I decide that it’s best to make do with the path that takes the least amount of time to explore just to get it out of the way. Out of the vastness of this structure, this looks the least likely though. Ah well. I guess it can’t hurt, right? I start onto the left, looking at some of the open entryways for anything that points to a name. However, the left side has absolutely nothing. No labels and the entryways are all blocked. However, looking to my right, I see that there’s more to this path than I originally saw. I walk up to the hidden path, letting the darkness surround me until I see that it is indeed a dead end.
So practically, that trip is all for naught. Coming back, this time on the opposite side, I pay attention to any open entryways. There are several ones, but they all lead into all of the same room. So, I decide to go into the room to see any writing. No such luck. There isn’t even a label on the front above the dismantled gate. I do see some unusual structures though. I turn left out of the room and try another path.
However, I see something as I head out. Within a large, dirty spot across from me, I see some reflected light that wasn’t there before. I trot up to the particular area and smell it, seeing if I only just got my hooves wet, them starting to sting quite a bit. I don’t remember stepping into a puddle. I know I remember seeing one on the left path. Suddenly, I smell something oddly familiar, yet it’s a completely new scent. It starts to worry me a little, but I sit down and look at my right forehoof just to make sure it’s not what I think is going on.
My hoof looks okay. It’s kind of hard to see in the dim light. But then my nose picks up the scent pouring off of my hoof, one that’s nearly identical to the scent on the wet mark. I was right. I never stepped into a puddle. But now, I’m bleeding in one of my hooves. By now, the numbness on my hooves is practically unnoticeable. I’m not sure how to feel about it, but when I put my hoof back onto the ground, I hiss at a twinge, crying out afterwards. I hover a little to ease the pain, which proves to be somewhat successful. I can control my tolerance temporarily and find a place to heal.
Looking at the remaining part of the dismantled gate, I get the idea to use that as a source to make the material I need to heal myself, which is called motite. I light up my horn and prepare to put my left forehoof onto the gate as I climb to the right of it with my presumably good hooves. None of my hooves are actually in any good condition, but the others are much better than my right forehoof, so it’s a rather slow process. Not to mention that I’ll have to climb onto the ceiling in order to put my right hoof into the motite. By Chrysalis, is this a slow process, and the being upside down isn’t fun at all.
So FINALLY, my right forehoof heals to a condition on par with the other three. I hover down, bracing my legs for landing, and try to rest in the room I found. However, that doesn’t seem to work out in any place. Looking for a good corner is such a challenge in this part of the enclosed town market because the floor is so far engulfed in dense dust.
I think of everything I have been through... the forceful wall... waking up on the hybridized staircase... the sound of crunching... the powerful reverb... the intense negative emotion in the dark room at that corner... the dead end... the bloody hoof... what is this sick, twisted, crazed, cruel reality I have run into? Is this all a dream? I don’t think so. I screeched in pain earlier. Are there even any ponies around my locale anymore? It sure would be better than being all alone in this Chrysalis forsaken structure.
Suddenly, I lose my thoughts when I start coughing violently in a way I haven’t been through before. But during this coughing fit on all fours, I start feeling wet from my chest down. A while after, I lose the cough, and in its place, I start shivering. Looking around me, I see the presence of a puddle that was absent just before I started coughing. Just afterwards, my eyes start sagging and I fall into the puddle that presents the right forehoof scent from earlier. At this point, I don’t care that I’m now laying on a puddle that appeared during my coughing fit. I have gotten too weak, cold and drowsy.
“Queen Chrysalis, in case I don’t ever return to the hive, I have to tell you that I have always loved you. You have always promised me and the hive love, shelter, and everything that we have needed. You have been persistent in achieving the dream of the hive. However, I am truly sorry to say that I could not find the name of the locale I have ended up in. If you have any of your drones with you, please send them here. However, it actually would be preferred if you sent ponies. I don’t want to see our comrades fall like I may have now.”
I am almost now too weak to talk, but I finally squeak something out before I inevitably start the big sleep.
“Somepony... anypony... please save me...”
I start losing my vision and my hearing as I continue to start my nap. I have to admit, I haven’t even come close to this in the hive due to my kind around me. Now, I am completely isolated, lost, and to add on to that, almost gone. I sure hope I can wake up soon.