Chapters The Cavern Down in Everfree
Cutie Mark Crusaders Cavern Finders
“I’m not so sure about this, Scootaloo.” The yellow filly squirmed as her orange friend butted her forward towards the dreary, menacing forest.
“It’ll be fine, Apple Bloom! I mean, I think so.” Scootaloo’s purple eyes showcased a flash of doubt and the pegasus filly hesitated for a moment, but that moment passed and she continued to talk about her new idea. “Plus, you’ve been here tons of times!”
“Yeah, with Zecora !” The stubborn yellow filly stomped her hoof, her red mane was fluttering lightly in the breeze along with her large bow. “Not alone!”
“But you won’t be alone!” A unicorn filly grinned at her friend, “You’ll be with us!”
Apple Bloom was unable to speak another word as her giggling friends ushered her into the forest. Everything became dark and a twig hit the side of her face, making her yelp slightly. After what seemed like an eternity, the trio emerged into a sparkling clearing.
“What is it?” The white filly bounced towards it, her horn making a small spark in excitement, she turned to her orange friend, her green eyes twinkling in wonder.
“This.” Scootaloo gestured to the clearing, “Is where we get our cutie marks, girls.”
“Here?” Apple Bloom tipped her head to the side, her orange eyes dimmed, “Really, Scoot?”
“Really!” The pegasus rushed out to the center of the clearing and parted the grass to reveal a hole large enough to allow a filly to wriggle through it, “Here.”
“Where does it go?” The white filly jumped at it, wiggling her purple and pink tail as she attempted to peer into the darkness.
“I don’t know, Sweetie Belle, how about we go find out?” Scootaloo’s eyes sparked in a challenge and she dropped down to the hole and began to wriggle through it. Sweetie Belle followed close behind, Scootaloo’s hot pink tail brushed at her nose, making her sneeze.
“Guys, I don’t think this is a good idea.” Apple Bloom called into the hole where her two closest friends had disappeared. No response drifted to her. She glanced all around her, her eyes resting on a pair of bright blue eyes in the darkness. “Guys! Come out of there!” The filly screamed down the hole, not checking to see if her advice was taken before she galloped away through the bushes.
Neither Scootaloo nor Sweetie Belle heard her. “Hey, is Apple Bloom with us?” Sweetie Belle tried to twist her head but was unable to do so in the narrow tunnel.
“I don’t think so, she probably went home. Ah well, more fun for us, right?” Scootaloo wriggled on, shoving forward when one of her shoulders got stuck.
“I hope she gets out of the Everfree Forest okay.” The unicorn followed her friend, keeping her head low so her horn didn’t hit the ceiling. “Woah, it’s really cold down here.”
“I think we’re almost there!” The pegasus filly sped up, feeling the cavern widen until she could stand. Squinting, she peered around as Sweetie Belle appeared at her side. “Where are we?” Scootaloo took a step forward, finding that there was a steep slope. She couldn’t keep herself balanced, and she slid down the dirty slope, landing with a soft thud at the bottom.
“Whee!” Sweetie Belle followed, sliding on her back. “That was fun!” She glanced all around, squinting, “I can’t see anything. Where are we?”
“I just asked that.” Scootaloo stood and shook out her wings nonchalantly. “You’re the one with the magic, try and light the place up.”
“I don’t know if I can…” The unicorn filly sighed, “But I can try.” She closed her eyes and focused so hard that she was shaking. At last, a small light flickered at the tip of her horn. Hearing Scootaloo gasp, she flung her eyes open, “Did I do it?”
Surrounding them on all sides were bright blue eyed changelings. Their teeth glinted off the light that had flooded their cavern. “They don’t look happy!” Scootaloo backed up, bumping into something. She looked up into the face of her idol, “Oh thank Celestia, Rainbow Dash!”
Rainbow Dash opened her mouth and all at once changed her appearance into a changeling. It shook out its wings, making a buzzing noise, and launched at the filly. Its fangs plunged into her neck, making black spots swim through Scootaloo’s vision.
Sweetie Belle made a soft squeal as she backed away from her friend as the orange filly’s appearance shifted and morphed. At one moment, she’d looked like a giant orange. Then, all of a sudden, a small purple eyed changeling blinked at her. “Sc-Scootaloo?” Sweetie Belle reached a hoof forward and it was attacked by the newly made changeling.
What had once been Scootaloo was now the changeling that was digging its sharpened fangs just above the unicorn filly’s hoof. Sweetie Belle screamed and began to flip her leg all around, but she could feel her form stretching and bloating until her brain seemed to close. The green eyed changeling blinked into the face of the purple eyed one, but neither made any move that suggested they’d known each other and they went their separate ways.
***
Apple Bloom rushed through the rows and rows of apple trees, closing in on her older sister. “Applejack!” She screeched, putting on an extra burst of speed, she flung towards her sister and slammed into her orange flank.
“Apple Bloom? What in tarnation?” Applejack blinked at her sister curiously with her emerald green eyes.
“It’s Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo! They’re in trouble!” It was hard for the filly to choke back her tears as she collapsed to the ground in front of her sister.
“What kinda trouble?” The mare hesitated, “Where are they?”
Apple Bloom explained everything, from Scootaloo telling her and Sweetie Belle about some cool thing she found all the way to the pair of eyes she saw in the forest. As she told the story, her eyes brimmed with tears, “And when I came back here, they weren’t following me! But I couldn’t go back, that thing was there!”
“You did good by comin’ to me, Apple Bloom, but you need to lead me back there.” Applejack was tense, the barrel of apples that she’d worked hard to collect had been forgotten for the time being. “Let’s go find Rarity and Rainbow, then we’ll head out.” She pulled her hat down so it shadowed her eyes and led the filly away from the farm and into town.
The Cavern Down in Everfree
“Rainbow! Rainbow get down here!” Applejack stood on her hind legs, wobbling slightly, under Rainbow Dash’s cloud house.
The cyan pegasus peeped her head out, “What’s with all the racket?” She called as she leapt from the cloud and fluttered her wings so she landed lightly in front of her orange friend.
“It’s Scootaloo. She and Sweetie Belle might be in huge trouble.” The earth pony spoke gravely, “They went down to the Everfree Forest and went into a cavern and no one has seen them since.” She leaned forward so Apple Bloom couldn’t hear her, “And Apple Bloom saw what sounds like a changeling’s eyes in the forest.”
“Ew. Just its eyes?” Rainbow looked disgusted, then intrigued, “Did she touch them?”
Applejack hit her friend on the head, “They were glowing from the darkness she said.”
“I thought we got all the changelings out of Equestria. And Twilight said we got them all, how did this one sneak by?” The pegasus pretended that she wasn’t concerned, but her brain was working double time, she wasn’t sure if it was from being hit or from the news.
“I dunno. But that’s what we need to find out.” The farmpony said solemnly, “And we need to get Rarity. This involves her as much as it does us.”
“It involves all of us! There’s a possible changeling outbreak way too close to home, and we need to stop it.” Rainbow slammed her hoof onto the other one, making a harsh clacking noise.
“The hole’s not big enough to fit any full grown pony!” Apple Bloom interrupted, “So how are you going to kick their butts?”
“Great. So we need an army of fillies?” Rainbow groaned. “How is that gonna work?”
“Maybe Twilight has an idea. But the more time we waste, the more time ticks away for those little fillies.” Applejack turned and began to trot towards the library. Rainbow zoomed passed her and reached the library first.
“Twilight!” The pegasus slammed into the door a moment before it was opened by a small purple and green dragon.
“Hi Dash.” The dragon snorted with laughter as he was pushed away by a lavender unicorn.
“Rainbow? What in the world is wrong with you?” The unicorn blinked her dark purple eyes expectantly.
“Twi! There’s a changeling in the forest and Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo are missing!” Rainbow Dash stood up shakily and shook out her wings. “Apple Bloom says she knows where the other fillies are and she’s going to lead us there.”
“Us? You and I?” Twilight hesitated, peering over at Spike, who hadn’t heard what the pegasus said and was curled up and sleeping in his basket, a small cloud of smoke hovered above his nose.
“No, Applejack is coming too and we thought we should probably tell Rarity since it involves Sweetie Belle, and since it also involves changelings, we thought we should bring Pinkie and Fluttershy.” Rainbow was evaluating her conversation with the Apple sisters, “Apple Bloom said that the hole was only big enough to fit a filly or colt.”
“Well go get Rarity, Pinkie, and Fluttershy, then come straight back here. I think I have a spell we could use for this situation.” The unicorn gave a final nod and closed the door. Hoofsteps were heard going upstairs as she went to find the book it was in.
Applejack appeared, “Did ya tell her already?” She turned to watch as Apple Bloom trotted up behind her and collapsed near her front right hoof.
“Yeah. She said to get the others then come back here.” Her eyes sized up the Apples, “You guys seem tired, you should stay here.”
“No way, Rainbow. I’m fit as a fiddle!” The orange earth pony looked down at her sister, “But maybe Apple Bloom should rest here. She knocked on the door and waited for a while before a sleepy Spike opened it, yawning.
“Hello?” He blinked sleepily, “Weren’t you just here, Dash?”
“She was.” Applejack pushed Apple Bloom forward, “But while we go get the others, we thought Apple Bloom could stay here.”
“Sure, yeah.” The dragon ushered Apple Bloom in before shutting the door lightly.
“It’d probably go faster if we split up to get them.” Rainbow turned to the farmpony, “How about I get Pinkie and Rarity, since they’re in town, and you go get Fluttershy.”
“Alright. Sounds fair enough.” With a tip of her hat, Applejack was off, galloping towards Fluttershy’s cottage.
Rainbow flew lightly over the ground, reaching Sugarcube Corner sooner than she thought. She landed and pushed open the door. Immediately she was greeted by her pink friend. “Dashie!” The giddy earth pony appeared out of seemingly nowhere, “What’s up? Do you want to buy something? Maybe a cupcake? I just took in a fresh batch! They’re ch-“
“Pinkie!” The pegasus cut off her friend, “There’s a changeling near town and Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo are in trouble, I do not want a cupcake!”
“Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo are in trouble? Let’s go save them!” Pinkie Pie rocketed to the door, and had just opened it when Rainbow Dash flew in front of her.
“No, you need to go to Twilight’s house, we’re grouping there.” She gently turned Pinkie in the right direction and the pink pony bounced away into the distance. “Whew.” Rainbow swiped a hoof across her head; that had been a close one. She made her way to the Carousel Boutique.
As this went on, Applejack had just reached Fluttershy’s cottage. She knocked lightly on the door, which was almost immediately answered by the shy yellow pegasus. “Hello? Oh, Applejack! What brings you here?” She smiled, her aqua eyes shining.
“I’m afraid it’s not something good. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo are in trouble and Apple Bloom spotted a changeling in Everfree Forest.” Applejack explained hastily, “We’re all going to meet at Twilight’s and head out.”
“Oh, that’s terrible!” Fluttershy put her hoof to her mouth, “I’ll be right out!” She turned and closed the door gently. Nothing was heard from inside until the door opened again. Fluttershy appeared, looking exactly the same, and stepped out, closing the door behind her. “Alright, let’s go.”
As Applejack and Fluttershy made their way back to Twilight’s library, Rainbow Dash had arrived at the Carousel Boutique and was being led in by Rarity. “So, darling, what brought you in today?” The white unicorn turned her stunning blue gaze on her athletic friend.
“Well, Sweetie Belle is in trouble.” Rainbow blinked, awaiting a reaction, when none came she continued, “There’s a changeling in the forest where she was last seen and we’re all going to meet up at Twilight’s place.”
“Well let’s get on with it, then.” Rarity moved past her friend and left the boutique. The duo walked more calmly than Rainbow expected to Twilight’s library. They arrived shortly after they set out and walked right in.
“Oh, Rarity, you made it! Good, now we can start.” Twilight smiled softly and arranged Fluttershy, Pinkie, Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow into a circle with herself. “Apple Bloom, Spike, stand back.” She had a book open before her, and once she saw that the filly and dragon were a suitable distance away, she stared down at it. Concentrating hard, her horn began to glow in a pinkish light. The light became brighter almost blinding and a sound like a small explosion occurred.
When the light faded, Apple Bloom and Spike stood with their mouths agape, “Twilight…you’re a filly!”
The Cavern Down in Everfree
“Not quite, Spike.” Twilight grinned, “Just the size of one. We do need to be this small to fit in the hole, right Apple Bloom?”
“Yes ma’am.” The filly’s orange eyes were wide, as if she had no idea what had just happened.
“Augh!” Rainbow Dash unfolded her wings and flapped them, only going a bit off the ground, “How am I supposed to kick changeling tail like this?!”
“Quiet, Dash. I’ll bring the book so I can change us all back to normal when we get down the hole if there’s time.” Twilight’s horn began to glow as the book floated near her head.
“Why didn’t we just do this when we got to the forest, Twi?” Applejack gently placed her hat, now larger than her head, on a nearby table.
“If there is indeed a changeling watching the hole, it would certainly attack us while our backs are turned.” The unicorn thought for a moment, “Which might be the reason we can’t turn back to normal down there, so prepare for that.”
“Hate to break up the little party here, darlings, but shouldn’t we be on our way?” Rarity trotted past Twilight as a blue light emerged from her horn, holding the door open expectantly.
“Right. Come on girls, we have some changeling butt to kick.” Twilight glanced at Spike, “Hold down the fort, Spike.”
The dragon saluted as the seven ponies left, “You can count on me!” The door shut and he relaxed his muscles and trudged over to his bed, curling up and tossing the blanket over himself.
Outside, Apple Bloom was leading the older mares to the forest, “Come on guys! We might be too late!” She began to gallop.
“I’m coming, Sweetie!” Rarity shouted to the wind, beginning to gallop with the farmfilly.
They reached the edge of the forest when they slowed down, Apple Bloom skidded to a stop. “Alright, they went…uh…they went…” Her ears flattened. “This way!” She trudged forward, taking the winding route that Scootaloo had shown her. They reached the edge of the clearing, “Alright guys.” Apple Bloom’s voice dropped to a whisper, “There it is.”
“Good. Apple Bloom, I can’t ask you to go down there with us, you should go back to the farm.” Twilight moved past her, bumping her spellbook on Rainbow’s head.
“Watch where you’re swinging that thing.” The pegasus hissed angrily, rubbing her head with a hoof.
“I have to go. My friends are down there, Twilight.” Apple Bloom stared determinedly into the clearing.
“Oh no you don’t. Let the grownups do this, you need to go home.” Applejack pointed her hoof back down the trail.
“Fine.” The filly put her head down and slowly walked back the way they came, her tail dragging in the dirt.
“Let’s move out, then.” Twilight trotted into the open and immediately dove into the hole, shoving the book in first. She was followed by Rarity, who complained only once about getting dirty, then Rainbow Dash, then Pinkie Pie, then Applejack. Fluttershy made a soft whimpery noise before closing her eyes and sliding into the hole.
Twilight wriggled, the walls closing in around her, all she heard was the sound of dirt being shoved out of the way by her book and Fluttershy’s occasional whimpering. Suddenly, the book emerged from the tunnel. “We’re here.” She whispered softly.
“Be careful, you never know what could be waiting.” Rarity called from behind Twilight.
“Probably changelings.” Rainbow grunted, annoyed.
Twilight rolled her eyes and stood, shakily. She took a few steps forward before the ground slanted beneath her and she slipped. Something grabbed her, but her momentum pulled harder. There was a tug of war of force before all six ponies tumbled down the slope.
“Get in a circle. Now.” Twilight hissed, opening her book, “I can’t see the pages!” She gasped. Her horn produced a small glitter of light, she hoped it wouldn’t give them away. She had no idea what the cavern looked like.
Fluttershy screamed as the faces of angry changelings appeared. Rarity stood, a scowl plastered on her face, “Now you dirty scoundrels stay back. You hear me?! Back!” Her eyes focused on two small changelings that eyed her with the rest. The only difference was their eye colour. One had purple eyes and the other had green ones. “Sweetie…Scootaloo…”
“Are you crazy?” Rainbow Dash stood beside her, following her eyes. Her jaw dropped, “Squirt!” She turned in a circle, screaming, “What did you do to her?!”
“Like it?” A humming voice purred from somewhere in the darkness at the edge of the cavern. All the heads snapped to see two glowing golden eyes locked on them. “Care to light this corner? It’s so cold and dark.”
Carefully, with a suspicious glare, Twilight allowed the light to showcase the entire cavern. The golden eyed pony stood in the only tunnel besides the one that our heroes had entered in. The golden eyed pony gave a sharp toothed smile as the light danced off her blonde mane. She took a step forward.
“Derpy?!” Pinkie Pie looked incredulous, “But why? And what happened to your voice?!”
“I put on a show in public, Pinkie. It’s really not that hard to fool you idiots.” The pegasus mare’s smile widened and her eyes moved to opposite sides. “I just don’t know what went wrong!” Her classic voice echoed through the laughter of the changelings. Derpy’s eyes straightened and she set them in a glare. “What’s the book you have there?”
“What book?” Twilight moved slightly, “Maybe doing that thing with your eyes is making you blind.”
Derpy chuckled, “Changeling number 425.” A changeling flew in front of her and stood up straight, pride filling its chest. “Get me that book, do not harm the ponies.”
The changeling gave a curt nod and rushed at the mane six, its jaws wide open, showcasing its vicious fangs. It shoved Twilight over, holding its hoof on her as it grabbed the book. It released her, carrying the book like a loyal dog back to Derpy.
“Ooh, a spellbook. Is that why you’re so tiny? Like a group of little fillies?” The mare gave a dark chuckle. “Destroy the book.” She gave a pointed glance at Changeling 425. The changeling nodded and tore at the book with its fangs.
“No!” Twilight rushed forward, only to be tackled to the ground by a changeling. Suddenly, the light went out. The only thing lighting the cavern was the eyes of many changelings glowing in the darkness.
The book was taken from Changeling 425’s grasp and brought to Twilight’s face, torn and covered with green goo. “Oh no.” She wailed.
“Take them to the dungeon.” Derpy turned as changelings rushed to follow her orders. Hoofsteps were heard walking away down the tunnel as Derpy made a swift retreat to her quarters.
