//------------------------------// // The Cracks In A Soul // Story: Patients (Part 1) // by DubstepIsAmazing //------------------------------// Diamond Tiara laid on her bed, staring at the bland white ceiling. She was looking for something, but she didn't know what, or if she would ever find it. Although there was nothing there, she tried to make sense of why things were the way they were or why Celestia would do this to her. She's thought about it many times during the course of her tenure at the asylum. Her body sank deeper into the turquoise bed sheets as her mind drifted to her past, her present, and future. "Maybe they can help me," she muttered with hope in her voice. Thanks to the Cutie Mark Crusaders, her eyes were opened to the benefits of true friendships. In addition to this, she was able to expose her mother to how advantageous strong relationships were with others, whether they were friends, or family. The entire reason she was as generous as she was is because of Diamond. It made no sense that Celestia would simply persuade her to disown her only child. Reaching to her bedside table on her right, she turned the light switch off. Her eyes were opened, but she could feel herself being bathed in darkness. It felt...odd, to say the least. She was still, silent, and calm. For the first time in years, she felt alone. "Diamond?" Spike called from the joining room. She heard him from the vents. "Hm?" "Your light just went out. You alright?" "No. I haven't been alright for years." "Oh." Diamond closed her eyes, still searching for any sign of potential restoration. She was at her lowest point. The Crusaders have come and gone. Pinkie and Spike just arrived, but they would be out in a week or two. She was the only constant. And she didn't even know the exact reason as to why she was there. "Spike...I just don't understand..." she whispered in a quivering voice. "Understand what?" "Why she could give me up so easily..." "That wasn't under her control," Spike reminded her, "Remember?" "I don't want anything to do with ruling Equestria, Spike...I'm one of the last people that could be seen as a threat." "Maybe." As she began to weep silently, she began to think of her tears. As each one trickled down her cheek and onto her blanket, she realized something. Each one lasted for a much shorter duration than that of her stay in the asylum. Each one represented something: hope, relationships, friends, a future, and more. But like tears, they didn't last long. They appeared in her life before rapidly disappearing into nothing. "I wish this were just a bad dream," she lamented, "I just want to wake up." "Well, this bad dream will have a happy ending," Spike said confidently, "I promise." "You can't promise," she replied, "You won't be in here too long." "Well, how about this: when I get outta here, the first thing I'll do is ask Twilight to get you out of here." Diamond smiled. "I'd love that. But she'll likely go straight to Celestia in terms of this." "I'll deal with her when she visits." She shot up. "Celestia is visiting you?!" "Yeah. In a couple of days with Luna." She frantically hid under her covers, trembling in fear. Spike could hear her sobs from his room. "Diamond? Diamond, you okay?" "Spike..." she whispered in fear, "Every time she comes here and sees me...she extends my sentence...I may never get out of here..." "WHAT?!" Spike cried, "How? Why? That's ridiculous!" "Please don't tell her about me," Diamond pleaded, "She'll just tell the staff to keep me here!" "Not if I have a say in it," Spike said, "I'll talk to Luna too. She's much more merciful than her sister." "Spike!" "If she extends your sentence, Pinkie, the Crusaders and I will break you out if we have to." Spike said in a determined voice, "We need to let Celestia know this isn't okay." Diamond shuddered. "If you want, I can ask Cadance to check on you before she leaves," Spike offered, "Love and affection is her specialty, no matter who the pony is." "Who's Cadance?" Diamond asked, sniffling. "Princess of the Crystal Empire and Twilight's sister-in-law. Also one of the sweetest alicorns I know." "I dunno, Spike. I'm already on bad terms with one princess. Why should I meet another?" "Because life here has obviously kept your defenses up at all times. You've been living in fear for a long time now. She can help you relax." "What do you mean?" "Her words and actions can get past anypony's hard outer shell of their soul. When she's done, she makes you feel really good about yourself. I think she can help you." "How?" "The cracks in your soul are showing, Diamond," Spike answered, "For the first time in a long time, they're showing. And Cadance can help you to go back to the happy, kind self you were after the Crusaders helped you. Don't you want that?" Diamond was silenced. The idea that she could go back to the way things were before all of this happened...the chance that she could be happy again...it sent chills down her spine. "Yes," she muttered with a small smile, "Yes, I do..." "Good. She'll be here this afternoon. I'll make sure to mention you," Spike said. "Okay..." Diamond said before closing her eyes. "Don't let hope die, Diamond..." In the Dreamscape... From the looks of things, the Crusaders looked like they were standing on nothing. Well, nothing but stars. Surrounding them were millions of stars. It was peaceful; it would've been an incredible ambience to fall asleep to if Luna wasn't putting fear in the hearts of the three fillies with her stare. "Let's get to the point," Luna said, "Why couldn't I see your dreams? How were you able to sleep?" None of the fillies spoke; they avoided her gaze. She narrowed her eyes. "The sooner you answer, the sooner you get to get a good night's sleep. And I bet that would feel good, wouldn't it?" The fillies nodded, clearly conflicted. "Now. Whatever you're not telling me, whoever you're trying to protect, is it worth losing sleep over?" "YES!" Sweetie cried at the thought of Spike. Luna smiled deviously; she'd struck a nerve. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom shoved their hooves on Sweetie's mouth and smiled nervously at Luna. "What she meant to say was, 'In SOME cases'," Scootaloo corrected. "In this case, who we're trying to protect is...ya know...kinda worth losin' sleep over," Apple Bloom explained. "Clearly whoever it is must be very important to Sweetie Belle," Luna replied, "Please, do share." "MMF!! MMMMF!! MMMMMMMFFFFF!!!" Sweetie Belle screamed in a muffled voice; had the other two fillies not covered her mouth, Luna would've found out. "She clearly wants to say something," Luna said, knowing she was getting closer, "Let her speak!" Scootaloo and Apple Bloom shook her head as Sweetie's eyes shimmered. It seemed that she had completely forgotten what they were trying to avoid. Luna sighed. "Fine," she replied, feigning disappointment, "I'll talk to my sister about this. Clearly, your friend isn't as important to you as you believe they are." Luna's horn shone, signifying her departure. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom sighed before uncovering Sweetie's mouth. However, Luna hadn't left yet. She wore a victorious smile, knowing Sweetie Belle was about to sing like a bird. The other two fillies realized they had freed Sweetie Belle prematurely, but it was too late to fix their mistake. "HOW DARE YOU SAY I DON'T CARE ABOUT SPIKE," Sweetie Belle screamed with a blush as water flowed down her face. "Bloody Tartarus," Scootaloo muttered, hoofpalming herself as Apple Bloom threw her head back in disappointment. Luna's horn stopped glowing. "It seems I was mistaken," Luna said, "My apologies. But what about Spike, Sweetie Belle?" Sweetie Belle looked at Scootaloo and Apple Bloom, who wore looks of confusion and annoyance. "We know you care," Scootaloo said, "You might as well tell her." "Go 'head," Apple Bloom approved with a smile. "Well, Sweetie Belle?" Luna asked. "He told us that his friends are hypoc--hypocr--" Sweetie Belle struggled. "Hypocrites?" Luna finished with an inquisitive look on her face. "Yeah, that." "Why might that be?" "Even though the elements of harmony keep promoting friendship, they're using his friendship for their own personal gain," she continued, "And behind his back, they insult him, they don't care about him...they're against him the entire time!" Luna shuddered at her explanation. "Go on." "He appreciates Pinkie, the three of us, and Discord, but no matter what he sees, no one will believe him," Sweetie Belle said, "He said he's seen Celestia do things that are against what she teaches! And no one will bat an eye because she's the ruler of Equestria!" Luna sighed. "So, he believes that my sister is corrupt with power?" "Yes." "Does this line up with what he told you two?" "We were in the room when he said it," Scootaloo said. "But how were you able to get back to the--oh," Luna said, having put the pieces together, "That's why you were out late. He invited the three of you back to discuss this." The three of them nodded. "Well..." Apple Bloom said, "Not him." "Then who?" Silence. The three of them avoided her eyes. "How were you able to avoid me looking into your dreams?" "Spike gave us a berry that made us dream of nothing," Scootaloo explained, "But it ended up giving us nightmares instead." "Nightmares of what?" "How each of us di--got eliminated in Discord's game." "Ah. I see. I didn't even know a berry like that existed." "Well, all I need to know is who exactly invited you back to the asylum," Luna said. Sweetie Belle was about to speak up, but Luna put her hoof up. "From someone who's not Sweetie Belle. She's said plenty." The other two fillies did not say a word. They just continued to stare off into literal space. "Scootaloo?" She looked at Luna. "Rainbow is waiting for you..." "I--I know..." "The sooner you answer, the sooner you get to see her again..." Luna noted. It wasn't normal for her to take such low roads in trying to get information, but this had peaked her curiosity ever since they returned from the psychiatrist. "And Apple Bloom. I'll make sure to tell Applejack of your cooperation tomorrow..." The two fillies were tempted. Seeing their sisters smile at them was one of the things they wanted most right now. "I know you're scared. But in reality, you're helping more than hurting. In fact, you're not hurting anybody." Luna advised. "It...it was Diamond Tiara..." Apple Bloom confessed, "She needs help...she just wants to go back to living her normal life." Luna's eyes widened. "What's Diamond Tiara doing in the asylum?" "Ask your sister," Scootaloo replied. Luna gasped. "Celestia had something to do with this?! Diamond is a filly!" The Crusaders said nothing more. Luna sighed. "Thank you for your cooperation. Oh, and Sweetie Belle?" Sweetie Belle looked up. "Your secret is safe with me," she replied, winking, "Now, sleep well." She said before teleporting the fillies back to the real world. At the palace... Celestia could not stop crying as she held a scroll in front of her. She didn't want to put the order into law. There was still hope for Spike to get better. He just had to. The scroll's title was: Executive Order 19245: The Dragon Removal Act. It read: At the ratification of this law, all dragons residing or currently in Ponyville will be asked to leave within a week of the request from the proper authorities. Failure to do so is punishable by imprisonment or death at the Princesses' or Element's of Harmony's discretion. The act had been written up centuries ago, but no one had put it into law. At the time, the Dragon Kingdom was one of Equestria's greatest allies. Despite there only being one dragon in Ponyville at the moment, there was still a chance that he could get better. And that was the hope Celestia was holding on to. Celestia put the scroll away; she hoped she would never sign it. However, it was like what she told Luna. She would do what she had to do to keep everyone safe.