//------------------------------// // Chapter Ten - Delirium // Story: Retcon // by Beige //------------------------------// -.. --- -. - .-. . -- . -- -... . .-. -- . the hallways swam with colours that shouldn’t have been there doors on either side of her, endless, going on forever she fought to keep her vision sharp, but the world didn’t like that “Do you often have ponies with amnesia here?” Shower laughed. “Nah, you’re the first.” The smell of toast. “You were in hospital for a bit, but they sent you to us.” she wanted to throw up but there were more important things to do. Lemony’s ears folded back as Retcon’s voice got louder. “Total memory loss is an extremely rare thing, but it is something we’ve dealt with before. That’s the only reason you’re here.” “…liar…” “On occasion, yes.” Gurney’s feelings were always difficult to read. “We’ve had a couple here at the Institute, but none had such a complete loss of memory as you have. Y’know, they were missing a day or two, a week, never much more than that.” her mind was racing- no her heart was racing her mind was unravelling “Thing is, we didn’t know what you would be like when you woke up, how the memory loss might have affected you.” she had been locked away before she could remember …how did they know she had amnesia before she woke? “Shower has an ongoing assignment right now. I was studying this slab before you came to- came to in the hospital.” I trusted you She turned left into the long corridor. It used to lead to the meeting room in a straight line, but now it followed a longer undulating route. She wanted to throw up just looking at it “Can I ask how much you can remember?” That was the first night. She knew I had amnesia before I even woke up. Shower returned to her apple. “Flying accident. You hit your head pretty hard. You were alone when we found you.” There never was a hospital, was there… “Flight accident. I apparently hit my head.” “Ouch. That must have hurt.” It didn’t. Her head didn’t hurt. There was no head injury. No bruise, no scar. Her head was fine. It always had been. “Do you have any magic things that work on memory?” Lemony's lips quirked. “Nothing that will help get your memories back, no.” She heard voices, but her ears couldn’t pinpoint whether they were coming from inside or outside of her head. She felt something encouraging coming from Lemony, perhaps a shout of praise, and it warmed her. She needed to speak to Lemony. She needed to know if she could trust her. She needed to know. She knew where her room was, and it was in the hallway on the other side of the meeting room. History of Subject: Subject was discovered outside of town unconscious, Appeared to have collided with the ground head-first during flight. She was transferred to the Everfree facility shortly after where she was stabilised. “Maybe you’re here as a guest, maybe you’re a subject of interest like me.” She almost fell as she placed a hoof on a door to steady herself and it swung open. The voices were louder now, they were on the outside. They were coming from the large meeting room. She hid inside the room and closed the door. Glancing behind her, the room was filled with shelves of books, and the lights were off. She couldn’t see anyone there. She didn’t know what she would have done if she had. “…should be around, I’ll go ask him.” That was Shower. The sound of two sets of hooves drew closer and closer. “What words did you use exactly?” A mare. A very serious voice. A new voice. “I don’t know! I just said to wait around, and that I’d be back.” The voices stopped as they “So, to be able to talk about all these mad artefacts and creatures and stuff to someone who doesn’t work here… It’s certainly a change of pace.” Retcon nodded. “I suppose. …But, we haven’t exactly talked much.” -walked past, the echoing sound of hooves getting quieter and quieter. She waited until she couldn’t hear them anymore, then counted to ten. Only then did she crack the door open and peek outside. She was alone … …Ma’am, did I hear you right?... … The hallway was empty. Glancing back the way she had come, Shower and the other mare had already turned the corner. Now or never. She bounded out into the hallway and down to the meeting room. There was still food left on the table from breakfast, so long ago. Out of the large room, into the hallway, filled with doors. One, two, three, four, there. She opened the door and briskly went inside. Lemony’s office appeared the same as it had the night before, although there was no unicorn inside. She snarled, glancing around. Is she even in the building? Do I just wait for her? I need to talk! I need… She raised a pink hoof to her chest. “My name’s Lemony, I’ll be around to help you!” -I need… Her vision started to blur. She’s my friend, right? I can’t talk to her. But I need to talk to her. I need to be told what to- that it’s alright. I need her. … …etcon… … A word caught her attention out of the corner of her eye. There, on the desk, were several more papers than were present last night, right where she had been sitting. One page had her name on it. One page, jutting out from the bottom of the pile. She pulled the page out from the pile. There was writing near the top of the page which started mid-sentence. conclusion of questioning at the Institute's discretion, subject was given 10oz of Compound B67. Addendum: Prior to this procedure, Compound B67 was explained to the subject using its informal name of 'retcon'. See Notes. Assignee: Lemony Meringue Notes: Original name unknown. Has selected for herself the name 'Retcon'. This development was allowed so as not to disrupt integration. It appears that the subject was able to recall the word, though the meaning has been purged. This may be due to the limited affect that Compound B67 has on the speech centres of the brain. No other memories seem to persist, and the recollection of the word does not appear to have roused any suspicion on the subject's part. It was explained that the word is just a literary device, the meaning of which the subject found agreeable. Personal note, it is my belief that Retcon chose this name particularly because Lemony and myself advised against it, perhaps out of a desire to be contrary in an environment where she felt she had little control, and not because the word held any meaning for her. Filed by: Flt Lt Light Shower “Please step away from the desk.” She whirled to face the door, dropping the paper. Standing in the doorway was Lemony. Reality snapped back into clear focus. At its nexus was the pink unicorn, her expression deadly serious. The pegasus blinked. “You...” “Retcon, you need to come with me.” “…Don’t call me that.” Lemony squared her jaw, glanced briefly at the paper on the floor, then took a step forward. The pegasus backpedalled, her back to the bookshelf. “Get back.” “Come with me, alright? We can talk-” “No more talk!” the pegasus snapped. “We have talked and you-” Her vision began to swim. You lied. “I-I… I trusted you!” she snarled. “I-… What have you done to me?” A voice called from outside. Lemony turned her head slightly, eyes never leaving the pegasus. “In here!” There was a sound somewhere close by, and the world she saw turned red. “My name’s Lemony,” she said, trying to sound cheerful. “Mind if I come in for a chat?” Whirling, she grabbed the knife she had seen the night before from the shelf. Twisting a forehoof around the handle, she ripped the sheath off with her teeth, and dived at the wide-eyed unicorn. “You’re safe in here, I promise.” Holding the unicorn close with a wing, blade held to her throat, she slammed through the door into the hallway. Shower came to a sudden halt, horror in her eyes. There was also a white unicorn, green mane, a look sharp enough to kill. The pink one was making noises. “Get back!” she yelled. The entrance to the courtyard was behind her. She could get there quickly if she ran, but there was little chance she could make it. She started to back away down the hall, pulling the unicorn with her. “Let her go,” commanded the newcomer. She almost did. Her hoof twitched. The unicorn shuddered. “I’m leaving. Get away from me!” The other pegasus said something. She couldn’t keep still, but she didn’t come closer. The unicorn held her attention, her eyes were as steel. “Let her go, and we’ll explain everything.” “I don’t want to hear your lies anymore!” “Retcon, you’re hurting her.” “I just want to leave, I don’t want to hurt anything!” She stopped moving, slackening her grip on the unicorn. The knife was getting hard to hold. She glanced down. Her hoof was red. Blinking, she shook her head. “No, no, no… No, get away from me!” She tried moving back again, and the pink unicorn came with her. “Please, we’re trying to help!” That was Shower. Lilac bitch. “Not stupid! I read what you’ve done to me! Keeping me here! How long have I been here? How long-” “Two weeks,” the white unicorn interrupted. The pegasus stopped again, the shaking body she held stopped a moment later. She glared at the white shape, blinking furiously as her mind worked. Finally, she settled on, “Why? Why are you doing this to me?” “Because you asked us to.” The world stopped spinning. “…wh-…” “You asked us to, Retcon.” The sound of the unicorn’s voice was sharp and clear. It was the only thing she could hear. Those eyes burned her soul. She stepped closer. The pegasus couldn’t move. …I-…? “Let her go, and I will tell you everything.” The pink unicorn was trying not to move. “…Who… am I?” The white unicorn stopped. “You are not a real pony. You came to us. We’ve been trying to help you. Let Lemony go please.” …not a real… there was too much Her grip loosened, the warmth she had been holding close by fell away. Lilac embraced pink. Vivid green eyes bored into her own. Clatter of metal against the floor. She tried not to fall over. She felt incredibly heavy. … “…ame is Light Shower. I was told you wanted to talk?” … Shower was talking quickly to Lemony. She glanced up at her. The glare was murderous. The wave of anger was sickening. “I-… I didn’t…” Lemony was staring right at her, quivering all over, pupils the size of pinpricks. She was holding a hoof to her neck, which was dripping with blood. Lemony had always been the easiest to read. She was petrified. …of me… She almost slipped when the off-white unicorn moved then decided standing wasn’t crucial. She collapsed on the floor. The fight had left her. It was too much. She stared ahead, unseeing, as things moved around her. She needed to … The expression on Lemony’s blood-stained face haunted her. It consumed her.