Zero Escape: Chambers of Nightmares

"So please keep in mind, your forest protects you, but our lands fight against us. Would you use a living Timberwolf as a shelter?"

Bramble looked around. "N-no. But that's because it's a threat to us!"

Strongheart sighed. "That's what I'm saying. Everything, where I come from, is a threat to us. Our only allies out there are the ponies and each other."

"B-but-"

Fluttershy put her hoof over the deer's back. "Bramble, you need to understand, not everyone comes from a place like the forest. Take the Dragon Lands, for example."

Smolder raised her eyebrow. "What are you talking about? There aren't any threats there aside from the other dragons. We've got lava baths, huge cliffs, and super hot caverns."

"Which is fine for a dragon, but a deer or buffalo wouldn't be able to last there."

Bramble's eye was twitching. "I'd die in a second!"

Anita nodded. "Most of the lands south of here are naturally dangerous until you get to Mt. Aris. We don't have the things you have in the forest, so we have to make do with what we have. Well, my ancestors did."

Silver giggled. "These days, you have to worry about things like White Panther."

Anita burst out laughing. "That's true!"

Gallus raised an eyebrow. "White Panther?"

"A nasty thief running amock in Abyssinia. Word is that she even stole a valuable jewel right from under the appraiser's nose, and slipped off with everything at a big auction."

Sandbar rubbed his head. "For being a nasty thief, you seem pretty happy to talk about him."

"Well, she ran rampant in Abyssinia, and we're in Ponyville."

Fluttershy started stroking her mane. "Um, Twilight mentioned that you have some strange fascinations. I'm guessing that's one of them."

Rain Kiss cleared her throat. "Back on the original subject, the Kirin also live with our environment, like the deer. We have no need to fight against nature where we live, so why should we?"

Fluttershy's ears shot up. "Oh, yes! It's quite a sight to see! I'd love to go back there sometime!"

Several of the students giggled.

"Oh!" Silver turned to Fluttershy. "Field trip, maybe?"

Fluttershy gasped. "That sounds like a wonderful idea!"

The students cheered as Smolder took Fluttershy's photo, causing her to make, well, that pose.

Rainbow stepped in as Fluttershy was rubbing her eyes. "Aww, did you just win teacher of the month again?"

"Um... I guess."

Rainbow groaned. "Not what I wanted to see." Rainbow looked around the room. "And I'm not seeing what I want to see. Have you seen Hector?"

Fluttershy shook her head. "He said he was going to be with you today."

"He was supposed to be, but he never showed! I really don't get why we put up with him most of the time."

Gallus scratched his cheek. "Uh, he's not ransacking our stuff again, is he?"

Smolder let out a growl. "He better not. I've already singed his feathers twice for that."

Sandbar gulped. "Can we go check real quick?"

"Um, I'm sorry, but I can't let you go until-"

The school bell suddenly rang, causing all of the students to stampede out of the room, knocking Fluttershy over and making Rainbow spin like a top.

Pinkie poked her head into the room. "What were they in a rush for?"

The pegasi responded at the same time. "Hector."

Pinkie stared at her friends before looking down the hall. "Oh."

"No! Stop! I am a pirate! This is what I do!"

Applejack's expression didn't change at all as she dragged the parrot through the halls by his legs.

"Whose room was he in?"

Applejack looked at the crowd of students. "Wow. Did y'all even wait for the bell?"

"Yeah. Barely."

Applejack sighed. "He was in Anita's room. Don't think he got anything out of her room, though."

"I'll be the judge of that!" Anita stomped towards Hector, who was struggling against the ropes around his legs. She immediately started rummaging through his pockets.

"Wait! No! I didn't take anything! Honest!"

"Then what is this?" The cat held up a necklace.

"I-I-I was gonna give it back! Really!"

Anita rolled her eyes. "Sure you were."

Applejack raised her eyebrow. "That's, what, five times now?"

Hector covered his eyes.

"Hector." Enter Twilight Sparkle. "You have not only tried to rob a classmate again, but you also skipped on your class to do so. You have no idea how hard it is for me to resist sending you back home to face your fate."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever."

Twilight sighed. "Come along. I doubt detention will do anything, but it's always worth a shot."

With that, Twilight dragged the pouty parrot away.

Rarity stared as she entered and they left. "Nothing in his room but his own things."

Anita let out a soft tsk. "Not a very good thief, is he? Anyone here would do better than him."

"But Yona trusts her friends not to steal from her."

"Exactly. Part of being a thief is slipping under the radar, being unsuspicious. He's done everything but scream that he's stealing things. He's kind of pathetic, really."

Ocellus bit her lip. "Well, there was that time he yelled out that he got away with stealing one of Professor Rainbow's trophies."

Anita stared at the changeling before burying her face in her paw. The others all giggled, then burst out laughing.

Celaeno looked out across the sky she was sailing. "Did you need something, Mullet?"

"Yer losing yer touch, captain."

She turned around. "Hey, Lix. I'm guessing this is about your nephew."

"I can't help it. His parents aren't around anymore, so I'm the closest thing he has to a parental figure."

"And you've done as good of a job as you could have, all things considered."

Lix sighed. "Figures. I hop back on for one voyage, and we end up enslaved by that psychotic monkey."

Celaeno chuckled. "At least he's gone now."

"He knows what'll happen if he don't shape up, right?"

"The council told Twilight, and they expect her to tell him."

"So he may not know."

"Assuming Twilight didn't tell him."