Chapter Eight: Alice And The Red Queen
~BlackRoseRaven
Twilight smiled a little as they turned down a side street, nodding in the distance, and both Scrivener and Luna looked down the cleaner, more-modern streets they had moved onto not long ago to see an enormous structure not far away, surrounded by tall walls and with a heavy, wrought-iron gate guarded by a pair of earth ponies in white uniforms. “There it is… the Canterlot Institution of Mental Health.”
“CIMH.” Pinkie murmured, pronouncing it ‘sim,’ and then she smiled a little… but it seemed forced as her eyes drew up over the brown, looming building. The middle section was the largest, towering over the two wide, slightly-curved wings, windows like countless barred yellow eyes staring vapidly outwards as the female said nervously: “This is gonna be okay, right, Twilight? I mean… I…”
“Are you okay, Pinkie? You usually… like it here. I mean, not ‘like it’ like it, but…” Twilight looked at her as Pinkie’s mane and tail lost a bit of their poof, but the earth pony mare nodded slowly all the same, and Twilight nodded back after a moment as they continued forwards, coming to a halt in front of the gates as the earth ponies looked at them, but didn’t speak as the unicorn quietly hugged the pink female. “Listen, it’ll be okay. We’ll have a quick lunch in the yard outside, maybe that’ll help settle you, and then we’ll go in and you can talk about it in therapy. Scrivy, Luna… would you like to join us for a fast meal?”
“You don’t have to stay if you don’t want to…” Pinkie began hesitantly, but then she smiled a little when Luna gave her a firm look. “Okay, I… would really like it.”
“Then stay we shall.” Luna said softly, and she smiled over at Scrivener, nudging him quietly. “Besides, my husband and I brought some food ourselves, and ‘tis much better to eat with good company.”
Twilight smiled slightly as well, then she glanced towards the earth ponies and said quietly: “Patient name is Pinkamena Diane Pie, and I’m Twilight Sparkle. We have an appointment today. Our friends are… here to support her.”
One of the earth ponies nodded, and as the other pushed the gates open, he said quietly: “Welcome back, Miss Pie, Miss Sparkle. Please have your friends sign the guest registry inside. Have a nice day.”
Twilight nodded courteously, and then the four made their way quietly through the open iron gates and onto a stone path… but Twilight gestured towards several large, scarred picnic tables that sat in the neatly-mown grasses, only one of these occupied by a smoking, nervous-looking pony near the far end of the yard, obviously a long-term patient from the blue, thin robe over his body. “Come on, let’s have a quick meal.”
The others nodded, following her to the closest table… and Twilight’s horn glowed as she lifted the packs off her back to settle them gently on the table, as Luna glanced at Scrivener’s saddlebag as her own horn gave a quiet hum. It unbuckled and opened, neatly-wrapped food floating outwards as Pinkie closed her eyes and opened her muzzle, sticking her tongue out… and Luna and Scrivy both looked dumbly at her for a moment before Twilight sighed, then nodded with a grumble, opening one of the bags and pulling out a strange green jar adorned with ribbons and painted with odd charms.
She pulled the cork out of this, then carefully dumped a chalky-looking, viscous purple brew into Pinkie’s jaws… then the pink pony slurped loudly as she swallowed it with a grimace and a shudder, breathing quietly for a moment before a bit of the color returned to her cheeks and she smiled almost dazedly, resting her elbows on the table and her muzzle on her hooves as she said dreamily: “I feel like a starlight.”
“This is why I don’t like giving you this stuff. Zecora says we should only use it when you’re feeling really awful, Pinkie.” Twilight said mildly, and Pinkie only giggled a little, her eyes sliding slowly closed before Twilight sniffed a bit at the thin neck of the open, spherical jar… then made a face and quickly shoved the cork back in, muttering: “I admire Zecora’s talent, but I swear she enjoys using the most disgusting ingredients she can find.”
“What alchemy is this?” Luna asked curiously, frowning a bit at Pinkie Pie… but then the earth pony blinked a few times before suddenly shaking her head, and when she smiled embarrassedly, she was obviously back to normal, her mane and tail fluffing out a little.
Nonetheless, she looked awkwardly at Twilight… and then unicorn nodded and explained quietly, even as she began to pull food out of her own pack and neatly sort them between herself and Pinkie: “Zecora was able to make us a potion that helps Pinkie… feel better, fast, so to speak. I brought it with us just in case… if Pinkie Pie feels an episode coming on, like she sometimes does, she can take this and it’ll stop it in its tracks. Pinkie calls it her ‘happy juice,’ but I worry about giving it to her because Zecora cautioned me it could be a little… addictive.”
Pinkie nodded, adding after a moment: “So I only try and have it when I really need it… it keeps Pinkamena away, though.” Pinkie blushed a little and glanced down, then she looked back up and smiled a little. “You know, I just realized that you guys know all our secrets. You know about Pinkamena, and about Big Mac and Applejack, and about a lot of other stuff we thought we could never really talk about with anyone else. I’m sure there’s all kinds of gossip in Ponyville, but… you guys know the truth. And none of us seem to feel we have to hide it from you.”
“Well, we’re kind of weirdoes ourselves.” Scrivener said mildly, and Luna hit him lightly, but nodded all the same as Sammy chirped on her back, before the lazy pseudodragon finally clambered off her and leapt onto the tabletop, sniffing at the food quietly. Scrivy glanced down at the little pet as he swayed to the side with a smile, then added easily: “Besides, the only thing we could tell is that little beast right there.”
Sammy chirped, and then Twilight muttered: “Or the Great and Powerful Trixie, but somehow I don’t think you’re exactly going to be telling her anything anytime soon. But I guess I can’t say too much bad about her… she was smart enough to memorize the spells I tried to teach her, even if she feels she has to work to be flashy when casting them… she has the makings of a good mage, though, if I’m allowed to say that.”
She glanced up lamely, but Luna only nodded as Pinkie Pie picked up a muffin and bit into it, chewing loudly. “Yes, Twilight Sparkle, thou… I mean, you are. You are already an excellent mage yourself, after all… and I have no doubts that if anything good does come of these dark times ahead, it will be your growth in the field of magic.”
Twilight nodded after a moment, glancing down before she picked up her daisy sandwich with a sigh, studying this and murmuring: “I only wish that everything could go back to being peaceful, though, Luna. I don’t want to see ponies suffering like this… like poor Scarlet Sage. It’s a good thing Fluttershy is there to look after her… I’d hate to think of what would have happened if I’d had to leave her in Trixie and Spike’s care.”
She grimaced a little at this, shaking her head, and the four ate in relative quiet before they packed up their leftovers. Twilight settled her saddlebags back into place as Scrivener let Luna attach his own satchel, and then the unicorn looked up with a bit of a smile, asking hesitantly: “So… are you going to… sit in or go see Celestia?”
“Oh, may we?” Luna looked curiously over to Pinkie, who blushed deeply… but nodded furiously, and Luna smiled warmly, nodding slowly as she glanced towards the male, who looked back affectionately. “Perhaps ‘twould be a good thing if we did then. Perhaps we’ll even get thee the therapy thou requires.”
“Perhaps you will start speaking properly. Furthermore, you’re the one who needs therapy here, not me.” Scrivy replied mildly, and Luna snorted and swung her horn at him lightly, but he ducked beneath it with a bit of a grin before looking over at Pinkie Pie as she gazed at them both affectionately. “None of us are in much of a hurry to head to Canterlot Castle. We’ll sit in with you, Pinkie. You are… a friend.”
“I’m real glad to hear that. I’m really real glad to hear that.” Pinkie said emphatically, and then she bounced happily around the table as Twilight laughed a bit, smiling warmly from her to Scrivener as she followed Pinkie towards the doors as the female sang lightly: “It’s a wonderful day in the world, it’s a wonderful day in the world…”
“Pinkie, remember, gotta be quieter now.” Twilight pointed out, and Pinkie blushed as she dropped to her hooves from mid-hop and nodded quickly, striding forwards towards the doors and keeping her voice to a low hum. The others followed inside as Pinkie pushed her way through the two sets of heavy metal double-doors, and they stepped into a reception area… and Twilight immediately approached the counter and said kindly: “Pinkamena Diane Pie is here for group therapy and examination afterwards, with Twilight Sparkle as acting sponsor. Her friends, Miss and Mister Poet are here to support her.”
“Group therapy starts in ten minutes in the White Room, you can go on ahead in when you’re ready. Please have your friends sign the guestbook.” the nurse behind the counter replied in a kind voice, and Twilight nodded as she and Pinkie stepped out of the way. Scrivener stepped forwards, signing quickly… and Luna cleared her throat awkwardly and scribbled her own signature before pushing the tome back, and thankfully, the nurse didn’t bother to check: Luna’s flowing, archaic script was a little different from the written language of modern ponies, after all.
Twilight and Pinkie both turned and headed for a pair of thin doors, Luna and Scrivener falling into step behind them as they pushed through and made their way down a wide, sterile hall. A pony in a blue uniform was pushing a large cart laden with medical supplies and bottles of pills down the hall, and another pony was leaning against a wall, rubbing his hooves together and breathing softly… but he smiled awkwardly when Pinkie gave him a bright smile as she passed, and Twilight explained over her shoulder: “You might be surprised at how many ponies are here, and the variety of problems they have… but they treat almost every kind of mental illness and disease here, from depression to… much more difficult cases.
“It’s a very good place, with very good ponies… they’ve helped Pinkie a lot, and she’s well-liked by patients and her doctors. In group therapy, like now, anyone and everyone can sit down… in fact, they often encourage ponies to bring their close friends or family along, so everyone can sit, talk about how dealing with this… has affected their lives. And more importantly, learn to understand things…” Twilight softened, gazing at Pinkie Pie tenderly. “Learn to understand to be patient, and that it’s not that pony’s fault… they’re just a little bit different in that one way.”
“Yeah… I’m really glad you guys are here, it means a lot to me, and… I feel safer.” Pinkie said quietly, glancing over her shoulder with a warm smile, then she looked ahead and pointed down the hall, to another large set of black double doors amidst the eggshell white, past several chatting ponies. “That’s the White Room there, it’s where we usually hold group, unless we’re doing special therapy… sometimes the doctors like to do group sessions outside when it’s really nice, or in one of the recreational centers… you know, keep it informal and comfortable for everyone.”
Twilight nodded, adding as they approached the doors: “They’re very understanding here. Much nicer than I hoped… and since Pinkie is an outpatient who only comes in for testing and group therapy, we don’t have to pay for anything other than medication and, when it’s really needed, a session with her personal mental physician.”
They pushed through the doors… and Twilight smiled a bit more as Luna and Scrivener gazed around the wide room, surprised: it was like an enormous cube, with tall windows that had the thin curtains drawn neatly back, letting the sun shine in and gazing out onto a pretty garden filled with bright flowers. Chairs were being arranged by uniformed ponies in a wide circle, and many of these were already occupied by ponies of all shape and size. At one side of the room, there were several stacks of cheap plastic chairs and a large table with a coffeemaker sitting on it, paper cups piled high beside bowls filled with tiny packets of sugar and creamer.
A unicorn rapidly writing on a clipboard glanced up at them, his white doctor’s coat hanging loose around his slender frame… and then he smiled slightly, the glowing quill pausing on the clipboard as Twilight and Pinkie approached, Scrivener Blooms and Luna following behind them as the male said kindly: “Well, Miss Pie, it looks like you’ve brought some different friends than the usual along today. It’s very nice to meet you, my name is Dr. Socrates. And you are?”
“Miss Poet and Mister Poet.” Luna replied immediately, and Scrivener smiled a little beneath his hood as he awkwardly adjusted it… and the doctor’s eyes lit up as if in recognition as she tilted her head towards him curiously. “Yes?”
“Miss Pie has spoken of you both at some detail. Detail enough to let me assure you this is a safe place. We don’t judge here, whatever has happened.” Dr. Socrates said kindly, and Scrivener hesitantly reached up and brushed down his hood as Sammy ran up onto the pony’s shoulder with a nervous chirp, Luna’s gaze sharpening before the doctor smiled to them both. “I appreciate that you’ve come to help Miss Pie through this trying time in her life.”
Then he turned and headed away, and Twilight glanced embarrassedly at Luna and Scrivy as Pinkie bounced a bit on the spot, the unicorn saying awkwardly: “Pinkie gets a little carried away in storytelling sometimes, even if… you know. She never uses your real names. The doctors aren’t stupid, but don’t worry. I doubt he thinks you’re actually the Luna and Scrivener Blooms, since… well…”
“This is a funny farm.” Pinkie said brightly, and Twilight snorted in amusement as Scrivener smiled despite himself and Luna outright laughed. “Don’t worry you guys, I never gave away your secrets. They probably just think you’re criminals or bandits or on the run from the law.”
“Just like the old days.” Luna said with relish, and then she glanced towards the coffeemaker and said mildly: “Come, Scrivener Blooms, we go to that odd contraption. Thou knows how to work it but to this day I still understand none of these fancy modern technologies.”
“We’ll sit down with you in just a minute, but… Miss Poet has to get what Miss Poet wants.” Scrivy said mildly, and then he grimaced a bit as Luna shoved at him impatiently, as Pinkie Pie giggled and Twilight smiled warmly. “You two want any?”
Twilight nodded even as Pinkie Pie declined with a chipper: ‘no thanks,’ and Scrivy turned towards the table, walking side-by-side with Luna and, for perhaps the hundredth time, explained to her what a coffeemaker was and how it worked. Luna, as always, however, lost interest at some point, only knowing and caring that it made a delicious hot beverage that could be mixed with a variety of things.
Luna carried the cups, her horn glowing quietly and lifting them easily into the air as they strode over to sit with Twilight and Pinkie Pie in the large circle, Scrivy embarrassedly rubbing at his face but no longer worried about being caught, or even stared at too much: like Pinkie said, they were on the funny farm now, and the doctor here seemed much more concerned with the welfare of the patients than anything else as nurses checked on the comfort of everyone in the circle. And the ponies here were of a wider assortment than either Luna or Scrivener had expected: from an earth pony in only rags to a unicorn in a full suit who was nervously biting his lower lip, to a Pegasus soldier in armor that was trembling and hugging his helmet against his chest with his legs curled up, hollow eyes staring down… and bouncy Pinkie Pie, who was slowly settling down even as she looked back and forth and waved at a few ponies here and there she had obviously gotten to know a little.
Finally, the doctor sat down at one side of the group, and he scribbled a few more notes onto his clipboard before looking up with a smile. “Twenty-four ponies are here, seventeen patients, seven supporters. I’m glad to see that more ponies are coming in to benefit their friends… and more importantly, that more ponies are showing they’re not ashamed of what they suffer from.
“Now, as most of you know, my name is Dr. Socrates. I’m a psychologist specializing in dealing with traumatic events and coping with mental illness. And as always, before we begin, I want to remind everyone here that this is a safe environment. What is said in this room stays in this room, and it is a place to vent your feelings and anxieties without being judged by others around you. We all need to release sometimes, and we all need advice, or even just a shoulder to cry on sometimes, and this is where we can have that.”
He paused, then looked back and forth around the room, asking kindly: “Would anyone like to start us off? Anyone have anything they want to share with the group, or get off their chest?”
Ponies hesitated… and then the unicorn in the suit rose a hoof and said finally: “I… keep having these recurring nightmares, and… I mean… I thought maybe I should… find help and my… my friend…”
“It’s alright, just take your time.” Dr. Socrates smiled at him, and the unicorn calmed a little as he nodded a bit, taking a slow breath.
Ponies spoke, and Scrivener and Luna both gazed around quietly, listening to their stories: night terrors that plagued a successful financial executive, who had a life that seemed perfect otherwise, and depression that had overwhelmed a Pegasus Guard, who couldn’t get over the death of one of his friends on what was supposed to be a routine patrol before a manticore had attacked. Patients who had checked themselves in for a variety of reasons, from hallucinations to an inability to control themselves to insatiable desires… and then, as silence spiraled out, Pinkie Pie suddenly spoke up, saying quietly: “A while back, I… was diagnosed with manic depression augmented by episodes of schizophrenic behavior. I’m really rarely depressed, but… when I do, I fall into this deep brooding hole, and usually the depression phase comes on before or after a schizophrenic episode. I have this other part of me, that I call Pinkamena… this evil, wicked part of me that’s really… that I’ve come to understand is the old me, the me who was… always mean to everyone. The me who bullied my sisters and my friends and my family, the me who wanted to hurt everyone because she was… never really happy, and didn’t want the rest of the world to be happy, either.
“But one day, I saw… I saw this beautiful rainbow in the sky, and it made me smile. I felt happy… and I wanted everyone else to be happy too! I tried hard, so hard, to figure out how I could make my family happy, and… that’s when I came up with parties, and when I got my cutie mark, too.” Pinkie smiled a little at this, looking around at the group. “I… I learned way more that day than I ever knew until only really recently. I learned that I could be… whoever I wanted to be, I didn’t… I didn’t need to be the monster. I could make other people happy, instead of making them sad, and making everyone happy gave so much more reward!”
She stopped, looking down quietly, then she glanced back up and continued softly: “But Pinkamena… stayed with me. She got stronger and nastier inside me… and she made herself her own person. I got nightmares at first… and then started seeing things. Awful things… and heard her always whispering to me, wanting me to do terrible things to good people, to wipe away their smiles and their laughter, even though I never wanted to. And I would get depressed… and would want to do those bad things to myself, too.
“Yet, other times… I would be happy. Too happy, too bouncy, and I knew it in some part of me between the Pinkie Party part and the Pinkamena part… and maybe it was because I wanted so much to not be Pinkamena that I tried so hard, and wanted my friends to always smile, but… I don’t know. I ended up… a little broken, either too happy or too sad.” She smiled a little though, shaking her head and murmuring: “But my friends, when… I finally trusted in them enough to talk to them, they really helped me. More and more, they’ve helped me learn to adjust to things, to be better, to watch out for myself and take care of myself and to stop Pinkamena. I’m making a lot of progress, I… I can say that honestly, and it feels real good. And I can accept that Pinkamena is part of me, and who I used to be, too. It’s scary, but it’s true… but you know what? So what? I can be who I want to be. It’s hard and it’s scary and she still comes back sometimes but I don’t have to give into her, and with all this support that I get and making sure I follow a good schedule and taking really gross medication that even though it’s gross, really helps me. I’m on the right track, and I wanna stay on the right track, even when there’s bumps along the way.”
She smiled brightly, and Dr. Socrates nodded, jotting a few notes and saying warmly: “That’s very good, Miss Pie, I’m very glad to see you doing so well. What about the issue of shame we touched on before, if I may be so bold?”
“I’m…” Pinkie glanced quietly towards Scrivener and Luna, but they both smiled at her… and she gazed at them affectionately before she looked back towards the doctor, saying quietly: “I don’t have to be ashamed at all, not anymore. My friends understand me, and my friends know about me, about… my ups and downs, the good and the bad. I’m honored and lucky to have them as friends… to have people who try their very absolute hardest to be so good to me and understand what I’m going through.”
“Good. That’s very good.” Dr. Socrates said softly, writing another few notes… and Pinkie smiled and dropped her head on Twilight’s shoulder, closing her eyes as someone else began to speak, and Luna and Scrivy gazed quietly over at her before they both looked down and realized at some point, they had grasped each other’s hoof… but they only smiled at one-another, instead looking towards the new speaker and listening to the stories of hope and fear, courage and despair, and countless other emotions that cycled through all those present.
Finally, Dr. Socrates glanced up at the clock above the door and said quietly: “Excellent. We’ve done very well today, all of you. Please feel free to sign up for next week, but remember, this is a voluntary exercise… you don’t have to show up, you can always bring a friend, and we never turn away anyone who wants to come in for help. This way, we just know how many seats to put out and how much coffee to serve.” He smiled a little, then nodded to the others, saying quietly: “You can leave or mingle now, as you please.”
He stood, and the other ponies quickly got to their own hooves, as Twilight glanced at Pinkie… and she nodded rapidly a few times, bouncing over to two patients who looked up at her with smiles as she approached. Luna and Scrivy looked curiously after her, and then Twilight said with a smile: “We usually… stick around for a minute or two. Pinkie likes to see how everyone else is doing, and chat a little. I think I’m going to talk to Dr. Socrates myself… I want to know how he thinks she’s doing, all-in-all, but I was really glad to see her doing so well and talking so much after that little scare outside.”
Luna and Scrivener both nodded, and then they sat back down on the low plastic seats after a moment, shrugging a bit as a nurse approached a medical cart, looking down at a list and calling over a few of the long-term patients. “’Tis interesting, Scrivy. ‘Tis different than I expected, too, I must admit.”
“Me too.” Scrivener said quietly, looking over at Pinkie Pie… but she had her back turned, still talking to the others, one hoof flicking her mane back… and he smiled a little as he gazed at her back, her messy hair bouncing a little as her tail flicked. “You know, it’s nice to see her happy. I mean… really happy. Not just… Pinkie-happy.”
“Yes, I know what thou means. She still tries so hard for us… but to see her smile in this fashion, ‘tis wonderful.” Luna agreed, and then she looked towards the coffeemaker, asking curiously: “Will the device still work?”
“Luna, all you have to do is pour the coffee into a paper cup.” Scrivy said flatly, as Sammy chirped at her from his perch on the male’s shoulder… and when Luna only continued to look at him stoically, he sighed and muttered: “Alright, come on. Let’s get you another coffee.”
Most of the ponies had filtered out now, and the nurse that had handed out medication had his back turned as Twilight spoke with the doctor… and then Scrivener glanced absently up, seeing Pinkie Pie smiling, her eyes glittering, a patient on either side of her as they strode towards the medical cart before he frowned a bit as he realized her mane and tail had lost their poof entirely, that she seemed faded and-
Pinkie Pie lunged as the nurse began to turn back around, slamming the cart forwards into him and knocking him sprawling with a yell into the chairs, and Twilight and the doctor both looked up in shock as Scrivener’s eyes widened and Luna gritted her teeth… but before anyone could move, Pinkie had torn one of the drawers open and thrown it with a cackle, sending a glittering hail of metal objects flying through the room as one of the patients grabbed wildly at the medications on top of the cart and the other dove for the shiny objects, picking up a pair of scissors as he grinned wildly… and clutched in Pinkie’s own hoof, a scalpel glimmered as she grinned, before snarling when Twilight shouted: “Pinkie Pie, what are you doing?”
“My name is Pinkamena, little miss goody-two-hooves.” the female retorted through her grin… and her teeth seemed unnaturally sharp and bright, her coat pallid like the reflection of blood under the full moon, her long mane half-falling over her face, perfectly straight now, just like her long tail as it flicked disdainfully… and then she tossed the scalpel in the air and caught the handle easily in her jaws as it fell, curling her tongue around it and out the side of her muzzle almost teasingly for a moment as, without bothering to look behind her, she slammed a back hoof into the cart as the nurse began to get up and knocked the pony sprawling again, medication spilling off the cart and the patient yelling as he chased the pills down to the ground, snarling as he hoarded them all to himself. “Run rabbit run.”
And with that, Pinkamena shot suddenly forwards as another nurse pushed through the doors into the room, frowning and attracted by the commotion… and as Doctor Socrates and Twilight both rushed to block Pinkamena, the other patient barreled towards the nurse, smashing into him and knocking him sprawling.
Pinkamena, meanwhile, leapt high at the last moment, Twilight’s eyes widening before both her front hooves smashed into her face as she dropped her head and lashed outwards… and Dr. Socrates screamed as a bloody gash was torn across his cheek and up the side of his head, falling over and grabbing at this as Twilight was knocked crashing backwards before Pinkamena gracefully slammed her hooves down into her stomach and used her like a springboard, launching herself neatly over the wrestling nurse and patient even as Luna and Scrivener ran forwards… but Twilight, coughing, pointed and yelled raggedly: “I’ll catch up, go!”
Immediately, the two changed their course, running for the doorway… and Scrivy grimaced as the maddened patient kicked the nurse off him, but Luna dropped low and twisted her body, sliding on her side over the tiled floor beneath the nurse as he flew through the air before both her rear hooves slammed into the patient’s chest, sending him screeching backwards to crash into the wall and fall limp even as Luna used the same momentum from her movement to twist her body and regain her hooves.
Scrivener burst through the double doors… and before they could close, Luna was already back on his heels, the two charging down the hallway as Pinkamena, half-ran, half-danced down the corridor, laughing around the scalpel in her muzzle as she easily leapt over a white-uniformed security guard that tried to tackle her and slammed her hooves into his back, knocking him sprawling before she ducked and neatly twisted her head to the side as a Pegasus shot towards her, only for her to dodge and lash the scalpel through his wing, sending up another spray of blood and feathers and making him howl in agony as he spun out of control and crashed into the ground.
Pinkamena slammed through the doors ahead as Luna and Scrivy ran around the fallen guards… and then both skidded to a halt, stalled for a moment, as an earth pony was thrown through the double doors, making them lash backwards as he crashed on his side with a gargle of pain, clutching at shallow but obviously agonizing cuts lashed across his body. Then, as the doors began to swing back inwards, the two ran forwards and plowed through them in time to see Pinkamena dash through the exit.
They ran across the waiting room and through the doors before they could close, and yet Pinkamena had dashed all the way to the iron gates, and without slowing down, she grinned insanely as she threw herself into the air, body twisting unnaturally as the two security guards on the other side stared in shock. A moment later, her rear hooves slammed into the middle of the wrought-iron obstruction and sent both sides flying open, smashing into both security guards and knocking them sprawling, and Pinkamena landed neatly on her hooves as Luna and Scrivener both skidded to a halt and stared as she blew them a kiss, then spun and ran into the streets, laughing, before Luna snarled in fury, and shouted: “Arrogant creature, thou can’t escape us so easily!”
“Come and get me then, Luna!” Pinkamena called mockingly, and the two ponies ran out into the street, turning the corner… and joined only a moment later by Twilight Sparkle, bruised and with her teeth grit as they both nodded shortly to her, then returned their eyes to the pink figure ahead that had already managed to get a shocking lead on them, even as the three broke into a full-out run.
Pinkamena was fast, however, shoving ponies out of her way and recklessly lashing her scalpel at those who got too close: a Pegasus Guard attempted to dive at her, and with a shrieking laugh, the gray-pink pony leapt upwards to meet him, shocking the male and then lashing her scalpel upwards, the metal blade screaming against his golden armor, not piercing but the force enough to startle the male and shove him backwards… before both Pinkamena’s rear hooves swung up as her body half-flipped and smashed into his unprotected groin, the equine wheezing and grasping at himself with a gargle as he plummeted from the air like a stone.
Pinkamena landed and dashed gleefully ahead again as the Pegasus plummeted to the street behind her like a comet, and the three chasing ponies veered around him with a curse before Scrivener winced as Pinkamena lashed her scalpel into the flank of another pony that scrambled too late to get out of her way, sending her staggering into a wall with a scream as blood splattered over the pony’s darkened features, her straight hair lashing around her like snakes as she glared a grin over her shoulder at them, eyes insane and savage.
“The beast is too fast… Twilight, use thy magic, create a wall before her!” Luna ordered as they sprinted forwards, the street now rapidly beginning to empty as ponies screamed and fought to get out of the way of the murderous pink comet streaking through the path… and then Luna cursed as Pinkamena veered onto another street… the street that led directly to Canterlot Castle, and Luna’s eyes widened as she snarled: “What is she doing? Even mad, her course makes no sense!”
Twilight only grunted in response, lowering her head forwards with her teeth grit as her horn glowed brightly, still sprinting as hard as she could… and then she yelled as she lashed her head upwards, her horn releasing a bright pulse and flash before the ground beneath their hooves shook, almost causing the three to stumble as Pinkamena staggered with a snarl. A moment later, she looked up in surprise as a wall of rocky spikes tore up in front of her, barring her passage as soil and stone vomited out of the ground and she skidded to a halt… then glared over her shoulder at them furiously as the three rapidly closed the ground, Luna lowering her head forwards as her eyes flashed…
Then Pinkamena grinned, tensing… before throwing herself into the air, and in a single hop no normal pony could make, she leapt clear past the ten foot tall pillars of rock and stone, the others looking up in shock and Twilight almost staggering to a halt. Scrivener gritted his teeth and Luna let out a shout of frustration, her horn glowing brighter before she snapped her head forwards, a blue fireball erupting from the air before her and launching into the wall of stone to erupt in a powerful blast that tore a wide hole in the wall of rocky pillars, gravel and stone spraying outwards as, without hesitation, Luna leapt through the hole blasted through the now-shattered barrier and burst through the smoke on the other side like an ivory specter in her unicorn glammer.
Pinkamena grinned at her insanely, teeth clenched around the scalpel, blood splattered over her face and body tensed as the two snarled, Luna joined by Twilight on one side and Scrivener on the other, and then the dull pink pony laughed even as the violet unicorn shouted: “Stop this, Pinkamena! Pinkie Pie, I know you’re in there, I know you don’t want this!”
“Pinkie Pie is dead and gone forever!” Pinkamena shrieked, staggering backwards and shaking her head wildly… and then she fell still as a statue for a moment, eyes seeming to stare at nothing as her smooth, straight hair spilled down her face. The silence echoed for a few seconds… and then a door creaked, and a grin twisted over Pinkamena’s features before she leapt towards the source of the sound, and the pony that was peering through an open wooden door yelped and tried to slam it, but too little, too late, as the pony threw her full weight against the door and slammed her head to the side, burying the scalpel into the wood even as it tore open before she leapt past the terrified pony she had knocked over.
Luna, Twilight and Scrivener dashed after her, ducking underneath the bloody scalpel sticking out of the door as ponies yelled and stared in shock as Pinkamena burst into the restaurant’s dining area, the piano in the corner of the room clanging to a halt as the pony sitting there stared in horror as Pinkamena jumped onto a long table and scrambled down it, kicking plates and glasses and sending them flying before she leapt to a circular table as ponies shoved out of their seats and kicked up cushions, yelling and raging and cursing at her as her three pursuers were crashed into by a wave of frustrated ponies… who then became terrified as there was the sound of a bottle shattering, and all stared in horror as at the bar, Pinkamena grinned insanely, standing on the counter and leaning low, a broken wine bottle in one hoof aimed at the face of a pony she was holding around the throat on his rear hooves, his front limbs pushing uselessly at her arm as she called: “Twilight, what do you think? Him… or me?”
She grinned wider as she tilted the bottle back towards her own face, wine dripping off it as the pony she had captured redoubled his efforts before falling still when the bottle twisted back towards him, as she whispered something to him… then snarled and looked up, screaming: “Play something happy! Play something happy!”
The piano player yelled in shock, falling off his stool, and Pinkamena growled before she tilted the bottle back towards her own face when Twilight began to take a step forwards, saying darkly: “Be a good girl, Twilight and stand back. You wouldn’t want me to have an accident and hurt myself, would you? Especially with how mad that would make me… it’s funny, you know? I feel like we’ve been here before… me, smiling and playing lethal jokes, you, the crusader… why, you should wear a cape, Twilight! Be a superhero, and I’ll be your lethal, slapstick adversary… but all I need to wear is a smile, right? All Pinkamena ever needs is a smile…”
She shook her head slowly, grinning bitterly… and without looking, slammed a hoof backwards to smash the bartender in the face as he tried to sneak up behind her, sending the Pegasus pony sprawling backwards as several ponies recoiled in shock. Pinkamena only laughed, however, looking back over her shoulder… but the moment her eyes flicked away, Luna suddenly dropped her head forwards with a snarl, her glammer flickering as her horn gave a single sharp, high pulse of sound and light.
The windows of the restaurant shattered as glasses and cups and bottles exploded… including the one in Pinkamena’s hoof, making her snarl as her grip on the male was loosened and the pony tore himself immediately away, before she shrieked as the bottles behind her went up like glass fireworks, peppering her with glittering dust and tiny shrapnel as she lost her balance and fell forwards against the counter, barely managing to catch herself.
The three tried to force forwards… but yelling, panicked ponies rushed against them for the exit, the crowd battering them back and forth even as other ponies leapt out the broken windows, and Pinkamena had more than enough time to regain her balance, leaping down behind the bar and stomping firmly on the bartender before she charged through the rear door. Luna cursed in frustration, then lowered her head and battered forwards with a roar, knocking ponies sprawling as Scrivener and Twilight followed her example and simply shoved through the crowd… and they smashed through the rear door after Pinkamena, only to find a rear door swinging shut and a cook laying with an awful slash down his front leg, bleeding profusely as he howled in agony.
Luna rushed for the door, the others following, knowing they had no time as they dashed through and down an alleyway to emerge onto the streets… and then once more give chase to Pinkamena, who was far ahead now, screaming laughter and splattered with blood, crimson droplets in her locks and tiny, broken bits of glass making her dull coat glimmer, her eyes burning with blue hellfire and the butcher’s knife held tightly by the handle in her mouth.
Canterlot was only a short gallop away, and ponies parted in terror of her before she grinned and looked up as Pegasi guards attempted to sweep a net in behind her, as other earth pony knights formed a barrier in front of her… and Pinkamena put on a burst of speed before she laughed when the Pegasi dropped towards her. She threw herself upwards, soaring backwards through the air as the Pegasus ponies dived low enough for the bottom of the net to scrape the ground, and they had a moment of shock as Pinkamena passed between them before they caught the earth pony knights in the netting instead of their quarry, and the combined weight of the startled ponies yanked both Pegasi down to the ground to crash beside their comrades.
Pinkamena charged up the netted ponies like they were nothing but a ramp, making them yell in pain as her hooves slammed against them before she leapt forwards as more Pegasus guards flew towards her… and her hooves smashed into the head of one, propelling herself off him like a stepping stone as she leapt to another with unnatural speed and strength, her hooves slamming into his back and knocking him spiraling towards the ground before she let herself drop, ducking with a dark grin beneath another guard that attempted a wild tackle before she crashed to the wooden bridge below that led directly to the grand, open doors leading into Canterlot, grinning triumphantly even as Pegasus Guards flooded towards her from all sides.
And, in a flash, Pinkamena threw herself forwards and launched herself in a low slide with her front hooves out as soldiers grabbed wildly at her and dove through the air, crashing into one another, yelling and cursing as the dull pink pony slipped beneath and between them before she slammed all four hooves into the ground and launched herself up the steps leading to the steadily-closing doors with preternatural power, hooves clawing at them as one of the earth ponies yelled a wild warning before Pinkamena laughed wildly as she slipped through the closing doors just as the earth ponies gave one final shove… sealing the murderous female not outside, but inside the hall beyond as soldiers yelled and charged towards the doors, hammering on them and rapidly trying to pull them back open before it was too late.
Inside, a Pegasus guard looked up too little, too late, and Pinkamena’s hoof slammed into his face, sending him down in a crumpled heap. Then her eyes gleamed as they locked on not the two armored guards at the base of the enormous set of carpeted stairs at the back of the hall, but Celestia herself, who was standing silently on the steps… and Pinkamena laughed insanely as she shrieked: “You can’t have law and order at a party!”
Two golden-armored guards leapt into the air and shot towards her… and Pinkamena leapt up to meet them, a savage snarl on her face. And, her viciousness unexpected, the guards hesitated for a fatal second… and a moment later, Pinkamena swung her lower body downwards and slammed her rear hooves into the faces of them both, neatly backflipping before she landed on all four hooves as the two guards fell to either side of her with loud clanks, laughing insanely around the knife glinting in her muzzle… and then lashing this to the side with barely a glance when another soldier ran at her, slicing through the earth pony’s features and sending him crashing backwards with a scream of pain before Celestia said quietly: “Enough.”
The other soldiers around the room hesitated as the ivory equine strode slowly down the steps… and there was a massive bang outside that was punctuated by a second, quieter thud against the doors, before they were finally yanked open a bare meter… and Pinkamena licked her lips as she spat the knife out and caught it in one hoof, spinning it rapidly as she looked over her shoulder as Twilight, Luna, and Scrivener charged into the room and skidded to a halt at the other side of the hall, the dull-pink pony whispering: “Yes. We’re all here. We’re all here for the party, good, good, everyone’s arrived…”
Then she leapt suddenly forwards with a scream… and Celestia’s horn glowed, the knife halting in midair and Pinkamena’s body swinging stupidly forwards, still clutching this before one of the ivory equine’s hooves smashed into Pinkamena’s body, slamming her onto her back and making her gag with the force she hit the ground with, rolling a few times as Twilight winced and Luna gritted her teeth.
Celestia shook her head slowly… then her eyes flicked to the knife, and the aura around her horn intensified as the knife trembled violently, becoming orange as heat radiated around it, and then it simply began to melt, warping and distorting before falling to the ground as nothing but a useless, gnarled hunk of metal. Pinkamena, meanwhile, was slowly picking herself up, panting and snarling as she hissed: “Who needs toys anyway… I’ll crush you with my bare hooves, what makes you any different from any other pony? You bleed the same you’ll die the same!”
She threw herself forwards… and Twilight shouted a denial when Celestia flicked Pinkamena under the muzzle with one strong hoof before she stepped forwards, and the entire room seemed to shake with the force she easily pinned the much smaller pony back against the ground with, her features cold and calm as she looked down at her as Pinkamena struggled and hit weakly at her leg, gasping and staring up at her… before she grinned slowly and whispered: “Just like old times, huh?”
Pinkamena’s eyes glowed blue before they turned dead black, and Luna snarled as Twilight gasped, Scrivener rearing back in shock… but Celestia only continued to look calm before she ground her hoof down against Pinkamena, making her snarl and then laugh wildly as she screamed: “Do it! Kill me, Celestia, kill this worthless body! You can’t destroy me, you couldn’t exile me, you couldn’t defeat me! We are on the way to returning, Celestia, and you are still but a child compared to me, your paltry sun is only a candle compared to my power and glory!”
“I did not give you permission to speak my name, demon.” Celestia said quietly, and her horn gave a flash before a golden aura washed over Pinkamena, and her coat became more sallow, her hair writhed as the blackness in her eyes burst upwards like smoke as she screamed in agony, writhing beneath the female’s hoof. “Tell me what you truly are. You are no master of shadows… only a puppeteer of a mangled mind.”
The darkness flickered in and out of Pinkamena’s eyes as she seethed and writhed, then hissed: “What puppeteer? He only guides me… I am my own person, back in control of my own body! Pinkie Pie is the invader, and she is not wanted and not needed and now is sealed back inside the mirror… back deep inside the depths of my mind where she tricked me into staying for so many years! Oh, but I’ve been promised the end to all the parties, to all the laughter, if only I kill you for him… and I will, I will, I will!”
“Then I’ll kill you, and deal with two problems at once.” Celestia said softly, and her hoof began to glow with golden light as the same aura spilled along her horn, and Pinkamena’s eyes widened in slow horror before they were filled with darkness again, and she grinned savagely even as Twilight shouted a denial.
“Go ahead and try, Celestia… go ahead and try!” it jeered… and then it hissed and gargled, bucking weakly before snarling in fury. “You… wouldn’t kill-”
“I will not allow disorder to threaten Equestria.” Celestia said quietly… and then she closed her eyes, lowering her head slightly, pushing down harder with her hoof as Luna’s eyes widened and Scrivener stared in horror-
“No!” Twilight screamed, and Celestia’s eyes snapped open, glancing up as the unicorn charged forwards, skidding to a halt in front of her and breathing hard as she shouted: “You’re supposed to be better than this! You promised me, it wouldn’t come to this again… ever again, Celestia, stop! Stop it! Let her go, I… I can save her!”
Celestia looked at Twilight silently, as tears spilled down the unicorn’s cheeks… and then she shook her head slowly before pushing herself suddenly backwards and stepping off the possessed pony’s chest. Immediately Pinkamena scrambled to her hooves with a snarl, but the ivory winged unicorn’s eyes gave a bright flash… and Pinkamena was sent staggering backwards before she pawed at herself as her body slowly began to glow with golden light, looking down with a hiss as the Princess of the Sun said in a quiet voice: “You have five minutes, Twilight Sparkle. Then, if not saved, they both die.”
Twilight gritted her teeth… and Pinkamena shoved roughly past her with a snarl, looking back and forth before her eyes settled on one of the unconscious Pegasus Guards, and she leapt over to him, seizing at his belt and yanking a dagger free before she spun around, straight hair flying around her… and she cursed as she found Twilight between her and Celestia, the unicorn looking at her with a faint, weak smile as she said quietly: “Pinkie Pie.”
“Pinkie Pie is gone! Get out of my way!” Pinkamena snarled, lifting the dagger in front of her… and Twilight only shook her head as her eyes closed… and Pinkamena strode forwards and struck her hard across the face with the hilt, making her curse and wince… then open her eyes and look unflinchingly into the cold blue irises of the insane, possessed pony. “Move!”
“No. It’s time for you to go away, Pinkamena. Go with the demon for all I care… and Pinkie, I know you’re scared, but it’s time for you to come back out.” Twilight said quietly, and Pinkamena simply stared at her… and then she threw her head back and laughed, shaking her head even as the unicorn continued to look at her silently.
“Insane! You’re insane!” Pinkamena marveled, and then she grinned widely as she shoved the blade of the dagger into her own mouth, whispering: “What’s wrong? Need a laugh? Need a smile? I’ll give you one, if you really want it…”
And as she spoke, she yanked backwards, slicing her own cheek open, carving a grisly, gruesome sneer into her own features as the golden aura around her frame continued to build… and Twilight snarled, then shouted: “You’re scared, Pinkamena, and you’re not wanted, now get lost! Pinkie Pie, you’re stronger than this! Remember, don’t you remember me? Don’t you remember what you said this afternoon? We’re all here, and we’ll always be here for you, but you have to fight!”
Pinkamena shook her head at this, then tried to step past Twilight… and Twilight stepped into her way, blocking her, and the earth pony snarled before raising her dagger: immediately, guards started forwards, but Celestia only had to look at them sharply to make them halt, even as Pinkamena slashed the knife down.
It cut a thin line across Twilight’s face, and the unicorn cursed, blood dribbling down her features… but then she smiled faintly, saying quietly: “No matter what, a friend is there for you. You remember that, right? Friends don’t stop being there… they try and understand-”
“It’s nonsense, it’s lies, get out of my way!” Pinkamena screamed, slashing the knife down again… and it left another thin line through Twilight’s features, her head snapping to the side before Pinkamena struck her hard with the hilt of the dagger, sending her staggering backwards and falling on her haunches before she shoved a hoof against her throat and brought the dagger back, preparing to stab it downwards as Twilight looked up at her quietly, her eyes unafraid, gentle, kind…
Pinkamena snarled, twitching back and forth as her body continued to pulse with light, dagger shivering in her hoof… and then she staggered suddenly backwards, reversing the knife as if to stab herself, her eyes bulging as it wavered in the air, aimed at her throat… but Twilight only shook her head slowly even as tears of desperation began to leak down not the unicorn, but the dull-pink female’s features, saying quietly: “No, that’s enough Pinkamena, or whatever you are. Pinkie Pie… I know you can hear me. Just one more push… I think that’s all it’s going to t-”
Pinkamena screamed, raising the knife high, lunging forwards… but before she could bring it down, her head lurched backwards and she reared back on her hind hooves, vomiting a terrible black shape into the air as her eyes glowed with insane blue light, the dagger falling to the ground as the darkness swirled upwards… and with only a slight narrowing of her eyes, Celestia leaned her head forwards as her horn glowed before an arrow of light shot from it, ripping through amorphous black cloud and causing it to explode in a burst of white arcs of energy and dark electricity that sizzled back and forth through the air.
The ponies around the hall yelled and stared in shock… and then Pinkie’s body collapsed backwards, falling to the ground, her mane and tail tangling in a mess as she landed in a heavy, unconscious heap… and Celestia strode silently past Twilight, reaching her hoof down and touching her golden-pulsing body, and the terrible aura faded before she looked silently over her shoulder at the unicorn, who looked back up with both gratitude and fear… but then Celestia nodded slowly to her and said quietly: “You were right, Twilight Sparkle, and I was again wrong. Come, we need to have your wounds seen to.”
Twilight only shook her head slowly, reaching up and touching her own features and saying quietly: “I think I’ll be okay. It’s only scratches… I barely feel them.” She laughed a little, lowering her head and trembling a bit as guards began to come forwards… and Twilight looked up, pleading weakly: “Please, Princess, I… you can’t…”
Celestia looked back at her quietly, then up at Luna and Scrivener as they both approached, the male hurriedly yanking his hood up as the Pegasus Guards now began to turn their attention to the two strangers as well… and then the Princess of the Sun said in a slow voice: “What has happened… must be further investigated. For now… I believe that we should quarantine Pinkamena in the far side of the castle. The guards will escort you all there… to my sister’s old chambers. I shall join you as soon as possible.”
Luna looked up sharply at this… and Celestia gave the slightest of nods before she turned quietly to stride away, Twilight frowning a bit, then wincing at the roughness with which the guards yanked Pinkie Pie up… but she was still unconscious, even as two of them began to drag her away. Twilight murmured something – unsure even herself whether it was a thank-you or an apology – to Princess Celestia’s back as she strode away, before running quickly after Pinkie and the guards, and Luna and Scrivener followed last, several soldiers falling in line after them and almost shoving the two along as at their feet, Sammy nervously weaved back and forth, chirping worriedly.
Luna glanced down and shushed the little pseudodragon quietly, and Sammy chirped one last time before seeming to understand, leaping up and scrabbling quietly along Scrivener’s cloak as the ponies continued forwards… and the male couldn’t help but grimace beneath his hood at the way the guards ahead were dragging Pinkie Pie’s limp, weakened body along… and at the splatters of blood that still dotted her body and form, splashed into her hair, dripping from the awful wound in her face, as Twilight worriedly paced behind them, snapping at the guards if they began to handle her too roughly. Her voice was made all the sharper by the worry for her friend… and yet Luna couldn’t help but wonder during the long trek, silent but for Twilight’s occasional reprimands, if they had even begun to face the real dangers that could be posed by this otherwise sweet and gentle pony… that had such a wicked, vicious creature lurking just beneath the surface, perhaps even now only waiting for the chance to strike.