Chapter 9

Reunion

Rarity stared, her mouth agape, at her lush surroundings. Surely they could not be underground! And yet she could see no other option - it was as though the door had been a portal into another world! Out of the corner of her eye she registered movement. A large, shadowy figure lurked underneath a tree. "Pinkie," she whispered, reaching for her friend. "I don't think we are alone. Something's under that tree."

"Maybe we could ask them what it is." Pinkie Pie helpfully suggested.

"Who-" Rarity turned to see that she and Pinkie Pie were completely surrounded by snarling massive grey armadillo-looking creatures with huge claws and sharp teeth being rode by fluffy dog-like creatures whose most outstanding feature was their large, bulbous noses. "Pinkie..." Rarity backed against the pink pony in terror.

"Here, allow me to try talking to them," Pinkie said with a flourish. She approached one of the creatures. "Ahem." she cleared her throat delicately. "Gargle Snort Grumble Glarp!" Pinkie Pie snarled, contorting her face in the most preposterous ways with every syllable.

"What did she say?" the blue fluffy creature looked to his compatriot.

"I don't think she said anything." a yellow one disagreed.

"She said to gargle snore gumball glop." the green one interjected.

"What does that mean?" an orange one asked.

"How should I know?" answered the green one, shrugging.

"Do you understand what we are saying?" Rarity ventured, cautiously.

"We understand you, but not her." the blue one indicated to Pinkie Pie who was still attempting to make contact with a variety of grunts and snorts. The armadillo-creatures looked at each other, confused. Rarity sighed,

"I'm not sure anyone does. Where are we?"

"You're in Furbobbia. We're the Furbobs and these are our friends, the Stonebacks."

"Are they dangerous?" Rarity asked warily as one of the Stonebacks approached her, snuffling gently.

"Nah, wouldn't hurt a fly." the blue one answered.

"Well maybe a fly." the yellow one countered.

"No, never hurt a fly." the green one contradicted.

"I've never heard of Furbobbia before. How long have you lived here?"

"For as far back as any Furbob can remember. Our great great great grandfurbobs built this land with the Stonebacks. Our tunnels go far and wide to every part of Ponyland."

"Ponyland? I don't understand, do you mean Equestria? You've lived underground for all this time? How come we have never seen or heard of you?" she inquired, quite confused.

"I don't know what you surface dwellers are calling it these days. We haven't left Furbobbia in ages - there hasn't been any reason to."

"Nope, no reason." a pink one agreed.

"None at all." spoke the yellow one. 'Well, at least they seem to agree on something.' Rarity thought.

"My name is Rarity and this," she said gesturing towards the now upside-down pink pony who was still attempting communication with a Stoneback. "Is Pinkie Pie. You said your tunnels go to all parts of Equest-Ponyland," she corrected herself for the sake of her audience's comprehension. "could you help us get to the ancient castle?"

"Sure!" the yellow one said. "It's this way!" he pointed toward a tunnel to the left.

"No, it's this way!" the green one indicated a tunnel to the right.

"You're both wrong, the fastest way is that way!" a pink one pointed in an entirely different direction.

"Ugh." Rarity groaned as the Furbobs descended into quarreling with each other.

"Thank ya'll, we're much obliged for your help." Apple Jack drawled to the seaponies.

"You're welcome, and if you ever find yourselves in trouble again just use this seashell to call us." Seaspray threw the shell to Apple Jack who put it in her pack. The ponies waved goodbye as the seaponies disappeared into the depths of the river.

"Soooo what just happened here?" Rainbow Dash still looked dazed by the whole event.

"Ah'm not sure but Ah reckon those were the strangest ponies I ever did see." Apple Jack replied. "We should probly get a move on, I don't like the look of those storm clouds." she said indicating the mass of black clouds flashing red in spots where lightening connected. The thunder roared causing the ponies to jump.

"Yeah, I'm thinking we should head out." Rainbow Dash agreed.

"So, you say Equestria used to be called Ponyland?" Rarity inquired of her blue guide who rode beside atop a Stoneback. Despite many offers of assistance she had opted to only have one Furbob, Whistler, accompany her - their contrarian nature left her head aching.

"Yes, a long time ago back when Furbobs used to go to the surface world."

"What changed?" Rarity asked.

"Here, I'll show you. We're almost at the story wall our ancestors painted." Turning a corner they saw a large, crudely drawn mural.

"Ooo pretty" Pinkie Pie said, wide-eyed. The first panel showed a group of insect like ponies fighting a group of ponies who stood beside the furbobs and stonebacks.

"There was a war against a big dark army. The furbobs fought alongside the ponies." there was a snort. "And the Stonebacks. But the army found Furbobbia and so a Unicorn named Sparkler sealed the door with a spell only she could break." Whistler indicated a picture of a pale blue unicorn, whose flank was bedecked with diamonds, using her magic on a door Rarity recognized. "She said she'd come back when it was safe but she never did. So we never left." the furbob explained walking past a picture of the inhabitants of Furbobbia merrily at leisure in their underground world forgotten by those who inhabited the surface world.

"I wish I could report it was safe to return to the surface now, but it seems there is some trouble brewing." Rarity replied.

"It's ok, we're happy in our little world." Whistler replied merrily, leading them further on. "The castle should be just around this bend."

Twilight Sparkle was the first to arrive at the castle. "Alright everypony, let's get inside before that storm breaks." she order, her eyes scanning the ominous dark clouds overhead.

"Has anyone seen Junebug?" a stallion asked.

"What about Roma?" another inquired. Names of missing ponies began to ring out among the crowd.

"Now, now, everypony calm down." Twilight Sparkle said, trying to contain her own growing nervousness. "They just got seperated but they'll be along shortly... I hope" she added in a whisper. Suddenly she heard a triumphant whoop, her heart soared as she saw Rainbow Dash flying corkscrew patterns in the sky above. Below, Apple Jack crested the hill top, behind her the remainder of Ponyville. The ponies filed through the castle entrance while Twilight Sparkle check off name after name "Mr. and Mrs. Cake, Poundcake and Carrot Cake. Randolph. Toe Tapper..." - as the last of the ponies entered, Twilight Sparkle looked over her list with concern. "Rainbow Dash, have you seen Rarity or Pinkie Pie?"

"Weren't they with you?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Pinkie Pie was, but she must have gotten separated during the attack."

"Rarity was with me." Fluttershy whispered nervously. "I lost sight of her when we were running. Oh I do hope they are okay."

"It's getting late, we'd better form a search party." Twilight Sparkle spoke authoritatively. "Apple Jack, you and Fluttershy team up to cover the east side of the forest. Rainbow Dash, you and I will take the west side. Now we'll need a sign to alert the others if we find them."

"There they are." Apple Jack said.

"I'm not sure if that will be loud enough, but good thinking." Twilight Sparkle answered, lost in her plans.

"No, I mean there they are!" Apple Jack repeated pointing Twilight Sparkle's head to a hole in the ground where a large rock had been rolled away and was replaced by Pinkie Pie, who was assisting Rarity in climbing from the pit.

"If I never see another underground tunnel in my life-" Rarity sputtered, losing her footing and falling back into the hole.

"Pinkie Pie! Rarity!" Twilight Sparkle cried happily.

"Oh hi guys!" Pinkie Pie waved cheerily, dropping Rarity.

"How'd ya'll get in that hole?" Apple Jack inquired, coming to Rarity's aid. With the help of the others they were able to pull Rarity out.

"It's a long story I would prefer never to think about again." Rarity stated, attempting to brush the dust from her fur. "Oh, look at my mane! It's absolutely ruined!" she cried. Pinkie Pie bounced up and down, eager to tell the story,

"Well first we were being chased by timberwolves." she imitated a growling Timberwolf. "Then we rolled down a hill into a door." she tumbled over mimicking them splatting into the door. "Then Rarity opened the door and we slammed it on those bullies." she mimed slamming the door with the inexplicable sound of a door slam at the end. "And that's where we found the furbobs!" she proclaimed with a grin.

"What's a furbob?" Rainbow Dash asked. Rarity gestured to the hole - the ponies looked in.

"Hello." Whistler said with a wave, the stoneback mutely parroted the motion.

"Gah!" Rainbow Dash fell backward.

"Oh look how cute they are!" Fluttershy beamed swooping up the blue furbob and nuzzling it.

"Ack!" the critter squawked in surprise.

"Better put him down Fluttershy." Twilight Sparkle advised. "I don't think he likes flying very much." Fluttershy did as she was bid.

"Thank you." Whistler sighed, as his paws touched the familiar ground.

"You're one of the creatures in my book!" Twilight Sparkle exclaimed, producing the text and flipping to the page that held a sketch which unmistakably resembled the furry creature in front of them. She turned to show him, "See."

"Hey, it's me!" the creature exclaimed. "And there's our cousins, the Bushwoolies." he said pointing to the furry mops of creatures with their only other visible features being their long arms and large eyes.

"Those are your cousins?" Twilight Sparkle inquired.

"Yes! But we haven't seen them since we were sealed underground. I hope they're okay." Whistler answered.

"Me too, but I've never even heard of them." Twilight Sparkle replied.

"Anyway, I should be getting back home - being above ground gives me the willies." the furbob said with a shudder. The ponies bid him farewell, but just before Rarity replaced the rock they had come from under Whistler reappeared, "If you ever need any help, don't hesitate to call on us. You ponies helped us once and we'd be happy to return the favor."

"Thank you, Whistler." Twilight Sparkle said, gratefully as the furbob once again disappeared from view and the hole was sealed.

"Ah reckon this has been the strangest day ah've ever had." Apple Jack declared. "Timberwolves, Seaponies, Furbobs, weird books - what next?"

"I don't know, but I think it's time we asked Discord for help. If anyone would know what's going on around here it would be him."

"You called?" a slick voice from behind them caused them to jump. There, relaxing on the castle balustrade propped up on one elbow, lay Discord.