During the time I was out, I sort of felt this odd peace… Like, maybe if I had died, it would be okay. It was like I was floating in suspended animation. Once and a while I could hear a noise, a faint little whisper, or a feeling of being moved. Sometimes it would feel like I would come to, only to have that vague vision fizzle away into blackness again. I was disoriented of course, but I couldn’t keep track of anything- which way was up or down, where my appendages were, time, or sleep… I was happy, though. The nightmares didn’t come.

After some time had passed, I started to feel things on my skin and sometimes I could hear a couple distorted words, but I still couldn’t see correctly. I didn’t even know if my eyes were open.

Again, quite some time had passed, and I could start to move certain parts of my body, but it would only register as a twitch. I could feel a pain on my wrists and ankles, and one in my stomach. I think my mouth was as dry as a bone too, but it also could just be numb like the rest of my body that isn’t hurting.

Gradually, I could clench my jaw, which hurt like hell. I could take in deeper breaths, and I think I could actually feel everything. I couldn’t open my eyes. That didn’t bother me, which I think it should have. I couldn’t hear much except for the occasional whisper or the shifting of objects. I didn’t care about that either. It suddenly donned on me that I was in intense pain. My head, my face, my arms and legs, even my chest hurt like nothing I’ve ever experienced. I realized I couldn’t even breathe normally without a sharp pain racing through my body. I decided to sleep; maybe that’ll pass the time and hopefully ease the pain…

I don’t know how long I had slept for, but I woke up panicked for a little. I still couldn’t open my eyes and everything hurt and… I couldn’t move. Oh, no. I was restrained. And I couldn’t see. Paranoia settled in as I tried to stay still and do a silent check of me and my surroundings. Nothing felt broken, but I could be wrong. My back right hoof felt the worst. I did, however, feel a crusty residue on parts of my face and sides. It felt like I was at a 140 degree angle, I think. I was vertical with my front hooves crossed above my head in an awkward manner. Some leather-type material bound me to whatever I was against. Maybe it was a wall.

I checked my surroundings next. I listened hard for anything. Nothing. I silently sniffed the air without moving my head, trying to get an idea of what was around. I smelled something metallic, something sterile, and a sickly sweet smell. The air was cold, too. Was I in a hospital? I couldn’t be… They wouldn’t have restrained me like this. I had immaculate hearing and smelling, but nothing popped out at me.

That is, until I heard a soft clop-clop, clop-clop coming from somewhere above me. I hated that. I couldn’t see it, but I could hear it. The paranoia got more intense as the sound got closer and louder. I thought I heard conversing, but it could just have been my mind playing tricks on me. Then, all was quiet.

“Well, good morning, sunshine.”

That voice. My heart and my breathing stopped. My thinking stopped. Everything stopped. A weight was lifted off of the top part of my face, halfway between my snout and my forehead. I realized then I was aggressively strapped down by something, covering my eyes. I hadn’t noticed the pain it was causing until it was taken off. I think my eyes were swollen pretty bad. Through the tiny slits of my eyelids, I could make out two figures.

The ones from my nightmares.

I heard a chuckle. “Well, well, well. Look who finally decided to wake up,” The voice that was speaking I didn’t recognize, and my eyes hurt too bad to open them to look. The same voice started speaking again, with exaggerated haughtiness. “No nightmares at all, your sleepiness?” Laughter from both of them arose, making my face burn. How did they know about the nightmares? “Oh, leave her alone, Sombra. Can’t you tell she’s so sleepy that her eyelids have turned purple?” More obnoxious laughter. My tongue and mouth were as dry as dry could be, but I managed to say something. “…Piss… off.” Their laughter ceased, and I could feel their stares bearing holes through me. I smirked and breathed heavily from the pain that racked my body. I can’t submit to them. I know that’s what they want. Suddenly a claw gripped my throat, and a paw silenced me, covering my nose and mouth. “What?” I couldn’t breathe at all. I couldn’t even swallow. “Mmmnnnfffnnnn” was all I could say, trying to be as loud as possible without my head hurting too much. His grip tightened on my throat and I tried desperately to struggle and breathe, but I had no such luck. Sombra started to giggle quietly as my face started turning different colors. I thrust forward and sideways, trying to get free of his grip. “Oh, stop struggling. You’re only making it worse. In fact, this is your first lesson: Obedience.” First lesson? Was he crazy? My dry lips cracked under his paw and I tasted blood.

I’ll let him win this round. As much as I hated doing so, I stopped struggling, and prayed to Celestia he would let go soon. A few seconds passed, and he finally let loose, allowing me to drag in huge gulps of air, choking here and there. He stood there, staring at me and grinning. “Very good, Shadow Spec-” I shot my head up and immediately cut him off. “Don’t you dare finish that sentence, don’t you dare say my real name,” I huffed. A look of amused confusion sprawled across Discord’s face. It returned back to his usual grin, though. “Why ever not?” He knows. I know he knows. He knows I know he knows. He just wants me to spell it out for him, which I’m not going to. “Well, anyway, Pegasus-” he spat on the word ‘Pegasus’, “You’re ours now. From here on out, you will address us as either ‘Sir’ or ‘Master’. Understood?”

Was he serious? I wasn’t going to call either of them any of those names. I stood there, looking at the ground, panting. I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t want him to choke me again, or maybe even worse, but I didn’t want to- “Understood?” He got up close to my face, breaking my train of thought. I slowly looked up to meet his eyes and nodded. Verbal words are promises and gestures are just that, right? As if he read my thoughts, he held my chin with his claw and looked me dead-on. “I need you to speak your answer, Chance.” He said calmly. How did he even know my nickname? Sombra chimed in. “Speak, you mutt.” My face burned and I quietly said “Understood…” Discord leaned in closer. “ ‘Understood…’ what?” Tears threatened to push through, so I had to bite my tongue. “Understood… Master.” He let go of my chin and patted my head. “Good girl,” He said with a smile. “You might be easier to break than I had thought.”

Think again.

I hung there, fighting back tears, welcoming the pain my body has housed. “Discord,” I half panted, half demanded. He raised an eyebrow. “Yes?” I looked up at his general direction. “Why can’t I remember anything before I woke up here?”

He bared his teeth and laughed heartily. “You’ll find out soon enough, my little pony.” He walked away with Sombra, leaving me wherever it was they bound me. After I made sure they were gone, I cried. Full-blown crying. Shaking, hyperventilating, and choking on air, I wept until I couldn’t muster the strength to anymore. I hung there, devoid of any emotion at that point, wondering what I could do to get out. I’ve seen many shows and movies where convicts and crazy ponies wiggle out of their straps and gallop to freedom, but I couldn’t even see what was in the room. All I knew is that I was in a grey, plain, basement-like room. I was in pain, I literally could not remember anything before I woke up here, and I had a hatred fill my gut and let it overpower my thoughts.

I will get out of here. And I will kill Discord and Sombra.

__________________________________

I don’t know how I was able to sleep like this. I was somewhat vertical, and my arms were bent at a weird angle and behind my head. Probably to make it harder to break loose. I awkwardly twisted my body this way and that way, trying to get in a comfortable position. I twisted and twisted and twisted. Good thing I’m flexible… Otherwise this would have been painful.

Somehow I twisted so far that I actually spun myself around onto my stomach, untwisting my arms and crossing my legs. “Whoa,” I whispered to myself, shocked that I actually did that. Relief washed over me and a lot of the pain went away. I couldn’t help but sigh because it was so good not to have constant pain. I wonder if Discord will get mad that I flipped over… Oh, well. I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it. I slept a rather fitful rest, but it was sleep nonetheless. Hopefully I’ll be able to see tomorrow.

Author's Note

Yay, chapter 2 is done~ Again, any criticism is welcomed in the comments section.