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// Chapter 1 Starlight Glimmer's plan 
// Story: Recovering Friendship 
// by Redwalllover28 
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Starlight was pleased with herself. She had sent two containers with the specially prepared food. The first 2 containers had simple herbs to keep Twilight asleep all day and throughout the night, but the rest were mixed with special herbs to help make Twilight more submissive like she told her. She passed the reformation shack and saw Twilight sleeping. Not the fitful sleeps she had taken before, but ones that looked restful to the passing observer. That made Starlight happy.

'Good. The herbs are doing their job.' She thought 'They are breaking Twilight Sparkle's spirit just enough to make her submissive to my suggestions, but not enough to cause too instant a change. Wouldn't want ponies to wonder why the only one who resisted the longest is suddenly like all the others.

Applejack came with a new container of food. She greeted Starlight with a huge smile just like everypony else in the town and said: "Hiya Starlight (she stopped using words like howdy because no pony in the town talked like that) Ah'm just bringing some food to feed Twilight Ah added the herbs ya asked me to, but I hav'ta ask why?" Starlight was not about to tell the truth so she said: "As you know Applejack, Twilight has been resisting all attempts to help her see the light about cutie marks and I had to reduce the amount of food that was given her in the hopes that it would help bring her around. When that didn't work I had to stop feeding her for a few days." Applejack nods and Starlight continues:  "These herbs are special in that they will help supplant the strength that only certain foods can give her." 

Applejack heaved a sigh of relief. Twilight had started looking poorly because of her stubborn behavior. She wheeled the container of food (which was really just a barrel on wheels with a small hole in it) into the shack. Her means of moving it was a poorly made trolley. in fact, it was a wonder the barrel as full of mushed up food as it was, didn't topple over.If Applejack was in her right mind, she would try to improve it. but as she was now, she just saw the hard work of her fellow townsponies, and wouldn't want to offend anypony by tapering with their work. She began to talk to her sleeping friend as she switched the barrels out. She said: "Just relax Twi' Ah'm just giving ya some more good food." At the sound of Applejack's voice Twilight's body began to twitch. She was still trying her best to fight the effects of the plants. Applejack meanwhile,  saw that Twilight was trying to struggle. She said: "Everything's gunna to be alright Twilight. This food here is suppose to help you in getting your strength back. Starlight says so, and Ah have no reason not to trust her." Applejack's voice was comforting even if misguided. She put the tube in the new barrel as Twilight was giving out small groans. She was trying desperately to wake up. But just when it seemed like her willpower and strength was returning, the Equal cutie mark glowed. And as the food began sliding down the tube, Twilight would feel the need to stay asleep and listen to the recording of Starlight's voice. Starlight Glimmer was watching from the outside in grim pleasure.She had Twilight's friends SO convince that she was right about everything, ESPECIALLY cutie marks, that they themselves were unwittingly, feeding her food that would be first step into making her nothing but a mindless pony who would scared to death at the MERE THOUGHT of a cutie mark! Applejack watched as her friend stopped fussing and waited until Twilight was still before putting the empty container of food on the trolley and left the hut.

After Applejack left, Starlight went inside. she spoke aloud once again to the sleeping princess: "You're more stronger than I thought. I'm glad I decided to put the sleeping herbs in the food this time. I think I will do that for the rest of your meals today. And your friends will be the ones giving you your meals.After all, they are your closest friends, aren't they? So, I think that it is only fitting that they be the ones feeding you.We wouldn't want you to wake too soon, and try to undermine their beliefs now, would we? After all, things could go bad for them if they starting going back to how they were.Wouldn't want to see them hurt, would you princess?"

Twilight didn't respond. But tears coursed down the closed eyelids of the princess told Starlight that she heard what she had said, and understood.All the same, Starlight spoke in a soothing motherly voice: "Don't worry though princess. Once I have you trained properly your friends will have nothing to fear from me." With that Starlight left the hut. Of course, Twilight was unaware of the time Starlight left.The only thing she knew was she had to bear whatever was going to happen to her. Because she was not going to let Starlight hurt her friends, even though she already had a feeling that Starlight had something terrible in store for her.

Double Diamond asked to see Starlight in her hut.He had questions for her. She was nice enough to Double Diamond though. What she didn't know however, was that he was one of the few ponies in the who missed their cutie marks. But no pony would dare admit it to Starlight's face. They didn't want to be put back into the reformation hut. ESPECIALLY after seeing the treatment Twilight Sparkle was receiving! And once Starlight was finished her training, they would be even more scared. But he acted normal. He said: "Are you sure that you should be doing this to Twilight? Maybe we should let her go."

"Why are you questioning my methods Double Diamond?" Starlight asked "I have good reasons for wanting ALL of Twilight's group to be like us. But she is the most valuable being a princess.But it makes her the most stubborn as well. I will have to use THIS when I let her out the hut tomorrow."

Double Diamond grasped: "A Halter?!! Why?!"

"She will a lot of guidance when she's out. Better to keep her close to me.And I need some information out of her." Starlight said

"What sort of information?" Double Diamond asked

"Nothing you need to worry about. Now go." Starlight said

Double Diamond left Starlight's hut, sure she had gone mad.