Lost and Afraid

by Sirtoad

First published

Rainbow Dash would never admit to being afraid. But now she's lost in this strange place, and she thinks she might be losing her mind.

A space beyond spaces. A land of the lost and the damned. A pegasus from a magical land of ponies does not belong in this bleak purgatory. Rainbow Dash got herself into this. She's the only one who can get her out. She's lost, she's afraid, but at least she has coconut water.

Lost in the Corridors of Despair

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Rainbow Dash shook her head, trying to clear away the grogginess. "What in Equestria...?" she muttered, taking in her surroundings. The damp, discolored carpet beneath her hooves felt unpleasant, and she wrinkled her nose at the musty odor permeating the air. Stretching her wings, she glanced around at the grubby walls and faded wallpaper, feeling a sense of unease creeping over her. "This place gives me the creeps," she said to herself, her voice echoing faintly in the strange, labyrinthine corridors. "Where am I, and how did I get here?" As she pondered, a sense of adventure mixed with trepidation washed over her. With a determined expression, Rainbow Dash trotted forwards, determined to unravel the mystery of this bizarre place.

As Rainbow Dash wandered through the labyrinth of corridors, a sense of disorientation weighed heavily upon her. The incessant hum of the fluorescent lights seemed to grow louder with each passing moment, its monotonous drone gnawing at her nerves. She stumbled upon patches of damp carpet, her hooves squishing uncomfortably with each step, while mushrooms sprouted sporadically in the corners, casting eerie shadows.

Her head spun with dizziness, and she found herself muttering incomprehensible words, the strange atmosphere seeping into her very being. "What is this place?" she mumbled to herself, her voice tinged with a nervous edge. Despite her efforts to shake off the unsettling feeling, a wave of nausea washed over her, threatening to overwhelm her senses.

With a nervous laugh that sounded hollow in the oppressive silence, Rainbow Dash continued to meander through the labyrinth, her mind clouded with confusion and fear. Rainbow Dash blinked, her mind struggling to grasp the sudden shift in her surroundings. Just moments ago, she had been idly wandering through Ponyville, her boredom palpable as she kicked pebbles along the cobblestone streets. But now, she found herself in this bizarre, labyrinthine place, with no recollection of how she got here.

Her heart racing, Rainbow Dash replayed the strange events in her mind. The pebble she had kicked had vanished into thin air, followed by her own impulsive decision to investigate further. And then, that inexplicable force had pulled her downward, despite her frantic attempts to resist.

"Was that some kind of... portal?" she muttered incredulously, her voice echoing faintly in the eerie silence of the dimly lit corridors. Her head throbbed with confusion and frustration as she tried to make sense of her predicament. But deep down, a flicker of determination ignited within her.

"I have to find a way out of here," she declared, her voice tinged with determination. With a defiant flap of her wings, Rainbow Dash set off once again, her eyes scanning the shadowy corridors for any sign of escape. Whatever mysterious force had brought her here, she was determined to break free from its grasp and return to the familiarity of Ponyville.
Rainbow Dash's heart pounded in her chest as the unsettling feeling of being watched intensified. "Okay, Dash, stay cool," she muttered to herself, her voice trembling slightly with unease. With a quick glance over her shoulder, she quickened her pace, the echo of her hoofsteps reverberating through the dimly lit corridors.

As she rounded a corner, she paused, her ears twitching at the faint sound that reached her senses. For a moment, she strained to discern any further noise, but the oppressive silence of the labyrinth seemed to swallow her, leaving her with nothing but the echo of her own heartbeat.

"It's just your imagination," she scolded herself, trying to shake off the sense of dread that threatened to consume her. But as another faint scuff echoed through the corridor, her nerves were pushed to the breaking point.

Without another moment's hesitation, Rainbow Dash bolted down the hallway, her wings fluttering anxiously as she darted between rows of faded yellow pillars. Each step felt like an eternity as she raced through the maze-like structure, her only goal to escape whatever unseen presence lurked in the shadows.

Rainbow Dash stumbled forward, her hooves heavy with exhaustion as she pressed on through the seemingly endless corridors. The oppressive monotony of the faded yellow walls and pillars weighed heavily upon her, each passing moment blurring into the next in a disorienting haze.

"It's all the same... everything's the same," she muttered deliriously, her voice barely audible even to her own ears. The memory of the strange noises she had heard earlier faded into the recesses of her mind, replaced by a numbing sense of isolation and despair.

Time seemed to stretch on endlessly, and Rainbow Dash lost all sense of its passage. Was it minutes? Hours? Days? She couldn't tell anymore. The confines of this yellow purgatory closed in around her, threatening to suffocate her with its suffocating sameness.

Her sanity teetered on the edge of oblivion, each faltering step pushing her further into the depths of despair. But somewhere deep within her, a spark of determination flickered faintly, refusing to be extinguished. With one last ounce of willpower, Rainbow Dash pushed forward, clinging to the hope that somewhere, somehow, there was a way out of this endless labyrinth.

Rainbow Dash's desperate journey through the labyrinth had left her exhausted and on the brink of collapse. Her body screamed for water, and her parched throat begged for relief as she trudged forward, her strength waning with each passing moment.

Just when she thought she couldn't go on any longer, a glimmer of hope appeared in the form of a can lying on the floor. With trembling hooves, she approached it, her heart pounding with anticipation. As she cracked open the can and tasted the refreshing coconut water, a wave of relief washed over her, rejuvenating her weary body and lifting her spirits.

For a brief moment, laughter bubbled up from deep within her, echoing off the walls of the labyrinth in a chorus of joy. But her mirth was short-lived as a deafening roar shattered the stillness, sending a shiver of fear down her spine.

With a surge of adrenaline, Rainbow Dash leaped to her hooves, her laughter replaced by a sense of urgency. As the creature's terrifying shrieks grew closer, she knew she had to move, to run as fast as her wings could carry her.

With a determined flap of her wings, Rainbow Dash bolted down the hallway, her heart racing as she raced against time, the echoes of the creature's roars urging her onward. She didn't know what awaited her at the end of this nightmare, but she was determined to find out, to escape this labyrinth and return to the safety of her home in Ponyville. As she scrambled through the endless maze, fleeing for her life, she spotted another pristine white can of coconut water. She scooped it up, mid-stride, and carried it with her. Rainbow Dash's heart hammered in her chest as she fled from the terrifying monstrosity that pursued her through the labyrinth. With each echoing footfall, the creature drew closer, its guttural shrieks sending shivers down her spine.

As she sprinted down the decaying corridors, her eyes caught sight of a gleaming metal door at the end of a hallway, promising escape from her relentless pursuer. With a surge of adrenaline, Rainbow Dash darted towards it, her hooves pounding against the rotten carpet.

With a desperate flurry of movement, she hammered at the elevator button, her breath coming in ragged gasps as the creature lurched closer, its savage roars echoing in the confined space. With a final burst of strength, Rainbow Dash threw herself into the elevator just as the doors began to close, narrowly escaping the grasp of her relentless foe. She shrieked in terror as the looming monstrosity reached for her through the narrowing gap. Then the gnarled appendages withdrew as the door thumped closed, and the elevator began its gentle descent. The fire doors of the elevator boomed and shuddered as the creature threw itself against them, howling in outrage.

As the elevator descended, carrying her away from the chaos and terror of the labyrinth, Rainbow Dash sank to the floor in relief, her body trembling with exhaustion and fear. With shaking hooves, she cracked open the can of coconut water and drank greedily, the cool liquid soothing her parched throat and frayed nerves.

But as the elevator dinged and the doors slid open, Rainbow Dash's sense of relief turned to disbelief as she stepped out into a surreal scene. A long, white-tiled corridor stretched out before her, flooded with chest-high water and lined with steel railings.

"Water, water everywhere," she murmured incredulously, her eyes wide with astonishment as she surveyed the bizarre sight before her. With a mixture of trepidation and curiosity, Rainbow Dash waded into the flooded corridor, her mind racing with questions about the strange new world she had stumbled upon.