Escape from Arora Ridge Quarry

by Glimbursts

Chapter Seven – Quarry Arriving

Sunny sighed as she lay in her cage, it had been ages since they’d taken off. At least she thought so, she had no way of knowing. The continual rhythmic drone confirmed they were still in the air. Her cage continued to sway from side to side too which made things interesting.

One thing she’d kept an eye on though was the Nirik. They were making regular patrols and she’d worked out there was a window in which she could activate her powers and contact Misty.

However, she knew that would mean that Thymus and her fellow captives would know her secret. Something she remembered Zipp telling her over and over was how important maintaining her cover was. After not listening previously got her into this situation, she was now determined to follow Zipp’s advice.

Which was proving difficult as Thymus kept asking her questions about Equestria. She’d decided that if she ever went undercover like this again. She would need to come up with a convincing backstory. However, she also knew that wouldn’t help her current dilemma.

There was a niggling question in the back of her mind that was related. Would it matter if the creatures knew the truth? She certainly didn’t want the Nirik to know. But what about the other creatures that were captives like she was? Would they even know who she was?

As she tried to work out what to do, there was a loud clunk followed by a rising number of voices.

“Moondust,” Thymus said urgently. “Moondust Twinkle! Get up and look!”

It took a few moments for Sunny to realise Thymus was talking to her. “Huh? What?”

“Look, that Griffon from before. She’s gotten out!” Thymus said urgently.

Sunny quickly got up and moved to the edge of her cage. She looked down at the walkway below and gasped. The Griffon had indeed escaped her cage and was carefully walking along the walkway, trying not to make a noise.

However, as creatures noticed, there was soon a rising cacophony of shouting voices as they all tried to be heard. Most were asking to be let out, others were shouting instructions. Several were telling her not to be so silly. Meanwhile, some were trying to calm the situation.

The Griffon looked around the cages with dismay as the volume rose higher and higher. “Will you all shut up!” she shouted urgently. “You’re going to ruin everything!”

The Griffon scowled as Nirik appeared at either end of the walkway, running towards her. She tried to flee by jumping from the walkway. Opening her wings, she started flying upwards to get away. However, she hadn’t realised there were Nirik on the walkway above and was immediately caught in their levitation.

She growled as she was held in the air and struggled in vain, “Gah, you all did this shouting like that! Now nocreature will escape!”

As the Nirik carried the Griffon away, Sunny sighed as she looked around the cages. That settled it, she couldn’t trust the other creatures to keep quiet if she activated her powers. She would need to bide her time and hope she’d get another opportunity.

---

The humming drone continued for days. At least Sunny thought it had been days, it was difficult to know. She couldn’t see outside, and the lights were left on continually. They were fed, but it didn’t seem to be at any specific time. However, eventually, things changed.

“We’re landing,” Thymus said suddenly.

Sunny turned and looked at him with confusion, “What? How do you know?”

“The sound,” Thymus answered. “It’s changed. Last time it changed we landed and picked you up.”

Sunny frowned and felt the movement of her cage. It did feel different.

The new lower humming continued for a while and then got louder again. Then, there was a series of loud clunks at either end of the airship. The whole airship shook which made the cages vibrate violently. Creatures reacted to this, crying out in surprise and fear. Then, for the first time in ages, there was silence and the cages finally settled and stopped swaying.

“We’ve landed, but that was odd,” Thymus admitted. “I don’t remember those clunks last time. But, I expect that cage next to you will be occupied soon enough.”

Sunny frowned and looked at the empty cage beside her. Suddenly, a loud bang from below made Sunny squeak with surprise and shook the whole ship. Then, there was a loud whirring noise. “Okay, what’s happening now?” Sunny gasped.

“I think there are doors below us,” Thymus explained. “Once they’re open, that cage will be lowered down ready to become occupied.”

“Why?” Sunny frowned. “Why move the cage when you’re using teleportation?”

“I don’t know,” Thymus admitted. “That’s just what happened last time.”

However, they both gasped as their cages began moving along with the empty one.

“Woah, what’s happening?” Sunny gasped. “Why are we moving as well?”

“Okay, this time I don’t know,” Thymus admitted.

“Oh, but I was starting to think you were the expert,” Sunny smirked.

“I just take note of my surroundings,” Thymus smiled. “Like how we’re moving because the poles above us are extending.”

Sunny looked up and saw Thymus was right. The pole that the chain her cage was attached to was extending. It did so until the cages were hanging between the walkways and the other cages, then they started descending.

“Okay, I don’t need to be told we’re going down because the chains are getting longer,” Sunny frowned. “They must be on winches.”

“We must have arrived at our destination,” Thymus reasoned. “That’s the only explanation. Look, Moondust Twinkle, I’ve been meaning to suggest we work together to escape. I think there is more to you ponies than meets the eye.”

Sunny was about to respond when they suddenly emerged from the bottom of the airship.

They were both bathed in bright sunlight and Sunny gasped as she shielded her eyes. Once they had adjusted, she looked up and her jaw dropped. The airship was huge, the doors they’d emerged from were just one set of four.

Sunny’s heart sank as she realised how many creatures must be on board. There had been rows and rows of cages, as far as she could see. If that was just one section of four there had to be hundreds and hundreds of creatures trapped aboard it.

She spotted three large towers made of black metal latticework. These went up to the bottom of the airship and she realised it was docked with them. That must have been the cause of some of the noises earlier.

Suddenly, the cages jolted which made Sunny squeak with surprise. She looked down at the floor and thrust her legs out into a wide stance as she tried to keep her balance. The cages had stopped descending but continued to swing on the chains.

“This doesn’t look good,” Thymus said.

“W…What doesn’t?” Sunny gasped.

“Our destination,” Thymus responded gravely.

Sunny finally stopped looking down and looked outwards. She gasped and her eyes widened at the sight before her.

They were above a massive quarry, gouged into the side of a mountain in a massive horseshoe. There were many, many massive grey shelves which seemed to walk up the side of the mountain.

Each had a sheer rock face that linked it to the shelf below. Between these levels, there were inclines. The one in the middle was huge, it ran from the level at the very top of the quarry right down to the bottom. At the top of each incline, there was what looked like a small shed. Ropes ran from the shed down to tubs that were running up and down the inclines.

At the very bottom of the quarry, there was a lake full of glistening water. Between this and the first rock face, there was a series of large buildings. Then, on one of the wider levels around halfway up the quarry, there was a series of large huts.

Suddenly, Sunny yelped as she felt her cage start descending again. She looked in dismay as she realised it was just hers.

“Looks like this is goodbye,” Thymus shouted.

“Seems so,” Sunny called back. “If we manage to see each other again, I’ll gladly take you up on that help escaping,”

Thymus nodded, “Good, I think we will both need it! Good luck, Moondust Twinkle!”

Sunny looked down and closed her eyes, letting out a deep sigh. She gulped before she took a deep breath and opened her eyes again with determination. Whatever was about to happen to her, she wouldn’t give up hope. She would contact Misty and she would escape along with every captive creature here.

As her cage finally neared the ground. Sunny gasped as she realised, she was being lowered into a pen. Formed of high mesh fencing, there were multiple Nirik stood around this. All were looking up at the cage expectantly.

Sunny licked her dry lips with concern. She wasn’t expecting the bottom of her cage to suddenly disappear. She shrieked as the floor parted, and the two halves swung away on a pair of hinges. It took everything she had to resist the urge to activate her powers.

It was only a short fall and Sunny landed on her hoofs with an ‘oof’. She looked around the pen worriedly. Unsure what was happening. She looked upwards as she heard a clunk. The cage’s floor had swung back into position, and it was being lifted away.

Looking around the pen, she realised its high wire fence had multiple gates. The Nirik each stood next to these gates on the outside of the pen. They watched her expectedly as one of the gates slid open.

Sunny blinked and looked around worriedly. Did they want her to go through the gate, or was something else going to join her in the pen? The Nirik looked like an audience, so she got worried she was expected to fight a monster or something. Maybe it was a test!

She soon got her answer though as the Nirik behind her began snarling. They slammed their hoofs on the fence, making a noise that made Sunny jump.

“T...That way?” She asked, pointing a hoof.

This made all the Nirik snarl. Their fiery manes flared, and their eyes seemingly flashed with anger. Finally, one of them pointed with a hoof towards the gate.

“Okay, okay, I’m going,” Sunny said carefully, holding a hoof up in submission.

She quickly moved through the open gate and found she was in a narrow-fenced walkway. Wide enough for just herself. Wire mesh covered the top, presumably to stop creatures flying away.

As she worriedly walked down this, she squeaked as she was picked up and held within a Nirik’s levitation. She looked up and spotted a Nirik above her, its curved Y-shaped horn glowing. Sections of the fencing on either side of her suddenly slid downwards.

Sunny gasped as the hold on her seemed to tighten so she couldn’t move. Then, she felt a harness being fitted around her barrel. Followed quickly by a light bridle around her head.

After the invasion of personal space, Sunny was let go. As she landed back on her hoofs, she heard the sections of fencing sliding and clunking back into place. Then, she squeaked as something pushed against her backside. She didn’t look to see what that was, she just started running forward.

As Sunny galloped through the fenced corridor, she approached several gated junctions. Each time she got close, the gates moved, swinging either left or right. Ensuring she went the way her captors wanted her to travel.

Finally, she ran out into another pen and skidded to a stop. She looked back as the gate to the fenced corridor behind her closed with a clatter.

She panted as she looked around, the pen was round and smaller than the last one. Apart from the gate that she’d just come through, there was one other. A large double one that looked to be designed to let large numbers of creatures through.

Through the fence, she could see it was one of many in a long row. There were Nirik around but not in the same numbers as before. They appeared to be patrolling, the pens appearing to be for holding creatures rather than sorting them like the previous one.

She sat down and fiddled with the harness. It wasn’t uncomfortable but she couldn’t see any way to take it off. Similarly, when she felt the bridle, she couldn’t find any way to release it. She flexed her jaw, feeling relief as she found it was unrestricted.

She looked back toward the airship. Now she was further away she could get a better look at it. It looked like it was in two halves. The top half was rounded and ribbed, as though it was a large canvas balloon. The bottom half was more angular and made from metal. She cocked her head in confusion, the bottom was shaped like the small boats she had seen back at Maretime Bay.

It was a dark charcoal grey colour all over, apart from a cream number 2 on its side that made Sunny’s heart sink. “How many of them are there?” she breathed. “How many creatures are they taking against their wills?”

She looked through the fences, the pens on either side of hers were filling up. She soon realised she was the only pony there, nopony else joined her. She wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not.

The Nirik continued to patrol too. She knew there was still no way she could contact Misty. She sighed and wondered how long it had been, her friends must be so worried. She couldn’t help feeling bad for what they must be going through.

Suddenly, a horn bellowed out. Sunny frowned and turned towards where it was coming from. A tall pedestal had been lifted into the air, and a large purple leopard with wings stood atop it. Looking around and snarling at the creatures in the pens below.

“Welcome to your new lives! Whatever life you had is over, it is gone. The sooner you accept that the better. Your only purpose now is to serve the Arora Ridge Quarry. To serve me, your new mistress, Allura.

“Your combined task here is to mine the Arora Ore. It will be far easier for you to accept your new life willingly. There is no escaping! Work hard and once my goals are completed, I may return you to your old lives. BUT only if there is no trouble!

“Communication is banned, anycreature caught talking will be dealt with by my loyal Nirik guard. Anycreature causes trouble, I will deal with personally. Pray this is the only time you see me!”

With that, Allura jumped from the pedestal. Spreading her wings and gliding down out of sight. There was suddenly a chorus of dismayed voices from the other pens. However, these were quickly replaiced by howls of pain.

Sunny frowned; she couldn’t see what the Nirik had done but decided she didn’t want to find out. She felt the pit in her stomach returning and getting deeper.

She’d been so sure that Minty Cloudstrike was behind the disappearances and had been completely wrong. Why hadn’t she listened to Hitch and Zipp? She was well in over her head now.

Suddenly, Sunny was shaken from her thoughts as she felt something being attached to her bridle. Gasping, she looked and saw a Nirik holding the other end of a leash in its teeth.

Without a word, the Nirik turned and began leading Sunny towards the large gate in the pen. The leash went taught and Sunny was forced to follow. She gulped, trying desperately to keep calm, and hoping she would eventually have a chance to contact Misty.

The Nirik led Sunny through the quarry. It took her up winding narrow paths and onto one of the higher levels.

Despite Allura’s rule of no communication, the quarry was a hive of noise and dust. There were continuous banging and crashing sounds as large, strange creatures dug away at the rock. Sunny spotted other creatures loading the rock into carts. Carts that she realised were being pulled by a mix of creatures including some odd-looking ponies.

Finally, the Nirik stopped walking and Sunny found herself standing before several carts of different sizes. The Nirik selected one and gestured for Sunny to stand in front of it. Not wanting to cause trouble for herself, Sunny silently did as instructed.

The reason for the harness soon became apparent as the Nirik attached the cart to it. Sunny watched as it did this, frowning as she realised it did so using its magic. Once it had finished, Sunny couldn’t see any way to unhitch herself from the cart.

The Nirik grunted to get Sunny’s attention. She looked and gasped as it removed the leash and then held out a flaming hoof, pointing up a track.

“What would you like me to do exactly?” Sunny asked carefully. “What are my instructions, please?”

The Nirik’s eyes narrowed, and it snarled dangerously. Sunny gasped and held her hoofs up submissively and this seemed to pacify the Nirik. It stood looking at Sunny blankly, as though it was working out what to do.

Finally, it reattached the leash to Sunny’s bridle and started to lead her along the track. They eventually came to a line of carts, it appeared all were waiting to be loaded.

The Nirik attached Sunny’s leash to the back of one of the larger carts. Sunny frowned as it then walked away, leaving her stuck to the cart. “I suppose this is one way of finding out what to do,” she muttered quietly.

Sunny soon found out what her task was, moving rock from where it was being dug to the large central incline.

The cart in front of her was being pulled by two of the strange-looking ponies she’d seen earlier. Sunny could see they had crystallised horns, but she couldn’t make out much more. She sighed, thinking better of trying to talk to them.

Pulling the cart was hard and dusty work. Especially as she was following another cart, still attached by the leash. It caused her to walk in a cloud of dust, before long, she was longing for a drink.

As she walked back and forth along the same route. Sunny also began to realise there was a series of watchtowers. Each one contained several Nirik which watched over them from a high level.

Finally, the sun started to get lower in the sky. After unloading, Sunny gasped as the same Nirik from before appeared. It unhitched Sunny’s leash from the other cart and started to lead her away. Sunny frowned, she wanted to ask where they were going but thought better of it.

Finally, they stopped, and Sunny was unhitched from the cart. Then, she was led down some of the narrow paths between the levels.

They eventually neared the large huts on the middle level. Sunny spotted above each hut there was a picture of a creature. Soon, they came to one with a picture of a pony above the door.

The Nirik stopped, it removed the leash before unlatching and opening the door. Sunny couldn’t help noticing the door was locked from the outside. The Nirik growled and pointed inside, and Sunny immediately did as instructed.

She walked through the door and was blinded by the bright light within. As her eyes adjusted it felt like she’d just walked in on a private party.

The inside walls of the hut were panelled in silver metal. On the grey concrete floor, there were brown rectangular-shaped mats. A row down each side, the short end near the wall with a wide aisle between them. Above was a grey ceiling which had two sets of strip lights running down the length of the hut.

All the missing Earth Ponies were there. Many stood or sat around in groups, others lay on the mats. They were all wearing the same as Sunny and all looked filthy. Sunny gasped and looked down at her disguise, the black dye was now covered in a layer of grey dust. However, to her relief, it still looked to be intact.

Suddenly, the door slammed shut behind her which made Sunny squeak with surprise. That caused everypony in the hut to look at her. Sunny gasped and suddenly felt nervous, did she come clean about who she was? Were they being watched?

Sprout suddenly appeared from the crowd, hurrying over towards Sunny with a concerned expression. His guard uniform was gone, replaced with a similar bridle and harness to Sunny’s. His red coat was covered in grey dust, as were his mane and tail. “I thought I saw a new pony,” he gasped. “It must have been so scary in that flying thing all on your own. It’s okay now, we can speak here. What’s your name?”

Sunny blinked with confusion. Even though she’d literally just been thinking about her disguise, hearing Sprout ask her name was strange. Fortunately, Sprout just assumed her silence was nerves or fear.

“It’s okay, I’m Sprout Cloverleaf. I’m one of the Equestria Guard based in Maretime Bay. Don’t worry, despite what that Allura says we’re going to find a way to escape and get everypony back to Equestria.”

Sunny sighed, finally having made up her mind on what to do. She was in this mess because she didn’t listen and wasn’t cautious enough. So, she was going to continue to take Zipp’s advice and be careful.

Therefore, she responded in a soft voice, “I...I’m Moondust Twinkle. I moved to Zephyr Heights some time ago. Do you know what those scary fire creatures are?”

“Well, that Allura said they were Nirik, but I don’t know anything about them,” Sprout responded. “As long as you behave, they won’t hurt you. We’ll escape soon enough anyway.”

“B...But how?” ‘Moondust’ replied worriedly.

“We’re working on a plan,” Sprout said confidently. “We’ve searched this hut carefully. There are no cameras and nocreature is watching us. We’re free to do what we like within here.”

“As long as you leave everything the same,” another voice said condescendingly. “There’s no point getting in trouble trying.”

Sprout sighed as he turned and looked at Sugar Moonlight who was laid on a mat nearby. Sunny couldn’t help noticing her appearance. Her normally meticulously applied eyeshadow and makeup were gone. Her mane was a mess, having not seen a brush in ages. She had the same bridle and harness as the others, and she was covered from nose to tail in dust.

“Sugar, we’ve been over and over this,” Sprout sighed. “We will escape, and we will get home. I told you; I was sent to gather intel by Sheriff Hitch. That I’ve disappeared will mean he and the other Guardians will be looking for us.”

Sugar groaned and shook her head, “And I’ve told you there’s no point. All you’ll do is get in trouble.”

There was a chorus of other voices. All encouraged Sugar that they would get away. However, Sugar just sighed and looked down. ‘Moondust’ frowned, she couldn’t help thinking Sugar looked sad, therefore she joined in.

“I…I know I’ve just arrived, and this is all scary. But we can’t just give up hope. It’s all we have if we’re going to get through this.”

“Well said, Moondust,” Sprout smiled.

However, Sugar scowled and stared at ‘Moondust’ accusingly. “You sound like Sunny Starscout, she’s always preaching about hope. She’s a fool.”

‘Moondust’ gasped, she couldn’t help taking a step backwards in surprise. Fortunately, Sprout didn’t notice her reaction as he leapt to Sunny’s defence.

“What’s that supposed to mean? Why’s Sunny a fool?”

Sugar closed her eyes and grimaced with pain. Then, she growled and scowled with anger as something seemed to snap within her. She jumped up from her mat and looked Sprout in the eye. “She’s a fool because she should have left everything as it was! I was happy working for CanterLogic. Getting to strut my stuff in their showcases. I’ve got nothing now! If...If I go back to Equestria I...I don’t know what I’ll do!”

Sugar groaned as she sat down and tried to get a hold of herself. She trembled, having just let out a cartload of bottled-up feelings.

Sprout blinked with surprise before sighing. “I thought you’d been oddly quiet,” he said. “Sugar, it’ll be okay. We’re in this together and we’ll only get out of it with everypony’s help.”

“I know that but there’s just no point for me,” Sugar frowned. “My modelling career is done. I’ve got nothing, no job, no home, no money, nothing. I’ve certainly got no hope so ponies preaching to me about it just makes me more upset.”

“So, how’s this all Sunny’s fault?” Sprout asked. “You sat next to her in Miss Butterscotch’s class, didn’t you? I bet if she knew your situation, she’d help.”

“I’ve not been friends with Sunny since school,” Sugar scowled. “She’s no reason to help me, especially after my stunt with the Alicorn thing.” Sugar sighed and lay down, putting her head in her forehoofs. “Nopony has a reason to help me. You all may as well leave me here. I’ll be your distraction or something.”

Sunny frowned, that was it, the time for being cautious had passed. “How do you know I wouldn’t help you, Sugar?”

Everypony gasped as they heard Sunny’s normal voice. They watched in surprise as ‘Moondust’ stepped forward and there was a flash. A glistening horn appeared on her head and two golden orange wings on her back.

Sugar’s eyes widened in shock, “Sunny?”

Suddenly, everypony in the hut got very excited. Voices filled the air, the volume getting louder and louder. Many thought rescue was at hoof, others thought it strange Sunny was in disguise. Sunny herself looked around with confusion, not sure which questions to answer.

However, Sprout took control of the situation. “Quiet, not so loud!” he said urgently. “Do you want to get the Nirik in here? Calm down, everypony.”

Everypony looked at each other and quietened down. However, the feeling of excitement was still there.

Meanwhile, Sugar blinked as she got up and looked at Sunny in surprise. “Why are you even here? What’s with the Moondust thing?”

Sunny sighed and shook her head. “I was playing bait for what I thought were disgruntled Pegasus ponies,” she admitted. “I wanted to help you all. But honestly, this is way bigger than I ever imagined it could be. I should have listened to Zipp and Hitch. They said we weren’t ready for action, truthfully, I’m just as trapped here as you all are.”

The others all looked at each other with a mixture of confusion, worry and some disappointment. Sunny looked around them all and gave them a small smile.

“I know, I’m not the rescuer that you all thought I was. I’m not even the rescuer I thought I was going to be. But, all is not lost. I wanted to be sure that the Nirik weren’t watching. Now I can finally contact Misty and my friends. They’ll help us, I know they will.”

Everypony looked at each other unsurely as Sunny’s horn started to glow.

“Misty, are you there? It’s Sunny, can you hear me?”

Author's Note:

The quarry is loosely based on the Slate Quarrys in Wales. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slate_industry_in_Wales

Comments

[Comickook]

REALLY good job on the latest chapter. Definitely appreciate the effort going into the dialogue, characterizations and future chapter set-up. Sunny's reflections on the situation she was currently in was definitely understandable, as was the stuff about the griffon trying to escape and the reaction to the first encounter with Allura. Also liked Sprout sticking up for Sunny when Sugar called her a fool and the reactions both of them had when they found out Sunny was Moondust. The talk with that one would-be escapee concerning the hope/possibility of working together to escape also made sense. And, since neither the Nirik nor Allura are watching, Sunny can finally try to get a message through to Misty and the others. I just hope it gets through and provides the rest of the gang with some clue that they can use to help with the rescue.

I am definitely going to be looking forward to more of this.

[Phetiamwantip]

I hope Misty will hear Sunny's message through her horn along with trying to come up with a plan to escape the quarry, too.