Stereo awoke to find himself quite unable to move. His bed was empty, and his for and hind legs seemed to be tied to the bedposts.
"Frisky?" he called nervously. "Frisky, are you alright?"
"So nice to see you put somepony before you," a voice responded, "but today, it's all about you."
Stereo recognized the voice. "Dad?"
"Congrats, you recognize your own Father," his Dad replied. "But enough formalities. I want to talk to you about magic."
"I... don't know what you're talking about." Stereo said.
"Don't play stupid," his Mom said, entering the conversation. "We know all about your 'fight' yesterday. Your teacher wouldn’t stop talking about how you 'both would be in hospital if not for your magic.'
"Well...” Stereo began, searching for words, "what's it to you, anyway? Now it just means that I can work harder, and faster!"
"Oh, but you don't understand," his Dad said. "We don't want a smart, efficient little pony. We were just happy how we were before. We need to teach you why you don't use magic, and make you stop. We are going to break you."
Stereo broke into a sweat. "What! You can't do what I think you are! I'll never use it again, I promise!"
"Your word is worth nothing," his Dad said. "We need to make sure that you really will keep that promise.
***
For the next half hour, Stereo was in pain. His parents beat him hard, while the best he could do in his detained position, was to just sink back to a happy place in his mind. He created a space, were he just ignored the world. It helped him a little, but not nearly enough to nullify the pain that they were putting him through. They finished, untying a Stereo that was slowly losing consciousness. He had found magic useless, since he had been unable to concentrate; the reason originally being fear, then pain. Eventually, he slipped into the warm and forgiving arms of sleep. There was no vision. But there was still Gumala, the only pony in the world who would still care about him.
She stood before him, a broken colt, giving comforting words.
"It will soon be over, young one," she said, embracing him. "While there is no vision today, I found that I may give you a subtle hint. You may not appreciate it now, though."
"Want..." Stereo slurred, still as illiterate as the last time he was here. Being beaten hadn't helped with his reconnection with magic. It was, however, quite pleasantly surprising that feelings of pain didn't exist. While he was here.
"If you are certain you can retain the information," Gumala began. "I may give you a riddle- To make your life of true happiness start, unlock the secrets shut up in your heart."
Stereo sat, confused at the statement. He looked at the amethyst gem in his necklace. It was too bad that there wasn't a keyhole, and that it would be something as simple as picking a lock. No, it was probably much deeper than that.
"Solve my riddle, Stereo, and we will meet very soon!"
With that, the dream faded.
***
The second he woke up, a pencil and pad found themselves floating above Stereo's head, the pencil scribbling down the riddle on the notepad.
He noted that, while he still ached all over, his parents had been careful not to leave any permanent injuries.
He got up, and walked into the bathroom to make himself presentable. The state he was in would shock anypony. As he washed his face, he was tackled to the ground by Frisky.
"You're OK!"
As he was tackled by the relieved Frisky, he bumped into a tall cabinet. A plastic jar that was sitting atop the piece of furniture fell onto its side, spilling some of its contents onto the two Unicorns. As he used his magic to straighten the jar and replace its lid, he noticed a strange sensation on his horn. He turned towards the mirror to see what mess he had to clean up, only to find that his horn was beginning to disappear. He fell onto his side, clutching his still tangible horn. As he hit the ground, the world disappeared for a second, replaced by what appeared to be a unicorn casting a spell. The world reappeared, and Stereo found himself with a dull back pain.
"What was that?" Frisky said as Stereo put his horn under running water.
"I don't know," Stereo replied, relieved that the liquid that turned his horn invisible washed straight off. "Maybe there's an instruction book or something up there."
"Nothing but this," Frisky said, levitating down a rolled parchment. "I hereby give the order that the Pegasus colts Stereoheart and Frisky undergo the medical procedure 'Cornu Remotionem Magicis', as response to the condition of 'Fictus Infirmitate', signed Dr Kalpiko."
Stereo mulled over the confusing details of the document, obviously a medical prescription. He decided not to think too hard about it until later. It wouldn't have surprised him if it actually had something to do with Gumala and his destiny that she spoke of. But a disease called 'Fictus Infirmitate?' There was something about that name that rang a bell. It was probably nothing, though.
Probably.