Chapter 5: From the Sky Comes a Flood
The best way any of them could describe their walk through the Everfree would be somber. Having to face several catastrophes at once, on top of a major one-two-punch to their morale of first having the school be burned down and then Yona be sucked in the game, the morale among both student and teachers alike is more than rough. Silently they marched through the winding paths of the forest towards the ruins.
Ahead of them, Twilight and Spike took the lead while her friends and students followed behind. Her face had eyes that were nearly drained from all the tears she shed. Though clearly miserable, she wants to put on a strong face. She knew, her friends and her students know that they all had faced some rather low points when they come across something that had threatened to destroy Equestria before. And though each time they did manage to overcome such challenges, it still didn’t deter any of them from thinking that this time, things might not work out after all.
Eventually, Smolder flew up to her. Looking apologetic as she lowers herself to the ground to walk next to her. “Headmare Twilight, this is all my fault.”
“I said not to worry about-”
“Let me finish. Everything that has happened today is on me. And I do mean, everything. I shouldn’t have broken into your office with Gallus to find the game. It was my idea to get the guys to play that thing. I know I’ve royally messed up and I won’t be surprised that by the end of this you’ll have me expelled and sent me back to the Dragon lands. And you know what? I don’t blame you.” Smolder folded her arms. “I just know that things are gonna get way worst before anything gets better and I’m the one to blame.”
“That’s the one thing I don’t get about this whole thing.” Spike finally spoke up. “Why did you start playing it in the first place?”
Smolder shrugged, “Because we were bored, and I guess all of us wanted an escape for-”
“Not that, I mean what compelled you to break into her office to steal the game in the first place?”
“Didn’t we tell you? We heard drumming that was coming from the game. I thought that it was just a board game that she had confiscated from someone and stupid me thought that since we had some time, we could just quickly play it before putting it back. I should have listened to Gallus and left that thing alone.”
“You should have…” Twilight said almost bitterly but immediately stopped herself. “Smolder, what you’ve done was thoughtless. And you shouldn’t have broken into my office in the first place. Yes, I’m hurt over what’s become of the school that I and my friends had put so much time and dedication to. I can understand that your intentions weren’t to have this result, and you are clearly sorry for what you’ve done. When all of this is over, I will give out punishment, and no, it won’t be by expelling you. After all, you are taking responsibility for your actions, which is an important factor in both friendship and life in general.”
Smolder didn’t say anything.
Behind them at the back of the line where Zecora followed the ponies and creatures while keeping a watchful eye of any dangers, Gallus looked behind him where Sandbar was. His friend’s head hang low, he seemed so defeated from what had happened. With the game under his arm, he paused for a moment to where Sandbar was at his side.
“You doing okay?” Gallus asked.
“Not really.” Sandbar eyed the game, not with hatred, but worry. “I wasn’t ready for that.”
“I know.” Gallus unfolded a wing to cover his friend’s back, trying to comfort him. “But you can’t give up hope already. I mean, this is Yona we’re talking about. She’s practically a walking tank with a pair of horns to gored whatever is in her path.”
“But she’s in there,” He pointed to the game. “From what Zecora said, Yona isn’t just anywhere – she’s in a nightmare she can’t wake up from. Just think about it, she described it as Zebrica at its worst – more than that, a place where one wrong step could kill her. I can’t begin to imagine what’s happening to her right now. For all I know, she could be chased by a lion, or be drowning in a prana-infested river, or maybe getting eaten by one of those freaky plant things.”
“But she is someone that got the highest grade from Applejack’s survival class. If there’s anyone that could go into the deepest, darkest jungle and get out okay, it would be her.”
“I just…” Sandbar let out an uneasy sigh, “I just want her to be okay.”
“She will buddy.” Gallus patted his back before folding his wing back up, “She will.”
From behind, Zecora’s ears perked up as she heard a twig snapping, quickly she turned to the shady undergrowth where she saw something glint in the light. Instantly, she knocked Gallus to the ground just before the still, somber quiet was shattered by a gunshot. A surprised scream from the others as they turned about, trying to see what was going on.
“What’s going on!” Rarity shouted.
“It’s the hunter guy, he’s here!” Gallus looked over at the foliage to see the outline of the hunter’s hat. “Everyone, get out of sight, now!”
Immediately, they fled for the bushes and trees of the Everfree. Behind them, a few more gunshots rang out like angry thunder. Gallus scrambled for safety, feeling something just barely grazing around him like angry bees but he dared not stop to look. He, along with his friends and teachers dove into the greenery, trying to get out of sight.
“You miserable coward!” Van Pelt shouted, “Come out and face me!”
Heaving behind a thick tree trunk, Gallus spotted Ocellus nearby, on the ground covering her head. Behind him, he heard the hoofsteps of the hunter moving closer to them. He knew that they were sitting ducks unless they do something and fast. Then, looking down at the game he was still holding, he realized something.
“Ocellus, it’s your turn.”
“What?” She looked up.
Gallus set the game down in front of her and unfolded it. “I know it’s a dangerous gamble, but I don’t think we got any choice.” He picked up the dice and offered them to her. “Roll the dice.”
“What! Are you crazy! What if I summon something that will make this worse?”
“It’s either this or getting our heads mounted on a wall.” Gallus peaked over and was nearly shot at. “Quick, he’s coming!”
Though scared as she was, Ocellus took the dice and let them drop on the board game. It showed a four and her elephant piece moved forward.
“Get ready to run,” Gallus told her.
Ocellus looked at the centerpiece that swirled a new rhyme from its yellow smoke:
The tribe is on the warpath.
Get out now or suffer their wrath.
Shutting the game up, Gallus tuck it under his arm where he and Ocellus went by the others, quickly saying, “Better move now!”
“Why? What now?” Applejack asked as they ran by her.
“Never mind! Just go!” Ocellus yelled out.
Just when another gunshot was heard and the others got up to make a run for it, they heard it. The sound of drums that had a higher pitch, impatient, warning sound along with the echoing hooting and hollering. It was coming somewhere in the trees, a chanting chorus that banged on shields.
For Zecora, she immediately knew what came out of the game that just compelled her to gallop faster. She could see it in the clearing to the side – the familiar shapes of masks and spears that were emerging. The large, threatening kind that showed carvings of fangs and vicious green painted eyes that crept out of the shadows like demons. They carried weapons from spears to bows and arrows, blow-darts to special clubs that could crush someone’s skull in with one fell swoop.
Behind them, several more gunshots were heard from Ven Pelt, and the war cries reached a demonic crescendo as they charged out. Though they were running through the Everfree for their lives, they could hear screams from behind them from the hunter. They didn’t know what happened, and they couldn’t afford to see if the crazed hunter was captured or being killed. For all they know is that they must keep going before that waring tribe could get to them.
And yet, as much as they ran through the forest, they realized those sounds of war were not fading away. No! It sounded as though it was getting closer. All around them they heard twigs and branches snapping, bushes rustled, and steps rushed by them at an impossible speed. At the front, Gallus and Ocellus hoped against all hope that they could get to the clubhouse before their next danger could reach them. Then suddenly out from the bushes, they saw them.
At first, they thought what they were seeing were masks. But no, the large, nightmarish faces, plus some short legs and arms made up their entire bodies. They were short but still threatening with their garish faces and pointed instruments of war. The griffon and the changeling screamed when they saw about a dozen of them suddenly emerged from the bushes. Instantly they stopped and were about to make a turn when they saw another dozen there. As the rest of the group caught up, more and more of the tribe emerged. Their weapons were aimed at them.
To their horror, they found themselves surrounded. Everywhere on the ground, in the bushes, and even in the trees they face the monstrous pigmies that seemed intended to kill them on the spot. The students and teachers were back-to-back, frightened, tired, and unsure of what to do next. No matter what direction they looked, there was no way to escape without being seriously hurt. They couldn’t run, couldn’t fly…
Ocellus suddenly got an idea. “Headmare, can you teleport all of us out?”
“I can but I gonna need a little bit of time to cast it.”
Zecora pointed her spear at them. “All of you, grab anything you can discover! Twilight, we’ll keep you cover!”
“With what?” Rarity asked, “There’s nothing here.”
“No,” Gallus knelt to get a clawful of dirt. “There’s always something.”
“We’ll fight them off,” Rainbow Dash said, picking up a hefty branch, “start casting that spell Twi!”
The next thirty seconds was probably the longest moment of their lives. Completely surrounded by the grotesque creatures, armed with spears, arrows, and blow darts, both students and teachers used whatever was around them to fight them off for Twilight to teleport them out. Zecora swing and stabbed with her spear. Gallus threw clawfulls of dirt at their eyes in hopes to slow them down. Fluttershy picked up and tossed rocks at Applejack as she rocks at them while Smolder and Spike breathed fire. Sandbar held up the game as a shield against the poisonous darts while Pinkie slapped them with a rubber chicken. Ocellus transformed herself into a tiger that clawed away at them while Rainbow wacked as much of the weapons out from the tribe’s hands as quickly as possible. Silverstream picked up a spear and did as she could to fight back while Rarity threw the sewing needles she carried at them.
Yet, no matter what they throw at them, the tribe just kept on coming with ever greater numbers. Even when they fought with what they had, it was getting overwhelming quickly as their ground got smaller and smaller. They weren’t sure if Twilight would have enough time to cast the spell to get them out. But then, just when they couldn’t fight back anymore, there was a flash of light, and suddenly the tribe was gone.
Blinking, they saw that the forest was now replaced by a rocky cavern. At first, they weren’t sure where they were until they noticed a very familiar landmark. It was a cave that had a noticeable crystal trunk that grew straight up through the ceiling. They were near the cave where the Tree of Harmony once stood.
After taking a moment to catch their breath, Pinkie turned to Twilight, “Hey, I just realized… why did you do that before?”
Everycreature looked at her.
“Because it would have required more energy to teleport everyone here, and given how stressful that was a moment ago, I don’t use up all my magic by the time we resolve this.”
“Okay…” Spike raised a claw, “So why are were here and not at the clubhouse?”
“You ever try to make something delicate during a stressful situation?” Twilight looked up where she saw the rope bridge that connected the forest to the ruins. Lighting up her horn, she shot at it to cut the rope. “There, that should slow down whatever is out there from getting to the clubhouse.”
“Yeah, but we still gotta get up there.” Applejack pointed out. Then, after a beat, she added, “What a minute, if we’re going up there and we have this here game with us, wouldn’t that mean we don’t have many places to run if things get bad?”
“The idea is to do our best to contain whatever effects from the game as much as possible. We’ve already unleashed enough chaos as it is, so it’s better to have it all in one place where they wouldn’t go wreak havoc around Equestria.”
“But Twilight,” Fluttershy objected, “that also means that we can’t get away if something did come out of the game that could kill us. I mean… we almost came close about a minute ago.”
“Still, it is a good idea.” Ocellus said, “At least it would keep that murderous tribe out and whatever might come out of the game in. Besides, the clubhouse is part of the Tree of Harmony. If there’s anywhere in Equestria that we should be the safest, it’s there.”
“But will it keep us safe?” Sandbar asked, “I mean… all that stuff in the game isn’t anything like in Equestria – or anywhere besides Zecora’s worst nightmares.”
“At least look on the bright side,” Silverstream took the game and opened it up. “Look here, all the pieces are closer to the center than before. This means that we probably wouldn’t have to face as many dangers as before. We already might be over halfway through this already, and besides, one of us might get Yona out too.” she said, picking up the dice, “Besides, we’ve dealt with much worst stuff, right? We’ve saved Equestria and the world a few times. So maybe there’s not much to worry about. Compared to stuff like Cozy Glow, this should be a piece of cake.” Without thinking, she dropped it.
“Silverstream wait!” Sandbar tried to grab the dice, but it was too late, it landed on the board.
Everyone froze. “Uh…” Smolder looked around, “Whose turn is it again?”
Sandbar grabbed Silverstream by the shoulders, “Why did you do that!?”
“I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking.”
They all looked at the board and saw the crocodile moved six spaces.
With dread, they eyed the green centerpiece that formed a new rhyme.
Every month at the quarter moon,
There’s a monsoon in your lagoon.
Silverstream blinked, “What’s a monsoon?”
Overhead, dark grey clouds gathered. A crack of thunder was heard as they looked up.
“I think we’re about to find out,” Smolder said as it started to rain. For a moment, it wasn’t so bad that the dragoness remarked, “That’s it? Rain? Well… it’s not so bad. A little rain never hurt anyone.”
“A little bit, that is true,” Zecora looked about, trying to find the nearest exit, “but a lot can kill you.” Then she spotted a rocky path that led upwards towards the ruins. “Everyone, hear this all around! We’ve all need to get to higher ground!”
Before anyone could ask why the rain came down hard and fast like hundreds of buckets of icy water were being splashed on them. Rain was coming down so hard, that flying up wasn’t an option. It didn’t help too as the air became chilly which made the rain ever colder to the touch. All around, puddles were quickly forming, getting bigger with every passing second. It didn’t take long to realize that unless they move, they will be swept up in a flood.
Though exhausted as they were from running, it was now a race towards the top. So much rain was coming down that it nearly blinded them as they climbed the narrow, steep path up the slippery, rocky cavern. They formed in a single file with Twilight taking the lead. Behind her, she felt someone grabbing her tail and assumed that everyone else was grabbing on so they wouldn’t fall off. She kept pushing upwards, even when there was so much water, that it ran down the path as though they were climbing up a waterfall.
Below them, the cavern was quickly being filled with more water. Puddles turned into pools; pools into a creek; a creek into a stream; a stream into a river. More and more rain came down that continued to flood that lapped up against the hooves of Applejack who was at the very back. With every step, the waterline rose higher with her that threatened to carry her away down the river.
While they struggled to climb, about halfway up, they heard a low roaring sound coming from behind them. Some looked back to see a wave was coming right at them. “Brace yourselves!” Spike cried as he and everyone else tried to stay close to the canyon wall as possible, hoping they wouldn’t be knocked out of the way. The wave came with the force of a rushing army for those who were unfortunate enough to be at the back of the line.
Applejack found herself quickly underwater, and before she knew it, she lost her grip and was suddenly swept up in the rushing current. She swims to the surface and pops out to get her lungs full of air. Yet, she found that she was moving further and further away from the group with nothing beneath to support her. Thankfully, she wasn’t alone as she spotted Silverstream not too far off. Maybe she got caught up in the sudden wave or she jumped in. Either way, she caught a glimpse of her touching the pearl around her neck and turning herself into a seapony.
She felt a pair of fins catching her, holding her up at the surface. “I got you, Professor!” Silverstream said as she swims against the current back towards the path. Yet, even for the hippogriff that had spent a lifetime underwater, the current was quite strong that she could barely move forward. All the while, trying to avoid whatever debris was caught in the sudden flash flood. So, the best way she could do was to swim to the side and try to get a hold of the canyon wall so they could have a better grip.
However, there was one bit of luck. The severed rope bridge that Twilight had cut was floating just right in front of them. If they could just grab on and climb up, they could get out of the flood. Yet, as they got nearer the broken bridge, Silverstream spotted something. “Hey, Professor? I think I see something in the water. What is it?”
Applejack looked over her shoulder to see there was something floating in the water. Flat, scaly, and enormous that she instantly knew what it was. “Crocodile! We’ve gotta get outta here!”
Both student and teacher swam and grabbed on the walls with all their might. Trying to push against the current until the remains of the rope bridge were in sight. When Applejack grabbed onto a plank, she pulled Silverstream up out of the water where she quickly transformed back to her hippogriff form. They climbed up with not a moment too soon as the crocodile tried to lunge at them with its wide jaws but missed. All there was left to do was to climb up the bridge turned ladder towards the top where they collapsed on the grassy, muddily ground. Wet and exhausted, but still alive.
Overhead, the rain finally let up, to where it no longer poured down on them.
“Applejack! Silverstream!” Rainbow Dash’s voice called out as she and the others came to her. “You guys okay?”
“Give me… a minute…” Applejack heaved as though she had run several marathons.
Gallus went up to Silverstream and hugged her. “Are you okay? I saw you jump in.”
She nodded, “Yeah… yeah… is everycreature else here?”
“We’re all here. And Sandbar still has the game.” Then after a beat, Gallus said, “Hey wait… I think it’s still your turn.”
“Huh? But I’ve already gone.”
“No. I saw those dice rolled two threes’,” He explained, “you rolled doubles. And the game said that doubles get another turn.”
Rolling over to get back on her claws, she eyed the crystal clubhouse that was up ahead where the others were at. “Okay… Let’s get everyone inside first before I roll again.”
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He's
11189187
Fixed and thanks
Lol yeah you say that but you'll probably need to get to Higher Ground
Awww he was so worried about silverstream ( yeah I ship them and I'm not ashamed) but yeah that was crazy what she did but that was pretty cool
Okay once again it got really intense it looks like everybody was pretty drain from everything what just happened from the school being destroyed and yona being sucked into the game but they had to continue so the nightmare will end everybody tried the best to move on and hopefully they can fix everything but until that crazy Hunter showed up and try to shoot Gallus and knowing the danger they have to roll the dice hopefully it'll be less dangerous unfortunately it didn't I mean it distracted the hunter but and also got those native to go after them as well as much as they fought off those crazy creatures I'm about to lose but thankfully Twilight got them all out of there even though this is not the spot they're looking for but at least it's away from those crazy natives silverstream roll the dice but it wasn't her turn which I probably didn't remember who went because everything went crazy but and speaking of that it became a rainstorm and it almost drowned Applejack but luckily silverstream saved her but once everybody is on Higher Ground they can finally finish the game inside the clubhouse I wonder what else could come out of the game board I guess we'll find out next time
It's a pity Discord wasn't there to see it. This would be right up his alley.
11189624
I am pretty sure Discord is making a film out of this somewhere, since it is guarantee to be a Blockbuster hit.
Great story so far i look forward to your next chapter. I have a question when you're done with this story do you plan the write the sequels of Jumanji as sequels to this story?
11190968
Currently I do not have any plans for a sequel afterwards.
11190976
ok i was just curious