//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: Intensive Treatment // Story: Batmare: Arkham Asylum // by TheDarkMare16 //------------------------------// Chapter 2: Intensive Treatment The mechanical doors opened automatically when the Mane-iac and I walked in the building. Lights shone as we entered the entrance of the asylum and the tiles and bricks appear to be clean from the last attempts this clown escaped. A hallway lined with Arkham security guards, all guns aiming at Mane-iac, in front of the Intensive Treatment lobby, is the Warden, Quincy Sharp. He is a short unicorn stallion with a receding hairline, with circular glasses, a charcoal suit with a red neck tie and levitating beside him is a staff with a ruby with the Arkham insignia in it. Beside him is a tall Earth pony with black hair, wearing an Arkham uniform. On his left eye is a scar and his burgundy pupil is matte. His name is Officer Frank Boles. On Sharp’s right is another stallion, same height as Boles, bald, white mustache, and a Pegasus, his name is William North. They do not look delighted to see Mane-iac; no pony was, for she is the bane in Manehattan. I brought her in, ignoring the security guards. “Hey, Sharpie, love what you’ve done with the place,” she said. Sharp looks annoyed by the nickname, “That’s Warden Sharp to you.” “Yo, Frankie, how’s the wife and colts, you missed me?” she asked Boles. Boles angrily grabbed Mane-iac’s collar. “Shut it, clown, a lot of people really wanted to talk to you!” He took Mane-iac and uncuffed her rudely. More guards grabbed Mane-iac for inspecting if she is carrying prohibited items. This annoyed her slightly. “Really, I don’t mind walking,” she said as one guard pulled up a gurney. They put her on the gurney and strapped her in a rude manner, I don’t blame them. “Not so tight, boys, you’ll crease the suit.” “Get that filthy degenerate out of here!” barked Quincy. I looked at the Mane-iac carefully ready for assisting the patrol. “Warden, something’s not right, I’m going with him.” I walked with Boles and two other officers wheeling the Mane-iac to the Intensive Treatment Center to the Holding Cells levels below us. “I want the Mane-iac secured. I want her treated by the end of the year; her treatment will definitely cement my mayoral campaign.” Quincy added to his guards. I walked up to North, “Is Commissioner Armor here?” “Yes, he is waiting for you at the Holding Cells, we all are,” he replied. I walked beside Boles onto the lift. “Don’t worry, Warden, my security doubled that from last year, I’m positive that me and my ponies will not let Mane-iac escape,” North said. “I hope you’re right, William, for your sake,” Quincy replied, adding a dark tone to the last part. A chime rang throughout the asylum. “All available guards head towards the Intensive Treatment Lobby.” I walked on the lift and the lift brought us down in the Lobby. A security office lies on top of the scanning tunnel. Walkways, east and west, lead to the security office with electric control panels that lead to different areas of the Lobby. We walked in the scanning tunnel, hearing Mane-iac’s annoying voice. “Ah, it’s so nice to get back to sweet, sweet, hacienda,” Mane-iac said dreamily. The scanning tunnel doors closed for the scan. “Scan initializing,” a guard operating the scanner announced. An arc-like scanner gyroscopically scanned us thoroughly, scanning for any item that is prohibited, I know Mane-iac’s clean, but- “You know what? I like the good, old cavity search. Much more personal,” Mane-iac said. No pony replied to her spouting, the scanning is going good for Mane-iac, until it reaches the end of the tunnel. An alarm blared and the scanner room brightens a red color. “Multiple prohibited items,” the guard said. “I want Mane-iac searched again!” a guard barked with a more masculine voice. “It’s not Mane-iac, it’s umm…” the announcer replied uncertainly. “Ooh, what are you sneaking up in here, Bats? Come on tell me, tell me. Batarangs, batclaws…ooh, batsnacks?” Mane-iac asked me. I didn’t reply. “Scan’s green on Mane-iac,” the announcer said. “Open up the scanner, get her out of here!” the masculine guard ordered. The scanner opened the exit and we walked out, more guards aiming their armaments at Mane-iac. They continue to glare at the discolored mare with disgusted, wrathful and venomous glares yet the mare seems not to mind. “I want her gone, do not let her out of your sight,” the guard ordered. The guard beside our left is a muscular brown Earth pony with a black, shaven mane with hoofcuffs as a cutie mark. However, his left front hoof has a prosthetic, from last year’s ordeal with Killer Croc. The prosthetic's shape is originally a hook until the surgeons added a mechanism that can transform the hook into a robotic hoof or one with digits so he can hold anything without any difficulty. “There’ll be time later for you, Cash. And speaking of time, tick tock, tick tock, is that a crocodile I hear?” Mane-iac replied back teasingly and sinisterly. She turned to her left to see a cream coated unicorn with red mane, red eyes, wearing a psychiatrist coat with a clipboard for a cutie mark. Her name is Psychiatrist Spring Evergreen. “What’s up, doc? Call me around 8, would you? We have a lot of catching up to do,” Mane-iac asked Evergreen. We walked in a long corridor, another corridor adjacent to us: The Cell Block Transfer. We’re on the right in our walking perspective. Small television screens are mounted on small columns supporting a walking grid above us with pathways leading to the control room protected by an electric barrier. Two more Royal Guard members and a doctor with a green jacket is waiting on the other end of the hallway. "Hello, let me introduce myself, I am Warden Quincy Sharp and I-," the television announced. “Hey, it’s my favorite TV show, I’m Warden Idiot, you’ll never escape,” Mane-iac said mockingly. On the other hallway, several guards escorting more inmates alongside. They do not look like mentally unstable patients but more dangerous. Prisoners ranging from Earth ponies, Unicorns and Pegasi to griffons and Diamond Dogs, with hatred glares at me, but I don’t mind. With hooves and paws behind their heads with guns aiming at them, threatening them to shoot if any dares to escape. They are prisoners from Blackgate Penitentiary, the most notorious and dangerous prison in Equestria. Their glares turned into chants when they see their boss, Mane-iac. “Mane-iac, Mane-iac, Mane-iac, Mane-iac!” the inmates chanted happily. “Shut it if you don’t want to get shot!” a guard shouted. The inmates didn’t listen but continue to praise the Mane-iac, their boss. “It’s great to see you in here boss,” an inmate said. “I thought I told you to shut up!” the guard shouted. “Mane-iac!” an inmate chanted. “Be quiet!” the guard barked and they continued to walk down the opposite corridor. “I’m telling you, the state of the wiring in the federal facilities is shocking. I mean, my boys could’ve been hurt in that, unfortunate fire,” the Mane-iac said. We arrived at the end of the corridor in front of another door with more guards watching over the entrance to the Secure Transit. Beside them is a cream colored Unicorn wearing green scrubs, overlooking his notes. He is one of Mane-iac's physical doctors, checking to see any injuries sustained on her or any other patients or faculty members. “Just need to check your prisoner, Officer Boles,” the doctor said. “Whatever, just be quick,” Boles replied rudely. “Only following procedure, let’s see: Patients seems to be in satisfactory condition. Probably suffered minor scrapes and lacerations from the last two hours, there seems to be-“ “Boo!” Mane-iac shouted, interrupting the doctor abruptly. Mane-iac cackled after scaring the faculty members. Like I said, she’ll laugh madly at a very bad joke. Everypony jumped and the guards at their guns more sharply at her, trying to get her to shut up. I continue to look at the deranged pony without as much of a blink. “Want to check my temperature, I’ll be happy to drop my pants,” Mane-iac asked teasingly. “She’s all yours. Get her out of here,” the doctor said, annoyed by her constant shenanigans. The door opened and we walked into the Intensive Treatment Security Transit. Several armed guards are at the elevator. By the amount of ponies here, a patient is in transit, albeit a dangerous one. “Alert in the Intensive Treatment Transit, Category 9 Patient in transit. Shoot to kill permissions granted,” the intercom announced. All the guards armed their guns at the elevator arriving at our level. A gigantic thing crouched inside the elevator until it came to a complete stop. The thing is breathing heavily as the elevator slowly rose by the weight of the creature. This creature, I knew, fought and imprisoned several times, rarely seen in Manehattan. “You heard the lady, we have another psycho along the way,” a guard warned. “Can you smell the excitement in the air? No, must be one of the guards’ then-Croc, old boy is that you?” Mane-iac asked to no pony in particular. “Get ready, keep your guns trained at him, at all times,” a guard ordered. The elevator open and the thing exited out until it could fully stand. The creature is more than 11ft tall, few more feet to touch the ceiling. The skin is crocodilian like with several mumps and a black crocodilian back supported the thing. It wears maroon pants with a makeshift belt made of rope. Chains wrapped around its legs and arms. Around its neck is an enormous collar for its thick neck. A turquoise liquid is inside and a little electricity current is in with it. The thing has a long jaw with yellow, sharp teeth, constantly drooling, and its most terrifying feature to pony is its yellow eyes, constantly gazing whenever it’s starting at its prey. Garble, an ordinary teenage dragon, which turned into that with epidermolyptic hyperkeratosis: a skin disorder, physically and mentally disfiguring him. He stood at full height, looking at the spotlight, adjusting to the brightness. “Damn, that thing looks pissed,” the guard said. Killer Croc sniffed the air and turned its head to its new target: me. He turned around at looked directly at me, giving me its predatory gaze, the eyes promising me that it will devour me once it's free by any chance, my response to the gaze is my own, still retaining my stoic expression. “What’s it doing?” the guard asked alarmingly. “I've got your scent, Batmare, I will hunt you down,” the thing warned. The guards are too alarmed and frightened of the creature's spine-tingling threat. “Turn the collar on, get that animal under control!” the guard ordered. Without warning, the collar gave a strong electrical surge throughout Croc, harming him yet it does nothing fatal. the creature roared and growled in pain. Croc turned away, still livid from the shock. “Get that thing out of here, now!” another guard barked. “A toy collar won't stopped me from killing you, Batmare. I'll rip you apart, eat your bones,” Croc roared before stomping away to his cell with four guards following him. “That reminds me, I really need to get me some new shoes,” Mane-iac said randomly. “Okay, move along,” a guard said. We walked inside the elevator and the gates closed, bringing us down to the Holding Cells. “Hang on,” Boles said. The elevator moved down to bring us to the cells. “Ooh, the night is still young, Bats. I still have a trick or two up in my sleeve,” Mane-iac said. “Not where you’re going,” I replied darkly. “I mean, my boys really could’ve been hurt in that unfortunate fire at Blackgate,” she said. “I thought I told you be quiet!” Boles shouted. Mane-iac turned to him. “Oh, Frankie, you really should learn to keep that fat mouth of yours shut. It could get you into trouble,” she said menacingly. “Tell me, Mane-iac. You’d never let me capture you this easily before, what are you really planning?” I asked. “Oh, nothing much; just another night filled with the screams of innocent ponies; all their meaningless lives come to a horrifying conclusion. All thanks to me and a book of matches. Is that the answer you wanted?” Mane-iac replied and asked. The television screen turned on beside us with Warden Sharp. “All patients should avoid interaction with the Blackgate prisoners, their presence here is-“ “Gahahahahaha!” Mane-iac laughed maniacally. The elevator lights flicker when she laughed. The television and the light blacked out, leaving us in the dark with the laughing clown. The guards panicked as the entire elevator shaft is pitch black, I sighed lightly in the situation. “Somepony, get a light on her! Don’t let her out of your sights!” Boles ordered. Mane-iac continued to laugh in the darkness but abruptly stopped and started to choke. The lights returned back and the television came back on, distorting before adjusting to normalcy. The guards looked at why Mane-iac is choking, only to find me grabbing her throat. “W-what, don’t you trust me?” Mane-iac gasped jokingly. I slammed her head back on the gurney. The elevator came to a stop and we walked out into the Holding Cells. The entrance is protected by an electrical barrier, brought down by a security guard. Down the ramp are cells that held some of the Blackgate inmates. Outside of the control room, I saw Commissioner Shining Armor. He is the Captain of the Royal Guard and appointed commissioner for the entire security in Manehattan. He is a white Unicorn stallion, with a blue and turquoise mane and tail. He occasionally wears golden armor and a shield for a cutie mark. Today, he wears a simple white collar shirt with a plaid neck tie, suspenders, and glasses. “Good to see you, Batmare,” he said. He stretched out his hoof and I shook it. “You had a long night, Shining?” I asked. “I have to juggle with the Royal Guard, Arkham guards, the media, and the Manehattan police to protect the Mayor after you’ve captured the Mane-iac from City Hall, yeah, it’s been a hell of a night,” he replied. “Probably the last one,” I added. Unknown to us, watching us from a surveillance camera, a mare with red and purple boots on each front and hind leg, watched the entire escort. “Yeah, right,” she said. Shining and I walked to the entrance of the cells but a guard stopped us. “Sorry, but authorized personnel enter the Cells.” Shining looks annoyed. “I’m telling you, if anypony’s authorized, its-“ “Listen, I thank you for the escort but she’ll unsettle the more violent inmates,” the guard replied back. I took in his word. “I think he’s talking about you, Bats. Do come here anytime, you’re not a stranger. Got to say, it’s good to be back,” the Mane-iac said after the guards unlocked her from the gurney and walked her to the Holding Cells. I looked at the Mane-iac suspiciously as the guard and doctor escorted her to a cell. Shining Armor noticed it. “Are you okay?” he asked. I looked at him. “She surrendered almost without a fight; I don’t like it,” I replied back. “At least she’s back where she belongs,” he said as we walked inside the control room, overviewing the escort.