//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: New Lands // by The Infinity Doctor //------------------------------// Cameron sat tucked firmly beneath her desk, peeking fearfully out. The flower pot she'd received as an office-warming gift from the staff of ZPA lay shattered on the floor, crushed by the bookcase that had inadvertently tipped over during the earthquake. She held a hand to her heart as she shakily stood, using her desk to support herself. "This place is going to kill me..." she moaned to herself, as her heart slowed its pace. Glancing around her office, she noticed that the damage was minimal, and began to straighten up the room. Setting the chair behind her desk right-side up, she circled the room, restoring the room to its original order. Crossing the room, Cameron opened the rather tall door to her office, peeking out to assess the damage to the rest of the school. The halls leading to her office didn't seem to be too bad; but she had the feeling that after what felt like a magnitude six earthquake, that a few tipped chairs and a fallen bookcase were minimal compared to the possible damage done to the rest of the school. Venturing out, she stuck to the wall, fearful of aftershock. ‘Giant animals...and now earthquakes...’ she thought to herself, her legs wobbling as she advanced down the winding hallway, towards the theater department. Everything seemed to be intact, nothing that a little spit-shine couldn’t fix. Some of the posters had fallen, the frames they were contained in cracked and broken, the splintered pieces scattered about the hall. ‘Why was there an earthquake in the first place?’ she wondered. On any other day, it’d be a stupid question to ask, but...after coming to ZPA- she’d seen enough to know that spontaneous earthquakes could very possibly be a thing in this world. She supposed that it was a bit of a stretch to rule out any natural disasters, when basically… Shaking her head, she continued down the winding hall, her head starting to ache. She stopped dead in her tracks as she spied Chasetopher and Keiko- the presence of the both of them doing nothing for her nerves as she approached. “I..felt the quake…” she stammered lamely, then took notice of Gustav’s unconscious form. Her eyes widened as she stared at Gustav as Alanzo and Keiko passed, presumably towards the medical wing. Zechariah then approached, unbeknownst to Cameron, whom continued staring at Alanzo and Keiko. ‘I think that’s the first time I’ve ever seen him without a smile on his face...’ “Miss Cam-” She shrieked as she spun on her heels, now facing Zechariah. Zechariah grimaced as she screamed, his ears flipping down as he did so. Taking a deep breath, she shakily calmed herself as she apologized to Zechariah. “Quite alright, Miss Cameron,” Zechariah stated warmly, turning “but at the moment, I’d say we need all the help we can get.” “Of course.” she nodded, trailing after him. Passing a few more fallen frames, the both of them soon came across the locked door of the theater- Chase doting over Jackie’s unconscious body. A chill ran down her spine as she made eye-contact with Chase. The crazed look in his eye was there, but not as manic as her first meeting with the ‘nurse’. He looked...sane...for lack of a better time. She didn’t understand...she just didn’t… Cameron glanced up, and found Zechariah with his ear against the door. “Has the spell worn off?” Jack asked, asking exactly what Cameron was thinking. “It appears so.” Zechariah replied, carefully cracking open the entrance to the auditorium. Cameron stood back, unsure of what magical-voodoo could slip out of the theater. “Miss Cameron- would you mind terribly in investigating with me?” the slender leopard asked. “M-Me?” she stammered, wondering why the vice-principal was asking her “Wh-Why me?” “You’re the only capable person here, besides myself.” Zechariah replied, then turned to Jack and Nathan “No offense, of course.” “None taken.” Nathan replied as Jack’s head nodded slowly in his hands. ‘I...I suppose he has a point...’ she thought, shakily following her superior. Nathan and Jack were students, she couldn’t endanger them- and Chase was busy attending to an unconscious Jackie. Then with Keiko, Gustav, and Alanzo...of course she was the only one left… Taking a few deep breaths, she prepared herself as she entered the auditorium proper, following Zechariah closely. “Is she going to be alright?” Spike asked, wringing his wrists nervously as he stared hopelessly at Twilight, lying unconscious in the hospital bed. “She’s going to be fine,” Doctor Heart Pump replied, setting her clipboard down “she’s just got a bit of a concussion, plus a slipped disc.” Spike’s heart seized in his chest, his face flushing as he began to hyperventillate. “Spike, calm down,” Heart Pump stated compassionately “the concussion isn’t too severe- and...with therapy, she’ll recover, we’ve already reset the disc.” The baby dragon sniffled, then nodded. Exhaling, Heart Pump suggested that he go and inform the other five, all of whom were in the waiting room. “-still unbelievable…” he heard Rainbow grumble. “Y’all know Spike’s the closest thing ta family Twilight’s got, Rainbow,” Applejack relplied, “in Ponyville, at least.” Spike exited into the waiting room, greeting his other friends. “Well?” Rarity asked, as everyone leapt out of their seats. “She’s going to recover.” Spike stated. They breathed a collective sigh of relief, just as a loud explosion rocked the foundation of the hospital.