Sea

Twilight woke up, gasping. Her eyes flew open, and she looked around desperately. Upon seeing the stone and wood walls of the room she was in, she slowly calmed down. Her heart was still racing, but she slowly calmed down. She felt cold sweat roll down her body as she lay, sitting up, under thick cloth covers. She looked to her left; and to her right; but there was nothing. Nothing but the dark, yet warm interior of the room. She slowly got out of the bed, landing on her hooves with a slight wobble, and walked across the room. There was a small mirror in the corner, barely producing an image in the darkness. She took a quick look at herself.

Her mane was very disheveled, and hairs were sticking out of her tail. Her coat was unkempt, and her eyes were slightly faded. She sighed as she looked for a door to the room. Eventually finding one, she slowly opened it and walked into the main room she'd been about to dine in.

This room was much better-lit than the previous. Candles on the table provided great illumination, while the slowly-brightening air outside lit up the shadows with a slight blue tint. The furniture was mostly as it had been when she'd left; some of the chairs were moved slightly, and the table was now completely clean, but otherwise it seemed normal.

Twilight looked through the room and the open kitchen, before looking curiously at the main door outside. It was built into the side of the main room, and the only indication that it was different from any other door was a small window inlaid into it.

The sun hadn't risen by the time Twilight walked out. The sky was a slowly-brightening dark blue. From the small platform on the outside of the building, Twilight could see smoke already rising from some of the buildings as the city began to move into its daily life. Wooden planks creaked under her hooves as she leaned against the railing for a minute, before carefully making her way down the stairs.

She walked to the shop, peeking into the windows. She nodded sagely as she looked at the assortment of chemicals and potions that were on display; a strength serum, giving increased muscular power to whoever drank it; an aphrodisiac, quite blatantly labeled as being for unattractive stallions; even a household cleaning chemical that supposedly would clear out dirt and grime. She was so engrossed in looking at the selection that she didn't even notice the gasp. She only noticed when a pony walked up to her and put her hoof on her.

"Twilight?" Cross said with a worried tone. "You're not wearing any pants."

Twilight's eyes widened. She'd forgotten all about pants. "Oh, sor-"

"What's that mark." she said, not as a question but more as a statement. "Why do you have that?" she asked in a hushed tone, looking intently at Twilight.

It was all the purple unicorn could do to just stand there nervously.