Suddenly the straps tightened, squeezing the life out of her, "Help!" was all Shadow managed to cry out, before a belt wrapped around her mouth.
Shadow fell into Sunburn's arms, unconscious and badly battered. A note fell to the floor and he picked it up. It read: Hello, Mad Stallion! You better protect the Little Mare, or she won't live to see tomorrow... I know you have a few screws loose, but, please try to hurt her. You do want her to suffer and writhe in agony, correct? Yes. That's right, you LOVE it when innocent mares scream as you hurt them. What's your body-count? 26? Oh, do try harder next time. But I must go, ta-ta! Say hello to your victims for me!
After hours of no encounters or trouble, Shadow woke up. "Wha...? Where am I?" Then she noticed SunBurn. Shadow jumped off his back, falling to the ground when she landed. "W-who are you!?" She asked, terrified.
"I-I'm Shadow... a-are you going to h-hurt me?" Shadow's eyes filled with fear, and tears began flowing from them. She seemed a bit traumatized, and... it seemed as if something was affecting her.
Shadow stood shakily, and took a step towards Sunburn. "Th-thank you... for saving me..." She said quietly, moving beside him. Sunburn could see her clearer now, and he had to admit, she was very attractive. Shadow caught his gaze, "D-do you know anything about this place...?" She said, blushing.
"I-I think I can manage... but thanks, Sunburn..." Then, massive, pulsating, black tentacles burst from the walls, and grabbed at Shadow. One smacked her hard, sending her flying into the wall, hard. "Ah! S-Sunburn!"
It seemed as if the entire building groaned in pain. The tentacles retracted, and all was quiet. The silence was broken when Shadow started coughing up blood. "Ahh..... w-why me...?"
"Sunburn..." Shadow moaned, "s-stop... here..." They had arrived at an old Operating Room, still covered in bloodstains and enshrouded by death and mystery, just like the rest of the building. A newspaper clipping on the wall said: "Ardúnia Asylum, founded 1342 - closed, 1960" The closing date was splattered with blood and appeared to be ancient. Sunburn's eyes widened when he realized where they where; in the most notorious and hated Asylum in all of Equestria. Once something came in to the massive, 345,000 acre superstructure, it never left
A blast door dropped shut in front if them, as well as behind them. They only way to go was down an eerie, dimly-lit by flickering lights, hallway. A low moan came from deep inside.
"N-no... I'm scared..." Shadow slid off Sunburn's back and slowly walked down the hallway. A metal pot fell and hit the floor behind her, causing Shadow to jump into Sunburn's arms, fearfully. "N-no... d-don't let them get me... please..." She said, clinging to his chest.
Shadow nodded silently and buried her face in his chest. A moment later, an head-splitting shriek erupted from down the hallway, shaking Shadow to the bone. She shut her eyes tighter, and began to cry softly into Sunburn.
Shadow stared up at him, "S-Sunburn?" She said, blushing. Thoughts began racing through her mind, but she tried to shake them away. "Th-thanks... thanks so much..." She whimpered.
"Hey... um, Sunburn?" Shadow whispered, "C-can we go in a room for the night? I don't want to go to sleep, but I feel drained. She entered the nearby patient records room, and beckoned Sunburn to join her.
Shadow nuzzled his cheek, "Sorry, I'll try to be more careful next time." She walked over to a black chest and opened it slowly, "Um, hey Sunburn? I think I found a way to protect ourselves..." She said, nervously. She brought a black longsword with red runes carved into the blade, pulsating as if it was alive. It floated before him, magically. Shadow took a scimitar with blueish inscriptions all over the silvery blade. It too hovered in front of her. Seconds later, their swords wrapped around their right forelegs, somehow feeling soft and secure.
Shadow led him to a mattress in the corner that she'd found. They laid down together, "I-I was supposedly diagnosed with extreme mental deterioration... but that was at St. MonClair's, before it was closed down. Now I'm here, trapped with monsters, and terrified." Shadow rested her head against Sunburn's chest, "At least I met a handsome donkey... so there's one silver lining..." Shadow mumbled audibly, unaware she said it aloud.
Shadow turned to him, beet-red, "I just said that out loud... didn't I?" She clung to him, hiding her face due to embarrassment.
"Sunburn? I-I think I might be in lo--... no, nevermind..." Shadow tried to tell him her feelings, but couldn't. Her face was bright red, and Sunburn could feel her heart pounding.
