//------------------------------// // CH. 26 Grasping at Straws // Story: Shouldn't Be // by Lumadous //------------------------------//         Trapped, backed into the corner, nowhere to run, no pony to call out to for help.         Just how it liked its meals.         “Little Scootaloo, will you come out and play?” it asked using its foal voice, teasing her, making her think it was hidden.         It wasn't.         There was no hope for her to escape, not now, not ever.         It also helped that the silly filly had gotten herself trapped in a narrow section of the cave, quite comically for the changeling. Her rear hooves were frantically kicking in the air, but were barely scraping the ground.         Settling down on what could be called its butt it prepared itself for a mental feast. Not the usual trickle feed feeding that would sustain a few changelings for a week or so before the prey was worn out and would be discarded, but for a voracious mental attack that would strip her of usefulness in hours, and from there it could just leave the husk in the hole to scare future prey. And where she was stuck the decaying smell would not stink up the place too much.         Oh! Life was good!         Just as it started to reach out with its mental tendrals, a nagging sensation rippled across its skin like water. Something, or rather, many somethings had entered its lair, far too many to be explained away as them simply being lost.         “They must be here for the filly!” It raged in it’s head.         With a sigh, the shifting mass turned around and slunk away, snapping its dragon-like tail against the wall in anger. This minor inconvenience would only delay it from its food, but perhaps it could find a way to lead them into the main hive.         “Oh, yes, that could work out.” A dozen or so cheshire grins appearing on it’s skin in random spots.         With the hive occupied by the new feeding sources, it would leave it free to feed to its heart’s content on this little filly, and if it played its cards right, maybe the queen would reward it.         Oh, life just got better!         “So, Dr. Luna, you’re letting me leave today, right?” I asked, strapped down to the heavily padded wheelchair.         “Of course, it’s not everyday we get to do so either! The breakthroughs that we’ve made with you are truly wondrous. Now if only we could do the same with the others.” she said, slowly, choosing her words carefully.         “Somepony bite you again?”         “And a few others.”         “I bet you tasted like chhhiiiikkkkooooonnnnnn.” I sang, teasing her from my chair.         “Not too late for me to rip up your release forms and place you in solitary confinement.” she deadpanned.         “Bah, you’re no fun.” I said, flopping back down in my chair.         “That’s vhat ve all say.” The orderly who was pushing my chair said, chuckling a little to himself.         “Thank you, at least someone here has a sense of humor.” I said, leaning back to look at the old stallion who had been the only orderly I’ve seen in the eight years I had been in this hospital.         Come to think about it, the only two ponies I have seen working in this hospital my entire stay here.         “So, what is going to be the first thing you do when you leave?” asked Dr. Luna, who was highly displeased with how the conversation was going.         “Eat a pony.” I deadpanned.         The chair I was in stopped suddenly, jerking me forward. Dr. Luna stepped around in front of me, giving me a long hard stare.         “Yes, yes, I know, lame joke.” I said, rolling my eyes.         “Turn him around, take him back to his cell.” she said.         “Buh, wha.....wait....” I sputtered.         “And make sure to add him back to the chow list.” She added as she tore a sheet out of her notebook and ripped it to shreds.         “Please!” I begged, “It was just a joke! I promise it meant nothing more. Please don’t do this!”         “Probably should put him in solitary confinement before he gets dangerous.”         I felt the blood rush from my face. “Confinement?” I squeaked.         “And make sure his bindings are tight, don’t want him to slip away.”         “Please, nononononono, anything but that, anything!” I begged, a solitary tear rolling down my face. The year I spent locked in that lonely black room  was haunting me, taunting me.         The chair slowed to a stop, I wasn't paying attention, I was staring at my hooves as they dangled inches above the speckled floor.         “Just a joke, yes?” Dr. Luna asked.         “Yes, I swear it was!” I sobbed.         “So how did you enjoy my joke?” She asked.         “You made a joke?” I asked, looking up at her grinning face.         “You are an evil mare.” The orderly said.         “Agreed, but you tore up my release.” I pointed out.         “Blank piece of paper. Don’t worry, we’re still throwing you out on your ass.” She said with a smile.         “I have a donkey?” I grumbled sarcastically.         “Let’s get you free before another one of her jokes makes me strangle her.” The orderly said as he turned me around and pushed me back towards the wide metal double doors.         “Anyways, Mr. Cass, just a reminder, while we have set up housing for you, and a small allowance, they are only meant to support you till you get a job of your own. And while you may be free-er, we will still be checking up on you often. But, if you have any issues, just return here and we will do everything we can to help.”         Stopping just short of the door, the orderly walked around in front of me and with great flourish, unlocked the obscenely large lock that held the thick chains in place. He pushed the door handle down and looked at me with a large grin on his face.         “And vill be light.” He simply stated as he opened the door, letting the first sunlight I’ve seen in years stream in.         The apartment that they had provided for me was.... small, but it was cozy, in it’s own way. The simple apartment sat above a small market where the other ponies came and sold their wares. In the days after I had been set free from the hospital the Doctor had visited me a handful of times, once to even leave me a housewarming gift. While I appreciated it, I didn’t get the humor behind giving me my straight jacket. During her visits she made thinly veiled suggestions to get out and meet myself a nice mare to settle down with.         So far I really hadn’t done much more than go out and attempt to find myself a good job, not that many for a former inmate of an insane asylum. Luckily for me I had been able to find one working as a errand boy for the local baker, a clearly insane pink pony. But hauling ingredients to the shop all day and helping with the cleaning did have some definite advantages of free pastries.         Last time Dr. Luna had visited me she had also suggested I should keep a journal, but I couldn’t do it. Writing without fingers, despite the fact that I knew I’ve never had them, just still felt wrong.         Every now and then I would see Jazz Apple in the market, and while she never seemed to recognize me, I avoided her like the plague. Last thing I needed was to get noticed by her, and by her I mean her father, who would probably beat the crap outta me if he even got the hint of me anywhere near his daugher.         And to make matters worse, I could hear mutterings when no pony else was nearby, and they made no sense. Of course, I would never mention this to the good Doctor, but still. Most of them seemed to be pertaining to my mood, which I found odd, seeing how most of the time it seemed to me like they were ordering them like food.         The voices seemed familiar, but i had no clue why, only a dark cloud when I tried to conjure up any images of who or what the voices belonged to. All I knew is that the scared the crap outta me.         Scootaloo knew she was screwed. She could practically feel that thing’s breath against her trapped rump. Who knew what horrors it would unleash on her in such a vulnerable position.         Fearing the worst she struggled with all of her might, desperate to even move an inch in any direction, cursing her stupidity for even trying to force her way through the too small hole.         “Little Scootaloo, will you come out and play?” Came it’s muffled words from behind her, causing to panic even more, scraping her hooves on the ground and using her forehooves to push with renewed vigor.         After a few moments that seemed to stretch on for far too long, she heard a shuffling sound followed by a sharp crack that hit the rock above her rump hard enough she felt the rock tremble.         Scootaloo bucked trying to hit her attacker and only struck empty air, but she was rewarded with a slight shift forward.         That slight shift was all she needed.         Pumping her hips she heaved herself forward and popped through, landing on her face with a thud as the narrow passage collapsed behind her with a shower of shattered rocks and sending up a plume of thick choking dust.         Standing up, she coughed, trying to clear her throat from the dust that was quickly becoming concrete. She pounded her hoof on her chest she coughed up what felt like half her lung. Taking a step forward she fell flat on her face, something had hold of her tail. She fearfully looked back, expecting that monster to have hold of her, but breathed a sigh of relief when she saw it was just merely the collapsed rocks.         Twisting herself around she looked for anything on the ground to help her. Seeing a sharp looking rock nearby she scooped it up in her hooves and started hacking at her tail near its base. Soon the hairs started snapping and breaking.         After the last few hairs finally gave away, she flipped back over and staggered away, her balance thrown off by the lack of tail. She grimly continued on, hoping that somewhere ahead she would find a way out of the ever deepening labyrinth.