//------------------------------// // Freed // Story: The Alicorn Disability // by TypewriterError //------------------------------// “LUNA! DON’T MOVE!” Celestia screamed at her, her pink eyes wide as the door Luna had entered in was blown off its hinges. Luna stood as still as possible and stared at the purple mare in the center of the room. Twilight Sparkle was immobile. Her eyes were white and glowing but she seemed frightened of herself. Celestia was barricaded behind a bookshelf as a miniature tornado picked up small objects and spun them around and around. Luna couldn’t help but panic. Why had her sister insisted on training Twilight to use more powerful spells? She was too young! The objects being picked up and thrown were becoming heavier in mass. The oak bookshelf Celestia hid behind was beginning to inch her up against the wall. “TWILIGHT!” Luna called over the sound of the vortex, “YOU HAVE TO STOP!” Celestia was against the wall, trying to get herself out from behind the bookshelf. Her struggling did nothing. Her eyes bugged out of her head then snapped closed as a loud crack came from a bone somewhere in her body. Luna turned back to Twilight. If magic could have stopped this Celestia would have done something already. She was gasping now as the bookshelf creaked. Luna charged. At first she wasn’t sure what woke her up. Then she felt the jolt of electricity jangle every nerve and muscle in her body. She panted as she felt her blood tingle and sting in her veins. The male nurse from before was back with a tray. He lifted his head and surveyed the pony below him contemptuously. “Good. You’re finally up.” he said and turned to the tray behind him. A few bottle of different sizes and shapes stood around a bowl with steam rising from it. Each bottle was quickly unstopped and mixed into to whatever was in the bowl. After all the stuff was added, a spoon went in to stir the contents before lifting a mouthful to the more than hesitant alicorn. “I am not eating th...” the spoon was shoved roughly into her mouth. It was oatmeal, yes, and she usually loved oatmeal, but whatever had been added to it tasted completely vile. Luna gagged. “No spitting it out!” “What is that?” she asked, her whole face contorted in disgust. “It doesn’t matter. You have to eat.” “I can feed myself if you unchain me...” she growled. “You know I can’t do that. You’re a danger to anypony around you when you’re free, including yourself.” he stated as he shoved another spoonful down her throat. “Why is my magic not working?” she asked rhetorically. “Alicorn magic never works. It’s too unstable. Now eat!” he commanded and forced her to take spoonful after spoonful until the bowl was empty. She choked and sputtered after every mouthful. It was bitter and too sweet at the same time. How was that even possible? “What’s going on here...” she groaned, her eyes beginning to spin in her head. “You’re unwell... go to sleep.” he commanded the moment before her head hit the pillow. Luna wanted more than anything to protest but she felt as if speaking would reacquaint herself with what had just been shoved into her muzzle. Her stomach was clenching and bubbling, not making her violently ill but steadily queasy. The worst kind of sick was a sick that dragged on. The unicorn left her, closing the curtain behind him. Luna wished for a distraction as the curtain slowly swished less and less until coming to a standstill. Her eyes followed the creases and folds of the curtain to the unevenly spaced rings that held the curtain to the dusty pole. She was able to reach the curtain and bumped it to space the rings more evenly. The curtain swung but the rings were still uneven. She batted at the curtain again and again. The curtain was yanked back by the familiar pink maned nurse who wore her usual glare. “What do you think you are doing?” “ Are you going to explain to me...” “You should know better why you’re here even if you’re retarded.” the matter-of-fact comment shocked her because it was so bluntly stated. Even if you’re retarded? “I’m not... If you explain it to me...” “Go back to bed. You’ll strain yourself and besides, I am very busy. Do not touch the curtains again. They are not your playthings.” And with a swish she pulled the curtain back in place. The rings were still uneven. Luna’s stomach gave another, much larger, twinge and she could help but groan. She vaguely wondered if it was the oatmeal itself or the chemicals added that were playing havoc with her system. Almost every part of her wanted to throw up while the other part of her wanted to faint. Her stomach cramped in waves which left her only small spaces of of time to try to fix the rings on the curtain before doubling up as much as the chains would allow her and whimpering like a puppy. Why was she caring so much about rings anyway? They could wait until she didn’t have to wonder if she was being ripped apart from the inside out. But they were uneven and it wouldn’t be hard to fix... if only she wasn’t chained. If only her stomach would stop cramping and groaning. If only the nurse had taken some time to make the rings even. Why was it so dusty? Was she going to be fed again? Was Cadence asleep right now? Where was Celestia? Who was doing this? What this her world? The ring holding up the curtain had some rust on it. She didn’t realize she was panting until the sound of hooves walking past her snapped her out of the rapid barrage of thoughts to realize another pony was gasping in a way that sounded like panic. A few sets of hooves passed by and stopped a little ways off from her, just within her earshot. “She’ll have to be put down.” a female voice said “Put down...” a younger, male voice asked. “It for her own good and the good of everypony else.” the first pony replied “But... why can’t we help her?” the second voice asked. “You’ve been through medical school. You know why.” a third voice, older and also male, stated rather brusquely. “I know... but... put her down?” “Yes...” the female said, “and I want you to do it.” “Are you sure that...” “You’ve taken care of her. It would be best if you did it.” the female said. The gasping grew to a gurgled, indecipherable noise that sounded like pleading. Luna’s stomach cramped again with sickness and anticipation. She groaned involuntarily. “Here you go... nice and easy.” the older male said. Luna could feel the whole ward listening as the gasping grew more pained. A choking breath. A strained release. Another choking breath. A sharp gasp and strangled scream. Silence. Every alicorn in the ward, Luna included, felt a powerful wrenching in their chest, pulling them upward in unison as the soul of the unfortunate alicorn left its body. A keen rose from all of them. One of their numbers was gone. An immortal had just been made to face mortality. Luna dropped back onto her pillow, exhausted from the outburst. She hadn’t experienced that sort of mourning since her own parents gave their lives before the founding of Equestria. Her head was beginning to throb along with her stomach and the urge to throw up. “The first is your hardest.” the female nurse comforted. “So that’s... that’s what making those noises?” “Yes. It’s them. Their disability connect them. They don’t like it when somepony is freed.” said the older male. “The more of them you free, the easier it gets.” the female stated as the three sets of hooves walked back towards the exit. The wailing began after the door snapped shut.