The Cutie Mark Crusaders In: The Quest for the Cutie Crystal

by SunshineSprite

Part 4

Cadence looked around desperately for a way out of the prison she was being held in. She turned and walked up to the door. Then she observed her surroundings again, as she did five times ago. The walls were rocky and dark. There was no light except for what came from the window of the door. Even then, it was still dark. There were bars on the window. Cadence just sighed sadly and looked down. Whatever could Princess Mi Amore Cadenza do? Oh Aunt Celestia! Where are you!? I need your help!!

The carriage stopped by the end of the Everfree Forest. “Okay, this is as far as we can go,” one of the Pegasus Stallions said.

“That’s mighty fine, sir. Thank you,” Apple Bloom said.

The Crusaders hopped out of the carriage and watched as the carriage and Pegasi flew off into the sky. The clouds were piled up and dark grey and black. The wind had calmed down quite a bit. “Well, now what?” Scootaloo asked. Apple Bloom put a hoof under her chin. Then she got an idea.

“Well duh! We need ta git out there and find that crystal before the bad ponies do!”

“And just how do we do that when we don’t have any form of transportation?” Scootaloo pointed out.

“Wait girls! Do you see that?” Sweetie Belle said, pointing to the light shining far off into the distance.

“What is it Sweetie Belle?” Scootaloo asked.

“Yeah, what’s gotcha all in a curious bunch there, Sweetie?”

“It’s a light,” Sweetie said. “And I think that it’s calling us to it.”

Sweetie Belle trotted off into the darkness. “Sweetie Belle!!” the other two Crusaders yelled. They followed after her. Within minutes, they were engulfed in light. The sound of a waterfall could be heard. “Why, where are we now?” Apple Bloom asked. They were surrounded by a forest and light. The light was coming from the waterfall. It was glowing bright neon blue. Water was flowing down at a steady pace. It looked like ribbons waving in the wind. “Come on, girls! Let’sa go an’ find out what’s up with the waterfall there!” Apple Bloom and the Crusaders jumped into the water and swam out to the waterfall. They found a rock to sit on. They were then soaked with sparkling water. Sweetie’s mane covered her eyes, Scootaloo’s light purple spiked mane drooping just above her forehead. Apple Bloom’s giant pink bow looked like it was flattened along with her red mane. The three of them huddled together, shivering from the cold. “S-s-so,” Sweetie tried to say. Apple Bloom looked over at the rock wall that was hidden from view of the waterfall. “Hey, I think I see something in here.” She had spotted a crack in the wall. In the crack was a small light. “Let’s see if I can buck it.” She got up, hunched her legs close, and then threw them back at the wall. The wall crumbled right before their eyes. Apple Bloom peeked inside. It looked like a small shrine of some kind. There were huge crystals along the walls. In the middle of the shrine was a small stone table. On the table was an amulet. It was in the shape of a heart. Scootaloo trotted over to the table and looked at the amulet. “Apple Bloom, let me see the map.” Apple Bloom hoofed her the map. Scootaloo looked at the map. There was a small picture of a heart that resembled the amulet.

“Girls, this is the first landmark on the map! It’s says that this place is called the Heart of the Falls.”

“Heart of the Falls? What does that mean?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Why, I thank that it means that the amulet is the heart, for its shape. And that it’s in the middle of the Falls,” Apple Bloom said.

“Yeah,” Scootaloo observed. “That does make sense. That has to be it.”

“Oh, I get it. So the amulet is like a living piece of the Falls,” Sweetie concluded. “And if its power is stolen, then it can’t power the Falls.”

The Crusaders figured that Aria and Discord would come looking for this precious item. So, Apple Bloom decided to take it with her. “It darn don’t feel right, but it’s the only thang that we can do for now.” After they retreated out of the shrine, they piled a bunch of rocks in front of the opening, just in case that Aria and Discord come around. “Ahright, girls,” Apple Bloom said. “Let’s git goin’.” They trotted a little ways back the way they came. The Crusaders eventually came back to the middle of the forest. Only this time, they observed their surroundings and figured out where their exit was. After figuring all of that out, they got out of the forest. Sweetie Belle then started to complain. “Girls, I’m tired. My hooves are killing me, I’m hungry, and I think I’m getting a headache.” Apple Bloom thought this over. “Yeah, you’re right. I thank we should rest here tonight.” Scootaloo first started to protest, then decided against that, using her better judgment. “Yeah, I think that I’m tired too.” Her wings were so crumbled and shriveled up from exhaustion, her eyes were drooping way down past her pupils, and she was wobbling terribly. The Crusaders were going to lie under a tree, but thought better of it. They instead found a cave about a mile ahead of the forest. They hurried in and huddled together, for it then started to rain. The water dripping from the clouds sounded like the pitter-patter of money dropping on a counter top. For a few minutes they shook and rattled, but after a bit, they were toasty warm. Sweetie Belle nuzzled in close to Scootaloo, and Scootaloo nuzzled in close to Apple Bloom, while she nuzzled in close to Sweetie Belle. All three of them were close, comfortable, and felt safe. Pretty soon, they were all fast asleep…