//------------------------------// // Scootaloo // Story: Down the Rabbit Hole // by Equestrian Clock //------------------------------// Part 2 One Week Later We were stuck here for a week now. I don't mean this hideout, I mean this world. We weren't able to get back. And Sweetie Belle was still in a coma. It turns out that the camp we escaped had a barrier that was supposed to prevent teleportation. Apparently, our magic was potent enough to get through the barrier, but it took it's toll on Sweetie. The doctors still didn't know when she would be alright. It also seemed we had disconnecting Cobalt from the hive mind, during the barrierbreak, leaving him in disarray for a while. I felt guilty for leaving, and I'm sure Apple Bloom was too, but I couldn't take the sitting by her bed. Just too jumpy, I guess. And I still haven't finished exploring. But what really surprised me was that Cobalt was able to sit there, unwilling too leave. I had a strong feeling that Cobalt liked her. And maybe, just maybe, Sweetie Belle liked him back. I mean, even in her state, she seemed to be able sense his presence. She reached out to him in her sleep on several occasions and sometimes called his name. I think I might be a little jealous. Anyways, back to us being stuck here. It turned out that this was a secret base of some sort, housing all kinds of refugees. They even found the princesses Celestia and Luna! They still hadn't found Cadence, Shining Armor, or the Element Bearers, though. The base was originally a mine for crystals. They found a cavern deep set into one of those mines, in the crystal mountains. It was far enough away from the changeling empire, that they hadn't found us yet. *awooga, awooga!* Let me rephrase that. They hadn't found us until now. "Attention! All guards report to your stations! This is not a drill! I repeat, this is not a drill!" I heard a voice over the P.A, announcing the near arrival of the Changeling army. I found myself being herded by guards toward the rear of the encampment, along with all the other foals and mares, besides the princesses. I feared for all the stallions, commuting to the front lines, preparing a rugged defense against the oncoming storm. I didn't think we stood any chance against the army. If we were lucky, only a small portion of changelings had come to attack us. Even then, it would be at least 10,000 enemies that we were up against. Our only strong form of defense was concealment, and we blew that. We were doomed to be taken as slaves, just like those who had not escaped. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As we entered the bunker-like structure at the aft of the hideout, we felt a tremor that shook us and the thousands of pounds of rock hanging above us. I was starting to feel the effects of claustrophobia, even though the cavern we had entered was quite large. Another tremble shook us. Some dust fell. Phew, I thought. No ro- I was interrupted by a boulder the size of a door, falling, not a foot a way from me. I jumped away, startled and shaken. Another fell. And a other. Then it stopped. We were trapped, our exit cut off. Not but a small hole of light beamed through. No way out. In the dark. I turned around, trying to get to everyone else. Suddenly, *crunch*. I felt pain arc up my leg. I tried to move away, but couldn't move forward. My leg was stuck and hurting. I was starting to get dizzy. The pain was too much. I blacked out. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Beep... Beep... Beep..." I heard an annoying noise. I looked up to see a white ceiling. Wait, that's not right. I thought, confused.I'm supposed to be in the cavern. I sat up. I was in what looked like an ER. Why would I be in an emergency room? I questioned. For a minute, I sat in silence before I heard, "Hurry! She's awake!" and saw a doctor come in, along with several nurses. "How are you feeling?" the doctor asked. "Fine. Just fine, apart from my broken leg," I answered. "But I wasn't here a minute ago." "Yes, you were," one of the nurses. "And when did you get a broken leg?" "You can check if you want," I told them. "In fact, I'd like you to check. It hurts really bad." "Alright, let's see," the doctor conceded. "Oh dear. Marble, get me some bandages. This is not good." he said to one of nurses, an aqua mare. She retrieved a roll of ace bandages, some cotton, and, for good measure, some sort of anesthetic. "Thank you," he said to Marble, taking the remedies from her. Then to me, he warned, "Now, this won't hurt a bit. We're going to give you some sleep medicine. Lie down." I felt a prick in my arm, followed by a yelp from me. For a minute, nothing happened. Then, I suddenly felt like I wasn't attached to me anymore and was floating away. And slowly, I drifted off into the unknown; sleep. For real sleep, not sleep there wake here. Actual rest. No dreams. Just black.