Chapter 15
Asylum
Chapter 15
Twilight sighed as she reached across the table to grab a fresh sheet of paper, making sure it didn’t get marred by any stray paint droplets from Pinkie’s eager efforts. Around them swam the sounds of ponies working on their own creations, the hum of quiet conversation broken by the odd giggle or the wet ping of another tin of paint being knocked over. It was an art class straight out of middle-school, complete with safety scissors and non-toxic paint. Picking up the cleanest brush she could find, Twilight dipped the worn bristles into a pot of black paint, letting her mind wander as she began her work.
The shadows... how are they controlling everyone? If I’m such a threat, why do they let me wander around? Shouldn’t they just have killed me? Or why not just have me locked away in solitary confinement on a permanent basis? If it was going to make up a history about me, why not claim I’m a psychopathic murderer and be done with it? Well, there are limits to its power, so maybe it can’t hurt me here directly. That would explain why it had to take me back to Equestria to try and break me emotionally. Does that mean... Twilight sighed, not finishing the question. She felt a headache coming on.
There are just too many questions and not enough answers. Until I know more, I’ve got to avoid getting distracted by shadows and phantoms and things that can’t affect me. If I can keep my head down and keep acting sane, then it will make my job so much easier.
“Now Twilight, don’t you think that’s a little grim for arts and crafts?”
Twilight lifted her head up from her work to find the art teacher, Toola Roola, standing beside her, a frown etched into the older mare’s face. Pinkie Pie busied herself with her own work as Toola Roola leaned over Twilight’s shoulder.
Twilight plucked the brush from her mouth. “What do you mean?” she asked as she glanced back down at the table. It took her a moment to realize what she had been painting, her eyes widening in alarm. A pool of black ink marred the pristine white of her paper, forming a vague stallion shape. Shrouded in heavy black fabric, his face was hidden beneath a porcelain mask formed into long and dangerous looking beak. The eyes of the mask were empty pits of nothingness, like open windows on a starless night.
Toola Roola’s frown deepened as she turned to Twilight, although her eyes lingered on her painting. “Well, the idea for today was to paint something happy you saw while outside,” she explained carefully. “Is that very cheerful to you?”
“No, not really,” Twilight allowed, gulping.
“And did you see it outside?”
“No!” Twilight declared. “No no no, I definitely did not see that outside. Or anywhere! I’ve never seen it anywhere! I was just painting my... um, my idea for a Nightmare Night costume.”
“Well then, it seems to me like you’re not really following the directions very well, Twilight. You can finish that drawing later.” Toola Roola crumpled the painting up and slipped it into one of her pockets before plucking a fresh sheet of paper from the stack at the center of the table. “For now, you need to do your best and paint something you saw outside. Something happy, and cheerful.” She placed the blank paper in front of Twilight. “Understand?”
Twilight nodded obediently. “I sure do, Miss Roola!” she chirped, pasting an insipid grin on her face.
The older mare smiled, rubbing Twilight’s mane. “That’s a good girl.”
Twilight managed to wait until Toola Roola turned away before scowling. She centered the paper on the table before organizing her paints and brushes again, making sure the paint tins were in alphabetical order – and then double-checking them, in case Pinkie had decided it would be funny to switch the green and red again.
A not-so-subtle cough in Twilight’s ear made her jump, with only a last minute scramble keeping a paint can from flying out of her hooves. Dropping it back onto the table, Twilight glared at her friend.
Pinkie smiled back at her. “So what are you gonna paint, then? Another creepy bird-stallion?”
Twilight frowned, shifting in her seat. “No, that was just something I made up. Just... forget about it, alright?” She examined the untouched paper. “Honestly, I don’t know. Something ‘happy and cheerful’, I guess.” Twilight turned to glance outside, the grassy fields bathed in the afternoon sunlight. A flash of red launching itself into the air from a nearby tree. “Maybe a robin? Birds are pretty cheerful. Anyway, what did you paint?”
“I painted my bestest buddies!” Pinkie declared proudly as she picked up her paper delicately in her teeth, holding it so Twilight couldn’t see it. With a grin and a flourish she spun around, revealing her painting with a showmare’s flair. “Ta-da!”
Twilight stared at the paper, her smile disappearing.
“See? It’s you, me, and, uh, Doctor AJ,” Pinkie said through her teeth, her grin eroding away beneath Twilight’s slack-jawed expression. “Uh, Twilight? Do you like it? Is, um, something wrong?”
“Pinkie... when did you learn cubism?”
Pinkie blinked. “What’s cubism?”
Twilight tossed her head back in irritation as she trotted alongside Pinkie Pie. “Look, you don’t understand. It was an hour spent sitting around with a bunch of other unicorns who also had their magic dampened, being made to talk about the problems we face without magic, and how we overcome that! How can that be labeled therapy?”
“Well, Doctor Roy says that the groups are for us to talk about our problems so we feel better afterwards,” Pinkie offered as they moved down the hallway, part of a loose line of patients trailing out of the cafeteria.
“But the only problem is that the hospital is forcing us to wear these things in the first place!” Twilight cried, smacking the limiter wrapped around her horn for emphasis. “That's like a group of thieves forcing their victims to get together and discuss the hardships of being robbed. If you don’t want ponies to be bothered by what you do, then stop doing it!”
“At least it’s all over now, right?” Pinkie pointed out with a grin. Twilight gave a reluctant nod, biting down on her frustrations as she marched silently along.
The orderlies led them to a large rectangular room with the same mesh-covered windows she was so familiar with. There were two rows of pillars running down the middle of the room, supporting a high ceiling painted in a blue and white facsimile of a clear summer day. Although no larger than the cafeteria, it felt less confining. The regimented lines of tables had been replaced with a more organic – if slightly anarchic – assortment of couches and chairs and playing mats, each group of furniture arranged in their own little clusters.
It had all the trappings of a day care center, Twilight mused, a thought that did little to improve her mood. The patients around her made beelines towards their favorite locations, competing for the softest chairs and warmest blankets. The orderlies and nurses kept a trained eye on the most exuberant of the patients, prepared to step in and prevent any conflicts from developing. Many of the toys were dented or scratched, while the boxes for the board games were held together with naught but tape. They were scars gained in the line of service, the marks of a hard life spent in servitude to the harshest of masters: the foal.
Despite the kindergarten atmosphere, Twilight was pleased to note that it didn’t cater to the younger patients alone. The far side of the room was dominated by low bookshelves, their contents as battered as the rest of the entertainment available. Even from a distance she could tell they were not simply pop-up books and children’s stories, but had more substantial fare on offer as well. Her eyes lingered on the shelves as she turned away from them.
About the only thing in the room not scratched and worn was the radio tucked up against one of the pillars. The fact that one of the orderlies never strayed more than a few yards from it explained just how it had escaped so unscathed. Despite his stern gaze, Twilight felt herself gravitating towards it, drawn in by the sound of jazz. The smooth melody was intoxicating after a day spent around mental patients and their habit of screaming without warning. Twilight halted a safe distance away from the guard and his precious machine, letting the mellow sounds wash over her. She felt like she were in a bubble of maturity, the closest table bearing an obviously underused chess board while the music masked the sound of foals at play. Even the orderly’s suspicious gaze couldn’t keep her from savoring the moment of relative tranquility.
“Twilight?”
Twilight stopped tapping her hoof and opened her eyes to find Pinkie Pie looking at her. “Sorry, Pinkie, I guess I zoned out there for a minute. What’s up?”
“Well, I was wondering if you wanted to do something,” she said, shifting her weight from hoof to hoof as she glanced around the room anxiously. “I mean, if we don’t go grab one of the good games soon, then we’ll be stuck with one of the ones that’s missing some of the pieces, and I don’t want you to play–” Pinkie froze mid-step. “Ohmygosh!” she shouted, jumping in front of her friend. She leaned forward, pressing her face in close to Twilight’s own. “Since you’ve forgotten about all the games we’ve played, everything is going to be totally new for you! That’s awesome!”
Twilight pulled her head back, but Pinkie just leaned forward to compensate. “That’s... great.”
“I know!” Pinkie squealed. “It’s like being able to enjoy the same game for the first time, but twice!”
“I get it, I get it,” Twilight said, gently pushing Pinkie back a few inches to give herself a little more space. Just the thought of playing board games while Equestria was consumed filled her with a sense of preemptive guilt that she struggled against. “So, uh, what game do you suggest?”
“Zap Apple Zingers!” Pinkie declared as she lead Twilight away from the radio, guiding her towards a set of shelves carrying an assortment of oft-repaired boxes.
“Isn’t that a game to help foals learn basic arithmetic?”
“Yup!”
Twilight groaned. “Couldn’t we try chess instead?” Twilight glanced back over at the radio. “I mean, wouldn’t that–”
Her words evaporated as she stared at the far side of the room. Just over the orderly’s shoulder she could see a yellow pegasus seated with her back to everyone else, her face turned to gaze outside at the setting sun. Even though her features were hidden behind her pink mane, Twilight knew who it was.
It was Fluttershy.
“Wouldn’t that what?”
Her eyes locked on her friend, Twilight only muttered something in response when Pinkie repeated the question.
Pinkie walked forward a few paces to halt beside the nearby table, blocking Fluttershy from view. “Is this what you were so interested in?”
Twilight finally turned her attention to Pinkie, but her friend was instead peering at the chess board resting atop the table. “What?”
“Well, I knew you kinda liked chess and stuff, but I didn’t know you were that interested in it. I mean, you seemed really out of it.” Grinning, Pinkie moved to the opposite side of the board from Twilight. “But that’s okay, cause I like chess too! So, what color do you wanna be?”
“Oh. Uh, yeah, I was... really enthralled at the opportunity to play chess, and I just couldn’t help myself,” Twilight said. “But, um, before we play, do you know anything about that mare over there?”
Pinkie followed Twilight’s outstretched hoof, squinting a bit. “You mean Fluttershy?”
Twilight’s heart skipped a beat. “Yes, Fluttershy! Do you know much about her?”
Leaning back in her seat, Pinkie tapped her chin. “Well, she really likes birds. I think thats why they sometimes call her the birdgirl. They let her keep a bunch of them up in her room. And she’s really, really shy. But I don’t know why she’s at Broadhoof.” Her expression darkened. “Although I heard she tried to, you know... kill herself.”
Even knowing they were coming, the words were still ice along Twilight’s spine. “So you don’t know anything about what’s wrong with her?” Twilight asked. Pinkie shook her head. “Well, before I lost my memories, were the two of us friends at least?”
“Oh no, Fluttershy doesn’t have any friends. She doesn’t like to be around other ponies. I tried to talk with her lots of times, because if there is anypony that needs a friend, it’s her. But she just kinda... gets all scared and stuff.” Pinkie frowned. “Well, actually, I guess she is kinda-sorta-maybe friends with that other pegasus, Rainbow... Rainbow Dash.”
“Really? They’re friends?” she asked in a hopeful tone. If they were friends, it would make her job much easier.
Pinkie shrugged, averting her gaze. “I guess. I mean, Rainbow can be nice sometimes, but she can also be kinda mean too. Plus, she is super-duper protective of Fluttershy. Like, this one time this colt threw this ball that hit Fluttershy, and Rainbow bucked him right in the chest. It left a bruise and everything!”
“They must like each other if they spend a lot of time together, though.”
“Sure. I think Rainbow Dash is probably Fluttershy’s only friend, besides all her birds.” Pinkie fiddled with one of the pieces. “Actually, I think Fluttershy might be Rainbow’s only friend too. She’s always getting angry and in trouble and stuff, so she doesn’t seem to have lots of time for friends.”
Twilight sighed. Rebuilding her friendships with the other Elements was sounding more difficult by the minute. “So, what happened yesterday is pretty normal for her?”
“Not normal, but not really surprising either,” Pinkie explained. “I mean, Rainbow’s gotten into a lot of fights before, but that’s the first time she’s attacked a doctor. I don’t even know how long she’s gonna be gone now for that.”
Twilight nodded as she adjusted the pieces on her side of the board so they were centered in their own squares. Okay, revised plan: focus on strengthening ties with Applejack and Pinkie Pie, and on starting up a relationship with this Fluttershy. Since Rainbow Dash is being punished for attacking Applejack, I need to use Fluttershy as a means of reaching Rainbow Dash and breaking the ice. Hopefully I can use their feelings for one another to help me succeed.
“Hey, is it alright if we don’t talk about them for a bit?” Pinkie asked, dragging Twilight’s focus away from her mental list. “I kinda feel bad for Fluttershy. I don’t wanna talk about her behind her back or anything. Lots of ponies already spread these mean rumors about her. Plus, I feel guilty about the last few times I tried to make friends with her. She got so scared when I tried to talk to her, I thought she was gonna have a heart attack or something.” She gestured at the board. “Instead of talking about her, maybe we could just play the game instead?”
Twilight glanced between Pinkie and the distant Fluttershy. “How about you get the game set up for us,” she said as she stood up from the table, “while I go talk to Fluttershy and say hello.”
“Twilight, you shouldn’t! She’s like really, really shy! You’re just gonna get her upset.”
“Don’t worry, I’m not going to bother her,” said Twilight as she made her way from the table. “I just want to introduce myself. I’ll be right back.”
Pinkie harrumphed. “Fine. But you’d better not tease her or anything!”
“Cross my heart, Pinkie,” Twilight said with a reassuring grin. “Trust me, I’m just gonna be a minute.” As she turned away from Pinkie her smile vanished.
Twilight took a circular route to reach Fluttershy, examining her from a safe distance. With the exception of the worn vest, Fluttershy slotted straight into Twilight’s memories. Even her seat by the windows, far away from the rest of the activity, wasn’t too far of a stretch. Fluttershy had always been uncomfortable in crowds and more interested in nature. I just need to approach her calmly and slowly, to keep her from getting startled.
“Tag! You’re it!”
Two colts ran past Twilight, a filly with a serious expression in hot pursuit. The colts weaved in and around the tables and shelves, turning back to taunt the filly chasing them and ignoring the warnings of the nurse hurrying after them. Hooting and hollering, they slowed down before taking off again once she closed the gap. So focused were they on teasing her that the younger of the pair wasn’t watching where he was going. He clipped his head on the corner of one of the shelves, collapsing to the ground a few yards from Fluttershy with a startled yelp. He stared back at the shelf through wide eyes as if processing what had just happened. Then his face scrunched up, and he began to wail.
Twilight glanced over at Fluttershy, waiting for her to respond to the foal’s cries of pain. Fluttershy didn’t even turn to look at him, her eyes locked firmly on a tree haloed by the setting sun. She held herself like a coiled spring, compressed in tightly like she might dart away at any moment, yet remaining perfectly still. The only move she made was a flinch when the nurse whose warnings the colts had ignored rushed past her. Only after the nurse had helped the child to his hooves and escorted him away – admonishing all three foals the entire way – did Fluttershy exhale and visibly relax, the spring uncoiling within her. Like a sleuth in a novel she turned her head just far enough to watch them from the corner of her eye as they strode past Twilight.
Her gaze flicked over to Twilight, and their eyes met. Twilight gave her kindest smile, but Fluttershy’s eyes only widened in alarm. With a squeak she spun back to the window and resumed staring out into the fading light, her body once again tense and agitated.
Twilight’s face fell. Okay, so Pinkie wasn’t joking about the shyness. That could complicate things. Steeling herself, Twilight made her way over to the window, making sure she made enough noise to avoid sneaking up on Fluttershy. She seemed to shrink away as Twilight drew closer, pulling in on herself like she was trying to disappear.
Halting a yard away from her friend, Twilight opened and closed her mouth a few times before finding her voice. “Um... hello, Fluttershy,” she said with as much cheer as she could manage, pointedly ignoring the bandages wrapped around Fluttershy’s forelegs.
Fluttershy said nothing.
“Uh, I know you might not know me, but my name is Twilight Sparkle.”
Again, she said nothing, simply staring straight ahead.
“I was told you like birds. I like birds too. What... what are your favorite birds?”
Fluttershy made no sign that she had even heard what Twilight was saying, her gaze rigidly fixed on a point outside the window. A bead of sweat on her forehead as she breathed in rapidly.
“I would like to be your friend, if you want,” continued Twilight, taking a single step forward. Fluttershy flinched as if struck, her eyes clenched shut. Twilight hastily pulled her hoof back. “I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you! I’ll just... I’ll just stay here and not come any closer, okay?”
Fluttershy continued to say nothing, the only noise her increasingly rapid breathing. Desperate to find some way to break the ice, Twilight reached into her pocket and pulled out Smarty Pants. “Hey, Fluttershy, would you like to play with my doll?” Twilight shook the doll lightly as if trying to entice a stubborn foal, but Fluttershy’s eyes remained closed. “Her name is Smarty Pants, and... and she’d love to make a new friend...”
The sense of awkwardness was soon replaced with growing worry about Fluttershy’s condition. Her body was shaking like she had just been pulled from an icy lake, while her breathing had reached the point that Twilight began to worry about her friend hyperventilating. “Fluttershy, it’s okay, I’m a friend,” she pleaded. Fluttershy’s shivering grew even more pronounced.
I need to do something before she passes out, Twilight thought, glancing around desperately as she shoved Smarty Pants back into her pocket. Something crinkled against her hoof. Without a moment’s hesitation Twilight tugged the folded up sheet of paper free. “I, uh, painted this bird for you. It’s a robin,” she declared with as much honesty as she could muster, dropping the arts and crafts project on the ground and kicking it over to Fluttershy. “I know you like birds, and I like birds too, and... and I’d really like to be your friend so we can talk about birds and maybe other animals and I can see that you’re busyokaybye!”
Turning around Twilight practically fled from Fluttershy, putting as much distance as she could between them before anything terrible happened to her friend. She felt cold inside, the short exposure to Fluttershy’s extreme anxiety having fed her own concerns. How can she be that nervous? How am I supposed to remind her of our friendship, if just getting close puts her in danger of passing out? Only after she’d made her way back to Pinkie Pie did she risk looking back at Fluttershy. To her relief the shaking had diminished, although she still hadn’t moved an inch.
“Hey Twilight,” Pinkie said as Twilight lowered herself down into the seat opposite her. The chessboard was laid out before them, although it was clear Pinkie had been busy finding replacements for the missing pieces. Both of Twilight’s bishops were from a checkers set, and one of her rooks looked like the leg from an action figure. “How did it go?”
“I didn’t think it would be that bad,” said Twilight as she wiped away the sweat from her brow, her heartbeat slowing to a reasonable level. “I didn’t know she would be like... well, like that.”
“Did she do the whole, you know...” Pinkie acted out shivering with an empty, wide-eyed stare for a few seconds. “Did she do that?”
“Yeah, she did. I just went over to say hello and she just... panicked.” She glanced over at Fluttershy again. “Is that what she normally does around other ponies?”
“Well, it depends. I mean, with the doctors she’s known for a while she still gets really super nervous and jumpy and stuff, but she can tolerate having them around her. But you? You’re a stranger, and she isn’t so good with new ponies.”
Twilight hung her head in defeat and sighed. “I need to make her my friend, but how am I supposed to connect with her if she acts like she’s seen a ghost whenever I try to get close?”
“Well, friendships don’t just happen. You have to really work at them.” Pinkie smiled. “I mean, we weren’t friends right away. You used to always tell me you were too busy dealing with stuff for the princess to just play, but eventually I got you to have some fun, and then we became bestest buddies!”
“Stuff for the princess?” Twilight asked, lifting her head. “What stuff?”
“I dunno, stuff about learning magic and history and being a good student and all that,” Pinkie said with a shrug. “I mean, you always had your head in a book as far back as I could remember. You used to tell me it was because the princess wanted to make sure you were studying hard and learning your lessons.”
Twilight rubbed her forehead and sighed. “So, I used to run around telling everypony ‘stories’ about how I was the princess’s most faithful student? And I bet I also went on about how I was some kind of monster-fighting hero too, didn’t I?” She barely blinked at Pinkie’s confirmation. Twilight glanced away. “I figured as much.”
Pinkie nibbled on her lip. “So... you did all those things though, right?”
Twilight glanced back at Pinkie, the other mare shifting anxiously from side to side in her seat. “Yeah, I did all those things. You may not have heard the entire story, though,” Twilight said, picking her words with care. “You see, I did do all of that stuff, but I didn’t do it alone. I had a few very good friends who were there with me every time. It was only with their help that I was able to do so much. The power of friendship is a very real thing, although it took me a long time to realize it.”
“Wow,” Pinkie exhaled as she stared at Twilight in awe. “So, where are your friends now?”
Twilight gave her a soft smile, masking how much the question stung. “Well, I’m trying to find them again. I need their help. Equestria is in danger, and only with their assistance can I help the princess.”
“So, Fluttershy is one of your special friends, right?”
“What?” gasped Twilight. “How did you... I mean, what makes you think that?”
“I told ya Twilight, I’m not stupid,” she said with a wink. “It’s kinda obvious, considering how you responded when you first saw her. Besides, you’ve looked over at her like a hundred times already, like any minute you expect her to either run away or come over and say hi.”
“Okay, yes, she’s one of my friends,” Twilight admitted.
“If she was one of your friends,” Pinkie frowned, “then how did you do all those amazing things? I mean, she’s been here as long as I can remember.”
“It’s... complicated,” said Twilight, beckoning Pinkie closer with a conspiratorial glance around the room. “What I have to tell you, you can’t tell anypony else. Understand?” Pinkie nodded, but Twilight met her gaze. “I mean it, Pinkie. No doctors, no patients, nopony. Promise?”
“Of course! Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!” she whispered back, raising a hoof to her face.
Twilight put on a show of surreptitiously checking the area around them. "The truth is that my friends have all had their memories replaced with lies. They don't remember our adventures or relationships, and they've been made to think that they belong in this hospital." Twilight gaze fell downward as she paused briefly. "What's worse is that something important has been changed within them, the things that make them special and happy. Whoever is doing this has messed up parts of my friends' minds so they aren't truly themselves anymore."
"You see, my friends and I are the only chance Equestria has right now. I need to get them back to how they were so we can use our friendship to defeat the... ponies responsible for all this, whoever they might be." Twilight paused. "Have I told you about the Elements of Harmony?"
Pinkie furrowed her brow. “Um... I think so. Aren’t those the really cool pieces of jewelry you showed me in that old book you have? The big shiny necklaces?”
The scholar in Twilight felt a twinge of irritation at having the most powerful artifacts in Equestria dismissed as mere ‘necklaces’, but she pushed that aside and simply nodded. “Yes, those are the ones. You see, we’re the bearers of the Elements, ponies who represent the power of friendship. With them, we can protect Equestria from any threat. But the Elements of Harmony cannot work without true friendship.”
“But I’ve been working on a plan, Pinkie.” Twilight grinned as she gestured at one of the pieces on the board. “You see, the black queen represents me. And I’m trapped here in the hospital.” Plucking five pieces at random, she set them out in a loose circle around the queen. “These are my five friends. Thankfully, they’re all in this hospital with me, which means I still have access to them. If I can just spend some time with them and remind them of their real lives, of what we shared together, then I can restore them to their true selves. However,” she grabbed a few white pawns and placed them between the pieces, “the nurses and staff also believe the false memories too. They don’t want me to help free my friends because they only see us as sick ponies. Even my friends themselves believe their illnesses are real. I have to remind them that this life isn't real. If I can do that, then we can break out of this spell and save Equestria.”
Pinkie continued to stare at the chessboard after Twilight finished her speech, the silence stretching on uncomfortably long. “Okay,” she said softly, catching Twilight off-guard.
“What?”
“Okay. This is... super-duper-serious,” Pinkie intoned. “If there is somepony out there messing with ponies heads, with their memories, making friends forget one another... then I have to help. There is just no way I could let this go on.” She squeezed Twilight’s hoof. “You can count on me to do everything I can to help out.”
Twilight returned the squeeze. “Pinkie, you’re... something special. I can’t thank you enough. It really means alot to me to have you by my side.”
“What sort of friend would I be if I weren’t there when you needed me the most?” She smiled. “Plus, making friends is sorta my thing, you know? That way you’re not gonna have to rely on some old, dusty, fuddy-duddy book telling you how to talk to ponies. I’m your walking talking reference guide to friendship!” She glanced over at Fluttershy. “But first, you have to know your prey.”
“Prey?”
“Target, mark, objective, whatever. You’ve got to know the ponies you want to make friends with. After all, not everypony wants to be friends right away. It takes lots of work and lots of smiles to win somepony over,” Pinkie said with a knowing nod as she turned back to Twilight. “So why don’t we start with your friends. Who are they? Besides Fluttershy, I mean.”
Okay, she’s bought the story about some mysterious pony being responsible, so you don’t have to try and explain the shadow thing, but you can’t let her know that she’s one of the Elements yet. She’s gonna have trouble buying that she is one of the friends you’ve been talking about. Twilight bit down softly on her lower lip. “Um... actually, I think it’s best if I don’t tell you all of them right away.”
A hurt look flashed over Pinkie’s face. “What? Why?”
“It’s... for security purposes. The ponies who did this have, um, agents working in the hospital staff. So the less I tell you, the less information you might be able to give away if they catch you. It’s standard spy stuff, really.”
“Oh, that makes sense,” Pinkie said, nodding along with Twilight’s words. “You don’t want to jeopardize your mission.”
“Yeah, exactly,” she said with relief. “Besides, I think it’s best if we focus on just one friend at a time. That way, they can help me to save my other friends as well.”
“It sounds like a plan! I’ll start working on trying to find out what I can on Fluttershy. Since I’m a patient-assistant, I get lots of freedom and stuff, so I’ll see what I can dig up for you.”
“Alright, but Pinkie?” She laid a hoof over Pinkie’s arm. “Please, please, please don’t do anything that will get you in trouble. If the doctors find out you’re breaking the rules for me, they’ll lock me up and we won’t be able to talk anymore. I’d appreciate any help you can give, but please, don’t get in trouble on my behalf.”
“Trust me, Twilight, I know how to avoid detection,” she said with a confident grin. It wasn’t reassuring. “This Saturday, I’ll come by your room so we can talk about Fluttershhh...” Her voice trailed off as she glanced over towards the windows, her smile fading. “Hey, where did she go?”
Twilight turned to follow Pinkie’s gaze. Fluttershy was gone. Rising to her hooves, Twilight began scanning the room. A flash of pink and yellow caught her eye. “There she is,” she declared, pointing to the doors they had entered from. Fluttershy’s light frame was almost masked by the two nurses on either side of her as the group made their way out into the hall. An orderly took up a blocking position in front of the doors as soon as they were through, his bulk helping to convince a few curious patients they had better things to do than try to follow in their wake.
“Ah, horsefeathers!” Twilight grumbled, kicking an imaginary pebble. “I was hoping I could try talking to her one more time tonight. Just to, I dunno, pass her a message or something.” She turned to Pinkie. “Maybe she’d find it much easier to communicate indirectly?”
“Like pen pals,” Pinkie offered.
“Exactly.” Twilight trotted over to the window Fluttershy had resting at. “Does she normally sit in this spot, or does she move around to other windows?”
“Oh, she’s always here,” Pinkie said. “I think it’s because it’s far back from most of the other patients, and it gives her a really good view of that tree out there.”
“That’s good, that’s very good. That means that I could leave a note here and she’d be liable to find it. I just need someplace to hide it,” said Twilight as she began searching the area. “I don’t want another patient picking it up by mistake.”
Pinkie nodded. “Or a janitor.”
“Yeah, or a jan–” Twilight froze mid-step.
“Or one of the nurses,” continued Pinkie. “Or a doctor... the orderlies...”
Twilight groaned. “What am I thinking? Of course I couldn’t hide a note here for that long. Any hiding place good enough to fool the staff is gonna fool Fluttershy too.”
“Maybe you could make your letter into a paper dart and toss it too her?” Pinkie offered.
“I can’t imagine throwing something at her would make her feel any better. She’d probably just scream and fall over. I mean, when I tried to slide my painting over to her, she nearly died.”
Pinkie cocked her head to the side. “What painting?”
“The one with the bird I did in arts and crafts. I tried to give that to her, and she almost broke down.” Twilight shrugged. “I don’t think passing notes in person is gonna work if that’s her normal response.”
“Where is it?” Pinkie asked, looking around. “I mean, if you passed her your painting, shouldn’t it still be here?”
Frowning, Twilight lowered her eyes and scanned around her. “It’s... it’s not here.” She glanced back up at Pinkie, her frown lifting up into a full grin. “Pinkie, do you know what that means? She took the painting!”
Pinkie laughed and smiled back. “So?” she asked cheerfully.
Twilight glared at Pinkie. “That means I did make contact with her,” she explained patiently. “She has my painting. As long as I don’t stand around for very long, I should be able to pass messages to her. The fact that the painting is gone proves it.”
“Unless one of the nurses picked it up instead,” Pinkie pointed out.
“What?” asked Twilight flatly.
“Well, what if one of the nurses came by to collect Fluttershy, and saw a piece of paper on the floor next to her. She might have thought it fell out of her pocket and taken it for her.” Pinkie’s frowned. “Or, maybe the nurse just picked it up and threw it away because she thought it was trash.”
Although she could feel a headache coming on, Twilight couldn’t deny Pinkie’s words. She let out a long sigh, some of her enthusiasm evaporating in the face of blatant logic. “Yeah, you’re right. Odds are Fluttershy didn’t notice or care about the painting some scary stranger tried to force on her.”
Pinkie stepped over and rubbed Twilight’s shoulder. “Hey, don’t be upset. I mean, we don’t know what happened, do we? Maybe she really did take the painting. Plus, you can always just try again tomorrow.”
“I know,” Twilight sighed again as the two mares made their way back to the chessboard, her hooves as heavy as lead. “Sometimes, I just can’t help but get all eager and fired up with the hope that something has gone right for once, even though I know it’s never gonna work out like that. It’s hard to be optimistic when nothing goes my way.”
“That’s not totally true,” said Pinkie Pie. “After all, at least you have me on your side. And that’s gotta count for something!”
Twilight gazed over at Pinkie. The corner of her mouth lifted up slightly. “Yeah, you’ve got me there.”
“You just need something to take your mind off of all that serious business,” Pinkie declared with certainty. Taking her seat on the opposite side of the board she gave Twilight another smile. “So for the rest of our free time, you’re gonna try and teach me chess again!”
Twilight paused in the middle of setting up her pieces. She blinked. “Again?”
“Yup!” Pinkie’s head bounced up and down. “The last few times you got really frustrated and we ended up playing checkers instead, but this time I’m just sure you’ll be able to teach me. I can sense it!”
Twilight held Pinkie’s gaze for a few heartbeats, as if trying to judge how serious she was being. “Okay, so let’s start with the basics,” Twilight began, plucking one of the short pieces from the board. “What is this called?”
“A prawn!” Pinkie declared, her giggles unable to mask Twilight’s loud groan.
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Awesome chapter once again. Can't wait till the next one
Edit: Yay! My first first. Thats a first
And Twilight's plan deepens.
God, Why did I ever wait so long to read this...?
~Skeeter The Lurker
A prawn!
That made me laugh. Glad to see the update :D
Haha! I can totally see Pinkie tossing a paper airplane at Fluttershy and the EEEEK! noises. adorable.
At this point, either the whole "false memory" thing is real or Twilight's completely bought into her delusions.
Achievements Unlocked!
[You must be new here]: The previous generation says Hi. (5 Asylum points)
[Elusive Butterfly]: Meet Fluttershy. (1 Asylum point)
Only 6 points this chapter. You're never gonna get the best ending at this rate.
3034797
Well, you've done good so far.
Silly Pinkie, you can't play chess with prawns! They'd go bad and stink up the room!
Dawww... poor Fluttershy :(
So it seems that the shadow needs her...that must be the reason it hasn't made an attempt to end her.
Progress! She's gradually bringing the Elements together.
But how will she convince Rainbow and Applejack that they are meant to be friends?
Awaiting further releases.
I wonder how Pinkie's going to react when the revelation finally comes that she's one of Twilight's five friends. Some writers would have had her figure it out herself, maybe at this very point. I like that you haven't it makes things more...interesting.
After all, who's to say she'll react well to the news that her tragedy is fake...
Earlier I thought I knew where this was going.. Now I'm not quite sure.
That tree must be very lonely too, love at first sight?
Was this what she was painting?
fc03.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2011/241/e/4/my_little_plague_doctor_by_ll_null_ll-d48a5dx.png
3035460 Followed by the heart attack, which would not be a good way to make a friend at all.
Awesome update; we finally got a bit of Fluttershy (but much about her is still unknown).
How the heck can Pinkie do Cubism art but not be able to remember what the chess pieces are?!
I am curious as to how long this story may end up being because, with the way it's going, it could go on for a long time without getting boring.
Huh. I would've chosen to organize them based by their visual wavelength.
3035676
No sleep for me!
3035644
They shall have a child named Fluttertree.
3035500
That's one of the great parts of the story, in my opinion.
See, Twilight could be remembering real things, or she's being delusional. We don't know, but that just adds a great mystery to the story. Eventually, we will find out, obviously, but until then, all we can do is guess that Twilight is not being crazy. Or the opposite, if you think that. It's the sort of thing that pulls me into this story, pretty much a constant cliffhanger.
I'm trying to know what I'm talking about.
3035924 This is a ponified version of someone called a "Beak doctor". They were physicians during the Black Plague. They wore those masks along with a suit to keep the smell of death, decay, and sickness away so they could continue working. They kept herbs and spices in the long beak to (supposedly) combat the disease. They also carried a long stick to push patients away from them.
upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/71/Beak_Doctor.jpg
3035952
No sleep tomorrow night, either!
Asylum always leaves me in a sad sort of funk after I read it (which I find awesome), and this chapter's no exception. Beautifully written story.
3035980
I want these guys to be used in a Nightmare Night fic.
2.bp.blogspot.com/-H422KcNngj4/UDK0t4w1yLI/AAAAAAAAAB4/oGRTzsXLC0Y/s640/Nuckelavee_by_Verdego.jpg
fc02.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2012/124/d/5/shoggoth_by_el_grimlock-d4yinls.jpg
24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4r1lhPxWU1rx6atao1_500.jpg
ontariobigfoot.com/images/Chup/4.gif
thomhartmann.com/sites/default/files/Smile_Dog.jpg
3035514
[Doing The Impossible]: Teach Pinkie chess. (∞ Asylum Points), might be unlocked in the interlude though. You never know!
3036024
The Smile.JPG one got me.
I hate you so much
so flutterhy has a disabling fear of social interation, twilight you need to get a white bunny doll, hide the letter in there.
3036037
: It's only a model.
: Shh!
Truly a holy grail for all gamers to quest for.
I'm thinking that the author is going to keep the question of wether this reality is real or not lingering, allowing the reader to think what the answer is, but never truly knowing.
'
I think it would be funny if Pinkie could not remember the names of the pieces but was still somehow able to beat Twilight in chess. Just the sort of randomness Pinkie is known for.
Well, ya gotta start somewhere...
Ah, Pinkie Pie …
Fluttershy!
Yeesh, poor thing is even worse off than I expected.
Plus, Twilight being forced in to kiddie arts and crafts and the daycare-like playroom area are amusing in a sad sort of way.
ha totally call it with Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash
At first I thought that the way to get to Fluttershy could involve actual animals just like in the first episode but then after reading this chapter I can't stop thinking that maybe the way to get to Shy might me through RD instead, but then there's the issue of the way Twilight's thinking about her friends and I just know it's going to backfire horribly.
"“No!” Twilight declared. “No no no, I definitely did not see that outside. Or anywhere! I’ve never seen it anywhere! I was just painting my... um, my idea for a Nightmare Night costume.”"
…Smooooth.
I do wonder what this universe's history between Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy is...
A question: Just so we're clear, Twilight and Pinkie are fillies, right?
Also, Twilight's delusion deepens. I seriously doubt the treatment worked, and doubt she'll ever get better.
You know, you've been doing amazingly well so far with putting the screws into our heads. Have you considered making a mystery story once you're done with this one?
3036856 Considering these are her delusions. It could also be possible that this hospital is not real and instead the danger of Equestria is. I´m really curious which possibility will be the real one. Twilight delusional or Equestria turning into a shadow-controlled warzone.
3037050
Until further notice, I'm convinced that she's still ill, and there is no danger. Since Twilight isn't reliable narrator (in the sense that she questions her own sense of reality), we won't be finding too many clues from her perspective.
3037081 Sounds reasonable. She has no real proof that this danger exists. Unfortunately she can´t get one what couldn´t also get labeled as another kind of delusion. I must admit I´m not sure myself. First I thought there was something going on (magic attack, mind-control, Pinkie Pie) but the "reality" could also be right. Let´s see what what will be right in the end
Kinda surprised I didn't see this in the Library...
But! It deserves it!
So, wear it with pride, chief!
i14.photobucket.com/albums/a331/brittmcgee/MLP%20Minecraft/TLSOA_zps2aa17c49.png
~Skeeter The Lurker
3037232
How should I know?
I didn't make the image.
~Skeeter The Lurker
Poor Fluttershy... I wonder how she and Rainbow Dash became friends, and I wonder what disorder she has. Some sort of social phobia I guess. I'd love to know more of her background story.
wow, this took a while to come out.... OH and we are still on square one, goodie. At least Fluttershy made an appearance, sad she is that way.
Overall, very enjoyable. Kinda erks me that we still haven't made much ground, but that isn't much of a big deal. I still love this story, and cant wait for the next one.
Seriously, cant wait.
cant.
wait.
.....
1 month wait for 15 minute read? Please release chapters quicker
I'm not certain Twilight spilling the beans on her intentions so soon was wise...
Pinkie...
And the suspense continues.
My brain is now at war with itself trying to figure out which reality is real....
hm, I suppose I will have a gray beard when this story reach at least to the middle