Cramped. And dark. Cramped and dark. She didn't like the dark. Not one bit. But at least it kept going. Scotch wasn't entirely sure if she could turn back around even if she wanted to. The real question was, how deep did it go? She did have a few candles in her bag, perhaps she could get them out. But it is very cramped, maybe she should just-
Suddenly there was a complete absence of floor. Maybe she should have been taking it a little slower. But it was a short fall, though a loud one. She had to struggle for several minutes, tangled in...string or something. A small chain? Something. In a desperate attempt she tried to light her horn. Maybe if she focused- nope. Now her horn was on fire. Again.
She flailed for a moment until she managed to put it out. A sigh left her lips as she shifted and dug through her bag, fishing out a candle. It wasn't hard to find, after all, she didn't have much. Technically the bag was hers, even if nothing inside them was. She focused on the candle and took a deep breath. When she let it out, the candle burst into life. It was a stupid thing to be good at.
Then she turned her attention to what she had been stuck in, and it was a small chain. It had been attached to something, but snapped in her struggle. At least the place she was in now was a lot bigger. Not so cramped...but...where was she? “What's this then?”
Again, she was fairly certain she was terrified. Somewhere in the darkness beyond her candle light, something was coming. Silently. “Uhm...I...”
Then there was something poking it's head around a corner. It looked at her. Stared at her. “Well now, don't see this everyday,” it said as it moved around the corner. “What brings light down into Undercity?” It was a...rat? A mouse? It was quite large. And it wore a hat. A cavalier if Scotch was not mistaken, with four large black feathers.
“Under...what?” Scotch fumbled a bit for words, watching as the thing walked towards her. It had a belt and was holding what looked to be a sword.
It hesitated, or she should think he as it seemed male? “Undercity,” he said, holding the sword out in front of him and pointed at, Scotch couldn't help but notice, her.
“Is...is it called that because it's under the city?” Scotch was watching the sword, examining it. It seemed to be a toy sword that had been turned to the black stone. And sharpened. It looked very sharp.
Again there was hesitation. “I...never thought of it that way, but that makes a lot of sense.” He sheathed the sword. “Well, you are either the most oddly disguised rat I have ever seen, or something I have not seen before in my lifetime...”
“My...my name is Scotch Muffin. I'm a unicorn,” she said softly, glad that the threat was gone.
“A what?” He adjusted his hat as he walked around her, towards where she had fallen in. “You're called Scotch Muffin, yet you say you are also a unicorn?”
“No-” she hesitated. “Well, yes. Technically.”
“Which is it?” His hand hovered slightly around his sword.
“Scotch Muffin is what I'm called. Scotch for short,” the things here made so little sense.
“I'm not sure what a Scotch Muffin is...but, you don't seem a threat.”
“I'm not. I'm just...Scotch. I'm trying to get into the Obsidian City,” she said with a slight sigh. “But the door is closed.”
“I see...my apology for my previous hostility. I am Sir Antwan Percival Mousekewitz, knight of the round cheese, at your service, my lady,” he gave a bow, removing his hat as he did.
Her brow furrowed slightly. “A...knight?”
“Yes. Of the round cheese,” he was fiddling with the chain, stretching it back over the path that Scotch had come down.
It must be hooked to some sort of alarm, which is why Sir Antwan got here so fast. “I've...never met a knight before...” Then realization dawned. “Could you, uhm...get me up into the Obsidian City?”
He looked at her and then placed his hat back onto his head. “First we must speak with the council. We must find what to do with a Scotch Muffin.” He turned and moved quickly down the tunnel.
Scotch followed, after getting her bag and candle. It was a little difficult to carry it and keep up with the knight, who she was assuming must be a mouse, judging by the way he spat the word rat. Plus his last name was Mousekewitz for Celestia's sake. “Will it take long? My friends are already in the city. I think...”
“You think they may, or may not be? Why are you not sure?” He looked back at her, having to come back several times to make sure she didn't get lost. Though he walked and stood on two legs, he ran on all fours.
“Well, we got separated. And they wouldn't open the door for some reason.” She was not going to be bothered with trying to keep up and went at her own pace. She couldn't help but notice there were several more mice around them now. Some of them armed and hatted as Sir Antwan.
“Antwan, what is this?” They had come to a...building? There was no other way to describe it.
“It is a Scotch Muffin,” he said, removing his hat. The mouse he was talking to had several feathers. Seven or eight of them. “She came through the side door and wants permission to go to the over city.”
“Why does she bring light into Undercity?" The mouse was clearly addressing her. “Put it out.”
Scotch was about to say something, but before she could, the light went out. Then it immediately reignited in slight panic. The flame was a lot bigger than she had meant it to be. “I do not like the dark,” she muttered as her excuse.
Several things were murmured, one of which Scotch caught was, “Wizard.”
“Please. I need to go up into the city.”
The mouse looked panicked, so did most of them. Except for Antwan and a few, who were simply in awe. “I will taker her personally,” Antwan said, donning his hat once more. “She must be taken to see the Wizard.”
“Y-yes,” the other mouse said with a slight squeak. Then they cleared their throat. “Quickly. If the king hears that someone brought light into Undercity he will be upset.”
“And what would he do?” Antwan snapped. Scotch noticed the bitter sound in his voice as they moved on again. “No mouse fiddles with magic, or those who use it.”
She moved to follow after Antwan, who now walked on two legs again. “Did I do something wrong?”
“The king does not like light,” he looked around to make sure that no mice were around. “Despite his blindness. He would rather be in darkness, than to feel light. Undercity deserves better.”
“You do not like the king?” Scotch said, moving closer to him, to allow a softer voice.
“He does not like visitors. No one from the city above is allowed down anymore.” Apparently it was no secret that he disapproved of the king.
“But...he's the king isn't-”
“Sir Percival should have been king,” he said, almost snapping at her. He cleared his throat. “My apologies. It is not your concern.”
Scotch looked at him for a moment, and then noticed they had been climbing upwards. “Every place has it's problems-” she stopped as they suddenly came out into the street. There was a...party? “Uh...except here it seems.”
There were...things. All of them dancing and laughing. “Oh? Seems they have something to celebrate up here,” Antwan said, taking a deep breath. “Mmm and I smell cheese...”
Scotch looked around, but couldn't see anything but the mass of...well, animals for the most part. Though there seemed to be more things than she could name. Creatures of all sorts and sizes. But she was only looking for one particular creature, which she was having no luck in finding. “Perhaps they did not make it into the city after-”
“Scotch!” She looked around and saw Cookie pushing and shoving his way towards her. “Scotch! Scotch Scotch Scotch Scotch. You gatta tell them!” He looked more worried than it seemed possible.
She blinked, staring at Cookie. “Tell them...what?”
“You have to tell them to open the door. They saw my horn and wont let me out. Cus when I was running, you fell off and I didn't notice.” He was fidgeting back and forth like somepony who needed to use the little foals room quite badly. “And they wont open the door and I can't go out and look for you. And now they're throwing this party and I don't want you to miss it. So tell them to open the door.”
She could not help but smile, looking up at Cookie and his panicked expression. But she didn't say anything, rather allowing him to work it out for himself.
He suddenly stopped in his little dance of sorts, one hoof still in the air. “Oh.” He sat down and after a moment grinned. “Nevermind.”