//------------------------------// // Chapter 10 // Story: Crazy About Apples // by Silentpegasus //------------------------------// Chapter 10 Gear Grinder, Shinning Armor and the others waited in a filthy lobby, a police stallion was dragging a hoof cuffed pegasus through the lobby. Gear and Applejack were sitting down at a nearby table. Gear had nervous look in his eye as he sat with her, she took his hoof in hers and looked up at him. “You don’t have to do this sugar cube, the review board has already granted you an extension-” she was cut off by a green hoof being raised. “No I have to do this. I need to face him.” he said as he looked back at the mare with a stern face. Shinning trotted up to him. “He’s in the holding cell. I’ll be in there in case anything goes wrong.” he said with a reassuring grin. Gear and the others followed Shinning down the hall and waited outside a small white room. Shinning stopped him outside the door. “Listen, you haven’t seen him in years, I’ll stand by to make sure he doesn’t try anything.” “Thanks.” “But that also goes for you, don’t do anything stupid, plus every-pony else will be able to hear and see you through the speaker and the one way mirror.” Gear gave him a nod, Shinning opened the door to reveal a red unicorn stallion with a dark mane, he was hoof-cuffed to the table and grinned as he looked up. “Well Sergeant Armor it’s been some time. To what do I owe the pleasure?” he said with sarcasm in his voice. “Firstly, It’s Captain now. Secondly, you have a visitor.” he said in a flat tone Shinning trotted inside and stepped to the side to reveal an angered green stallion. The unicorn’s eyes shrank and began to laugh. “Well look who it is. The prototype returns.” he said with a snide grin. “We’re not here for your games.” Gear said coldly. “We?” Gear’s eyes became a dull red color. “Well, looks like my work paid off.” “Can it! Why did you do it?!” Gear yelled in a harsh voice. “I wanted to experiment with a ponies mind and your’s was perfect. Raw, broken down and fractured. I saw an opportunity and I took it.” “But what was the end game? The reward?” “Imagine it the first psychiatrist ever to cure multiple personality syndrome! I would become a legend.” he said as he let out a crazed laugh. “The only problem was that I had to induce the disease in some-pony in order for me to study it’s effects, and you were the best candidate.” Gear looked back to see Shinning starting to shake in anger. “I’m not gonna lie, you screwed me up beyond repair, you’ve turned my past into a nightmare. But that doesn’t mean I’m gonna let it ruin my future.” the red stallion looked at him with a confused look. “What are you getting at?” “This, do it!” he yelled as Shinning stepped forward, his horn began to produce a single beam that latched itself onto Gear’s head, soon a dark green blob started to form next to the stallions. At first it looked like a ball, it soon started to grow hooves and a brown mane, It’s red eyes glared at the red unicorn with a wicked smile across his face. “Hello doctor.” the dark stallion said. “What is that thing?” he said in surprise. “I’m what you wanted, a fractured mind. the result of your work.” the dark stallion then took a step closer to Gear and Shinning still holding the menacing gaze. Red-blood started to laugh. “Perfect. Simply perfect, I’m glad to see that my work wasn’t a complete waste.” “I agree it is amazing. At first I was scared of him, but we managed to find a common ground.” Gear said as he stood next to the dark stallion. “Our feeling s towards you and we decided that we won’t give you the satisfaction.” Gear took a look at the dark earth pony with a sad look in his eye. “Are you sure about this?” “Yes. It’s the only way.” “What are you talking about?” Red-blood said in surprise. “You don’t have to go.....we’ve been through so much...we can-” “No, your life will be better without me, you have Applejack and the others. They’ll watch your back. Plus it’ll be worth it to see the look on his face.” the dark stallion said with a grin. “Okay then. I guess this is goodbye. Thank you, for everything.” Gear gave him friendly nod and turned back to the confused red stallion with a blank look on his face. “Shinning, you know what to do.” Shinning’s horn went out, the link between the two vanished. Gear shrank back in pain, he looked over to the dark stallion to see his image start to flicker and fade. Red-blood’s face was contorting in rage. “NO! MY WORK! YOU STUPID FOAL!” “Why the long face doc?” the dark stallion said still holding the smug grin. “You wouldn’t dare!” his yell fell on deaf ears as the stallion began to fade the dark green stallion let out a final laugh as he vanished. Gear looked over at Shinning and gave him a nod. The red stallion began to thrash in his restraints, the cuffs came loose and the red stallion lunged at Gear. Still holding hr blank look on his face gear took his right hoof and aimed for Red-blood’s head. His hoof hit it’s target sending the red stallion flying back against the wall, as he recovered from the hit he saw two guard ponies burst into the room and restrained him. Red-blood was resisting to the best of his ability but his efforts were futile. Gear then trotted up to the stallion so that they were at eye level. “Until your days are numbered, I want you to think about what just happened. How all of your work just slipped away from you in a flash.” Gear stared at the stallion with a calm look in his eyes. “One other thing I want you to know before I leave here.” “What?” he spat out in disgust. “I forgive you.” the room became so quiet Shinning could hear their heart’s beating, every-pony was stunned at Gear’s statement, the red unicorn looked at him in confusion. Gear walked passed Shinning and trotted out of the door where the group of mare’s looked at him in amazement. Gear let out a sigh of relief and trotted over to them with a smile on his face, he trotted over and sat down at a nearby table, soon the mares and Shinning Armor soon joined him. “Gear, you okay?” Applejack asked. “Better than I’ve felt in a long time.” he said with a smile. “It feels like a massive weight has been lifted off my shoulders.” “Ah still can’t believe you forgave him for everything he’s done to you.” Applejack said in an aggravated tone. “He wasn’t worth thinking about anymore. I’m letting go and moving on with my life.” he gave a heavy sigh and wrapped a hoof around the orange mare and grinned back at her. “I still can’t believe you punched him! That was so AWESOME!” Rainbow yelled. “He deserved much worse on my opinion.” Rarity said. “Yeah I know, but I’m better than that. I’m better than him for it....But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy it.” he let out a small chuckle. “So what happened to your other self?” Twilight asked. “I let him go. He was a manifestation of all of the anger, pain and guilt I’ve felt over the years. When Shinning severed the link, he was set free.” “Why would you feel guilty it wan’t your fault that he was a crazy-meanie pants.” Pinkie said in a confused tone. Gear let out a heavy sigh. “I was responsible for my parent’s death.” the mares looked at him with worry in their eyes. “My family died in a fire that I involuntarily started. I was fixing a few wires in the house when a rouge spark ignited the stove’s gas burner and exploded.” he looked to the ground with a sad look on his face. Shinning came over and put a hoof on his shoulder. “Gear that wasn’t your fault, it could’ve happened to any-pony.” “I know Shinning but it’s still my mistake and I’ll carry it with me for the rest of my life along with everything else.” he said as he looked back to the white stallion, Applejack put her hooves around him. “Besides, I think I’ll manage.” he said as he returned the hug. “Now all I have to worry about is the interview.” he said in a grumble. “I don’t think that will be a problem Gear.” one of the guard ponies said as she trotted up next to him. “Um....do I know you?” the mare then removed her armor to reveal her light brown coat and maroon colored mane, Gear’s eyes shrank at the sight. “Dr. Freud. What are you doing here?” Applejack looked at the mare in confusion. “Who’s this?” “I’m sorry where are my manners? I am Dr. Hazelnut Freud. I am the warden at Canterlot Mental Institution, you must be Applejack. Shinning and Cadence have told me quite a bit about you and Gear.” “But why are you here?” Gear asked. “When Shinning Armor and Princess Cadence told me about what you were planning on doing here I decided to tag along to see how you would handle it. I guess I was worried that you would freak out.” she said in a guilty voice. “But seeing how you handled yourself in there I can happily say that you are completely rehabilitated.” she said with a smile. Gear looked the mare with surprise and a smile across his face. “Are you saying that-” “Congratulations Gear Grinder, I Dr. Freud, finding you completely rehabilitated and hear by release you from Canterlot Mental Institution.” she said as she shook his hoof with a grin. Gear couldn’t believe his ears at the news. “Thank you doctor. For everything!” he said as he shook her hoof with a firm grip. He turned back to the ponies who wrapped him in a massive group hug. “So you can come home?” Applejack asked with a smile. “Yeah, let’s go.” he said with a smile. “This calls for a party!” Pinkie said as she jumped up in the air. The group of ponies trotted out of the building and headed for home. Gear walked along side Applejack and for the first time, in a long time he felt normal.