//------------------------------// // Chapter 6 // Story: The Collector // by gallagsp the corgi //------------------------------// They ran down the hallway, being that they were on the fifth floor of the hotel, they figured there were only two ways out. The elevators, or the stairs. "I'll cover the stairs, you two guard the elevators." Lyra yelled as she broke away from the others. They looked back at her and Colgate shrugged. The elevators were just ahead. The hotel had three sets of glass elevators, and currently, one was out of order. The other two were on different floors, Twilight realized that maybe the criminal had already gotten away. They stopped in front of them to catch their breath. Twilight peared over the railing at the courtyard below. The hotel had a fountain, and it was surrounded by tables and chairs. A few ponies sat at them but the hotel seemed empty for this time of day. Colgate coughed. Twilight turned back to her. "What are we going to do?" Colgate asked. "Unless Lyra got him he's already gotten away from us." "I know. Let me think." Twilight turned back to the elevators, looking them over. Suddenly, she got an idea. "The security footage! The elevators have security cameras! Lyra probably has the authority to get that footage from the hotel security." "You're right, I do have that authority." Lyra trotted up to them, panting. "I didn't find him, but the elevators arn't the only place in this hotel to have cameras. Every hallway has them, as well as the lobby and the courtyard. The pool and the gym probably have them too." "So you're saying we can watch the footage to figure out where this guy went and what he looks like." "Exactly. The hotel manager and head of security have to be present, but I have a bagde that gives me access to these kinds of things." "Then what are we waiting for? Lets go talk to the manager!" Colgate pushed the button on the elevator. They waited a few minutes, then were greeted by the cheerful ding of the doors opening. Twilight stepped in first, then she remembered something about glass elevators that may be an issue. She was terrified of them. It wasn't the height, or the fact that it was glass, Twilight just didn't like glass elevators. They had taken the stairs on their way up to the room, but now the elevator door was shutting with the three ponies trapped inside it. Twilight did the only thing she could. She snapped. Jumping away from the glass, she clawed at the metal doors, screaming profanity and yelling about how they were going to die. Lyra and Colgate could only watch as she did so. When the elevator finally landed on the ground floor,Twilight ripped open the doors with her magic and bolted out of the death trap. She pressed herself against the opposite wall, gasping for air and holding her head in her hooves. "I hate elevators" she muttered to herself over and over again. "I hate them so much." "Twilight? Are you alright?" Colgate carefully tapped her with a hoof. "Please tell me you're alright." "I'm fine, I think I'm fine." "What the hay was that? Why didn't you tell is you were afraid of elevators?" "Um, I forgot." Lyra facehoofed. Colgate raised an eyebrow. "You forgot?" "Yeah. I guess I did. I havn't ridden in an elevator in years." "Why are you so afraid of them?" "Its a long story from when I was a filly." "We've got all night." "We need to watch that security footage!" "I'll go get that in a minute. You need to calm down. Tell us what happened." Lyra patted Twilight on the back. She looked up and sighed. "It started when I was just a filly..." Flashback to Canterlot, Twenty years ago Twilight Sparkle waited by the elevator doors. Her back was heavy with books and she couldn't carry them all down the stairs. The door opened with a cheerful ding, and the doors opened. Ponies in suites rushed out in a hurry to continue with their buissiness. Twilight waited patiently until all the grown-ups had left before she stepped into the metal box. Cheery music played as she reached up and pushed the button for the ground floor. The door slid shut and the elevator jerked to begin its decent. Suddenly, there was a rough jerk and the lights went out. The filly screamed and the elevator jerked again. Twilight felt the elevator began to fall. An emergency alarm sounded and a red light flashed. The filly screamed again, and in her fear lost control of her bladder. The dial indicating the floor the elevator was on rapidly moving towards the one. Twilight closed her eyes and wondered if the impact would hurt. The elevator suddenly stopped. Twilight opened her eyes and saw a faint glow from the other side of the doors. The elevator shifted again, and Twilight screamed again, but it only moved a few feet. Twilight heard yelling from the other side of the door and the glow intensified. The door was wreched open and dust flew around. Twilight looked up and saw a young stallion standing in front of the door while several other ponies stood by. The colt was sweating from using so much magic to stop an elevator from collapsing, but he ran into the box and grabbed the filly, pulling her out of the metal tomb and holding her tight. "Are you okay?" He asked her. His voice was warm and comforting. "I think so." Twilight whispered. She felt pressure in her eyes and began crying. The mysterious hero that saved her held her tight, he didn't mind that his suite was being soaked by tears, he just held her tight and let her cry. A few ponies began to applaud, soon, the crowd all began to applaud the stallion. A few ran up and tried to congradulate him, but he ignored them, he just held that filly as tight as he could until Twilight's parents came and got her. They thanked the hero, he claimed that he did it out of instinct, and that he was just doing what had to be done. They asked him his name, and in an embarassed tone he replied. "My name is Fancy Pants, but please, I don't need any attention for this." Twilight always knew Fancy Pants wasn't like the other rich and famous in Canterlot.