MLP: The Stone in our Hearts

by legendary_Jelly

Where the heart is

From what I saw from the vision, the surface was almost an infinite space. the only ceiling would be my own imagination.

As I looked up to the ceiling of the Qural, glowing with the many enchanted gems that lit up the space, I felt trapped. I never liked tight spaces, but I was fine with the average Qural experience, but now after seeing, and feeling, how big the world above was, I felt restricted. and the coldness that emanated from everywhere was now very much noticed.

Max and I were walking along the many alleyways that webbed the ground. There is not a lot of space, so the housing is tightly packed. The biggest road is reserved for the temple of the two, that houses the risen love, for the rest barely three ponies wide.

We were walking away from the spire single file with him leading the way through the stone maze. We passed by a few vendors in the hallways, mainly ponies homes with a hole in a wall to sell a variety of things.

When we came across a pony or two coming the other way, we swiftly passed by, although our flanks touched as we half bumped into each other. nothing was said, but there was always a look of contempt.
So much for courtesy.

Here in the Quarry, it's necessary to be flank to flank to survive, with limited space that is said to be quite literal. I hear there are some bigger and more spacious Qurals but I have never made the journey myself.

Something about tunnels scare me.

For some reason I felt more restricted in these tight corridors. I couldn't shake the openness of the vision.
*****

We came out into the large road that leads into the temple. ponies milled about, expressions of weariness and the unimpressed filled the street. further on there was a gathering of the two distinct 'Gangs' in the quarrel, nothing usually becomes of it but 'it's always wise to leave dumb ponies alone', A wise pony one told me.

Stonut Joes was on the other side of the (relatively) large walkway, but I felt an unmistakable pull and purpose towards the large doors and expert craftsmanship that held The Two. I was captivated, stuck in a stupor of thought.

So much so that I did not notice that Max had stopped to talk to an older pony, that was a coworker of his, until I rammed into his steel rear end. Man did I envy that steel flank

He, of course, didn't budge, but he did turn to give me a quizzical look. Which I returned with an apologetic sorry.

I trotted up next to him to hear an older stallion say with a drawl: “So i’this the mare you're always droning on bout? Well, howdy there” he extended a hoof to me. “name’s I’ron Pixs, but you can call me Ron," he says as we greet “you must be the infamous Legendary Jelly” I fluster.

“Maximus here is an apprentice o'sorts in the mines.” He then turns to Max to say “I wanted ta tell you that the safety ponies have called me to help em. T’ say the small quake shifted all t’ studs, so a large-scale reconstruction is needed. If I need ya I’ll send for ya. But I wouldn't count onnit.”

He then tips his head to both of us. “I gots to get goin now but yall have a good time”, In a not-so-secret way he winks at Max who blushes with an eye roll.

Before he got too far, a shout took our attention from further along the road.

"YOU SON OF A KRAGGON, THAT WASN'T PART OF THE FORSAKEN DEAL" a red coated Torch, backed by Stone ponies and other Torches, screamed at a particularly smug looking dark green Keeper mare, who was surrounded by Wardens. His gemstone blazed with fire on his head. I could see the Keeper say something with a smile before turning around, strutting away.

Whatever he said made the Torch flinch back and look aghast, his flame flickered momentarily.

then I saw it.

A look. an Emotion. one that I had seen, heard, felt.

Hate

flashes of the Vision filled my sight, ones of the contention and hate that brought coldness to valleys.
His gem exploded into fire as he lunged into the retreating group. his followers joined in the attack.

"Although they worked together for survival, they did so with scorn, conferences that should have remained calm turn sour and bitter, pointed hooves and name calling"

A brawl ensued.

A low rumble echoed through the air. noticed by everypony in the large street except those fighting. looks of concern shot all around.

I see a Warden wrap his hooves around a torch half his size by the withers and whip the doomed Torch around himself into a wall that crumbles around him.

the Torch slumps and becomes unnervingly still, skin shattered

while the warden is distracted a purple torch uses the opportunity to pull some clear gray stone out of his satchel, then tosses. the stones around the Warden before his gemstone glows a deep purple, the stones shine the same hue as the air gets heavy. The warden is forced to the ground and the concertation of the torch increases. the look on his face is pure malice .

"cast out from the cities, a great many ripped from their homes and thrown out in the cold"

The rumble grows in intensity as pebbles and rocks fall from the ceiling. all too few of the fighters look up and realize the danger, but the ones who do, realizes their folly. The ponies around me evacuate the streets. Max yells something to me, but I have fallen to my haunches, broken.

In the confusion of battle the red torch corners the green keeper against a wall. his eyes wide with fear, clearly knocked down a peg without her posy of Wardens. the torch was relishing this revenge as his gem starts forming a ball of magma on his forehead.

Right before he hucks this ball of fire a rock chunk falls right on his muzzle sending the molten rock across the ground. he looks up ready to disassemble something but to his utter Horror, about halfway down from the ceiling was a massive stalactite speeding down to him.

In a moment of complete irrational thought he grabs the mare Infront of him and dives to the side just before an impact That sends fragments of rocks rocketing over their heads.

I feel a tangible sigh of relief from the air around.

The torch shoots up after processing what he just did, the keeper shriveled in a ball, he looks around clearly conflicted, when one of the other torches grabs him and yells at him to get going, and they stalk off cautiously, as there is still debris fall from the roof.

A warden comes runs up to the mare lifts her up and instructs: "ON YOUR FEET! WE. ARE. LEAVING." as they exit the road opposite to the torches.

as they split the temple is revealed, my whole focus was pulled from the surroundings to the arch way, the tension in the air was sharp. I'm aware of Max by my side refusing his own safety for mine

Then something happened. something that would change everything.

A great heart sickening crack was projected across the Quary as the tension snapped inside me, taking me with it, I felt like something was ripped from me.

An immeasurable silence rested upon the inhabitants.

...

...

The silence was broken with a high-pitched scream that came from the direction of the temple.

Author's Note:

hey chapther 3
many of night sleepless for 1k words :'|
ill get there, but until then I'm soo glad to be at a point where I can start working on the inciting incident.
if there is anyone that could spare some art talent, I would greatly appreciate it, that or I'll put hand drawn pics for more context and world building.

that's right I'm planning a large book that will need world building awwww yeeeaaaahhh

thanks for reading
thanks to KKat, Somber, and heartshine for inspiring me to share a story told by me.

Comments

[Starlight Nova]

Why did you give Legendary Jelly that name?

[legendary_Jelly]

11476814
I'll be honest, when I was a child, my favorite animal was jelly fish. I made a google account, around the time that the whole "The legend27" ad track was going on and named it 'the one and only legendary jellyfish27.' trying to be ironic. for some reason it stuck with me for a decade, my gamer tag was legendary jellyfish, but a lot of games have a character limit on names of 15, so I shortened it to legendary Jelly, and it just fit me.
To answer your question as I was writings stuff down and worldbuilding in preparation to write this story I struggled to think of a name that could fit the character, cus as you know, the name makes the talent makes the color makes the pony. my mother being Rare Jam (because she really loves preserving things) (and I can't write motherly figures any other way) it just hit me like a double-edged sword, dividing asunder, that legendary jelly fits the pony.

TLDR; I like jellyfish.