Chapter Two

> Darkness, nothing but darkness
> you can’t move
> your head pounds in your skull and your body is sore
> are you dead?
> if this this the afterlife then dying SUCKS
> your other senses slowly begin come back into focus
> you feel a blindfold tied tightly around your eyes, and a cloth gag tied to your mouth
> your arms are bound behind your back again
> your lying on a metallic surface, you can feel a constant breeze on the skin of your face
> you’re outside? You’re moving?
> you're alive?
> why are you alive? Celestia made it pretty clear she wanted you dead
> but now you’re going… somewhere
> you’re getting tired of not knowing where you are
> you want your bow back
> you try to ask where you’re going, but all that comes out through the gag is a mumble
> the only answer is a quick jab into your gut, making you gasp for air
> “quiet you, we’re almost there”
> it sounded like one of the guards from earlier
> what did they want from you?
> they probably wouldn’t answer any questions even if you could ask them, so you spend the rest of the journey in silence
> eventually you feel your stomach shift as you begin to descend
> you were flying? How is that possible?
> oh right, these p0nies can do goddam MAGIC. they’re probably capable of anything.
> you feel your descent come to a stop and hear the sound of wooden wheels on gravel
> it seems you’ve arrived
> “Get up” the guard barks, grabbing the back of your collar and hoisting you unsteadily to your feet
> it’s hard to balance with the blindfold and your hands bound behind you, but you manage
> the air is cool on your skin, it’s silent except for  the sound of crickets in the distance and the movement of a few p0nies around you
> you guess it must be night
> “Move it” the guard orders, prodding you in the back
> you take a step forward, but stumble as your leg is caught on something
> unable to catch yourself with your hands behind you, you fall forward and land face first in the dirt
> I seems you ankles are bound together by a short length of chain.
> as awkwardly rise from the ground, you receive a kick to your side, sending you back into the dirt
> “get up filth, we don’t have all day”
> eventually you stagger back to your feet, and are prodded forward again
> you have to shuffle forward with short steps to avoid tripping, and being blindfolded doesn’t help
> your holders seem annoyed by your slow progress, they repeatedly jab you in the back, causing you to nearly fall again.
> you feel the dirt under your feet change to something more solid as you move forward
> It’s warmer here, and the cool breeze is gone
> you must be inside
> the air carries the faint smell of books and ink
> you were in a library?
> you desperately wish you could see where you were
> a guard to your left speaks up
> “where would you like me to put these ma’am?”
> “over there is the closet is fine, sir” a feminine voice responds
> wait, you recognize that voice
> It was Twilight Sparkle, Celestia’s apprentice
> oh man, what does she have planned for you?
> whatever it is it can’t be good
> you can hear one of the guards walk away to your left, and hear a small clatter as something is set down
> you would know that sound anywhere, that’s your quiver
> Dammit, your bow was right over there!
> It was so close, yet it might as well be miles away…
> “keep moving” the other guard orders, pushing you forward
> you reach a flight of stairs, and begin slowly and carefully working your way down
> without your sight it’s impossible to judge the height of each step
> eventually you reach the bottom and are directed across the room
> the guard orders you to stop and you feel him fiddling with the manacles binding your wrists
> “There we go,” he says “It’s not going anywhere now.”
> “Good, you’re dismissed.” Twilight responds
> as you hear the guard ascend the stairs, you feel your blindfold begin to come loose
> light fills your eyes as it comes off, making you squint and blink repeatedly
> as your vision clears, you see Twilight standing in front of you
> you appear to be in a bare basement, the walls and floor are made from smooth seamless wood
> It looks like the room is nestled within the roots of some gigantic tree
> Twilight looks at you, her lips curled in disgust
> “I suppose you’re wondering why you’re still alive”
> You’re still gagged, so you give a short grunt in response
> “At first, we were fine with just executing you and being done with it”
> the casual tone of her voice unsettles you, did your life really mean that little to her?
> “But,” she continues, “I realized that if you could make it over into our world, unintentionally or not, other humans probably could as well.”
> “I convinced Celestia that we needed to study you, learn your kind’s strengths and weaknesses, in case any other humans come here. So you were spared, for now”
> Great, so you were her scientific prisoner. And as soon as they were finished learned what they needed to know.
> you would be sent straight back to the chopping block
> she walks away and climbs up the stairs, leaving you sitting on the floor
> “We’ll start first thing in the morning”
> as the door closes behind her, the lights go out, plunging you into complete darkness.
> okay, you need to get out of here. NOW
> the guard seems to have attached another chain to the manacles on your wrists
> you feel your way along it until you reach the wall
> the chain leads to a metal ring embedded in the wood
> you turn your back, grabbing the ring with your hands, you pull with all your might
> it’s no good, you can’t get a solid grip with your hands bound together, and the thing is in there tight
> you doubt you could pull it out even if you were free
> you explore as much of the basement as you can while leashed
> it’s not much, the chain is only about 5 feet in length, you can’t even reach the center of the room
> with a sigh, you slump down against the wall, near the ring
> at least your last cell had a bed, here you’ll have to sleep on the floor
> being knocked unconscious must not be very restful, you’re feeling tired again.