>**Cover the Lamp to maintain stealth as guards pass by**
>Decide to head right into the mine
>Hide behind Supply Crate and analyze the room
>—Take a can of putrid smelling ‘grease’ from the supply crate—
>Maneuver through the room, stopping behind each pillar to evade detection Stomach Grumbles could alert a nearby Diamond Dog – 1/20 chance. Fails each time it’s rolled
>Narrowly avoid detection as Rex retires to the Barracks
>Continue through the room, stopping before the Residence. Raisin notices that the room is glowing blue…
>Take the path that Rex took into the Residence Hall
>Look for table scraps so that the CMC can stop being hungry; find a bunch of apple cores
>Sweetie Belle knocks a plate off the table as you retrieve the cores; Dogs don’t take notice
>CMC try eating the cores, but cannot stomach them well. Sweetie makes her distaste vocal, attracting the attention of the dogs. They think rats are invading the mess hall
>Run into the west tunnel. Your boots give off a thunderous report. The dogs now think that a Boulder Snake is trying to breach their outpost, sending them into high alert.
>Stop at a barricade. Use your awesome golem strength to knock it down.
>Diamond Dogs are intimidated and confused by Raisin, so they keep their distance
Following all the events up to now, Raisin and her fellow crusaders are out on a ledge several meters above a broiling hot furnace of molten rock. They seem to be handling the heat alright… for now. A look of fear hangs on their faces as they stare down the tunnel they came from, their eyes meeting a gaggle of twinkling green emeralds backlit with a ghostly blue light. The sounds of boiling magma echoes into the expanse of the massive chamber ahead.
Inventory check:
Seeing that your options are quite limited at the moment, you stomach your fear and take notice to the thin, sturdy path on your right. Between the wavering crystal tipped spears down the tunnel you came from, the dangerous little outcrop of rocks looks inviting.
"What are we going to do, Raisin?" Sweetie Belle shakes by your side.
"There… there's a path forward over by that wall."
Scootaloo carefully shuffles over near the path, then looks down into the torrents of lava swirling down beneath, gurgling like some monstrous beast. "C-can't you just… can't you charge back through those guys?"
"Did you hear that? Stand in formation!" The Diamond Dogs behind you seem to be within earshot of your plans. You can hear them slowly moving forward, shuffling about in their armor.
"No… we're going forward. Just stick close and follow me."
You shimmy out onto to the path, not taking care to test the walkway before letting your full weight rest on it. The thought crosses your mind as you begin to traverse the stony path.
"Raisin, Ah'm not sure 'bout this…" Applebloom takes the rear, watching for the Diamond Dogs.
As you continue on down the path, you see that the platform you were just on is now occupied by 3 Diamond Dogs, each keeping their spears at the ready. They watch as you stop along a wide part of the path, gathering your bearings.
You notice that the path ahead breaks away from the wall, becoming more narrow as it descends toward the lava. It doesn't look particularly stable, not like the rest of the path behind you. Large stalactites hang from the ceiling over the path. Far below, near the surface of the lava, you see the path twist behind another column, obscuring your view of the rest of the path.
"Where are we even going?" Sweetie Belle asks, pushing herself up against the wall. Some rocks spill off the path, plopping into the furnace below.
You look back into the eyes of the Diamond Dogs staring you down. They look on curiously, though remain silent. As your friends collect themselves, you call back to them.
"Hey! Hey Diamond Dogs!" You wave your forelegs about. Suddenly, you hear a clink on your head. Scootaloo's hooves motion you down.
"Raisin? What are you doing? Those dumb dogs were ready to run us through!" Scootaloo whispers into your ear.
"Relax. I'm going to try and get some information out of them."
"Sorry for breaking your barricade and all… I can buy you a new one if you'd like…?"
The only response is that of your echo and the gurgle of the fiery cauldron below. You try again.
"Um… do you know what's down this way?"
You see one of the dogs just nod while another shakes his head. They don't seem very vocal.
As the silence hangs in the air, you decide that the dogs just aren't going to give you any information.
"It's pointless, Raisin. They're so dumb they probably can't understand us." Scootaloo stares back at the dogs.
"Ah well, worth a shot. Let's give 'em a lil' Cutie Mark Crusader sendoff, shall we?" Applebloom stands up, breathing a little harder in the heat of the cavern.
"All right."
In unison, you, Scootaloo, and Applebloom stick your tongues out at the Diamond Dogs standing watch on the ledge. You blow and shake your heads back and forth. As you do this, you realize that you can't seem to make any noise this way. Try as you might, blowing air passed your tongue does nothing.
Sweetie Belle gets up, but doesn't join in. "Uh… guys? I don't think we should…"
The dogs snarl, but don't budge. One voice quietly utters "The nerve!" as you and the CMC make their way to the little bridge. You let your friends go first to avoid collapsing the bridge ahead.
"Careful… go slow and keep your balance… I'm sure there's an end to this path up ahead…"
As you step out onto the bridge, you see a spear sail over the CMC's heads. They squeak and freeze in place. The Diamond Dogs didn't like your sendoff, it seems… They laugh among themselves.
With your boots equipped, it seems that your weight is distributed well enough that you don't go falling straight through the thin rock bridge.
Your friends shake in place. Scootaloo calls out across the cavern to the Diamond Dogs on the platform. "We're sorry! We're sorry!"
Another spear comes flying across the room, embedding itself into a stone column near the walkway. The CMC shriek again, much to the amusement of the dogs. One of them calls out, "20 bits says you can't hit the orange winged rat!"
The situation seems to have gotten considerably more difficult. "Alright, so that wasn't the best idea. If we stop moving, they're sure to hit us. Keep going, guys…"
Slowly, Applebloom and Scootaloo pick up and start lightly tapping their way across the bridge.
Sweetie Belle keeps shaking her head back and forth, panting a little louder. "It's too hot in here, Raisin…"
Another spear comes careening over your heads, but continues on and falls into the boiling lava. A plop is followed by a burst as the magma turns the weapon into ash.
Things aren't looking good… between the heat and the spears, you pray that nothing goes wrong before you can round the column. A safe spot near the lava is just up ahead…
What seems an eternity later, Applebloom finally touches her hoof onto a little outcropping of rock behind a column. "Quick! Get over here!"
Another spear sails through the air, though falls short of the bridge by a large margin. You hear a dog groan as the other tease him. Sweetie Belle moves a little slower across the bridge in front of you, but moves nonetheless.
A spear narrowly misses Scootaloo. She drops down and hugs the path to avoid it, shrieking in terror. The dogs burst into laughter, barking and howling as your friend scrambles to her legs. She jumps up and glides ahead.
Scootaloo gets to the safety of the platform. Both her and Applebloom hug the column, using it as a shield between them and the irate dogs.
"Almost there, Sweetie.. just keep going…"
Suddenly, you hear a clink from above. One of the spears hits a stalactite, chopping off a good portion of it. It falls right over top you and Sweetie Belle.
"Watch out!" You push your friend up ahead, letting the rocky spike drive it's way through the bridge, creating a small gap.
Sweetie Belle flips around. "Raisin!" Her voice cracks as she reaches back.
Applebloom and Scootaloo look about, digging through their inventories for something to help you with. Before you is a small gap. You might be able to jump it if you can get a little bit of speed, though there could be another way to cross… The Diamond Dogs don't ease up, a small one reeling back with another long spear in paw…
As you stand in place, you suddenly hear a distinct crack at your side followed by a loud pack of barking. You slide a bit toward the edge, but manage to correct your footing before careening over into the boiling pit. The little dog shoots his meaty arms up into the air as he's tossed several small bags of gems. Looking to your side, you see the long end of a spear sticking out where your ribs would typically be.
"RAISIN!" Sweetie Belle rushes over to the little gap in the bridge. "Noo!!"
You wave her ahead. "No no no! I'm fine! Run ahead, get behind that column!" Another spear comes flying by, taking a lock of Sweetie's mane with it. The dogs cheer again as she turns and sprints.
The dogs quiet down again as they look onward. "Hey! That one should be dead! Is it really made of rock!?" They ready another stack of spears. "Hit it again!"
As you watch the Diamond Dogs ready another volley of deadly sharp spears, you realize that your only option is a leap of faith. You figure the gap can be crossed if you make a running jump, though it's going to be close.
"Is she going to…?" Applebloom sees that look in your eyes. She swallows hard as you give her a little nod, your eyes separated for a moment by a passing spear.
The dogs groan as you take a few steps back. You draw a deep breath to calm yourself, then make a run for the gap. As you pound into the bridge, you feel your shoes strain and crack around your hooves. With one last kick, three of your shoes burst into pieces in midair, filling the cavern with a vociferous boom. One of the dogs weakly tosses his spear as the sound deafens the boisterous group temporarily.
Your hooves dig in hard when they land on the other side of the gap. The weight distribution that made the bridge traversable is now quickly crumbling under your step. You continue running, jumping at the last moment before the column. The way out seems to have completely eroded under your heavy hooves.
Immediately, your friends yank on the spear lodged in your side. With some straining, Scootaloo is able to pull it out. The blue crystal tip doesn't appear to be dulled in the slightest. She gives it a toss, then throws her hooves around your neck. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle do the same as the four of you hide behind the column.
"What was that?!" A shrill voice calls from afar. Another answers, "Sounded like boom boom!"
With that, you hear several of them start laughing. "Oh! Oh! Get the boom-boom sticks!"
You and your friends sit together in a group hug for a few moments. Scootaloo relaxes for a moment as you hear the Diamond Dogs quiet down. It sounds like they're leaving…
"Huh… you're still pretty chilly…" She hangs on, trying to cool off on your body. You gently push her back.
"We can rest in a moment. Sitting in a little rock platform next to magma isn't the best time to relax."
Applebloom finds it a bit difficult to pull herself away from your back, but sets back down on the hot rock flooring. "Alright… Raisin… Ah don't know what yet gettin' us into, but we trust ya."
Sweetie Belle sits up. "I think those guys left…" She peeks around the column. Almost immediately, she pulls herself around the side. A spear drives its way into the remnants of the stone bridge you came from. "…I guess not." She looks at the you, Applebloom, and Scootaloo with slight disgust.
"C'mon, how were we supposed to know they'd start chucking spears at us?" Scootaloo shrugs.
You usher your friends along the stone path up ahead, keeping close behind them. You figure that you can act as a shield if any stray spears happen to make their way passed the column.
Suddenly, a cacophony of laughter comes from the Diamond Dogs across the room. "We got the Boom-Boom Sticks!" The sound of a crate hitting the stone floor echoes in the room. You can barely see them pulling out some red sticks and tying them to the spears.
"We've gotta go fast, guys…"
Ahead is another thin, stony bridge. Beyond that is the safety of an intensely blue lit cave. Even from here, you can see the walls shimmering with a spectacular, comforting glow. How shall you proceed?
Your friends gulp as they hear the dogs return. "They're still getting ready… we can make a break for it while they're messing around!" Scootaloo keeps an eye on them and her destination.
"Scootaloo's right. Guys, run. Run. Run!"
You nudge Sweetie Belle along. She slows for a moment, making sure that you're close behind.
As Scootaloo touches the bridge, you hear the dogs scrambling to ready their spears. With the distinct strike of flint against steel, their dynamite laden spear sizzles as it traverses the chamber. You notice that the spear doesn't make it all the way, landing next to the old safe spot you and your friends were on. As soon as it touches the magma, it goes off ferociously. The column that kept you safe cracks in half and plunges into the lake, sending a calm ripple across the surface. The CMC don't take any time waiting for the next spear to make it's way through the room.
Some normal spears barely reach the bridge before the dogs make some adjustments to their trajectories. Scootaloo blazes across the bridge and hides in the entrance of the blue cavern. Ducking behind the wall, she calls back out into the room. "Run Run RUN!!"
An explosive laden spear brushes up under Appleblooms tail as it heads into the lava at the back of the cavern. The explosion is mostly covered up by the boiling rock, but it sends a shower of fire into the air.
"Behind a column, quick!"
Sweetie Belle and Applebloom stop behind two columns, letting the magma pour down. Some lands on the bridge between you and Sweetie Belle. You're not yet out onto the bridge, seeing as you'd collapse it pretty quick if you ran out.
Applebloom and Sweetie Belle charge the last half of the bridge, galloping through a volley of normal spears before diving into the blue cavern entrance.
"Raisin! Quick! Hurry!"
You hear the dogs groan as they realize they've missed almost all of their targets. You hear a very angry voice start shouting at the back of the room.
"What are you idiots doing!? What's going on?! Are you throwing Boom Booms into the lake?!?" The high pitched voice sounds like he's shouting himself hoarse.
A bigger dog answers him. "There's some stupid ponies going into the Snake Caves. We were just having some fun."
They seem to have temporarily stopped their onslaught.
"Raisin! C'mon!" Sweetie Belle peeks out of the cave, urging you to hurry up. You shake your nerves quick, then begin marching across the bridge.
"You morons!!! Idiots!! You could have brought the caves down on us!" You hear the dogs whimper as they're scolded. "If they're going to the Snake Caves, they're going to die anyways! Don't waste our supplies!"
"Sorry, Rover…" The dogs mutter in unison.
"Don't be sorry! Don't be stupid!" He turns around to see you slowly walking across the bridge. You stop for a moment to meet his gaze. Even through the rising heat in the cave, he seems to see you quite clearly.
"…is that… is that pony made of gold? It's covered in gold?" He squints. "Pony! Stop!"
Feeling the bridge loosen under your hooves leaves a sinking feeling in your stomach. You decide to keep up your pace.
"Why should I?" You shout back.
"You're heading into the Snake Caves! You and your friends will die!" Rover shouts overtop the churning lava. Your friends gasp.
"D…die?!" Sweetie Belles trembling voice echoes ahead as you draw closer.
"He's just trying to trick us. Raisin knows where we're going." Scootaloo answers back.
"We can get you out of from that cave! We have grappling chains!" He stops for a moment as you keep moving. "I want to see you closer! Are you made of gold?! How are you so shiny?!"
You continue across the bridge, hopping over a small puddle of magma. The bridge right behind your rear hooves instantly breaks under your fall, rapidly dropping into the lava. It slows it's breaking as your pace returns to normal.
The bridge behind you sags a bit as you finally reach the cave entrance. From the other side, Rover shouts once again.
"Wait!! Stop right there! If you go in, you'll die!" He shouts again. The other dogs seem to have fallen completely silent.
You stop and turn around. "Yyyyeessss?"
Applebloom bangs on the back of your head and ushers you into the cave a little ways. You step around the very outside edge of the entrance, just out of the line of sight of the dogs.
"Raisin? Stop foolin' around! Those dogs just tried to shiskabob us! They ain't worth talkin' to!"
"What does he mean 'we'll die if we go in here'? Raisin?" Sweetie Belle looks frightened. Scootaloo lets tries to calm her down, sitting down near one of the beautiful, glowing blue crystals in the wall.
"Guys, the bridge is toast. This dog doesn't seem to be a complete loser… we need a way back after we explore the caves. Maybe we can reason with him?"
Rover calls out again. "Last chance! Come out where I can see you! Answer my questions!"
To your back, you see into a very circular shaped tunnel. It looks like it was rather recently created… Blue, glowing crystal adorn the wall, showering the area in a stunning blue light.
You look back to Sweetie, seeing a look of uncertainty plague her. "Sweetie, don't worry. No matter what's down here in these caves, I'm not going to let anything harm any of you guys."
She seems a little calmer, but understandably worried. "You don't know what's down here yet, do you?"
From the caves, you can hear the tunnels groan softly. It's eerie cry sends a visible chill up Scootaloo's spine. Her wings open up, then slowly close as the hair on her back drops.
"Uh.. keep an eye out on my back. I'll talk to dog breath over here."
The CMC nod, huddling together by Scootaloo. You hear them whispering a little as you go back to the entrance of the cave. Rover sounds delighted.
"Ah ha! You want help?" Rover seems to have a lot fewer dogs around him. You see the door to the barricade behind him is open.
"Actually, first, I want an apology. Your dogs lobbed a spear into my ribs and ruined my beautiful coat!"
Sweetie Belle almost giggles as you manage to mimic Rarity's tone in your voice. She droops her head immediately afterward.
"Sorry. Now, pony, answer me… are you made of gold? Will you stay there so we can pick you up and get a better look?"
"No, you come over here!"
Rover's shoulders drop. "That's what I just said I was going to do, you idiot!"
You think over his words quick, then realize you've made a gaffe. "O-oh… uh… sorry…"
"I'll answer your other questions when you give me my apology!"
"I already did! Didn't you hear me?!" Rover calls back.
"That wasn't sincere!"
He covers his face. "Yes it was!"
"No it wasn't! I can tell when an apology is sincere. I'm a girl."
Glowering, the vest sporting dog looks back and forth. "Alright… I'm sorry for stupid dogs trying to kill you and your friends! Sorry!"
You shrug. "Close enough."
Rover shouts back. "Answer my first question!"
"Am I made of gold? Why do you want to know?"
He stops for a minute. "Beeeecause… uh… Oh! Because you're quite… nice looking? Yes! Pretty young ponies shouldn't end up inside of nasty Snake stomachs! Your parents would be upset if you got killed in such a gruesome way!"
"My friends are pretty too, aren't they?"
"They're not made of gold, are they?" He retorts. "…Uh, yes! They are very pretty. If you stay there, we can rescue you!"
Behind him, you see a Diamond Dog with a long spool of chain. He looks significantly more burly than the other dogs you've seen.
"We can make a deal! We'll save you and your friends if you stay with us for a little while and share… information with us!"
"You just want to melt me down and take my gold, don't you?" You duck a little back behind the cave entrance. The burly dog stands at attention with a massive hook in his paws.
"Nooooooo, no no no! Nothing like that! Just stop, hold on… don't go any further into that cave!" He looks a bit panicked. "Wait! Alright! What can I do to prove I won't?! Do you want gems? We can get you and your friends lots of gems!"
"Oh, you know, on second thought… we don't need saving, we were just wondering if you wanted to help us defeat the snakes. If not, then…"
"Defeat the… defeat the Snakes?!" Rover looks stunned. "You!? Defeat them!?" He looks like he's holding back a fit of laughter. "There's no way! They cannot be defeated! Just hurt!"
"You're actually scared of those monsters? I thought the diamond dogs were tougher than that!"
Rover puffs up his chest. "We're not scared!"
"Yes we are." The burly dog's bassy voice echoes across the cavern as he looks at Rover in confusion.
"No! We have a secret weapon! We're not scared!" Rover assures you.
"I know what your secret weapon is. That Gemstone Cannon isn't going to work as well as you think it will!"
Rover jumps. "Wha-? How did you find out?!? Is that what you were snooping through our base for?!"
Applebloom sounds stunned. "…how DID ya know about that? Ah didn't see anythin' like that on our way through…"
"Raisin Sense. Don't question the Raisin Sense."
She rolls her eyes, looking deep down into the caves ahead. You can hear that eerie moan tremble in the cavern air. It's not comforting, to say the least.
Rover shouts. "Answer me, you little sneak!"
"Hey, no need for name calling. I just thought of a way to get rid of these snakes once and for all… how far below the surface are we?"
Rover looks puzzled. "Why do you want to know?!"
"Just tell me, please?"
Rover looks about, sniffs the air, then holds his wrist like he's taking his pulse. "158.68 Links."
"…Links?"
The burly dog holds up the big chain in his paw, rattling it around.
"Do you know what part of the Snake Caves are closest to the surface?"
Rover laughs. "None! It only goes deeper and deeper and deeper! Snakes like heat and magma!" He suddenly stops. "But that doesn't matter! Do you want to be rescued or not!?"
"Actually, Rover, and I'm sorry to say this, but we don't want to be 'rescued'…"
Suddenly, a little twinkle of genius rattles around in your mind.
"Me and my friends are going into this cave no matter what. We know for a fact that the caves ahead are littered with treasure… that's why we snuck through your base."
"T-treasure? The Snakes keep treasure?" A few more Diamond Dogs seem to come out of nowhere, crowding the little platform across the lake.
"Yes! However, I'm only looking for one little trinket. We also know how to defeat the Snakes so we can take it all back safely!"
The dogs start to bark. Rover silences them.
Scootaloo taps on your tail. Your friends are all behind you, sporting looks from confused to upset. "Raisin? Are you lyin' or… how do you know all this?"
"Raisin Sense. Again, trust me. I think I might have figured out a way to survive these caves."
Applebloom stops. "Wait… ya'll didn't have a plan comin' down here?!"
"If we can keep all of the treasure…" Rover calls over. "…and you defeat all of the snakes, then dogs will help!"
"Do you even know if the Snakes have treasure? You didn't sound very confident when you were talking about it…"
You look back to your friends and a collection of dogs across the way.
You look over your friends sincerely. "I know this sounds like I'm just making a bunch of stuff up, but you guys gotta trust me on this. If we can get these guys to help u-"
"They just tried to kill us a few minutes ago! With spears!" Scootaloo protests.
"And dynamite!" Sweetie Belle adds.
"Look, okay, I know they're not the most trustworthy sort, but I also know the caves ahead are full of those giant snakes like the one we saw in town. I also do know, for a fact, that sunlight turns them into stone, just like the one in Town Square."
"What about the treasure? How d'ya know what kinda treasure they're keepin'?" Applebloom asks.
"Well… uh…"
"Well?!" Rover calls from across the way. "Help for all the Treasure!?"
You call back. "No no! I said all but one trinket! One trinket of my choosing!"
Rover fidgets. "You keep the trinket, but we keep you afterwards. Deal?"
"You really think I'm that pretty?" You answer back with your hooves under your chin. The response was actually rather unexpected on your part… you're not even sure where it came from.
Rover stops for a moment. "If I say yes, will you agree?"
You recollect yourself, standing upright again. You clear your throat quick. "Okay, if you say yes, then sure… but you do realize it's fool's gold on my skin, right?"
"What?! Really? You're lying! I know that shiny shine from anywhere! That's gold!"
"Yeah… fools gold!"
"It's real! I can see it! You can't trick me!" Rover squints. The sound of boiling lava cuts the silence hanging in the air as he tries to stare through the heat distortion in the room.
"…so, you think I'm pretty right?"
Rover rolls his eyes. "Deal or no?! We have gems to mine! We can get treasure later if we want to!" You see him order several pickaxe wielding dogs off of the little platform and back through the barricade.
"But what if we take it all before you can get around to collecting it?"
He jumps up and down. "Last chance! You want our help?!"
"…I think we can knock out a deal here. You hold up to your end of the bargain and I'm good to go." You strike a pose you saw in one of Sweetie's big sisters fashion magazines.
"What?! You agree, right?" Rover calls over. You see the burly Diamond Dog begin swinging the massive chain in his paws.
"Yes, but only if you tell me I'm pretty."
The other Diamond Dogs chuckle. Rover jumps up in frustration. "QuuuiieeEETTTT!!!" He turns, then nods. "Yes!"
"Yes what?"
"Yes, you're pretty!" The distance obscures him a little bit, but you're sure he's blushing.
"Great! We have a deal then! We'll show you how to help us defeat the snakes, you get me and all the treasure besides my trinket, and we'll be on our merry ways!"
The giant hook comes flying across the room. As it slams into the side of the cave entrance, you hear your friends recoil in fear.
"Raisin?! What are you doing?! Do you even know what you agreed to?!" Scootaloo shakes her head. "There's no way they're going to let us leave!"
"Relax. We need these guys to help us with the snakes. Once the snakes are out of the picture, I can take care of them if the deal goes sour."
Applebloom shakes her head. "Ah got a bad feelin' bout' this…"
You kick the hook into the rock a bit to make sure it's stable. You see Rover point to a couple of dogs. "Go Dig Dogs! Mush!" As the burly dog keeps the chain taught, the dig team climbs their way across the magma chamber and into the entrance of the blue cave. The CMC back up as they fill the entrance.
The dogs don't seem to be the brightest of the bunch. They pant in and hang their head in place, their helmets covering up their eyes for the most part. They look down at you, then reach out with a paw. Your shiny coat seems to draw their attention.
"Alright.. so… you're the dig team, right?"
The one in front nods.
"…just follow us, then. Keep my friends safe or the deals off, you hear?"
He nods again, then the team goes over to the CMC. They walk out in front of them, leaving a gap between them so that you can take the lead.
"Alright…"
With your new dig team between you and your friends, you begin to lead the way deeper into the tunnels. From behind, you hear Rover shouting.
"Dig Dogs! Come back when you've dug!"
The Dig Team collectively bark. The sound is startling. Over the pounding of their armor, you can hear one of your friends' stomachs gurgle.
"Oooohhh… we should have cut them a deal to get some carrots or something…" Scootaloo complains.
"Oh jeez… I'm sorry guys. I forgot that we didn't find any food back in the fort…" You look at one of the Dig Dogs. "Do you guys even have food back there?"
He nods.
You walk backwards and look over your dig team. "Just hang in there, guys. I think we're nearly done down here…"
One of the dogs reaches up under his armor plating, pulling out a something wrapped in a chunk of bread. He offers it to Scootaloo. She takes a whiff of it and coughs.
"Blech! Ugh… n-no, thank you…"
You come up to a small, open clearing. The crystals get bigger and brighter as you delver further into the cave. That eerie sound seems to resonate far deeper into the cave system.. it's ghostly, in a way, especially with this light.
Looking up to the right, you see a path leading into another hole. A brilliant orange glow pours out of it. To the left, you see a small sea of sharp, sharp blue crystals. Straight ahead, you see the cavern descend further. The blue crystals seem to get bigger in this direction.
"This place is… beautiful…" Sweetie Belle watches as some twinkling dust falls off the crystals on the ceiling.
"Be careful Sweetie. Those things look awfully sharp."
She taps the side of one, letting it ring forth a chilling, high note. "C sharp, maybe…" Applebloom rolls her eyes.
You take notice as some of the dust lands on Sweetie Belle's horn. For just a brief moment, it looks like a magical glow surrounds it.
"So… this entire cave is filled with snakes as big as the statue in Town Square?" Scootaloo asks aloud while inspecting the pulsating blue gems sticking out of the walls.
"That's what I hear… I was actually unsure of how to find this place, to tell you the truth…"
"Well, we found it. And now that we owe the Diamond Dogs, there ain't no goin' back til we… defeat them." Applebloom sounds downtrodden.
"Hey, don't worry. With these guys, we can totally pull an end all on the Boulder Snakes. All we need is some planning and one hole up to the surface."
Sweetie Belle bumps her horn into a crystal as she turns. An aura glows around it for a split second. "But.. Raisin.. isn't the sun only out during the day?"
You stop for a moment. "Uh… oh man. That could be a big problem. Your dig team looks slightly worried… you think. "We'll worry about that in a second. I bet it's nearly morning anyhow."
You lead the way up the orange, lit path. As you approach the door, you see that telltale heat distortion warping the entrance of the door. Another magma chamber…
Peeking around the side of the door, you immediately notice that this one is quite different. Most of the chamber floor is solid ground, but there's a single circle of lava in the center of the floor. All around the walls, you see what appears to be crudely carved entrances.
"What in Equestria…?"
Returning back to the main room, you and your entourage walk back down the little pathway up to the old magma chamber.
"What was in there? Just a bunch of lava?" Applebloom asks.
"Nah… it was really weird, like a big hub for all the tunnels or something. I think we should look around a bit more before heading in there, but it's definitely important."
You promptly reach your hoof into Scootaloo's saddlebag. "Oh! Good idea, Raisin. I was starting to feel pretty tired…" She yawns when she realizes how long she's been awake. You pull out the ruined Wake-Me-Up Dust.
"Sorry, Scoots… but I think this stuff got ruined by the river when we first got in here."
The pegasus drops her head and groans. You flip the little satchel over, taking care not to rip the bag with your awesome strength. You turn it over, letting a briquette of yellow mash sloth out onto the cool blue cavern floor. It meets the ground with a plop.
Holding the bag up in the air, you try to catch a few of the falling dust particles drifting down from the ceiling.
"Uh… Raisin? Whatcha doin' now?" Applebloom watches as you sway to keep balance.
"I noticed Sweetie Belle's horn lit up with this stuff touched her. I was thinking that it might be some sort of magic stone, what with the whole blue 'glowing forever' thing and all…"
Sweetie Belle looks up at her horn and tries to catch a mote of dust on it. To her astonishment, her horn flickers green for just a moment. "Omigosh! Did you guys see that?!" Her sleepiness and worry seem to have been replaced with excitement as she tries to catch a few more.
For some reason, the bag isn't holding any of the dust particles. Looking inside of it, all you can see is the disgusting leftovers of the Wake-Me-Up Dust.
Realizing that your dust collection efforts are in vain, you turn to the crystals themselves. "Hey… Sweetie Belle?"
"Yes? Omigosh, this is soo cool!" Another little dust particle touches her horn. She squeals in delight.
"Try touching one of those crystals with your horn and… try to make some light. Magic light."
Scootaloo and Applebloom stand aside. The Dig Dogs simply surround you like a small team of bodyguards. With utmost curiosity, the small white filly very delicately touches her horn to one of the crystal on the wall. Immediately, you see a magic ball of light stem forth from the tip of her horn.
"I'm doing magic! Guys, look! Look!" She giggles as the light fills the room with a brilliant, white glow. As she lights the room, you can't help but notice the pulsating blue hue of the crystal fade to black. In a matter of moments, the small crystal she held her horn against crumbles to dust.
"Whoa… that was cool…" Sweetie looks a little dizzy as she shakes her head. "I wanna try another one…"
You hear a gurgling noise from the orange lit chamber up the ramp. Your team freezes. The Dig Dogs growl, keeping their eyes up on the doorway.