‘I beat him,’ was the first words Tara had said that morning, when her peaceful sleep had been interrupted by none other than Thomas Foster entering the room.

As he closed the door, Foster arched an eyebrow. ‘What was that?’

Recollecting herself, fully awakening in a few mere seconds, Tara looked up to meet Foster’s eyes. ‘I said I beat it. I beat the ponies. I guess your serum worked.’

‘Ah yes,’ said Foster with a smile, ‘I was just seeing how it was holding up.’ He scratched the back of his neck. ‘I have been trying it on another patient, and it has resulted in violent night terrors.’

‘Didn’t you say it had to be violent at first?’

‘Ah yes,’ he said, with his smile returning, ‘But still, I am somewhat concerned.’

‘Don’t be.’

Foster approached, and asked, ‘Would you like to go outside for a while?’

With a nod, Tara was lifted into her wheelchair, and was wheeled outside into the gardens. A clean paved path framed by a selection of flowers seating neatly in brick pots, and benches baring various names. There was not a sound to be heard except for the squeaking of Tara’s chair- none of the hollers or loud nonsense she heard when she was trying to sleep, none of the blathering from doctors. She turned to pick up a flower and for a moment, began to think about some gardener planting it and tending to it. Then she tried to put it out of her head; flowers shouldn’t need analysis.

She never gave Equestria that much analysis either. Maybe she should have; then she’d have realised how silly it was to believe in it, and would have left the asylum years ago. No, she couldn’t give up Equestria entirely; if she still thinks about it but acknowledges it as fictional, it isn’t insane, is it?

Something crawled across her gut as she pondered on it. She’d become Twilight Sparkle again, and she’d stay that way again. While she did tell Pinkie Pie she’d try to balance reality with ponies, she just knew she’d lean too far in one direction again.

Pinkie Pie’s Ferris Wheel Adventure. Not enough seats for the ponies. One pony forfeits her turn. Problem solved. Why couldn’t this whole thing be like that?

‘I think we can ground you here for good this time,’ said Foster, ‘I didn’t trust Marge. I actually think she wanted you living your delusions.’ He chuckled, and Twilight chuckled with him.

‘I’d like to speak with Gilda again,’ she said, ‘I think we can still be friends.’

‘Indeed. And now that you’ve seemed to have made an agreement with your imagination, I think you can.’

While raising an eyebrow at that remark, Tara continued the conversation. ‘You know, I’ve always wanted to accomplish something...’

‘Yes, I know. And I think you are on the way to doing that. But remember that you have to stay here.’

‘Forever.’ Tara put her hands over her mouth.

‘What was that?’

‘Nothing.’ Tara smiled. ‘May I go back inside?’