Chapter Four~ We Need To Escape
The scientists eventually found the duo, dragging them rather forcefully from their hideout and into their office. Distort and Hazy had never been there before. The cream walls and white tiled floor struck him as an odd combination when added with the black furniture. They had a coffee machine, their lighting was excellent, it was warm, and all other kinds of luxury you could never find anywhere else in the entire lab. "What were you two doing in there? It's out of limits." One growled. Distort shrugged, a playful smirk imprinted on his face. Hazy sighed, almost giving in. They shook her furiously before she gave in, yelling out.
"Equestria!" She howled at the top of her lungs. Bingo. Distort drooped, giving her a sarcastic well done face.
They turned to glare at him. "What's Equestria?"
"Some fiction she keeps trying to tell me about. I don't believe it." He lied fluently. The mendacious words flowed off his tongue like a native language. He'd never had trouble telling tales to the scientists, but now that he knew the truth, it all seemed slightly easier. They seemed to take it well, believing such foolery.
After a few moments of harsh tension, the enemies suddenly spoke up. "You two shall be escorted back to bed. Hazy, you shall receive your punishment tomorrow… We do not appreciate imagination and dishonesty. And, Distort, you're right. Equestria does not exist. There shall be no more talk of such a place. Good night." Then they paused. "And, Hazy, the key to your door, please." The mare rolled her eyes and tossed the silver object at the one who was talking. He caught it with incredible precision.
Two other scientists stepped forth and took a hoof from each of the duo, leading them off. Although Distort tried to fight them off upon reaching the long corridors, they restrained him harder. Hazy had despair written all over her face.
And with that, Distort was all the more desperate to find Equestria.
In the morning, Distort awoke alone, forcing himself to breakfast. He saw Melancholy, Prism and Glimpse sitting at a table together, with Eternal and Universe standing behind them. "Morning, Dis!" Melancholy waved. He waved back, sitting with them.
Then Eternal spoke up, his voice clouded with tension. "Distort… Do you know why Hazy's schedule now is jam-packed with tests?"
"We got caught in the forbidden sector of the library… I managed to get out of it, but she didn't. The scientists said she had… A punishment… I guess now we know what it is." He answered dejectedly. Covering her mouth in shock, Melancholy started to tremble uncontrollably. Prism wrapped her hoof around her friend supportively. Eternal and Universe stared at the ground sorrowfully. Glimpse tried his best to ignore the others, clicking his tongue and tapping the table impatiently, although it was easy to see his emotions through his frustrated, glassy eyes. The question everyone had?
Would Hazy be sent to There? Where every pony disappeared from?
Distort looked around, suddenly. "Where's Veil and Shattered?"
"Gone somewhere. Hopefully forever; they freak me out." Glimpse revealed lightly. "But, wait, we've all been to the Forbidden Library, right…? How come Hazy was the only one prosecuted for it?"
Slowly the group watched each other's distressed faces turn to confused expressions. Glimpse had made a valuable point, but no pony knew the answer. They weren't even sure if they wanted the answer, so they ignored it.
Prism suddenly made up her mind, her eyes flashing powerfully. "I say we get out of here as quickly as possible. We need to get to Equestria before the scientists get to us."
"All who agree, raise their hooves." Eternal said. Every pony raised their hoof. "Excellent. Now let's devise a plan."
It was after a few hours, during classes, that Hazy returned. "What lesson is this?" She slurred exhaustedly, stumbling into the seat next to the blue colt. He frowned, watching her tired gaze try to make out the question on the board. What had happened to her during the tests?
"Riddle solving." He answered quietly, partially intimidated by her weakened state and what the scientists could do. It was as if they'd taken all of their negative skills and had shoved them onto her.
"God help us all." She whispered before falling asleep, face planting onto the desk. No pony but him saw the dark bruises aligned on her coat.