Equestria Under

I trotted, with purpose, towards the end of Shadow Dwell. I knew Snow would be waiting for me. He would have to be. There was just so much I wanted to ask him, so much I wanted to tell him! As I reached the edge, I gazed out into the field, hoping I would soon see him. When I did not I, instead, turned my attention to the sky. What fortune awaited me, there? It seemed that just the other ray, when the rays were abundant, a great positive was bestowed upon me...So what of toray?  I scanned the dim sky, eyed the dark clouds and counted the rays. Not many more than normal, apparently.

"Then, perhaps, I should not expect too much, today..." I thought, aloud. This was a jest, on my part, of course. The path of a shadow-pony depended only on them and - if any - those who wanted to help them.

After a few more minutes passed, myself still gazing into the sky, I saw an object move up there. It wasn't the dragging or swirling movements of the clouds, but something else...Plus, the object seemed a lot smaller against the vast sky. After studying it a moment, I realized it was a fly shadow-pony!

"What under earth is that fly shadow-pony doing, way up there?" I asked myself, still staring. I watched as the fly-shadow pony dipped and dove, twisted and turned, looped and rolled around in the sky. How courageous! What feats! How did they ever manage to get to such heights!

I began to shift , uncomfortably, as I watched the creature do the things I could only think to do. I wasn't sure if I was more appalled than I was attracted -- or even if it were both!

"Hello." A voice from somewhere around me, said. I snapped out of my thoughts, and looked swiftly about.

"Snow." I eyes the under-pony as he trotted up to me, his head already turned in the direction mine once was.

"If you do not mind my saying, just what are - were -  you looking at?"

I looked back up at the sky. Nothing. No trace of the fearless figure I had seen, just moments before.

"...It is nothing." I said, "Do not trouble yourself about it."

Snow was soon hugging me. "If that's what you want," He said, quietly.

"Mhm." I slipped from his grasp and proceeded to exit Shadow Dwell.

"Where are you going?" Snow asked, a laugh in his voice.

"We," I said, "Are we not going to The Caves, this ray?"

"We are. But remember I said The Caves are located on the inside of Shadow Dwell."

"Right....you did say that..." I turned and trotted up beside Snow. "Lead the way."

"Sure thing," Snow bumped me in the flank with his own and then started off with a trot.

*    *    *    *

It was not long before we stood before a precipice. It was so large, in fact, that I almost wasn't sure how I had never noticed it. The cliff was located at another end of Shadow Dwell, once which I had never visited, before. Painted on the face of the cliff was a huge, gaping hole. I sensed nothing from within, yet still felt the least bit uneasy just looking at it. All the way here Snow had been so up-beat about just getting here that I had only been able to put a few words in. I was afraid that it wasn't appropriate to start asking questions, just yet... Doing that might upset him.

"Well then!" Snow said, cheerily. "Here we are! The Caves!"

"So if this is 'The Caves', then why do I only see one cave?" I asked.

"This is simply the entrance, Pinkamena," Snow explained, "The inside, though is known to be maze of twisting and turning corridors which my only lead to one's doom if ever one should enter..."

Looking over at Snow, through my mane, I said, "And who has told you this?"

"I...I heard it at a gathering, once," Snow coughed out. I could tell it bothered him to speak these words. No surprise. I was certain he was above gatherings, at his point...or...was he?

"That is another question I will ask him... sometime." I thought to myself. I ws already feeling as though I wanted all of this to hurry up and be done with so we could return to the dwell and speak, there. Something about asking Snow the questions out in the open was a bit disturbing to me.

"Shall we proceed?" Snow asked, moving forward.

"But...how do you know I am ready?" I asked, holding back, "Surely if any who enter may as well perish, do you not think that I should be more...able to go?"

Snow pulled me up next to him, with his magic. "Do not think that I believe you to be a burden or a slow-down, Pinkamena," He said, "I am with you and you are with me. If you feel you are not ready for this then we can leave, but if not then let us proceed just a little ways in."

"....I will go with you." I concluded. "And it's not that I feel like I am a burden, per se, it's just... well...Snow might become upset if I stall any longer.... I stepped up next to Snow and we were soon enveloped in the darkness of the cave.

*    *    *    *

The light from Snow's horn gave off a pleasing light, allowing for a greater view of the surrounding tunnel. We had already traveled a little ways and, earlier on, Snow informed me that his magic was limited and that he would use his best judgement to determine when it would be time to go. He could keep his horn alight for a considerable amount of time, yet it was only the brightness that could never stay the same, for as long.

Snow also informed me that the creatures which might dwell within the cave were unknown to the creatures on the outside, so he said it was best to keep our guards. I was sure to quickly put him in the know that "keeping a guard up" was not a strong point for any shadow-pony...but that I'd give my best efforts if anything were to come up.

Snow had laughed, then, "I appreciate your saying so." I wondered if he had been mocking me, at the time, but I did not care enough to ask him.

"How far do you think we've gone in? I asked, eyeing Snow's horn. We had already been walking for a quite its light had not decreased, considerably, at all, but I knew its luminosity had dwindled, in some way or another. Just something any shadow-pony would know.

"Over 230-some steps," Snow replied, continuing to look about the cave, as we went along.

That had been my attempt at small talk and I didn't expect him to actually answer - not in that way, anyways. Nevertheless, if I had any patience it was already gone.

"How much longer do we have?"

"Well," Snow stopped to rub his chin, "I couldn't tell you that. Remember I said that The Caves are a network of  joined corridors...there isn't just one and they all probably don't have an exact "end", if I know anything--

"And you certainly do know things," I commented.

"Well, yes...I do," Snow said. I could tell he was looking at me. "Pinkamena..."

"Perhaps this is the end?" I suggested, pointing a hoof at what really appeared to be the end of the cave. There was nothing more before us but a looming, solid wall of stone.

"Oh." Snow said, his voice cracking, "Well...it appears I do not know as much as I think."

"You spoke with certain uncertainty," I assured Snow, "So perhaps you do know as much as you think...and possibly a bit more."

Snow just looked at me, seemingly unsure of what to say.

"Anyways. Now that we've reached the end, the next step would be to turn around and go back." Snow watched as I steadily made my way back towards the entrance. Eventually, he decided to follow.

*    *    *    *

Back at my dwell, I found myself trying to start up a fire, on my own. Snow quietly entered into the dwell, behind me, and I assumed he was only watching me, now.

"Want some help with that?" He asked.

"I do not mind." I said, moving aside, as he stepped up beside me.

"Pinkamena," Snow began, immediately as he got to work, "I've...been thinking about something, toray."

"I have, as well," I answered, gazing at him.

"Mhm, yeah, well... the things I've been thinking about probably aren't anything like yours," Snow moved a few more pieces of root into the hearth.

"Perhaps not," I agreed, still staring.

"Yes, so, well, perhaps, then you wouldn't mind hearing me out about a few of my thoughts?" Snow asked, bending his horn towards the hearth.

"Not at all. In fact it is such a conversation that I've been longing for... all ray." I finally admitted, feeling as though a burden had been lifted from my essence, somehow.

The fire in hearth raged into existence. Snow looked over at me and then bent down to the floor, bringing his forelegs into a comfortable position. I followed suit and waited for him to begin.

"Well, first of all...what you said...I expected that." He paused  moment and then said, "Well, I expected something. I mean, toray - all that transpired - it all felt so rushed. First we were one place and then another and...well... I admire your enthusiasm and all that, but toray was...well...different. Your enthusiasm seemed hollow and your worlds for conversation, empty...I don't like that from you, Pinkamena...But I am glad I have an inkling just what was up, though."

I nodded at Snow. "I understand...And so I guess some sort of  an apology is in order?"

"Not necessarily." Snow said, "Just...maybe next time you're not so interested in what I - what we're doing - just let me know, won't you? and every time after that."

I nodded, once again, "I'll do that."

Snow sighed and then smiled, "Thanks. Now on to what you needed to say."

"But you said 'thoughts'" I said, "Doesn't that mean that you have more to say?"

"No, no...the aggregate of the thoughts were on regards to your actions, on toray...They've been assuaged, thank you very much."

"I see." I said, " But now, Snow, there are many thing that I have to say. Many of them are in regards to yourself and under-ponies because there is just so much I want to understand about you all."