Cause And Distress

by pabrony

Shining Armor's Confession

It had been almost three years since Twilight’s hallucination that caused her to be admitted to the children's psychiatric ward of Canterlot General Hospital for over a week. Now twelve years old, she would have an occasional flare-up every now and then with the voice that talked to her before she got her cutie mark but nothing beyond that.

That is until Twilight met her.

She had been out in the castle gardens playing with her friend Lyra Heartstrings, whom she met in one of her therapy groups when an older filly approached them. Lyra excused herself from Twilight’s presence momentarily to greet the other pony. After a few minutes, they both returned to join Twilight. The older pony extended her right hoof as Lyra introduced her.

“Twilight, I'd like you to meet my tutor, Sunset Shimmer,” Lyra said with a bright smile on her face.

“It's a pleasure to meet you, Twilight. Lyra’s told me a lot of good things about you,” Sunset said.

Sunset Shimmer? Why does that name sound familiar? Twilight thought as she cautiously extended her hoof. “Likewise.”

The instant the two ponies’ hooves made contact, everything changed. Visions of the pony standing in front of her filled her mind. The sights and sounds were so vivid that it was like Twilight was present in those visions.

One vision showed Sunset chasing a crown through a mirror. Another vision showed Sunset bullying some terrified creature. A final vision had Sunset transforming into some sort of demon and throwing a fireball at her.

Twilight then quickly pulled her hoof away and fired a powerful magic beam at Sunset, aimed directly at the orange pony’s heart. Sunset went flying backward into a tree, knocking her out.

“Sunset!” Lyra shouted as she bolted to her tutor. “Are you okay?” She stopped between them so that Twilight couldn't hit Sunset with another blast of magic, turned her attention to Twilight and angrily yelled, “Twilight, what in Equestria did you do that for?”

“Lyra, she's not a pony. She's one of those human things you're always rambling about in our group sessions. She bullies other humans and can transform into a demon,” Twilight argued. “She's dangerous and you need to get the royal guard.”

“No! She's been my friend long before you,” Lyra said. “I don't trust you not to harm her any more than you already have if I leave. If you want the Royal Guard, you go get them.”

A soft groan came from Sunset as Lyra continued to guard her.

“Twilight, I think it's time for you to leave. I'm not even sure I want to be friends with you anymore,” Lyra continued to chastise as tears began filling her eyes.

“But-”

“No buts. Just go. Now,” Lyra interrupted.

Twilight took a long look at the two ponies by the tree then slowly turned and walked away. Why won't Lyra believe me? I saw what that Sunset pony did when she touched my hoof. Tears began filling her eyes as the reality sunk in that instead of gaining a friend her condition caused her to lose one.

---

[Three Days Later

There was a light knock on Twilight’s dorm room door, startling her.

“BE RIGHT THERE!” she called before turning her attention to an empty space in the bedroom. “I'll be back. It's probably one of my classmates wanting help with their homework… I know I can't help them because of what I did… okay but just hang tight. I promise that I'll be back as soon as possible.”

Twilight slowly walked to the main door, capturing a book in her magic, ready to defend herself if the pony behind the door decided to attack her. After all, she came close to unintentionally killing another pony just days earlier so why wouldn't anypony want to return the favor. She turned the door handle and peeked through the small space between the door and doorframe.

“Shiny!” she shouted as she flung the door wide open.

“Hi, Twily. What's with the book?” Shining Armor said as his sister let him in.

A sheepish smile appeared on Twilight’s face. “Oh, that?” She set the book back on the desk where she got it from. “I thought somepony was here to hurt me and I picked it up to defend myself.”

Shining placed a hoof between his eyes and shook his head. He let out a heavy sigh before addressing his sister. “Look, Twily. I'm not here on a social call. I heard about what happened between you and Princess Celestia’s other protegé and this is the first chance I got to talk to you.”

Twilight looked down at the floor in shame as her brother continued. “Twily, this is serious. They're going to be giving you an exam tomorrow.” Twilight’s ears perked up momentarily. “Not that kind of exam. Dr. Insight is giving you a psychiatric exam that your previous psychiatrist should've done years ago.”

“Can you wait here a minute, Shiny?” Twilight asked before trotting to her bedroom. Shining heard his sister mumbling something but couldn't make out the exact details of what she was saying.

“Everything okay?” Shining asked when Twilight returned.

“Yeah. I just remembered something that I needed to take care of,” Twilight said nervously.

Shining pulled his sister’s chin up to look her in the eyes. “Have you been taking your medicine?” The look in the younger unicorn’s eyes was clear. “Twily, you've got to remember to take them.”

“I… I'm sorry, Shiny. It's just… I get so caught up in my studies that I sometimes forget,” Twilight apologized.

Shining released her chin. “Did you take them the other day when you had your episode?”

Twilight nodded.

“Twily, do you remember what happened the other day?”

Twilight rubbed her left foreleg with her right hoof nervously. “I… I remember playing with Lyra. Then the older pony joined us. She reached out to shake hooves with me and I did the same. And then… I… I don't remember. The next thing I knew, I was crying and walking away from Lyra and her friend, who was knocked out.” She paused a moment as panic began to grip her. “Shiny, do mom and dad know about this?”

“No, they don't. And they won't know.”

“Why not?”

Shining took a deep breath and spilled the beans. “Because I am under orders by Princess Celestia herself to keep any instances of your episodes from mom and dad.”

“What happens if you tell them?”

“I get dishonorably discharged and imprisoned indefinitely for insubordination.”

Twilight’s eyes darted back and forth in thought before what her brother said clicked in her mind. “So we're part of a consistency?”

“Conspiracy,” Shining corrected. “And yes, we are. For whatever reason, we are involved in one.”

Author's Note:

I'm sorry that this is so short but I couldn't go much further than what I did without jumping ahead a few years.

Comments

[Vaguely Demented]

So is Twilight seeing alternate futures? Perhaps a future Twilight is attempting a spell to tell herself of past mistakes and this is the life destroying results?

[pabrony]

8978151 I plan on revealing Twilight's condition in the next chapter.

[Vaguely Demented]

8978336
Good to know.

[DragonxFlutter]

Shimshim! She got the crap beat outta her by a filly half her size and age, but Shimshim!

The plot thickens, and the mysteries deepen. I can't wait for the next chapter when we finally get to learn about Twilight's condition. Though, part of me wonders how long this flashback is going to go on for. Is the flashback the entire story, or will the flashback end later when we get close enough to the events that started this fic?

[pabrony]

8979482 The next chapter will more than likely return to Princess Celestia vs. Twilight's parents with one last flashback after that to show what Twilight did to get put away in the psych ward for the final time.

[DragonxFlutter]

8979509
I had a feeling that would be soon, but I didn't think that soon.

[pabrony]

8979977 I've been leading readers on for almost four months and just as many chapters. So I figure its a good enough time as any. But it won't be in the Sunday Sneak Peek anytime soon.

[DragonxFlutter]

8980005
OH yeah. No, that needs to be given its proper due so it can make sense. I'd do the exact same thing if I were in your shoes. Hold onto it, make sure it's as good as it can be, then release it.