Life of a Wanted Changeling Season 3: Tyrants, Terrorists, and Tiaras, Oh My!

by Down with Chrysalis

Episode 45: Entering Arkhay Asylum! (The Final Knights Arc Part 1)

Special Opening Theme:

Erised the ink-moth's Comment

"CV hold up a minute." Aqua stops you. "Arkhay isn't some normal asylum; it's where they throw all the most dangerous criminal masterminds, the ones normal prisons won't take. I doubt they're just going to let you check yourself in like it's a hotel."

"So?" you ask, "I'll just have to act a little extra insane so that they let me in."

That should be no great struggle for you. Selena snarks.

Aqua's about to object, but then she remembers how you can get sometimes, especially when robots or fire are involved, and lowers her hoof. "Alright then. So how do we know if you find anything out? And if the knights are up to something, what then?"

"Uuuhh..." you droll, "We'll figure out all that later. Grey and Erised could be up to anything, heck they could be patients for all we know. Right now we need to gather info so we can make a plan."

"So we plan to improvise? That sounds pretty risky CV." Aqua tells you.

"Improvising has worked pretty well in the past." you reason. Thinking back, it's almost like Lady Luck gives you constant breaks when it counts, and takes her payment in the form of humiliating you everywhere else. And isn't that a scary thought? "I'm sure things will be fine. Just... Aqua, make sure that no matter what happens, take care of Nightshade for me, 'kay?"

"I..." Aqua says, taken aback, "Okay CV, just... don't get all dark and serious on me like that. Freaks me out."

"And Nightshade, you behave yourself while I'm gone. Alright?" You say to Nightshade as you finish folding up your bounty hunter suit and putting it into you inventory. You realize if this is gonna work, you'll have to leave most, if not all of your gear with Nightshade and Aqua while you do your investigating. And you already feel naked without all your weapons.

"Alright Daddy. See you when you get back from the crazy house!" she says while taking you inventory for you.

You smile at her and turn back to Aqua. "Alright. Are you ready for this?"

"Ready for what?" she asks.

You smirk at her, making her look back worriedly.

But before you begin your plan, you suddenly remember something...

Kersey's Comment

"Whoops, almost forgot." you comment before taking one of your Transformation Poition so they can put a pony in a hospital gown and straight jacket, rather than a changeling. In fact, you down two more, just to be safe, who knows how long you'll be in there.

You turn into a unicorn with a black coat, orange mane and tail, a yin-yang Cuite Mark (black parts are midnight colored), and without clothes, your eye and chest scar are on display.

"Holy Crap! What the heck happened to you?!" Aqua gasps. You realize that this is literally the first time she has seen you without any sort of disguise on, so of course she never would have seen your wounds.

"I don't want to talk about it...just assume it was something bad and move on," you tell her.

She seems like she wants to ask more but gives in and nods.

With that done you smile and say,

"Okay, now let's get things started!"

A FEW MOMENTS LATER

Solarkness's Comment

"MOTHER OF FREAKING LUNA WHY!?!"

Yeah...you're having real trouble getting in. For the past few minutes you've tried multiple things to get in...

FLASHBACK TIME!

You psycho-crusher through the wall, and exclaim, "BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!"

The nearby security guard just rolls his eyes and shows you the exit.

And when that didn't work you tried setting fire to the asylum and while singing PYROMANIA and RAZE THIS BARN, but all they do is douse it and shush you away.

After a few more attempt's and Aqua laughing at your many failures you can't help but shout out in anger,

"WHAT DOES ONE HAVE TO DO TO GET IN THIS ASYLUM?"

A nearby security guard looks at you in a weird way, before asking, "You actually want to get IN here?"

You nod, almost crying. He stares at you, before exclaiming, "GUYS! THIS PERSON HERE IS CRAZY! HE WANTS TO ACTUALLY BE LOCKED HERE!"

"Yes, so I'm clearly insane! You'll let me in now right?!"

Sadly the guards just gave you a creepy blank stare and ignored you. You sigh in anger before you look shout your frustrations to the sky, leading you to the present.

FLASHBACK END

You walk over to a laughing Aqua.

"Aha ha ha ha!" you mock laugh at her as you're clearly upset.

"Sorry CV, but that was hilarious."

Rolling your eyes, you look to her and say

"Time for plan B."

Aqua just smirks at you as you sigh.

ANOTHER FEW MOMENTS LATER

The armored front doors of Arkhay Asylum burst open as a bounty hunter drags in a captured pony, barely retrained by the mouth gag and hoofcuffs she's holding him with. As he thrashes and snarls in a dramatic fashion, making it hard for her to hold on, she brings him up to the front desk where a red-maned mare sits behind a sheet of spellproof glass.

"Got another one for you. Caught him just this morning." Aqua says flashing her license as the mare stares blankly back at the two of you. "And boy is this one crazy, he really needs your help. Take a listen." Aqua pulls the gag our of your mouth.

"Twilight and her friends are expendable puppets of the Princesses! Celestia is secretly diabetic! Machines are evil and are trying to take over the world! I'll never buy the extended warranty for that refrigerator! Never! EEEEEVIL!" you scream at the top of your lungs and in the craziest sounding voice you can manage. Really it's not that hard. And it actually feels pretty good to get these things off your chest. "Santa Hooves is a marketing ploy by toy manufacturers to sell more toys during the holidays! Hearths Warming is about being friends so you don't freeze to death! It ruined my childhood! Soylent green is ponies!"

The two of you look to see if your act is paying off, but the mare behind the counter has barely reacted to you at all, almost like she doesn't know you're there.

"Uh... hey there." Aqua taps on the glass. "Anypony home?"

"Hmm?" the mare stirs to life and her eyes focus on you, "Hello. Welcome to Arkhay Asylum, where our motto is 'Nopony is Beyond Saving'. Please, deposit the patient in the door on your right. The asylum staff will be with you shortly." she says, almost robotically, her head lilting a bit every few words.

Aqua stares at the mare, who in turn stares into space, her eyes dilating again. A trail of odd black mucus is running from her nose into her mouth as she looks past you two.

"CV, I don't like this." Aqua tells you in a hushed tone. "Something's really wrong here. The security wasn't taking you seriously, and that mare seems like she didn't witness your freak out. A little suspicious for a home for the criminally insane don't you think?"

You look around and notice there aren't any ponies watching the entrance either. In fact, the place is filthy; trashcans are overflowing, and dust is covering the floor and benches.

"Hmm, you're right," you agree. "Maybe it's because of the Knight's evil influence...or maybe the janitors on strike and that mare is skimming some medication for herself, still, that just means it's even more important that I get in there and put a stop to whatever's going on. And look!" you say and point to a tattered poster listing the visiting hours. "We can use that to talk to each other. Just show up during the next time, which looks like...after lunch today. Convenient. And be sure to bake a cake!"

"What? Why?" Aqua asks.

"Because you can slip me my gear inside it. And prison food is supposed to be terrible," you whisper to her.

Aqua still looks reluctant before sighing and dragging you over to the door and shoving you into the room. As soon as your in the room two orderlies pick you up and proceed to drag you off. As you are dragged through a creepy dark hallway, you overhear two doctors talking in a almost robotic tone,

Lord Sergal's Comment

"I swear to you, he is an Obsessive Compulsive. Every time he sees someone, his first words are 'could you tell me what time it is?'. He even had a total of five watches on his person: three pocket watches and two hoofwatches."

"Yeah but none of them were set to actual times and he complains that the time ponies give him is wrong even if they are staring at a clock when they say it. My bits are on Schizophrenia."

You wonder who they are talking about for a moment before the mention of watches reminds you of the watch you got from that weird creature back in Vanhoover. You didn't give it back because it was a gift, but right now it's with all your other gear with Aqua. Since you don't have your own time keeper at the moment, you draw your eyes to a nearby wall clock. It reads 9:45, so lunch should be soon. Most likely, your targets will be there too, so now you just need to pass the time and hope the rumors of the mass-murdering clown pony, Mr. Brightside, that resides here are just a hoax.

As you pass the hallway the doctors walked out of, an eerily familiar voice floats down the corridor, though you can't tell where you heard it before.

"I rigged up a watch to do more than just chime, and I didn't balk once at the depths of my crime! The most perfect invention, that still kept impeccable time."

Something about the song seemed ominous and you picked up your pace to both keep up with your escort and escape the sense of dread weighing upon you. You shake it off however and engage the orderlies in conversation.

"So, what's for lunch? I could eat a whole horse if you had one," you say crazily.

"It'll be served later. It's medication time."

"Already?"

"Yes," the other orderly declares as you are led down the hallway. As you do, you pass several dazed/twitching/mumbling patients in the hallway, wandering about.
This raises some more red flags with you when you begin to notice something about the Asylum...

BrownDog's Comment

The overbearing sense of wrongness you felt back at the entrance has not gone away. Like The whole atmosphere about this place feels wrong. Patients wander aimlessly, the lights are all dim, and many have straightjackets on.

You can sense the wrongness about this place right?

Of course I can. It's like an invading presence, just out of sight, but still noticeable, Selena comments.

Ah, so it isn't just me. But yeah, there is definitely something wrong about this place. I mean look at these guys. They're horrifying and scary and...

Bugze?

This isn't right. This is...cliche...

What do you mean by this?

You answer her by speaking aloud to the orderlies.

“Wait a minute, actual Asylum’s aren’t supposed to be drab and dreary and torturous like this!"
They slowly turn their heads towards you, giving you a blank stare, so you continue.

"The majority of patients should only be made up of those with nonviolent psychiatric problems! This isn’t the dark ages!” you yell out as you are led through some Applewood horror writer’s idea of an Insane Asylum.

“Wow, this guy really is crazy, thinking this place would be pleasant,” one of the orderlies says in a robot's attempt at a smirk.

“I’m serious, you only see this kind of behavior in asylums from the past, or from video games! How am I supposed to get better here?”

“Well, here’s a question, have you tried NOT being crazy?” the other orderly unhelpfully asks.

“Yes I’ve tried! My whole life!”

“Well, that’s why you’re here now buddy,” the orderly smirks. Rolling your eyes at this, you are led into an intersection in the hallway, that leads to a recreation room of some kind. There is a caged office with a grim looking nurse behind it, passing out medication to a group of patients. You are sat down in a chair as the orderlies go up to the counter and come back with a cup of pills.

"Here now, time to take your pills."

"Um, what exactly are they?" you ask looking at the blue, red and yellow drugs in the little cup.

"...Pills..." the orderly says, like it's obvious.

“Ugh! Fine!” you growl as you shoot the pills and smack your lips.

“Huh…is that cherry flavor?”

“Yup, you’ll be feeling it soon, now take it easy,” the orderly orders.

You sit down, and, since it seems everyling is doing it, try to look zoned out, they don’t know about the helpful mare in your mind.

You sit and look around the room at the other patients. There is a large Bison leaning on a push broom and chewing bubblegum, staring at you silently.

In one corner is a group of guys trying to play a card game, but it keeps getting derailed.

These guys look rather harmless compared to the stereotypical shambling zombie patients you so out in the hallway. And you swear that you thought it was just a hollywood myth in this day and age.

They probably just hand out the drugs so everyone's peaceful and don't try to help them, you think condescendingly.

Well, we do the same thing, though our quarry we know is dangerous and violent.

Yeah, but at least he's going to therapy with Dr. Nightshade, you counter.

True, though I believe his attachment and reverence of her as a usurper is getting a rather bit unnerving, she says with a shudder.

Yeah, well at least he's been calm...Speaking of which, do you got any idea what they just gave me?

No Idea on the name, but whatever it is it’s powerful. The fallen tyrant is singing and watching your remembered episodes of My Little Human…Willingly!

WHAT?!

Ha Ha Ha, Big adventure, Tons of fun. A beautiful heart, faithful and strong…

Oh Sweet merciful Lun-I mean You! We’ve turned him into a HUMIE!!!

What horrors have we unleashed? She stammers in fear.

Don’t you know you’re all my very best frrrrriiiiiiieeeeeennnnnddddsssss…Oh so delightful…My favorite character is Ashleigh!

“AAAAHHHHH!!!!” you shriek out loud in your seat at the worst possible thing.

The orderlies look confused by your behavior.

“I thought we gave him the relaxing happy pills?”

“So did I…unless the chief has been messing around with the medicines again,” the other one says with a glare to the big silent buffalo who sits in the corner chewing bugglegum, watching your freakout.

Of course you don't notice as your freak-out has reaches a whole new level as Sombra starts to talk about his favorite ships and how he wishes he could be transported to the Human world. You try and block out this insanity the only way you know how...

Kersey's Comment

By releasing that insanity for all to enjoy of course!

"I AM THE HOODED OFFENDER!" you rant in a crazed tone, "A QUARTER-EARTH PONY CHANGELING WHO FATHERED AN ALICORN DAUGHTER WITH NIGHTMARE MOON WHO LIVES IN MY HEAD ALONG WITH KING SOMBRA WHO I ATE AND KEEP DRUGGED... IN THAT ORDER!!!"

In the back of your mind you can barely hear Selena comment,

As you ponies say these days; Truth is stranger than fiction.

"BOW BEFORE ME FOR I HAVE THE SHINIEST BEET BICYCLE!!!" you proclaim while swinging your chair around, trying to silence Sombra's talk of Humans.

"Sir, please stop swinging around your beet bicycle. Some of us are allergic!" a skinny pegasus patient with glasses chastises.

You ignore him as you continue to spit out nonsense,

"I CAN SEE THE FUTURE! THE GREAT GODS OF RED AND BLUE WILL COME DOWN UPON US IN A FIERY INFERNO AND SHALL PUNISH US FOR OUR SINS! REPENT WHILE YOU STILL CAN! REPENT! REPENT!"

The orderlies look at you for a few seconds before wordlessly grabbing you and dragging you down the hall. You hear one of them mumble,

"This whacko needs some private time. Better take him to solitude."

"WHERE'S THE BLACKSMITH?! WHERE'S THE BLACKSMITH?!!!"

Bugze, I have changed the channel for him. He's no longer fanboying. You can stop now.

"MY LITTLE HUMAN IS TRASH! TRASH!" you spout one last time to get the crazy out.

"Well, that is the most rational thing said so far," one of the orderly shrugs.

You can't help but grin at this, as well as for getting all that crazy out, as you think,

Great! With me in solitude I'll have no one watching me, perfect time to snoop around. Watch out Knights, I'm coming for you....

MEANWHILE SOMEWHERE IN THE ASYLUM

Grey Rebl's Comment

“It’s almost time~” The voice is an echo, hollow but layered with multiple voices of hunger, glee and cold contemplation.

There is no reply in the dark room. The only illumination in it is a mere lava lamp that lays upon a desk. It glows an eerie red, a mysterious black blob floating as it slowly reaches the ceiling of the lamp. The curtains are closed. The rumbling thunder clouds are invasive. The room is large but only adds to the emptiness all around.

The same person says, “Most of Equestria believes that things are fine in this world, that even with all the incidents it has suffered it’s all fine… But no. Celestia keeps them ignorant from the truth...running away. Running and running and running…,” he trailed off. He leans back on his chair, and it squeaks and echoes in the empty room. He sighs dramatically. “When will she ever get tired of it? It’s quite maddening, you know? Tell me, Rebl, what do you think?”

A snort comes from the side. “I think it’s about the end of my break time, and not the time to listen to the preachings of a senile old fart, Erised.”

“Ah, youngsters. Never giving their respect to the elderly and their worldly wisdom,” laments Erised with a buzz in his voice.

“If you really want to know, it’s bucking annoying,” Grey growls. “All this talk about the Crimson Knights and terrorism: It’s a Gorram joke. They treat the Knights as though they’re like some grand order that’ll end the status quo. Too bad the truth is that most of us don’t really care about some higher purpose, not since Flag Burner's death.

“The populous acts like some obedient whorse and keeps on getting screwed over with whatever bullspit the government feeds them, trying to get them to be “aware” and vigilant or bucking whatever. The incompetent bucks don’t even know what they’re saying either. The Royal Idiots need a better hobby than beat what’s already dead.”

“Well, well, well isn’t this a surprise. You seem to care about something.”

“Make no mistake. I don’t give a flying buck about the Hooded Offender's ideals nor your gorram fanaticism for him. You’re on your own.” Grey Rebl then chuckles. One can imagine a cruel smile behind the darkness. “I’m just here to break some bones for a bit of release.”

“...oh really?” Erised replies darkly. Although jovially, he was suddenly a hornets nest waiting to erupt. Almost as low as a whisper, he says, “What villainous talk. If it weren’t for your assignment by the higher ups and their orders, even though you're a Knight Leader, I would’ve killed you for your disloyalty and misdemeanor, you Mad Dog.”

“Wanna try me, you hypocr--!” Grey seethingly starts, but Erised abruptly shushes him before he can utter another word.

“Hush now, quiet now! We can’t start a fight now before we can get real now, now can we? Especially now that all the others have been captured.”

Grey speaks between his teeth, “Yes. That’s right.”

“Good that we’ve reached an understanding~,” Erised jeers.

“Tch! We’re done here.” There is the clopping of hooves, leading to an exit.

“Hm? Where are you going now?”

“I've got what every leader of a group has, or rather what we should have: motherbucking responsibilties.”

As though it is a major revelation, Erised elevates. “Oh! That’s right! You DID have such a mighty temper.” There is definitely a sarcastic smile behind the voice. “How can I forget that, I wonder?”

There is a pause. “Buck you,” Grey Rebl ends, and the door creaks as it opens and closes, clicking shut.

"I'll be talking to you through the public speakers soon!" Erised replies cheerfully.

Erised is alone now. Even so, he snickers a little from his own amusement to Grey’s reaction. He slows to a content sigh.

He opens his eyes “Soon, Celestia will know what Tartarus truly is as Equestria. Falls. Dark.”

The black blob drops. After all, blood is thicker than water. The blob consumes the entire space as there is nothing left of the red glow of the lava lamp, dimming until it’s as dark as the chuckles of the sole remaining occupant of the room, the darkness as maddening as his growing laughter.

BACK WITH YOU

SnapDrakeGames's Comment

The orderlies lead you to a cell. It's white and padded, which was about what you were expecting. "Enjoy your stay," the ponies say at the same time, before closing the door. You can hear their hoofsteps echoing down the corridor as they leave.

Well, you've successfully infiltrated Arkhay Asylum. Now you just have to find the Crimson Knights and take them down. First, however, you're going to need to open this door, preferably without garnering notice. You tap on the door to test its strength, but to your surprise, the door easily creeks open with a single shove. Did the orderly forget to lock it? Is the lock broken? Does it even lock in the first place?

You're a little worried by the unsettling implications of this, but you've got a job to do. It's not exactly a job you're looking forwards to though. SnapDrake and Brown Dog might've been pushovers, but the Crimson Knights have still given you some of the toughest fights of your life. A deadly video-game maze, a Nightmare-fueled mind attack, a full-on kaiju fight. Now, in one of the most terrifying places in all of Equestria, you can only imagine what the Knights could be getting up to.

You're trotting cautiously through the hallways, searching for any sign of the Knights, while simultaneously keeping an eye out for any orderlies or guards. Not catching sight of anything, you turn down another door and enter a dimly-lit highway lined with cells.

You take a step in and then jump backwards in fright as a pony throws itself against their cell bars. "Hey there, friendo. I fear you won't be making out of this place in one piece." He gives a mad laugh, and though his face is shrouded in darkness, you swear you can see his frenzied eyes glowing.

"You've got that right, friend," another voice hisses, this one from behind you. "I want to know what he look like on the inside." A foreleg reaches for you between the bars, a pony with tally marks scarring their flesh, riddling their legs and body. You probably don't want to know what exactly the tallies count.

Needless to say you're out of that room before the inmates can get another word in. You want to get out of this Asylum as quick as possible. Slinking down another hallway, you're surprised to see a group of ponies strolling by. They don't seem to react to your appearance and they seem to be wearing all-white outfits... are they escaped patients?

"Yo yo, Sheldon! My dude, buddy, hey, it's been forever, long time no see," one of the ponies rambles, stumbling towards you. "Sheldon, how's it been? You up for poker night, the stallions and I were just heading into town?"

"What?" you mumble confusedly, trying to figure out if you should do something here.

"Hey, that doesn't look like Sheldon to me," one of the others pipes up. "More like that other guy. What was his name... Biff- no, Bob. Bob!"

"Bob?" the first one asks. "Bob. Bob! BOB!!" His leisurely smile warps into a feral grimace as he surges forwards and clamps his hoofs around your neck. Your airway suddenly cut off, you give a brief struggle, shocked at the sudden attack. One of the other patients pulls him off of you before you can do anything more.

"Stephen, no! Remember the words of the coat-lady. Hustle. Loyalty. Respect," the pony advises.

"The pact of the skygods is fraying. You must learn to resist the demon bubbling inside you or their favor shall shift," another warns.

"Yeah... yeah, you're right," the first patient stammers. "Yo Bob, we're cool. Come on, let's go for poker." He doesn't say anything more, instead wandering away with his entourage. He walks up to a door and walks through, even though the sign says employees only. You can barely believe the lack of security. What sort of mental institution is this place?

Shaking off the growing fear you feel, you continue down the hallway. Eventually, after many other hallways and dodging many more crazy inmates, you come across...

Kichi's Comment

An...art room? At least you think it is. It has artsy things in it like paint and paper, but it was so rotten and dirty that it was hard to tell. The only thing really clean in the room...were some page spreads from the Dark Offender...and they look to be recently drawn. Your eyes widen in surprise at this as you mutter,

"What the buck?"

Curiosity getting the better of you, you walk over to the pages to look at them. What you see is an image of you in Phase 4, fighting King Sombrero in the Crystal Empire. The next shows you beating the snot out of the Cattle Rustlers, and in one panel it shows...you drowning a mare who looks like Aqua. You wince at that, and look at the final page. It shows Prince NoBalls staring wide eyed at your Nightmare Cloak back in Vanhoover.

"How... Is this real? This... This can't be" you mutter

I'm not sure my bug. The comics you read before hand were but embellishments of what you've done...but these, these are events nopony knows about. I don't detect any magic about them...

"Then how the heck is some crazy person drawing them?"

I do not know truthfully. I have some memory of Oracles and Seers, but they were just myths and legends as far as I know, She says just as confused as you are.

"Yeah? Well you were one two and look how that turned out," you point out.

Touche, she admits. Thankfully it only appears to be following events from when we use the cloak, otherwise this author would be rather troublesome to us.

"Yeah, but it's still creepy. Let's just get out of here before I bump into an order-"OOMPH"

And lo and behold, you bump into a orderly. You gulp slightly at his blank face as he grabs you and says,

"Naughty patient, who let you out of your nice quiet room? Time to go back silly patient."

You gulp at this as the orderly begins to drag you back. As he does you can't help but think,

I wonder if this is how the Knight's I captured are treated like, cause if so...I might feel slightly guilty...Slightly. I wonder if those last three got imprisoned yet?

MEANWHILE IN A SECRET LOCATION, ABOUT A WEEK AGO

SnapDrakeGame's Comment

Brown Dog's Comment

The Pony Spartan's Comment

Kichi's Comment

Kichi sits, leaning against the wall, counting the thin grooves that laced the ceiling. In another cell, Silver Strange curls up, trying to nap on the cold prison floor. Rutherford eyes a fly that has made its way into the secret prison, watching with interest as it lazily flies loops in and out of the surrounding cells- that is, until Solarkness pounces and snaps the fly up with a single gulp.

"Hey, I was watching that," Rutherford snarls.

"And I'm hungry," Solarkness shoots back. "These ponies don't seem to understand the concept of carnivores. I need to get some red meat in my system or else I'll have to shrink my form again. Fish just doesn't cut it!"

"Would you lot shut up? I'm trying to go to sleep," Silver mumbles, tossing and turning on the floor.

The conversation is cut short though as, with a burst of noise, a group of guards enter, eagerly jabbering away. At the center of their conversation: "And then the barber said, 'Welp, you know me. Hate to cut and run!'" Brown Dog smiles as all the guards again burst out in laughter, though they do lead Snap and him to their cells.

"Brown! Snap! Aren't you a sight for sore eyes," Silver says happily.

"Silver buddy! Long time no see!" Brown Dog waves.

Rutherford and Solarkness facepaw/claw and shake their heads at their entrance.

"Brown Dog? Snap Drake? The Bounty Hunter finally got a hold of you?" Kichi pipes up.

"Well, yes and no," Snap says. "We turned ourselves in."

The others in the cells are all quiet for a moment before they shout.

"WHAT?!!!"

"Well With Keresy out, we aren't getting paid anymore...hey look there's that fat buck now!" he says looking at Kersey hooked up to his medical equipment in his room. "He's never looked better, but yeah Dog and me didn't really fancy a brawl."

"Yeah, plus it was worth it for those reactions," Brown Dog chuckles.

"You turned yourselves- Luna, that's just like you two. At least I went out after my whole base was on fire and-" Kichi groans.

"Hello Kichi, good to see you again..." a voice pipes up as Changer comes in, accompanied by another group of guards.

Kichi's eyes widen in fear, while the other previously captured Knights' (minus Sliver, the changeling informant, and Kersey) eyes widen in shock at the voice. The Knights look from their specially design cells to see Changer looking left and right at them all.

"Y-you...you..." Kichi says with fear and anger.

"Yes. Me," Changer smiles evilly.

He then turns to the other cells at the Wyvern and Timberwolf, who have widened eyes.

Solarkness is just slack-jawed while Rutherford mouths 'Spartan' in disbelief.

"What is this undead traitor doing here?" Kichi exclaims.

"Oh, yeah, guess who didn't actually die via accidental explosion guys!" Brown Dog chastises.

"Yeah, 'Cut it out you two. He's dead you guys. There's nothing we can do for him now' Ha! Who's the idiots now?" Snap condescends.

The two idiots still don't exactly wipe away the shocked looks on Solar and Rutherford. They didn't really believe Kichi before, but now there's no denying it. Spartan is alive.

Their shocked looks makes Changer chuckle darkly. He is further led down near his cell, where he sees the comatose Kersey.
He smiles at this, but raises an eyebrow when he sees two unknown changelings, one female, one male.

"Who the buck's this weirdo?"

"Old friend of ours we thought was dead. Before your time Silver," Brown Dog explains.

Still, Changer smirks to himself before he says,

"That's right. I'm back now," Changer exposits to the room. You're all in here with me, helpless and- hey, wait! Stop!" A guard shoves him, interrupting his speech, before he dumps Changer in an empty cell right between Brown and Snap.

"Huh, guess no monologuing allowed," Snap theorizes.

"Hey, wait! No! I wasn't finished! I've come this far, I can't have my revenge foiled by a set of prison bars! No! Come back here!" The guards depart without much fanfare, though they do wave to Brown Dog as they exit, one of them standing guard at the end of the hallway.

"..." Changer glares at the retreating guards as he slumps back into his cell. He calms himself down though and sits on the floor of his cell, meditating. There is silence once again.

"...So...He's alive after all huh?" Rutherford chimes in.

"Yuperooni," replies Snap Drake.

"I told you he was!" Kichi replies indignantly.

"Yeah, but we usually take what you say with a grain of salt," the Wyvern snarks back.

"Ugh, whatever. He's alive and a traitor, and nowhere near as funny as he used to be," Kichi harumphs.

"What's the deal with that by the way? How'd he even get captured?" Solar asks.

"Oh, well he's all gung ho about vengeance on you guys for leaving him to die, so he turned himself in, probably to try and kill all ya," Brown replies nonchalantly.

"Hey, we thought he was dead!" the timberwolf replies back.

"Well yeah, that's all you kept saying when Brown and I searched!"

"I'm a timberwolf! Fire and I don't mix well!"

"Well let's just agree to disagree then," Snap says and it gets quiet once more.

After awhile of no one saying anything, Rutherford speaks up.

"...So, Brown Dog. The guards seemed pretty friendly with you."

"Eh, they're not so bad, they let me keep my shades. Wish they'd loosened the cuffs a little, but Iron Side has a good sense of humor, ironically enough."

"They took my sword," Snap mutters.

"Your sword sucks," Solarkness growls. "When have you ever used it to any useful effect? Sure it's vaguely magical, but it's also completely useless."

"You have a sword, Snap?" Silver asks, confused.

Snap lets out a groan, and another couple seconds of silence tick by. "I spy, with my little eye-" an outburst of moaning cuts him off as the rest of the Knights seethe with boredom. "You know, maybe this wasn't such a good idea."

"Hey, can I get a beer?" Brown Dog shouts.

The guard sighs before saying,

"For the last time Brown Dog, no!"

"Ugh, come on man! Can you at least let me bunk with my pal Snap?"

"Again, no."

Brown Dog give's a angry grunt before he says,

"Come on! I'm about to detox here after literal months of drinking and eating drugs. The least you can let me do is annoy my friends as I do so!"

The guard though doesn't give in so the Diamond Dog is left in his cell, seperated from Snap with Changer in the middle, and the messenger to his other side of him. Luckily, Silver's cell is right in front of him.

"So Silver buddy, how have you been?"

"I've been better boss, Kichi got me captured!"

"OH WAY TO DROP THE BALL KICHI!" Snap yells.

"Hey! I did not get anyone captured!" groans Kichi.

“Bullspit, then you ratted out the others,” Silver exclaims.

"Hey! I honestly thought Solarkness and Rutherford could take him. It was your fault for blurting out Solar’s name in the first place!”
Solarkness rolls his eyes at the bickering.

"Yeah, well you were the superior, you should of have known better," Silver adds.

"B-But...You guys turned yourself in!" Kichi yells back.

"Yeah, so? Didn't mean you had to let Silver get captured! He's a good kid!"

He just shakes his head in bafflement at their argument.

"Fine, ignoring the that, I was also on the ropes thanks to Spartan who helped that bounty hunter capture me and destroy my base!" Kichi complains.

They all hear the sound of a jaw clenching in said pony's cell.

"Eh, was bound to happen eventually, oh and better cut out on the nickname, he's all sensitive about it an now. Only let's friends use it."

"No I don-" the sorcerer starts.

"So yeah, besides that, how's prison life Silv?"

"Eh it's not so bad, I'm not starving or anything, and I met Candy here. She's pretty cool," Silver says.

"Candy?" Brown Dog says in confusion, before looking towards the Changeling female. "Oh, the bug girl I assume?"

"Yeah, that was her codename. She was Kersey's messenger in Vanhoover."

"Hi," she says from her cell.

"Nice to meet ya," Brown replies.

"Huh, funny how many changelings are in the Knights isn't it?" Snap Drake ponders.

"Will you two shut up?! I'm meditating," Changer growls.

"Alright fine...Hey Rutherford, Solar, when's your movie coming out again?"

"Probably never since you two unleashed Beigh and Shamalamadingdong onto Applewood," Solar growls.

"Yeah, ICE guys! How many times did I have to tell you? Ice is what you needed!" Rutherford chastises.

"Eh, whatever. We ended the franchise, so it's fine," Snap Drake reasons.

"Why is no one else harping on the fact that Spartan's a traitor?" Kichi exposits.

"Do your friends...always bicker like this?" Candy asks.

"Yeah, but what else are we gonna do?" Silver replies.

"You guys don't know what quiet means do you?..." Changer sighs.

The bickering would continue for quiet some time, much to Changer's annoyance.

Anyway, that's enough of the Knights spotlight, back to you (Bugze)!

BACK WITH YOU

We now find you back in the white padded room from before with the orderly just shutting the door while saying,

Grey Rebl's Comment

Erised the ink-moth's Comment

“Your doctor will be with you soon.”

The door closes and it creaks, loudly. It eerily echoes throughout the room.

When you hear the hoofsteps fade, you sigh. You’re now in an isolated room with nothing but the white padding meant to protect the patients. Well, not really. The Asylum is kind enough to supply a clock to the room, high up so that you can’t even reach it. It’s definitely better than nothing.

“Although, I can kinda make do without the insane voices of my neighboring inmates…,” you say out loud.

It’s true. There are cries of voices in their heads, begging them to stop. There’s the inane cries of the schizophrenics and the incohesive ramblings of the paranoid. Yet, somehow, someway, you’re a bit fine with it. You feel a bit of kinship with them instead.

You facehoof and sigh harder. “Is it sad that I’m actually used to this sort of thing?” you grumble.

A snort came from your mindscape, and you know there’s no need for words for that statement.

You opt to stare at the clock. May as well watch the time pass, if there’s nothing else better to do---aaand the minute hand suddenly went backwards. Your eye twitches and a sense of deja vu comes over you.

“ARE YOU BUCKING KIDDING ME?! Even the time is all jacked up! No wonder this Asylums sucks!”

“Huh. I guess I have another angry case,” a voice comes from behind the door.

You go stiff, eyes wide. “Oh mother of Luna. Please no.” You don’t want turn around, you don't want to confirm your suspicions.

“Well, it can’t be helped,” begins the cheery voice. “Why don’t we settle this over lunch? Food can help us from being cranky. It sloshes over the crank for anger and eases it down. Our therapy session can start there.

Slowly, you force yourself to turn around. “Pleasedon’tbehimpleasedon’tbehimplea--” You see him and you turn pale. “Noooo! You! Why you?! Why does it have to be you?!”

Your “doctor” lights up. “Ah! BST! It’s been awhile! Gee, I didn’t think we’d meet again so soon with you being dead and all. Then again, you kinda are crazy…”

“Salver, you quack, you are the last person I want to hear that from!” you yell.

Dr. Quack Salver just smiles through the bars of the cell door, ignorant of your plight. “Well, hello to you, too!”

"Qu-Quacksalver!?" You sputter in shock, "What are you doing here?"

"I am doing my duty as a Doctor!" Doctor Quack declares proudly, "Everyone in here is suffering from a severe variant of circulatory and pulmonary choke-y-itis! Those poor ignorant psychiatrists assume these ponies are just crazy, and locked them away in here. But little do they know, insanity is merely an advanced symptom, which could quickly lead to brain strangliotosis! Thus I have taken it upon myself to cure them, by any leeches necessary." then his eyes snap back to you. "But enough about my amazing exploits, what have you been doing since I last saved your life and you died?"

"Well for your information I've been hunting down a group of cultist gangleader terrorists so they don't destroy Equestria as we know it," you tell him. "...It's been a pretty wild ride. In fact, two of them are supposed to be hiding out in this very asylum, plotting something. You haven't heard the names Grey Rebl and Erised, have you?"

You realize if Quacksalver has been here 'treating' patients, he's probably bumped into the Knights at least once. Heck, he might be able to lead you right to them!

"I have heard those names."

Your eyes widen in delight as he says this. "Really?! When?! Where?!"

"From you just now!" He says with a winning smile.

You deflate. "Thanks a lot."

"Hmm," Quack says with an inquisitive look at you, "you seem to have suffered premature excitement, and now the excess is just evaporating out your mouth and leaving you with the byproduct. You need food in your belly more than ever to counteract the effects! Come!"

With that, Quack dashes off, only pausing for a moment to beckon you to follow.

"Quack! Hey wait up, I'm stuck in here!" you say, pressing your face against the bars. "You gotta let me ouuuuu-t."

As you were screaming for help the door to your cell got bumped and slowly creaked open. "It was unlocked this whole time? Again?" you say, feeling your eye twitch again. "What kind of cut-rate asylum is this?!"

Since no one sane is around, your answer just bounces off the walls.
However, all is not quiet.

"Food," you hear one of the inmates mutter as he clutches his head in pain. "Time... for food now."
He starts staggering his way down a hallway, and is quickly joined by several others. Many of them bump into you as their rooms empty. Realizing something's up, you decide to follow them into the now crowded hallways.

You're starting to regret this decision as more and more inmates brainlessly shamble past you, and you find yourself getting more and more boxed in, a single drop of water in the sea of the mentally ill, all moaning about food.

"I'm getting serious flashbacks to every zombie movie ever right now. Including my ACTUAL zombie experiences."

Trying to fight the tide seems pretty useless, so you just let them carry you to wherever they seem to be headed.

I sure hope I'm being led to actual lunch though, then I can meet up with Aqua afterward. I need to get my gear back ASAP.

Meanwhile In the Waiting Room

Aqua and Nightshade are in the waiting room of the institution holding a cake with his gear inside. In hindsight, maybe it's not necessary considering the lax atmosphere. The decor is horrid. There's litter everywhere and the walls need a paint job, badly. The dying plant in the corner doesn't help the mood of the room. Heck, even the absentminded desk attendee seems to fit the scenery.

The only sound in the waiting room is the ticking of the clock, and even then the time does not seem to be right. Shouldn’t it be around lunch time? She’s too afraid to mention it. Nightshade might reignite another food crisis, for this rundown Asylum in particular.

“You think the Crimson Knights are all bad?”
Nightshade’s sudden question comes as a surprise to Aqua. The implications as well takes a moment for her to process.

“Huh? Why do you ask that?”

“Well...that last bounty went awfully well, right?”

“Yeeaaah…” Aqua would rather not grace the bounty a description, let alone recall it.

Nightshade continues. “It makes me think back with you and Daddy. You both fought each other. Now you think Daddy isn’t all that bad! And viscera, visa!”

“Vice versa,” Aqua corrects.

“Yeah, that. That Diamond Dog and Pony Knight duo seemed alright, then why can't some of the other Knights?”

“I’m not sure if that should matter. If they’re a part of the Crimson Knights, then they’re criminals. Just another bounty to catch,” Aqua says nonchalantly.

Nightshade frowns. “Daddy is technically a wanted criminal, and you’re okay with him.”

Aqua freezes, wide-eyed. She hasn’t forgotten. How can she? She still remembers the deadly fight they had back in the Crimson Hearthswarming and when he almost drowned her. Yet, here she is now, on friendly terms with the guy. In hindsight, their current relationship should be impossible. But still...

"There's a difference kid. Your dad doesn't actively go out of his way to hurt innocents and cause mayhem. The list of Knights so far can't claim that. One ran a mob syndicate while also kidnapping and brainwashing children, two were nearly killing innocent actors all for propaganda, one used his ego to trash the city, and those last two did crash the stock market and cause the destruction of Applewood," Aqua says.

Nightshade takes all this info in and looks to the floor in thought.

"Your dad, sure he's destructive...maybe even a bit crazy. But unlike these guys, he doesn't want this life. These Knights signed up even after the whole Fillydelphia crisis. They knew what they were getting into," Aqua says with Conviction.

"Yeah, OK. I think I get it. There is a difference, even when it's hard to see," Nightshade replies.

"Damn straight kid. And I guarantee these next two guys got it coming too."

"Probably...So when is daddy getting here? I want to eat that cake already!" Nightshade groans.

"It's not for eating kid," Aqua exclaims.

"Just one nibble!"

At that, Nightshade continues on with a torrent of pleads. Aqua groans, cursing C.V. for putting her up to this.

BACK WITH YOU

"Huh. So it actually is lunch." To your surprise, it happens to be the cafeteria you arrive at. The inmates shove you through the line with them, a tray and soupbowl conveniently dropping in front of you before it's filled with... some kind of soup. You're not sure what kind it is, and the lunch ladies don't seem to be much help, going through the motions as the lunch rush gets into full swing.

You get deposited at a table with a few other inmates...and Doctor Quacksalver.

"Ah, so you decided to join me, good. I knew you were suffering from hungriitis," he says as he slaps your back.

Oh Luna, just kill me now...

As if she could.

He looks down at your bowl of soup and grimaces.

"Woof. You're willingly going to eat crazy person food? I know you suffer from hungriitis, but at least have some standards. Like me," he says as he lifts up a lunch pale and takes a bottle of Jack Spaniels out of it.

"That's your lunch? There's no food," you declare.

"Nah, that's fine. Food makes me sick," he says before chugging on it.

Your eyes widen as he drinks it like water, till he stops, and gives you a funny look.

"Hi Everypony~" he says as his eyes unfocus, "Be sure to cure your hungritis with your crazy people food. I'm gonna go schmooze with Nurse Ratchet..." he sways as he gets up and goes towards a mare with a stern look on her face.

Rolling your eyes, you look around to the other inmates.
They are all slurping down their soup straight out of the bowls like their lives depended on it.

"Make the pain stop master! You are within me again. Make it stop!" a mare shrieks crazily as she throws her empty bowl on the floor.

"Geez. These ponies clearly don't get fed enough," you note while looking at your own bowl. You chance taking a sniff, and wretch at the coppery stench filling your nose.

"What is this slop their feeding us?!"
You wrinkle up your nose at the thought of having to eat this, and consider just tossing it. Maybe Quacksalver had the right idea. But then you realize you might be in here awhile. Having not found anything wrong here besides the horrible conditions, and on que your stomach growls its opinion.
Holding your nose and sticking your tongue to the roof of your mouth, you pick up the bowl and shoot it down in only three quick gulps.

"Huh..." you smack your lips together, "That actually wasn't bad at all. Tastes like tomato bisque."

Suddenly you feel yourself lurch forward as a migraine burrows into your skull. "Gah! What the-"

Bugze! Selena shouts. Something is trying to assert its control over you, but I'm blocking it out. What just happened?

I dunno! you mentally shout back. Then you hear something gnawing in your mind: a deep, scratchy voice.

Eat. Consume. Submit. Eat. Consume. Submit.

You feel no urge to do as it says, which you gratefully thank Selena for, but it's constantly there, clear and sinister.

"Oh Luna! This is crazy person food!"

Suddenly you hear a break of static from the loudspeakers overhead, and the very same voice comes through.

"Grey! Hey! I know you can hear me, so stop beating on whoever you're beating on today and listen up, it's almost time. Just wanted to get your opinion on this letter before I send it off."

Your eyes widen at this. No way...

Erised clears his throat loudly into the mic.

"Dear Princess Celestia,

I'm disappointed in you... so very deeply disappointed. You are far too soft to rule a nation like Equestria. And no, I am not referring to the texture of your sickeningly silky white coat. Neither you, nor your guards seem to know what it means to be leaders, defenders, or upholders of justice. Not only have I skimmed enough history books to know of your borderline pacifist nature, but I've seen it in action. Rather than destroy threats to your people's safety, you simply send them away for a thousand years and let someone else handle them when they come back. Instead of executing dangerous criminals, you instead try in vain to reform them to the side of 'good'."

You look around at the other inmates, and even the staff, and they are listening with full attention. The voice continues.

"Pardon my language, but what the actual buck?

This is a dangerous thing you do, risking the safety of your people just to keep blood off your hooves. Tougher ponies than you have done what was best, even if it was messy, and you brand them monsters... Monsters for wanting to keep people safe. If you ever knew what it was to be a protector, you've clearly forgotten. It's time you and your pathetic guards learned."

"Learned what?..." you mumble in fear.

"Arkhay Prison in it's entirety is under the control of the Crimson Knights, every one of its former inmates is now one of my soldiers, their madness is my might. Every mistake you ever made in sparing these psychopaths is going to come back to bite you unless you can muster the balls to storm in here with your guards and put a stop to us. Permanently."

You look all around you in a panic, but still, all of the inmates continue to pause and listen.

This is bad! So very bad!

"Yours truly, Erised of the Crimson Knights."

There's a short pause on the intercom before Erised starts up again,

"Do you think that sounds condescending and judgmental enough, or just long-winded and boring? I think I need to add a few more lines about Celestia's fat flank before I send it. Anyway, get on the nearest intercom and let me know, then tell the grunts below to suit up, and start passing out weapons to the inmates. I'll send the letter with one of our craziest messengers. That'll get their attention, but it will still be awhile, and we need to prepare. When Celestia does get here, we're gonna show that coward of a ruler who the real heroes of Equestria are, and what happens to the pretenders."

Erised's voice in your head starts chanting a new command.

Prepare. Destroy the pretenders. Prepare. Destroy the pretenders.

All of the inmates, and even a bit of the staff rise up, some of them spouting out the same words, others twitching and some get up and start running around.

Quacksalver still drunkenly walks around, but everyling else has gone mad...der

Erised and Grey Rebl are here, they've got an army of crazy people, they're gonna try and call out the Royal Guards soon, and I'm stuck right in the middle of it without my gear.

You raise your hooves in the air and shout

"Bu-"

"BUCK YOU LADY LUCK!!!" you are interrupted by Quacksalver, doing his own cry to the heavens. You give him an incredulous look and he looks back at you in confusion.

"What? Ratchet had a boyfriend."

WHAT DO YOU DO?

Special Ending Theme:

Author's Note:

And thus, let the crazy begin! AHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAH!

Hey Hive Mind, DWC here!

Sorry for the mess up with the schedule, I promise it won't happen again.

Special opening and ending provided to you by my awesome editor BrownDog! Give a round of applause people, he's earned it!

A few rules for the Arc, you know the usual:
1. No guards or royals just yet, let the crazy set in first
2. No killing of course, but stealth attacks are allowed
3. There's a voice in your head trying to coax you to listen to you, so feel free to use that to your advantage's. Here's a good example of a character who mind bucks ya
4. Have fun and go crazy, for reals this time!

Last chapter's question answer is...

Looks like most of you went with Pinkie, which I can't blame you there. However I personally believe that The Animaniacs are the craziest people of t.v, but that's just me.

This chapter's question is...

What is the best Mind-Control plot?

Mind-Control has been used from books to the big scene, but which one had used it the best? You tell me!

The next chapter will be posted Tuesday, at the latest Wednesday according to the schedule, please comment before hand!

This has been DWC, signing off!

Comments

[Kersey475]

If you get cornered by some crazies, use FUS RO DAH to clear them out.

===========

Notice that the Asylum has quite a few conveniently-placed Gargoyle statues near the celings. Getting an idea from one of your favorite video games, you use Sombra's shadow-whip-thingy to grapple onto the top of one of the Gargoyles. You use the shadowy whip to dangle upside-down from the statue and when a crazy unicorn with a crossbow gets close enough, you quickly use the shadow as a bungee to drop down, grab the lunatic, and pull him back up. As you dangle the lunatic by the throat you demand,

"Tell me what you know nutjob!"

"The plastic tips at the ends of shoelaces are called aglets. Their true purpose is sinister!" he rants.

"Well that was useless." you snark as you let go of the crazy, causing him to land on his head on the hard Asylum floor below, knocking him out.

You repeat this on a few more lunatics that come to investigate the unconscious unicorn, but their info is no better;

"You will never make me tap-dance, giant mime fairy of the llama-people!"

"I am the walrus, Goo goo g' joob!"

"WE'RE ALL JUST REFERENCES IN A PIECE OF MEDIOCRE FAN FICTION COLLABORATED BY A BUNCH OF FREAKS CALLED BRONIES!"

Until you get tackled off the Gargoyle by a Pegasus who you proceed to knock away with a Falcon Punch before running off.

==================

Welp, time for Nightshade to do what she does best... FALCON KICK EVERYPONY IN THE NARDS!

==================

Quacksalver runs out of liquor and decides to go get some more. Surprisingly, he's able to nonchalantly dodge and avoid every inmate in his path.

==================

Nightshade throws the cake with The Inventory to you, but it's snatched in mid-air by a lunatic pegasus who declares,

"I have found the arc of eternal youth!" as he flies by, several items spilling out of the saddlebags and out a nearby window due to his crazy flight pattern.

"My stuff!" you declare.

"No time for that!" Aqua says as he pulls you along.

Well, I'm naked, missing my stuff, and I can't use the Nightmare Cloak while that murderous voice is in my head. you think as you begin to give chase ot the pegasus, Guess it;s back to basics... What are my basics again?

[Master of Shadows]

The voice tells you to come to the office where Erised is in to help him with writing the letter.

[Kichi]

Bugzee run to Quacksilver and begin to shake him

"Come on Quack, you are my last hope, you are a doctor, you can do something!" Say Bugzee to Quacksilver

"My good friend, what is the problem? everything is okay, you just need to relax" Say Quacksilver without worry as he drink from a bottle of licour

"The problem is that there is war coming, the food is brainwashing everyone to declare war to Celestia, you need to do something! Call for help! Call for the Elements! Supermare! Whoever! But do something!" Shout Bugzee a little horrorified.

"Ummm, Paranoia... That is a new symptom my dear Bugzee, care to talk with me about it?" Ask Quacksilver like nothing

"Did you not hear me? You need to get out and search for help" Shout Bugzee, making others look at him

As Bugzee can see that he is not going to get help from Quacksilver he groan and try another plan.

"Let's see... Maybe I can knock out everyone?" Ask Bugzee to himself

"You are alone, I don't think you can knock them out, too many people and they could be then aware of the plan" Say Selena

"Kill them, that is the best you can do... Bath yourself in their blood" Say a voice inside Bugzee head

"Okay... Creepy... Can't you do something? at this rate my head is going to become a hotel for spirits" Ask Bugzee

"Not easy... It's hard to find, and at the moment I begin to look one side, I can feel it destroying the jail of Sombra, forcing me to repair it" Say Selena

"Hi, I heard about this little hotel around, Is there any room free?" Say suddenly a mysterious voice inside the head of Bugzee

"NO" Answered at the same time Bugzee and Selena and he could feel the presence dissapear.

"Okay... Let's try something else..." Bugzee begin to think and walk around, worried as he begin to listen whispers from the others.

"To die is to live... To die is to live... Yes... I want to kill... Die, Die, Die, Die... Brains, Brains, brains... Hastur, Hastur, Hastur, Hastur..." Mutter the voices as Bugzee walk around

Bugzee look worried as he begin to think himself in the middle of a zombie game or something similar with the hard difficulty and no weapons except the knife.

Meanwhile in Canterlot castle

Celestia receive the strange message and put it aside from her without reading.

"Are you not going to read it?" Ask Luna

"Don't worry sister, it must be another of those fan mail, you know how are the fans when they try to catch the attention" Smile Celestia

"Not at all, remember that a thousand years ago it was you the one that got the fan mail from the literate ponies, I could only get people sending me venom, or cultist or hate mail" Groan Luna

"Don't worry sister, times changed, I'm sure you will get more fan mail soon, I remember that young colt liked you very much" Comment Celestia smiling

Return to Bugzee

As Bugzee was looking around looking for a exist he stopped.

"Dear Celestia... Is that a Minotaur dancing with a Tutu?" Asked the three voices inside the head of Bugzee at the same time

Bugzee was really scared, he knew that he was going to see crazy things but a minotaur dancing with a pink tutu what seemed to be 'The Nutcraker' approaching him, something that he was thinking it was was very strange, until suddenly by surprise the Minotaur just took him and with a quick kick between his legs, Bugzee could feel his man pride shatter.

"Damn you lady luck" Muttered Bugzee in low voice as it was the only thing he could do as he watched the strange minotaur dancing around and doing the same to many other stallions.
-----

Many Mind control but I can't think of a specific one. Maybe the Black Blood of Soul Eater or a couple of Sailor Moon, but can't decide in one.

[Protomane]

The voice refers to a "feud of egos" that is apparently still to come.
SOMEWHERE ELSE.
Trixie coughs.

[Spike in mlp]

Sarens ship in mass effect also called sovereign slowly but surely indoctrinated anyone onboard to want to listen and do what he tells you to do

[The Rutherford]

After Quack proves to be less than helpful, an orderly comes to you and says that you have visitors. Thankful for a distraction, you go with him to find Aqua and Nightshade in the the waiting room. They are watching a movie, Alice in Wonderland, which you find to be ironically appropriate. After you let them know what's going on, you leave with your equipment hidden in the cake. Nightshade eats half of the cake and you find that the slice of cake you had has stopped the other voice in your head for a while. You then tell Aqua and Nightshade to make more cake, seeing as this will help the (now crazier) patients. Before you go, Nightshade gives you a strange device that attaches to your Power Glove.

Bugze: "What is this?"
Nightshade: "It is a grappling hook, like Batmane uses. I figure it will help you get around the Asylum quicker, and get to areas you normally couldn't. It is also quiet, the inmates won't hear you. Perfect for stealth take downs."
Bugze: "How did you find this?"
Aqua: "Actually, Nightshade and Mangle made it for you. I guess between her love of comics, cartoons, and video games and Mangle's advanced intelligence, they made you something that you can use to increase your fighting and stealth abilities."
Bugze: "Sweet!"
Selena: "I will have to tell her how proud I am of her after this is over."
Sombra: "The little overlord has given us a gift of the sneaky gods. We must use it well while we bask in her greatness by spilling the blood of the evil......and look at the pretty butterfly on the TV!"

You wonder what Sombra meant by butterfly, until you realize that the movie is showing the caterpillar has turned into a butterfly.

Best mind control plot...That is a much harder question than I initially thought. The first scene that comes to mind was the MLP EQG movie, with demon Sunset Shimmer mind controlling the High School, then I thought of Plankton's scheme where he controlled all of Bikini Bottom, and King Neptune, in the Spongebob Squarepants Movie. And while I know there are a lot more, those are the only two I can think of at this time.

[Lord Sergal]

Three words: Would You Kindly?

[Damaskus Seraph]

As you walk/run through the halls looking for the meeting room thing to get your gear, you must dodge and avoid many of the crazies, and you masterfully avoid them "flashback" inmate 1 simply walks past you as you him the mission impossible theme song while hiding behind a box" end flashback".
(Insert shenanigans or stuff)
You eventually make it to the waiting room to see aqua arguing with the only security guard in this place. Who suprisingly is a dragon.
Aqua: we're not leaving until we give this to our buddy
Dragon: didn't you hear what the intercom said? I started working here today and I wanna leave before the crazy guys attack or whatever, that means you have to leave too.
Bugze: hey Aqua you got my "cake"?
Aqua: yeah but this guy is saying we got to leave
Dragon: because yo-
Bugze: he's right you have to leave, some bad stuff is about to happen and the knights are in the middle of it. Their trying to turn the crazies into an army or something!
Dragon: wait what!
Aqua: WHAT!
Nightshade: does that mean I get cake?
Aqua: oh yeah here's your stuff *aqua gives stuff through meeting windiw thing but before bugzue can grab it the dragon takes it* wait what do you mean stuff? Are you sneaking stuff in here?!
Aqua: no...
Bugzue: yeah.. It's just a cake
Dragon: look you seem sane enough, I don't care if this has a baxooka in it, I'll help you with whatever your doing if you help me get out of here Alive.
Bugze: uh okay *takes cake and frosting covered gear* Uugh everything's gonna be sticky, Aqua, take nightshade and get out of here
Aqua: why can't you just come though the glass?
Dragon: this is magic resistant high density blah blah science stuff glass, its near impenetrable.
Bugze: oh great, the only security this place has is one guard and a few workers, and they choose this one spot to make impenetrable. Whatever, cmon lets go before the crazies find us, Aqua leave.
Aqua: no need to tell me twice *leaves with nightshade

[Fireheart 1945]

Begin looking for ways to disrupt the planned uprising. The doctors aren't going to listen to you (you are in a mental hospital, after all), so you're largely on your own here. Try to act via stealth, unless you want the inmates here to... well, it's probably not worth thinking about.

[Spooky Moon]

Long Fei and the Dai Li, From Avatar the last airbender that arc was my favourite of mind control arcs. To see how messed up Ba Sing Se is when it looks beautiful was shocking and still stays with me as my favourite.

[BrownDog77]

You try in vain to get out of the asylum, but the orderlies won't let you.

"What do you mean I can't leave?! I'm sane again, and we got bigger problems coming!"

"Get back to your room patient, visiting hours are over."

"Didn't you hear the dang intercom message?! All Tartarus is going to break loose soon!"

The orderlies look at you confused.

"What intercom message?"

"Don't listen to him, he's crazy. We don't have an intercom system..." says the other orderly.

Your eyes shrink at that.

"WHAT?! Of course there is! Erised just spoke over it!"

"Come along you," they grab you and drag you back to the recreation room.

While the patients wander around like zombies, the staff seem to be going about their job in a lax, trance like state.

They really don't know. They don't know what's coming, you think in worry.

It seems this Knight has not only infiltrated the minds of the insane, but of the staff as well, but in a different way.

Well there's got to be others in here that aren't just mind controlled. Grey Rebl for one, but there might be others.

Agreed. But for all these enthralled, we should proceed with caution, if they suspect us, they might swarm.

Well, time to be sneaky then...hopefully. Now if only I could get beyond this door and into the Asylum beyond.

"Hiya BST. Say, can you do me a solid? I need some more booze," Quacksalver interrupts your thoughts by putting a foreleg around your neck.

"Haven't you had enough? And if you hadn't noticed, this place is going to be turned into a powder keg pretty soon!"

"Well of course I noticed, but when faced with crazitus revoltus, all you need is some booze."

You begin rolling your eyes at this, before he suddenly puts a key card in your hoof.

"Here, this will get you to the staff locker rooms. My locker is 555, bring the Johnny Trotter," he says before he leans back in his chair and starts watching the movie with all the other patients.

"...Never thought I'd say this, but thanks Quacksalver," you say as you hide the keycard and sneak into the Employee Locker Rooms.

You do find his locker, and sure enough, there is quite a few bottles of booze inside. You take them, since you never know what's coming, as well as some...Ninja Stars?

There is a box with some ninja stars in them, and a note amidst them.

Hey Doc,
Thanks for the good time. Take these to remember me by. And don't you dare tell Red Heart, I still need this job!

Love,
Snow Heart.

You cringe at this note.

"Seriously? Quacksalver hooked up with Ninja Nurse? How the...Nope! Not going to think about this!" you shake your head in disgust.

"Though, I doubt he needs them right now," you say as you pocket the 20 Ninja Stars.

20 Ninja Stars
5 Bottles of Booze Added to Inventory

"Alright, I got a grappling hook, and now ninja stars. I'm shaping up to be a regular ol Batmane aren't I?"

As long as you aren't kill crazy and fall apart at the sound of your mother's name, then I will happily be your Catmare in this scenario,
she giggles.

You're kind of surprised about how geeky that was of her to say, but then you remember her new name did come about because of said comic characters. Just don't think about her in catmare's costume and...

*GONG*

Too Late!

Sorry, you chuckle nervously and blush.

As flattering as that image is, we should probably focus on the task at hand rather than what fictional characters we would look like,

Good idea

Can I be Peter? I like his red shirt

"No! We're talking about Batmane, not your humie trash!" you yell as you slam the locker and look around before he has a chance to start talking again.

Looking around, you find your key to getting out into the main asylum.

"An overly sized air duct...Why not?"

You grip the edges and try to pull with all your might...unfortunately it's not that easy to pull grating off with your bear hoofs. Luckily, you have a great equalizer.

"Boom Shacka Lacka!" you blast the grate open with your BoomStick and move through the vent before anyone can investigate.

Meanwhile With Aqua and Nightshade

After giving you your stuff and learning about the letter, they attempt to intercept the letter as the post mare flies into Tall Tale.

"Why are we worrying about the Princesses coming though? Aren't we still far from Canterlot?" Aqua asks.

"Yeah, but that's not where Princess Celestia is right now. She's one town over in Vanhoover still dealing with cleanup from 3 weeks ago," Aqua tells Nightshade as they tale the pegasus mare.

"Oh...so if the guards are alerted then..."

"She'll be here by Nightfall. And that's exactly what these Knights want! That's why we have to get that letter!"

"But wouldn't some guards be helpful with all those crazy ponies?"

"No, they'll be walking into a trap. Even if they get that note, we have to warn them!" Aqua pants.

[Grey Rebl]

"Well, lunch time is over. Time to resume our therapy session!" Quack cheerfully says.

You do a double take. "Wait, what?! Are you crazy?!"

"Now, BST, don't lump me in with my patients. I'm the doctor here."

"Nonono! This is serious! You can't just leave this alone and treat this as another case of---"

"Oh, I'm sure it's a part of their way of doing therapy."

Yet again, for the nth time today, your eye twitches. That has to be the dumbest thing possible, yet, reasonable as well. All of this can be considered the usual crazy stuff that happens in an asylum. Well, except for the horrible conditions. Most of all, it's just like Quack Salver, to treat certain things as viable treatments.

"...Quack Salver, you really ARE a quack."

Now, he definitely hears. However, it appears that he's heard of that line so many times, it seems to be the usual for him so he doesn't question your statement. All the while missing the meaning entirely. "Yes, yes. I know my name is Quack. Hmm, I may have to rediagnose you. It seems you're suffering from..."

You don't want to hear it. You grunt in frustration and decide to move on along. However, you are stopped by the sudden pull of your tail. Apparently Quack Salver can have a killer grip when buzzed by alcohol. As he starts to drag you away, you shout, "Hey! Let go! I have things to do! Important things!"

Quack turns to smile at you. "Don't worry. There's always time AFTER your sessions. Trust me, it's a pretty short and easy fix."

"I DON'T HAVE BUCKING TIME!"

He continues to ignore you from there on as you try to escape is grip. Even hitting him won't work! The alcohol imbued pain tolerlance has already kicked in! As you continue to be dragged through the halls, you shout angrily, "QUACK SALVEEEEEER!" It echoes. In the end, it sounds like the inane cries of one of the Asylum's patients.

------------
"Peace. Tranquility. Calmness. Feel your breathing. Listen to your heartbeat."

In a room, a circle of ponies, most of them on straight jackets, gathered around in an empty room. A pony in a doctor's coat in particular sits among the patients, eyes closed as he chants phrases about finding inner peace within madness. He didn't even seem to notice the glazed and ferals looks of the crazies, which occured when Erised made his annoucement.

Indeed, the room is in fact peaceful. Until, that is, the door slams open to reveal you and the quack.

"And this here should be it!" Quack shouts, breaking whatever peaceful silence there is.

The Pony Doctor in the room snaps his eyes open, revealing rage and fire and ice, to which to wince as you can sense the raw emotion from him. "...Quack Salver," he says in a cold voice, and, although sophisticated, he's obviously training his anger.

"Oh. Wrong room. Sorry there! Didn't mean to interupt your session!" Quack says, unflinching to the look of unbidden rage in front of him.

You take the opportunity to sneak away, but yelp as Quack's grips didn't even lessen.

The Pony Doctor scowls. "Yes, and if you call yourself a PROFESSIONAL doctor, you should know better than to both knock and NOT be drunk on the job." He then spats, "And yet you have the gal to insult our Asylum's procedures."

Quack Salver just shruggs uncaringly, taking another swig of the alcohol. "My only objection to the procedure of this asylum is their supposed diagnosis. But no worries, this doctor will fix their mistakes and save their reputation!"

You groan, feeling pity to this institution. Brainwashed or not, the Asylum is doomed. You say, "Okay, Quack? You're drunk. You should go home."

"Nope! Not until we finish your treatment, BST!" He then proceeds to leave the room as he drags you away and waves to the Pony Doctor. "Good day, Ratchet's boyfriend!"

"What the---how much did you kn--!" Before Ratchet's boyfriend can even reply, the door closes shut.

-------

It's through another trek through another hallway when you say, "C'mon, Doc! You have to let me go! People are going to die if I don't do something!"

"Don't be silly, Bugze. Nopony is going to die anytime soon just because YOU think so."

"The buck?! Aren't you supposed to be a be a doctor?! You know, save people?" When you finish, he suddenly stops. You smile, hope forming in you. "Have I finally gotten through to---?"

"Ah, I made another wrong turn."

You clamp your mouth shut, preventing yourself from killing him with a "Fos Roh Dah."

Quack puts a hoof to his chin thoughtfully. "Hmmm. By the way, I should warn you to not wander around these halls.'

"Huh?" you say, snapping you out of your murderous thoughts and then into confusion. "Why?"

Then, you hear it: The cries of pain and angiush. The cries scream of mercy and help, but obviously, no sane person may attempt it in fear whatever atrocities reside arond that very corner. Several shadowy figures rapidly swing in and out ominously, following the very movements of the people present. Along with it, though, is a voice of anger and glee.

"THERE WILL BE NO LITTTERING IN THESE HALLS! NEVEEEER!"

"...the buck?" you squeal out.

"Yeah, the Asylum's janitor can be like that. He's actually one of my patients, and I figured moping and cleaning the floors until they shhhine will do him good! That way, it'll reflect the shine into his cynical heart and he'll feel pretty bright about it." How he still continues on with a smile like that with whatever it is that's happening in front of him, you have no idea.

You think back to the general condition of the Asylum. "And what bang up job he's doing...this place is still a mess."

"Yeah! Isn't it great?" Quack buzzes. "For being the only janitor in the aslyum, he's doing well even though a lot of the patients make it all messy again, making him start over. But not once was he
detered!"

You hear the meaty smacks of heads slamming to the floor. "THESE HALLS WILL STAY CLEAN! CLEAN, I SAY! PER. FECT. LY. CLEAN!" For each vowel, you hear a wincing inducing hit.

You blink. "Well, no wonder he went crazy..."

Quack Salver just shakes his head. "No, he's actually getting better. He's getting less psychotic episodes now." He smiles cheekily at the statement, as if charmed for his success.

Judging by the psychotic laughter that sounds like a form of euphoric relief, you can understand why. You look at Quack Salver. "Can we PLEASE leave now?"

----

At this point, you consider giving up on trying to convince Quack Salver to not "help" you and instead opt to get over whatever messed up procedure he has procured and then be done with it. However, both you and Quack Salver are stopped by the appearance of an oddly sane pony. Well, sane in comparison to the rest at least.

Like the rest of the crazies, he's wearing a straightjacket. Unlike the rest of the crazies, he's being sneaky and inconspicious, learning against a wall along a corner. Ironically, the act of sneaking is what makes him so eye-catching in the first place.

"Ah. Idea! Let's ask of directions instead!"

"Do you even know your way around this place?!" Well, then again, neither do you. But that's besides the point. "And to ask a crazy no less! Are you out your bucking mind---wait no, don't answer that."

Suddenly, the inconspicious pony whips around and shout, "How many times do I have to say it: I'M NOT ONE OF YOU CRAZIES!" It's so loud that you can even hear it echo along the shallow halls, effectively destroing the illusion of stealth.

You sigh. "Let me guess: He's diagnosed for being too obnoxiously loud for no reason, so his therapy is to act as stealthily as possible in his free time?"

Quack looks surprised. "Actually, you got the therapy nailed down except for the diagnosis. You might become a good doctor after you are deemed sane enough."

'Hello Kettle. I am Tea Pot,' you thought. "Oh my bucking god don't---You know what? Let's ask him directions already," you finally say.

You both ask, and the loud pony blinks dumbly. He points to the wall right beside him, where a wall map is nailed into.

Yet again, you sigh.

----------

"Aaaand now we're here!"

"Finally! How long has it been?!" you ask retorically.

"Oh, you don't have to look out for time now. The treatment starts now!" Quack Salver trots gingerly into the therapy room with you trudging behind. You feel queasy by the droplets of some reddish-black substance on the floor, dried and spread out nearly everywhere. There's even some on the ceiling! Whatever the treatment is, it must've involve blood. And that terrifies you.

Before you can think of an escape plan, Quack opens a nearby drawer and pulls out something. It's alive.

"BUCKIGN LEECHES?! You were actually serious that time?!"
---------
When you finishe whatever messed up procedure there was, you went to leave, leaving Quack Salver to be in a drunk stupor. However, he stops you.

"I heard what you said about how doctors should help ponies."

Out of suprise, you stop and turn. "Huh?"

Drunkely, Salver says, "I shcan't always go thinkingsh that I can save everyponysh jush because I'm the onlys one, y'knows? That's too narrowminder, uh. I mean, obviously, with my great and superiour and great education and knowledge and me, I can, but even I need, like, uh need my assistants once in a while. Sometimes, you can't really bother helping ish when ish shappens. Shnot when there's other doctors in the world to do that very job. Don't give me so little credit that I can't reali---!"

You can only stare wide-eyed in amazement as Quack suddenly went from conscious to a snoring embarassment. Something tells you that the doctor isn't at all used to alcohol, and whatever's driving him, an optimistic guy, to drink must've been serious. Or maybe he's just being a quack. Even so...

"You're a quack...but you have good intentions." You turn back to leave, sighing solemnly. "Just like me, huh?"

-=-===-=-=-=

Aaand done. Holy crap, I didn't know that the due date was today until I got that one email from Brown Dog a few hours ago. I'm so sorry for posting late. It's pretty embarrassing for me, too. Again, sorry for posting late, and thanks for the heads up.

[Erised the ink-moth]

"This is bad. This is bad. This is really really bad." you think as all around you the inmates get more and more stirred up. Erised is mind-controlling all of them, and somewhere, Grey is arming not only them, but a force of Crimson Knight recruits as well. Now they're going to lure Celestia and her guards into a trap, and try to destroy them!

"What do we do?" you mutter. "What the BUCK DO WE DO?!" you scream, grabbing a random stallion and shaking him back and forth.

"Bugze, be calm." Selena tells you, "Our enemies have foolishly revealed their plans. There is still time to thwart them. Do not forget we have friends on the outside."

"Aqua and Nightshade!" you gasp. "I can tell them what's happening, and they can send a warning! Visiting hours should be happening soon, so I can talk to them then!"

"Or you could allow me to seize control." Sombra whispers, the effects of the drugs apparently wearing off. "Give the Ink-moth's blood to me, and through my power, his army shall be mine to control."

You blink. "Well why didn't you say so sooner?! Can you actually do that?" If he can, you could end this here and now. With the asylum under your control, you'd be able to force the knights to surrender, and nopony would get hurt.

"Indeed I can." Sombra chuckles evilly. "Yeeeessss... Slaveeeessss."

"Alright..." you say with a frown, "and what would you do with the inmates after we've beaten the knights?"

"I would lead them across Equestria to conquer- I mean... uh... We'd all get lemonade?"

"Yeah, that's what I thought. I don't trust you enough to give you an army. I bet you'd double cross us the second you get the chance, so no thanks." you tell the king. "I can do this without your help. We'll stop them, and we're going to do it the right way, with a good old-fashioned flank spanking!"

As you stomp your way out of the cafeteria, you can practically feel Sombra's scowling. Selena seems proud of you though.

---

When you get to the visitor's center, you find the place surprisingly empty. You guess the rest of the inmates don't actually use this place anymore, what with the whole mind control stuff. Still, there's a stallion in a prison guard outfit watching over the booths. He turns to you as you enter.

"Careful Bugze. We don't know the extent of Erised's power; he could be listening in through his minions."

Right as Selena warns you of this, the stallion approaches you. "What are you doing here?" he asks gruffly.

"I've uh... got some people waiting to talk with me." you tell him. Looking around you spot Nightshade and Aqua on the other side of one of the booths. "There they are! That's my daughter and my friend!"

The stallion rolls his eyes. "I thought we weren't supposed to be getting visitors anymore." he mumbles. "Well, you know the drill, go up there, keep up appearances and all that. And if you squeal about anything, well... this is an insane asylum and we will treat you like you're insane. And that includes therapy for our more hysterical patients."

You gulp and make your way to the conversation booth, noticing to your annoyance that the stallion is watching your every move.

The second the three of you sit down, Aqua not-so-subtly asks, "So Bugze, find out anything about the knights and what their evil plans are?"

The stallion behind you raises an eyebrow which makes your spine tingle.

"Eeh heh heh, mmm. Nah ha ha. No." you stammer nervously while darting your eyes to the prison guard, and making a series of hoof gestures telling her to shush. "Man it is so great to see you two again. It's been a really long time huh?"

"Bugze, it's been two hours." Aqua deadpans.

"Right? Two hours without seeing my best friend and my little girl! How've you two been doing without me anyway?" you say in an exaggerated tone.

"Daddy I'm bored. All the vending machines in the lobby are out of candy. All they have left is trail mix! Bleh! Can we finish beating up the knights and go get ice cream?" she asks sweetly.

You chuckle as the stallion gives you another glance. "Sure we can, just as soon as these guys finish making me not crazy. But that might take some time though, this place is in bad shape, you could almost say that people in charge are the real crazy ones." you say with a wink. "Everypony I've met here seems like they're not in control of their own minds. If Celestia saw this place the way it is, it'd be terrible, so that should never happen."

"Daddy, why are you talking all weird? And why do you keep winking at us?" Nightshade asks.

Facehoofing, you turn to the guard stallion watching you and shout, "Hey look, a distraction!" while pointing the other way.

Just like old times, he looks the other way.

You spin back to Aqua and Nightshade and quickly belt out, "Erised and Grey are in charge of the asylum. They've got the inmates under mind control. Erised is sending a letter off to Celestia to have her and her guards come here and it's going to be a bloodbath if we don't stop it!"

"WHAT?!" Nightshade and Aqua shout. "Why didn't you just say so?"

You feel a vein in your head start to pulse in frustration.

"We've got to find the messenger and intercept them before they get to Celestia. Come on CV, we're busting you outta this joint, like-."

"No wait!" you stop Aqua mid one-liner. "You and Nightshade go. I'll stay and take these guys down. You still got that cake right?"

"Yup!" Nightshade says and brings out a giant cake riddled with bitemarks. "I might have eaten some of it."

"Thanks, and good luck." you tell them while pulling your inventory out of the cake, and your gear out of the inventory.
Inventory and gear reclaimed. Yay!

"Good luck to you too CV." Aqua says with a mock salute.

"Bye Daddy! Kick them in the nards once for me!" Nightshade says and follows her.

"Oh I will." you say as you finish strapping on your power glove and breather mask. You decide to keep the rest of your costume stored away for now, to be donned in dramatic fashion when the time is right. For now...

"I swear I'm still not seeing anything." the guard you distracted says as he keeps staring at the ceiling.

"Then how about you see some stars?" you quip, "FALCON PUNCH!"

With one less guard to worry about and your sidekicks on their way to warn Celestia, you make your way back into the madhouse. "Watch out Grey and Erised, I'm not locked in her with you... you're locked in her with me!"

[Kersey475]

7543465
7544194

Nightshade throws the cake with The Inventory to you, but it's snatched in mid-air by a lunatic pegasus who declares,

"I have found the bladder of eternal youth!" as he flies by, his erratic flight pattern causing several items to spill out of nearby windows.

"My stuff!" you declare.

"No time for that!" Aqua says as he pulls you along.

Well, I'm naked, missing my stuff, and I can't use the Nightmare Cloak while that murderous voice is in my head. you think as you begin to give chase to the pegasus, Guess it's back to basics... What are my basics again?

==============

I think the Inventory has gotten pretty over-stuffed and cluttered at this point (does anyling remember what exactly was in it?) so perhaps for now (or at least for next chapter) it's best if we Iron Man 3 it and bring Bugze back to basics;

ABILITIES
-Royal Canterlot Voice (BOLD ALL-CAPS AMPLICATION OF VOICE)
-"Fus Ro Dah" shout
-"No Shadow Kick" attack (Flurry of midair kicks)
-"Falcon Punch" attack (Charged-up punch)
-"Shoryuken" attack (Rising spinning uppercut)
-Stalliongrad Blizzard (Mid-air grapple slam)
-Psycho Crusher (Charge forward spinning in a burst of magic)
-Stun spell
-Force Field spell
-Teleport spell (Unreliable as short-range teleport often causes you to fall onto hard objects and long-range teleport randomly places you -anywhere in Equestria)
-Advanced Healing (Apparently)
-Shape Shifting (Unreliable as it only lasts a short time before failing at the worst moments)
-Transformation spell (only works on Nightshade and even then it's not 100% reliable)
-Very limited Air Bending
-"Zoom" (Incantation spell that gives you long-range telescopic vision, but gives you a headache when spell is over)
-Shadow whip (attained after devouring Sombra)