Lauren's Wonderland

by Hazel_Hester777

Partner and Familiar

Lauren followed Screwball throughout the area that had a big sign on its gates: Groups. For nearly a whole hour, she followed the pink filly past as many buildings that each had different signs and logos. Some were colorful, others looked rather gloomy. One resembled a school, and its sign read, “School for New Writers”. Some buildings were even large while others were small, depending on how many members there were. It looked like a huge city. There were even support groups for OCs and there was even a rehab. Lauren was getting tired from following Screwball around as they seemed to go on forever.

“Screwball…” Lauren panted. “How much farther?”

“Not far. Oh! Goody! We’re here!” the filly chirped.

Lauren looked up and what she saw early made her drop her jaw. It was a tall building, and the colors were gloomy and dark. There were protective nets on the windows and even though there was a yard around it, it was surrounded by a wire fence. The sign on the building made it all clear: Wonderland Asylum for the Insane.

“Are you serious?!” Lauren yelled. “An ASYLUM?! It’s only where the mentally unstable would go to!”

“Not all of them are insane as you think. Some are very stable, especially when on their meds”

“But why here?!”

“You need a guide that wouldn’t be so hard to follow. This place has them. They’re not very talkative, they do anything to get on your good side, a little rebellious but in a good way, and they won’t be so hard to talk to”

“Have you even been in there?”

“I have, many times. But they’re even friendly”

Lauren grumbled.

“Screwball” a loud voice rang out. Both turned around to see a young colt at the door’s entrance. He looked like the doctor from the show.

“Doctor, how good to see you again” Screwball greeted.

“How good too. Ah, who is that behind you?”

“Lauren, she’s new here. We met when I went swimming with my friends a while back”

“I see” he took a closer look at the Equestria Girl. “Pleasant to meet you, miss”

“Pleasant to meet you too”

“What brings a sane soul like yours to the asylum?”

“Miss Lauren needs a guide to show her around our realm” Screwball answered. “I figured maybe one from this group could be decent enough to show her, so long as they’re on their meds”

“I see. Very well, then. Come inside, the members won’t bite” he said as he led them inside the asylum. Screwball went off and left Lauren to in herself.

Lauren followed the colt inside as he led the way. The place looked dark and dreary, but plain white. There were other rooms with other labels and signs. The staff had gone to their own business. Some went to prepare the meds and therapy while others got ready to keep records of progress. Finally, they reached a door that had a sign, “Main Room”

“This is where we keep the members or as I sometimes call them patients and…” he then noticed the lack of a presence of a certain pink filly.

“Where’s Screwball?”

“She left, probably to deal with stuff”

“Her reforming, yes. Anyway, this is where we keep the members”

“This place doesn’t seem as scary as I thought it would”

“We don’t show passerby the disturbing parts” he said before opening the door.

Lauren’s eyes widened to the size of dinner plates.

“Don’t puke” the colt said.

Inside, there were various members of Fimfiction Asylum, and even OCs. Some were just reading books that appeared and disappeared as they finished a chapter. Some were writing stories. Others did random other stuff. Some were laughing but others were crying. Some were just playing and talking with one another or their OCs.

“Isn’t this also disturbing to the members?” Lauren asked.

“Meh, they seem fine. Some are a bit rebellious and others are in their rooms, asleep. Well, go ahead, pick one” he gestured for her to go on.

Lauren had a tough decision to make. She just has to pick the one who seemed the least dangerous. This was just hard since they all seemed too caught up with something else. She looked around for one who could be an able guide. She eventually saw someone who seemed rather gloomy.

She was a young black-haired girl with all locks going straight down. She wore a black dress with equally black shoes and long, white socks that went up to her knees. She had a small cross on her neck. Her hazel-nut colored eyes showed pure sorrow and there were dark rings around them that suggested she must’ve been crying. She looked sickly pale. From the looks of it, she was very young.

“What happened to that one?” Lauren asked, pointing to the girl.

“Abused even as a child, even before coming here. She had traumatic experiences that scarred her. I’ll admit: she doesn’t normally look like this unless she’s depressed”

“What got her here?”

“Mild Bipolar Disorder and possibility of depression. She has a Familiar with her normally, but I guess something bad happened”

“Familiar?”

“Right, you’re new. Familiars are a Brony or Pegasister who decided to be a Familiar when they wanted to be connected to a friend who was the same, but like a relative-way. They come in all shapes and sizes. If someone tries to sever the link, it can be traumatic for both of them. Familiars call the one they’re connected to Partner, and Partners call them Familiars”

“I see”

“Okay, time for members to take their meds” a young mare said as she entered the room with a cart filled with various meds, each with a name labeled. She handed the doses out to the members as she passed by them.

“I’ll leave you to find a guide; I’m afraid I have some errands to do. If you need me, I’ll be in my office” the colt said before going out of the room.

Lauren looked at the girl again. She held sorrow in her eyes. Lauren looked to see that the girl had something in her hands. She took a closer look and saw that it was a ball of black clay. She watched with pity as the child molded it into a simple pyramid shape. She then lifted up to her face and sighed sadly. Lauren felt sorry for the girl. She was sad, confused, lonely, and even possibly physically sick. She had to try something that may help. She checked her shirt’s pocket to check if it was there, and it was.

As the mare approached the girl, she was about to hand over the meds when Lauren asked, “Um, excuse me, what are the effects of those pills you keep this girl on?”

The mare then put the meds back on the cart and lifted up a clipboard. “Hmm, seems to say that it fogs her mind a bit, like a sedative for the mind”

Lauren nodded. The mare then put the meds infront of the girl. She looked shocked, and would just stare.

“Hazel, is there something wrong?” the mare asked the girl.

The girl shook her head. “No, it’s fine” she whispered in a timid voice. She immediately took the meds as the mare went off to give the other members. Lauren looked back to the girl, and the child showed a shocked look.

________________________________________

Later…

Some of the members had already gone to their rooms due to the effects of some of their meds. Others stayed behind to do other work. Lauren watched as the black-brunette headed to her room. She followed the child inside. When she went in, the girl closed the door behind her with a surprise attack. And for the first time since they met, the child’s tired eyes showed an emotion: confusion.

“Why did you steal my meds?” the girl demanded Lauren angrily.

“What?” Lauren pretended to not know.

“A while ago, you asked the nurse about the effects of the meds they keep me on and then while she looks, you swapped my meds with sugar pills. Why did you steal my meds?”

“You look troubled and unable to think straight. I believe that people can’t get well if they’re not able to think straight. I had sugar pills just in case so, I thought you needed it”

For a few seconds, they both stood in place, neither of which moving or talking. Lauren thought she may have made a mistake. But, rather than an attack, the girl went up and hugged Lauren tightly. “Thank you. I’m starting to feel like myself again. I haven’t felt this way in a while”

Lauren patted the child’s head as they pulled away from the hug.

For the first time, the child gave a small smile. “You want to get something to eat? I know where the nurse hides an extra candy bar”

Lauren smiled and nodded. “Sure”

The girl then dragged Lauren by the arm like a hyper kid at the fair. “Um, may I ask, what’s your name, child?”

“I’m Hazel Nut Vine, Hazel for short” she said.

________________________________________

“I haven’t been able to think normal ever since. Then you came and helped me” Hazel said as Lauren ate a few pieces of chocolate.

“Sugar pills make you happy again? Wow, I never knew that”

“My body takes weird reactions to different substances. If I take energy drinks, even though most people don’t go so hype, I go immediately nuts when the effects kick in. To me, it’s like coffee. I guess those placebo pills removed the effects of the meds they kept me on”

“So it’s like I did you a favor”

Hazel nodded. She then sighed, “What do you need?”

“What?” Lauren asked.

“I wasn’t brought here yesterday. I know very well that if somepony does a thing like that for you, that sometimes means they either pity you, want to help, find a friend, or they need help and you may be the only one to provide it”

“It’s not that…”

“Wait, hang on. Eclipse has lost it again” Hazel said before she went to a certain Unicorn in the corner with a doll. “Oh, boy. She’s really cracked. She’s gone nuts”

This mare looked like was in Necromancy. Shorter than average, dark green eyes, and has a black coat with a dark red mane with a dark purple strands in it. Her cutie mark is an eclipsed blood red moon, with the rest of the moon being a purple color with a black outline. She had a cloak with her, but underneath was an asylum dress.

She had a Smarty Pants doll with her. It was blue with orange eyes and a huge grin. It wore a pink shirt with a white collar on it.

As soon as Hazel was infront of her, she tried shaking her on the shoulders as the filly cackled. “Eclipse? Eclipse?! Get a grip!”

She was then caught by the throat by the Smarty pants doll and the filly.

“Good grip” Hazel choked out.

“Don’t do that” the filly said to her. “Nightbeam was laughing over a joke that I didn’t get. Now go” she said before letting the girl waddle back to Lauren.

“That’s Eclipse, and that’s also her doll Nightbeam. They got here from her Multiple Personality Disorder” Hazel rubbed her neck to make it better.

“Did that doll just help choke you?” Lauren asked, eyeing the doll. She swore it was staring at her.

“Nightbeam is a doll possessed by a demon. Eclipse also has these voices in her head. Don’t mess with her. She’s almost always emotionless and very powerful. Her only weakness is as if she uses too much power all at once”

“How do you know all this?”

“Her creator, Typevader, told me”

Lauren sighed.

“Look, don’t worry; I’m used to this treatment anyway. So, go ahead, tell me what you need”

Lauren sighed and took a deep breath. “I need a guide to show me around Fimfiction and the other areas of this realm I’m new, just arrived today. Twilight Sparkle couldn’t because she had a rush so Screwball led me here and told me to find the least insane one here. I just thought maybe it could be you. You seemed really down in the dumps and lonely. But I also care for you, I do”

“I see” she then began to cough a bit. “Sorry”

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine”

Lauren then thought back to what the colt said earlier. “You had a Familiar, right? Did you both get separated?”

“How did you…?”

“You don’t look well. How about this: You’ll be my guide and I’ll help you get back your Familiar”

Hazel was shocked. “Oh no! That would be dangerous! I can’t let you risk your life for mine or Hester’s!”

“No, it’s fine. You need it. You need help and I want to help you. Just tell me where to find her and I’ll get her back for you”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure”

“Okay, but we have to get out of this place for a bit”

Lauren nodded. “Come on, where’s the office?”

Hazel then got up. “Follow me”

“By the way, who’s Hester?”

“That’s my Familiar’s name, Hester Hide”

________________________________________

“Come in!” the colt said as he let Lauren and Hazel entered the room. “Lauren, how nice! Hazel, I thought you were sleeping”

“Mister, I found someone for a guide. This girl named Hazel”

“Hazel? Well, I’ll admit: she’s very normal and no serious reactions. Very well then. Hazel, will you be willing to lead Miss Lauren around this realm?”

“Yes, sir” she whispered timidly.

“Very well, then. You may go out now. Have a good day!”

Both nodded as they exited the office. Right then, Lauren noticed the scars on Hazel’s arms.

“What happened there?” she asked.

“Long story”

________________________________________

For a long time, Lauren followed Hazel to where her Familiar was being kept. On the way, Hazel explained some things, like the fact that the realm they live in is divided into two: one part for Bronies, Pegasisters, and their Familiars, and the other part for Anties, or those who hate MLP. Although Hazel is a Pegasister and so is her Familiar Hester Hide, her mother was an Anti.

Lauren also learned about how Hazel tends to act the way she is. Turns out, her mother was rather a narcissist, or one who seems to only look upon her own children as herself. Hazel had an elder brother and sister, but they were also abused in the same way. Their mother always tried to make them like her, and if they didn’t obey, she would do painful things to them. Hazel also explained that she almost drowned twice because of her mother making her go to the Deep End without coach supervision, leaving her traumatized.

Her mother was also responsible for the deaths of some of her childhood pets. She was also the cause of Hazel being shy at school, lack of confidence, fear of crowds, and possibly the cause of her Mild Bipolar Disorder. Then, she met Hester, who eventually became her Familiar, but she too was abused. Hester was kept in a dark room, causing her to eventually develop Schizophrenia. Her mother also threatened that if this ever goes to the police, she will kill them, and even made them feel no one would care if it ever comes to that, since they are so fearful and rarely ever talk. So they all lived their lives in fear.

Then Hazel and Hester eventually found their way to Fimfiction, where they found those who did care. They still kept the past a secret for fear of the punishment. The duo soon met Shadow Kirby, who became a friend and both felt very close to him. Hazel eventually learned to open up and “talk” again. Hester, due to trauma, became rather aggressive and somewhat rebellious.

“Then we got separated because mom wanted to make it more painful. And that was the last time I saw Hester. I found my way to Fimfiction Asylum, and they put me on those meds that made my thinking foggy and I sleep off the sorrow. I wanted to go get Hester back, but mom made sentries that patrol her house” Hazel wiped off the tears that swarmed her eyes as she finished her backstory.

Lauren placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Hazel, I’m sorry to hear that”

“It’s fine. I try and act happy to avoid suspicion anyway”

“But still, no one deserves to be treated that way”

“Can’t do anything about it. She tells me to put it all behind even if she does it again, so in truth, I’ll never recover from it”

“What about when you were in school? Didn’t they suspect it?”

“In public, we hide it all and are a perfect family. But when we go home, that’s when it all happens. I hide it all by pretending to be over happy all the time, but in truth, I’ve just been drinking those energy drinks she packs me”

“Hazel, this isn’t healthy”

“We all manage. The Fandom side is the only area that she can’t get into to follow us. It’s a barrier that protects us all from the Anties who hurt us. So, in a way, this is like an only refuge”

Lauren put a comforting hand on the young Pegasister’s shoulder.

“It’s fine, Lauren. I just need to…” Hazel took a deep breath and recited a mantra. “Believe in God, have Faith, and all will be well”

“Are you Catholic or Christian?”

“Catholic. And, oh! We’re here!”

Lauren looked infront of them to see what looked like a Victorian era house. It looked like a mansion, really. Plants grew around it beautifully. Birds seemed to flutter around to look for food. There was an elegant gate that guarded the entrance. All in all, it was just a façade. Outside, it’s beautiful, but the inside holds very dark secrets.

Lauren looked to Hazel to see that the child had cringed from fear. Her tired eyes had shown that she had been crying from constant pain inflicted on her, and fear for even setting foot in that house again.

“You know what? You stay out here, and I’ll go get Hester” Lauren sat her down behind one of the trees that were a safe distance away from the gates.

“But, Lauren, she’s got sentries. What if they get you?” Hazel was shaking from fear at the thought.

“Don’t worry, I’ve handled worse” she assured the scared child.

“Okay, but before you go, you might need this” Hazel then handed over a clay doll that resembled Fluttershy as a filly. “It’s to assure her that there’s nothing to fear from you”

Lauren took the doll and placed it in her pocket. “Did you make this? It’s pretty”

“Thank you. And yes, I and Hester do that other than writing and reading”

“Did you take lessons?”

“Kind of, my mentor was a Pegasister at YouTube named Eifos”

“Well, tell her she’s a good teacher”

Hazel nodded. “Oh! And I think you’ll need this” she handed Lauren a mirror. This was with a pale blue hue in the glass. The handle had a starry design on it. At the top of the mirror was a quill and clay ball.

“What’s this?”

“If you look into it, you’ll turn invisible for a limited amount of time. But Hester and I will still be able to see you. Use this mirror wisely”

“Okay, hang on, how will I know if it’s Hester?”

“She looks like a Katsuma, but her color is yellow and her stripes are orange. She also sometimes wears a blue hat”

“Alright, wish me luck” Lauren said as she climbed the gate.

“Be careful, Lauren”

________________________________________

Lauren managed to get past the gates easily via climbing. She looked into the mirror when she got to the door and turned invisible. She knocked on the door, and when it was opened, she snuck past the sentry guarding it. Lauren hurried through the halls as the effects of the mirror began to run out. When it finally did, she had found her way into the room were Hester was being kept.

She watched as who looked like Hazel’s mom scaring the poor Familiar with needles and sticks. Her form was rather human than a pony or Equestria Girl, not surprising for an Anti. Her hair was a cross between blonde and brunette. She was wearing a violet semi-formal dress that had flaps on the color area. Her shoes were lavender. She waited until the woman was out of the room before stepping in.

There, she saw, cowering in a corner, was Hester. She looked like a Katsuma, like Hazel said. She was indeed yellow on the fur and orange on the stripes. She donned on a blue hat that had a ribbon, a gemstone, and a flower. Looking on her neck, it was visible that she had a cross similar to Hazel’s. She looked very hurt, however. And her colors were a little dull, as though someone drained her life out. It was visible that she kept on a leash, tied to the wall.

The second Hester noticed Lauren, she immediately got tense. “No, not another sentry” she whined weakly.

Lauren shushed her, and then showed her the clay doll Hazel made.

At once, Hester calmed down. “Oh, Hazel. Quick! We have to leave, before she comes back!”

Lauren undid the leash and held Hester since she knew that she looked very weak. She carried the Familiar out of the room and ran through the hallways. In her pace, she forgot to look in the mirror to be invisible again and this time, the sentries spotted her. Lauren ran fast as she realized they’ve been caught.

She had to dodge and jump every now and then to avoid the arrows that threatened to pierce her. With Hester’s help as keeping an eye for her back, she was able to avoid getting hit. But just as she was about to leave, an arrow shot her in the arm, making it bleed. Lauren got out of the gates as fast as she could, and from that point, the sentries couldn’t follow her anymore.

As soon as Lauren got near to Hazel at the tree, Hester seemed to just float out of her arms and to Hazel’s. “Hazy!” she cried in happiness as she was embraced by her Partner.

“Hester” Hazel whispered. “Thank you, Lauren”

Lauren nodded.

Right then, the duo pulled away from the hug and held each other’s hands, and paws. Right then, Hazel recited something, “My Familiar and I, together forever, it’s something I’d want”

Hester then recited her part, “My Partner and I, together forever, it’s something I’d want”

Right then, a white light enveloped the duo. The light was so bright that Lauren had to cover her eyes to avoid the blinding light. When it was
finally gone, she saw something had changed in the duo. They looked…healthier.

Hazel seemed to know have a healthier complexion. Her hair seemed to have gained a somewhat brownish tinge to it. Her eyes now longer had the dark rings around them. Her dress was now a little fixed up. Hester now also seemed better. Her coat coloring had turned from sickly to
bright and radiant.

“Whoa!” Lauren exclaimed.

“We know, right?” Hazel said as she and Hester let go.

“Oh, does that feel good! I’ve never been so happy in a long time!” Hester floated again in mid-air and even twirled to prove her point.

“But, how did…?” Lauren asked.

“Oh, right. Partners and Familiars tend to be better and healthier when we’re reunited. That thing we did that made us suddenly well? It’s what united us together again” she then noticed the cut on Lauren’s arm. “Oh, my! Did her sentries use the arrows on you?” she examined the cut arm.

“Kind of, but with Hester’s help, I was able to avoid all except the one that cut me there. I think I’ll be fine”

“Please, atleast let us bind that for you” Hazel said as Hester produced long cloth from her hat.

Lauren stretched out her arm as she let the duo patch up her arm. Hester disinfected it with a little alcohol that Hazel kept in in her pocket. She used a cotton bud and dipped it with some alcohol and gently dubbed it on the cut, making Lauren cringe a little. After that, Hazel proceeded to wrap the cloth to avoid infections and continuous bleeding.

Once tight, Hester asked, “What do you call yourself?”

“Lauren” she said, before saying her full name. “Lauren Faust”

Hazel beamed. “Lauren Faust? THE Lauren Faust?”

“I can see I’m famous here” Lauren pulled her arm back slowly.

“Indeed. And you would not believe how long we’ve waited for you to come” Hester gleefully floated.

“Okay, Hazel, you said you would be my guide here?”

“Of course, I keep my end of the deal” she allowed Hester to perch on her shoulder. “Where do you want to go to?”

“Anywhere, really”

“Then it doesn’t matter which way we go”

“Just as long as we get somewhere” Lauren elaborated.

“Very well, the, let’s give a tour of this realm’s facilities. Along the way, we may as well go find somepony with the Healing Tea to get that arm fixed up completely”

“Healing Tea?”

“So named because it heals any injury on the user” Hester explained.

“Alright then”

“Good. We’ll take you to Clementine Jr., Sunny Shores, and Anastasia. They’ll be very welcoming today” Hazel said as the duo seemed to just disappear into thin air.

Lauren looked around nervously for the duo, and then they reappeared infront of her, sitting on a tree branch. “Coming?”

“Please tell me that they’re not mad” Lauren followed them.

“Sometimes we are, due to some slight disturbances. But you can’t help it. I’m mad, Hester’s mad, you’re mad, we’re all mad here” Hazel said as she and Hester led the way back to the safety of the barrier.

“How do you know if I’m mad?”

“If you weren’t like us, you wouldn’t have gone to the asylum, or met Screwball”

“How did..?”

“My ears are sensitive at various sounds. If I concentrated hard enough, I can hear things that is even a mile away. Hester can spy and do the same”

“Okay, how are you and Hester mad?”

“Mild Bipolar Disorder, and Hester has Schizophrenia”

“Okay and disturbances?”

“They are caused by the fight going on between the Fandom and the Anties. Though the barrier protects us all well, they try and find new ways”

“One time, before it was put up, they ambushed us and I got hit at a tree” Hester held her head.

“We’re at war?”

“Something like that. But nowadays, since the barrier was put, we’ve been safe ever since. Bronies, Pegasisters, and Familiars can enter and exit the barrier whenever they like, but Anties can get in at all”

“Okay, but can you atleast make your disappearing and reappearing a little less quick, you make me giddy when you both do that” Lauren said as they were finally back inside the barrier.

“Alright” saying so, Hazel and Hester began to vanish slowly, staring with the shoes and tail, accordingly. Both ended with their grins.

Lauren commented, “Well, I’ve seen a Partner and Familiar without a grin, but never a grin without a Partner or Familiar!”

She then waited until the duo finally reappeared slowly. Once they were whole, Hazel and Hester gave Lauren a gesture, “Follow us”

Well, atleast they’re not so mad.

Comments

[typervader]

This is, differnt, then I thought, but cool so far. By the way, you splet her name wrong, its Eclipse

[Hazel_Hester777]

7767204
I'm fixing it!

[Dark Nightshade]

Very interesting. A little but confusing, but really good!

[Unknown Tale]

My goodness, this got darker than I originally anticipated. Good job!

[Hazel_Hester777]

8748301
Thanks! The others in the series are out for quite a while now. You can see them too. Although, fair warning: There's some death.