//------------------------------// // Chapter 9: Blank // Story: Turbulence // by Rainbow Hyphen //------------------------------// Rainbow was so relieved, and she could tell Soarin was too. The both of them thought the other must have been dead. Then Soarin's expression turned to sadness. "You... don't look so good," He blurted out. Dash just laughed. "Thanks for pointing that out. Now, how're you going to get me out of here?" Rainbow Dash said looking at the lock. Soarin looked down at the lock. Then up at Dash with a frown. "I'm sorry," He said in his most sincere voice. Suddenly the door to at the end of the hall began to open. Soarin looked around quickly for a place to hide. But this was just a hall. There wasn't a place to hide. The door opened. Standing in it was Lavender. She had a key ring in her mouth and dropped it when she spotted Soarin. "I... you're not suppose to be in-..." The little filly began but then her eyes lite up like a firework in the night sky. "Soarin! Oh my gosh! It's really you!!" Lavender rushed over and leaped at the stallion knocking him over in the process. "Um... Hi," Soarin said confused. This was definitely not the place he would've thought he'd meet a fan. Lavender hugged him tightly until she came back to her senses and shuffled off of him blushing. Soarin got up and smiled at her. She smiled but looked away embarrassed. She gaze met Dash's and then she remember why she had come here. "Rainbow Dash..." Lavender began. "I'm really sorry... I shouldn't have brought you into that maze." "It's not your fault, kid," Dash said to her with a comforting smile. "I should have stuck with you." Lavender just looked away saddened. She knew it was her fault. Even if Rainbow Dash said otherwise... deep down... she knew. "My brother said that if I helped you out again I would regret it but," She said then turned and picked up the key ring. It had a rusted old key attached to it. Lavender brought it over then placed it in the lock. Seconds later there was a click and the cell door opened. Dash trotted out and put a hoof on Lavender's head. "Thanks," Dash told her roughing up her hair a bit. Lavender giggled and smiled up at Rainbow. "I'm sorry but, I need to be getting back to bed. Sunset will be angry if he figures out I was the one who helped you again," Lavender said then rushed toward the door. She opened it and quickly left. Dash turned to Soarin. "Have you seen Spitfire?" Rainbow asked. The question caught Soarin a little off guard. He had just assumed Spitfire was OK but the entire time he had been here he hadn't seen her. "No... but Spitfire's tough. It would take alot to take a pony like her down," Soarin said with a grin. "Now come on, we need to get going." Dash nodded and the pair quickly escaped from the hall through the door. They found themselves in an office type room. The walls, ceiling, and floor were all concrete just like in the prison area. There was a desk to their right with clipboard and pencil laying on it. They rushed across and out of the room. The door to the office opened and then they were at a staircase. The pair slowly began to ascend it until they were at the top... now they were back in the castle. The floors were wooden and the ceiling and walls were a cold stone. Torches were placed evenly along the rooms walls to illuminate the hall. They had two options. Left or right. "Which way should we go?" Dash asked Soarin. "I came from the right way but it just leads to more bedrooms," Soarin replied unsure. "Alright, then we go left," Rainbow stated. She turned and trotted down the left hall. Not that it made a difference. Every all in this castle looked the same. The trotted for about a minute then finally came to the first door at the end of the hall. Rainbow placed a hoof on the handle and looked at Soarin. He nodded, signalling her to open it. Rainbow turned the handle and the door slowly opened. What was inside was something Rainbow would never forget. It was a library. Every wall had a shelf. Each shelf filled with books. But that wasn't it at all... in the center of the room was a stand. Like the kinda ponies use to stand behind during speeches. Rainbow slowly walked towards the stand and noticed a book on it. It had no title nor author. The front was black except for larges scratches across it. "Looks like somepony took a knife to the poor thing," Soarin said worried. Dash turned to him... she was worried as well. Something about this book just seemed... off. Rainbow opened it to the first page... ... it was blank. She turned to Soarin again who seemed as confused as she was. She turned to the next page... blank. She turned again... blank. She quikcly flipped through all the pages but every last one was blank. "What is this?!" Dash said slightly afraid. "Put it down and lets go, this place is giving me the creeps," Soarin told her. Rainbow placed the book back on it's stand and followed Soarin back towards the doors. Before she exited through them she turned and gave one last look at the book. It sent a chill down her spin and she quickly followed Soarin out of the library.