I saw Applejack, Fluttershy, and Twilight Sparkle enter after Bunsen Burner. He seemed to be in a better mood this time around. The Sodium Pentothal had worn off, so my mind was as sharp as could be, given that I still had a mild concussion from being kicked in the head.
“Oh no. Don’t tell me that he threatened you too?” Had Bunsen Burner conscripted them? My worries began to overtake me, as I realized my performance could hinge on their well-being.
Bunsen Burner spoke to them, “It appears the subject is already attempting to reassert control over you. I was afraid of this. Excuse me.” Bunsen Burner turned to face the wall. He went to a concealed panel and pressed a button, and a wall of Plexiglas began to descend. Fluttershy flicked her wing, and bizarrely enough, a wallet flew from her feathery appendage. It slid the last few feet noiselessly to stop right in front of my foot. Quickly I placed my foot over it; fortunately it was small enough that I could conceal it completely. I looked up to them; Twilight’s expression was stoic, Fluttershy was ruffling her wings. Applejack tipped her hat to conceal her face from Bunsen Burner as she gave a small smile and winked to me.
I had no idea what a wallet was going to do to help me, but I at least knew one thing; my friends hadn’t abandoned me, even if they had been coerced. All I had to do now was bide my time and play my part, and they would get me out somehow.
“What have you done to them? You can’t do this!” My raging voice was muffled significantly by the Plexiglas, but they could still hear me.
“Tell me, did he mention anything to you about specific cities he was interested in? I’m afraid this goes even deeper than just him. There is an invasion force of the subject’s kind waiting for his scouting report.”
Applejack continued to stare at me. “How didja get him teh fess up?”
“Truth serum. Kept him on a steady stream of the stuff for a while, but I’m afraid he may have been trained to combat it. What did he talk about with you, Applejack?”
“He mainly seemed only interested in Ponyville or Canterlot. Never really asked about any other cities.”
“And what about you Fluttershy? You encountered the subject first and survived with no ill effects by all accounts.”
“Um, well, he always walked on his two hind legs. He isn’t as fast as most ponies, but he is pretty strong.”
“Hmm. Yes. Twilight Sparkle? Any remarks?”
“I hope that you can better protect ponies by studying him. I guess I learned to not be as trusting by just appearance and words.”
“That is an unfortunate lesson that must be learned in life; as a scientist, I learned quickly to only be sure of something once I’d seen it with my own two eyes, and touched it with my two front hooves.”
“But what about trust in your friends?” Twilight asked.
Bunsen Burner paused. “Celestia is teaching you the ‘magic’ of friendship, yes?”
“That’s right.”
Bunsen Burner shook his head and sighed, “I can’t believe that old sow is still at it.”
Twilight’s mouth hung open; she was stunned beyond all belief, “What did you called Princess Celestia?”
Bunsen Burner looked Twilight firmly in the eyes. “From one former student to another, Twilight Sparkle, the faster you throw out the antiquated belief that friends can be any help at all, the better. Celestia, while having good intentions, sits in her castle all day, delegating most of her duties to me and several other ponies she calls ‘honorary royalty’ like the arrogant Prince Blueblood and his ilk. Her ‘pie in the sky’ philosophy lasts a very short time in the real world, as I found out soon after leaving her care. In this world, the only things you can rely on are your wits, and your hooves. Everypony else is fallible and unreliable, even sometimes the truest of ‘friends’.”
Twilight was absolutely dumbfounded by this ‘kernel of wisdom’. Applejack stepped in front of her, her face was as hard as stone,“I don’t think yeh require our services any longer, Mr. Burner. We’ll take our leave now.”
“Very well. You know the way out.” He waved his hoof toward the door.
The three ponies filed their way out of the room, and Bunsen Burner followed shortly followed thereafter. As soon as the door sealed, I frantically retrieved the wallet and opened it. The wallet contained a blank paper that took the place where the I.D. normally sat. I didn’t understand, and I almost threw the wallet down in a confused anguished rage when I began to notice the change. As if an invisible pen were writing it, letters, words, began to take shape on the blank paper, seemingly from nowhere. As it finished, I read the message in full, ‘Hope is a good emotion: rescue is coming.’