The Descent to Hollow Earth

A cascading plethora of colors consumed their visions, and then the descent really began as darkness was suddenly their greeter. The wormhole just as quickly spit them out as it did when it ate them, firing Kong and three more specks of light across a vast, empty darkness, where blackness as thick as oil covered every corner of every direction.

Just as suddenly, like an earthquake, like a vicious storm, the HEAVs shook. Violent rays of purple, pink, blue, and hot scarlet shot out like streams of light, like a fire trying to consume them. The plunge took them through the darkness and into what could have been considered an entirely different dimension momentarily.

Within the HEAVs, the occupants held onto their seats, their safety straps, and each other as tight as they could. The experienced pilots did everything in their power to keep their hooves on the controls, keeping the ships in line with the streams of light flowing around them. Just like the previous expeditions, tests, and simulations told them to.

A horrendous blur filled everycreature’s vision, distorted waves of reality impacting and flowing through their very bodies like an invisible, violent embrace. And they were all affected, eyes shut tight as the intense speed, pressure, and energy was almost too much for their senses to handle. Twilight, no matter how hard she tried, couldn’t hold back an agitated scream as her mind, body, soul, and spirit were all finally being pushed to their absolute limit.

And then, just then, it was over.

Just before it seemed nocreature could take it anymore, the plunge had ended, and they were spit out into an oncoming brightness. One that was calm, warm, and rivaled that of Twilight’s own sunlight. Every eye opened and every jaw fell. There were sharp gasps, but not a breath was heard for quite some time after that.

For the freefall into the Hollow Earth was but another hurdle they had to overcome, and one that thankfully was shorter than the initial descent. Because the anti-gravity magic of the HEAVs' engines kicked in, and all three of the flying machines tipped accordingly far before they ever reached the ground. Kong, however, was not granted such advantages.

He impacted the nearest mountain he could reach, clawing at its edges to slow his descent in any way. Ripping through mounds of rock, dirt, trees, and vegetation of an almost alien degree, Kong finally slowed himself just enough to reach solid ground once more, and he landed on all fours with a thundering slam!

As the dust cloud arose, out came Kong charging ahead, with three HEAVs hot on his tail.

Once the terror and adrenalin-pumping excitement finally came to a manageable level, everycreature realized just how much energy they exhausted simply by sitting down and holding on. They were all nearly out of breath, taking a second or two to catch that breath before their eyes finally adjusted to the world beneath their world.

The light eased considerably as the HEAVs flew between great mountain peaks practically drenched in misty waterfalls and vast growths of green grass. And once they could see, every last one of them only wished they could have seen so much more. For they flew fast, they flew high, and they missed much of what was unveiled in every corner of every landscape all around them.

So every second was spent admiring and breathing in the vast majesty of the Hollow Earth.

They were the first surface dwellers to witness the center of their planet with their own eyes. And at its center, where the brightness was too blinding to stare at for too long, was undoubtedly the molten core of Equus miles and miles away. Its raw strength and heat drenched the lands above and below in a warm golden light, acting as this world’s very own sun. Various other crystals hanging and growing from the lands shone with a similar light, adding to the blindness.

As for the lands above and below, they were almost mirror images of each other. Vast mountains with bundles of clouds hanging in the air between the two earths, lightning striking from one end to the other. A strange blue aura was glowing within the rocks upon the ground and floating within the clouds, more theories of an unknown energy source—or perhaps a new magic—filling the minds of the HEAVs’ occupants.

It was an untamed and dangerous weather environment, and the same could be said for the inhabitants that emerged.

Fluttershy gasped sharply, a stunned and wonderous expression filling her widened eyes. Her expression brightened in comparison to the planet’s core, her heart skipping a beat or two when she saw them. A small herd of what appeared to be giant lemurs, two monstrous Indrilemurs with four smaller ones behind them. A family, and one so big they quite literally walked and climbed across mountains. Their curious expressions turned to the charging ape below them, as well as the flying vehicles.

But they weren’t the only ones.

A similar fauna from Black Skull Island also inhabited the Hollow Earth, strengthening Princess Cadance’s earlier theory of Black Skull’s origins. A flock of Leafwings flew past them, but thankfully left the three HEAVs alone. Past where Kong stampeded, large hordes of pig-like creatures dispersed from Kong’s path. Fluttershy and the ponies and creatures above witnessed them, the Brambleboar hordes kicking up small dust storms behind them.

Nearly camouflaged to the glowing blue mountains and forests, Killer Chameleons woke up to the sound of Kong’s rushing feet, their heads turning to him and reverting to their original green hue. Eyes flicking to the flying ships, the gargantuan chameleons quickly lost interest and returned to their rest.

Charging on, Kong rumbled the ground he past by, and hidden in the rocks came several more creatures. Rockclaws that quickly began to disperse upon the sudden tremor that came and went, but it was already too late for them to hide. A fat, lizard-like creature came out of the nearby flora and chomped down on the closest Rockclaw, almost grinning with satisfaction at its fresh meal. It turned to Kong with that grin, wagging its tail happily.

Kong paid them all very little heed. They didn’t cross his path, they didn’t dare hinder his journey, so he let them be.

As for the Council of Friendship, the Young Six, and everypony else, there were no words to be said to accurately portray the indescribable feelings that washed through them.

Silverstream did her best to contain her excitement, but it was too much to hold back. She practically flattened her face against the glass windshield, eyes darting to every moving thing they flew past. Yona was of the same boat, unbuckling her safety straps and joining Silverstream by the windshield. Ocellus, Smolder, and Gallus were a bit more refrained, simply admiring the scope and scale of the Hollow Earth from the safety of their seats.

Sandbar could hardly take in a deep breath, mind still reeling over the fact that they were really here. Brought to this mystery, this wonderous land by the will and order of Harmony itself. His childlike curiosity urged him to take in as much of the Hollow Earth as possible, but a deeper sense of responsibility burned brighter within him. He needed to remain calm. He needed to be prepared.

But he still managed a glance or two to the world outside, a sly, excitable smirk growing across his lips.

Perhaps more than anypony else, Daring Do was left in sheer awe. Speechless, and very nearly breathless. To Daring, the seal of the Hollow Earth had been broken, and the first steps into fresh, uncharted lands had been marked. There was a whole other world right beneath her hooves, a world that was calling and chanting her name, just asking to be discovered.

Lyra and Bon Bon sat side by side, neither pony wishing to let go of the other’s hoof. As long as Bon Bon had served T.I.T.A.N., all the theories, all the failed expeditions, all the photographs and discoveries of the Hollow Earth paled in comparison to what they had discovered now. This was beyond her comprehension, beyond her and Lyra’s wildest imaginations, for she was flying in the birthplace of all Titans, all kaiju.

As for Fluttershy—while her friends expressed a plethora of different emotions ranging from disbelief, awe, shock, and wonder—she instead felt a strange sense of peace. Simply seeing the animals of the Hollow Earth living their lives undisturbed from any outside influence was a sight to behold. A true world left solely in the hands of nature to rule it. She almost longed for something similar for her home, and all the creatures who dwelled in it.

But while evil remained, there were those who sought to corrupt the natural order of the world and bend it to their will. Outside forces like Ghidorah, like the evils they faced many times before, all of them distorting and destroying the harmonic balance that kept her home in check.

The Hollow Earth looked to be vastly different from Equestria, from Equus as a whole in that same manner. There was balance from what she saw, an order in which the creatures ruled themselves. And it didn’t seem as if there was anything inherently evil dwelling in the Hollow—

A horrendous screech and a blinding explosion earned a shrill scream out of Fluttershy.

Fluttershy’s thoughts were cut short by an explosion directly ahead of her, followed by a serpentine, winged beast flying past the flaming debris of what was once a HEAV. In that instant, HEAV 3 was gone, with all the reinforcing guards and soldiers of T.I.T.A.N. with it. The only ones left were HEAV 1 and 2, with the Council, the Young Six, Lyra and Bon Bon, the directors, and Shining and Cadance.

“What the heck was that?!”

“Mayday! Titan presence detected at 9 o’clock! Ready all defensive measures!”

“Look! There it is!”

“It’s too fast! I can’t get a lock!”

Everycreature were forced out of their awestruck stupor and brought right back into action, seeing the winged beast on the far side of their windshields making a turn back to them. So many voices cried out in the HEAV Fluttershy resided in and the radio between the two ships, confusion and distortion flooding the minds and actions of everycreature.

Leaving Fluttershy, her friends, and many others to spot the oncoming attack of the Hollow Earth beast. It was a serpent, holding many qualities to that of a king cobra. However, instead of slithering on the earth, this creature took to the skies, using its exposed rib cage as a pair of wings.

And turning back to them, the Warbat fully intended to devour the other HEAVs just as it had the first. Nearing them with jaws wide and fangs exposed, the pilots rushing to prepare the ship’s weapon systems, they were luckily saved when the Warbat was plucked and yanked back right out of their air.

Their savior, their Titan, Kong, was there for them. He never left them.

Rearing back with the Warbat’s tail between his hands, Kong flung the creature over his head and slammed it headfirst onto the sharpened rocks protruding out of the earth. One shard pierced the Warbat’s skull, killing it instantly. Swinging the dead beast around, Kong proceeded to slam it against the second Warbat that suddenly sprung up on everycreature’s radars with shocking speed.

No pilot could have reacted quick enough had the Warbat targeted them first. Luckily, it noticed the greater threat and pounced on Kong, but the King of Black Skull Island was faster.

The impact sent the second Warbat crashing into the nearest mountain wall, sending a crumbling ruin raining down to the slope below. Tossing the dead serpent aside, Kong proceeded to slam his fists against his chest to assert his dominance. Despite technically being a stranger to the Hollow Earth, Kong nonetheless demonstrated his strength and ferocity so that every last monster knew his roar, and thus would fear it.

But the Warbat did not fear. It did not back down from the hunt. It rose up and extended its wings in its own showing of intimidation and dominance, unleashing its own chittering battle cry.

Then, the two struck.

The fight was quick, the Warbat wrapping its tail around Kong’s limbs before he could even get a solid grasp on the slick hide of the serpent. Coiling around his body, the Titan proceeded to suffocate Kong by wrapping its wing onto his head, as it had done countless times to its former prey. Snuff the oxygen out of the prey, and the fight would quickly leave it.

Fluttershy returned to reality, leaning forward and fighting against her safety straps. “We need to help him!” she cried.

“Yes, ma’am! Unleashing payload!” the pilot responded, slamming his hoof on the control console.

From HEAV 1, a plethora of rockets shot out in so many a number that they quite nearly blanketed the Warbat’s back in fire and shrapnel. The Titan hissed and screeched in agony, breaking enough concentration for Kong to break what remained. Now free, the ape snagged the creature’s jaws and slammed its head into the ground. He then proceeded to break its wings and beat its skull into a fractured pulp with thunderous impact from his fists.

His roars echoed across the Hollow Earth with each deafening strike, and then the battle was over. Short, but undoubtedly deadly.

To the victor went the spoils, and Kong ripped off the Warbat’s head and proceeded to gorge on the meat and spinal fluids that poured from the cracked skull. Rainbow Dash threw up a little in her mouth, still not having completely recovered from the initial descent into Hollow Earth. Seeing the green blood pour down Kong’s mouth definitely didn’t help.

With a short burp, Kong proceeded onward into the depths of the hidden world. The remaining two HEAVs could do nothing for their fallen, and left the massacre behind to follow Kong.

In the silence that settled over them, it was anything but peaceful, the crew now fully anticipating an attack at any moment, from any direction. If anything, it was good to remain on alert. They were still in uncharted lands, full of dangerous, unknown creatures. So much like Black Skull Island, but grander and far deadlier in every sense.

They didn’t have to lead Kong anywhere. It would seem he was picking up what they were starting to recognize, seismic tremors with an echoing cry reverberating across the air. The HEAVs’ sensors noted the sounds as a definite alpha call, and Kong continued to track the source of it. Growing louder and louder the deeper they traversed.

In that silence, finding that moment, Director Celestia finally shared her thoughts since entering the Hollow Earth.

“I must say, it’s… quite unlike anything I had expected. While T.I.T.A.N. had previously discovered caves and ancient civilizations beneath the ground, never before have we come across an environment like this. It’s… it’s…”

“Our true world,” Luna answered for her older sister, an uncertain expression hidden behind her wandering eyes. Eyes that couldn’t seem to be taken away from the Hollow Earth. “We have barely even begun to scratch the surface.”

“Does that worry you, Celestia… Luna?” Twilight called from behind them.

There was a moment that only the sisters shared, a brief lapse in time where their deepest thoughts were shared only with each other. That magical bond, the whispers and worries they shared with one another, they each felt the same way. It was the unknown that worried them, powers beyond their understanding that drove Ghidorah to find refuge here.

A dark presence nestled in their hearts, an omen neither Alicorn could properly identify or speak of. Maybe an omen spoken by the ancients. Maybe one that came from the invader Ghidorah, or the Bewitching Bell. Whatever it was, it was present. It was real. It attacked them at every opportunity it could, but Celestia and Luna stood together to face it.

And they thankfully weren’t alone.

“I suppose we will discover that together,” was all Luna could offer as a response. Even Celestia was uncharacteristically quiet for much of the remainder of the journey. Neither response boded well for the Princess of Friendship.

Across the sky, in the second HEAV, a different atmosphere filled the cabin. Instead of dread and foreboding, there was wonderment. Especially when Bon Bon tried to lift the mood and raise the spirits of all her friends, speaking aloud into the shared radio, “At least Kong seems right at home.”

To that, they could all agree, looking down to see Kong leading the charge into the unknown. No fear. No hesitation. For the first time since Black Skull Island, looking to be truly free.

Shining Armor even chuckled. “Look at him go…”

“Well, he sure can run,” Cadance said with a smile, old but somehow fond memories of her first expedition to Black Skull Island and her first experience with Kong flushing through her mind. Maybe it was just seeing him returned to his natural habitat, to his true home, that triggered such memories. The memories were violent, certainly, but there was a certain peace to them, and ones she held onto even now.

She only wondered if her husband felt the same.

Author's Note

Artwork by Shrekzilla