Title: Chapter Two Author: Pikeman Pastebin link: http://pastebin.com/xkxhzvua First Edit: Monday 26th of March 2012 06:45:52 PM CDT Last Edit: Monday 26th of March 2012 06:45:52 PM CDT > 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.