>Stay behind to listen to the Mayor organize the Town and bring order to the panicked citizens
>Go to talk to Ms. Cheerilee
>—Leg plunges through the school path into some kind of void—
>**Acquire Signed Permission Slips from Ms. Cheerilee**
>**Return home, deliver School’s Cancelled notice to Mary**
>Gather equipment; restore previous loadouts from the previous run
>—Drop your friends’ School’s Cancelled notices off in your room for additional inventory space—
>Decide to deliver the Bouquet of Flowers to Zecora
>Test Scootaloo’s patience by reading your letter and immediately going back inside to create a response
>Get teased once back outside
>Head to the edge of the Everfree Forest. Random Encounter at 3: rolled a 4.
>**Deliver the Bouquet of Flowers to Zecora; obtain Wake-Me-Up Dust as a reward**
>—Make sure friends eat; frees up an inventory slot so that Scootaloo can carry the new Wake-Me-Up Dust item—
As your friends toss back the last of their apple cores, Raisin follows a gut instinct to turn her head toward the window on the opposite side of the hut. Her suspicions of a stalker are confirmed as a shiny silver helmet ducks out of sight. The little golem mulls over her options carefully as her friends ask for her direction…
This is, of course, where you come in. There are many leads to follow with the knowledge you’ve obtained in the previous run through. A mysterious dragon resides up the mountains overlooking Sweet Apple Acres… the schoolhouse seems to be situated over a tunnel system now… It would seem that two different though apparent directions have emerged from your curiosity and exploration.
Inventory check:
You return your gaze from the lonely window across the hut to the knickknacks spread on Zecora's medicine desk. She pores over the cauldron, carefully adding the petals and stems to the brew as your brain boils over a plan of action.
"Alright… I've got a plan." You turn to your teams as they crunch down the last bits of their early afternoon snack.
"Are we gonna go an' unmask my sister's creepy stalker?" Applebloom asks with some excitement. "…or yers?" You see Sweetie Belle crack a soft grin.
"N-no. We can investigate those leads later." You trot over to huddle with your party members. "I discovered what I think could be a tunnel leading under the school. Scootaloo, you remember when I said I kinda fell through the school path?"
"Oh, right! That smelly hole in the ground." Scootaloo nods.
"I think that might be a good place to look for clues as to why the schoolhouse sunk. It might connect to something that your sister's creepy stalker guy is doing." You look right at Applebloom. She simply nods. "First thing we're going to need is a Lamp. Let's raid the Sweet Apple Acres toolshed for one!"
Applebloom has some hesitation. "Uh… ah, heck. Applejack wouldn't mind if we jus' borrowed somethin'. Let's go!" Your group bumps hooves in the center of the huddle before heading to the door.
You shake your saddlebags to help redistribute the weight evenly, then say your goodbyes to Zecora. She quickly waves as she tends to the cauldron, carefully mixing it with her new batch of ingredients.
The forest seems a little brighter now that the sun is almost directly above the trees. Still, you can't shake the feeling of something lurking not too far off in the distant trees…
In a few minutes, the forest entrance comes into view. The sunlight pours down, welcoming you back into the normal world of Equestria. High up above, you see a few Pegasi collecting a group of clouds together… that must be for the storm that's going to happen tonight.
You pass by Fluttershy's cottage. This time, she's outside tending to a small group of squirrels. You're not sure from here, but it looks like she's trying to teach them how to sing. You pray she's considering replacing her ghastly bird choir with this one. They may not sound the best, but anything beats the shrill tweeting of a bird, you figure. You hurry past the cottage.
"Every time we pass Fluttershy's house, you always get so jumpy." Scootaloo sits upright on your back. "You're not still scared of b-"
"It's a long story." You interrupt her as you near the edge of Town. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle lag a little bit behind. From the sounds of it, they're playing with a new theory; this one involves Discord, Luna, and the Boulder Snakes. You catch bits and pieces, but the whole thing sounds ridiculous.
Quickly, you bypass the group of adults waiting in line to report the damages on their house and take to the dirt road. It's a bit of a hike out to the Apple family farm, but before long, you're passing under the trademark sign welcoming you to Sweet Apple Acres.
"Phew! Alright! That took forever…" Scootaloo stretches out before hopping off your back to have a look around. "Soo… where's the toolshed? We're looking for a Lamp, right?"
As you approach the front door of the house, Applebloom runs up ahead. "Wait! Hold on, Raisin. We got wood floors, remember?"
You stop, realizing that your incredible weight would easily overcome the load bearing weight of the wooden planks. "Oh, yeah. Sorry, I was lost in thought."
"Soo… we're going inside, then?" Sweetie Belle asks.
"Yeah… I had a feeling that Applejack might get a little ticked if she found out Applebloom took one of her Love Letters. You should probably return that before she finds out it was missing."
Applebloom hesitates. "B..but… it's our only lead on this 'LS' guy… we might need it to figure out w-"
"We can grab it later if we need it. If you get grounded, we won't be able to do anything."
The filly bounces her head back and forth for a moment, then slowly nods. "Ahh… alright. Ah really don't wanna get grounded…"
Applebloom cracks the door open. She gasps. "Raisin… Raisin, my sister's makin' lunch right now…"
"That's fine! Let's just go grab that Lamp then." Scootaloo starts walking to the side of the house. "It's back here, right?"
In the distance, you can see a wagon parked out in front of the Sweet Apple Acres barn. It's full to the top with a fresh batch of Apples.
"Wait, Scoots… Applejack probably doesn't know that the letter is missing yet. This could be a good time to let her know that School's Cancelled so she doesn't get suspicious of us sneaking around in the back yard."
Sweetie Belle and Applebloom nod. "Huh… sure, why not? After we do, Ah can run upstairs and drop the letter off! Perfect!" Applebloom smiles.
With a plan set, you watch as Scootaloo, Applebloom, and Sweetie Belle walk into the farmhouse. You stand near the window. As you peak over the sill, Granny Smith looks up and waves to you.
"What in the hay are you three doin' here durin' school? Ya'll know yer gonna git into a tonna trouble with Ms. Cheerilee, right?" Applejack doesn't sound mad more than curious.
"School's cancelled! Apparently, the whole schoolhouse kind of sunk into the ground." Scootaloo comments.
"Sunk into the ground?" AJ doesn't sound convinced.
"It's true! Ms. Cheerilee said that it's going to need to be completely repaired before she can run classes again!" Sweetie Belle adds.
"So, we figured since school is cancelled an' all, we'd just go crusadin' together today." Applebloom gestures to the window you're sitting at. "Raisin's right outside if ya don't believe us…"
Applejack looks at you. You make sure to wave.
"Ah know Raisin wouldn't be skippin'… shoot, Ms. Cheerilee really did cancel school…" She tilts her head. "That's never happened before."
The CMC and Applejack head outside. AJ is nibbling on a freshly picked apple. "Ya'll just came to check in then, right?"
"Well, we actually need a Lamp…" Scootaloo looks toward the house.
"It'd be really helpful."
Applejack tosses the rest of the apple into her mouth. "Uh… a Lamp… Ah don't know where Ah put that darn thing…" She shrugs, reaching for another apple. "If you girls find it, ya'll can borrow it fer the day. Jus' make sure ya bring it back."
You decide to begin your search for the missing Lamp inside the the toolshed. Turning to your group, you begin walking around the side of the house to the backyard. "Let's check the toolshed. Where else would Applejack keep a Lamp?"
"Uh… you'd be surprised. My sister's known fer leavin' her tools around…" Applebloom comments.
As you round the corner, you see Winona happily rolling around in the grass. She perks up when she sees you and the CMC approach. She barks a few times and wags her tail, wanting to play. Applebloom throws a stick for her while you, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle approach the shed. To your disappointment, a large Padlock inhibits entrance to the small shed.
"Oh drat… I forgot about this thing."
Scootaloo punches the lock a few times, trying to get it off of the door. "Wow, this thing's really on here good…"
The sun beats down overhead. Across the fields behind the house, you can see the fresh spring flowers starting to come into bloom. They look like they need some water… it's probably why the pegasus ponies arranged to have that deluge tonight.
You turn around. Applebloom is playing fetch with Winona.
"Hey, Applebloom! You know where the key is to this thing?"
"Huh?" She gives the stick another toss before trotting over to the door. "Oh, shoot. Ah forgot my sister keeps this thing locked up now." She kicks at the ground. "Ah think she put a bunch of really 'dangerous' tools in here… like the Pickaxe, Saw, Shovel… jus' some odds an' ends. The Lamp might be in there, though…"
"So… do you know where Applejack keeps the key?"
"Uh… no, not really. If Ah had to guess, it's probably up in her dresser."
"Hmm.. alright…" You pause for a moment. "Do you think Applejack would let us into the shed to check for the Lamp?"
"Ah dunno… maybe…" Applebloom rubs a hoof on her chin.
Scootaloo's expression perks up. "Oh! I have an idea! You're super strong, right?"
You nod, already seeing where Scootaloo's going with this.
"Why don't you just crush the lock with your hooves? I bet you totally could!" She grinds her hooves into one another.
"I think Applejack would probably get upset if I destroyed her Padlock, Scoots…" You look at Applebloom. "While we go ask AJ for the key, why don't you check the clubhouse really quick? Didn't we have one in there?"
Applebloom squints for a moment, lost in thought. Sweetie Belle jumps up. "Oh! Right! We do, remember? It's hanging up in the main room!"
"…well… huh. Okay, so, no need to go around looking for Applejack's Lamp then, right?"
The other three fillies agree.
The four of you laugh to yourselves. "Alright! We've got a Lamp at the clubhouse, so let's go grab it!" You lead the way, your hooves sinking into the soft, fertile soil of the Apple Family's backyard. You hear a couple clinks on your back as your little orange pegasus friend hitches a ride.
Before you leave the farm for the orchard, you stop Applebloom. "Get that letter back inside. We really can't keep that thing with us. If you got caught with it, you'd be in serious trouble."
"Right…" Reluctantly, Applebloom heads toward the house. "Meet ya at the clubhouse?"
You just nod, heading towards the leafy green apple orchard. You can see Big Mac bucking a small group of trees; it looks like he's helping Applejack with a small harvest.
Within a few minutes, your group comes upon your base of operations. You opt to wait outside while Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle enter to find a Lamp. You kick back on the soft soil and let your weight pull you into the ground a little ways. You watch as the sun very slowly travels through the sky, enjoying every ray of brilliant sunshine. You're certain that the beams warm your stony skin…
"Alright! We got it!" Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle come on down the ramp. In the distance, Applebloom approaches.
"Okay, Ah hid the letter back in Applejack's room. She'll never suspect a thing!" Applebloom giggles. "Are we ready to go to the school?"
You roll up onto your hooves, adjusting your saddlebags once more. "Now that we've got some light, yeah, we're ready!" You motion toward the dirt road. "Let's go!"
Your group travels in a tight running pack. Scootaloo stands on your back, letting the wind glide through her wings. Your thunderous hooves deaden the comparatively quiet rhythm of your two friends running by your sides. After hopping the fence, you leave a dusty, gravel filled cloud of smog in your wake.
As you dart through town towards the schoolhouse, you see Derpy leaving the Post Office, probably heading for home. A few voices fade into the distance as some older ponies ask you where you're going.
You stomp along the road to school. It seems like a very refreshing run to your friends. For you, it's an effortless journey. While Sweetie Belle and Applebloom huff and puff, you just slide to a stop, spraying up a stream of dirt and rocks.
It's odd… typically, the schoolhouse didn't leave you with an impending feeling of danger…
You remain vigilant and scan the area for signs of danger, but it seems like your gut feeling was just acting up this time. The schoolhouse appears to be pretty safe.
Your group begins to make their approach up to the hole in the ground. You can hear some noises coming from around the backside of the schoolhouse. Some mumbling follows the shrill recoil of a tape measure.
"Hmm… we might have company. Let's take a closer look here…" You bring your face down close to the hole. The afternoon sun peers down inside, though it's hard to see anything without putting your head over the hole and blocking out the light.
Looking back into the hole, you have no idea how deep it could possibly go. Not wanting to risk falling into an inescapable pit, you back away from the hole and look back toward the Schoolhouse.
"There's a big hole in the side of the schoolhouse, right? Maybe we could see if that leads into the tunnels."
"Maybe, sure." Applebloom starts heading out toward the back of the schoolhouse. As you begin to move, your foreleg plunges into the ground below. Though you're nowhere near the path, it seems as though the tunnel extends quite a ways to the right of the schoolhouse.
"Huh… I don't know where I might be able to get across here… the ground keeps sinking in."
Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle traverse the school grounds easily. "It's alright. We can investigate the schoolhouse and come on back, right?"
You see a construction worker peak his head around the side of the building. "Uh… School's cancelled today. We've gotta get it out of the ground before you can get back to class."
While you still have the contractor's attention, you address him with your chest puffed out. "Excuse me, sir! We're here investigating the reason for the schoolhouse sinking into the ground in the first place. We're part of the… uh… Royal Junior Architects Program for Gifted Fillies™… and we're simply trying to do a little research." Scootaloo, Applebloom, and Sweetie Belle look about, then show the construction worker their capes. He doesn't think twice, simply nodding.
You put emphasis on the Medal by holding it up. The glimmering, vitreous gold and silver medallion has caught his attention. "Do you know where I can get across the school grounds and access that hole over there safely?"
The construction worker looks a bit puzzled. "Uh… did you try walking?"
You glower. "Yes. I'm a little… well, I'm a bit on the heavy side. I keep falling through the ground."
He gets up and starts heading towards you. Before he gets too far, he points at your friends. "Don't go in there; not yet. The building isn't stable."
He gets close, then peers down at the two holes in the ground. "What the…? Didn't see these before…" He leans in and takes a deep breath. "Aaaaand that solves that mystery."
"Wait… what?"
"Can you smell that? That nasty, muddy water smell? The river must've blasted through under here… we've got a major washout down below." He stands back up, then starts checking some marks down on his clipboard. "I'm gonna need a much bigger crew through here… there might only be a couple of boulders blocking the river off! It could be a matter of time before it opens back up and takes the school…" The burly pony starts trotting back toward Town.
"Wait! How do I…"
Before you can ask him any more questions, he's already halfway down the road.
"What did he say 'bout the school?" Applebloom calls over. You can see the CMC starting to climb inside.
You lean back and wave your forelegs in the air. "He said the schoolhouse isn't stable! The river washed out the foundation of the school; it might open back up and wash out the rest!"
You hear Scootaloo yell from inside the schoolhouse. "WHAT?! WAIT, GET ME OUTTA HERE!"
Sweetie Belle calls over. "Scootaloo already jumped down! It's like… the hole starts over in the back corner of the classroom. It's really high up!"
You place a hoof on your face. "Alright… hold on, we'll think of something…"
You reach into your saddlebags, securing the Spool of Rope. "Applebloom! Here, use this to pull her out!" You give it a light toss, sending it flying toward Applebloom. She reaches up and catches it.
Quickly, her and Sweetie Belle dangle an end down into the schoolhouse. "Scootaloo! Here, grab on!"
As your friends attempt to rescue Scootaloo, you see what you can do about getting a little closer. You remember a principle called 'weight distribution' from one of your physics books. You lay flat on the ground, spreading your forelegs and rearlegs as far apart as you can.
"Alright… here we go…"
Wriggling like a worm, you shimmy your way onto the soft grass of the schoolyard. With each little wriggle, you advance just slightly closer to the side of the schoolhouse. The ground doesn't give any sign that it's weak; you advance without a hitch. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle are towing Scootaloo up out of the schoolhouse as you approach.
Suddenly, without warning, you hear the ground give way. Your vision is immediately stolen; a darkness envelopes you. You splash down into water. Your hearing returns when your head barely peaks above the water line. Your hooves feel like their sunken up to the middle of your legs in thick mud.
"RAISIN!!" You hear your friends call from up above. Looking up, you see a perfectly filly shaped hole where you fell in. It looks like you plummeted from a cloud and landed on the ground with your limbs outstretched… it's rather silly.
"I'm alright! It's just… really dark down here…" You can hear your fall echoing throughout the tunnels.
You call up to the hole. "At least we know there's a bottom!" You can hear a collective sigh of relief echo into the tunnel. "Can you guys lower that Lamp down in here? I want to see where this tunnel goes!"
"Roger, Raisin!" Sweetie Belle calls down.
"We can't even see you! Where are you at?" Scootaloo calls down.
"I haven't moved! You really can't see down here?" You wave your hoof up into the muggy air. Pulling it from the mud was a little difficult. The clayish, muddy mixture splashes into the water.
"How much water is down there?!" Applebloom calls.
"It's up to my chin, but I'm a little sunk into the mud. It's not very deep!"
The Lamp starts lowering down into the hole. Suddenly, you're extremely thankful that you threw that rope to Applebloom. The ceiling must be 3-4 ponies above the waterline… it's a little fall. As the light enters, you see a cavernous wall extend around a bend, then end in darkness. That must lead toward the river… behind you, you can see the red painted outer walls of the schoolhouse. Amazingly, the door is just above the waterline; you're not sure what's holding the building in place at this point. It must be stuck on the walls.
You can also see the damage done right under the door. The stone foundation seems to have been scraped or shredded off…
Looking around the washed out cavern walls and thick, muddy water, you call back up to the hole. "I don't think there's anything else we can do down here! The tunnel goes toward the river and behind the schoolhouse… the water makes it hard to move!"
"You don't see anything else?!" Scootaloo calls down. She can see you now that the Lamp has been lowered. "This place is massive! You didn't miss anything?"
"There's literally nothing down here but mud, water, and tunnel! I don't know what else I can do!" You take another look around, seeing nothing but silty water slowly settling out. "Can one of you guys go and get Twilight?! She can lift me out of here!"
"On it! Hold the Lamp, Scootaloo!" Sweetie Belle passes the lamp rope over to Scootaloo before disappearing.
It's honestly a little creepy down here. It sounds like the entire tunnel is slowly breathing… an eerie, low sound hangs in the air. Looking about, you see the land rise out of the murky water beyond the schoolhouse on either side of the tunnel.
"Do ya need anything from up here, Raisin!?" Applebloom calls down.
Looking at the higher ground, you begin to trudge on through the deep mud around your legs. It takes a little effort, but you're able to at least start moving. The water becomes a storm of mud and sand particles once more.
"Hey! Where are you going?!" Scootaloo calls down.
"I see some dry land down here! I'm just gonna check it out before Twilight arrives!"
"…be careful!" Applebloom calls down.
You pass by the side of the schoolhouse, hugging the muddy wall at your side. It's a bit of a tight squeeze, but you're able to get around the school on this side. Continuing forward, you start to climb the muddy ground up along the sides of the tunnel. It's a struggle, but you finally emerge above the waterline.
"Alright…" You look into the darkness, seeing nothing. That low, reverberating noise seems to echo from much further down this tunnel; the schoolhouse must have been blocking a significant amount of the noise. It's quite a bit louder now.
Though slightly disturbing considering you cannot see anything, the noise seems to remain at a great distance.
When you're up on dryer land, you realize that there's not much to see. The dim light of the Lamp hangs beyond the schoolhouse nearest to the hole you fell into. Though the eerie reverberation plays on you in this darkness, you decide to sit tight.
"Raisin! Are ya still there?!" Applebloom's voice echoes beyond the schoolhouse. It's hard to hear her.
"I'm here!!" You shout back as loud as you can.
There is no response. After a few moments, she calls down again. "Raisin! Are you okay down there?!"
"Great… she can't hear me."
"If you can hear me, Twilight is on her way! She should be here any minute now!! Hang in there!!" She calls down again. It still sounds very faint despite the fact you know she's yelling as loud as she can.
There's a certain air of peace down here. Beyond the foreboding rumble in the distance, it's otherwise perfectly still. You curl up in the mud.
A few more minutes burn on by before a familiar voice calls down from the hole. "Hello?! Raisin! Where are you!?"
"Over here!!!" You shout toward the schoolhouse.
Suddenly, you hear a burst. Beyond the schoolhouse, you can hear the water being tread. "Yeeuahgh…" Twilight splashes in the water. "You're not trapped over there, are you?!" She calls around the schoolhouse. Her big, purple eyes seem illuminated in the dark, but she cannot seem to spot you.
"Over here, Twilight!"
"Ohmygoodness!" Twilight jumps. "Okay… phew, you startled me. It's really hard to see you against the wall in the dark…" Her horn brightens up the area. "C'mon, let's get you out of here."
As Twilight approaches, you notice that she's not sinking into the mud at all. The ground seems to easily support her weight, though she kicks up some loose dirt while walking. You feel slightly self conscious about your weight again.
"Twilight! Thank goodness you're here!" You look at her glowing horn. "We just discovered this HUUUGE cave system! We think whatever made the-"
Suddenly, you're bathed in the daylight.
"-se tunnels is responsible for…" You stop as you realize the two of you have been teleported out of the tunnels. Twilight looks up toward the schoolhouse.
"Wh… How in Equestria did I miss that on my way here?" She approaches the schoolhouse, noticing that it's been plunged several feet into the ground. "…is THAT what that was down there…" She looks slightly embarrassed for not having made this realization down below or up above. "I must have just been too worried to get a clear visual…" She rubs a hoof against her chin.
The CMC look relieved. You notice that you're back towards the road, safely away from the whole you scooted into.
"Twilight! No, no, no! I didn't want you to teleport me out! We've got to explore those caves!"
She starts to walk a circle around the schoolhouse. "Just how does something like this even happen?" She stops when she sees the whole in the back of the school. "Judging by all the water down below, it looks like the river ran through under the school…"
"Twilight!" You try to get her attention. She finally snaps out of her spell.
"Oh! I'm sorry… this is just…" She stops, nudging one of the loose boards on the side of the building. It falls off. "…fascinating."
"Twilight, do you think you could help us explore the caves? I think that thing in the Town Square made them."
"You mean that snake statue? The Boulder Snake statue?" Twilight tilts her head your way.
The CMC look mystified. "Boulder Snake?"
"Yes. That statue in Town Square is an incredibly rare creature called a Boulder Snake. We've only ever seen just a hooful of statues in recorded history…" She paces a little closer to the group. "…but this is the first time ever that we've seen a statue this close to civilization, much less inside of a town." She looks down into the hole again. "…I don't think it could have made a tunnel THIS big on it's own, though… if it even moves underground. I just don't have enough research to put the two together."
You remember that the bottom of the schoolhouse looked like it was physically eaten off of the building. "Twilight, I think I can prove a few things about those Boulder Snakes."
You seem to have her full attention. "Oh? I'm listening…"
"When I was down below, I saw that the underside of the school had been scored away.. like it was torn off with giant teeth. I think the foundation of the school was eaten away by the Boulder Snake in town."
Scootaloo looks excited. "No way!"
"Yes way… I think we could find out where that creature came from if we follow the tunnels behind the school." You appeal to Twilight's scientific side again. "The very least that will happen is you get to help better define a rare species."
The mare has a look of wonderment in her eyes. "Alright, alright. As long as we do this safely…"
"Should we all go down together?" Sweetie Belle asks. "The water's not too deep, right?"
In a flash of light, you find yourself sinking into some mud once again. "Ughh…" Looking around, you see that your friends only have water running up to the middle of their leg. They look a little worried as you sink, but you bottom out against the rocky terrain below with your head just above the water.
Twilight starts to take the lead, illuminating the dark cavern with her brilliantly glowing horn. "All right, girls… just stay close to me. If we're going to do some research, then let's be safe about it…"
She walks all of about 5 feet before crouching near the schoolhouse. Just as you described, she notices the scar patterns against the rock. She looks uneasy.
Inventory check:
You walk over to join your friends, looking straight up at the welcoming door of the schoolhouse.
"Hey… Scootaloo, can you reach up there and look inside?"
The orange pegasus looks up at the door. "Yeah, sure."
"Just be careful; don't go inside. We have no idea how stable the schoolhouse is right now." Twilight says this all the while illuminating the underside of the schoolhouse. "…fascinating… these marks match the theorized bite of the Boulder Snake in town… they're almost perfect size to belong to it…" She pulls out a testtube from her saddlebags and starts delicately chinking away at some of the stone.
Scootaloo carefully opens the door into the schoolhouse. Inside, it is incredibly dark.
"Uh… I don't see anything…" She looks about. "It's actually really creepy in there…"
"Yeah…" Sweetie Belle takes a few steps back and away from the schoolhouse.
"Wait, where's the Lamp?" Applebloom looks about, noticing that your team has taken a dependency on Twilight's magic to provide light.
"It must be up above, still…"
"Don't worry, girls. We can just use my magic to light up the caves." She puts one test tube away and pulls out another. "I just need a few samples to analyze back in my lab…"
You suddenly remember that Hayseed is inside of your completely submerged saddlebags. You feel terrible that she's getting all soaked… you assure yourself that she understands her temporary discomfort is for a greater cause.
Further down the tunnel, that loud noise continues to echo throughout the entirety of the tunnel system.
"W-what is that, anyways?" Scootaloo carefully shuts the schoolhouse door before asking.
"I'm not sure…" Twilight successfully collects another sample of rock from under the schoolhouse. "I think you're right about this whole rock eating thing, Raisin…" She looks at you with worry.
"Well, like any true scientist, we should investigate this unknown phenomenon!" You start moving toward the side of the schoolhouse, going past Twilight. Suddenly, you find yourself in front of the schoolhouse again.
"Hold on… don't go wandering off just yet. We need to study this a bit more. We could figure out a LOT about our voracious friend in Town Square with this damage sample… I just wish I could find a saliva sample…" She looks all about, picking and choosing carefully what spots she collects samples from. "I just have a few more to get…"
You look at Applebloom. "So… the Lamp's up above, right?"
"Yeah, along with your Rope…" She looks up toward the little patch of daylight amidst the blackened cavern ceiling. You still can't believe the hole looks like an exact outline of your body.
"Uh, Twilight? We left a few supplies topside. Do you think you could warp them down here?"
She puts another testtube into her saddlebags. "Oh, don't worry. We'll be going back up together as sooon as I finish collecting these last few samples…"
"But.. aren't we going to explore the caves?"
"We can do that in a little bit… maybe after I run a few experiments. We have to find out more about these Boulder Snakes."
You look down at her rock sample collecting. Scootaloo starts kicking at the water. You approach Twilight, trying to get her attention. She's fixated on getting more samples.
"Yeah, that's interesting Twilight. Hey, just asking, there aren't magma chambers under the surrounding coutnryside, right?"
She doesn't look away. "There are a lot of magma chambers underground… very deep underground." She pulls out yet another testtube. "Most of them are probably close to mountain ranges or volcanoes, though… we don't have to worry about running into any right here…"
"What about further into the tunnel?"
"I doubt it runs THAT deep." She crawls a little ways under the school reaching for another sample. "We don't have to worry about magma or lava or anything like that… but there's probably going to be more… snakes…."