"So she got violent with you too, hmm?" Rarity sighed and flattened her ears. "Threw the paint against the wall?"
I grimaced and nodded. "Yes, and it matches up with what she did when you got confrontational about Jackie. She doesn't seem to like being asked about her." I frowned and tapped my lower jaw. "If Jackie is a 'her' at all."
Rarity raised an eyebrow and tilted her head. "What do you mean?"
"Well, I asked Sweetie Belle about it, and she said that she didn't know if Jackie is male or female either. She guessed female, and then said that Jackie was okay with Sweetie Belle saying that."
"Unbelievable." Rarity sighed and shook her head. "Well, then, what do you suggest, Twilight? I can't ignore this if she's shutting herself off from her friends and getting violent when confronted about Jackie. I mean, can you imagine what it would be like if Apple Bloom and Scootaloo came over, and she threw something at them? From what you said, she threw that paint glass with the intent of hitting you."
"Yeah, I think she did." I ran a hoof through my mane and looked in the direction of my library. "Well, since you don't want to get Sweetie Belle professional psychiatric help, I think that the best thing is to keep her out of school for a few days while I do a little research, both on mental disorders and..." I hesitated. "Something supernatural. I can't rule out the fact that some entity has latched on to Sweetie Belle."
Rarity gasped, and put a hoof over her mouth. "Twilight, do you mean to tell me that it's possible that some malevolent spirit of some sort is controlling Sweetie Belle, and that's what's causing all of this?"
I shrugged. "I can't say for sure, Rarity. If I find some legends or something like that, of stories describing this kind of thing, then I'll know that we have something to go on." Rarity whimpered and flattened her ears, and I gave her a warm smile, and put a hoof on her shoulders. "I know this may not sound comforting, but if it is that, then it's better, because we can fix that. We'll just get Princess Celestia or Princess Luna to come and exorcise it, and then Sweetie Belle is free! If it's a mental disorder...." My smile faltered.
"If it's a mental disorder, then I have to put my sister in a nuthouse, is that it?" Rarity's eyes narrowed, and she batted my hoof away. "Well I won't do it, Twilight! I won't subject Sweetie Belle to such tortures! I've heard of what those places are like. I'm never going to step hoof inside of one, and neither will Sweetie Belle!"
"Okay, okay!" I raised a placating hoof. "Don't worry, Rarity, I'm going to help you fix this, alright? We're not going to let Sweetie Belle go to one of those places. I'm going to go back to my library to do some research, and I'll figure this out. Just keep Sweetie Belle home for a few days, and I'll let you know what I find, alright?"
Rarity's glare faded, she took a deep breath, and lowered her head. "Very well, Twilight, I will trust your judgment on the matter." She raised her head, and when she spoke next, her tone was pleading. "Please figure out what's wrong, Twilight. That filly that throws water and paint glasses isn't my sister, and we both know that. This 'Jackie' business isn't good for any of us. Please help us figure out what's wrong."
"I promise. I won't rest until I have some solid clues to go on." My warm smile returned, and I put my hoof back on Rarity's shoulder. "I'll help Sweetie Belle, Rarity. I promise you that I'll help her."
Rarity stared blankly at me for a few moments before sighing again and nodding. "Yes, I shouldn't doubt you, Twilight. You are right, and I trust that you will help my sister. Just... hurry, okay?"
I nodded. "I will." I walked towards the door of Carousel Boutique, and Rarity followed at my side. "Just take care of yourself, and Sweetie Belle, okay?"
"I most certainly will, Twilight."
Rarity opened the door for me, and after one more goodbye, I walked out back to my library home. After Rarity shut the door behind me, I released a breath that I didn't know I was holding in, and quietly groaned. I had my work cut out for me.
* * * *
I reached the library in record time, and went straight to the bookshelves without even saying hi to Spike. He must have noticed my mood, because he didn't even try to get my attention. He just nodded and went straight into the kitchen, presumably to make me some tea. Good. I would need that for what I presumed would be a long night ahead of me.
I reached the psychology section, and pulled out half a dozen books on mental disorders, then went over to the mythology section and gathered a few books on demons and spirits. In truth, my research in that department was more of a shot in the dark, given that what Jackie could possibly be spanned many things, but I had to try. First, though, science.
I put the books down on the table, levitated a soft pillow over to me, and positioned myself for a bit of reading just as Spike came in with the tea. I gave him a nod of thanks, and he went to go clean something, I guess. I picked up the first psychology book, and opened it up to the chapter on schizophrenia.
What I found, well, I considered myself not encouraged in keeping Sweetie Belle out of the hooves of mental professionals. The book listed several symptoms, and Sweetie Belle fit a fair few of them. Social withdrawal? Sweetie Belle refused to see the other Crusaders. Unpredictable or inappropriate emotional responses? I'd say that losing her temper like she did counted. Hallucinations? Well, yeah, if Jackie truly didn't exist, then she was hallucinating in both the auditory and visual senses. Hostility? Check.
I grimaced and kept reading. Schizophrenia looked pretty likely, particularly if I took Sweetie Belle's moods and social withdrawal into account. I put a bookmark in that chapter, and closed it for now. Time for a little mythology. I grabbed my first book on demons and spirits and flipped it open to the table of contents.
Most of the demons and spirits were ones that I had never heard of before, so there was nothing else for it but to start from chapter one and begin skimming. Taking a sip from my now lukewarm tea, I began reading.
Several hours later, I found myself no closer to discovering something resembling Jackie. I read about aswangs, and succubi, and wereponies, and vamponies, and banshees, but nothing resembling Jackie. Nothing that even looked like an innocent version that would soon turn bad. I sighed, but as I still had one more story to go, I drained my sixth cup of tea and flipped to the page.
The creature represented on the page was called a Chindii. Where the previous entries all had pictures of the creatures, I only found a question mark there. I frowned, the back of my mind recalling how Sweetie Belle refused to tell me what Jackie looked like. Maybe I found something here. I shifted on the pillow, and settled in to read.
The Chindii--the word is singular and plural--are youthful spirits that latch onto foals, and make them their playmates. The Chindii and the foal become best friends, with the foal forsaking all other prior friendships, and refusing to interact with anyone else, save for their Chindii friend. The Chindii wants their playmate to play with them as often as possible, but it is what the Chindii wants to do that is important. The longer the foal is exposed to the Chindii, the more control the Chindii has over the foal, until it influences the foal's mood and behavior. Previously sweet and easygoing foals have known to get violent at the behest of their Chindii friend. They will often become hostile when asked to describe their imaginary friend, which is the first sign that a Chindii is nearby.
My eyes widened, and I stood up. A Chindii. I had never heard of such a spirit, but so far a lot of it matched up with Sweetie Belle's behavior! I rushed over to my desk and collected ink, parchment, and a quill, and was just about to begin taking notes, when I heard a loud pounding on my door. I screeched to a halt and put my supplies down on the table.
"It's open!" I called out.
The door burst open, and Rarity rushed into the room, her eyes wild and mane frazzled. She ran over to me and grabbed my shoulders.
"Twilight! You have to help me! Sweetie Belle is missing!"
I gasped. "Missing? She's not in your house?"
Rarity shook her head and began pulling me towards the door of the library. "No! I searched every inch of the place twice! When you left, I went to check on her, but I just heard her talking to Jackie. If I understood the conversation right, Jackie didn't have fond words for you, and Sweetie Belle was starting to agree by the end. Not wanting a confrontation, I went downstairs to make dinner, and by the time I finished, Sweetie Belle was gone!"
Rarity and I ran out of the library, and I shut the door behind me. Night had already fallen over Ponyville, which would make it a lot harder to find Sweetie Belle. "Do you know where she might have gone, Rarity? Maybe the Crusaders clubhouse?"
Rarity shook her head. "It's worth a try, Twilight, but with how little she's seen the two of them, I find it unlikely."
"Well that doesn't leave us with a lot of obvious options." I took a deep breath and tried thinking like Sweetie Belle. "Where are some of her other hangout spots?"
"Lately? Her room with Jackie! When she played with the other two it was all over town, so she could be anywhere. Do you think that we should check the clubhouse?"
I shrugged. "I guess it wouldn't hurt. It's a start, at least."
With nothing else to lose, the two of us ran towards the Cutie Mark Crusaders Clubhouse, hoping that she went there. If I stumbled upon a lead tonight, and a Chindii had latched onto Sweetie Belle, then that thing could be telling her to do anything with Sweetie Belle going right along with it.
As we got closer to Sweet Apple Acres, we noticed that a fair few ponies were out and about, and heading towards Town Hall. They seemed to be muttering something to each other. I swiveled my ear in the direction of the crowd, and managed to pick up a few words.
"Filly... trying to... Town Hall..."
Filly?
Sweetie Belle!
I screeched to a halt. "Rarity! I think I might know something about Sweetie Belle!"
Rarity stopped and whirled around. "What? Where?"
I pointed to the crowd of ponies. "I heard a few of them mention something about a filly and Town Hall! It might be Sweetie Belle!"
Rarity yelped, and bolted in the direction of the building, me giving chase. The crowd got denser as we came closer to Town Hall, and my heart sank when I noticed that police ponies were pushing through the crowd.
And that's when I heard it.
"Jackie, this isn't funny anymore! Stop laughing!"
My breath caught in my chest, and I heard Rarity yelp again. I ignited my horn and enveloped Rarity and I in my magic, and with a pop, the two of us teleported right next to Town Hall.
What I saw made my heart sink.
Sweetie Belle stood in front of Town Hall, a hammer and shards of broken glass that doubtlessly came from the shattered windows next to her. Her ears lay flat against her head, and she began backing up as the police ponies advanced towards her.
"Jackie, I don't think that I like this game anymore! I w-wanna go home!" Sweetie Belle turned her head to an empty spot next to her, and she glared at it. "Jackie, stop laughing! This isn't funny anymore! Why did you want me to break the windows?"
"Sweetie Belle!" Rarity rushed towards her sister, but one of the police ponies grabbed her and held her back.
"I'm sorry miss, but we're going to have to take her into custody for this."
Rarity began thrashing in the officer's grip, and her next words came out like a snarl. "You will not take my sister anywhere! She's coming home with me! I don't care what she's done; I'll deal with it!"
"Jackie, stop laughing! It isn't funny that the police pony has Rarity!" Sweetie Belle sat down on the ground and put her hooves over her ears. "Don't say that, Jackie! He wouldn't do that to her!"
Two police officers came closer to Sweetie Belle, and one of them held out a placating hoof. "Okay, little miss, just take it easy. We're gonna have to take you to the station to ask a few questions, okay? Just calm down. Everything will be okay."
"No!" Sweetie Belle shot to her hooves and backed up further. "I don't wanna go to the police station! I don't wanna leave Jackie!"
"Jackie can come with if that makes you feel better, little miss." The officers exchanged an uneasy glance, but kept advancing. "Just calm down and come with us."
"Jackie doesn't wanna go to the police station, and I don't either! She says it's bad there!" Sweetie Belle flattened up against the wall of Town Hall. "Please don't make me go!"
I couldn't bear to watch this. Rarity thrashing about like a madpony, Sweetie Belle about to get arrested, and half the town watching it. I gulped and walked up to the officer holding Rarity. "Uh, officer? I'm Twilight Sparkle, and I'm the personal protégé of Princess Celestia herself. I can take care of Sweetie Belle myself, and we can get this settled that way."
The officer shook his head, and ignited his horn, wrapping bands of magic around Rarity to hold her in place. "No can do, Ms. Sparkle. Something like this we gotta deal with ourselves. We won't keep her for long, but we've gotta take her."
"You won't take her anywhere!" Rarity screeched. "You're going to let her come home with me!"
"Jackie, stop laughing!" Sweetie Belle looked from Jackie to the officers. "Stop laughing, and don't take me away!"
"We have to, little miss. It's only for a little while." The officers reached the steps of Town Hall, and one of them reached out a hoof to Sweetie Belle. "It's okay. We aren't going to hurt you or Jackie."
A fiery glare crossed Sweetie Belle's face, and her mouth twisted into a snarl. "I said I don't wanna go!"
Before anypony could do anything, Sweetie Belle illuminated her horn and brought the hammer over to her. She raised it into the air and smashed it down on the officer's outstretched foreleg. Even from here I could hear the crack, and the officer dropped to the ground with a screech of pain.
"I told you to leave me alone!" Sweetie Belle wailed. "I don't wanna go!" Sweetie Belle once again turned her head and glared at the empty space. "And stop laughing, Jackie! This isn't funny!"
Seeing his opportunity, the other officer ignited his horn and wrapped Sweetie Belle's body and horn up in his magic, forcing Sweetie Belle to drop the hammer. Sweetie Belle squealed, but was unable to do anything as the officer brought her closer to him and took hoofcuffs off of his belt. Rarity screamed when she saw the hoofcuffs come out, but restrained as she was, she couldn't stop the officer from putting them on Sweetie Belle's forelegs.
I could only stand there, my eyes wide and my jaw dropped. Even my status as Celestia's protégé wouldn't help Sweetie Belle now. Attacking a police officer... no, Sweetie Belle was in big trouble, and nopony could save her from it. Not after that.
Both Rarity and Sweetie Belle continued screaming as a police wagon pulled up, and the officer holding Sweetie Belle put her inside and slammed the doors. I heard her screaming for Jackie to help her, alternating those pleas with ones for Jackie to stop laughing. Saying this wasn't funny anymore.
No. This wasn't funny anymore. This was never funny.
The wagon pulled away, and the crowd slowly dispersed. The officer released Rarity and dropped her to the ground to help his wounded fellow to the hospital, leaving me standing beside my friend, her screams piercing the night.