Present Day

Frozen North, Outpost Frostbite

The doors were opened and the Hollow Earth Aerial Vehicles were unveiled to all. At long last.

Celestia led the admittedly large group into the hangar bay, where every single eye paid witness to T.I.T.A.N.’s secret project. One of many. Twilight Sparkle led the Council of Friendship, her closest friends Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Rarity. Fluttershy remained behind to keep Kong calm, but she was of T.I.T.A.N., and the Titan Whisperer knew what they were going to unveil.

Bon Bon and Lyra walked together, closely knitted and unwilling to break apart. Seeing Project HEAV in its final development stages was almost surreal to the special agent and the agent in training, only Bon Bon having heard rumors of T.I.T.A.N. developing a means to enter and traverse the dangers of the Hollow Earth. To see it, to know they would more than likely be stepping inside those vehicles… Bon Bon would have lied if she said she wasn’t nervous. So she didn’t say anything.

Just stood closer to Lyra.

Shining Armor, Princess Cadance, and Daring Do were all in a similar state of mind as the two agents, having known of T.I.T.A.N.’s experiments long ago but having shelved the thought in the back of their minds. The world was constantly moving, constantly changing thanks to the superfauna introduced to their ecosystem. The Hollow Earth, while a very real possibility, wasn’t usually their top priority in defending their world.

But it was Celestia and Luna’s. Ever since an entrance was discovered months ago, more and more just kept popping up. Equus’ greatest sectrets were being opened to them, and they needed to face it. They needed to know just what kind of power rested beneath the world they thought they knew.

Together, the two directors led the path forward with Commander Blackhoof and his armed escort of T.I.T.A.N. guards. The directors had their own guards join as well, as the crowd slowly but surely congregated around the large vehicle resting in the center of the hangar bay. Along with four more just like it.

And yet, perhaps the most silent group all—which was surprising for them—just so happened to be the young, six creatures tagging along on this world-ending threat of a mission. The Young Six were speechless to say the least. Seeing Godzilla and Kong in anything other than a news report from the televisions or in the newspapers already shattered their worldview on just how massive the creatures were, but seeing T.I.T.A.N.’s operations up close and personal was beyond anything that they could have imagined.

Now, they gazed upon a machine and several others like it that supposedly had the capability of taking them into the center of the planet. Judging by the words Command Blackhoof and Director Celestia began to spout, that thought slowly but certainly became a reality.

“One year back when Monster Zero, or Titanus Ghidorah, was freed from his frozen imprisonment with thanks from… an old enemy the Frozen North is no stranger to,” Blackhoof began to say, walking alongside the black hull of the HEAV, “Outpost Frostbite was devastated. But… some good news came out of the aftermath… as well as something we never expected.

“The radiation field Godzilla cast over the land… it was all dissolved. Like it was absorbed, sucked down into a great funnel beneath the ground… in the abyss Ghidorah crawled out of. We thought the land was uninhabitable, but after word of a Hollow Earth entrance was discovered in Ghastly Gorge, it didn’t take long for other expeditions to begin… and discoveries started sprouting. That’s how we learned Frostbite wasn’t completely lost…”

Commander Blackhoof slowly turned his gaze away from the vehicle to rest on the crowd staring unto him intently. His eyes barely visible beneath his peaked cap, Blackhoof muttered, “When we found a pathway to the Hollow Earth beneath Ghidorah’s tomb.”

Nopony could utter a word. Leaving Blackhoof to finish his little history lesson. “That wormhole seemed to absorb Godzilla’s radiation, leaving the land… mostly safe. Once we rebuilt, and after months of strenuous testing, the princess and the directors in Canterlot sent us some of their prototypes. Did some testing of our own, and with these latest models,” he slapped the hull of the closest HEAV twice, “we’ve been able to launch some short expeditions.”

“You actually went into the Hollow Earth?” Daring Do exclaimed in a flabbergasted and, albeit, somewhat jealous tone. Many heads shifted to the adventuress.

Blackhoof tightened his lips, scrunched his face, and snorted. “Not exactly.”

It was Celestia’s turn to speak up, giving the Frostbite commander a thankful break in order to share her slice of the story. Approaching the stationed vehicle, Director Celestia earned every eye when she said, “When Maud Pie first discovered the Hollow Earth entrance in Ghastly Gorge—”

“Yippie! That’s my sister! Just the Pies making history as usual! No big deal,” Pinkie Pie exclaimed while leaning against Applejack, looking over her hoof smugly with a large, playful smirk gracing her lips.

Luna and Celestia cast their gazes to the pink party pony, once more taken aback by the stunning differences between Pinkie and her older sister, doubting if they were even related. The thought came and went before Celestia continued. “Yes, um, well… we tested first with a prototype HEAV, or ‘Hollow Earth Aerial Vehicle,’ and found that the deeper the machine traversed, the more pressure and energy increased. This was… unlike any energy source our kind has ever encountered.”

“A new magic?” Lyra asked, speaking her thoughts aloud. Seeing the attention shift her way pushed Lyra back into herself, almost regretting sharing her mind.

Seeing her wilt like a flower spurred Celestia into action, and she replied, “We are… not quite sure yet if it’s connected to the magic of Equus. For all we know, it could be a power all of its own, finally leaking into our world after being separated for so long… much like the Titans. But, that was what the Frostbite expeditions were for, as this pathway just so happens to be the largest energy source among all the Hollow Earth entries discovered.”

The sheer scope of their awe spread to each and every pony, the Young Six especially. Twilight was less surprised, as she had known this information long before. Still, there was much more to be discovered, so many unknown variables that the scientific part of her heart couldn’t help but leap with excitement for. She hid it well, despite a few twitches growing across her now-showing, giddy smile.

Luna picked up for her sister, saying, “After some more testing, we were able to find the perfect iteration of the HEAV, one that could survive the initial pressure and energy field in the wormhole. Then came the gravitational shift… and entry into… a world beyond our own.”

“These HEAVs weren’t piloted,” Twilight reassured the group, stepping forward, “but remote controlled, just to be safe. The wormholes transported the HEAVs deep near the center of the planet, thousands of miles in seconds… and they were able to fly around for a little bit. But after that, the expeditions were lost, radio contact and remote control just… fizzling out.”

“You’ve known ‘bout this whole ‘underground world’ this whole time an ya never thought twice ‘bout tellin’ any of us?” Applejack asked.

Twilight just shrugged. “You weren’t part of T.I.T.A.N. Fluttershy knew,” she answered simply.

Whistling, tipping her hat up to get a better view of the many massive vehicles lined up across the docking bay, Applejack shook her head with a scoff. “Hay, nex’ thing ya know we’re all bein’ recruited. Doesn’t seem like a bad gig.”

Rainbow Dash chimed in, “If ya don’t count the constant threat of monster attacks and risking your life being lost in underground worlds… I mean, don’t get me wrong, sounds awesome, buuut… I’m good with the Wonderbolts for now. None of ‘em seemed too eager in any joint operations with T.I.T.A.N. after the Crystal Empire.”

Applejack chuckled. “Can’t say Ah blame ‘em, Dash.”

“I don’t think we’re going to be offered the same luxury, girls,” Rarity added, noting their importance as the Elements of Harmony, and where they needed to be. Where they needed to go. Each of their eyes were slowly drawn back to the Hollow Earth Aerial Vehicles.

Twilight understood what Rarity was implying, and added, “Don’t worry; these latest incarnations are the safest yet. They can go even further, be manually piloted…” Her eyes turned away from the HEAV and rested on her friends. On her allies. On the brave, brave souls about to embark on the greatest journey their species had ever known.

She took in a deep breath and sighed, smiling confidently. Believing they could do it. “These HEAVs can safely take us there and survive in such an environment.”

“Well, what are we waitin’ for?! Let’s get down there and find that radioactive lizard!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed excitedly, the prospects of diving head-first into uncharted territory almost too much for the daredevil in her blood to contain. She was already flying right for the closest HEAV before Twilight’s magic yanked her to a halt in mid-air.

“We’re waiting for somepony,” Twilight said, and the tonal deflation of her voice was clearly caught. So much so that Rainbow’s enthusiasm started to drain, and her eyes fell back to where Twilight’s rested.

To the lone, meager Pegasus… staring up to the patient, benevolent wonder of the world.

The crew of heroes turned to one another, knowing what needed to be done still. Though many wanted to feel the same weight their Titan Whisper was bearing, some believed it was a connection none of them had. Not like Fluttershy. So, when it came to leading Kong into danger once more, Celestia was the one to lead them onward. Where they needed to go, even if it hurt.

With the Council, Shining and Cadance, Lyra and Bon Bon, the Young Six, and the Frostbite crew all standing together behind the two sisters, they approached Fluttershy with cautious intent, Celestia treading over every word carefully.

Kong’s eyes flicked past Fluttershy, seeing the large crowd grow behind her, and he snorted in defiance. Turning away to instead gaze to his surroundings, palming the snow beneath him, shivering and growling softly to the land that was not his own. Seeing that change, Fluttershy turned around.

With Celestia and Luna coming up on each of her sides, the elder proclaiming gently, “There is an alpha call deep in the Hollow Earth. We believe this might be Ghidorah, and Godzilla is following it.” Celestia turned her gaze over to the Pegasus, to which Fluttershy did not return. The former ruler’s eyes fell. “Maybe… this doesn’t have to end with Kong and Godzilla. Maybe we could find Ghidorah, the Bewitching Bell, and end this madness for good.”

Luna didn’t want to hide the other possibility, stating the fact that they all needed to face. “We need Kong to follow us either way… just in case the latter doesn’t work out… and Godzilla stands in our way.”

It wasn’t particularly comforting by any means, but the facts were the facts. If they went down into the Hollow Earth without any Titan support from Kong, their odds dropped significantly. Especially if they came face to face with the King of the Monsters. Especially considering that anything down there was an anomaly, the surface of Hollow Earth’s mysteries barely scraped by T.I.T.A.N.

Fluttershy knew and understood that. She couldn’t argue against that. What she struggled with was made known, when she finally let her voice be made known.

“I can’t lie to him… or give him a reason to go to the portal,” the Titan Whisperer muttered aloud, her strained voice almost threatened by tears at an instance or two. Turning her wearied and wounded gaze over to her left, Fluttershy faced the oncoming wind that blew against her long pink mane and stared into the open maw of the facility.

The steel door was opened, the darkness waiting within the facility, the icy mountain, and leading to the portal of the Hollow Earth.

Celestia and Luna exchanged a glance, almost trying to find that reason in that moment, but were stopped by Cadance’s gentle touch. A brief interaction between the director and the Princess of Love, and one where Cadance reassured her auntie that she should give it a try. A simple nod was given as approval, and the sisters stepped back to let Cadance work her magic.

It started by draping her wing comfortingly over Fluttershy’s withers, bringing the Pegasus into a warm embrace, which was especially grateful given the climate. Side by side, Cadance and Fluttershy stared onto Kong in silence. Nopony said a word. The wind whipped at manes, tails, and cloaks as the crew stood on the edge of the Frostbite facility, doing nothing but watching Kong.

And waiting.

Then finally, hearing Cadance speak.

“If Kong could follow us into the Hollow Earth, maybe he could follow the alpha call, too,” Cadance suggested, Fluttershy peering up at the Alicorn curiously. Cadance met her stare, smiling a mother’s smile. “Do you remember when we first landed on Black Skull Island, how I told you that the island is Hollow Earth brought to the surface? The boneyards made us theorize that Kong is the last of his kind, but… his ancestry belongs to the Hollow Earth.”

Princess Cadance lifted her head, staring onto the lumbering ape slowly turning back to them. “That’s how we convince him.”

“More of his kind?” Fluttershy asked, almost skeptical to the idea. But nonetheless, with hope lingering on every word. “His family?”

Turning away from Kong’s gaze, Cadance smiled down to Fluttershy once again. “I hope so.”

Deep in her heart, she really did. Logically, it didn’t make sense for all of Kong’s species to be relegated to a small landmass when compared to all of the Hollow Earth. Then again, they very well could have, and a hopeful lie could be pushed into Kong’s mind just so they could get him to do what they wanted.

Cadance didn’t want to believe that, and truly did hope for more of his kind to be found. But right now, they were running out of time. Godzilla was on the move and Ghidorah was potentially down there, needing to be stopped.

And thankfully, Fluttershy was convinced. “Okay… I’ll try,” she said, earning a sigh of relief from the crowd behind her. Choosing not to ignore them despite their overbearing presence adding more weight to her conscience, Fluttershy stood up and twisted her head back to them. “All of you should get ready just in case.”

That statement along spurred everypony into action. Commander Blackhoof and his Frostbite legion were ordered back into the command station by Celestia and Luna, told to close the gates behind them and ensure nothing got in or out. Meanwhile, the directors and their teams would be commandeering the HEAVs. Blackhoof understood without a word of opposition, and the two forces split.

Just as Twilight and the directors approached the Radiance, the Princess of Friendship felt a tug on her tail, and she spun around to meet a multitude of cautious but hopeful glances from her former students. Each of the Young Six simultaneously crowded around their old headmare and professor, and they spoke what was burning in all of their hearts.

“Does this mean we get to join you in the… ‘Hollow Earth,’ too?” Silverstream asked, taking her talons off Twilight’s tail and planting them together in a pleading manner.

“Can’t be forgetting what Harmony said: all of the Elements are needed for this,” Smolder emphasized for extra support to their cause.

“We’ll stay right by your side; whatever you want,” Sandbar added, his eyes and voice sharing the same pleading energy as Silverstream’s body language did. “Please… we need to do this.”

Admittedly, Twilight still had some questions and concerns about the validity for their Spirit of Harmony claims. It was still hard to grasp, but she knew they wouldn’t lie about something like this. They were good kids, great students, and she was happy to call them friends, too, but they were still kids. They were still young, and their lives would be threatened just as all of theirs would be.

But they risked their lives before against Tirek, Chrysalis, and Cozy. Their heroics were admirable. Even now, they were showing that they would embark straight into the heart of uncharted evils if it meant upholding the aspects of harmony and friendship, bringing back balance to the world they lived in. Caring not for their personal well-being, but the well-being of others. Seeking adventure with confident smiles and bravery burning bright in their hearts. With the only rallying cry in their minds being that as long as they were together, they knew they could face anything that came their way.

So very much like Twilight and her friends when they were younger, when they were first bestowed the Elements of Harmony. That got a small smile of realization out of Twilight Sparkle.

And turning that smile to the Young Six started to ease their fears. Those fears were gone when Twilight said, “You stay close to me, okay?”

Their smiles were admittedly infectious, and Twilight couldn’t hold her grin back as they proceeded to bombard her with hugs. “You’re the best, Twilight!” Silverstream cheered, and with final embraces, Twilight sent them on their way. The Young Six retreated back, practically galloping and flying as fast as they could to the nearest HEAV with the rest of the Council of Friendship.

Not seeing the smile begin to fade from the princess’ lips. “We’ll all need to be,” she whispered to herself, that Celestia and Luna seemed to catch by their worrisome glances. Twilight hid her emotions away, meeting the two with firm nods. “I’ll meet you on the HEAV.”

With that, Twilight retreated as well. Leaving Celestia and Luna in command of the Radiance.

That didn’t last. Stepping up to the ramp, the directors met with the remaining pilots of the lead airship, addressing their second-in-command personally. “Captain Stratus, you have control of the Radiance. Once you have the fleets refueled, await our orders after we reestablish radio contact. If any word comes from Canterlot, don’t hesitate to reach us. We’ll respond the second we can hear you,” Luna explained.

The bright green Pegasus saluted firmly to his superiors, responding in kind, “Yes, ma’am! You can count on us!”

“We have no doubt of that,” Celestia added, smiling and bowing her head to them. “Good luck to all of you.”

“And to you as well, ma’am! Come back to us,” Captain Stratus urged, more emotion leaking at that final statement than he would have wanted.

Celestia and Luna took that for what it was, and retreated as well to the docking bay.

With three of the five HEAVs fitted and preparing for takeoff—the Council, the directors, and the Young Six filling one, with Shining, Cadance, Daring, Bon Bon, and Lyra filling the second, and an assortment of reinforcing Royal Guards and T.I.T.A.N. soldiers filling the third and last ship—all that was left was Fluttershy.

She stood alone and stared upon the open gate on the face of Outpost Frostbite. The sun beat down heavily on her, on Kong, but the cold was fiercer. The wind tore at them both, and Fluttershy hoped that would be another reason Kong would enter the realm of the Hollow Earth.

Taking in the biggest breath of air she needed, and exhaling a cloud of frozen worry, Fluttershy stared up expectantly to the great ape. He approached her, eyes like fire resting on the small but very dear friend to him. The only one he could call a friend in a very, very long time.

In that mystical voice, that language that broke barriers that Kong somehow seemed to understand, Fluttershy spoke to him.

“Your family might be down there.”

Kong’s heart skipped a beat on that word. That universal word that held far greater meaning and impact to him than Fluttershy realized. Turning to the area she pointed, Kong stared fiercely into the darkness that resided in the cave, that word fueling his thoughts and flowing through his heart, his veins, igniting them like a flame. A tribe like his own. A clan like the apes he still remembered. A relationship to the ones he lost at so young of age.

Family.

That was all that was needed to earn an energized huff from the great ape, and Kong was on the move. Much to Fluttershy’s shock, the Pegasus readjusting her balance due to the small tremor Kong had just caused. But she watched in awe as he tore across the frozen landscape, stampeding right for the open entrance deep into the abandoned tomb of the tyrant, Ghidorah.

A different tremor came shortly, and one from above. Fluttershy squinted skyward to see the hovering HEAVs flying overhead, one hesitating just for her. One with its side door wide open and her best friends coaxing her to hurry up and hop aboard.

With one last quick glance to Kong, Fluttershy shot out her wings and kicked off the ground with surprising strength and speed, so very much unlike her. But in the embrace of the rest of her friends, entering the hold of the Hollow Earth Aerial Vehicle with the door shutting locked behind her, she hoped the worry and adrenaline rushing through her veins would begin to calm down.

It had only just started.

For the three HEAVs were hot on the trail of the King of Black Skull Island, and Kong wasted no time adjusting to the environment laid before him. He swung from the steel rafters that kept the cavern from caving in on itself, sensing a massive energy surge that called to him. An energy reminiscent to that of his home. If the hope of his family being near wasn’t already enough, the hope of his home spurred Kong even faster, harder.

And by the time he reached the abyss, it was too late to stop himself.

He slid down into the awaiting jaws of the hole, the darkness having faded and the swirling vortex of multicolored rays shining as bright as the sun. Kong fell with one last worrisome cry, his palms trying to grasp the edges but failing. The HEAVs nose-dived in right after him, the occupants all safely strapped in, holding one another and themselves, as Kong was devoured in the vortex and they followed suit.

But even they weren’t prepared for what came next. What they saw. What they experienced. The vortex swallowed them all whole and silence returned to Outpost Frostbite.

The steel gate was slammed shut and locked down, just as the directors ordered. And where the T.I.T.A.N. fleet remained stationed, being refueled for the undeniable fight ahead, several moments of silence passed with the crew settling in.

Until the radios of the Radiance blazed to life and a voice called out, “Canterlot HQ to Radiance, do you read us? We have an urgent status update!”

Captain Stratus settled himself into his seat, above the rest of the bridge and peering down onto the communications officer’s computer console. He nodded the officer along, who established contact with the headquarters. “This is second-in-command Captain Stratus of the Radiance. Be advised, we are currently refueling at Outpost Frostbite while Princess Twilight and the directors have embarked into the Hollow Earth with Titanus Kong; what’s the word?”

“Captain, you need to establish contact with Her Majesty and the directors at once. The Canterlot reinforcements are awaiting their orders…”

Stratus’ eyes nearly bugged out of his skull, and his heart skipped a beat when it was said.

“Project Mecha is ready for relaunch.”

Author's Note

Artwork by Shrekzilla