An Abominable Antagonist

Nodding in response, Nurse Deadheart looks out to the ponies on the macabre "ride".  "Those who are well enough should assist those in need.  The faster we are out, the easier we'll be able to provide more substantial care."

The Joy nods at Nurse Deadheart and picks up as many of the injured ponies as she can comfortably manage before following Phoenix out of the cave.

Zero One mostly goes to help in transporting as many ponies as his large clay frame could hold. And if he could read minds, he'd clearly make a comment to Storm Blade how most of the group here doesn't seem to view the Royal Guard in the same high respect that the Pegasus seemed to, the golem for one still only holds a bare minimum of respect for Sun Princess as is.

Sunny Zoo had gone about with Nurse Deadheart in finding and helping the survivors- although she let the Nurse attend to most of the civilians: she had her own ponies to tend to. While this whole effort had been a rescue operation, her first duty was to those who loyally risked their lives for her. She personally carried her 'bodyguard' away with her down the tunnel.

"I think we've got everypony- but we should check to make sure nopony else is missing once we've exited."

Noting Storm Blade's dissatisfaction, but not knowing it's source (she was perceptive, but certainly no mind-reader), she asked.

"Is something wrong? We were victorious, after all, and it seems that nopony has died."

Dead Eye simply stood there for what seems like a long time, holding his hoof up to his eye. "Well... that was worth it." When he finally took his hoof away from his eye, it was blackened and burned disgustingly beyond recognition. "I'm ready to go." Taking his rifle and slinging it across his back, he began to limp back to the entrance.

((Blah, sorry, things came up yesterday, then today was all lazy. Soooo lazy...))
((I'm going to start including Knowledge that you'd automatically know about things.))
((Additionally, I'd like to note that you may attempt knowledge checks whenever and about whatever you're so inclined.))

The abject wall of darkness is expectedly absent from the tunnel. As you near what you think is the middle of the path, you hear a trotting noise from higher in the tunnel. A moment later, and the group of ponies who operated the train appear. They share a brief moment of shock, before some rush to assist in carrying the wounded and most rush down the tunnel to retrieve the rest.
"You're all alive!" "The princess received the message you sent Bill!" "Here, let me help you with him!" "C'mon, there's more further down!"

I know, travel time's awful:

---

A pale blue pegasus fades into existence at the cave entrance, and calmly looks about for the princess. Neither she nor the other Elements are present though, only a golden earth pony, a train, and a cave with fading trotting noises coming from it.
The pony smiles complacently and mimes checking a watch on his forehoof, before saying, "Spiral, you're early! I wasn't expecting you for a several more degrees."
He reaches behind himself and pulls out a steaming teapot and single cup. "Would you care for some? I'd hate for you to come this far for nothing."

Planar Connection:

((cue sunbeam))

Furious Blows blinks at the sunlight, then turns at the sound of the golden pony's voice. He looks around for a moment before saying, "Where do you get a name like Spiral for a pony like me? After answering that question, please verify that you are an agent of the princess. I don't think you're the extraplanar being I'm supposed to destroy, but I don't see many other options for a pony that can materialize such excellent smelling tea out of nowhere. Lastly, who is down in the cave?"

"Yeah the'll need help. Are the princess and ..."Bill" still here? I need to ask them about a few things."

The golden pony just smiles and pours a cup of tea, "Oh Spiral, you flatter me! I don't know where you're getting this...'materializing tea' and 'extra-planar' business though." He sets the teapot on the rocky ground and gets up, revealing an iron stand over a tiny fire and a second cup, which had been rather coincidentally hidden directly behind the pony. He trots just a few steps before sitting again, and sips from the cup. "Mmmnh, needs some honey. I call you Spiral because I would not call you anything other than what you are. I am not an agent of who you're calling 'the princess.' I would rather you not destroy me. There are 48 ponies, 1 golem, 1 insect, and 1 Firageaen in the cave, with too many names for me to provide quickly. I would rather you not destroy them either. Are you sure I can't interest you in a cup of tea?" He gestures toward the teapot invitingly.

---

A grey stallion with a wooden wagon wheel cutie mark replies to Phoenix, "Bill's still around, but the princess teleported away with the Elements after they got your message."

Furious Blows flicks an ear. "I will have some of that tea, I think. Approximately how large is this insect, out of curiosity?" He asks, settling down next to his cup.

The Joy manages to go halfway through a nod before snapping her head toward Phoenix. "Did we ever send a message?"

The Golem shrugs and mostly just didn't care as things moved on. Far as he could tell this wasn't important information to learn or pay attention to.

Ignoring your question, he says, "Excellent, excellent! I do hope you'll enjoy this. Or don't, that'd be equally splendid!" and fills the cup with tea before sliding it towards you. The trotting noises begin again from the cave, which the golden pony doesn't seem to acknowledge. "No, Spiral, I'm afraid this tea is all I have for you. You're early. This problem has already been solved. The new page hasn't turned yet." He takes a sip from his cup, rather noisily.

Furious Blows sips his tea. "I have a feeling we're going to get along swimmingly, empty pony. Though I may have to brew the tea." He says, pulling a small flask out of his satchel and pouring a mid-sized dose into the cup. "I think I arrived late, as it is."

The pony frowns saying, "No, you're definitely early." He pulls out a page of paper and passes it to you, saying, "See?"

The Note:

---

You exit the cave to see 'Bill' sipping tea and conversing with a pale blue pegasus. No sign of the princess or the Elements.

Storm Blade & The Joy:

"Well according to the parchment it is now something of a moot point." Furious Blows says, stowing the parchment and idly wondering whether it will be there later. He sets down his teacup and turns to face the exiting group, and says quietly "How strange. I see 49 ponies, 1 golem, and one creature that is decidedly not equine. You don't get your facts wrong, empty pony. The rest of these statements are redundant." Before hurrying over to help more of the wounded ponies finish the last leg of the journey. "I'm Furious Blows, I'm here a mite late, but I can still help. Where do you need me?"

The Joy takes a moment to look over the new arrival. "Just help with the wounded though if you can set up a shelter for them to be treated in." She then looks up toward the sky and breathes out a sigh. "I'm getting the feeling that this will not be the last time we all meet."

"If it was, the empty pony farther up the hill wouldn't be insisting that I was early." Furious Blow replies, before moving back out of the cave mouth. "Hm...We need a shelter. That means...beds and a roof, and probably a basin for water. I will worry about the water later." He mutters to himself, moving to a particularly rocky. He nudges the ground with his hoof, and says "I know it's not in your normal job description, but work with me here, okay?" Suddenly, the dirt and stone around him lifts up, leaving a large flat plane, and gathers around him, before spreading out in an orderly fashion, forming 4 earthen pillars that held up a thin but solid earth roof and a second floor. Both floors were covered with earth beds that looked smooth as stone. Furious Blows looks around, nodding appreciatively as spiral patterns etched themselves into the pillars, but he grimaced at the beds. "I don't suppose you can make earth comfy without making it unclean, can you? Empty Pony!" He shouts in Bill's direction. "You wouldn't have lots of bedding, or anything cushy at all up there with your tea kettle, would you?" He notices a little some leftover earth still floating around and tells it "Congratulations! You're in charge of water." The earth floats outside of the shelter and forms a small bowl with a circular shoot at the bottom. "Can anyone direct me to the nearest ground water source?!" Furious Blows shouts to oncoming crew of ponies, picking up his bowl.

OOC:

"Well aren't you just an industrious little pony? But I don't think an aid tent will be necessary, actually. We should be done here, unless I'm missing something, and the injured should be off to a hospital." Phoenix regards the new arrival, doubtful that it is actually a pony, given the circumstances, but doesn't call her on it. Instead, he continues on to Bill. "Hey you, Billiam. Princesses, where. Job is done, and they have something for me."

The golden pony smiles lightly and slurps rather noisily from his tea, taking a moment before responding. "The gems have returned to their setting. As for what you seek..." He shrugs. "I can't know everything. Would you like a cup of tea instead?" He gestures to the teapot next to him, and an empty cup.

---

The rest of the train's crew starts pouring out of the cave entrance, many carrying 2 ponies each. They look confusedly between the manufactured hospital and the train, until the conductor approaches Furious Blows. "Tha's...mighty impressive, but this idn't exactly a safe area. Unless yer able to bring up a buncha medics too, we need t' get them back to civ'lization." He waits a moment to see if ponies actually do stat springing out of everywhere, and unless they do he carries the wounded into the train. The others follow him, many muttering compliments about the creation of the hospital from nothing and a few think aloud about if a similar method could be used to lay rail tracks.

Furious Blows casually breaks his earthen bird bath dish with a hoof and shakes his head. "Ponies are not my strong suit, sadly." He prods one of the pillars, and the makeshift hospital starts to crumble at a natural pace, simply being scattered by the wind. "And it takes far too long to reach this level of manipulation. And to top it all off, most ponies that would be capable of it aren't inclined to do charity work." He prods the pillar again, and it stops decomposing, though the rest of the dwelling continues to settle back into the ground. He carefully beckons down a small cube from the top corner of the engraved pillar, stows it in his pack, then says "Does anyone who was actually down there have any suggestions for an informative pictograph for the landmark?"