Epilogue
“Happy birthday, Diamond Tiara!”
Pageant… We’ll make a wonderful pageant. You as chancellor Puddinghead… Me as Smart Cookie… Ruby as Clover the Clever… Alula as Commander Hurricane…
“There’s no pageant!”
“She’s screaming that from time to time,” Barrel Cortex muttered. “I guess she spends lots of time with Curtain Call…”
“No surprise,” Midline Shift replied. “Those two have lot in common…”
I have nothing in common with her!
“Happy birthday, Diamond Tiara!”
I need to stay strong. One day I’ll get better. Then I’ll meet Silver Spoon and everything will be like before.
There’s no Silver Spoon! You killed her, remember?
“Delusional… Complete denial…”
“Y’know, the doctors said that she’s, like, in a complete denial,” Sunshine Rainbows said. “She killed her parents and she still talks how they’ll come to see her playing in that stupid pageant…”
There’s no pageant. And there’ll never be.
There’s no Silver Spoon.
Silver Spoon.
“Silver Spoon!” Diamond Tiara jumped out of her bed, wrapping her hooves around Nurse Charming’s neck.
“Happy birthday, Diamond Tiara!”
“So, Diamond…” The doctor looked at her curiously. “Tell me what happened when Pipsqueak died…”
“I… It was like I lost control over my body… And when I regained it…”
“I just want to see the other foals… I want to see Silver Spoon.”
Moths. Thousands of moths. She tried to smash them, but the new ones were still appearing.
“At first it was that… Like with Ruby… Then there were voices… whispers… and then I saw her…”
Curtain Call turned her big, green eyes at her and started to play with her braid. “Of course it is,” she replied. “But who can tell what is a dream? Maybe you’re locked with me and this–” she pointed at the trees, “–is just a scenography? It’s raining, but we are dry. We’re sitting in the mud, but we’re clean.”
“Oh, come on…” Diamond Tiara rolled her eyes. “You’re gonna teach me about what is real? Don’t you remember the pageant?”
“There’s no pageant,” Curtain Call replied, smiling in her usual, a bit unconscious way. “But I prefer to think that there is. You know what’s the alternative…”
There’s no pageant. There’s no Silver Spoon.
There’s no Silver Spoon. But I prefer to think that she lives. You know what’s the alternative…
“Who knows, maybe there’s no Ponyville… No Silver Spoon… Just the loneliness and cold walls of the mental hospital…”
No! Silver Spoon lives! I’ve seen her!
“I will never leave you…”
“Happy birthday, Diamond Tiara!”
“Midline, we can’t feed her with pills all the time! Just look at her! She doesn’t even know what’s going on around her!”
“Do you want to risk? We don’t know what triggers those attacks…”
“How do you want to learn what triggers them? She can’t even move a hoof!”
“Happy birthday, Diamond Tiara!”
“Electroconvulsive therapy?” Filthy Rich’s face became white. “You still use it?”
“Yes, and it’s getting more and more popular…” Dr. Shift replied. “It’s not like in the books… Under anaesthesia it’s practically painless…”
“Happy birthday, Diamond Tiara!”
“Well, some progress was made,” Midline Shift said. “She didn’t try to kill anypony recently. Maybe we’ll be able to cure her.”
And I’ll see Silver Spoon…
“She doesn’t look dangerous,” the reporter said. “Who’d say… How old is she now?”
“Fifteen,” Midline Shift replied.
“Do you know what caused that?”
“We can only guess. From what I know, her mother had a neurological problem…”
“Happy birthday, Diamond Tiara!”
Sixteen.
“...a neurological problem. She passed out during a hike and fell down the mountain.”
“We’ll make a wonderful pageant…”
“Stop it! There’s no pageant!”
“Diamond Tiara!”
“I don’t know what happened. In one moment she was okay, and seconds later she wanted to smother poor Curtain Call.”
“How’s she now?”
“Still on meds. I don’t know what triggers those attacks.”
“So, you think she inherited it from her mother?”
“Happy birthday, Diamond Tiara!”
Seventeen. I wonder if Silver Spoon has a coltfriend. Maybe Pipsqueak finally asked her out?
“Happy birthday, Diamond Tiara!”
“Happy birthday, Diamond Tiara!”
Diamond Tiara slowly opened her eyes. She looked at nurse Charming Heart and smiled weakly. She saw that the nurse’s mane started to go grey and began to wonder why she hadn’t noticed that before.
“So, how am I?” she asked.
“Doctor Shift saw your results. It seems that you may leave us soon,” Charming Heart replied. “By now, you can get out of the secure unit.”
“Great!” Diamond Tiara jumped out of her bed. Over the last couple of years it became a bit too small for her. She stretched her hooves and went out of her room.
Walking down the corridor, she thought about the ponies she’d met there. Of them all, only Curtain Call was still in Trottingham; yet, she was to be relocated to the hospital for adults soon.
It seemed unbelievable, but the first to leave was Pepper. After he had finally started to take his pills, his mental health quickly improved and he left the hospital when he was fifteen. From what Diamond Tiara heard, he was now living in Baltimare. Soon after, Sunshine Rainbows left the hospital and never came back. Later, Diamond Tiara overheard the doctors saying that she’d ran away from home, went to Manehattan and started to work in the local funeral parlour.
Now, it was Diamond Tiara’s turn. She didn’t pack her things yet; she couldn’t stand a thought that she’d have to unpack them again.
She couldn’t exactly remember the next couple of days. She was still living in her room, but she could walk around the whole hospital. However, she didn’t do that much; she was nineteen and all the foals were much younger than her, so she had nothing to talk about with them. Some of them even thought that she was a new nurse.
Finally, the day came. When she woke up in the morning, she saw Filthy Rich standing in the door to her room. It struck her how old he looked; of course, he’d been visiting her from time to time, but she didn’t remember that; everything was a continuous blur of screams, weird whispers and fragments of conversations.
“Hello, Diamond,” Filthy Rich said. She hugged him, noticing that she was now a bit taller than him. Tears were flowing from her eyes, but she didn’t care; finally she was free.
When Diamond Tiara was younger, she was often bored by the long train ride from Trottingham to Ponyville. But this time it was different.
“How’s Ponyville?” she asked. “Do you think they won’t have anything against me?”
“Oh, lots of things happened since then…” Filthy Rich replied. “Berry Punch… Well, nevermind. I talked to Apple Bloom a couple of days ago; she forgives you.”
“Really?” Diamond Tiara’s eyes widened. Of all the ponies, it was Apple Bloom’s and Scootaloo’s reaction she was worried about the most. From what Filthy Rich told her, Scootaloo didn’t take well the fact that Diamond Tiara wanted to kill her.
“You’ll never believe,” Filthy Rich said. “Scootaloo trains to be a royal guard.”
“No way!” Diamond Tiara exclaimed.
“She really does,” her father replied. “And Silverspeed…” His expression faltered. “You’d better avoid her. She never came to terms with…”
“Neither did I,” Diamond Tiara said and sighed heavily. “Silver… She only wanted to help me and it…” She pointed at her head. “It killed her…”
Filthy Rich only nodded his head.
With the screeching of the brakes, the train skid to a halt. Diamond Tiara stood on the platform and an idea appeared in her mind.
“I need to go to the cemetery,” she said to Filthy Rich.
“Are you sure you want to do that?” he asked.
Diamond Tiara nodded. “I need to apologise,” she replied. “That… That’d be right, I think…”
Walking down the street, she quickly noticed the curious glances ponies were giving her. She trotted past Lyra and Bon Bon’s house and saw them both hanging out in the garden. Lyra waved her hoof at her, but Bon Bon turned her head back, trying not to look at her.
“Good morning,” Diamond Tiara said. “And… I’m sorry, Ms. Bon Bon… I… I wasn’t myself…”
Bon Bon muttered something under her breath. For a moment, Diamond Tiara stood before her in silence. Finally, Bon Bon spoke, “I know you weren’t yourself. I don’t blame you, just… I don’t think I’ll be able to forgive you…”
Diamond Tiara nodded.
“She’d be nineteen…” Bon Bon continued.
Diamond Tiara shuddered. Before Bon Bon could say anything, she was running down the street, trying to hold back tears.
She stopped by the cemetery gate. She looked at it unsurely before taking a step forward. The ponies she wanted to meet were dead; unlike the living, they couldn’t hurt her.
She felt dull pain in her legs when she was climbing up the hill; ten years spent in a small room weren’t good for her stamina and now she could feel it well. She started to sweat; even though it was September, it was still sunny and the dusty path was burning her hooves.
Finally, she saw them. Seven white tombstones standing in a row. She read the name and dates on each of them and sat in front of the last one.
Silver Spoon. Diamond Tiara looked at the ground beneath her hooves. Reading her name would be like admitting that she was dead.
“Don’t worry, Diamond. I told you that I would never leave you…”
Startled by the voice, she raised her head. She was there. Unlike Diamond Tiara, she didn’t age a day since they’d last met.
“Welcome home, Diamond Tiara,” Silver Spoon said, jumping from the tombstone and smirking at her playfully.
Of course, it's not the end. In fact, I plan three more stories taking place in the same universe as Sleepless. Two of them, Manehattan Blues (teaser cover art here) and Thirsty will be posted soon. The third will be like One Ring: One to bring them all and in the darkness bind them...
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EPILOGUE!?
WHAT?
Well... here goes!
Time to wrap everything up in a little under 5k words.
*sweating bullets*
4745769
Yeah... and three incoming sequels/sidequels...
I'm wow'd by how well this story came out. Could use a bit of transitional clean up here. Though, I guess the "Happy Birthday" should suffice in any case.
Also, Scootaloo. I look forward to your next stories. Bravo, this was a sun ride. Thank you for finishing this marvelous story.
When is the next story of this series coming out?
4745895
Yeah, I was wondering how to show 10 years in the asylum and I decided to take a slightly psychodelic route...
And Scootaloo will play an important role in the third of the stories I'm planning to write – a sequel of both this one and Manehattan Blues (which will be posted soon – I'm planning to start posting it once I'll write 5 chapters. I'm currently halfway through the fourth).
My tears could fill a jar of milk now.
4745939
If I keep my writing pace, Manehattan Blues will be up in a couple of days (though this story focuses mostly on Babs Seed). Thirsty should also appear soon.
Things will get better.
4745947 You have amazing dedication to your work. I wish I had your drive. I really do. Glad to be following such an active writer that doesn't leave us readers hanging for months on end or never finishes a story. I really appreciate that foresight you put into these stories.
See you next story!
4745960
I'm sorry...
4745992
For Diamond? Well, seeing Silver Spoon is much better than seeing Curtain Call... Though I wonder how Ponyville would heal after all that... So many strained relationships, not to mention that Berry Punch and probably Cloud Kicker ended up in prison...
4739583 Yeah, wow. Wall of text? That was beautiful! You described so much of the feels. ><
I can relate all too well on how fanfiction feels like a dead art. Something many do for laughs, very few who write it seriously, and fewer still who write them good.
It's certainly stories like this and those that can bring out a character and show how their actions can shape the world around them or those their closest to, really help me stay interested.
Look forward to seeing what you make. Write on!
Someone's been watching Neon Genesis Evangelion a little bit.
But anywho, I like how everything turned out in the end. Congrats.
4745998
I'm kinda amazed myself...
Thanks
4746062
I've never watched it... Did I make some accidental reference? 
Thanks
4746093 Seems so, you summed up like 80% of that anime in that beggining part of the epilogue. Complete mindf
k.
Hush little Diamond, don't you cry.
Listen as We sing you a lullaby...
4745992 Yep, the sequels will certainly not be about revenge againts DT.
On the other hand, I could easily see Pinkie throw a "You're not crazy and a serial killer anymore" party.
This was so sadly beautiful.
4746460 It could be that, or Berry Punch will be the next one to go crazy
*squints at Diamond Tiara*
...As much as I want to, I'm not buying it. I'm already coming up with devious plans for her to enact
4745774
Did you just say sequels and sidequels?
...time to get the tissue box!
WHY AM I ASKING FOR MORE DARK STUFF
4746460
Now I regret that I can't write Pinkie Pie...
4746912
Actually, one of the side stories is about Berry...
4747399
Oh yeah... Not to mention that Diamond is not the only filly in Ponyville, who had trouble with law...
4748306
Darkness is addicting
i think i just went insane!!!
amazing story and i love the ending
15/10 hearts
sequel???????????
Well...that was...yeah.
Wow...that was...wow...I don't know what to say about that. I've always been intrigued by grimdark.I've never really known what drove me to like it. So I like this story. Grimdark with a plot is so much better than pointless gore
4784262
True
I don't know if I would forgive Diamond Tiara. If there was undeniable evidence that she was insane, then maybe... but it would be hard on Bon-bon. And am I the only one that can see Silver Spoon doing a Seiko Shinohara, so that every time DT goes into a state of depression or blames herself for Silver Spoons death,she recieves a letter from her that simply reads "no hard feelings?" ? 'Cause that would be cute.
4785042
Well, Silver will be definitely better hallucination than Curtain Call... (I'm planning a sequel about adult Diamond Tiara. I'll start writing it after finishing Manehattan Blues)
4787107
I would have gone INSANE with curtain call as a hallucination. She reminds me of the Japanese 'red door' myth.
Creepy
4844295
Also, thanks for the watch 
Oh yeah...
Okay, I've waited way too long to say something about this publicly. I don't wanna be one of those pre-readers who goes through a work and then never says anything in public about it, so here we go.
Unmarked spoilers follow.
I thought this was pretty damn awesome. I'm especially pleased to see that Diamond Tiara, a character who so often gets the shaft in terms of characterization both in canon and fan works, is handled very well here. She's not a mindless monster who just kills ponies, she's a pony who is losing her damn mind, and it becomes clear that she's terrified of herself by the end of her killing spree. Her characterization is great, as is that of pretty much everypony else in this story, and it's that characterization which drives the plot, and is probably the story's strongest point. Silver Spoon in particular was well done, also.
The scenes that focused on other characters, such as the panicking townponies, were a great feature as well. It really shows the effect that her madness if having on everypony else, and how much chaos she's causing. Her eventual stay in the mental clinic was great, with funny-yet-creepy inhabitants that you might laugh at, but still wouldn't turn your back on. The ending was kinda inevitable, really, but that didn't take away its punch. That last scene before the epilogue was just fantastic.
I could go on, but I'll sum up by saying that this was a well-crafted horror story that shows respect to the setting and all the characters involved. It was a great ride, overall.
Bootsy approves.
Why did I lke this so much? I am not one for character death (has made it his goal in life to avoid cupcakes) but here I am-loving the heck out of it. Maybe its because I love psychological horror? Or maybe its because this is doing something that you usually find in good low budget films?
4982992
Yeah, there's a difference between gore for the sake of it, and something delving deeper into the motivations of the characters (well, it's actually kinda similar to porn vs. romance...)
Well then, this was a most intriguing tale. Also I've started on the 3rd part of the continuity now, and I am wondering, are these events related at all to each other? Or are they just independent events set in the same universe?
Anyway, thanks for the good read!
5079617
Manehattan Blues takes place in the same universe, but it's a separate story; though in the fourth part, the events of those fics connect.
5079658
Neato! I'm almost finished the other story, I'll leave a comment for it too.
I really like what you said here:
4983093
And I must say, you do a great job at differentiating yourself from just horror movie shock gore. I love the personalities you flesh out. Though I may not comment on the second story at this rate, seeing as how I'm doing all of the commenting here already
5080438
Yeah, I had lot of fun making the characters, as well as creating all the small links between the stories
5081510
And I am having fun reading them. Kudos on the amazing series! :)
5140902
It felt kinda natural for DT to break down after killing her friend... And yeah, this story has that effect on people – even though DT is the villain here, she's not a bad pony.
You're certainly going to be sleepless after you read this story.
One of the creepiest things about dark stories are when they get you to think. In this case, thinking was more or less something that came across throughout all the chapters. Diamond Tiara's problem, the patterns, and her slow descent into insanity is the story's strongest facet.
While some other aspects seem outlandish or even impossible, the author portrays this psychological thriller in such a way that even the reader has to question whether or not it's actually happening. In this story, there aren't any bad guys or good guys. Just people who are desperate for respite and consolation.
And in that, they will do terrible things to achieve those ends. I've read The Sharpest Tool and its sequel, but this is certainly a fic that gets you thinking about the impact of paranoia and how desperate ponies can be in certain situations.
It kind of reminds of a movie that came out a couple, or maybe just a year ago, that involved a father kidnapping and torturing someone he believed to have taken his daughters. The small-town environment is a perfect setting to host the power of psychological trauma that the author expresses in words and actions.
From the mob mentality to the inability to adapt and move on. The vicious cycle that never seems to end, and the horrid feeling that the reader gets when they find themselves agreeing with some of the points being made.
That in a similar situation, someone would try to take revenge on anyone that harmed them, and only to be found wrong in the end. I think that's probably what really got me in the end. The way that this event is now permanent and that the lasting effect is more horrifying than any of the murders described in the story.
And for that, I think you did a great job, Samey.
5145661
Thanks for the comment
That's what I was aiming for
Yeah, both Tools and this story share similar concept (but with mind-control in Tools), though this one is much better written, in my opinion – a year of constant writing helped me improve my skills greatly.
Yeah, at the very beginning of writing this story I realised that Ponyville is basically a small village from a horror movie, with rather peculiar inhabitants and a big, haunted forest nearby. I decided to go on with that – most of the ponies in Ponyville either are family members of those who died, or at least knew them, so the effect of every kill on them was even greater.
I laughed harder than I should have...
It worked very well. I read it in one go, and it's now almost 2 A.M., so sorry for mistakes. I wanted to simulate the mental illness of Diamond, to a WAY smaller degree! :P
This last chapter made my head hurt, but found some sick sense in it. It's fucking mad, and that's exactly what you were going for.
If I had a top 10 fanfics of the site, it would definitely be on it, and I read a lot of fics.
You have great creativity, not for the premise, but for the details you put in. I'm talking about the mental illness of Diamond, Silver and all the others.
Fuck I'm rambling, anyway it was great. Better than I'd ever imagine, and I know this is gonna be one of those stories that stay on your mind for days after. That's the sign of a great emotional story.
5170031
Yeah, I really liked coming up with all those details while writing...
Thanks for the comments
5185169
Twist saw her going to the forest and, worried about her, followed her there. For me, it's one of the saddest deaths in this fic.
5185172 no.. I'm afraid I must disagree. Twist's death was as quick as it was pointless.
no by far the saddest death is of Silver Spoon. She refused to leave DT's side even after realizing she was a murderer. Even after Diamond begged her to leave! She stood by her until the very end and she bore no animosity even as she lay dying in her arms with a pipe through her belly.
she even swore she would never leave her! Even in death she was loyal. She was betrayed, her very life stolen and she saw past that. She made sure to let Diamond know she still loved her and that she forgives her.
5185387
Yeah, Silver is truly best friend... Loyal even though she knows what it means...
5187662 I couldn't do what she did.. I would be afraid and disgusted. I wouldn't be able to look at someone who killed so many innocent children.
Silver Spoon is a better pony then I am a human being.
5220605
And Diamond Tiara with a knife doubles the awesomeness
This is a very good story.