"Let's go! Let's go! Those gems ain't gonna mine themselves!" said the booming voice of Land Mine. "We gotta hustle 'em over to the Canterlot Trading Post! This low in the ground can make us richer than some filthy rich pony!"

"We're trying our best! There may not be any gems at these depths!" one of the team members replied.

"I don't care! Do you wanna be filthy, or do you wanna be wealthy?!" Land Mine said.

The miner ponies carried on. They had been digging for several hours (with lunch breaks in between), digging nonstop for more and more gems, small and big, for profit. They were all in poverty, and gem mining was their profession. They were all unicorns, and they all complained at how long it was taking each batch of gems, usually 10 minutes apiece.

Suddenly a wall gave way. "Wwaahhh- Oof!" one of them said. He had dug into a strange tomb that hadn't looked like it'd been used ever since the birth of the two princesses, Luna and Celestia. Inside was a clock that appeared to be... Working? Impossible, they thought. Nothing this old could've been working for this long. Perhaps it was recently moved here? Again, impossible. It looked as old as the tomb itself.

"No way. This has gotta be a joke," Land Mine said. "Seriously. You'd think it'd be gone by erosion. But, either way, this little puppy should be worth royalties! WOOHOO!!! Come on, boys! Let's get to work!"

However, at the slightest touch of a pickaxe, the whole ceiling above them came crashing down, crushing the three miners. Their bodies were later found a whole year later. Explorers examined the clock, surprisingly 100% intact.

2 minutes...

Several scientists say that when the clock strikes midnight, Equestria's fate shall be sealed, and thaat no one, not even Princess Celestia, would be able to stop it.

At least, that's what they thought...

Author's Note

Trying my hand at another story, this time entirely made up by me.
Got bored, decided to try writing an original story.
Perhaps Iron Maiden's 2 Minutes to Midnight inspired me? I really have no idea.