axe head crossed the momentary gap.

Slamming into the seal with an almighty crack, a small series of events occurred within moments. First, the door suddenly glowed a vibrant purple, the baleful light emanating where the tip of the axe made contact. Second, the metal splintered, shattering like glass as metallic shards and wooden splinters exploded outwards. Third and finally, the Griffon was sent tumbling backwards, falling flat on his back. Groaning in pain, he let the gnarled shaft fall from his grip, clutching his smarting talon.

“Geez, didn’t you hear what she said?” Rainbow exclaimed as she reluctantly pulled him up.

“Hmph… they paid me to dig sand and stone, and then they don’t want me to dig the stone.” he grumbled, walking over towards the campsite, dusting himself off the best he could.

“Sorry about Gene, I’m pretty sure he embodies almost every stereotype a Griffon could have.” One of the other workers piped up, a light-grey coloured Earth Pony, his t-shirt tied around his waist as he leaned on a scuffed shovel.

“Eh, don’t worry about it. I think the door did more harm to him than anything he could ever do.” Daring chuckled, followed by some of the other workers and Rainbow. “Now, can you guys just stand back, I think this is a puzzle of some sort. Head back to camp or something, and get some rest” Stepping up, she folded her arms, taking a cursory scan over the slab. Her eyes were drawn to the only writing, and a series of 8 dots each around neck height.

“Ok… I hope I can remember how to read hieroglyphics… so that's an ‘A’, and that’s a ‘G’.” She went silent, her finger running across the rock, muttering every so often. To her side, Rainbow was grinning, once again getting to watch her hero in action. She watched with intent as Daring’s eyebrows knotted, scratching her forehead. “Odd, it doesn't make much sense.”

“Whaddya mean?”

“Take a listen, it reads, ‘Upon the uplands does the river start, it’s waters flowing down and round. Meandering through our blessed land, to the end does it to meet.’” She looked back, going back over the symbols. “Yeah, I’m sure that’s what it says. No mention of an entrance.”

Rainbow scratched her head, going over the words again, tapping her chin until a sudden flood of realisation dawned upon her. “It’s a riddle.”

“Huh?”

“Yeah, like the words are weird, but some parts stick out.” Daring glanced over, looking like she was going to object. But then stopped, her fingers drumming on her hips.

“That makes sense. Upon the uplands does it start... to the end does it meet. Let me try something.” Reaching forward, Daring pushed her finger into the first indent, followed by the last one. As she retracted her finger, a low clunk resonated, the great shining slab sinking into the floor. The grinding of stone upon stone heavy in the air, the ancient, stale air blew forth, mingling with the fresh desert breeze.

“Aw yeah! You did it, Daring!” Rainbow cheered, punching the air with a flutter of her wings.

“Nope, we did it Rainbow. Even if it was a pretty simple puzzle, I’d have probably been there for a good while longer without you. Now, what do you say we grab some torches, and go inside?”

“Heck, yeah!” The prismatic mare nodded, the duo rushing back to camp to grab the supplies. All the while, Rainbow’s mind was abuzz with a myriad of thoughts and ideas about what could be hidden in the depths of that ancient structure. “Maybe treasure chests? Or maybe some cursed amulet, or maybe something even more awesome!” Brimming with enthusiasm, the two pegasi returned to the entrance, each brandishing a blazing torch.

With a small nod between them, Daring entered first, Rainbow following second. As soon as they crossed the threshold, there was a noticeable shift in the atmosphere. The air was much, much cooler than outside, Rainbow sighing in relief, her eyes flicking across the sandstone walls. Like the blocks on the outside, they were plain, aside from a few splotches of colour, hinting that some mural or illustration had once been there. With a slight incline on the path, they felt themselves progressing deeper and deeper. The sunlight could no longer reach them as they turned a corner, the darkness swallowing the Pegasi, carrying them further into the bowels of the tomb.

Slowly, the corridor widened as it led deeper and deeper into the cliff. With this, came rapidly improving levels of preservation for the wall art. Even in the poor lighting, Rainbow could recognise humanoid forms of the creatures drawn upon the sandstone. One thing about them seemed peculiar. Rainbow could see a mixture of different coloured ponies, but each was lugging a massive collection of food between them. Her torch waving from side to side, she could see each side of the hall was lined with the ponies, all depicted as mares, carrying food in one singular direction.

“Daring, what do you think this place is?” Rainbow spoke up, her voice echoing through the passageway, the reverb returning moments later.

“I’m not sure… until we find some actual artefact, we can’t be certain what they used this place for…”

Humming in agreement, the floor was flattening out as the duo padded into a chamber. Several times wider and taller than the passageway, it gave them pause for thought. Carefully creeping forwards, they scanned and checked for any obvious traps. Though, no hidden tripwires or pressure plates yet, as they noted the room lacked any and all connecting passages. “Huh, for something this extensive, I’d have thought they’d have something bigger down here…”

“No kidding, I wonder what’s up with those trenches on the floor though?” Rainbow mused, peering over the edge of a metre-deep basin, large spouts embedded into the walls at either side of the chamber.

“Some underground pool? I don’t get it.” Daring tapped her leg, moving over a bridge in the centre. “And that picture… I don’t get that either.” She pointed at the far end, the dim lighting reaching it. From the left and right, the lines of the ponies converged upon a single figure. A figure who was depicted as being utterly immense. With Rainbow joining in the gaping, the mystery of this place growing ever more intense.

Whilst each pony carrying the food looked to be near enough carbon copies, the morbidly obese mare was lovingly detailed. It depicted every roll and fold of her figure, a belly which commanded a presence in of itself. Two immense orbs composed her butt, filling a throne that made Celestia’s seem foal size in comparison. The only other figures of significant detail stood beside her. A zebra and a pony, each with a flabby gut of their own, guiding subservient equines to funnel their offerings into the blob's mouth.

“Holy what? Why is she so… fat?” Rainbow limply exclaimed.

“Not a clue. I mean, some civilisations revered fat and fatness as being a sign of good health, fertility and wealth. But this? This size goes far and beyond even that…” Daring attempted to explain, Rainbow inching forwards past her. Distracted by the bizarre painting, they had overlooked the plinth mounted beneath it, a short flight of steps leading up towards the mural.

Climbing the stairs in a few moments, she was faced with an altar in the centre. Atop the limestone slab, one object stood. “Hey, Daring, I found something!” As soon as the words left her mouth, the monochrome maned adventurer was clambering up, skidding to Rainbows left. Following her gaze, her eyes latched up the object of interest.

Atop a metal rod, a crown sparkled in the orange torch light. Initially, the two didn’t know what to make of it. Unlike a traditional crown or tiara, a great peak rose at the back, a golden and blue cobra curling around the spire, the hooded face jutting out, close to the top. Large sides, with grooves cut for the ears, covered the entire back of the head, resting above the neck. At the front, the flat top curved down, the rim positioned above the eyes.

“Well, would you look at that? That’s not something you see every day.” Daring breathed out, studying it from every angle.

“Yeah, no kidding, strangest crown I've seen.”

Daring shook her head. “No, I don’t mean that. Well, it is odd, but have you seen what it’s made of?” Rainbow shook her head. “I think the whole thing is made from a single ruby or two.”

Rainbows eye’s widened, leaning in close, noticing the translucent, angular shape of the piece. “You sure?”

“Positive, I’ll show you.” Daring carefully grasped the sides, goose bumps forming on her skin as the cold gemstone chilled her. Grunting, she hefted it up, surprised by how much the head piece weighed. She paused, holding her breath as she watched the stand wearily. Satisfied it wasn’t going to sink and set off a trap, she brought it up to Rainbow’s eyeline. “See, just look at the craftsmanship that went into this! Whoever owned it sure was important, I can tell you that much.”

“Do you think it was that fat pony’s property?”

“Could be… I wonder if it is… ah look there, a thin slither of red on the mural’s head.” Pointing it out, Rainbow could see the crimson line, almost obscured by the amount of cheek and neck fat that pressed around it. Turning it slowly in her hands, Daring inspected every angle of the artefact, noticing hundreds of tiny hieroglyphs and symbols engraved into the gem. “Something’s pretty odd though, I don’t remember anything mentioning an obese Queen of Somnambula at all. I’ll have to ask about it…” She mumbled, squinting at the golden snake.

“Really? That’s pretty weird.” A smile grew on Rainbow’s cyan face, as she looked back up to the image. “Hey, pass me the crown, I wanna see how it fits.”

Daring looked from the crown to Rainbow, then back to the crown. Contemplating for a moment, she shrugged. “Sure, why the hay not? Just, be careful. I don’t want it broken in any way.”

“Pshaw, I’d never drop something this special.” Rainbow said in a sarcastic tone. Holding out her hands, Daring gently handed it over, followed by Rainbow slipping it over her mane. Carefully letting it go, the full weight of the oddly comfy piece rested upon her noggin.

“Wow… Dash, I didn’t know you had such neck strength.” Daring said, her eyebrows knotted in confusion. “The amount of gemstone and metal should make that uncomfortable at best.”

“Really? ‘Cause it feels super comfy up there. A bit weighty, sure, but not enough to bother me.”

“Must be enchanted with some padding charm, those symbols could be the ones responsible.” She mused, before a flash of white light as intense as the sun itself, forced the explorer to shield her face. From the cobra’s eyes, pulses of light radiated outwards. The chamber illuminated in a second, as another flash burst forth. “Rainbow, take it off right now!” She shouted, rushing to help the prismatic mare out. Reaching out, she grabbed the sides of the crown, bracing to lift it off. A sudden, intense heat rushed into her hands however, forcing her to let go.

Rainbow herself was utterly torn emotionally. The rational part of her wanted to rip the headpiece off and throw it to the other side of the room. The other though, wanted her to stay calm, the intrusive thought growing more and more intense. Even as the pulses increased in frequency, so powerful that Daring was sent skidding across the sandstone floor, the thought of escape dulled. As ripples of red and yellow electricity snaked and danced across her skin, her eyes closed, head tilting back slightly.

“Rainbow, please get that thing off!” Daring shouted, before one final, blinding pulse sent her tumbling across the ground, falling into one of the empty pools with a thud. Landing flat on her back, she coughed, feeling the energy die down. Blinking the spots from her eyes, she vaulted out of the trench, finding herself alone. “Rainbow? Where are you! Rainbow, Rainbow!” She shouted, twirling around and snatching up one of the fallen torches, attempting to glimpse the fanmare. Alas, no trace. Both her, and the crown, were gone.

“Oh, shit.”