Act II: Trojans and Gift Horses
I wasn’t given much time to myself before there was a knocking at the door. A metal cart rolled in, pushed by a familiar white nurse with her pink mane done in a tight bun. I noticed an even more familiar pair of jeans and a gray t-shirt folded neatly on her back. Two security guards flanked her as she entered. They froze and gawked at me. It took my mind a second to realize it, and when it clicked I held my hands up in surrender.
“Twilight removed some of the restraints,” I swore. “It wasn’t me.”
“I see…” the nurse said cautiously. Her eyes flickered down before training back on me. “And the blanket?”
“Rarity,” I explained.
She seemed to buy it. “Well, I suppose that explains why Applejack wanted me to bring these.” The nurse moved to the foot of my bed, and I moved my legs to make room as she dropped off my clothes. She nodded to one of the guards, a unicorn mare, and she slowly approached, her eyes trained on me.
“Don’t try any funny business,” she warned as a key floated from her uniform. I held up my hands in cooperation and watched as the key lazily flew to each cuff. My body stiffened as the last restraint fell, and my eyes flickered to the exit. The other guard, a large stallion, stood in front of it, his eyes daring me to try.
You can take them, the voice tempted. The unicorn and the nurse don’t appear to be any fighters. The stallion would be the only trouble.
But how many more are on the other side of the door? I asked. Applejack’s parting words still rang in my head. Let’s wait this out for a minute, I thought. Test the waters.
I reached for my clothes slowly. Everybody’s eyes were pinned on me. The unicorn returned to the nurse’s side. The stallion was as tense as ever. I unfolded my shirt and inspected it. Same number of holes, same number of stains. The nurse watched curiously as I threw it over my head and let it slide onto me.
I shifted to the side of the bed. The guards snapped into a ready position. “Just standing to put my pants on,” I explained, holding up a hand to calm them. They relaxed, albeit slightly. The blanket fell off as I stood up. I tried to ignore the ponies’ eyes boring into my back as I slipped my feet into each leg. A content sigh escaped me when I finished. It was nice feeling less exposed.
“Alright, back on the bed,” the stallion ordered. The rest of my clothes were nowhere to be seen. I gave a quick stretch to test my wounds, and my body ached in complaint beneath my bandages. I didn’t feel like pressing my luck just yet. I sat back down on the bed with my back leaning against the wall. The unicorn’s horn ignited, and the cuffs came to life, tethering themselves to my ankles and wrists. They burned as they tightened around me, but as the magic dissipated, so did the heat.
The nurse rolled the cart up to me, and for the first time I noticed its contents. A single tray rested on top, along with a glass of water. I spied what looked like mashed potatoes and peas, an orange cube of jello, and a couple of flowers that looked like tulips. My stomach turned at the sight of the apple, and my eyes lingered at the odd green mush on the side.
She carefully picked up the tray with her teeth and moved it to my lap. Whatever the mush was reeked. The cart was kept close for me to grab the water, thankfully. I picked up the spoon, the only utensil given to me, and eyed the food, unsure of where to start.
“Are you gonna eat it or stare at it?” the stallion asked in a bored tone.
I tugged at the cuff around my right wrist. “Think I can get this one removed so I can eat?” I turned to the nurse. She hesitated; my question seemed to catch her off guard. But she nodded to the unicorn.
The mare sighed and drifted the key to the lock, reminding me again, “no funny business”. I slowly picked at the food, starting with the potatoes. I was sure to stay clear of the green mystery food. After accidentally poking it once, my nose was filled with the odd smell of freshly mowed grass.
It was uncomfortable; being the only one in the room eating. The stallion looked as if he didn’t want to be there, his eyes constantly darting between the watch on his fetlock and the door. The nurse gave me the occasional curious glance as I ate. She had seated herself next to one of the counters and was flipping through a few documents she had procured from one of the drawers. The unicorn was indifferent, sitting in Applejack’s chair and making her keys float and dance in the air before her as she rested her head in her hoof.
The meal tasted stale, much to my contempt. It felt as if it was missing something. When my brain figured it out, my stomach grumbled in complaint. All eyes shot to me.
I gave an apologetic chuckle. “Say, I don’t suppose you ponies have any…” My voice trailed off as I tried to find a way to tell the herbivores gently.
“Meat?” the nurse offered. I blinked in surprise. “I’ve seen your dental report,” she explained, waving a hoof dismissively. “It screams omnivore, and you’ve been picking at your food a lot. I tried making a meal based on that and what you’ve taken from the Apple family.” My eyes fell back down to my tray. Something told me that little detail was going to follow me for a while.
“We don’t have any meat stocked,” the nurse explained. “We don’t exactly have many patients who eat it often, but we do have the rare occasion. I can place an order for some fish, if you’d like.”
I blinked and turned to face her. “Really?” I asked, doubt heavy in my voice. She nodded in return. “That’s… um… that’s oddly kind of you.”
“We received instructions from the princess,” the nurse waved off. “She wanted to make sure you were comfortable and well fed.”
“Doesn’t make sense, if you ask me,” the unicorn interjected. The keys floated back to her side. Just outside of my reach. Too many eyes. “The deal was we patch the beast up and then hand it off to the mayor so she could send it off to a cell until Princess Celestia arrives. It looks fine to me, but now she wants us to keep it here. Why would she change her mind all of a sudden?” She shook her head and stared at me skeptically. "Something feels off about all of this."
“I’m not sure, Silver,” the nurse admitted. “Although I don’t think the princess did change her mind. That letter was the only set of instructions sent directly from her.”
“And far be it from us to argue with the princess,” the stallion added matter-of-factly. “Personally, I’d feel more comfortable with this thing behind bars, too. But if she wants it here, she must have her reasons.” He looked over to me and nodded at my tray. “You done with that?”
I glanced at what was left. The flowers laid undisturbed; something I wish could have been said about the green slop. While the ponies were talking, I tried a spoonful and immediately had to chase it with half of the glass of water to keep me from retching. The stallion was the only one to notice, and that was the only time I saw him come close to a smile. Half of the apple wobbled back and forth, mocking me. I had had more apples in the past couple of months than I had in my whole life. It was a chore eating as much of it as I did. I could have eaten more, to be honest, but there was nothing left on the tray I could stomach.
“Yeah,” I resigned. “I think I am.”
The nurse picked the tray off my lap and set it back on the cart. “I’ll see what I can do about ordering some fish for you,” she promised. I nodded in thanks. The cuff found its way around my free wrist thanks to the unicorn’s magic, and the guards began filing out with the nurse in tow. A question was burning in the back of my head; one that was haunting me ever since I stepped foot in this building. I took in a breath and gathered my nerves.
“Nurse?” I called. She was halfway through the door when she paused and craned her head back to see me. “Can I ask you a quick question?”
She glanced down the hall and nodded before returning her attention to me. “As long as it’s quick,” she stressed.
“How’s Sweetie Belle?”
She looked at me with unsure eyes. “It was a close call,” she explained. “She had lost a lot of blood and was still bleeding. We were lucky we got to her in time.”
“So, she’s going to be alright?” I pressed.
“She’ll be fine,” the nurse assured. “Sweetie’s feeling a little weak, but she’ll pull through. When she finally came to, she started asking a lot about you though.” She hesitated, looking at me as if she was seeing me for the first time. “Maybe I should say we were lucky you brought her to us in time.”
An immense weight lifted off my chest. I laid back and gave a relieved sigh, “Thank you.”
Her expression softened, and she gave me a small smile. “You’re welcome, Mister— I’m sorry, what was your name again?”
“Hunter. Hunter Grey.”
The nurse nodded. “You’re welcome, Mister Grey.”
I gave a short laugh. “Just Hunter, please,” I said, sitting up. My eyes met hers. “Mr. Grey is my father.” Her smile broadened. I almost got a laugh out of her. “I don’t think I caught yours.”
“Redheart,” the nurse introduced herself.
Memories started clicking back in place, and a ghost of a smile formed as I shook my head. “Ah, so you’re the one who’s been drugging me.”
“That does seem to be my job lately,” Redheart admitted. “Which reminds me; I’ll be seeing you tonight. Try not to break out again.”
I leaned back with a sly smile. “No promises,” I said.
Redheart rolled her eyes and shook her head, her smile all but gone. She disappeared behind the door, and just as it was about to fully close, it stopped, and Redheart pushed her head back in. “I’ve been meaning to ask,” she admitted. “What exactly did you say to Applejack to convince her to give you your clothes back?”
I shrugged, not entirely sure myself. “I don’t know,” I confessed. “I just told her the truth.”
It wasn’t much of an answer, but Redheart seemed to take it with much more weight. She nodded and disappeared again, a soft click signaling she had left. A faint smile crept up on me despite my situation. Although I was a prisoner in a hospital, the news of Sweetie Belle’s recovery helped lift my spirits. If nothing else, I found some solace in the fact that I was able to save her after all.
<><><>
The meal was probably the highlight of my life for the past couple of hours. Well, it was hard to tell how much time had actually passed in the room I was held in. There were no clocks or windows to give me any definition of time. And thanks to my restraints, I was forced to sit in my bed and do nothing.
I tried whatever I could to pass the time, but nothing was very successful. Counting the tiles on the floor and ceiling only lasted so long. I tried to keep a tune going with the chains on the restraints, but it eventually started to drone as my wrists began to chafe.
There was a soft knocking at the door that pulled me from my bored trance. Although it seemed to be out of mock courtesy as the door nearly flew off its hinges in the next second, giving the two mares on the other side ample room for their dramatic entrance.
My body tensed as my original welcoming committee walked in. Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash split up almost as soon as they entered, going to each sides of my bed. Neither of them spoke a word or so much as looked at me, which only succeeded in making me more uncomfortable. A black suitcase was somehow balanced expertly on Pinkie’s curly tail, bouncing slightly with each step while managing to keep its perch.
“We heard you were being real stubborn lately, Mister Monster,” Pinkie said on my right. “You’ve refused to answer a few questions. We’re here to fix that.”
“Look, I already told Applejack everything she wanted to know,” I started.
“And now you’re going to tell us everything we want to know,” Rainbow pressed. “And don’t think you can skirt around the answers like you did with Twilight. We have ways to make stubborn fellas like you talk.” That sounded like a threat if I had ever heard one.
“Oh, yeah? What are you going to do?” I asked, challenging her bluff. “Shoot me point blank with a cannon again? Fly me down an entire street and crash me into the ground?”
Pinkie snickered. “No, silly,” she said, waving a hoof. Her tail launched the briefcase in the air, and it fell on her mane like a spring before flying in the air again. The lid sprang open as it landed, revealing a dozen neatly made and miraculously unharmed—
“Cupcakes!” Pinkie exclaimed, finishing my thought. She rubbed a hoof against her chest and held it out admiringly. “Made them myself,” she said with a proud smile.
“Nopony can resist Pinkie Pie’s famous cupcakes,” Rainbow Dash said triumphantly.
I eyed the desserts cautiously. Something felt off about this. From what I’ve seen, the pink one was crazy, which only made this random offering all the more unsettling. “No thanks,” I said, pushing the case away with my foot. “I’m not hungry.”
“What’s the matter? Stomach full of guilt?” Rainbow challenged.
“I just had lunch,” I deadpanned.
“Which means we’re just in time for dessert!” Pinkie reasoned as she pushed the case closer to me.
My eyes darted between her and the pastries. There had to be something wrong with them. For all I knew, they were probably poisoned. “What’s in them?” I asked skeptically.
“Three quarters of a cup of sugar, two cups of flour, one cup of milk,” she listed. Her eyes lit up with excitement. “Oh, and one of them has a chili pepper inside!” I gave her a look that could only beg why. “I figured we could make a game out of it,” she giggled. “First one to find the pepper wins! I like to call it Pinkie Roulette.” She pulled out a cupcake, balancing it on one hoof and waving it seductively. “And all these can be yours if you just choose to cooperate,” she promised.
It took me a second to process everything, and I eventually shook my head. “I’ll pass.”
Pinkie shrugged and tore off the cupcake’s wrapper in her hoof. “Suit yourself,” she said as she tossed it in the air. She teetered back on her hind legs and swallowed the cupcake whole. The mare fell on her back in a fit of giggles until her eyes widened in shock. Her face was quickly turning red as her eyes began to water. “Found it,” she coughed, a dark puff of smoke escaping her mouth. “I win,” she smiled weakly.
Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and slammed her hoof on the bed to get my attention. “Alright, spill it,” she demanded, pointing a hoof at me. “Why are you here? What are your plans?”
“You know, I’m getting real sick of answering that same question,” I snapped. “I don’t know,” I said slowly, leaning in for emphasis. “I stumbled into this place by accident; no bad intentions. I’m just trying to find my way back.”
“For somepony just trying to find their way back, you sure have been showing your face a lot,” Rainbow pointed out. She nudged my shoulder. “So what is it?” she demanded. “Are you trying to go home, or are you just trying to bug us?”
“I’m not sure if you noticed, but that forest is pretty big,” I retaliated. “Not to mention there are predators lurking behind every other tree. Finding my way around it isn't exactly a walk in the park.”
“Then what’s the deal with Lyra?” she pressed. “She’s talking like you’re going to be sticking around for a while.” A flap of her wings sent her airborne. She tilted back and crossed her forelegs to make it look like she was leaning back. “And since we’re talking about her, what did you do to Lyra. She’s been getting a little fanatical about you lately.”
I groaned, “For the last time, I didn’t do anything to her! I’d ask why everybody keeps thinking I brainwashed her, but then I remembered the culprit who started all those rumors is sitting right there.” I motioned to Pinkie Pie, who was chugging down a glass of water.
She finished her gulp and gave an apologetic grin. “Sorry; couldn’t think of another word that rhymed with ‘dwell’ at the time,” she explained. “‘Deep in the Everfree is where the beast dwells; if you wander too far, you’ll fall under its spell’. The jingle’s still a work in progress. It’s still really catchy, though.” She cut herself off with a gasp. “Ooh, wanna hear it?” she asked with a hopeful smile.
“No!” I exclaimed incredulously. “Look, we literally ran into each other and talked,” I swore to Rainbow Dash. “I didn’t put her ‘under my spell’ or anything.”
“Yeah? Well your ‘friend’ has been turning a lot of ponies against each other,” Rainbow accused. “In fact, it’s starting to feel like that was your plan all along. Convince a few ponies that you’re not so bad, and then when everypony’s fighting with each other, you pull the rug out from under all us.”
I blinked. For the first time in a while, I couldn’t find any words to say. “That…” I struggled. “I couldn't have come up with that even if I tried. You're just making up stuff to pin on me.”
Rainbow Dash floated in closer. “Oh yeah? Then what is your plan? ‘Cause I have a hard time believing you woke up one day and decided to be friendly with everypony. Tell us what your endgame is.” She poked her hoof accusingly in my side, right in the soft spot beneath the ribs.
My body flinched from the contact, and I struggled to suppress a snort. The reaction didn’t even last a second, and even though I quickly recomposed myself, it didn’t go unnoticed by the ponies.
“What the hay was that?” Rainbow asked with a weird look. I closed my eyes and grit my teeth, hoping that through sheer will I could turn back the clock.
“Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh,” Pinkie gasped. She hid a smile behind her hooves. “Are you ticklish?” My blood ran cold at the trick question. I knew what was coming no matter what I answered. My lack of a response only made her giddier, and she stretched out a hoof to pull her friend out of the air and next to her.
The two started whispering to each other with their backs facing me. The longer it went on, the deeper my sense of dread became. Rainbow Dash stole a confused glance at me and turned back to Pinkie, who gave an enthusiastic nod. I could just barely see the corner of a mischievous grin forming on the pegasus’ face before they turned back to whispering.
Ah, hell, I thought as I shrank in the bed. I tugged at the cuffs, praying that through some miracle they had suddenly become weaker.
I nearly jumped out of my skin as Pinkie Pie landed on the bed above me. The crazed, happy look in her eyes and her unsettling smile confirmed my fears. I tried to shrink further into the mattress, but there was no hope of escape. Rainbow Dash floated above, her hooves failing to stifle her snickering.
“Y’know, Mister Human,” Pinkie started in a cheery tone, “I think we’ve been going about this the wrong way.” She crouched low, like a predator ready to strike. “Let’s start this over from the beginning. Now… what are your plans with Ponyville?!” she screamed as she pounced.
<><><>
… Shut up.
We didn’t say anything, my inner voice seethed.
You didn’t have to. I can feel what you’re thinking, I pointed out.
The last hour was a complete waste of time. They kept asking questions that I didn’t have answers to. The ones I knew, they wouldn’t believe me at first when I told the truth. No matter what I said, it led to more and more torture. My jaw and sides were aching from all the laughing. My face was still burning from embarrassment.
I just can’t believe that really happened, I thought.
The tickling, or the pink one's lunacy? the voice asked apathetically.
The tickling, I answered, pulling my body close. Well, both, really.
Their attacks were relentless. My restraints made it impossible to defend myself. It felt like it stretched for ages, and they only let up to let me answer or catch my breath. When they decided that they couldn’t get the answers they wanted out of me, or they finally got bored, they eventually left, promising to return the next day.
I feel violated…
Perhaps next time you should just feed them the lies they want to believe, the voice suggested.
And what would that accomplish? I asked.
For starters, it will prevent another embarrassing moment like what just happened.
My inner voice wasn’t the happiest about the unorthodox turn of the interrogation. I could feel it burning in the back of my mind the whole time, constantly telling me to pull myself together. Nothing I tried though offered any help. I was completely at their mercy. And the voice did not like that.
Maybe it had a point. Maybe if I lied, it would make things go smoother for me. But my mind trailed to all the friends I had made. It wouldn’t be fair of me to give them up; I knew they were trying their hardest to clear my name. I thought of the progress I had made with the others; with the foals, with Sweetie Belle, with Applejack even. I could feel that I was making breakthroughs with them. I couldn’t afford to throw that away for my own comfort.
Some friends they are, the voice remarked. How long have you been here, Hunter? How long have you been locked in this room? Why haven’t you heard from them?
Shut up. They’re trying.
They haven’t come for you yet, it pointed out. What’s the use of thinking they ever will?
They aren’t allowed near me, I reasoned. But they’ll find a way.
What if they already tried? They could have failed. You could be all alone.
I stared at the ceiling, trying to ignore the thoughts bombarding my mind. What if it was right? Was I doomed to stay here until they deemed fit? The princess knew I was here. Surely, she would help.
But who could have told her you were locked away here?
My heart sank. My only chance of salvation rested on Twilight’s shoulders, and I doubted she painted me in a good light. Would the princess decide to visit, to hear my side of the story? If she did, would she believe me? A sense of dread washed over me. If the princess decided my fate was to rot in a cell, it was possible I might be stuck here forever. I might never make it back home.
You could have been home now, the voice reminded me. You could have been with your family. Your real friends.
… Shut up.
Time passed at a crawl. I was officially out of ideas to speed it by. I tried closing my eyes in hopes of having a decent nap, but sleep was constantly just out of my reach. The best I could manage was a light rest with my head full of thoughts I couldn’t escape.
There was a gentle knocking at the door. A metal cart squeezed in, pushed by Nurse Redheart yet again and tailed by the same two guards. The meal changed, thankfully. The slop and flowers were replaced with a small pile of corn, and an orange stood in place of the apple. Still no meat, but I wasn’t in the mood to complain.
I ate in silence. The nurse took her old station by the counter as last time. She seemed to have more interest in me. I could feel her eyes boring into me, but I tried to keep mine glued to my meal. The unicorn joined the stallion at his post next to the door. I could hear them talking, but I didn’t really care what it was about. As I picked at my meal, something kept catching my eye: a syringe filled with a green liquid resting on the cart. It was close enough to grab, if I stretched.
Grab it, the voice cooed. Grab it when the nurse moves to take the tray. Hold her hostage. Demand a way out. Don’t let yourself rot in here.
Redheart trotted up to me, almost on cue, but she was dragging her chair along with her. She stopped near the side of my bed and sat down.
“So, Lyra stopped me today while I was on my lunch break,” she said. A quick chuckle escaped her. “Well, cornered me, really. She wanted to know how you were doing. I hope you don’t mind, but I told her you were fine and still threatening to break out.”
She managed to pull a halfhearted snort out of me. “Oh, really?” I asked as I took another spoonful of peas. “How’d she take that?”
“I’d like to think she appreciated it,” Redheart answered. “You know, she’s been trying her hardest to get in here ever since you ‘checked in’. It started with her trying to just walk in and getting escorted out, and then she started lying about visiting somepony to try to find you. Yesterday she even went as far as faking a sickness to get in. But today…” she sighed. “Today she just begged. Not the teary-eyed, got-on-her-knees kind of begged,” she clarified. “Just the asking-and-pestering-a-lot kind of begged.” She paused for a minute. I found I was losing my appetite.
“She’s really worried about you,” she explained. “I had to explain more times than I’d like to count that we’re keeping you healthy and well fed. I’ve heard all the rumors around town about how you put her under your spell, but the more she talked to me, the more I realized she’s just looking out for her friend.”
Redheart looked down to my tray and motioned to it with a hoof. “Haven’t touched your food in a while. Want me to take it off your hooves?” I hesitated, but after realizing I didn’t have the appetite for it, I eventually lifted it off my lap to her. She picked up the other end with her mouth, set it down on the cart, and motioned to the unicorn. “Think you can fully lie down for me?” she asked me.
I reluctantly complied, knowing full well where this was going. The unicorn’s horn ignited, and the restraints came to life. I laid still as the strap wrapped itself tightly around my chest and the cuff returned to my wrist. When the spell dissipated, Redheart nodded to the unicorn. “Thank you, Silver. I can take it from here if you two want to head back upstairs.”
The two guards looked at each other. “You sure about that?” the stallion asked.
Redheart waved her hoof. “Of course. All that’s left is the sedatives, and that shouldn’t take long. I just want to be sure he falls asleep.” The guards shared another glance and shrugged before walking back into the hallway.
The nurse watched as the door closed and waited for the soft click before continuing. “You know, I knew Lyra back when I was studying in Canterlot. We weren’t exactly best friends; more like friends of friends, but we used to hang out a lot because of it. She was always a bit… spontaneous. And a little stubborn. In fact, most of her advice usually ran along the lines of ‘charge in headfirst and tackle the problems as they come up’.”
She chuckled, “But she had a good heart, and she still does. Lyra was the kind of pony that really cared for her friends, and she’d always go to whatever lengths she could to help them. So I asked her how she knew you and why she wanted to see you so bad, and she told me everything.” She let out a heavy sigh. “You sure have been through a lot, Mr. Grey.”
“Just Hunter,” I reminded her with a weak smile.
“Right,” the nurse nodded. “I’m sorry I can’t let her in to see you.”
“Why can’t you?” I asked. “You work here, don’t you?”
“Yes, but it’s because I work here,” Redheart explained. “We have strict instructions from the mayor to keep you two separate, and while I don’t think that’s necessary, I also don’t want to lose my job over it.”
I snorted, “Fair enough.”
I felt a hoof touch my shoulder. “Hey, she hasn’t given up trying just yet,” Redheart consoled. “I’d love to help, but my hooves are tied. She needs to stay outside the hospital and you need to stay in.”
Her hoof withdrew, and she retrieved the syringe from the cart. My body locked up as my eyes traced the end of the needle. “Let’s just get this part over with,” the nurse said sadly.
“Think we could skip the drugs for tonight?” I asked
She hesitated. “Can I trust you’ll go to sleep on your own?”
I gave a relieved sigh and nodded. “Yeah. Thank you.”
Redheart smiled. “Alright,” she said in a soothing tone. “Try to get some rest.”
As she trotted to the door, a thought surfaced in my head. Well, more of a hope. “Um…” I cut myself off and shook my head. I couldn’t think of how to say it.
Even though the sound I made was barely audible, it was enough for the mare to pause and turn to me. “Did you need something, Hunter?”
“Well, kind of,” I struggled to say. The nurse left her cart and returned to the bed, eyes full of sympathy. Would she trust me enough to let me try? “Nurse Redheart, could you… do me a small favor?”
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The tickle torture session really gave me the impression that Pinkie and Rainbow did that without Twilight's permission. I hope that'll come back and bite them in the flank latter on
Moar pls, thank mr author
I need more Lyra segments God damn it.
fiuck, YESSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!
Hunter needs to get some compensation from being tortured by tickles. Can't wait for Celestia to come on by and tell them she knew about Hunter and his deeds the whole time.
Huh... featured...
Will Hunter ever get justice for everything done to him? And on the same note, will the ponies be punished for their actions?
(Also, he better not just forgive them for what they've done to him)
Tickle torture! That's cruel and unusual punishment banned by the Ge-neigh-va convention! Also, Redheart is best nurse. Good chapter and I'm looking forward to the next one.
8146256
8146277 That's your pun-ishment for laughing at such a serious matter. Also, good cop bad cop, nice.
8146363 Thanks for the idea, btw
8146407 No problem.
I love this story, blank page you always leave me wanting more , how did you become the great writer you are now?
Just found this yesterday and read all the way to here. Been a while since I've done that.
Hope he asks for a legal book. "Dear Twilight and friends, see you in court."
8147708
With all the shit those six have put him through...
Saw this on the front page a little while ago, got here pretty quick. I have an unhealthy love-hate relationship with these stories that can make me love a hated character... and hate a loved character. At the moment I can forgive all of them except twilight, she's coming off as the psycho scientist who only cares about the research rather than the subject. Anyways just my two cents, more please!
The dichotomy of how RD and Pinkie have treated Hunter and generally been completely hostile, and Pinkie's "my-BFF-has-a-secret-I-want-to-know style tickle torture" not only makes the tickle interrogation not funny, it makes it horrifying.
That was literally torture to extract a false confession. They had no interest in the truth or his side of the story, only that he confessed to whatever they wanted to pin on him. Hours of tickling would be agony. "Tickles" are uncontrolled muscle spasms. Hours of them? In Hunters condition? The constant stress on the abdominal muscles would almost certainly tear them, not to mention how TORTURE can easily kill a weakened person.
All the while with Pinkie acting like they're best friends at a sleepover and she's trying to get him to say who his crush is or something... whilst torturing him with a smile on her face.
RD I sort of expect this from given her protectiveness and hotheaded nature. Pinkie's behavior throughout however, truly appalls me. Rd at least acts like Hunter is an enemy. Pinkie however, seem to think her a Hunter are "besties" despite her repeated assaults and spreading of hostile rumours. She acts like a child who throws kittens into a fire because "they make funny noises." Innocent, maybe, but a complete sociopath incapable of basic empathy and only concerned that they enjoy themselves, nonetheless.
I am literally fine with a "burn it all and salt the fields" approach to most of the ponies in this story at this point, given their lack of basic decency, unthinking and automatic cruelty, and the fact they can fucking smile while they torture a sapient being.
Make them suffer, not get off with a " 'Sorry... Group hug?' ='s all is forgiven" bullshit reconciliation.
Edit: I see that RD and Pinkie are attempting a "good cop, bad cop" style interrogation. The key for those? Don't have the good cop be played by one of the primary antagonists of the suspect. That kinda makes the point moot. Instead of presenting a sympathetic ear or ally to confide in you just make the suspect think that the interrogator is bipolar/schizophrenic. Also key: Don't let the good cop (or the bad cop for that matter) torture the suspect to get a confession.
8152902 I am already infuriated Hunter has even acepted to talk to purple bitch there if the author makes so that nobrepercussiin is given to them I will have to drop this story.
8152902 Oh, big surprise. Science ruined everything.
8152902
Agreed. After a certain point, this becomes actual torture.
That... is probably the oddest form of torture I've ever seen.
Although I really have some issues with the story in general, it's nice to see that the ponies don't diverge all that much in character from their show counterparts.
Actually, this is a violation of patient rights if there is any in the land of Ponies, the doctors and related staff who allowed this to happen would be the ones who would get the largest of hammers. Pinkie and Dash were just some random idiots with friends on high places and thus immune, the staff who allowed this should never work in medical field again, or well... at the least be marked for major malpractice.
Oh jeez. That "torture" session was hard to stomach. Especially with the crazy one.
Loving that Lyra has been trying her best to get inside the hospital to see Hunter. Her tenacity has earned my respect.
And the nurse is slowly growing on me. I like her.
8152902
If hunter ever forgives them I’m dropping this story let’s see bribery and torture to get the victim to say what you want them to it’s truly disgusting since this is the kind of shit that happens in the real world I actually really want a chapter where hunter works with Celestia to get laws passed so this whole story will never happen again like make some very strict stand your ground laws where you can only use force if something attacks you first and experimentation and torture are to never be used on a sentient creature