Chapter 12
Asylum
Chapter 12
Twilight stared at Rarity, the uncomfortably long stretch of silence making the air feel heavy within the small cream-colored room. Rarity’s smile slipped. Unable to meet Twilight’s unblinking gaze, she turned to Applejack in relief. “Applejack, darling, how have you been?” she asked, her polite question deafening in the awkward stillness.
“Just peachy. Things have been a little more hectic than usual, but then, that’s to be expected, considering everything that is going on.”
Rarity frowned. “I meant, how are you doing? I heard that one of the patients attacked you yesterday.”
“Oh! That wasn’t anything to get worked up about, sug- Rarity. I just got splashed with some warm soup, is all,” she said, waving a dismissive hoof. “It stung a little, sure, but that was all.”
“Well, what a relief!” she exclaimed. “After all, I heard rumors that it was Rainbow Dash who attacked you. I was worried she might have been a little more violent with you, considering... well, you know.”
“Honestly Rarity, it wasn’t anything to be worried about. I ended up with a wet mane and a few small bruises. I got worse whenever I rode Manehattan’s subway in a rainstorm,” she said, her laughter fading away as she gave Rarity an inquiring look. “Although, I’m surprised you haven’t heard anything definite yet. Didn’t you get any notices about her?”
“Not a thing. I expect it’s just Princess Ratchet on another one of her power trips,” Rarity said, rolling her eyes. She took a step closer, dropping her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “She just doesn’t like me, and I’m pretty sure it’s because my father isn’t a unicorn.”
“Come on, she’s not like that,” protested Applejack. “Sure, she’s a stubborn mare, but she’s no racist.”
Rarity lifted an eyebrow. “Darling, stop protecting her just because she’s a coworker. I’ve seen how she treats you. If I saw her treat a patient like she treated you, I’d have her under a Royal Inquiry like that!” she declared, stomping for emphasis. “About the only positive thing I can say about the witch is that she’s intelligent enough to treat her non-unicorn patients fine while I’m around her!”
It was Applejack’s turn to sound offended. “Now Rarity, Nurse Ratchet is never like that with the patients. Never. Understand?”
“I’ll take your word on it. Still, you can’t deny that she is a backwards looking pony. She has had a grudge against me ever since I stated my sensible and moral opposition to the barbaric practices of the past.”
“You called her a heartless butcher in public because she supported using lobotomies and keratotomies in certain cases!”
“Well, she is!” Rarity growled, eyes narrowing.
Applejack growled right back. “Then Missy, you are callin’ me an’ the rest of the medical community butchers too, because we all agree with her!”
“And what if I am?”
Twilight watched in shock as the two mares stared one another down, the transition from old camaraderie to furious antagonism leaving her speechless. It was an old argument, and the wounds were opening like fissures around an active volcano.
Before they could erupt into another round of furious recriminations, Applejack’s face softened and she exhaled slowly. In an instant the tension was broken. Rarity rocked back on her hooves, the anger bleeding away as both mares wore expressions of discomfort and regret. “Look, sugarcube, I know why it’s a touchy subject,” Applejack began, sadness and conciliation in every word. “I can’t even begin to comprehend what you have gone through. But you need to understand that we’re not the enemy, alright? You might not like Ratchet, but whatever you might think about her personally, she is still one of Doctor Rose’s strongest supporters. Do you get what I’m sayin’?”
Neither mare seemed to notice nor care that Applejack had fallen back into her backwoods accent. Rarity just nodded and turned away, dabbing at the corners of her eyes with a embroidered handkerchief. “I... I know, Applejack, I know. And I’m truly sorry for what I said. Sometimes I just get a little too worked up about these things, is all.”
Applejack waved away her apology. “You have nothing to apologize for, you hear?” She gave Rarity a soft smile. “Besides, we’ve been fightin’ each other since kindergarten. If I’m tough enough to handle hot soup in the eyes, I think I can handle a little name calling.”
Rarity sniffled, returning the smile. “T-Thanks, darling.”
“Oh, don’t mention it. What are friends for?”
“Still, I just don’t understand why you put up with how she treats you,” Rarity added as she inspected her mane in a small mirror, tucking back any stray strands of hair with a hoof and a slight burst of magic. She glanced up at Applejack as she returned the compact to the saddlebags resting by the table. “And she’s not the only one, either.”
“I’m used to it,” Applejack sighed. When Rarity continued to silently stare she shrugged as well. “What? Do you expect me to throw away my career trying to headbutt every pony that doesn’t think earth ponies should be doctors? I’m still payin’ off my debts. I’m not going to risk my job or the farm by fightin’ that battle. They’re all free to think what they want. I plan on showin’ them the error of their ways through hard work and a positive attitude.”
Rarity giggled, causing Applejack’s determined grin to slip. “Oh Applejack, sometimes you’re just so... so...”
Applejack’s eyelids lowered. “Naive and foolish?”
“Heavens, no!” declared Rarity, looking embarrassed. “I was trying to compliment you. You’re just so honest, darling. You’re the most honest and decent mare I know.” She pointed her manicured hoof at Applejack. “And if we had more doctors like you around, the world would be a much better place.”
It was Applejack’s turn to blush. “Oh. Um, thanks,” she said, pawing at the floor sheepishly. “Sorry about snappin’ at you like that. I can get a bit ornery at times.”
“Water under the bridge, darling,” Rarity replied with a gleaming smile. “Water under the bridge.”
“So, you two know each other then?” The two older mares both jumped at the sound of Twilight’s voice, each wearing matching expressions of surprise.
Applejack recovered first. “Gosh, I’m sorry, Twi!” she gushed. “I can’t believe I let myself get distracted like that. Rarity, Twilight has a lot of things she wants to talk to you about, so I’m going to get going and let you two get to work.” She glanced at her watch after handing Rarity a few papers she pulled from her pocket. “So... I’ll be back around noon to take you to lunch, alright?”
“You can’t stay?” Twilight asked, suddenly dreading the doctor’s departure. The camaraderie between the two had been a gust of cool wind on a muggy summer day, reminding her of better times. It was true friendship, something all of them had once shared, and she didn’t want to see it go away.
Most importantly, it had been a wealth of information about their private lives and the hospital she was trapped in. Their friendship was a productive source of answers. Twilight forced herself to frown. “Do you really have to go? I don’t mind if you stay here.”
“Afraid I have to, sugarplum. Them’s the rules, after all,” she said with a wink, laying on the accent extra thick. “But don’t worry yourself none. Rarity here will take care of you. She’ll be able to answer a lot of your questions, listen to any problems you might have, and help you draft those letters.”
“There’s no need to worry, Twilight. Doctor Applejack won’t be gone long. We have a lot of catching up to do, while she has her own chores to take care of. So go ahead and say goodbye to Doctor Applejack, and we can get started on those letters you wanted to write,” Rarity said cheerfully. Her smile grew wider. “And, I have two special treats for my favorite little filly! Doesn’t that sound divine?”
Twilight bit back on the urge to groan. Having the doctors treat her like a glass foal was bad enough, but there was the consolation that it was just part of their bedside manner. At least they had been faking it, she thought, dismayed by the eager and upbeat expression on Rarity’s face. But trying to placate me with treats? She honestly thinks I’m a child. This is how she must treat Sweetie Belle whenever she gets sick.
Reigning in her sense of righteous indignation before she said something she was going to regret, Twilight gave Rarity a thin smile before turning to address Applejack. “Okay, then. I guess I will see you later, Applejack.”
“Sure will!” she replied as she opened the door behind her. “And if you two need anything, there’ll be a orderly outside. I’ll be back in a jiffy, don’t you worry.” There was a soft click, and the two unicorns were alone.
There were a thousand questions in Twilight’s mind, each one eager to be asked, but Rarity was already talking before she could even open her mouth. “Oh, it’s lovely catching up with old friends.” She sighed. “Well Twilight, how about you take a seat,” she gestured at a green plastic chair, “while I get you those treats I promised. Would you like that?”
“Sure,” she said flatly as she dropped herself into the chosen seat, holding back on her temper. She examined Rarity while she was distracted with her saddlebags. Something was tickling the back of her mind as she looked at her friend. There was something wrong. Although she had picked up enough from their conversation to assume that Rarity was around the same age as Applejack, she looked just like she did in Twilight’s memories. Her hair was elegant, her coat pristine, and her hooves manicured. The small room even carried the flowery undertones of the mare’s perfume. Were her wrinkles a bit more pronounced? Was her makeup hiding the signs of age, or just a fashion decision? She still possessed her sense of style, that was clear. Her business suit, although drab and conservative by Rarity's standards, was still pressed and perfectly fitted. The only stark visual difference between her Rarity and the one across the table was the lanyard draped around her neck, its functional design and institutional colors clashing with the outfit’s subtle tones.
When Twilight finally realized what was bothering her, she couldn’t help but blurt it out. “Rarity, did you make that suit?”
Her friend lifted her head. “Hmm? Oh, this old thing?” she chuckled, gesturing at the suit. “No, I didn’t make it. But I did help design it.” She smiled at Twilight. “Why? Do you like it?”
“Oh, yes. It’s very lovely.”
Rarity beamed at Twilight’s words. “Well thank you, darling. Sable Stitches, the tailor, is an old friend of mine, and she is always telling me I have a natural eye for fashion.”
“So you’re a clothing designer too?”
Rarity giggled, returning her attention to the saddlebags. “Me? I’m flattered, darling, but no, I’m no designer. But I like to think I know how to put together a stunning outfit, if I do say so myself.” She struck a pose.
The same creeping dread Twilight had felt when Doctor Applejack had walked into her room for the first time wormed its way up her legs. “So you don’t work with fashion at all?”
Rarity paused, turning her head to give Twilight a sly glance. “Well, to be honest, I do dabble every now and again. I’m not a true fashionista like Madam Stitches, but I do enjoy working on accoutrements like hats and scarves. It’s my hobby. I feel so... relaxed, when I am seated in front of a sewing machine. I can truly unwind.” She sighed wistfully. “But of course, being an amateur tailor doesn’t pay the bills. Not a lot of bits to be made in selling one of a kind hats, no matter how fabulous they are.”
“I don’t follow the leap from fashion boutique to hospital,” Twilight said. “You couldn’t make a living designing clothes, so you decided to become... a caseworker?”
Rarity’s smile tightened. “I had my reasons, dear,” she answered politely through her gritted teeth. She turned back to her saddlebags and resumed her search.
Twilight paused, unable to bring herself to ask anything more. I offended her, she thought. I hurt her, somehow. I could see it in her eyes. Whatever drove her to abandon fashion has not healed. Something happened in the past to really- Twilight blinked as her thoughts came to a jerking halt. She began to smile. The past – of course! Applejack feels guilty about going to school while Big Mac had to work on the farm; Pinkie Pie is frightened of being a ‘bad’ pony; Rarity is upset about something in her past that kept her out of fashion. So that means...
Twilight’s face fell. Well, what does that mean, Twilight? It seems like everypony in this reality has a broken past – myself included, evidently. That doesn’t help me at all. Twilight felt like a balloon that had sprung a leak as she sagged down into her chair. So my friends have painful pasts. This reality has them all employed by or committed to an insane asylum. Of course they’re going to have bad pasts. Still... her thoughts trailed away. Despite having nothing to go on, Twilight couldn’t shake the tingling at the back of her neck that it was important.
Somehow.
“Ah-ha! Found it at last,” Rarity announced as she pulled a small cloth-wrapped bundle from her bags, her expression once again friendly and ingratiating. It floated across the table in a light-blue aura before being deposited it in front of Twilight. “Here’s the first treat I promised! Go on, unwrap it.”
Twilight obeyed, ignoring the reflexive hint of annoyance she felt at having to do it by hoof. When she finally undid the needlessly complex knot, the cloth fell away lifelessly, revealing the treasure within. Twilight’s eyes opened wide. “Are these–”
“Raisin cookies!” said Rarity with a burst of buoyant pride. “I baked them myself.”
Twilight stomach growled loud enough to almost mask her hurried thanks before she shoved one of the half-dozen cookies into her mouth. “Bweakfust was howwible this mohning,” she explained through a shower of crumbs. “You dohn know how huwngee I am.”
Rarity kept her grin plastered on her face as she brushed the ejected cookie detritus off of the table and into a wastebasket. “I think I have an idea.”
Twilight’s cheeks flushed red again as she halted with another cookie shoved halfway into her crumb-filled mouth. “Sohwy,” she chuckled nervously as she pulled the cookie back and finished chewing her mouthful. As she swallowed, thoughts of her etiquette teacher Miss Waltz’s disapproving glare flashed through her mind.
“Oh it’s perfectly alright, dear. I know how terrible the food they serve around here is,” she remarked as Twilight took a polite nibble of her cookie. “But that’s not the only treat I have for you. You gave me an old friend of yours to take care of while you were being treated, and after spending a little time under my hooves, I think she is looking better than ever.”
“Friend? What friend?” she asked as Rarity levitated a second cloth item across the table. Twilight’s expression shifted from confusion to recognition to surprise, and then back to confusion. It couldn’t be. It was. “Smarty Pants? You had my old doll?”
“Yes I did. You gave her to me to take care of while you were recovering. You didn’t want to lose her, after all, and the staff... well, they aren’t always too appreciative of letting patients keep certain items. You were afraid they might get rid of her when you weren’t looking.”
“But she looks so clean,” Twilight said flatly, holding the familiar doll in her hooves like it might break. “She looks brand new.”
Rarity nodded. “Well, I did decide to give her a little bit of a makeover. At first I thought she just needed a good scrubbing, but then I noticed how her eyes were about to fall off and the loose stitching around the patches, which all meant she wouldn’t survive a proper cleaning. So, I spent a little time with a needle and thread, and voila! Smarty Pants is reborn! She is très magnifique, if I do say so myself.”
Twilight nodded, impressed with the work that had been done to her old foalhood doll. She really did look like a new doll. In fact, she looked better than new; she hadn’t looked so clean and intact since the day Twilight’s parents had given Smarty Parts to her. Memories of childhood games, tea parties, and study sessions with the doll percolated within her head, but instead of nostalgia she felt conflicted and uncomfortable. Twilight lifted her eyes from the sparkling toy. “Rarity, I appreciate the work you put into this. It’s better than new, and very generous.” The caseworker positively shone at the compliment, but Twilight continued. “But I have a question for you, and even though it’s going to sound pretty weird and strange, I’m being serious here. Did I ever act like Smarty Pants was, you know... real?”
If the question surprised Rarity, she hid it well. Pursing her lips together she stared back at Twilight. She took her time before answering. “You always seemed to carry her around with you to all of our meetings, and you’ve always referred to Smarty Pants as a ‘she’ and not an ‘it’,” Rarity began, causing Twilight’s hooves to tingle in anxious dread. “Sometimes you and some of your marefriends would play with her too, and you would have her be a part of your tea parties or... study groups.” She paused. “But no, I don’t remember you ever behaving like Smarty Pants was anything more than a doll.”
A weight was lifted from Twilight’s mind. “Oh thank Celestia,” she sighed. “That’s a relief.”
“And how is Spike doing?”
Twilight’s eyes popped open. “What?”
“You know, your little dragon friend?” Rarity repeated. “You always said he liked me, and since you were bringing up, ah, ‘invisible’ friends, I thought–”
“Spike isn’t here,” snapped Twilight, hard enough to make Rarity flinch.
“Oh. I see.”
Twilight sighed again, the bitter taste of guilt dripping down the back of her throat. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to sound like that. It’s just... a complicated issue. And I don’t mean that Spike isn’t here, in the sense that he’s in the other room. But he doesn’t seem to exist in this w–” Twilight coughed. “I, uh, mean he doesn’t exist at all. Because he’s a delusion.”
This time, Rarity couldn’t hide her surprise. “Spike isn’t real? Well, that's wonderful to hear!” It was Twilight’s turn to flinch, the excitement in Rarity’s voice when saying those words only digging deeper into the wound that was Spike’s non-existence. “It looks like Doctor Rose’s treatment is working splendidly.” Producing a pen from her bags, she set about filling in some notes on the assortment of paperwork laid out before her, her reading glasses perched at the tip of her muzzle.
“Yeah. Splendidly,” Twilight replied, but Rarity made no sign that she heard her as she busied herself with the paperwork.
Eventually Rarity finished. “Then why don’t the two of us–”
“Actually,” Twilight interrupted, “before we start going through all the official stuff, can you help me write that letter to my parents? I really, really want to make sure that I take care of that first.”
“Of course, darling. Here, let me just get some fresh paper and a pen out.” Pulling out a small stack of blank paper from her bags she glanced at Twilight. “Would you like me to write the letters for you, or do you want to write them yourself?”
“I’ll write them, if you don’t mind,” Twilight said earnestly, accepting the stationary with a smile. “But I don’t need this much paper. I’m only sending the letter to my parents. Unless I can send letters to my brother and Princess Celestia too?”
“You can send one to your brother certainly,” Rarity said with an uncomfortable look. “But I can’t allow you to send one to any non-family members.”
“What about if I let you write the one to the princess for me?”
Rarity shook her head. “I’m sorry, dear, but those are the rules. You’re still a minor.”
Twilight grudgingly nodded. She hadn’t expected them to really allow her to contact the princess so easily, but it was worth a shot. Hopefully she could convince Rarity or Applejack to mail a letter to the princess with time. “Fine. But I can still write to my brother?”
“Of course you can. And I bet he would love to hear from you as well.”
Rarity’s words brought a smile to Twilight’s face. “I’m sure he would. We’ve always been close,” she said, a sense of optimism fueling her as she thought of Shining Armor. She could count on him – he would never let her down. “So, I’ll write two letters: a letter for him, and a letter for my parents.”
Her friend-turned-caseworker nodded. “Alright, darling. And which parent are you writing too?”
“Both of them,” Twilight repeated as she fiddled with the pen. “You wouldn’t happen to have a quill and ink, would you? These things are so difficult to use.”
Rarity chuckled. “Sorry dear. I think you’re the only pony I know of that still likes to use a quill to write. Although it does add a touch of grace and class to a letter.” She gestured at the two sheets of paper Twilight had laid out in perfect alignment. “But if you’re going to write to your parents and your brother, you’re going to need a third sheet.”
Twilight lifted her head slowly, the pen pushing firmly into the paper as she froze mid stroke. “Why?” she asked, her voice as soft as the cold breeze working its way up her spine. “They still live in Canterlot, don’t they?”
“Well, your father does,” Rarity said as she looked at Twilight closely, her amusement replaced with gentle concern. “But your mother lives in Manehattan with her husband.”
There was a loud crack as Twilight’s pen snapped. “Her husband?” she shouted, her expression a riot of angry disbelief directed at Rarity. “What do you mean ‘her husband’? She isn’t even married to my father? How could you say such things? My parents love one another!”
Rarity’s reading glasses fell off her nose as she pulled back in surprise, her mouth trying to form a coherent response in the face of Twilight’s blistering accusations. “But... but I...” she stammered.
“It’s not enough to destroy my life and toss everything I’ve ever accomplished into the dumpster, but now they’re going to insult my parents?” Ink splattered out over the table as Twilight slammed her hooves down again. She could feel that furious beast begin to rise up from the depths of her mind. Was this entire world built around tearing apart everything that was good and comforting from her real life? She leveled her glare at Rarity. “My parents love each other, just as much as they love me.”
“Of course they do, darling!” said Rarity calmly, quickly recovering from Twilight’s outburst. As she spoke she stood up from her seat and slowly made her way around the table. “They love you more than anything, and you should never doubt that.” She halted at Twilight’s side, giving her a motherly smile. “Now, hold out your hooves.”
Twilight blinked. “What?” she half-asked, half-growled, caught off guard by the request.
“You cut yourself, and you’ve got ink all over your coat,” explained Rarity, taking the seat beside Twilight and levitating over a box of tissues. Twilight glanced down at her forelegs. The hair was matted beneath a layer of dark ink, with a noticeable burst of crimson amidst the sea of black liquid and lavender fur. A few slivers of plastic were embedded in her flesh, the fragments of pen deep enough to draw blood. She winced as the pain finally penetrated the haze of furious denial shrouding her mind.
“Oh,” was all Twilight could say, turning to face Rarity and lifting her forearms for her. Her anger was pushed back down into its cave, gnashing its teeth all the while, as she forced herself to take control of her emotions.
“Now, just stay still for a minute dear, so I can take care of this little mess,” Rarity said in a soothing tone, supporting Twilight’s forelegs with her own. She ignored the ink staining her sleeves as she cleaned the area around the cut, her gentle expression and soft demeanor so different from what Twilight had expected. Instead of a drama queen, Rarity was behaving like a mother with a foal. There was no anger at Twilight’s outburst, no accusatory look in her eyes. She didn’t even care that she was probably ruining her outfit. She was simply focused upon dealing with Twilight’s wound.
It only made Twilight feel worse. “I’m sorry for behaving like that,” she offered, her voice almost cracking as she hung her head guiltily. “It’s not your fault. You didn’t deserve to be yelled at.”
“No, it was my fault,” Rarity replied, lifting Twilight’s chin with her clean hoof so she could look her in the eyes. “I knew you were suffering from some memory problems, but I didn’t consider that you might not remember everything about your family. I was excited about your progress and forgot to consider the other factors.” The gentleness in Rarity’s face stood in stark contrast to Twilight’s deepening shame, making her feel even more insignificant. “So I should apologize to you,” she continued as she glanced back down at Twilight’s stained fur. “I shouldn’t have mentioned your parents’... situation so callously. It was tactless and uncaring, and I’m sorry.”
Twilight inhaled sharply as she looked away. “You don’t need to apologize,” she said weakly, blinking back her tears. She wished she had seen some blame in Rarity’s eyes. Her friend was selflessly helping to clean her up after she had made a huge mess. Twilight was being treated like a little foal again, but for the first time, it didn’t offend or enrage her. She felt sad – sad that her friend would accept her childish display as being justifiable. If she were back in the real world, Twilight’s behavior would have been inexcusable. But this Rarity thinks I’m a crazy, unbalanced pony, she told herself. She is cleaning me and apologizing for getting me upset after I threw a childish fit. She cares about me, but in the same way Fluttershy cares about sick animals.
“Now this is going to sting a little, but I need to pull out all the little bits of pen in your skin, alright?” Rarity asked with a serious look.
Twilight nodded. Can I blame her for treating me like a foal? After- Her thoughts were interrupted by a sharp but fleeting burst of pain as Rarity removed the first of the half-dozen plastic needles. She paused and looked up to check on her, but Twilight grit her teeth and nodded again, urging her to continue. Twilight kept quiet for the rest of them. After behaving like that, how did I expect her to react? This world isn’t real. I can’t keep exploding whenever I run into one of its lies. My parents do love each other. They’re happily married. And as soon as I fix this and get home, they’ll be just like they were – just like they should be.
“Okay, that’s all of them,” Rarity announced as she deposited the pen’s remains into a nearby wastebasket before turning back to Twilight to resume cleaning away as much ink as she could. “That wasn’t so bad, now was it?”
“Y-Yeah. It was nothing,” said Twilight as she stared at the distant wall, ignoring the dampness beneath her eyes. Another period of silence followed as Rarity went through half the box soaking up what she could, the cuffs of her suit stained black with ink.
Twilight turned to stare at Rarity in confusion when the other mare suddenly burst out laughing. “I’ve been with you only fifteen minutes today, Twilight, and I’ve already had two angry episodes end with bouts of humble apologies and awkward silence. I hope that’s my quota for the month.”
“Yeah, I hope so, too,” Twilight replied with a half-smile. She wasn’t ready to laugh herself just yet – especially when it wasn’t funny – but it felt like the room had suddenly been aired out, allowing her to breathe easy again. Twilight wiped the moisture away from beneath her eyes with her cleanest hoof as she glanced back at Rarity. Thinking about her parents being separated was still difficult, even with the full knowledge that it was all fake, but she had no other choice. Twilight was tired of letting her emotional outbursts interfere with her goals. She needed answers. “So, if my father is in Canterlot, and my mom is in Manehattan, then where does Shining live?”
“Ponyville.”
Twilight gasped. “Really? Isn’t that just a few miles away?” When Rarity confirmed it was, Twilight nearly leapt from her chair. “Yes! Yes yes yes! He’ll come as soon as he gets the letter. My B.B.B.F.F. won’t let me down – he’d never let me rot here all alone!”
Rarity smiled politely as she finished cleaning up the ink as best she could. “He does like to visit often. I think he was going to visit you next week, actually. If you send him a letter, I bet he will move that up,” she continued as she pulled a few bandages from her clean but worn saddlebags. “He works so hard to keep Ponyville safe, but then, it’s not that difficult a job. There’s hardly any crime in town.”
“What does Shining do?” Twilight asked as Rarity affixed the bandages to her leg.
“Oh, he’s a police officer in town.” The revelation was... not as much a shock as Twilight had anticipated it would be. It was still a little painful to imagine her brother stuck in a life where he never was the guardspony he dreamed of becoming, but Twilight felt more prepared against the world’s deliberate attempts to cause her distress. “We’ve met a few times, during some family meetings. He’s a good stallion, your brother, and he doesn’t blame you for anything. He just wants to see his little sister get better.”
The younger unicorn’s eye twitched slightly. “Blame?” she asked shakily, trying to shore up her defenses against whatever Rarity might say. “Why w-would he blame me for anything?” She knew it might hurt, but she couldn’t just ignore it. She needed answers, especially where her family was concerned.
Rarity glanced up at Twilight’s expression and shook her head. “Oh, no, not now, darling,” she announced firmly. “I know you have been having problems with your memories, and I don’t want to be the source of your anxiety. I’ve already done enough for today.” She cut off Twilight’s protest. “And no, I’m not going to change my mind.” Her expression softened. “If you really need to know, you can ask Doctor Applejack. Or if you still have questions next time we meet, I’ll answer them then. But I don’t need to place more stress in your life by talking about family matters. You’re still recovering, after all.”
For a moment Twilight considered fighting the issue, but one look at Rarity’s steely gaze and she abandoned the idea. She sighed. “Okay, fine. But you’re still going to help me write the letter to him, right?”
“Of course, Twilight!” declared Rarity as she stepped back. She glanced at the table, frowning at the puddle of splattered ink and the stained pages Twilight had been given. “Since you hurt your hooves, would you like me to write the–”
This time, Twilight did object. “No!” she yelped, before giving the surprised Rarity an apologetic grin. “I mean, you don’t have to do that. I want to write the letters myself, if you don’t mind.”
“Of course, that will be just fine. You might just prefer to sit over here instead,” she offered Twilight, gesturing to her seat. Twilight thanked her as she moved around the table, noting in passing the large saddlebags resting beside Rarity’s seat. They were fairly stylish – at least to Twilight’s untrained eye – but even she could tell they were not created with fashion in mind. They were... practical. Even worn out. As Twilight sat down she watched Rarity as she fetched a new pen and fresh paper for her. Besides the newly ink-stained cuffs, Twilight could see that the suit was a lot like the saddlebags: in good condition but lacking some of the flair that Twilight expected from her friend. A store-bought outfit, even one that was designed with her help, was hardly the sort of thing Rarity would ever wear.
Rarity’s clothing lacked the flair, the zest, from Twilight’s memories. It was a disconcerting idea. Well, maybe she just fell on hard-times recently, Twilight thought as she picked up the pen before her. She still acts like Rarity. Maybe she’s not as flamboyant, but she's still as generous and considerate as I remember. Imagining Rarity being desperate enough to wear another pony’s outfits made Twilight feel doubly guilty over the dark stains on Rarity’s sleeves.
“Now, you can write whatever you want to your family. And if you want, I can even look over the letters for you,” Rarity explained, unaware of Twilight’s rueful glance at her clothing. “Everything you say to me is confidential. Nothing is shared with the hospital staff. You can trust me.” She smiled. “But I’ll understand if you want to keep these private.”
“I’d appreciate that,” Twilight said with a thankful grin of her own. She watched Rarity move to the far side of the table, humming to herself as she set about cleaning up as much of the spilt ink as she could. Sorry, Rarity. I can’t trust anyone just yet, she silently apologized as she adjusted the sheets of paper, making sure each one was perfectly aligned with its neighbor.
Turning her gaze down to the blank sheet before her, Twilight tapped the pen against the page. Dear Mom: I’m not crazy. Love, Twilight. It was almost funny enough to make her cry. She had to let them know she needed their help, that she was scared and alone, but she couldn’t tell them the truth. Not yet. Once she was free, then she could work on getting back home. Until then, she had to work on influencing their emotions, getting them to pity her and take her with them – or at the least get them to halt whatever her treatment is.
She stared at the pen, imagining how much easier it would be to write to them if Spike were there. Twilight had always enjoyed dictating her writing aloud, either to herself or her young assistant. Ideas came easier when she had to speak them. She glanced at Rarity. It wasn’t just the absence of her draconic friend that troubled her, but the very fact that she couldn’t talk to herself because her good friend was in the room with her. This world has made me unable to even trust my best friends. But I can still trust my family, no matter what.
Steeling herself, Twilight pushed down on the pen, moving her hooves slowly as she began the first stage of her escape plan.
Dear Mom...
“And this one goes to Shining Armor, correct?” Rarity asked for the third time, eliciting a nervous chuckle from Twilight. The joke wasn’t funny the first time, but she still laughed politely.
“Yes, that’s the one,” she confirmed, holding back on the desire to roll her eyes. After finishing the letters she had sealed them up in envelopes before letting Rarity write down their addresses. Still, Twilight had made sure to watch what she wrote and memorize them herself – knowing where to mail any future letters to on her own could be vital.
The rest of their time together had been much more relaxed than it had been in the beginning. Twilight still felt embarrassed at her earlier reaction, the splotches of ink in her fur a visible reminder of her outburst.
Despite the initial awkwardness, they had managed a comfortable conversation. It had been a bit one sided, though. While Rarity had asked Twilight questions about how she was feeling, how the doctors were treating her, and what problems she had been having, most of her time had been spent listening to Twilight. Part of Twilight had wanted to just unload on her friend, drop everything in the other unicorn’s lap and see what she would say. Instead, she had kept her cool. Her answers had been simple, logical, and above all, sane. She needed ponies who doubted the official story and not her.
Still, Twilight wasn’t completely satisfied at how it had gone. As she watched Rarity return the letters to a pocket of her saddlebags, Twilight considered how little success she had with attempting to get useable information out of Rarity. She had given Rarity the names of her medication and told her how ignorant she was about what they really did, and Rarity had promised she would look up the information for their next visit. It was a start, but when she had tried to explain her knowledge of magical theory to Rarity, hoping to demonstrate a proficiency far above what some hospitalized version of herself could manage, it had gone right over her friend’s horn. It had been a frustrating experience: she wanted to convince Rarity she knew things she couldn’t have if the staff were telling the truth, but she couldn’t simply tell Rarity she wasn’t from that world without making herself look crazy. In the end, Twilight had almost torn Smarty Pants in half.
Twilight glanced down at the doll resting on the table. There were a few flecks of black spoiling her recently cleaned form, but even with those blemishes, Smarty Pants was still the cleanest she had been in years. Although she had long since abandoned playing with dolls, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief at her presence. At least Smarty Pants was something from her real life she could hold in her hooves.
Of course, even Smarty Pants hasn’t escaped being changed by this place, she thought, surprising herself with just how bitter she sounded.
“Well, Doctor Applejack should be coming back soon,” Rarity said as she glanced over at her, watching Twilight look up from the doll. Her smile broadened. “So, do you like your gift? I hope you’re not upset with how I cleaned up Smarty Pants for you.”
“It’s fine, really! I’m really... surprised, is all. I mean, I feel a bit old to be playing with dolls,” she said with a forced laugh.
“It’s perfectly fine as long as it makes you feel better, Twilight.” Rarity picked up Smarty Pants and looked her over. “You shouldn’t be afraid of what other people think. Being in this hospital is hard enough on you.”
“I know, but still, I haven’t played with dolls in a long time,” she replied, trying hard to forget about the last time she had brought out Smarty Pants, and all the trouble that had caused. “I really, really appreciate the gift, and it brought back some pleasant memories, but I think it would be for the best if I were to give Smarty Pants away. It would make me feel better knowing there’s another foal out there who can give her a good home.” She gestured at the almost pristine looking doll. “I mean, why not give her to Sweetie Belle? I bet she would love playing with Smarty Pants’ mane, or helping her keep notes, or just having another friend. Heh, unless you happen to have any kids of your own I don’t know about?”
Smarty Pants fell to the ground as the magic holding her aloft cut out. Twilight looked up to find Rarity staring at her with her blue eyes frozen wide, the corners of her mouth pulled taught in an expression of mortified horror. Twilight’s ears flattened against her head instantly, the wounded look in Rarity’s eyes enough to make her heart skip a beat. “Oh my gosh! Rarity, I- whatever I said, I didn’t mean it!”
Her friend’s mouth tried to form a response as she stared back at Twilight, her eyes growing misty. “I... I...”
A soft knock on the door pulled Twilight’s eyes away from Rarity’s tearful expression. Applejack made her way into the room giving Twilight a big grin. “Hey Twi, how are y–” She nearly choked on her greeting when she saw the expression on Rarity’s face. “Rarity, what’s wrong? What’s the matter?” she asked as she hurried to her side.
“I have to go!” Rarity declared, her voice barely wavering as she shoved past Applejack and ran out into the hallway, the sound of her furious hoofbeats fading away until they were cut off by the door sliding shut.
The two mares just stared at the door before turning to look at each other. “What in the hay was that about?” Applejack asked, her eyes going from the stained table, to the stained doll, to Twilight’s stained and bandaged legs. “What in the hay happened to you? What happened here, Twilight?”
“I don’t know!” she replied, her confusion matching Applejacks. “Rarity had given me my old doll Smarty Pants. I told her that I was a little old for dolls and suggested that she give her to her sister, and then I joked about how she could give it to any foals she might have that I don’t know about. And then... that happened!”
Applejack’s confusion vanished. “Oh,” she said with a grim look, her voice a soft wind through the trees.
“Oh? Oh? Oh what?”
“It’s... well, it’s not my place to say,” Applejack explained, which only made Twilight’s scowl deepen.
“You have to tell me!” she demanded desperately. “Something I said just made her run away in tears! Was it about Sweetie Belle? Did something happen to her? Or, was it the joke about her foals?” She began to move around in an anxious circle, like a nervous dog chasing its tail. “Does Rarity even have foals? Oh jeez, oh jeez! Are her foals sick? Is Sweetie Belle sick? This isn’t good! How many foals does she have? D–”
“Twilight! Enough.” Applejack gave Twilight a stern glare, bringing Twilight’s monologue to a halt. Despite the firm tone, her eyes held nothing but sadness and regret. “Look, it ain’t my place to say, and I mean that. Rarity and I go way back. We’re both Ponyville girls, and I’m not going to explain what ain’t none of my business.” Picking up the doll she handed it to Twilight. “All you need to know is that you didn’t do anything wrong.”
Twilight clutched Smarty Pants against her breast instinctively and nodded. “I guess... I just wish I knew what it was that has her so upset.” You're not going to get your friends to help you if you’re going to make them cry every time you meet with them, she added.
“She’ll tell you when she’s ready,” said Applejack as she glanced around the room again, her eyes settling on Twilight’s legs. “And besides, we need to get you cleaned up. Rarity got you cleaned up, didn’t she?” Twilight nodded. “Yeah, she did a pretty good job, it looks like. Still, lets head to the bathroom before we do anythin’ else. I don’t think you’re gonna get the rest of it out without a shower, but we can try to do somethin’, at least.”
“Okay, but... what should I do about the doll?”
Applejack blinked. “Smarty Pants?”
“How did you...” Twilight shook her head. “Yeah, Smarty Pants. What should I do with her?”
“Just bring her along for now. We’re going to lunch right after we get some soap on those legs of yours.”
Grabbing Smarty Pants in her teeth, Twilight tossed her up onto her back, the doll landing in an undignified flop. She stared at the toy a moment, a sense of faint embarrassment tingling in her cheeks. Now, I really do look like a foal, she thought with an annoyed snort. Still, as mildly embarrassing being seen carting around an old doll was, Twilight couldn’t bring herself to abandon Smarty Pants. She was something from her past, and as childish as it was, it was comforting to have her old study buddy with her again. Her eyes lingered on the faint ink stains, considering how to get them out from the fabric, before looking away. “Okay, that sounds good to me. Lead on.”
The trip to the bathroom passed quickly as Applejack questioned what exactly had happened in the room. Twilight had done her best to minimize the extent of her outburst, but she couldn’t hide the fact that she had injured herself. Injuries? Twilight scoffed. I’ve gotten worse injuries trimming the plants outside the library. Still, she wasn’t surprised when Applejack told her that they would have to mark it down on her file, or that they might give her some antibiotics later to prevent an infection.
“Yay. More pills,” had been Twilight’s deadpan response.
The bathroom was empty when they arrived. The doctor escorted Twilight inside and led her towards the row of sinks. It was like the last bathroom she had been in, the white tiles that went halfway up the walls reeking of bleach and cleaning products. The slightly damp floor made it clear it had seen a janitor recently.
Careful to avoid slipping, Twilight followed right behind Applejack. At Applejack’s direction, she reared up to place her forelegs in the porcelain sink after safely depositing Smarty Pants on a piece of dry counter.
“Now, just hold still while I see what I can do about this mess,” Applejack said as she turned on the faucet, the initial blast of ice-water causing Twilight to flinch. She grinned. “It ain’t gonna hurt you, sweetness. It’s just the old plumbing in this place. Takes a moment for things to warm up.” As she spoke the water made the magical transformation from freezing to uncomfortably cold, and stayed there.
Twilight ignored the discomfort, letting Applejack work the soap into her black and violet coat. “So, how old is Broadhoof?” she asked, contenting herself with a simple question, rather than attempting to pry into Rarity’s history again. Those answers will come in time. I can’t force them.
“Nearly as old as Ponyville itself,” Applejack said, keeping her eyes on her task. “Well, the early settlers were here first, but the railroad made it a proper town. And the hospital followed soon enough. It was a good location for it, since Ponyville’s on the line from Canterlot to Los Pegasus. Plus, right down the tracks a ways is the big junction leads south to the frontier. Plenty of traffic coming through town.”
Twilight glanced over at her. “Yes. And it’s also a nice and relatively isolated spot to build a place to stick the insane ponies that they don’t want to keep in the big cities.” Applejack’s expression darkened, but she didn’t respond. After a few heartbeats Twilight exhaled. “Okay, that wasn’t called for, I admit. Sorry for being so... combative with you. It’s just, you know... what I talked about before...”
“Hun, I told you, I don’t want to hear any more talk about you taking off your suppressor, alright?” she warned, but Twilight shook a wet hoof to ward her off, soapy droplets flying everywhere.
“I remember, I remember. I promised I wouldn’t ask about that, and I’ve been holding up my end of our agreement. What I meant was the... other thing. You know, about how my behavior and lack of symptoms don’t match up with my supposed medical condition?”
Applejack paused in her cleaning, lifting her head to meet Twilight’s eager gaze. The only sound was the gentle rush of water running down the drain as Applejack looked at Twilight, her expression inscrutable. “Twilight, I have thought about it. A lot. And I think you are forgetting one very important factor in all of this.”
Twilight’s face drooped slightly. “And that is...?”
“That your treatment is designed to suppress, control, or even cure, most of your symptoms.”
“But- !”
“Twilight, you’re not a medical student, so you might not know this, but a doctor doesn’t claim a long-term patient is cured after just two days on a new treatment. I admit that the results have been... amazing. Better than even I had hoped for – ever dreamed of. And if this continues, you have a good chance of living a life outside Broadhoof, Twilight,” she said, taking the other mare’s wet hooves in her own and giving her a smile. “But you’re still in the beginnin’ of your treatment, sugarcube. I know you’re eager to get out there and leave this place behind, but healing takes time. It’s like growing apple trees; you can nurture them and give them everything they need to grow, but you can’t rush them. Just because your symptoms are in remission and the treatment is showing early progress now, doesn’t mean that you are no longer in need of care. If you just trust us to help you, if you stay honest with us and let us do our jobs, then I am optimistic you’ll be able to go home someday.”
There was such honesty and compassion in those green eyes that Twilight found her objections sticking in her throat. The burning convictions she had been feeding all day faltered at Applejack’s unknowingly crushing declaration, the heat unable to hold back the cold tendrils of doubt that were once again worming their way up her legs and digging into her bones. What if she is right? she considered, nibbling on her lower lip. What if you really are insane? Maybe the treatment is working, and for the first time in your life you’re living without the symptoms, so you can’t tell what is real and what is fantasy? What is more logical, that you’re a sick pony, or you were brought from one reality to another?
No! she struck back, savaging her doubts with wild swings from her furious mind. A searing blast of absolute certainty flared up within her breast, her knowledge a star of flame and conviction. No! I am not crazy! This world does not add up. My memories are real! Their treatment doesn’t make sense. How do I lose years of my life and have everything I know altered in an instant, without remembering a single detail of the supposed real world? How does that explain everything I know about magic? Twilight’s eyes narrowed. They’re wrong. And if I give into the doubts, give into their lies, then I loose everything. I’m not fighting for myself, I’m fighting for my friends. None of them deserve to live this life. I need to show them the truth so they can help me make everything right again.
“Do you understand what I’m tellin’ you, Twilight?”
She nodded. “I understand,” she answered, holding back her frustration and anger. It wasn’t Applejack’s fault she couldn’t see the truth yet. But she would. “Please, though, as much as you think that explains everything, please keep an open mind. It would... it would help me to deal with everything I’m going through if I knew I had somepony who was at least willing to consider my side of the equation.” It wasn’t a lie, but it wasn’t the full truth, either.
But it was enough to convince Applejack. She gave Twilight another smile as she squeezed her arm reassuringly. “Okay, sugarplum. I can promise you that I’ll at least keep considering it, as long as you keep up your end of the bargain.” Twilight nodded, fearing if she spoke again she might give something away.
The cleaning resumed, but in the aftermath of the emotional exchange, neither mare attempted to speak. After a few minutes they were finished, with Applejack holding up Twilight’s darkened forelegs to inspect them. “Well, it’s definitely better than it was,” she announced. Her coat was still darker and mottled from the stubborn ink stains, but at least Twilight didn’t look like she had been playing in mud.
“It does,” she admitted as she finished drying herself off with some paper towels. She glanced at Applejack. “Uh, before we go to lunch, can I... uh...” she tilted her head towards the bathroom stalls, “use the toilet?”
“Of course,” Applejack said, not reacting in the slightest to Twilight’s slight embarrassment. “I’ll be right outside. Just don’t take too long.”
As soon as the door swung shut behind the departing mare, Twilight let out a sigh. “Oh, why me?” she mumbled. She could still feel the doubt there, gnawing at her convictions like termites, but she still felt like she was in control. Applejack’s words had been a setback, but it hadn’t been major. At least she was still willing to consider Twilight’s side of the argument – and with Applejack’s sense of honesty and fairness, she would be as good as her word. It was all about keeping her sympathetic and remembering to avoid repeating the truth to her. Until Applejack realized the treatment wasn’t what it was supposed to be, it was better she think of Twilight as a cured crazy-pony and not a sane-pony from a different life.
Twilight didn’t glance at the mirrors as she strode past them, making her way toward one of the bathroom stalls. The day hadn’t been as fruitful as she had hoped, but Twilight could still smile triumphantly. She had written the letters to her family, and her brother lived only a short distance away. It would be easier to convince them she wasn’t insane. And once they were on her side?
“Twil...t...”
The mare came to a jerking halt halfway into one of the stalls. What was that?
“Tw..lig... c... ou... hea... e...”
It was a voice, so soft and faint that it was almost lost beneath the mechanical hum of the air conditioner. Spinning around Twilight glanced around the bathroom. “Who’s there?” she whispered. The room was empty. She dropped down low as she checked beneath the stalls. She was alone.
“Twiligh... ca... you hea... me...”
The hairs on the back of Twilight’s neck bristled as she flattened her ears back. Slowly, reluctantly, she turned around to stare at the mirror behind her. Her reflection stared back, a worried expression on its face. Twilight blinked; it blinked with her. She waved a hoof, and it mirrored her action. When she pulled back her lips, her twin displayed the same number of teeth. Shaking her head, Twilight turned away.
“Twilight... can you hear me...” the voice called again, the words distant and indistinct, as if the speaker was on the opposite end of a long cavern.
“Who... who is it?” Twilight whispered as she spared a glance at the door, fearful that Applejack was going to come inside and find her talking to nopony. “Who's there?”
The voice spoke again, understandable despite the unpredictable warping and fluctuations. Twilight stumbled, bracing herself against the tiled wall. Her shaking knees gave out, and she collapsed to the floor like a foal just learning to walk. Her head was a riot of emotions, but the voice was steady, confident, and strong.
“Twilight, can you hear me?” it repeated. Twilight nodded dumbly as she stared up at the ceiling. She knew that voice. She would know it anywhere.
“Yes, P-Princess Celestia... I can hear you.”
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Hmm...
Perhaps I was right all along, and she's been dreaming this whole time. Maybe this is Celestia trying to reach out to her from the real world.
But with this masterpiece, it's never safe to assume. So keep up the great work, and keep making us guess
Hmm.....I think this chapter helps out a theory of mine....anyway, keep up the good work!
So, I see this update, I go to check and...
i1069.photobucket.com/albums/u468/DreamingMarionette/Call_zps6f5f6b2f.png
i1069.photobucket.com/albums/u468/DreamingMarionette/Russia_zps75a1902e.png
Congrats, your word count is now 101, Russia.
I'm liking the new cover art!
It's ok though cuz it means I'll be sticking around
Hell yeah. Celly's gone to town (or rather used her telepathy).
Great chapter as always. I'm intrigued what your explanation about Sweetie is. From the looks of it, she is either a) dead by this worlds Twilight in an accident, b) killed accidentally by Rarity or c) is in the same asylum Twilight is currently held in.
Jeez, all this is "not-being-crazy" is making Twiley go around the bend.
Can't wait to see what ass-butt terrible fates have befallen Rarity and Shiny. You monster.
OH MY GOD IT'S SEVEN AM! That's a new academy record!
you better update FAST
also
CAN SOMEPONY PLEASE TELL TWILIGHT WHAT SHE DID AND WHAT HAPPENED TO SWEETIE BELL???
What.
Well, shit. This feels like a hope spot, which means the next chapter is going to involve the biggest mindscrew yet and our heroine is going to be dragged even deeper into the rabbit hole.
I hope the ending of this story is going to be a clear answer to the big question : Is she nuts or not ?
Love the new image
And I was starting to think Twilight was really crazy...
Oh well, that changes nothing!
She's still crazy, hearing princesses on the bathroom and shit.
Definitely have my theories now on what could have happened. Gonna keep them to myself though, don't want to say them if I'm right, because that would be spoiling.
The new cover art is pretty great, and I'm glad to see another update so soon.
I don't know if frustrating the audience by making it so any 'progress' that happens in one chapter is overshadowed in the next is intentional, but if so it's definitely working. I feel just as frustrated as I'm sure Twilight does every time I read an update!
W-w-what h-happened t-t-to Sw-w-eetie B-belle?
Nice new cover picture :)
Jesus, is this world real or not?
I guess that's the whole thing about the whole 'mental prison' getup, you never know if what the character is experiencing is right, actually happening or wrong.
Still, well done on the pacing and general setup of this. I do think you have Twilight's character nailed when it comes to these.
So this version of Rarity (relatively) weak at magic (just like in the show)?
Why not get Rarity research on the spells just like she is doing with the meds?
Is Twilight supposed to know anything about Sweetie Belle in the Asylumverse (what about the amnesia)?
So will the meds block out that Celestia's voice or is it part of the "treatment"?
Gaslighting could be used to boost revenue to develop better care or "care".
You can use an audio spotlight to simulate an auditory hallucination however I am not sure what is the level of technology in the Asylumverse:
This should have more info on it!
Regarding my theory on Sweetie Belle's fate I am going to play Disco Inferno
This story is making my headache even worse xD
A well worth it
You've officially messed my head up, here's what it looks like now.
(nice cover art btw)
Good chapter again. I hope it is really Celestia trying to reach Twilight in the cliffhanger, and not another trapping voice in the mare's head.
Why is this so great? I NEED RESOLUTION!!!
Seriously, I never want this end, but I also really really really (insert several more "really"s here) want to see how everything gets resolved!
I know by now that my pleas fall on deaf ears, but can we maybe get a few answers soon? The anxiety this gives me is making me sick...
Love the new cover image, by the way!
If the Broadhoof staff are correct then poor Twilight is still having delusions.
I wonder if Sweetie Belle got lobotomized.
Great chapter, looking forward to seeing more of this story.
I think I k ow what happened to Sweetie Belle, and I might know what's coming in the next chapter. It isn't in her head, I can say that. I think if she was crazy that the voice would have been loud and clear before hand
o_O >_< O_o.
What is real?
2633607
If you hate cliff hangers, then I'd be on the top of your shit-list. 3 in every 4 chapters of every one of my stories end in cliffhangers.
I dig this chapter yet again. Nice speed, too.
But honestly, I think I prefer your other cover. This one is too... colorful and bright. The other one had a cold and bleak feeling that gave a sense of hopelessness and it suited the story a tad more.
But maybe it's just me.
I gotta say, I prefer your old cover. But great chapter - can't wait for more.
Oooh, update...nice cover change as well! (but I liked the old one a bit more...)
" worked up about, sug- Rarity. I"
OooooOOOOooooOooOoOOoooOOoh...RariJack?
>:( Y SO MANY CLIFFHANGERS??
Enter Princess Celestia, whispering messages to her student that only she can hear.
Still no real answer on
being bat-shit insane then, eh?
Just when I start thinking that things are beginning to make sense, everything goes "lol NOPE!" And I'm once again left with a major headache (the good kind of headache) trying to figure out what is going on.
Great story, can't wait for the next chapter!
Write on,
Legion
observations #1 every time twilight gets close to making contact with celestia, something comes up to block it, explainable maybe, but with celestias disposition she would likely consider a note from a mental patient a good way to improve her image.
observation #2 no matter what the details involving what happened to twilight are deflected. this seems akwardly fortuitous for the people involved.
and i'm betting rainbow has seen past the illusion and thats why there keeping twilight from her.
What else does one need if they have such an awesome story to read?
I look forward to see what else you have in store, so I may once again be the one to say you do not bore.
Rhyming aside, it seems another piece of brown,looming feces has hit the fan. So many questions, so many loopholes. I'm awaiting departure into more red herrings, impossible paradoxes and the cold summer we have hit.
The verdict: mooaaarrrr (⊙~⊙)
-B1NARY B1TS
and the plot thickens
That ending
You keep giving us evidence of her being sane and now you bombshell us with more evidence that she is insane and that cliffhanger can go both ways because it's either her delusion gaining strength or she is actually trap.
Rarity's story is going to be interesting seeing her reaction for there are infinite possibilities and my first thought was that she become a case worker because of Sweetie Bell and her outburst at the end gave me the impression that she can't have children (again probably because of Sweetie). Btw Rarity's comment about Rainbow's reason for attacking AJ convince me even more that my theory is on the right track
AppleJack's reasoning about Twi's world makes sense and yet she said her herself, the treatment just begun and the progress is too good to be true to not consider that there is something fishy. Not to mention that there has been no word of how this treatment works, or what is for that matter.
You have no idea how much I enjoy this fic keep up the good work
I caught something that makes Applejack feel dishonest to me. Not the Smarty Pants comment. Twilight did actually tell her that not a couple minutes prior.
The fact that AJ knew about the ink mess means she was aware of what was going on in the room for a short period of time without making herself known.
And about that Princess Ratchet...
"ARRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHH ANOTHER GODDAMN CLIFFHANGER"- literally shouted this out loud at the end.
2633829
Oh dear god why 
The optimistic part of me wants to think that Celestia found a way to communicate with Twilight across worlds.
The part of me that took psychology is remembering that positive schizophrenia manifests primarily through auditory and visual hallucinations, and that Twilight has now potentially encountered both in very similar environments.
2634248
Actually I think that was the author's mistake.
2633780 Nice youtube poop.
This whole thing just *reeks* of defense mechanism.
She wants her friends to have the life they've always wanted, with her sane with her friend Spike. The voice in her head, Princess Celestia, probably talks to her and gives her advice and guidance, so in her world, she's her student. Her brother also has the dream job he always wanted. I'm not sure how well they get along in this world, but the fact that she and her brother get along so well in her world might mean something for this one.
I very well could be wrong, though. That dream she had was weird. I'll have to read it again.
If it's true, and she finds out the perfect world she made up isn't truly real... I fear for what she might do.
I predict a very unhappy ending for this story. I sincerely hope I'm wrong, though.
I've decided that this story isn't scary, but it is very spooky. It makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up.
Theory Time™!
I (weakly) believe that the Asylum-verse™ is the real world now. You can think the opposite, but there is one one question: Why?
Why is she the Princess's protege?
Why is she so talented at magic?
Why does she lived in a candy-coated world where everything turns out right for her?
And most importantly, why is she there?
It all makes sense. Asylum-Verse[i/] it the real world.
Theory Time and Theory Time™ logo is copyright the DoD Foundation, all rights reserved.
Asylum-verse is copyright the KiroStuffs inc., all rights reserved.
MY BRAIN!
I don't even...I just want to know so bad what's real! Oh Princess please be real and not one of Twi Schizophrenic hallucinations!
it's intriguing....we are reaching a point where either explanation of this world could be true-Twilight could be crazy or this could be one elaborate trap....nice job constructing that....this chapter puts out the possibility of another reality......hmmmm time will tell...good job and until next update
Well, that was an interesting chapter...
Now the question is, 'Is this actually the princess, or the schizophrenia?'
Loving the new cover art, too.