Tightening of the screw

by MidnightFMare

Session 06

I pass a headset to Princess Luna and Midnight before adorning my own "Good evening Mach, how are you?" I ask

"Good as I can be Doc, you know, this would really suck if I was claustrophobic; I mean, I've been in here for... how long again?" I look at
my partners' expressions, Princess Luna is calm and Midnight looks amused "51 years this November"

"Thanks. Or Afraid of the dark... what's that called?"

"Nyctophobia"

"So, who's your friend?" he asks and I jump "Y-you can see them?!"

He seems to stop and think "Well... not 'see' so much as hear his or her heartbeat... and what do you mean, 'them'?"

Midnight takes his headset off "No heart, remember?" he whispers

Out of all of the impossibilities that make up this stallion, one of the hardest to understand is why he lacks a complete cardio-vascular system "Th-that's amazing! You can hear our heartbeats through metal, wood and water?! How is that possible?"

"Well, when the body is deprived of one sense, the other senses sharpen equally as a result. The water must act like an amplifier for sounds coming in. I suspect that inside of the metal vessel is covered with sound outputs, like a speaker for a microphone. The inside must have a receiver for these sounds or the wood's resonance lets the sound through" Midnight shrugs "At least, that's what I think"

Princess Luna nods "Tell me about yourself"

"Well, I've been here for nearly 51 years... I have nearly uncontrollable speed and stamina... and I like round mares"

Midnight bursts out laughing "He likes 'em big and chunky" Princess Luna chuckles

"I don't get it" Mach says, sounding confused

"Ignore him, he's missing all of his sense and most of his mind" I sigh and turn to Princess Luna "You are in luck, it is the day that we repair any scuff marks inside the sphere" I push in the ten keys that make up the water mechanism, the box draining and Mach yelps in response.

"Such a simple construct... it's almost as if- OH BLOODY CHAOS!! What is that smell?!" Midnight's face turns green and Princess Luna shivers "It's mildew... wet wood, year-old spooge that leaked into the wood and body odor" I say, strapping on my gas mask

Midnight grabs Luna's mane and exhales "I have no idea how this works, but it does"

Luna sighs "You wouldn't happen to have a second mask would you?"

I hoof her one and she nods "Thank you"

"Uhhhh... I can't open the ball from the inside doc" Mach says

I nod and pull out a key "Wait a second..." turning it, the sphere opens and out walks a very disheveled and hairy red stallion with featherless wings

He squints "Sorry, kinda bright in here"

Midnight coughs "So, you are the resident speedster?"

Mach nods "That I am"

I nod "I shouldn't be too long, I just need to check for any cracks and scuffs" I enter the sphere and slip on something foul "Tell me... what did I just slip on?"

"I believe the year-old spooge you were talking about" Midnight says, obviously smiling

Mach appears next to me "I'm so sorry doc! I just never noticed it!" I grunt "It's okay, I literally walked into that..."

"Maybe you should wear galoshes" Luna suggests

I sigh and pull out a flashlight "I will remember that"

Mach coughs "Um... who are you?"

Luna bows "I am princess Luna"

Midnight coughs "I am Midnight"

Mach bows to Luna "I-I'm sorry! I didn't know you were a princess! I heard about you from the guards a year or two ago but I never thought that-"

Luna laughs, though it's muffled by the gas mask "That's fine, I do not like being bowed to though"

He shoots up, his mane thrown back over his shoulders

"It looks okay from my standpoint" I say, and return to the room, grabbing a pair of scissors but he shakes his head, mane covering his
eyes "I'm good, no point in cutting my mane if I'm just going to- sorry,gottarun,justgivemeamomentortwo" he suddenly starts running, turning into a red streak, his words starting to run together

Luna jumps and takes flight, Midnight gagging "OH GODDESS! THE SMELL!!"

Mach stops suddenly and rubs the back of his neck "I'm so sorry about that doc..."

I clap "That was incredible but-" "PRINCESS! GET DOWN HERE!" Midnight yells, and the princess crosses her legs "What are the magic words?"

"I will make you?" he replies, covering his nose with a foreleg

She shrugs "Nevermind" she flies down and Midnight grabs her mane, coughing for several seconds before sighing "Thanks
princess"

Mach shivers "How can you talk to a princess like that?"

I shrug "He manages to get away with it"

"And I'm not bothered by it, he just..." she shrugs "I don't know what he does"

"I help her with life in general and she puts up with me" Midnight says, shrugging

"So Mach, You've always had this incredible speed?" Princess Luna asks, sitting on the floor

"Yeah. ever since I was little. I always thought that the other pegasi were just holding back because I had small wings but I found out that they were trying to catch me. That was when I knew that I was special, I wanted to use my speed to help ponies, like rescuing or something, like in the comic books" he sighs "Then I... killed Sky... I didn't want to have sex with her but she insisted and..." his voice cracks "l-lost control..."

Princess Luna wraps a wing around him "There there... I know that it was an accident. I am actually surprised you stayed with her. Most would be scared and run away, but you stayed... that is loyalty if I have ever seen it" she smiles "I would like to ask if you want a job?"

I choke on my spittle "Wh-what?! He is a self-admitted patient, yes, but his longevity and abilities are virtually undocumented by science! Not to be rude, but we know near nothing about him!"

Midnight sighs "I have seen something like this before in my travels... but I need to check" walking over, he rests his forehead on Mach's "I need you to think back to the earliest thing you can remember"

Mach nods and closes his eyes, and Midnight removes his forehead a few seconds later

"Not speed force, but magic. He has an incredible amount of magic in him, which means he isn't a speedster, he is more akin to someone with tactile telekinesis, or super strength. Except he can only release this magic through running or flying, which means...?"

Luna thinks for a moment "He is throwing himself forward with incredible strength?"

Midnight nods "And because of his narrow features, there is less friction with the air as a result" he turns to Mach "Do you follow what we're saying?"

Mach nods "Yeah, I'm not fast, I'm strong and aerodynamic"

Midnight smiles "Exactly. Meaning you could really help ponies, like you've always wanted. I know someone who can make you a special costume if that's your thing"

"Can I have tights?!"

Luna shrugs "I don't see why not. Tights are cool"

Mach smiles, jumping to the top of the room, his wings shooting him around like a marble in a centrifuge

I walk over to Princess Luna "I don't think this is advisable. He may be able to help others but he's been in here for more than 50 years. I don't think that he's capable of adjusting to society as easily as you think"

Luna nods "I am aware, but I was removed from society for 1000 years and with the help of my friends, I've acclimated quite nicely"

"You're a princess, I think that means you're more resilient than most" I say

She looks down at me "I am not, I am still battling what overtook me every time I feel pain or guilt, or loneliness. But I have friends that
will help me in this fight. I think that he just needs friends to truly heal"

I nod "I suppose... but as his doctor, I will help however I can"

"You can still be his doctor, we can work out a way to do scheduled mental health check-ups"

"Hey guys!" Midnight yells, standing on top of the wooden sphere "Look! Log dancing!" He stands on his hind legs and starts walking on the ball, it rolling with him on top of it, guiding it "I am the log dancing master!"

Luna laughs, holding her side "St-stop that! I can't breathe!"

Midnight shrugs and jumps off the ball which crashes through the wall

He stares at it "You saw that right? I was nowhere near it! Not my fault!"

---

After fixing the wall, the asylum's hygienist gives Mach a utilitarian mane and tail cut after washing him for several hours

Midnight, however wandered off, Princess Luna assuring me that he senses something and he won't cause trouble

Mach steps out, no loner smelling like... well, how he smelled "How do I look?"

"Like a pony right out of college" I say, and then something catches my eye "Why are you missing the skin on your wings?"

He looks at them, spreading the bony fingers "Always been like that, I have to keep them clean so that scar tissue doesn't grow over them, that's really uncomfortable. I mean, when they're like this, I feel fine"

I nod and measure the wings, taking notes absent mindedly "Well, there are... Nerves?" I press one and he winces "I felt that"

"... Could these be connected to your longevity somehow?"

Princess Luna places a hoof on my shoulder "A question for another day. Let's just-"

"I made a friend!" Midnight announces, a grey mare with a snow-white mane and tail following him, her eyes closed

I walk over to him "Why did you let someone out?"

"I wasn't in one of the rooms. I am the Psychotherapist of this facility, My name is Cecilia Philharmonica"

"'Philharmonica'? Any relation to Octavia Philharmonica?" Princess Luna asks

"I do not believe so..." she responds, her eyes still closed

I look her over, a small necklace with a gold ring set with a lapis eye, her cutie mark an open eye surrounded by purple waves "And
before you ask, My special talent is not Psychotherapy, I am a mind reader. Like right now you are wondering how big of an immature fool
Midnight is"

I stare at her, a thin smile on her face "And as to how, I just can"

Midnight smiles "I knew that you were special! A psychic, Luna! I didn't know that were any in Equestria... except those few kirins I met in Saddle Arabia"

Princess Luna looks down at her "You are Octavia's older twin sister, aren't you?"

"I have no idea who 'Octavia' is, I had a brother at one time, but haven't seen him since I was about six"

Midnight nods and whispers into Princess Luna's ear

She nods in understanding "I will check that later, So, I am also assuming that you live here too?"

"Yes, I live here as do most of the staff" she turns to me, her eyes still closed "You were the one that let Mirror Image and Mimic out, yes?"

I nod "That was me, yes. I figured that I could kill two birds with one stone, using their own psychoses' to make them whole. I admit, I hadn't planned it, it was spur of the moment, and I wasn't entirely sure it would work"

She nods, turning back to Midnight "... I just want to check up on our long-living friend here"

"If you mean Mach, he's over there stuffing his face. One downside to his condition as with all people imbued with speed is an increased metabolism... or so I've found"

She walks over to Mach, sitting herself across from him "Hello"

He looks up from his meal "Greetings"

"I want you to tell me why you wish to leave here. I am aware that you admitted yourself years ago, but why the sudden desire to leave?"

Mach swallows "I want to help ponies, and learn how to control my powers. I don't want to rot in here because I'm afraid of my ability, because if Sky were still here, she'd slap me for being so foolish..."

Cecilia nods "I understand. that is a very good reason but how will you support yourself? Any skills you possessed 50 years ago might not be of use now."

"I was actually a delivery pony for the mail service and a part-time royal scout. I think that the former is still available and in demand?"

"Of course... I see no reason why you cannot leave." Cecilia slides down from her chair and walks over to me "I suggest you keep minimal watch over him and try to minimize culture shock if at all possible."

Midnight nods "Of course. Now! how about we finish the paperwork and skedaddle back to... where are you from?"

"Heartsdale, a little town in the centere of a mountain range north of Ponyville" Mach replies, finishing his meal.

---

I watch them leave, three distinct shadows on the horizon I hope that Mach finds his niche and lives a better life than the one he left behind.

I sigh and re-enter the building, tiredness overcoming my desire to stay awake.

Author's Note:

sorry, I couldn't resist putting the chunky ref in there