Madness

by Mochas Dungeon

Introductions and Living Arrangements

Doctor Star walked up the path to the hospital The most well known asylum in the lands was a large building with an acreage greater than he thought should be allowed, however the six storied building was well cared for with a manicured lawn, taken care of by patients with OCD and good appetites.

The path was clean and crack free, even the doors were smudgeless thanks to the patient that held a towel in her mouth, ready to wipe the doors’ glass from being nosed open.

Using his knee he gently opened the door with a nod to the mare, who was focused on any mark left by the fur on his knee on her door. He entered and heard the sounds of glass being cleaned as he walked through the waiting room.

Several ponies of all types were occupying themselves, waiting for a chance, albeit slim, to see their loved ones.

“Hello, Nurse. I’m Doctor Star here to see Doctor Mind Mend.”

“Doctor," the nurse looked through a small stack of paperwork in a drawer, "Epic Start?”

“No,” he sighed, “Doctor Star. They haven’t gotten around to my name change, over the past twenty years.”

“Oh, very well. I’ll page her. Take a seat, all the cushions are cleaned.”

The doctor sat on a green cushion in place of the chairs that adorned many other businesses for the comfort of the pony population. With a sigh he relaxed his muscles and let a content smile cross his muzzle as he waited.

He always did enjoy the sterile confines of the hospitals and clinics more than he did the loud hustle and bustle of most of the large cities he was sent to.

He felt a light shake on his side and moaned, fighting the return to the waking world. Another light shake he knew to be a magical push against his side to wake him worked, much to his chagrin, and he raised his head, opened his eyes and looked into the face of a beautiful unicorn mare.

She was white, wearing a white doctors coat, and a smile that made his heart race.

She giggled at his reaction. “Well, it’s nice to see you’re awake, Doctor Epic Start. I’m Doctor Mind Mend, it’s nice to meet you, I’ve heard of your work.”

He stammered before closing his eyes and collecting himself. “Yes, that’s me and it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m here for the obvious reasons,” he said rolling to his hooves and cracking his neck. “I was told you’d have everything ready for me?”

She turned and waited for him to begin walking beside her. As they walked through the sterile white halls, checkered floor tiles, and occasional in-patient performing a task.

“Well, Doctor Epic Start-”

“Doctor Star. They won’t change my name on file.”

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. My name was Jewel Heart before I got my cutie mark and chose this path.”

“Oh,” he said glancing away, “I like your original name, personally. However,” he cleared his throat, “that’s not why I’m here,” he said looking back to her.

She was blushing slightly and averted her gaze as he looked at her. “Your room is in the first floor east wing. The professional wing. It’s secured and safe; no patient is allowed even close to the wing so they don’t know about it.

If they do they don’t talk aloud about it. The building is eight stories total, six up, two below ground. There is a sub level below that that is used only for storage and repair equipment. Extreme cases are kept on floor six, accessible only by stairs, an on staff medical attendee, and two clear forms of identification are required to enter and exit.

Lose one, and you won’t be getting in until it can be replaced. Lose it and you won’t get out with isolation, physical scans, questions, and, if need be, a memory scan. You understand all that, right?”

“Yeah, yeah. Went through the same thing at Hermit Bounty.”

“Hermit… Isn’t that in griffon-”

“Yes, I dealt with a couple rouge griffon who turned on their leadership. While it’s true their empire has crumbled, they still have a military that is quite structured,” he said as he followed her through a small doorway, only one pony at a time could get through. A sigh read ‘Entering Class 1 Patient Area’.

“I didn’t know that, Doctor Star. Thank you, not many know about other races out there, beyond the veil.”

Doctor Star harrumphed. “The veil. Damn the consequences; the princesses shroud our borders for the same reasons; to shield us from the world as much as to keep us safe from what lies beyond. I had a chance to see past it.”

Doctor Mind Meld stopped and stared at him as he passed until he stopped and looked back at her.

“Y-you’ve gone beyond the veil? What’s it like?” she asked with rapt interest.

“If you saw, you’d realize the same thing I did; the world we know is wrong. Now,” he gestured with his head. Doctor Mind Meld trotted beside him and led him the rest of the way, through dozens of turns and corridors, to a solid white wall. With a final check to three orderlies, dressed as patients, she used a spell to soften the illusionary wall.

She walked through, followed by Doctor Star, to the professional wing.

Bright blue walls, open windows, and ponies hustling between rooms with paperwork told the story of interns learning their new trade.

Glorious bliss. he thought as he watched the younger running down halls with paper and other items in their magic, on their backs, or in their mouths.

“Turn right at the end of the hall ahead and go straight, I’ll be right behind you, wait by the sign so I can show you where to go next,” Doctor Mind Mend said, turning into a side room.

He found himself before a sign with two arrows. The left arrow said ‘Dorm’, the right said ‘Medical’.

He turned left and trotted ahead until he found his single suitcase leaning against a door. The door to his room. He bit the door handle and pushed, opening the door and looked inside.

It felt and looked like a hospital room and he loved it.

“So, impatient to see the patients, are we?” he heard Mind Mend say from his right.

“You could say that. I’m just excited to get started. Are the interviews scheduled?”

“Yes, you start with them tomorrow. Simply do what you do. We’ll observe and intervene if need be.”

“My methods aren’t normal, so I’ll let you know what to expect as we continue.”

“I see, I’ve heard a couple things related to your methods and while odd, they’ve made you renowned. I’m in no position to complain as I’m excited to learn what could help these ponies return to the world and not be a threat to others or themselves.”

Doctor Star stayed looking into his room. “Said just like a journal entry. I’m going to get some rest and a bite to eat, when we speak next, talk to me like a pony, not a patient,” he said as he walked into the room and turned.

With a warm smile he nodded to her. “I hope to see you again soon, Jewel Heart,” he said quickly as he closed the door, embarrassed at his weakness in front of such an intelligent mare.

“Well, I’ll review the paperwork again, get a nap in, then a well deserved shower. Then… I’ll have a simple supper with Jewel. Keep it together, nothing will happen. It never does. Just remain professional.”

No matter what he did for the rest of the afternoon he couldn’t get his mind off of the other doctor.

“Damnit, I’m in love. It’ll pass, it’d better pass quickly,” he scolded himself, "just, read the paperwork, figure out the plan, then get back to bed, where I know what to expect."

Comments

[IMNOTHERE889]

+1 FedEx vehicle has been added to your inventory.