MLP FIM Fanfic: Pain's Prejudice

    "Are they here yet? The tension is killing me!"
    "There'll be worse things than tension to deal with soon... "
    "Move it! They're coming, and fast!"
    And then anguished screams. And then silence. That was all Silversheen could remember. Anytime she tried to strain her mind for more, she came up blank.
    From what she did recall, there had been some kind of attack. Ponies all around her were running for dear life, causing a commotion. An older mare- her mother- galloped beside her, urging her onward. Once they reached shelter, the others managed to settle down, muttering nervously, until the attackers found them. Then came the sudden shrieks of terror. Her mother's horn had flashed once... and then it had all gone black.
    Oddly enough, Silversheen noted that she had definitely been a filly when this all happened. Now, staring into the weird mirror-like walls of this strange cave she had found herself in, it seemed like she had aged by about seven years. How could she have slept that long? Cautiously Silversheen flapped her wings, confirming that they were intact. Her eyes darted to her reflection's face, and suddenly to her forehead.
    A horn.
    Was she hallucinating? Last time she checked, she had been a pegasus, with regular wings. Nothing had made her stand out from any other pegasus. Now here she was, looking like royalty- if royalty had been slumbering in a weird cavern for who-knows-how-long.
    "What the hay happened to me?" Silversheen wondered around. Her voice cracked from lack of use, but at least she still had a voice at all. For all she knew, she could've lost that, too.
    She glanced around at the walls on either side of her. Her own reflection stared back. The ceiling bore countless gems, and the ground was unnaturally smooth, almost like a walkway. Pricking her ears, Silversheen could hear the faint trickle of water, which made her suddenly realize how hungry and thirsty she was. Was there any food in this place? There was certainly water, but was it drinkable?
    "There's only one way to find out, isn't there?" she muttered, walking toward the sound in something of a daze.
    As she walked, she began to hear the dripping water get louder and louder, and was it her imagination, or were there hoofbeats along with it? "Hello?" she called. Her voice echoed throughout the tunnel. There was no response, but the sound of hooves grew louder.
    Suddenly, a pony's face appeared around the corner. "Oh, good! You're awake!
    The mare came toward her. She was a pale green pegasus, and her mane was darker green with pink highlights. "I knew you would wake up pretty soon. I mean, I knew you weren't dead. I figured all I had to do was wait, and you would wake up on your own! You are okay, right?"
    Silversheen didn't know what to think. This pony was a stranger to her, and for all she knew, a potential enemy. But the concern in her eyes and kindness in her voice seemed so genuine.
    "What's wrong?" The strange mare gazed at her. "You can speak, right? I heard you call out! That was you, wasn't it?"
    "Yes, that was me," Silversheen replied. "Who are you, and where are we?"
    "I'm Ethereal!" the mare introduced herself. "Nice to meet you! And we're in this place called the Chamber of Crystal. It's a pretty place, don't you think? Not a lot of ponies even know it exists, and I think that's a shame."
    Ethereal beamed at Silversheen. "So, what's your name?"
    "Silversheen. Do you know what happened to me?" Silversheen asked. A shot in the dark, but it's worth a try, she thought.
    "I'm sorry, I don't know," Ethereal responded, her smile fading. "Actually, I was wondering that myself. You seem like you've been down here a while. Do you need anything? I know where we can get food and water!"
    Silversheen met Ethereal's eager gaze. "That would be great, thanks."
    "Okay! Follow me!" Ethereal turned and started trotting off, just slowly enough for Silversheen to follow. Silversheen walked behind her, trying to let everything sink in, and most of all, still trying to get all her memories straight.

Author's Note:
I feel like this chapter is really short compared to my usual standard XP Still, I hope you like it! It is only the first part, after all.