Daringmom Part 9 - Revival/Damage Control Edition

>The tunnels you and mom headed into were pitch black, too dark to ever fully adjust.

>You'd left your lantern behind you when that automaton thing attacked, and that was lost behind the subsequent cave-in.

>A left... another left... a right...

>You can't help but wonder at what point the line between sense of direction and lucky pathfinding blurs.

Mom, I think we're lost.

>She grumbles a little and doesn't stop,

>"Impossible!"

>"We can't be lost if we don't know where we're supposed to be."

>She snickers a little, and you can sense her almost childish grin in the dark.

I wonder how we're going to get out of here... I don't think there's another exit, since the last one had to be ecavated.

>"Thinking out loud already, I like it."

>"I think we have more to worry about the mercs on our trail. They probably aren't too pleased about all that fire."

>Mom humms a little and leans against you gently as you both make your way down the newest dark corridor.

What do you think we'll find?

>"I have no idea, son. Well, so long as we keep heading south, we have to reach the core eventually!"

What makes you so sure what we're looking for is at the core?

>She scoffs as if you just asked her what direction up was,

>"The thing you want is ALWAYS in the center. Volcanoes especially."

>You wonder if that's been gathered from experience, or-

Wait, how do you know what direction we're moving in?

>As you say that, you can make out the shape of mom stuffing her compass back in her pocket.

>"Never underestimate the basic functions of a compass, if I'm not mistaken, yours may have just saved our-"

No, I mean, how can you see it suddenly?

>She stops abruptly, as do you a few steps later, stumbling away as you detach from her side.

>"Gods, you're right... There's gotta be a light source around here somewhere!"

>Light.

>That shit gets everywhere.

-----

>Your heart starts to race a little bit,

>You can't see a light source, but the hall does look a little brighter...

>Mom starts moving again, at a slight gallop this time.

>You can't see enough to see her in the dark, but you can hear the coordinated sounds of her hooves on the cold floor as she goes.

>A moment later, you're after her.

>Only now do you realize how exhausted you feel, your limbs creaking to life as you force them to go.

>I guess it doesnt really count as rest when you've been knocked out...

>You turn a corner after hearing her steps go hard right.

>The light is getting noticeably bright, bright enough to save you from running into a wall at a T-junction in the hall only a few meters down,

>You continue to follow her steps, the excitement heavy in the air.

>Never knew how much you take daylight for granted, you think.

>Only, as the light grew brighter, it gets more and more evident that this isnt daylight.

>You're not sure what it was, but you know its source is close, as mom eclipses a small doorway down the hall.

>Time felt a little slow for a moment, and you didn't even realize how both you and mom had exploded into near full gallop at some point.

>Looking down the hall, seeing the trailing end of your mothers tail disappear past that doorway,

>It spurred you onwards.

>Maybe a little too much for safety,

>As you fly through the door, three things blast you in the face.

>The bright, orange light, suddenly blinding you more than you thought it would;

>The heat, sweet Celestia, the heat dried up the tears from your eyes as quickly as it drew them;

>And your mother's stationary body,

-----

Wh- Mo-

>You plant your hooves, and dig in as you slow down behind her.

>She's looking over some kind of precipice,

>Luna save me, this is how it all ends,

>You're going to shove her down a cliff and then you're going to die horrible, painful-

>Before you can think anymore, your chest and chin come into contact with mom's rump and tail, respectively.

>She hardly even flinched as you hit her. Very slightly.

>"Careful, son. I plan on both of us walking out of here!"

>She was scanning the room, squinting

>You only spend a moment to realize that this room's caved into a magma duct, at which point you throw your front legs around mom's backside and try to hold her steady, or something.

>Maybe you were just a little nervous...

>"Uh, hey... what's up?"

>You just realized how quiet you'd gone,

Oh, uh, just... Never seen this stuff up close before.

>She snickers and shakes her head a little bit,

>"It's real friendly so long as you don't touch it."

Ha ha.

>you huff satirically to yourself, detaching from your mother.

>She's looking out over the large river of lava,

>The intricate architechture of the walls have given way to the raw rock face, and ever here and there spires of rock formations or fallen establishment pierces the surface of the deadly lake.

>It doesn't look like there's anywhere to go from here, but at least there's light now.

Dead end?

>Mom's still looking around,

>You decide to move up next to her, braving the heat, and setting your butt down next to her.

So what are you thinking right now, mom?

>"I can't decide if we should go around or go through."

Go through? How? It's a dead end.

>Mom points across the lake at the other end of the collapsed hallway.

-----

>"The debris over there looks really loose. I'm sure the other end of this hallway is on the other end."

>You raise an eyebrow and look at it as well,

>The hallway behind you rumbles audibly, reverberating with a single small shock.

>She doesn't seem to have heard it,

...did you hear that?

>"Yeah, I guess they got through that cave-in. We'd better hurry."

Well, the safest method is to go around, I guess...

>"Yeah, but exploring every opportunity is important." mom sighs lightly,

>"Ah well, we don't have time to decide, let's move!"

Wait!

>You shift around to grab one of her legs,

>"If we go through this debris, not only will we maybe get ahead of them slightly, but they might not be able to follow us."

>Mom pauses and perks up a little,

>"Huh..."

>She stops to think, but you already know what her decision is.

>A little smile creeps across your face,

>"Well, since you argued your point so well, let's do it!"

>Before you can react, she's turned around, leapt off the edge and burst into flight. As she passed you, she brushes your face teasingly with her tail.

Hey, don't leave me behind!

>With renewed vigor, you get up and leap off the edge after her,

>as you get airborne, your body feels heavier than it did before.

>Maybe you're a bit tired, but you can't stop now.

>You and mom end up inspecting the ruined architecture closely,

>Eventually she gestures to a fallen pillar, and you both move to push it over, failing.

There's some other debris in the way, hold on-

>you flutter down to another slab of floor and, wedging yourself between it, pry it away from the pillar.

>It gives way extremely easily, and you're caught off guard, sliding down the stone face towards the molten pool below.

-----

>"Careful, you dummy!"

>Before you could let your fearing for your life overwrite your excitement, mom's hoof lashes out to grab yours, holding you up for long enough to get properly airborne again.

Phew, thanks...

>"Don't... mention it?"

>She gives you a funny look,

Are you alright, mom?

>"I was gonna ask you the same thing."

>She puts her hooves on her hips, as though she was expecting you to come clean with something.

>you're already ready to shove the pillar out of the way,

Oh come on, I'm just starting to appreciate your line of work a little.

>She shakes her head a little, her suspicion quickly giving way to excitement again.

>As you both press your bodies against the pillar, it rolls away and falls into the liquid, splattering red drops of high viscous death around far below.

>Mom was the first to examine the next piece of rubble; you were fixated on the brilliantly coloured liquid below.

>Y'know, when you get over how it can melt your very flesh, this stuff is awfully pretty when you-

>"Hey! get over here!"

>You snap out of it and swoop over to where your mom's hovering,

>There's a gap in the rubble, and you can see a large enough opening on the other side.

>and more lava.

>Of course there's more lava.

>"it looks like the floor of these halls have caved in for some time, but most of the ceiling is still just fine."

>You look back at the hallway you came from,

>It looks so... safe, in comparison.

Well, let's get a move on, ladies first!

>You look back, only to see mom halfway through the gap already, her butt staring you in face as she wriggles through.

>Does it count as being courteous if you're courteous for yourself?

>doesn't matter.

>As she makes it though, you're ready to follow her headfirst through the gap.

-----

>It's alot tighter than you thought...

>You struggle to force yourself in, accidentally bucking at the air a little as you tighen your grip on the edge of the opening in an attempt to help squeeze you through.

>Something behind you rumbles, making you freeze and look around,

>Mom's fluttering a few feet above you; she paused as well.

>"I think they're blasting their way through to us. We'd better hurry up."

>She flits down and extends a hoof to help you through,

>Another rumble, this one was louder.

Stars... are they trying to excavate their way to us?

>You feel the debris shift around you as mom pulls you through,

>"Less talk, more move!"

>With another push and a wriggle, you squeeze through the opening, in time for another rumble to shake the cavern.

What the buck are they even-

>"It's not them!"

>You right yourself in the air and look around at the cavernous hall surrounding you both,

What? Then who-

>"The volcano! It's still active, remember?"

>Awwww HELL naw

>The rock around you reverberates with another shattering shockwave,

>You look around, and the remains of the cave in are shifting around uncontrollably,

Let's move!

>Mom rolls her eyes and grabs your shoulder, shoving you along as the lava below churns sporatically.

>As you both dart out of the way, a large chunk of a marble pillar collapses behind you and slams into the wall, sending debris everywhere and shaking the whole cavern.

>Mom is flying a few feet ahead, and you fially get a ood look at the cavern.

>The walls on either side are adored with more pillars and intricate carvings, and although the floor has crumbled away, the rest remains.

>And it all looks like it's gonna come down at any moment.

>A bright orange wave of the deadly substance below splashes against the wall, heaving upwards and almost hitting mom.

>She's forced to stop, and you bump into her back.

-----

>As you do, several chunks of the pillars behind you crumble away, as predicted.

>They fall harmlessly into the sea of orange and red.

>Suddenly alot less pretty to look at, now that you think about it.

>But the sudden collapse of the support beams is causing the cieling to cave in,

>You put your hoof around mom's flank and try to direct her over to the side of the hall, to avoid the collapse of debris, as several more chunks fall in your wakes.

>As soon as the shaking calms down, you're both darting back down the hall again.

>This takes you back to that one time in the nameless city,

>Only with far less ways out, and far more...

>claustrophobia.

>The tunel around has begun to come down violently, and a look back indicates that the place you came from is now blocked off by the outcome.

>you look forwards again, and spy a ledge where the eroded part of this great hall ends,

>It looks like mom's seen it too,

>It's dark past the precipice, but it sure beats getting toasted.

>As the lava rises up to meet you, you can feel sweat beading on your brow.

>Mom makes a beeline for it, the cavern around the two of you coming down to slap the surface of the hazardous liquid below.

>The lava heaves once more as you go to follow,

>It looks like it's going to hit her just as she reaches the edge,

Mom! Under you!

>You dart after her, and then it quickly becomes evident that it wasn't gonna hit her.

>It was gonna hit you,

>You spread your wings rapidly, watching the gap between you and mom widen, right before it gets obliterated by a bright orange wall, blinding you and making you shield yourself from the heat and light.

>Too close, you think,

>You can't handle this kind of heat, you swear it's gonna vaporize you.

>The smell of singed hair permeates the air, and through the roar of surging fluids, you can hear mom call your name.

>Your vision clears, seeing mom hovering a few meters away above the lava-free area,

-----

>She's yelling at you, and looks like she's about to come get you

No need! On my-

>You're cut short, as another one of those huge marble pillars arcs down to say hello behind you,

>You saw it before it hit you, but it wasn't of much use.

>Before you can clear its path, it sweeps down past you, smacking one of your wings out of the way harshly and clipping your left leg, sending you into a dangerously downward spiral.

>The room spins around you, as you try to right yourself.

>eventually you smack into something hard and cold, which comes as a slightly refreshing change.

>With no time to waste you try to stand up properly, failing to find a flat surface.

>You'd landed on the remains of one of the other collapsed pillars,

>You look around, and see mome hovering above you, bits and pieces of the earth under the roof showering down on both of you,

>Going to fly up to meet her, you realize the wing that got hit was completely numb, and your left leg was only a bit better.

>You manage a small jump, but that's it.

I can't fly! I've been hit!

>She probably couldnt hear you, but her expression told you she knew nonetheless.

>Mom flew to the side and planted herself on the ledge to the safety zone, most of her body leaning over.

>In her condition, she probably couldnt fly you up here, but you could read her lips.

>"Jump!"

>No choice, your window of opportunity was closing fast

>You prop yourself up on your shaky limbs and launch yourself up at her, your hooves locking with hers.

>The sudden wave of heat from below hits you, and you feel yourself about to pass out from the strain.

>Your legs scramble at the wall to try and drag you up, in conjunction with mom.

>Slowly you make your way up, but not fast enough. The swirling mixture below is moving slowly, but still faster than you.

>With a startling crunch of rock, you feel yourself slip even lower, and you swear the fur on your legs is being singed by now.

>But mom was still holding you,

-----

>the ledge you were both on had begun to crumble away and shifted towards a harsh angle,

>You thought it spelled doom, but you quickly changed your tune.

>The sudden shift gave you enough leeway to shift upwards over the edge,

>The relief in mom's eyes was clear, as she pulled you further, wings fluttering to help her pull you up as the rock slab below you crumbled away.

>Without a word, she backpeddled towards the non-crumbling hallway, pulling you after.

>As you started to move, the slab snapped away from the ground and slid off the edge.

>You were ready, and leapt off the edge to safety alongside mom.

>she made it about 5 meters into the next hall before landing and huffing.

>You made it approximately a few feet less than her before leaning against a cool wall, sliding down it and collapsing on the ground, huffing.

>You can't help but feel now's a good time to develop a dislike for lava, now that you've tried it.

>There isnt much time for feeling, though, before mom swoops into you, getting underneath you and cradling you as you collapse.

>Your breath is short and shallow, as she presses your forehead against her breast.

>She lets out a long, shaky lungful of air before blurting out, "Are you alright? Is your wing broken?"

>Stirring slightly against her, you shift your head up to look her in the eyes.

>Her face is glistening with sweat dotted with a little grit, and she looks terrified.

>You smile a little just to comfort her

I'm fine. I can't feel my left wing, though...

>without saying a thing, she shifts you up higher along her body and gently justifies all the ruffled feathers on your wing,

>"Try and move it, quickly!"

-----

>You shift around against her a little more and wiggle your wing, now gently in her arms.

>craning your head to see what she's doing, you can see your wing moving slightly, though clumsily.

>"Oh, thank gods, it's not broken..."

>Once again, before you have the time to react, she lets go of your wing and encases you in a hug, burying her muzzle in between your neck and shoulder, forcing yours into hers.

>The scene is suddenly silent, save for a slight rumble in the walls and both of your shallow breaths in the air.

>You both know you can't dawdle for long, but savour the few moments.

>Before you two break up and move on, you can hear mom mutter something into your neck,

>"Regretting it yet?"

>You blow a strand of her now-messy mane out of the way as you get off her,

Not a chance. Don't think I share your love of volcanoes, though.

>"It's alright, every adventurer has one place they love to be, one cave they'd love to explore, one temple they jut have to loot."

>she rolls over and gets up after you,

>"In all honesty, I'm not sure I like volcanoes all that much anymore either..."

>You and her flash a little smile at eachother.

>The two adventurers

>Still alive

>Together