• Published 25th May 2024
  • 523 Views, 162 Comments

Escape from Arora Ridge Quarry - Glimbursts



Earth Ponies are mysteriously vanishing, and Sunny has the bright idea of playing bait. However, this backfires and she finds herself in over her head. Will her friends be able to rescue her and the other creatures trapped in the Arora Ridge Quarry?

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Chapter Nine – A Day on the Carts

While having a mat was better than trying to sleep on a hard metal cage floor, and the lights got turned off in the hut, Sunny still struggled to fall asleep. It was nothing like sleeping in her warm, comfortable bed in the Brighthouse. However, once she finally got to sleep, exhaustion kept her there.


A high-pitched beeping eventually awoke her and the lights in the hut turned on. Sunny groaned as she tried to keep her eyes firmly closed. However, the bright light burrowed its way through and forced her awake.

“Come on, Sunny,” Sprout said urgently. “You can’t stay there. You need to get up!”

Sunny grunted as she started trying to move, finding her muscles stiff and unresponsive from the hard mat. “W...What’s happening?”

“You’ve got to be ready to eat,” Sugar groaned. “The food is horrible but trust me, they won’t let you leave any of it.”

Sunny looked confused as there was a lower-toned beep. She was about to ask what that meant when food and water were dispensed into the bowls.

Whilst everypony else started eating, Sunny finally hauled herself from the mat and moved to her bowls. She grimaced at the strange porridge that somehow managed to look both lumpy and runny at the same time.

“I know right,” Sugar sighed. “It’s vile, but you don’t want to be force-fed.”

Sunny looked around unsurely, she couldn’t see any utensils to eat with. Then, she realised the others were all eating straight out of the bowl. Sighing, she moved in to do the same.

The food was indeed horrible. She could feel it sliding all the way down her throat and it left a nasty aftertaste in her mouth. After a few mouthfuls, she had to drink some water before continuing.

“Is this all we’ll be given to drink today?” Sunny asked.

“Most likely,” Sprout advised. “It varies.”

Sunny sighed and continued trying to force the food down.


A short time later, there was another series of beeps. All the others immediately stood by their mats, lining up so they were looking into the central aisle. However, Sunny was still trying to eat as the door was unlocked and swung open.

As a group of four Nirik entered the hut, Sprout realised Sunny wasn't finished. “Sunny,” he hissed.

However, Sunny didn’t hear him and was completely unaware of what was happening.

The Nirik walked down the two lines of ponies. Checking their bridles and harnesses and ensuring they had all eaten. Eventually, one reached Sunny and snarled angrily.

Sunny gasped with surprise as she turned and saw the Nirik. She looked around and realised the others were lined up. The Nirik walked towards her and inspected the bowl. There was a small amount left and the Nirik looked at Sunny expectedly.

Sunny said nothing, she guessed what it was waiting for and ate the last of the food. She looked back at the Nirik, and it pointed to the water. Sunny sighed with relief, she had wanted to wash away the taste anyway.

After she finished, the Nirik had Sunny stand in the line like the others. It checked her harness and bridle before finally moving on. Sunny couldn’t help letting out a sigh of relief, feeling she’d gotten off lightly.


With all their checks completed, the group of Nirik ushered the ponies out of the hut where others were waiting. The Ponies were split into smaller groups and guided to different areas of the quarry. Some of the groups were attached together with leads before being led away.

Sprout kept close to Sunny and ensured they were in the same group. They were escorted towards a set of carts and the Nirik started hitching them up. They appeared to prefer using the larger carts that needed two ponies to pull.

Sunny looked around as she waited her turn, there were two watchtowers looking out over the area. She gasped as Sprout poked her in the side and silently indicated towards one of the carts.

As two Nirik began hitching them up, Sunny watched intently. The Nirik were pulling the straps into position and then using their magic to fasten them. Sunny frowned; it was suddenly becoming clearer to her why only Earth Ponies had been taken.


Once hitched to the cart, Sunny and Sprout were ushered away. Sunny let Sprout take the lead as they started down a track. Eventually, Sprout looked around and smiled.

“If we’re careful we can talk between the towers,” he explained. “The Nirik have good hearing but can’t be everywhere. When we’re near them, stay quiet. I saw you watching them hitching us, there’s no way to undo the straps.”

“I think there is, I’m pretty sure the buckles are activated by magic,” Sunny revealed. “I’ve got to maintain my cover.”

“Why?” Sprout frowned.

“Because we don’t know if the Nirik will recognise me and realise I have magic,” Sunny explained.

“Oh, okay,” Sprout responded.

Sunny frowned, she wasn’t sure if he understood or not. He’d certainly changed after getting the training from the Equestria Guard, but she doubted it would make him smarter.6


They stopped talking as they neared another watch tower, trotting past it with no issues. Then, when she thought they were clear, Sunny started talking again. “I didn’t see that much yesterday. Do you think there is any chance of speaking to the other creatures?”

“Knew you’d say that and it’s going to be difficult,” Sprout explained. “The areas they’re digging are watched and the Nirik are like hawks. Where we unload, there’s fewer Nirik but fewer other creatures as well.”

“Then in the middle, we’re on our own,” Sunny sighed. “What about those other ponies, with the crystal horns?”

“I’ve no clue what they are,” Sprout admitted. “They’re very chatty with each other though. They talk about how nice everything is, how it’s a lovely day and the like. It’s like they have no idea what they’re actually doing or where they are.”

Sunny looked confused, “But I thought there was no talking.”

“There isn’t,” Sprout responded. “But they get away with it somehow.”

Sunny frowned with thought, going silent again as they neared the area where creatures were digging, and they would be loaded.


As they waited, Sunny watched with interest. Now she wasn’t stuck behind another cart she had a much better view. She knew Zipp would want as much information as possible.

She gasped as she watched four massive creatures dig away at the rock face. They looked like a cross between a bear and a bee and each was a different colour.

Suddenly, there was a whistle from one of the Nirik. The four creatures immediately stopped digging and there was a flash from each of them. Sunny’s eyes widened as all four turned into Changelings. She squinted at one before grinning as she realised it was Thymus.

The Changelings all moved to one side, standing under a cover out of the sun. A Nirik stood with them, making them all drink water from a trough.

Meanwhile, a group of other creatures moved in and began digging at a seam of pink rock that had been exposed. Most were Griffons, however there were other creatures with them. Instead of being half lion like the Griffons, they were half pony.

Sunny watched with interest as they loaded the pink stone into baskets. However, suddenly she felt the cart shake. She looked back and saw a group of Diamond Dogs loading the cart with rock. It didn’t take long at all and all too soon they were on their way.


This time as they walked along, other carts were coming the other way. Sunny knew other creatures were pulling carts too. However, she didn’t expect the first one to be pulled by two Yak.

They both looked strange, their normally long and woolly coats had been shaved right back. Sunny frowned as she suddenly realised how hot it was getting as the sun climbed into the sky.

“It’s going to be a hot one,” Sprout sighed. “Hopefully, they’ll have water waiting for us where we unload.”

“Did you see those creatures that look like a cross between a bird and a pony?” Sunny asked.

“What, the Hippogriffs?” Sprout asked. “We were told about them in basic training. They were some of the first creatures to contact Queen Haven after magic returned.”

“Really?” Sunny gasped with surprise. “Why haven’t we heard anything about them?”

“Ah, shoot,” Sprout gasped. “Ah well, it's probably better you know, Queen Haven kept it quiet. We needed to learn to get along with ourselves first. Then you went and met the Dragons and made instant friends with them. There hasn’t been contact with the Hippogriffs since.”

Sunny frowned with thought as they passed another watchtower. Then, a cart pulled by two Hippogriffs passed them. Sunny couldn’t help noticing how, unlike the others she’d seen, their wings were restrained by straps.

Sunny was glad to find water waiting at the central incline. However, she was less enthusiastic about how this was given to them in a trough, it felt so demeaning. However, it was getting hotter, and it was a relief to be able to drink something cool.


Later, Sunny and Sprout were back at the digging area and waiting to be loaded. The cart ahead of them was a large twin axle one pulled by two Yak. Filling it was therefore taking some time to complete.

As the Nirik’s whistle blew, the Changelings pulled back like before. However, whilst the Hippogriffs moved in to dig out the pink ore, the Griffons didn’t.

Sunny and Sprout looked at each other with confusion. Meanwhile, the Nirik looked equally confused. One advanced on the Griffons, snarling and pointing at the pink rock with a flaming hoof.

However, the Griffons didn’t do anything, they didn’t move. The Nirik snarled again, its flaming mane getting bigger as it got angrier.

Reacting to this, more Nirik advanced on the Griffons from where they’d been watching the other creatures, leaving them unsupervised. They stood alongside the first Nirik, all snarling as they stared down the Griffons.

However, there were still more Griffons than Nirik and, suddenly, the Griffons all lunged forward in a coordinated attack. As the Nirik began defending themselves, a group of three Griffons suddenly took to the air. They flew off in the direction of the rim of the quarry.


As Sunny watched the commotion, she heard a whisper. “Pssst, Moondust Twinkle. Down here.”

Sunny gasped as she spotted Thymus hiding under the Yak's cart. Alongside him was a lavender Hippogriff with a yellow beak.

“This is Skysurf,” Thymus introduced quietly.

“Thymus tells me we can trust you,” Skysurf hissed. “Those Griffons are doomed to fail. Their wings are clipped so they will tire before reaching the quarry's edge. We must work together if we are to escape.”

‘Moondust’ nodded before turning to Sprout. “Keep watch, Sprout,” she instructed before looking back at her two visitors. “I agree on needing to work together. What’s your plan?”

“We don’t have one yet,” Thymus admitted. “However, we’ve started a tunnel between our huts so we can meet privately.”

“Thing is, yours is between them,” Skysurf admitted. “It would be silly to not invite you to join us.”

“Sure,” ‘Moondust’ nodded. “We’ve already cut through our floor.”

“R...Really?” Skysurf gasped. “How?”

“Wrap it up,” Sprout hissed urgently. “The Griffons are nearly done.”

“Tell us later,” Thymus gasped. “Our tunnels are well advanced. Where should we aim?”

“The back corner, side nearest the Changelings hut,” ‘Moondust’ instructed. “It’s under the mat there.”

“That’s not far,” Skysurf smiled. “We should reach it tonight if you tap next to it to help us aim.”

“We’ll do that, get back to where you should be,” Sprout advised. “Quickly.”

Thymus and Skysurf nodded and hurried away. Meanwhile, Sunny couldn’t help smiling. Even if the Griffon's escape attempt failed. They’d given them all an opportunity and that gave her more hope than ever.

Author's Note:

6 - The Pegasus Guards of Zephyr Heights are on a recruitment drive. Sprout's grandpappy suggested he join as a surprise for Phyllis. He flew through his basic training and joined the unit operating from Maretime Bay.

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