A Rescue In Progress, Perhaps? (SteelEagle, riverhippo, Bramble Rose, Corsair, Rosewind and Phil the Time Wizard)

[RarityDash]

[colour=#0033CC]"It is very big. Maybe an old mining expedition of some sort?"[/colour]

Rarity nodded at the suggestion. Possibly, Valen was right and this tunnel had been carved out by ponies or diamond dogs or some other manner of intelligent creature. Though perhaps instead it was carved out by something more sinister and dangerous. It was hard to tell, and at the very least it continued to unnerve her greatly. The same obviously went for Valen as shortly after the rumbling sound echoed from ahead, the colt powered backward directly into her.

Valen was not an exceptionally large foal, but it was still a healthy, forceful shove and Rarity in her nervous state wasn't on firm hooves. The momentum of the colt threw her back, causing her to fall back on her flank. She was startled by all of this, but remained more concerned about what might be ahead. That concern turned to legitimate intense fear when the sound of someone running towards them through the tunnels began to build quickly and steadily. Soon she could see a small group of unfamiliar diamond dogs.

"RUN RUN RUN RUUUUUUUUUUN!"

"IT'S COMING!"

"THIS IS A DEAD END YOU FOOLS!"

Okay, so they for sure weren't alone down here, this confirmed. That didn't quite matter at the moment however. The diamond dogs who shouted to them as they passed were clearly terrified. Rarity felt her panic rise. She stumbled back up to her hooves and pulled Valen up as well.

[colour=#663399]"Valen, come, let's run now! We follow them!"[/colour] she shouted, ready to break into a gallop once she was sure the colt was good to follow.

[Hippo]

[colour=#ff6600]Applejack galloped swiftly after Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie as they sped ahead. She wasn't really sure how, but Pinkie's bounds were practically as efficient as hers, and she considered herself a great race pony. Her face fell a little in astonishment at Pinkie's way of travel. Until she stopped to smell some berries.

As Rainbow Dash stopped Pinkie from eating what might be poisonous, Applejack smelled some of the plants that were scattered around. She walked over to Pinkie to help out with a suggestion. [/colour][colour=#ff0000]"Or, you could just eat some of the apples we brought."[/colour][colour=#ff6600] Applejack, with a dull no-nonsense look on her face, presented an apple in front of Pinkie. [/colour][colour=#ff0000]"Or we could just wait, since, ya know, we just left about five minutes ago."[/colour]

[SteelEagle]

Rarity had no reason to wait.

The moment he had laid eyes upon the mangy, ugly, foul smelling mutts as they barreled down the tunnel in a panicked run, he had instinctively turned his back to them and started his own imitation. He had no idea what Diamond Dogs were all about in the flesh, but rumors and stories were enough to set any foal to flight and he was already prone to acts of prodigious caution in the face of danger. His little hooves trampled with all the excitement and awkwardness that a stroke of fear and panic offered but he was easily surpassed by the paws of the dogs as they passed, Valen subconsciously tossing himself into the left side of the tunnel and smacking into it. Unphased by anything other than the smell of sweat matted hard onto the discolored fur of the pack as they ran by, Valen shook his head clear and ventured a look back at Rarity just as she spoke.

[colour=#0033cc]"Already doing it!"[/colour] He spoke in an awkwardly loud manner, losing control of his nerves just as a guttural roar echoed down the tunnel. A wave of hot, disgusting breath followed with enough force to make Valen lose his balance and fall to the ground, his hooves betraying him as he continued to slide down the tunnel back to where they had come from. The Diamond Dog' sounds of retreat seemed to falter and fade in the aftermath of the roar, though his hearing had just failed him. As he started to scramble up, he beckoned Rarity with him. Sadly this meant he had to look back and he would regret it immediately.

He should have felt the oncoming tremor and the sound of churning earth but he was too disoriented from the giant earth worm's in-wormly roar to take note of it. Yet as he looked back, he could make out a huge worm that filled the tunnel and ended with tiny eyes and an open mouth full of rows of sharp, dangerous looking teeth. In short it was the bad end. Valen leaped up in terror and reached out, grabbing Rarity and pulling her towards him. It was only by coincidence that he was in the direction of the exit and because he was terrified, though if it were taken as some sort of brave move he'd accept the outcome later.

[colour=#0033cc]"Now!"[/colour] He screamed, pulling Rarity with him.

[Corsair]

[colour=#ff4080]Fluttershy nervously trotted after her friends. It was bad enough that Rarity was missing, but now they had to go through Everfree to find her. The pegasus was a regular visitor in the forest, and many of her animal friends lived there, but it could still be a spooky, dangerous place. With Fluttershy's anxiety already high, moving through the forest made her super-aware of everything going on around them. Every moving branch, every snap of a twig made her head swing around to look. Her ears were constantly moving, listening for anything out of the ordinary. Angel clung to her mane, all of the pony's sudden movements threatening to shake him off. [/colour]

[colour=#ff4080]Up ahead, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash were goofing off, treating the whole thing like it was a game. Fluttershy loved her friends, but she really wished they'd take this more seriously. At least Applejack was here, and her no-nonsense attitude could usually calm the other two. The trio were arguing over some berries that Pinkie had found. Fluttershy actually recognized both of them, and they were both safe, surprisingly, but Rainbow had already stopped the pink mare from eating them. She was about to speak up, when she felt an unusual vibration from the ground. It almost felt like an earthquake, but very faint.[/colour]

[colour=#ff4080]"Um, d-did anypony else feel that?" she called out to her friends.[/colour]

[Hippo]

[colour=#000000]Applejack looked back at Fluttershy and then looked at Pinkie and Rainbow with concern. [/colour][colour=#ff0000]"Y-yeah. I felt it too. What in tarnation do you think it is?"[/colour][colour=#000000] Just as Applejack finished talking, the ground shook again, a little more violently than it did the first time. Applejack hooked herself onto a tree root that looped itself out of the ground. [/colour][colour=#ff0000] "T-t-t-ther i-i-it g-g-g-oes a-g-g-g-ain."[/colour][colour=#000000] The shaking stopped. [/colour][colour=#ff0000] "What in salty sassafras is goin' on here!?"[/colour]

[colour=#000000]Just then, what looked like giant worms started coming out of the ground, everywhere the ponies were standing. Each worm was as big around as a pony's leg, and they had eye-less jaws like that of a snake. Four of five of these critters swam to the earth's surface, hissy and snapping at anything they could feel. [/colour][colour=#ff0000]"HORSERADISHES! There are these gall darn giant worms comin' outta the ground!"[/colour][colour=#000000] Applejack panicked. [/colour][colour=#ff0000]"Run!"[/colour]

[colour=#000000]As Applejack ran, she saw an opening in the forest. Darting towards the opening, a worm popped out the groud blocked the exit to the clearing. After a quick look around, Applejack could see that these worms had surrounded the four ponies. [/colour][colour=#ff0000] "They're all around us!"[/colour]

​

[Bramble Rose]

Dash let out a squeek and jumped up into the air, floating there, her mane standing straight out. Wait, a squeek? A SQUEEK? She sounded like Fluttershy! Embarassment and anger flashed through her, and she quick reared up, and with a noise *much* more like a battle cry, she zipped back down to the ground.

Her hooves skillfully lashed out to protect her friends! Side-kick! Rear-kick! Forehoof-chop! The three worms she'd kicked let out a pained hissing noise, and then retreated into the ground, which went mercifully still.

Dash puffed out her chest and landed lightly, her head high. [colour=#0000cd] "Awwwwww, yeah! That's the ticket! You see that? *HIYA!*" [/colour] Her forehooves kicked at the air as she danced back and forth on her hind hooves. [colour=#0000cd]"Take that, you creepy worm-snake-grabby-things! You didn't know you were coming after RAINBOW DASH and friends!"[/colour]

As she gloated, the ground behind her swelled, and bulged, and a massive purple and yellow worm emerged, rising up five feet... eight feet... ten feet ... towering over Rainbow Dash, who continued bragging all unawares. The worm had no eyes, and the small snakey tongues waved from its massive maws, big enough to swallow a pony whole. Its hide was studded with fine, glistening gems, which waved in the air like little feelers, then all oriented towards Rainbow Dash. As the shadow fell over her, Rainbow Dash stopped bouncing around and went still.

[colour=#0000cd]"There's something scary behind me, isn't there?"[/colour] she asked in a resigned, almost conversational tone.

​

[RarityDash]

[colour=#0033CC]"Already doing it!"[/colour]

The young pony's reply quickly came. Sure enough, Valen was running alongside Rarity. A good thing too, for just then the thing they were running from made its presence known with a terrible roar. Rarity could feel the heat of the unknown beast's breath. It was sickening, rank and alarmingly forceful, almost knocking her off of her hooves. It wasn't an "almost" with Valen, however; the young colt tripped over his hooves and fell back into the tunnel. Rarity gasped and turned sharply, intent to rescue.

That's when her eyes found it--not that a beast of its size was particularly hard to find. It was a gargantuan thing, and hideous too. Some kind of monstrous, slimy worm, all full of jagged teeth with beady little eyes. It was a ghastly site; just the look of it made the mare retch. Or it would were there time for any reaction other than unmitigated, abject terror. Rarity gave a panicked scream as she fought the urge to run. Abandoning Valen just wasn't something she could do though. She'd never forgive herself. Instead she moved towards him.

​

[colour=#0033CC]"Now!"[/colour]

Valen called out suddenly and then pulled Rarity forcefully aside to some exit from the tunnel. Rarity panted desperately as the frightful worm beast barreled past them. Her body trembled as she held Valen close, not sure the danger had yet passed. After a peaceful moment, she gave a long sigh.

[colour=#663399]"That was very quick thinking, Valen,"[/colour] she said with a nod. [colour=#663399]"You saved us both."[/colour]

She smiled at the colt and gave a few more heavy breaths. [colour=#663399]"Just what to do expect that monster was?" [/colour]she started, looking back, shaking her head in disbelief. [colour=#663399]"I do so hope we can avoid it whatever it is... and that there aren't any more like it in this place."[/colour]

​

[SteelEagle]

The giant worm rumbled past like an out of control freight train whose unicorn magic had long ago faded. The little exit he had led them to was almost within a single hoof's distance. The entire area shook with it's passing, so much so that it took several seconds after it passed for Valen to realize that both he and Rarity were shaking of their own accord. For all of it's beauty and kindness, Equestria sure was chock full of scary, dangerous monsters and Valen was starting to think that the area surrounding Ponyville was home to a large percentage of them. He would note for future excursions to hire himself a group of mercenaries to guard him at all times. It was the only proper response.

After a few more moments, Rarity spoke. At least she was able. Valen had imagined himself being eaten by such a creature and had been struck momentarily mute. Again. A common occurrence with him it seemed. He didn't think he had to undergo any mental attitude shakeup, however. He just needed to not be put in these positions. Only a lunatic would seek them out. He refocused, nodding weakly as Rarity spoke. His little colt heart had by this stage just about failed him and he was rather content to cling to Rarity as he currently was. After a few moments though he decided that remaining so probably wouldn't help them get out of the hole they were in. Valen pulled himself ruefully away from the mare and started to walk tentatively where the beast had come from. The ground was slick with slime and he had a tough time maintaining his footing. Then again, he was having a tough time maintaining anything this day.

[colour=#0033cc]"I didn't do anything anypony else wouldn't have done,"[/colour] Valen said slowly, mind still reeling, [colour=#0033cc]"you included, M-Miss Rarity. As for that...thing...it looked like some giant worm. This passage appears to have been well-worn, or made, or traveled- I-I don't know. But it must have been here a while,"[/colour] Valen continued, trotting rather haphazardly, nearly tripping on his mucous covered shoes. They were likely ruined, but at least the thick slime prevented them from clapping on the ground.

Small victories.

[colour=#0033cc]"But...what about those Diamond Dogs? Aren't they supposed to be really good at...well...living underground? You'd think that they wouldn't have tripped something that dangerous so...foalishly,"[/colour] He continued to trot down, but now the combination of slick slime and his delicate shoes played against him and he fell flat on his rump, landing with a splash. His face crossed in disgust as he felt the slime go all over his flank, but he'd grown used to such physical insults by this point. He rubbed it and stood back up.

[colour=#0033cc]"Celestia above, I picked the wrong shoes for cave spelunking."[/colour]

[Corsair]

[colour=#ff4080]Fluttershy let out a scream as the ground erupted beneath their hooves. Instinctively, she shot into the air as the ground beneath her crumbled. But when she looked back down, her wings locked and snapped back to her sides. She dropped into a bush that cushioned her fall, but she found herself at the base of several of the...things that were now rising out of the holes they had made. The creatures were like nothing she'd ever seen, like big earthworms, but with mouths that were now reaching for her and her friends.

Fluttershy began scooting backward away from the creatures while still sitting on her haunches. That is, until she bumped into another one of the worms from the rear. With another scream, she leaped to her hooves and began galloping toward Applejack and Pinkie. In her panicked mind, the two ponies were the closest thing to safety, although all of them were surrounded. Rainbow Dash, at least, was up in the air and out of the encircling mouths. [/colour]

[colour=#ff4080]The frightened yellow pegasus desperately sought for someplace she could hide, but there was no cover to be had. Instead, she dropped to the ground and put her fore-hooves over her eyes. At that moment though, the rumbling from the ground got worse. Unable to help herself, Fluttershy peaked out with one eye. A gigantic shape was emerging from the ground, rising into the air behind Rainbow's back. "EEEEEK!! Rainbow Dash, LOOK OUT!" she yelled, pointing a hoof at the purple and yellow monstrosity that even now seemed to be reaching for her friend...[/colour]

[Rosewind]

Pinkie Pie sighed as Rainbow knocked the berries out of her hooves. [colour=#ed458b]"Cough up balloons? But I already do that sil..." [/colour]She teetered around on her two back hooves as she felt the ground begin to shake. She looked up as shadows loomed over her, and the giant worms, monstrous and fierce, protruded from the ground, Pinkie did the only thing she could: she laughed. [colour=#ed458b]"Waaahahahaha! Ooh! Go get'um, Dashie! You know, those would be great eating in a batch of baked bads!" [/colour]Pinkie grinned at Applejack.[colour=#ed458b] [/colour]She snorted, rolling on her sides as the long, sightless beasts caused the ground to shake, sending dust and grit flying in every direction. Leaves spilled from trees, and wildlife critters sprang from bushes and fled for their lives. She watched her pegasus friend lay into the worms with gusto.

[colour=#ed458b]"Hay everypony! You know those little trick cans of worms that POP out and scare whoever opens it? Those are the worms! Ohmigosh they're so FUNNY! AAHAHAHAHA!" [/colour]Pinkie wiped dusty tears off her cheeks as she nodded to Rainbow. [colour=#ed458b]"Yup! One is right behind ya! It looks like it wants to eat you! Wouldn't that be just terrible? Heeheheheehe!" [/colour]Pinkie picked up Applejack's discarded apple from the ground, and unceremoniously tossed it at the worm that was behind Dashie [colour=#ed458b]"Try this, wormy! It tastes better than a pegasus! Well er...not that I would know what a pegasus tastes like or anything. HA! Heehahahaha!"[/colour]

[Hippo]

[colour=#000000]Applejack ran towards Rainbow Dash. At the moment Pinkie threw an apple at the monster and distracted it, Applejack took a bite on Rainbow's tail, pull her into the right position, and pushed her to run. [/colour][colour=#ff0000]"We gotta get out of here! Run!"[/colour][colour=#000000] At this point, Applejack just had to trust that Fluttershy would scare herself over to safety. In fact, the chances that Fluttershy is already hiding in the place AJ is running to are pretty good. [/colour][colour=#ff0000]"Let's go on over to that cave over there. It looks like its got hard rock around. Nothing could dig through that!"[/colour]

[colour=#000000]After looking at the cave entrance, Applejack could see something she recognized, a small red wagon with wheels with several digging supplies on it. That's Apple Bloom's shovel! Applejack had given Valen and Rarity the wagon for the day. [/colour][colour=#ff0000]"I found their cart, they must be in this cave!"[/colour]

[colour=#000000]Applejack galloped to the cave and as she walked in, she immediately realized there was a problem with the ground beneath her. It wasn't there. Applejack fell down a steep underground slope made of rough rocks and ridges, until finally hitting the bottom of the cave, several vertical steps from the surface. She could hear the growls of what could have been the worm they were fighting. Fighting. Or running from. Without wings, Applejack was unable to lighten her fall, and she was pretty beat up. She looked up to see where her feathered friends are, and if the other earth pony's pink hide was still visible outside the monsters body. [/colour][colour=#ff0000] "Rainbow Dash! Fluttershy! Ah'm down here! Is everypony ok!? I fell down this stinkin' ditch, but I think we'll find Rarity and Valen down here."[/colour]

[colour=#000000]Applejack then spoke to herself. [/colour][colour=#ff0000] "I sure hope we'll find them, with all these giant creatures snakin' about."[/colour]

​

[Bramble Rose]

Rainbow Dash allowed herself to be dragged by the tail with ill grace, looking at the monster with undisguised annoyance. [colour=#0000cd]"Stupid monsters,"[/colour] she grumbled,[colour=#0000cd] "You beat them and they come back bigger and scarier. That's SO not fair! Oh, hey, I wonder if Rarity would find that worm ugly or pretty, with all those jewels."[/colour] Then she was running along after Applejack into the cave, and following along further deeper into the cave, and continued with the tumble down the slide, tucking in her wings to keep them from getting hurt.

She got herself up at the bottom, shaking herself and flicking her wings to puff the dust and dirt out, scowling. [colour=#0000cd]"OK, from now on, I lead the panicked fleeing. You're off the panicked fleeing roster."[/colour] She looked around, then. Such as she could. [colour=#0000cd]"You know ... this is right around when ... something with *light* would be a good idea."[/colour] She actually perked up, then, sounding cheerful and excited. [colour=#0000cd]"Oh, wait! When I packed my Daring Do kit, I packed a lantern! Hold up!"[/colour]

In the pitch darkness, she hauled off her saddlebags and started rummaging through them with a large number of clanking noises. [colour=#0000cd] "OK, what's this? Oh, frying pan. Compass... scrolls? Oh, probably a map. Always gotta have a map. String... multitool ... ah, here's the lantern! Now to find that flint ... it's in the small pocket, where's the small pocket? OW! That's a needle. And the thread to go with it. Dice? Why do I have dice? Ah!"[/colour]

There was a faint scratching noise, during which Rainbow's face could be oh-so-briefly seen by the shower of sparks, and then a soft glow of light. She raised the flame of the lantern so as to better illuminate the cavern, and smiled as she looked around. [colour=#0000cd]"Ah, there we go!"[/colour] The blue pegasus was surrounded not just by the objects she'd announced, but by a number of others beside - a big fan, a box of kleenex, several gears, a box of cupcakes, three apples, a bundle of quills, a long, unbound bandage sprawled all over the pile, and a kitchen sink.

[colour=#0000cd]"Right, everyone here?"[/colour]

​

[RarityDash]

[colour=#0033CC]"I didn't do anything anypony else wouldn't have done, [/colour][colour=#0033CC]you included, M-Miss Rarity. As for that...thing...it looked like some giant worm. This passage appears to have been well-worn, or made, or traveled- I-I don't know. But it must have been here a while,"[/colour]

It took a while for Valen to speak these words. At first he clung to Rarity, terrified as the awful monster passed them by. Rarity of course didn't mind this. She was terrified as well, and Valen holding onto her helped to stabilize her trembling form. When Valen did speak, it was in the quivering voice of a pony gripped by feat. Rarity tried to find her best, most comforting smile as she looked back at him.

Rarity nodded. [colour=#663399]"Yes. It seems quite likely that that ghastly beast is responsible for this tunnel and likely many similar down in this place..."[/colour] she said with a sigh. [colour=#663399]"I do so hope we can avoid it...."[/colour]

​

[colour=#0033CC]"But...what about those Diamond Dogs? Aren't they supposed to be really good at...well...living underground? You'd think that they wouldn't have tripped something that dangerous so...foalishly,"[/colour]

Rarity laughed at this comment and gave a fierce shake of her head. [colour=#663399]"Oh, please. Diamond dogs good at something? Isn't that a laugh. From my encounter with those vulgar simpletons, I can attest that they are sorely lacking in competence and skill, not to mention easy to manipulate. Their only quality that can be praised is their tenacity. That, if anything, is probably what keeps them from that monster's jaws," [/colour]Rarity said, her fear making her words perhaps more caustic.

She noticed Valen had started to move back out into the tunnel. She winced in disgust at the sounds being made, as his poor, poor beautiful shoes were sullied and stained by repugnant cave worm slime. It was absolutely dreadful. What was even more horrid though, was the thought of having to follow him. When the poor colt slipped and fell into that abhorrent mire, she felt nothing but the deepest of sympathies for the poor tortured little thing. Having to bear this was just too much.

​

[colour=#0033CC]"Celestia above, I picked the wrong shoes for cave spelunking."[/colour]

[colour=#663399]"Valen dear... how awful,"[/colour] she said shaking a little. She approached the tunnel and looked down at the filth lining it. [colour=#663399]"This is the only way, isn't it? I really have to stick my poor little hoofsies in that odious muck."[/colour]

Rarity took several deep breaths, and tried to calm herself. Of all the things that happened to her that day, this was the new worst possible thing. Seriously, at that moment, she would have traded dealing with the worm again for having to deal with its slime. She did her best to send her mind to happy places, to Canterlot, to the boutique, to her friends, to Applejack, to Sweetie Belle, to Rainbow Dash. She then took a large gulp and her first step outward. There were not enough words to emphasize how she hated it, but still she wade through.

Soon she had caught up to Valen and helped him rebalance himself, doing her best not to retch at the feel of all the slime. [colour=#663399]"Let's continue quickly, Valen. Enduring this is truly terrible beyond words," [/colour]she said in a strained breath as she began to hurry ahead.

​

[SteelEagle]

At least one of them had their wits about them. As terrifying and awful as that creature was and dire as the situation presented them seemed, you needed that voice of calm and a sense of order and optimism. Maybe Miss Rarity didn't radiate optimism, but she certainly had her wits about her and Valen was happy that they both weren't on the verge of complete panic. He was, but if she had been the same as he and given over to sincere panic, they would have been a truly awful situation. One terrified colt was bad. A terrified unicorn mare on top of that couldn't have helped matters any. Valen pulled himself up off of the slick floor, flank smarting but beyond that and his pride taking a similar hit not much was wrong.

He didn't really think that the diamond dogs were quite as incompetent as she led on, but what little he knew that had transpired between her and their kind seemed tp jive well with her views. But still, this was their domain- or should have been. They shouldn't be running like they were or at the very least there should have been some evidence that the worm was a new addition to the mountain scenery. It must have taken them a while to get set-up- but the again, had he seen any evidence that they were set-up? Perhaps they were scouting this location and ran into a denizen, but either way, the point was that they didn't want to stick around any longer than thy needed to. The dogs, incompetent or not, would want to take their frustrations out somehow and he didn't find the possibility of being some workhorse for the rest of his life a very compelling end.

[colour=#0033cc]"It is terrible, isn't it?" [/colour]He gave a little laugh, nervous energy making even such factual statements inherently comical. At least he wasn't the only one getting well-looked after hooves or shoes horribly dirty, though her flank was still not covered in slime. [colour=#0033cc]"But at least-"[/colour]

Any further thought was stalled when a loud rumble from above stole it. There were a few moments of tremors and the unstable feeling of the area seemingly shifting above them, a few stray rocks loosened above and falling down. Then, nothing. The hollow echo that follows such a cacophony didn't tell any tales, any further investigation stalled by this odd silence, like a dome surrounded them and the sound bounced around despite no real input. Echoes on echoes, Valen shaking his head as he scanned the ceiling above.

[colour=#0033cc]"Was...there another collapse?"[/colour] Valen asked, keeping low to the ground. Through no conscious effort, he drew closer and even partially under Rarity. The answer came from down the tunnel.

[colour=#800000]"Another collapse!? At this rate, the whole mountain will go under!"[/colour]

[colour=#ff0000]"I told ya we shouldn't have angered one of them big worms, now we're gonna get eaten!"[/colour]

[colour=#800000]"It's already passed, you klutz. We should have a few hours until it winds all the way back. But for now, we have to see what caused that crash."[/colour]

[colour=#ff0000]"What if it's a pony? We're close to one of their towns."[/colour]

[colour=#800000]"I hope it is! The boss could use a few dozen for the gem hunt down below. Let's get up there and see if we can dig our way to them!"[/colour]

Valen gulped.

[Rosewind]

After the ordeal with the worms, Pinkie Pie trotted to the edge of the precipice just inside the cave. She blinked, looking down into the inky blackness. [colour=#ed458b]"Helloooooooooo-oooo-oooo-oooo!" [/colour]she called down. [colour=#ed458b]"Helloooooooooo-oooo-oooo-oooo!"[/colour][colour=#ed458b] [/colour]her voice returned from an echo. [colour=#ed458b]"Applejack, Rainbow, you two really shouldn't jump down big scary holes before looking, sillies! Are you two okay?" [/colour]Unfortunately, the edge of the hole was nothing but crumbly, thin dirt, and both her front hooves slipped. Pinkie hugged air, hung in limbo for a brief moment, and tumbled, head-over-plot down the hole. She bounced off the sides. [colour=#ed458b]"Ouch, oof, oww, ack, eee!" [/colour]Her grunts echoed in rhythm as she made her way down the long, rough walls. Her saddlebags flipped open, and the contents rained out. [colour=#ed458b]"Noooo! My kitchen sink! And my chocolate souffle brulee cupcakes with pink cherry icing!" [/colour]she sobbed, grabbing for items as she tumbled. She hit the floor of the cave face first. Using her front hooves, she pulled, and her snout detached from the cold rock with a snap. She tested her jaw, wiping dust off her pink nose.

[colour=#ed458b]"Hiya Rainbow! I was just dropping in! Teeheeheeheehee!" [/colour]Pinkie sat up, inspecting her kitchen sink. [colour=#ed458b]"Phooey! It's cracked! It will never work down here!" [/colour]she said sadly, poking one of the broken faucet handles. She blinked her large blue eyes, adjusting to the brightness as Rainbow lit the lantern. [colour=#ed458b]"Oooh, that's a good idea! Why didn't I think to pack a lantern?!" [/colour]Pinkie started to trot toward one of the cave openings, and froze. Her tail shook, both her ears flattened, and she sneezed. She gritted her teeth, looking to her friends. [colour=#ed458b]"G-girls! My Pinkie Sense is going off! Oh yes, it's going off BIG TIME! Rarity is definitely here with her friend, and they're both in BIG TROUBLE! BIG! HUGE! ENORMOUS! Other really, really big words!" [/colour]As if in response, the floor shook again, and bits of dust and small rocks fell from the ceiling. Pinkie swallowed hard, hyperventilating. [colour=#ed458b]"Oh my, oh gosh! What are we going to do?!"[/colour][colour=#ed458b] [/colour]

[Corsair]

[colour=#ff4080]Frozen with fear, Fluttershy watched as Applejack galloped in and pulled Rainbow away from the giant... whatever it was. The part of the pegasus' mind that wanted to understand and help all animals was trying desperately to identity their foe, but was coming up with nothing.[/colour]

[colour=#ff4080]The farm pony and the weather pony galloped past her, and Fluttershy heard Applejack shout out to go to a nearby cave. Fluttershy's eyes shrank to points, and she began to protest. "B-but Applejack! Caves are dark, and scary, and cramped, and wet, and..." she sputtered. However, her rambling was cut off as another of the worms burst through the ground right in front of her. With a high-pitched scream, Fluttershy leaped to her hooves and ran after her retreating friends, her eyes clinched shut.[/colour]

[colour=#ff4080]So it was that she too ran right over the edge of the fissure in the cave. Some pegasus instinct made her open her wings as she fell, but the total darkness of the tunnel was too disorientating for her to discern up from down. She tumbled nose over tail until finally reaching the bottom with a thud.[/colour]

[colour=#ff4080]Fluttershy laid on the ground, stunned from her landing. She struggled to open her eyes, only to realize they were already open. The cave was pitch black. The pegasus began to hyperventilate, curling up into a ball of misery. Slowly though, she realized there were voices in the darkness. Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie were all there. When Rainbow produced a lantern, Fluttershy lunged into the circle of light.[/colour]

[colour=#ff4080]She grabbed the rainbow-maned mare in a fierce hug, saying "Oh thank goodness you're ok! I was so scared that that monster was going to do something terrible!" She wanted to grab all of her friends and hold on for dear life. Then, however, she realized that someone was missing. With a gasp, she shouted out "Angel!! Where is he?!?" The bunny was still been on her back during the attack, but she'd totally lost track of him during her run and the subsequent fall.[/colour]

[colour=#ff4080]A bedraggled white rabbit limped into the circle of light then. His normally pristine coat was streaked with mud and dirt, one ear flopped limply over his face, and he did not look happy about it. He approached Applejack, giving the mare a kick to one of her hooves, as if to say '[/colour]This is all YOUR fault![colour=#ff4080]'[/colour]

[colour=#ff4080]Fluttershy swept the bunny into her forehooves and began hugging him was well, just as Pinkie Pie started to tremble.[/colour]

​

[Hippo]

[colour=#000000]As Applejack attempted to get herself to stability, Rainbow, Pinkie and Fluttershy all followed Applejack's leap of faith. Rainbow grabbed a lantern out of her bag at laminated the dark tunnels with it, shedding away the black that said they couldn't see where they were going. But now they could clearly see ten steps ahead of them before they were breached by the underground blackness. A small win to be had, but nevertheless enough for them to seize hope in their surroundings.

Angel had lept in with Fluttershy, and gave a severely disappointed look at Applejack. She started regretted everything before. The fall she just had wasn't even that embarrassing. It was really just a mistake of footing. She would rather tumble down a shaft than be eaten alive by a giant earthworm. She was more embarrassed that she had before thought there was nothing wrong. Fluttershy's sense of danger was always hard to gauge, as her fear of everything got in the way of telling a straight story. And besides, Rarity and Valen could handle themselves. Worst case scenario would have been a revisit with some stupid diamond dogs, in which Rarity proved herself in dealing with them all by herself.

But this was way worse. A giant worm running through the mountainside and devouring everything in it's path. [/colour][colour=#ff0000]Did it eat Rarity and Valen already? Was Applejack's favorite cousin gone?[/colour][colour=#000000] Applejack took a sit, in order to rest her rear legs. She could hardly stand at the thought of losing two ponies near and dear to her. And with that, a tear from Applejack shed, rolled to her muzzle, and fell.

But Applejack was always going to be their with her friends, and she wasn't going to let a tiny thought in her head keep her from pressing on. If Rarity and Valen were alive, Applejack would find them. They had to be here. Somewhere. Applejack stood back up and threw her voice into the tunnels. [/colour][colour=#ff0000] "Rarity! Valen! Are y'all down here?"[/colour]

[colour=#000000]It was just then, Applejack realized how valuable Twilight would be right now. Without a unicorn to use magic to find a path down here, the earth ponies and pegasi were practically blind. Applejack turned to her friends, who were dealing with kitchen sinks and random supplies in their saddlebags, which was something Applejack was without. Had she known this trek to be more abrasive and dangerous, she would have packed one herself. [/colour][colour=#ff0000]"How are we gonna find the right way, guys?"[/colour]

[colour=#000000]Just then, Pinkie Pie started trembling. Applejack gasped. [/colour][colour=#ff0000] "It's yer pinkie-sense! What's it sayin'?"[/colour][colour=#000000] To Applejack's surprised, Rarity and Valen were alive, according to the fabrics of Pinkie's pink tail. But then, the ground started shaking vigorously. [/colour][colour=#ff0000]"Oh, I don't know! Let's just move!"[/colour][colour=#000000] Applejack sprung from her position and started galloping down the dark tunnel, yielding to the distance Rainbow Dash's lantern covered. [/colour][colour=#ff0000]"Come on, y'all. We might as well start looking for more clues as to where we can find Rarity and Valen."[/colour]

​

[Bramble Rose]

Rainbow Dash let out a strangled little noise as Fluttershy fastened herself around Dash's neck, a faintly panicked expression coming over her face. [colour=#0000cd]"Need... air!"[/colour] she gasped out desperately, struggling a moment before finally pulling out of Fluttershy's grasp. [colour=#0000cd]"Heeeey, don't worry!" [/colour]she reassured the yellow pegasus. "[colour=#0000cd]It's me! What could move fast enough to hurt me?"[/colour]

She turned and started gathering up all the supplies she'd dumped out of her saddlebags, giving an odd look at Pinkie Pie and then just rolling her eyes and shaking her head. A glint from the cave-in caught her eye, so she pushed a couple rock to the side with a hoof and found a small pile of spilled jewels. [colour=#0000cd]"Ah-ha!" [/colour]she exclaimed! [colour=#0000cd] "Look at this! I think we found a CLUE!"[/colour] she whipped out a magnifying glass and peered at the jewels. [colour=#0000cd]"Yup, Rarity was probably here, all right! Though I'm surprised she left these behind!"[/colour] She fastened her bulging saddlebags on tightly, picked up her lantern, and started off down the tunnel after Applejack. [colour=#0000cd] "All righty! Let's go find us some adventure!"[/colour]

A half-our later, her hoofsteps were a little bit heavier and more weary. [colour=#0000cd]"Ugh... No one told me adventure would be so BORING!" she groaned. "All these caves look alike! Are we going in circles?"[/colour]

​

[RarityDash]

[colour=#0033CC]"It is terrible, isn't it? [/colour][colour=#0033CC]But at least-"[/colour]

Valen spoke as they trudged along through the mire. He cut off suddenly as some tremors resounded through the cave. Rarity was at first disappointed by this as she was, in her dirtied-hoof hysteria genuinely curious as to how the situation could be any worse. She genuinely couldn't think of anything! However, when the tremors continued and rocks began to dislodge from the celling she instead turned her focus to keeping her balance.

​

[colour=#0033CC]"Was...there another collapse?"[/colour]

Rarity nodded as Valen drew close. That seemed like a very likely possibility given the strength of the tremors. It was more than would be produced simply by that beast slithering about. Something had given in. It was likely even more of this horrible, unstable mountain had collapsed in on itself. [colour=#663399]"Most likely," [/colour]she said simply, doing her best to keep it together. Valen needed her to be strong here. Even with her hooves in this filth, she couldn't panic. She had to keep a level head. Though all the same, she knew it wouldn't take much effort to get her to snap.

The echos of a conversation sounded down the tunnel then, affirming their suspicions. From their words and voices this was likely a pack of diamond dogs, perhaps the same ones from earlier. Rarity's concerns were mostly for her and Valen, but the idea that someone else might have fallen down to this place with the latest collapse did provoke concern. She'd hate to see some hapless pony enslaved by the dogs. No self-respecting pony deserved that odious fate.

[colour=#663399]"Valen, I think we should follow those voices and investigate this collapse,"[/colour] she said, nodding to the colt. [colour=#663399]"If someone else fell down here, they might be in danger now. I know our focus should be on looking for an escape, but we can't in good conscious leave anyone behind to these dogs."[/colour]

​

[SteelEagle]

Valen wasn't sure that following voices that almost assuredly belonged to the gaggle of Diamond Dogs they had seen earlier was the wisest decision, but what he was

sure about was that staying in place(as lovely a proposition as it was) was likely not the best course of action. Rocks were falling and they'd only get worse, but the timber of the voices made their location seem safer than theirs. Oh Celestia, why was this happening? Was he absolutely banned from having fun for just one day in Ponyville, or was he simply cursed by his association with a mare of such talent as Miss rarity? It seemed so unfair, so unnervingly biased, of fate to conspire against him with such totality. Oh well; his head was too banged up and the possible concussion clouding his thoughts meant that any deeper thought on the issue was scrapped. He'd have time later to think. Or not.

[colour=#0033cc]"Agreed, Miss Rarity. We can't let anyone else get hurt," [/colour]He whispered, thinking it provided a more noble excuse than his true intent. He trotted down the tunnel until they came back to the main room which had multiple paths branched off of it. Well, multiple may have overstated the number as it was two real paths and as small forced hole that he and Rarity had come through. That one seemed packed with debris; they weren't going back there. They had gone through one of the two tunnels, which made the choice pretty easy. A small opening led to a small walkway over the abyss, barely big enough for a pony with a single hoof let alone four. The downward path would have been viable had a path of slime not show that it was the worm's hunting grounds.

Valen gulped and allowed his vision to grow hazy for a second as he slowly took off his shoes.

[colour=#0033cc]"Well, uhh, I guess we have no choice except...up. That narrow path. This is a bad time to tell you Miss Rarity, but I have a rather terrible fear of heights,"[/colour] he took a few deep breaths as he tied the shoes around his neck. He wasn't sure if it was a good idea or not, but he knew keeping them on was not an option. neither was leaving them behind.

[colour=#0033cc]"After you, M-Miss Rarity."[/colour]

[Rosewind]

Pinkie Pie hopped along with her friends, enjoying the spooky shadows cast on the dusty cave walls. She stopped in front of Rainbow more than once to make a shadow puppet with her hooves in front of the lantern: first, a big scary dragon eating a giant cupcake, a mock-up of the worm they encountered earlier, and most terrifying: Rarity, first thing in the morning. [colour=#ed458b]"Look at all the gems! LOTS of them! All over! Spike would be in pure dragon heaven here, everypony!" [/colour]Pinkie shook dust out of her mane, while blowing soot out of her nose, as well as a few random bits of confetti. Her Pinkie Sense had faded away from earlier, though she was careful to monitor herself, in case any signs would return.

She sneezed, her nose itched, and her tail flicked. The pink mare grinned awkwardly, looking to the rest of the group. [colour=#ed458b]"Nope! That's just a false alarm! If my Pinkie Sense was really going off, my tail would stand straight up and my left eye would blink. Twice." [/colour]Pinkie's tail stood straight up. She blinked her left eye. Twice. [colour=#ed458b]"Like that." [/colour]Pause. [colour=#ed458b]"LIKE THAT!" [/colour]She grabbed Applejack by her shoulders and shook her. [colour=#ed458b]"It's...going...off! Aaah! They're close! VERY CLOSE!" [/colour]Pinkie's screaming and carrying on did several things at once. First, and most important, is that it caused several huge stalactites to dislodge from the ceiling due to the vibration. Pinkie felt a few small pebbles drop into her floofy mane from above. She froze, gazing upward with her large, blue eyes. [colour=#ed458b]"Aah, so that's why my Pinkie Sense is goin' off! Hey everypony, we're in mortal danger!" [/colour]She said happily. [colour=#ed458b]"RUNNNNNNNNNNNNN!"[/colour]

[Hippo]

[colour=#000000]As rock spikes from the cave started dropping, Applejack started making evasive leaps and bounds, dodging the spikes as they fell. At one point, she saw a stalactite falling towards Fluttershy. She raced across the cavern towards her, and pushed her out of the way before it fell on top of her. Applejack breathed heavily as she got up. [/colour][colour=#ff0000]"Are you ok? Is everypony ok?"[/colour][colour=#000000] A slight rain of rock spikes seemed to be a typical nature for this adventure, as the tremors and earth-shakes riddled this area over and over again. She just hoped that shouting Rarity and Valen's name was not going to be a hazard.[/colour]

​

[Corsair]

[colour=#ff4080]When Pinkie started to twitch, Fluttershy found herself frozen in place. She held tightly to a struggling Angel. Her eyes darted around rapidly, but could see nothing beyond the the small circle of light provided by Rainbow's lantern. Fluttershy didn't have claustrophobia like some pegusii, but this total darkness felt like it was crushing in on her. On top of that, she was suddenly feeling terribly guilty. She'd brought the other girls out here, and now they were all trapped. Between her fear and her guilt, she barely heard Pinkie's shouted warning. [/colour]

​
[colour=#ed458b]"Aah, so that's why my Pinkie Sense is goin' off! Hey everypony, we're in mortal danger!" [/colour]She said happily. [colour=#ed458b]"RUNNNNNNNNNNNNN!"[/colour]

[colour=#ff4080]Fluttershy tried to rise to her hooves, but her legs were shaking too badly. Angel Bunny, freed from her forelegs, started pushing the mare to get her to move, but it was no use. Fluttershy looked up, and saw part of the ceiling descending toward her! She let out a scream, just as an orange blur flew into her and pushed her out of the way. [/colour]

[colour=#ff4080]As the tremor finally died down, Fluttershy finally struggled to her hooves. Coughing on the dust kicked up by the falling stalactites, she turned to Applejack, who was breathing heavily after her dash across the cave. "Oh, Applejack! Are you Ok? I'm so sorry!" she cried out. She began checking the farm pony for injuries, babbling apologies. "This is all my fault! I brought you all out here, and put you all in danger, and now we're all trapped, and we don't even know for sure if Rarity and Valen are down here!" Slumping back to her haunches, she said dispiritedly, "What do we do now?" [/colour]

​

[Bramble Rose]

Rainbow Dash looked up at Pinkie's cry, seeing the rocks starting to fall. She wasn't sure whether she should be worried ... or DELIGHTED! [colour=#0000cd]"Woohoo! A little excitement at last!"[/colour] She darted between the falling rocks, rolled under a particular large one, karate-kicked a small one away from Fluttershy, and generally had fun testing her speed against the cave-in, grinning like a lunatic. She winked at the yellow pegasus, patting her on the shoulder. [colour=#0000cd]"Don't worry, Fluttershy, I have faith in you. They need our help, and we'll help them!" [/colour]

She looked around, her weather-mind following the fading echoes as if they were peals of thunder. [colour=#0000cd]"OK, now it's a bit different underground... but if I hear this right, I bet those giant worms are nearby, and.... this way!"[/colour] She started to move, but then stopped... her eyes widening. There, in the hall ahead ... it was one of the big worms! It just lay there, not moving, not stirring, the valuable gems studding its hide flashing in the lantern light. [colour=#0000cd]"Whoah,"[/colour] she whispered,[colour=#0000cd] "check it out. There's one of them now!"[/colour]

​

It's not actually one of the giant worms - it's just a shed husk.

[RarityDash]

"Agreed, Miss Rarity. We can't let anyone else get hurt,"

Rarity gave a steady nod in accord and walked alongside the colt. Soon they had returned to the section of cave where they had been before. It had seemed like they had had a number of options here not too long ago, but looking at it now, Rarity found this was not the case. As the downward sloping path bore the marks of the beastly worm's slime, the only option was the treacherous path leading up. Valen seemed to be realizing the exact same thing as her.

​

[colour=#0033CC]"Well, uhh, I guess we have no choice except...up. That narrow path. This is a bad time to tell you Miss Rarity, but I have a rather terrible fear of heights,[/colour]"

Rarity gave a weak smile and nodded.

[colour=#663399]"I'm afraid you're right, Valen. We really do have no choice here. It's a precarious route for sure, but it's the only one we have here,"[/colour] she said as she grimly trotted toward the perilous pathway with the young pony.

​

[colour=#0033CC]"After you, M-Miss Rarity."[/colour]

She nodded as Valen motioned her ahead of him. She was the adult here, so she wasn't going to put it on Valen to lead the way. This would be difficult, but she needed to have faith. She could do it. Most knew her only as the genteel dressmaker, but she far from weak or timid. A situation like this called for her remaining cool and collected and boldly pressing ahead. She needed to remember the friends she held so dear and follow their example. If she could steel her nerves and be as bold as Rainbow Dash she could do this, and do it while keeping Valen safe. She just needed to stay calm.

[colour=#663399]"Very well, Valen,"[/colour] she said in a low voice. [colour=#663399]"Let's be brave here, for everypony. We need to remain calm and move with grace and care."[/colour]

With that, she got on her hind legs and scooted out onto the path, her back to the cave wall. Her hooves inched carefully along the path; some debris came lose and went hurdling down into the depths below. She gave a gulp and then looked back toward Valen.

[colour=#663399]"Don't be scared, Valen dear. I will catch you if you fall, I promise...."[/colour] she said, her voice taking an assuring tone. She motioned with one of her forehooves for the colt to come along.

​