> Patients (Part 1) > by DubstepIsAmazing > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Aftermath > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Where are you two taking us?" Sweetie Belle asked as Rarity and Applejack led the way through Ponyville. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were tired and scared. The game that they had just played would be something they never forget. They would never see the Mane Six or the Elements of Harmony in the same light again. Rarity and Applejack were silently leading them somewhere. They said they weren't going to go home right away, but they had to make a quick stop. "Sis?" Apple Bloom asked, causing Applejack to turn around, "Where are we goin'?" "We're just going to a place where you two can talk about what you've experienced, darling," Rarity answered, "We know that our most recent events must have scared you pretty badly." The two nodded. Sweetie Belle was especially nervous, as Rarity hadn't mentioned a word about her punishment for breaking into Twilight's Spell Room. As they walked, the two fillies noticed that they had walked completely through Ponyville without stopping. They were now exiting the town and going towards a building on the outskirts of town. Compared to the colorful, cheerful personality of Ponyville, this was the exact opposite. Dead grass populated the area under a spiked metal fence. A crow's nest could be seen at the base of a sign introducing them to their destination: Meyerhoof's Asylum for Mentally Ill Ponies. "Applejack...why--why'd you take us h--here?" Asked Apple Bloom. The two mares turned around and gave them a nervous smile. "Don't worry, darlings," Rarity reassured, "We'll only be here for an hour. Then we'll go straight home." "Promise?" "Cross my heart 'n hope to fly, stick a cupcake in mah eye," Applejack recited. The familiar quote made Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle shudder in fear at who usually recites it. "But why isn't Pinkie Pie here? She's the one who has a completely different person inside of her mind!" Sweetie Belle protested. "Oh, she will be. Fluttershy is going to bring her over." "Where's Scootaloo?" "Inside the building. It's only for an hour," insisted Rarity. Gulping, the four opened the gate and walked inside. Once entered, Sweetie Belle's and Apple Bloom's mood got slightly better. It looked like a regular doctor's office: there were bright colors painting the walls, a couple of seats with magazines, the receptionists' desk, and ponies in lab coats walking in and out of the place. It seemed like it wouldn't be too bad! As Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom took a seat next to Scootaloo, Rainbow Dash approached their sisters. "Hey," she whispered, "The psychiatrist is going to be ready shortly." "Good," Applejack whispered, "I wanna get them outta here as soon as possible. They looked terrified when we were outside the building." "Hey, if the three of them can handle a fight to the death, they can handle a psychiatrist visit." "Not the time, Rainbow Dash." "Sorry. But anyway, Twilight got Spike checked in and went to the castle to prepare a visiting schedule with the princesses. She wanted us to be there right away!" "But Fluttershy's still handling Pinkie!" "Look, we can make a copy of the schedule and bring it to her. The point is, we have to go!" Turning to face the three, they walked over. "Alright, you guys have an appointment in room 259. It's just up the stairs. Do you think you guys can find it?" "You're leaving?!" Scootaloo asked as tears welled up in her eyes. "Just for a little while, Scoots," Rainbow said, hugging her tightly, "We're going to a meeting with the Princesses. I'll fly back as soon as we're finished. I promise." "Stay strong, y'hear?" Applejack said as she embraced Apple Bloom, "It's okay to be scared." "I'll be back as soon as I can, alright, Sweetie Belle?" Rarity asked. The two fillies nodded as they got up and walked down the hall. The three mares ran out the door and headed towards the castle. At the Princesses' Castle Twilight couldn't contain herself. Then again, neither of the Princesses could either. Cadance and Shining Armor had made their way to Ponyville as soon as they heard what had happened. Twilight forget her scar was even there; Spike had died, come back to life, and now hated her in a span of two days. Celetia's and Luna's relationship with him had become nearly destroyed. It was scarier than anything Twilight could imagine. "So, your friends are on their way here?" Cadance asked, to which Twilight nodded after blowing her nose, "Good. We need to find a solution to this problem, and fast." "We're here to make a visiting schedule for him," said Luna in between sobs, "What he needs right now is to know that we still love him." "Luna's right," Celestia said, wiping her tears away, "We need to rebuild what we destroyed." "Sounds like a plan," Shining Armor said, with his hoof around his sister, "How do you propose we do this?" Just then, the door flew open, and in came Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity. "Sorry we're late. We just had to drop off the other three at the psychiatrist's office." Rainbow said. "Has Pinkie Pie been checked in yet?" "No, not yet," Applejack said, "Fluttershy should be bringing her any minute now." "Well, we're glad you're here. We were about to make the schedule." "I think it goes without saying the Twilight should visit first," Shining Armor said, "She's known him the longest." A thankful smile crept across her face. "I'll go next," Cadance volunteered, "I'll make sure to bring some gems with me when I do." "I'll go after Cadance," Rarity said. "Need to make sure Spikey-Wikey looks stylish when--" "Rarity," Applejack yelled, "Time and place. I'll go with her when she goes. To make sure she knows why we're really there." "Okay," Celestia said, holding a pen and paper, "So far we have Twilight on Sundays, Cadance on Mondays, and Rarity and Applejack for Tuesdays. Who's next?" "Me," Luna volunteered, "I need to begin rebuilding his trust as soon as possible." "I'll go with you," Celestia said, marking both of their names down for Wednesday. "I guess I'm going Thursday," Rainbow volunteered. "That leaves me for Fridays," Shining Armor said. "And Fluttershy for Saturdays," finished Celestia, "We can hit two birds with one stone and visit Pinkie as well, assuming that Fluttershy neutralizes her before the day's end." "Okay, so are we done?" Rainbow asked, "I need to go get Scootaloo." "I understand," Celestia nodded, "You two are free to go." "Two?" "I need to speak with Rarity," Celestia said, donning a serious tone. "Don't worry," Applejack said, "I'll get Sweetie Belle and bring 'er over with Apple Bloom." "Okay," said Rarity as the two ponies flew out. "You understand that there is still a punishment in order for Sweetie Belle?" Celestia asked. "Yes." She smiled at Twilight. "Well, the two of us came to an agreement on an appropriate punishment for an offense of this degree." "I'm listening..." At the asylum... "Why is it that I still don't feel quite right after that?" Scootaloo asked, to which the other two shrugged. "I dunno. Hopefully things start to get back to normal when we get back." Apple Bloom responded. The three walked towards the stairs at the end of the long hallway, deep in thought at what they discussed with the psychiatrist. Of course they were scared, but they learned about something called 'PTSD'. They were told they may encounter triggers of those unpleasant events and, if they did, they had to make sure their sisters were there to help them. They also received some pills to help deal with the sudden anxiety attacks. "This wasn't too bad," Sweetie Belle noted. "Keep telling yourself that." The three froze at the sudden interruption. They looked for the source of the noise, only to find none. All around them were the rooms of various patients; when they originally came up, each room seemed empty. "Over here, you three!" Looking to their left, they gasped at who they saw. Dressed in a white jumpsuit, they stared into the eyes of Diamond Tiara. At Fluttershy's House... Pinkamena had greatly underestimated Fluttershy's strength. She seemed to be much faster, stronger, and smarter than she looked. No matter how many blasters, tricks, and bombs she could throw at her, she dodged every single one. "YOU'RE COMING WITH ME, PINKAMENA! YOU'RE FINISHED!" Screamed Fluttershy as she landed a punch directly to Pinkie's neck. "NO! I'M NOT GOING TO DIE BY YOUR HOOF!" Running up to her and attempting to buck her jaw, Fluttershy caught one leg in her mouth. Pulling her forward, Pinkamena fell. "GET...OFF...OF...ME!!" "NO! You're not running any more!!" Stepping on her back with the leg in her mouth, Fluttershy pulled...and pulled...and pulled...until... CRACK!! "AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!" Pinkamena screamed as a fresh set of tears flowed down her face. Letting go of the now-broken leg, Fluttershy landed a punch directly on her skull, rendering her unconscious. Just before she closed her eyes, she heard Pinkie mutter "Thank you." Breathing heavily, Fluttershy picked her up and took her to the asylum for treatment. > Adorably Misinformed > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The air was knocked out of the Crusaders' lungs as they looked into Diamond Tiara's annoyed face. Clearly, she didn't look too pleased to see them. However, she also looked like she was stunned as well. "Diamond Tiara...what're you DOIN' here?" Apple Bloom asked, reclaiming her breath, "Ah'd have thought there's nothin' wrong with you!" She rolled her eyes and sat down behind the glass divider. "I feel like you three of all ponies should know that there's a lot wrong with me," she responded, "There's more to me than meets the eye." "We know there are things wrong with you, but not to a degree where you're staying in a mental asylum!" Scootaloo said. Diamond's expression didn't change. "Thus proving my point," she responded, "Now, what are you three doing here? Don't you two have better things to be doing?" "We're here for a psychiatrist visit," Sweetie said, "We recently went through a rather...*ahem*...interesting event." "Did it traumatize you?" "Sorta." "Then, that's why you're here. How bad was it?" "Ummm...well," Apple Bloom said, trying to find the words, "I kinda got my heart ripped out by Pinkie Pie." "I got my face crushed in by her too," Scootaloo said. "Luna used a really strong spell on me as an attack," Sweetie Belle answered. Diamond's ears perked up. "Did you just say Pinkie Pie and Luna?" The three nodded. "Pinkie Pie, I had a feeling she was insane, so this doesn't really surprise me. Princess Luna, however...such an odd coincidence..." The three looked confused. What was coincidential about Luna using a spell on someone? "I can tell you three are confused; it's the same face you guys make during class," she said with a smug look, "It's just that what Sweetie said lines up with what somepony else told me here..." "What?" "That the Elements of Harmony and the Princesses aren't what they seem." The three gasped in shock. No one's ever talked about their friends like this, especially considering how many times they saved Equestria from danger. "Time out," Scootaloo said, "The reason that all of this happened was because of a game Discord made. We all participated and we were put against each other. That's why those Apple Bloom and I fought Pinkie and Sweetie fought Luna. It was just the mood at the time!" Diamond didn't seem convinced. "That's not what your friend says..." "Who?" all three asked, hoping that it was who they were thinking of. "What's his name? Spike?" "THAT'S HIM!" They cried before their looks of glee turned into looks of bewilderment once more. "But wait. Why would he say that the elements and princesses aren't what they seem? He's known them for years!" "Well, according to what he told me, they're hypocrites. They've been lying to him for years now." "That makes no sense," Scootaloo said, "They're supposed to be the closest of friends! He's Twilight's number-one assistant; he's a brother to her!" "Well, you can ask him about that yourself. All I know is that based on what he told me and what I already know, our stories seem to be aligning very well." "Which room is he in?" Diamond pointed to the leftmost room next to her. "You just passed his room. We talk to each other through the vents. As he was escorted to his room, he looked really depressed." The three of them looked down. "How long is he supposed to be in here?" "About a week or two." Apple Bloom raised an eyebrow. "But you still haven't told us why you're in here, Diamond Tiara!" She narrowed her eyes. "What makes you think that's any of your business?" "Well, you said what happened to you and what Spike experienced lined up! So, to understand what that might mean, we'll have to hear your side of the story," Scootaloo noted. Diamond rolled her eyes. "Come back tonight," she said, "Spike offered to come to my room to talk. I know that he doesn't have a problem with you three. I'm sure he'd be glad to see you." The three nodded in anticipation of the coming meeting. "Good. Your sisters are coming up the stairs now," she said, lowering the blinds to her room. Right on cue, Rainbow Dash and Applejack came up the stairs and saw them down the hall. "There you three are," Applejack said, running to them. "We thought you three would stay in the lobby," Rainbow responded, giving Scootaloo a hug. Sweetie Belle looked behind them. "Where's Rarity?" "Princess Celestia wanted her to stay after for a second. We're going back to the castle to get her." At that point, the three fillies remained very quiet, thinking about what Diamond Tiara said. "Are you three okay?" asked Applejack, "Y'all're awfully quiet." They nodded their heads quickly to avoid suspicion. As they walked to the edge of the hallway, they fell deeper into the possibilities of what would happen if Diamond was telling the truth. Sure, she could just be taking messing with them like she always does. But why would she go through the trouble of checking into a mental hospital just for a cruel prank? In addition, she certainly looked the part. Her mane was frazzled, she was missing her trademark tiara, she wore the white jumpsuit patients usually wear when they're staying there...it couldn't be an act. Could it? They would have to come back later that day to find out. "So," Rainbow started, "At the castle we were talking about a visiting schedule for Spike. Applejack and Rarity are going on Wednesdays and I'm going on Fridays." "Oh, okay," Scootaloo said. "I think I'll tag along when you go, Rainbow." She smiled. "Feel free, Scoots!" "I think we'll tag along too," Sweetie Belle said, "Just to make sure he's safe." Apple Bloom nodded in agreement, causing Applejack to grin as well. "Sounds fine by me!" "Tomorrow is Sunday, so Twilight will be going to visit him first," Rainbow said as they exited the building and headed back to town. Neither of the Crusaders heard her. For the first time, the fillies felt unsafe around their sisters. Not just unsafe, but scared as well. The Castle Luna and Celestia sat in the meeting room alone. Twilight had been escorted by Shining Armor and Cadance to her bedroom so she could rest for the next day. Luna looked down. "This shouldn't have happened," she said, "I wish I could go back in time and change what I said..." Her sister shook her head. "You can go back in time, but not even you can change the events of the past. Neither can I, and neither can Discord." Luna's head slumped to the tabletop as she began to cry again. "I've known him for so long," she sobbed, "I've taken care of him many, many times! And yet...all of that trust...that bond we shared...all gone in an instant!" Approaching her, Celestia put a wing around her. "This is our chance to get things right. We may never have another shot at this again." "Mhm..." "Although, I wonder..." Celestia said, looking around to make sure no one was listening. Luna looked at her. "What?" "Is his eventual freedom a good idea?" Luna almost attacked her sister at the question. Noticing her anger, Celestia spread her wings in defense. "How could you ask such a thing?! He's our friend!" "I know, but think about it. You saw what he did to Twilight. If he gets out, what makes you think he won't do it to any of the others?" Luna paused, leading Celestia to think that she was onto something. "We don't want to hurt them more than they already are." "But denying Spike's freedom would crush Twilight!" "I know." Celestia looked up before she spoke again. "He's heard too much..." "What do you--" "Princess Celestia, we're heading back home," Cadance said, flying down the stairs with Shining Armor behind him. Feigning a smile, Celestia nodded. "Alright. I'll see you two soon." "See ya!" Shining Armor called as he followed his wife out of the castle. Turning back to a disappointed, yet confused Luna, she continued. "We're trying to stop a threat before it happens," she explained, "There aren't any dragons here for hundreds of miles, except for Spike. Imagine how peaceful it would be if we contained him. Then we wouldn't be in danger at all!" "The amount of irony of what you just said...it scares me. Very much." "Think about it," Celestia said, as she walked towards the door only for it to open once more. The Crusaders, Rainbow Dash and Applejack came in, with all smiles, some real, some fake. "Welcome back, girls," Celestia greeted. Luna was at a loss for words. "Is Rarity still here?" "No, she just left. Speaking of which...Sweetie Belle!" Sweetie Belle reluctantly approached her, anxiously waiting for her verdict. "Following Spike's release, you'll begin magic lessons with Twilight." Sweetie Belle's eyes lit up. "Really?!" "Yes." She could barely contain her excitement; after multiple thank-yous to Celestia, she was about to scream in glee, but was nudged by Scootaloo to remember the night's events. "Oh yeah," she whispered, "Thanks, Princess." Celestia chuckled. "How was your psychiatrist appointment?" Their tongues froze. They forgot all about their appointment's details; all they could think of was their meeting with Diamond Tiara and their future meeting with Spike. As their eyes darted all over the place, their sisters and the Princesses could tell something was on their mind. "Are y'all sure you're okay? You've been acting nervous ever since we left." Applejack said. "What's the matter? You can tell us anything," Rainbow said, causing Scootaloo to look at her in fear. Her smile gave her goosebumps all over her back. "It's clear they're tired," said Celestia, walking back towards her sister, "They need rest." Rainbow and Applejack didn't need to hear any more. As they left the castle to go home, Celestia looked at Luna. "When you go into everypony's dreams tonight, tell me what they're thinking. They're hiding something." "They're fillies that were just traumatized! Of course, they'd be nervous. Why'd you think they're hiding something?" "I just have a feeling," Celestia said, scribbling in her notepad. "You're not going to hurt Spike, are you?" "No. I'd never hurt him." Luna was still suspicious. "But I will if I have to." At the asylum... You know, why don't you go over to Spike's room tonight? He's in the room to the right of you. Laying in bed with a cast on her foot, Pinkie Pie shook her head and almost began to cry at the sound of Pinkamena's voice. "No," she said, "I'm not hurting anyone else." Who said anything about hurting? The Crusaders will be there tonight. "Why?" she sniffled, "Nothing's wrong with them." True. Think of it as midnight storytime. Twilight will be there to visit tomorrow. "And?" What you hear tonight may make you think of her in a totally different way. "..." Trust me for once. If I'm going to die, I guess I'll die doing something good. "Fine." > The Face Behind the Mirror > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- It was midnight: the time agreed by the Cutie Mark Crusaders to make their way back to the asylum. Unfortunately, it sounded easier than it actually was. On the flip side, they had a couple of things going in their favor. In Scootaloo's case, it didn't take much effort for her to leave Rainbow's house. When she originally took her under her wing, Scootaloo learned that she was an exceptionally deep sleeper. On top of that, she snored loudly, which made it easy for Scootaloo to open and close the front door. Sweetie Belle's case was a little bit more challenging. Yes, Rarity insisted on getting her proper beauty sleep, and as such, slept with only the moonlight shining on her and a mask covering her eyes. However, she preferred perfect peace and quiet. Even the slightest noise would cause her to stir. Sweetie Belle circumvented this issue by leaving her door open and placing pillows between her room and the front door. Just in case Rarity awoke and saw the trail, she left the stack of pillows near the door to avoid suspicion. In addition to this, she silenced the doorbell so when it opened, it wouldn't ring. Of course, she locked the door before leaving. Over at Sweet Apple Acres, Apple Bloom had the hardest time. Although Big Mac snored very loudly, Applejack had grown accustomed to hearing it. The downside is, that's the only thing she expects to hear at night. Anything else would wake her up instantly, and Big Mac along with her. There have been times when animals with extremely small footsteps were detected by Applejack's super-hearing. Of course, she didn't harm them, she just got them out of the house in a half-asleep stupor. At the end of it all, though, they were able to make it out and met each other at the asylum's front gate. Sweetie Belle shivered. "I should've brought a coat," she said, teeth chattering. "It's not that cold," Scootaloo replied with a shrug. "Easy for you to say," Apple Bloom stuttered, "You're a pegasus!" "Yep!" "Let's just get inside. Spike and Diamond are likely waiting for us." As the trio walked into the building, they noticed that the aura around them was much darker than when they originally came, and it wasn't just because the lights were dim. You may be wondering how the asylum was open if every staff pony went home. Well, the building itself was open twenty-four hours. Just in case somepony came in for a visit, there was a large button on the secretary's desk that, when pushed, alerted a staff pony to come down to the asylum right away. It was rather convenient. Besides that, the cheerful feeling that was there before was replaced with one of fear in the hearts of the Crusaders. "Come on," Apple Bloom said, "It's the same room as last time." Trotting up the stairs, their anxiety increased. What would the two of them tell them? How would it impact the relationship they had with their sisters and the other elements of harmony? And on top of it all, how do they know they're telling the truth? Well, they were about to find out. As they stepped on each stair, a slight CREAK could be heard. By the time they got to the second floor, their hearts were pounding. Diamond Tiara stood outside her bedroom door, waiting for them to appear. "There you three are. What took you so long? And why do you look so scared?" The Crusaders couldn't speak. Diamond sighed. "The stairs?" They nodded. "I'll ask someone to fix that tomorrow. But come on. Both of them are waiting," she said, opening her door. "Both of them?" Sweetie asked, finding her voice only to lose it again. Once again, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom were at a loss for words. Both in white jumpsuits, Pinkie Pie and Spike looked at them with a depressed look on their faces. Twilight's Castle Although it wasn't even dawn, Twilight was hard at work. As books on dragon history, their relationships with ponies, and their growing patterns floated around her, she scribbled down notes on her 50th scroll that night. She didn't plan on stopping anytime soon, either. It explained why, when she got a knock on the door, she didn't even notice it. "Twilight?" She didn't even notice that Fluttershy had walked in. Trotting past Fluttershy, she went to her chalkboard and added onto the massive collection of notes on it. "Twilight?" Fluttershy said a bit louder. "Huh? Oh, hey Fluttershy! What're you doing here this late?" asked Twilight in a frantic voice. "I could ask you the same thing. But I was told that you have the schedule of visits for next couple of weeks?" "Oh, yeah! Here you go," she said, giving her a copy. As she skimmed through it, she looked at the calendar, then the clock, then at Twilight. "If you're taking the first visit, shouldn't you be getting some rest?" "I can't sleep," she said, "If I close my eyes, all I'll think about is Spike and how I've failed him!" "I'm sure that's not true," Fluttershy replied in a matter-of-fact tone, "You've been there for him almost as much as he's been there for you!" "Even if that's true," Twilight said, skimming through another book, "It's not as much as he's been there for me. And all of those insults to him behind his back! I can't go to sleep at all without having the old Spike back!" "So...your solution is..." "I'm researching to see if this is a phase or not. Is there anything that scientifically and historically explains his sudden change in behavior?" "Yes, but it's not scientific or historic." Twilight looked at her with hope in her eyes. "You know the answer?!" "I sure do!" "What is it?" "It's a matter of friendship, Twilight." Silenced, Twilight's enthusiasm fell. "And that's my point. You said you wanted the old Spike back. Well, who's to say you won't act the same as before?" Twilight raised an eyebrow. "He mentioned you too, Fluttershy. Don't think that you're innocent in all of this." "I'm not," she protested, "I'm just not refusing to confront the solution by hiding it behind other possible scenarios. It's a friendship problem." "We don't know that!" "Yes, you do. We all do. As much as none of us want to admit it, it's a serious problem." "..." "If you don't believe me, go ask Spike later today. Let's see what he says," Fluttershy said, exiting the castle. Twilight dropped her quill and books before becoming scared of what Spike would say when he saw her again. The Asylum "SPIKE," Sweetie cried, as she ran into his arms. Chuckling nervously, Spike stroked her mane. "N--nice to see you too, Sweetie Belle," he said as he looked into her tear-filled eyes, "What's up with you two? Why're you just standing there?" As Diamond sat next to Pinkie, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom stared at the party pony, afraid to talk to her. She put her hooves up defensively. "I'm not gonna hurt you," she said nervously, "Pinkamena's on our side here." "What side?" the pegasus asked, purposefully sitting away from Pinkie. "That's what we're here to talk about. I'll start by explaining to you why I'm here," Diamond Tiara said, avoiding eye contact. The room grew still. After taking a deep breath, she spoke. "I've been here for a month now. That's the reason I've been missing so many school days out of the blue. I got here because, according to Celestia, the wealth's gotten to my head." "What's that supposed to mean?" Scootaloo said. She shrugged. "Apparently, money is my life now. You guys taught me that friendship, TRUE friendship has it's benefits, and I'd been going off of that philosophy for the last year or two. It's gotten me really far." A sad smile crossed her face. "But, of course, all good things must come to an end." She paused to catch her breath. "My mother had been making much more progress than I expected, in terms of making true relationships with other ponies. She's becoming known as the Celestia's Double with her generosity and selflessness."* "Yeah, I noticed that recently too," Apple Bloom said, "She's using a lot of her money to give to poor, build shelters, provide food, and all kinds of nice stuff." Diamond nodded. "Yeah. You would think that with all of the good she's doing, Celestia would be proud of her, right?" They all nodded. "Well, you're wrong," she yelled, clearly hurt, "Celestia's no princess of friendship!" "Well, why not?" asked Sweetie Belle. "The day before I disappeared, Celestia personally came to escort me home from school," she said, "We took the long route back and when I asked why, she said she just wanted to 'enjoy the scenery', especially when there was nothing to enjoy. I walked with her, not saying a word. Then we got...here." She shuddered. "She told me to sit in the waiting room and, after speaking to the receptionist pony, said that she would be back soon. I asked why we couldn't go straight home like she said. She said she just needed to pick up something and would be right back." Diamond Tiara looked down with tears in her eyes. "She never came back. When the asylum closed and I was the last person in the building, I was given a room to sleep in and this jumpsuit. I was told I couldn't go back myself because it was too dangerous when there was barely nopony out of their houses and no creature from the forest for miles. I picked a room and slept, eager to go home in the morning. But when morning came...I wished I was still asleep." "What happened?" "Celestia came back with my mother at her side. It turns out she stopped by on her weekly charity visit to donate thousands of bits to the efforts of the staff and for the good of those who were in here legitimately. I ran to her and Celestia, and asked why the left me here, why they couldn't go home...my mother said..." Diamond couldn't find the courage to say what happened next, prompting Pinkie to wrap a blanket around her. "What'd she say?" she asked softly. "She said...'I'm sorry, your highness...but who is this little filly...and why is she calling me "Mother"?'" Diamond finished as tears trickled down her face. Everyone gasped in shock. "Celestia said, 'I don't know. Back to your room, little one.' I protested; I told her that I was her daughter, her ONLY daughter! But she looked at me with a confused look and a sad smile. Mother asked, 'How long has she been in here?' Celestia said, 'Not enough.' She then signaled the staff to take me back to my room. I kicked, I screamed for her, asking her what I did wrong, why she was giving me up, but she didn't hear me. She had completed her donation and left with Celestia to the sounds of cheers and applause. As for me, I was stuck in this room. Three meals a day, no access to a telephone to call for help; it seemed like no one noticed I was missing." Wiping her tears away, she looked at the crusaders. "And that's how I ended up here. I don't know how long I'm going to be here, but ever since that day, every time I tried to leave, there would always be some excuse for why I couldn't get out. And then I found the truth." Her eyes narrowed. "Behind the receptionist's desk was a scroll from Celestia. I encountered it on one of my escape plans. It said to keep me there until further notice. I was not allowed to leave. She was afraid that my mother's actions would rub off on me and overshadow her efforts for keeping Equestria friendly. As far as the rest of Ponyville was concerned, I was a mentally-ill orphan with no living relatives and I was there because Celestia wanted to keep the other fillies safe." She scoffed. "The ruler of Equestria is afraid that I'll get more credit than her in regards to friendship. And she silenced me by taking everything I loved. My friends, my family, my home, my money...all of this just to make sure she reigns supreme." "And that's how this relates to why I'm here," Spike said, "I've seen her hypocrisy firsthand on the many errands and adventures that I've run with Twilight and her friends. They support everything she does, believing that she's the smartest and that it's all in the name of friendship when in reality, it's all to protect her throne." The Crusaders were shaken. "They're right," Pinkie said, "We've seen firsthand the decisions they make when nopony else is around. Applejack is catching on, but she's still dedicated to helping the princess in any way she could." "So...we can't trust our sisters anymore?" Apple Bloom asked. "That's not it at all," Spike said, "I genuinely believe that they're actually good ponies. It's just that they don't tell you everything. You don't see what happens in the background." "So, what're we going to do?" "Twilight is coming tomorrow for a visit. As far as I know, your sisters will come up on some days as well. As long as I can relay information to one of you, you three can tell the others. We cannot let the elements or princesses know what we're doing," Spike explained. The three looked nervous. "Look, think it over," Diamond said, opening the door for them to leave, "And we'll discuss it in a day or two." As the three walked down the hallway, Spike leaned out the doorway. "Also, catch!" "What's this?" asked Scootaloo, turning around and catching three berries. "Luna looks into everyone's dreams. Those berries make you dream of nothing. Be careful though; if you fall into too deep of a sleep, she'll have access again." When Spike finished that sentence, the fillies went pale. It was almost 2 in the morning, and they were all feeling tired. They wanted to have a deep sleep, but were at risk of telling the Princess what they just heard. On top of that, they had to keep their sisters off the trail. Upon her return to Sweet Apple Acres, Apple Bloom nimbly went back to her room, avoiding making any noise whatsoever. She peeked into Applejack's room; she was still asleep. She got into bed, ate her berry, and closed her eyes. Sweetie Belle used her pillows to return back to her room without waking Rarity. She was surprised it worked; she popped the berry into her mouth and got under the covers before falling asleep. Scootaloo was glad Rainbow was a deep sleeper. It made getting anything in the middle of the night a piece of cake, whether it be a quick flight to tire herself, a glass of water, or a cookie or two. As she approached the house, she smiled, happy to be back without getting caught. It explained why she almost screamed when she reached to open the door and Rainbow Dash opened it from the inside. > Day One Dread > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scootaloo stared into the eyes of Rainbow Dash, unable to find words. Her sisters eyes went from one of disappointment to one of surprise. "Scootaloo, why are you up this early?" she asked, "You're not supposed to be out between midnight and five!" Scootaloo checked her watch. "It's 4:59," she said, "Wh--what are you doing up?" Rainbow's confusion grew. "What do you mean why am I up? You know that I get up early to get the clouds ready for the day. I gotta be at the Academy at noon, so I'm just getting my fair share of weather work out of the way. But you know this; you've gotten up with me to see what I do!" Scootaloo deadpanned; she was right. There were many a times when, before school, Scootaloo was visited by Rainbow Dash or after school, she was taken to see where she worked, when she worked, and what time she left for the Wonderbolt Academy. Rainbow stared at her, waiting to hear her explanation. "Ummm...I couldn't...sleep?" Rainbow still wasn't convinced. "We have milk in the refrigerator. You could've just heated up a glass and it'd knock you out." Eyes darting, Scootaloo racked her brain to get out of this situation. She used the tired excuse, she couldn't use the energy excuse because she could've just watched a show or read a book to burn vivacity. She couldn't tell the truth, because she knew that Rainbow would talk to Rarity and Applejack about it. "Um...I...well...you see..." Rainbow rolled her eyes. "Look, we'll talk about it when I get back. If you're not tired in the middle of the night, just talk to me; I'll give you some ways to get tired. You're looking exhausted, so you may wanna get some sleep." Walking past Scootaloo, she looked back at her. "I'll see you later, Scootaloo." "Bye!" As she began her ascent to the weather plant, Scootaloo was finally able to breathe. As she walked into the house and up to her her room, she began to wonder what would happen if Rainbow found out what she and the Crusaders learned last night. It'd create a conflict for sure. "Alright...down the hatch," she said as she climbed into her bed and popped Spike's berry into her mouth. As she lost consciousness, she saw the rays of the sun peeking into her room. When her eyes closed, she experienced exactly what Spike described; exactly nothing. She saw, heard, and felt nothing. As the heat of the sun's rays warmed her back, she smiled. Maybe this won't be that bad... Bathing in the nothingness of her dreamscape, she felt herself begin to relax. It was the first time she had been able to ever since she regained her ability to fly. But it seemed that even then, her relaxation wouldn't last long. Even though she was surrounded with nothing, she felt a pain in her chest. Squeezing her eyes shut, she flailed her arm behind her, trying to get whoever was doing that away from her. I'll have to ask Twilight if she can poke me some other time... she thought angrily. But when she moved her arm behind her, she was just waving the air. The pain was still there. Looking down, she saw that something was poking out from the inside of her chest. Its repeated motions showed that it was about to burst; each motion made the pain increase exponentially. She opened her mouth to scream, but no one heard her. There was no one around her. When whatever was inside finally emerged, her breathing rapidly shortened. "H--help," she mouthed. "Somebody..." It was a pink hoof bathed in red; in it was her heart. Slowly turning around, she looked into the wide eyes of Pinkamena, who sported a wide grin. "I thought...you...aren't you..." "Come on, Scootaloo...smile." After she finished that sentence, she vanished, prompting Scootaloo to wake up in a daze. Looking at her clock, she groaned. It was five minutes after she fell asleep. "And I can't get Luna's help either," she complained, falling onto her pillow, staring at the ceiling with bloodshot eyes. At the Asylum Spike sat in an all white room with nothing but a simple chair. As he was picking at his teeth with his claws, he heard the door open; in walked Twilight Sparkle. Sitting down on the other side of the room, she wore a smile. The cracks in her heart were very visible. She almost began to cry when she noticed Spike's glare and the flick of his forked tongue. Looking into his eyes, she saw almost no trace of the sweet, adorable dragon that she grew to love over the years. Instead, she saw nothing but a confused, angry soul that needed help finding itself again. "Hey, Spike," she said in a shaky voice, "How ya holding up?" "When do I get out of here?" he said in a cold voice. His response literally made Twilight shudder. She slowly backed away from the glass that divided the two. "That...that doesn't answer my question," she said, finding her courage. "That doesn't answer mine either." She narrowed her eyes at him with sobs choking her throat. "You'll...leave when you're better. That's when." Spike got out of his chair, almost making Twilight scream. "When I'm better...when I'm better? Twilight, do you yourself even know what that means? Do you know what it means to be better?! Especially if you're in my position?!" "What do you mean if I'm in your--what? What do you mean?" Spike exhaled smoke out of his nostrils. "You're definition of me being better...is just me going back to being the servant that I am. The outlier, the nuisance, the pest." Spike spat out in disgust. Twilight cringed at his use of that word and the memories it came with. "Spike, I'm sorry! We're all sorry! We admit that we were wrong, and we want to change it! You're not a pest, you're a friend! We love you more than you could ever know!" She pleaded as her tears were freed. "Just give us a chance!" Spike didn't blink. "Can you say," he said, "That this is the first time that you've ever seen me as someone who was just in the way? As someone who just annoyed you? Can you honestly say that you've never thought of me as a pest before recently?" She opened her mouth to respond, but nothing came out, thus giving Spike his answer. His tail dropped. "I rest my case," he said, "You still see me as a bother after all of these years. You just want me out so I could go back to cooking, cleaning, and errand-running. Admit it." "Spike, that's not true--" "It is true. Celestia was going to lock me in here with no telling on when I'll be out, and you blindly followed her, under the idea that it was 'for my own good'! Well, let me tell you something: she isn't the role model you think she is!" Gasping at the dragon's words, she grit her teeth. "You're wrong," she cried, "She's my hero! She's done no wrong to me, you, or any of us in Ponyville! She'd never do lock up someone like this because they were innocent! She'd never think of a friend as an obstacle! She does the right thing, even when it's hard to do! She's more of a role model than you'll ever be!!" When the last sentence tumbled past her lips, she immediately wished she could take it back. Although it was healed, the scar on her face hurt once more. Behind the opposite side of the glass, the dragon's guard had fallen. His large green eyes shimmered at Twilight's defense of her teacher. He looked just like the small dragon that he was when she first met him. If only they could go back... "Spike...Spike, I didn't mean--" "Of course you didn't," he interrupted, "You never do." "Spike, when I said she was a role model, I meant--" "You don't know what she actually acts like, Twilight. I've seen it firsthand." Ignoring his statement, she continued. "Spike, she wants you back. I want you back. I need you back!" "You only want me back to continue being your test subject, your training dummy, your slave. Admit it." "Spike, that's not--" "ADMIT IT, TWILIGHT SPARKLE," he roared as pounded against the glass, claws unsheathed. The sudden motion made Twilight fall back in bewilderment. The fear in her eyes seemed to fuel his actions. "You only want me back," he hissed, "So that I don't act like a dragon. So that I don't pose a threat. So that you can do whatever you want and say whatever you want to me." Twilight backed away towards the door with her knees shaking. Spike placed his head on the glass and began to weep. "Why," he said as Twilight opened the door, "Why don't you believe me...what about me makes me so unlikable to everyone...?" "Cadance will be here tomorrow," she answered in a quivering voice, unable to look him in the eyes, "She's gonna bring gems...for you..." she finished, running out of the room. Twilight's Castle Saying the Crusaders were tired was an understatement. The berry that Spike gave them, while making them dream of nothing, gave them images of their recent trauma. As a result, they got no sleep at all. The cracks of their eyeballs were visible to anyone that looked at them, and they had several bags under their eyes. The reason they were at the castle was so they could get some peace and quiet during the time it took for their sisters to conduct their everyday business. Apple Bloom yawned. "We're...we're runnin' outta options here, y'all..." she slurred, slumping to the floor, "It's all over if Luna gets into our heads..." "And we're out of those berries," Scootaloo groaned. "You actually want more of those?" Sweetie Belle mumbled, "I don't want a reminder of how Luna killed me..." "Would you rather let down Spike, Diamond, and Pinkie?" "No...no, I guess not." As the three groaned in fatigue, the door was opened, and in came Rainbow (in her Wonderbolt uniform), Rarity, and Applejack. The fillies didn't even see them walk in. But they were the first thing the mares saw. Rarity scrunched up her nose in disgust when she saw Sweetie Belle. "Goodness, Sweetie Belle," she exclaimed, "You look like you came back from the dead!" "Whaddya think happened in the last couple of days," she mumbled, not looking at her sister. "You too, Scootaloo! This is what happens when you don't get your sleep!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, putting her on her back. "But you got up at four in the morning," Scootaloo weakly protested, "And that's after going to bed at midnight." "Trust me, Scootaloo. The Wonderbolt exercises are enough to keep me going for the entire day," she responded proudly. "Alright, little sister," Applejack said, getting Apple Bloom to her feet, "I think that's enough crusadin' for today. Let's getcha home so you can get some rest." "NO!" the fillies shouted, startling the older three. Clearly confused, they put them down. "No what? Y'all look like you've been walking around like this all day! You need your sleep!" Applejack said. "She's right." All six heads spun towards the doorway as Princess Luna stood there, wearing a suspicious look on her face. She walked towards them very cautiously. The Crusaders wished they could run, but more than anything, they wished they could sleep. "You three do need your sleep. And speaking of sleep...I didn't see any of your dreams last night..." "Wait, what?" Rarity said, "But she went to bead on time last night!" "Same goes for Apple Bloom!" Applejack protested. "Clearly not; they wouldn't be this tired if she got her required hours of sleep." "This is what happens when you go on early morning flights, Scootaloo," Rainbow said, rolling her eyes, "That reminds me: where DID you go?" All eyes were on Scootaloo, who could barely compose herself at the sudden question. Looking at Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom, she was met with eyes that pleaded with her not to tell. "I...I thought you said we would talk about it later!" "It is later, Scootaloo. It's 5 in the afternoon. I left you at home at 5 in the morning." "I...I...I can't say! It's a secret!" "But you weren't willing to tell me when we were alone." "Perhaps Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle know the reason," Luna suggested, putting the spotlight on the other two fillies. "It's what she said," Sweetie said, "It's a secret!" "Eeyup," Apple Bloom agreed, wearing a nervous smile. "And who told you this secret?" Applejack asked, squinting at her sister. All eyes were on them as they were very quickly running out of excuses. "NOBODY!" Sweetie Belle blurted out, causing the other two to mentally facehoof themselves. "You can't have thin air tell you a secret, darling," Rarity said, getting annoyed, "This is getting ridiculous." "Ummm...Discord,,,?" Scootaloo said. "Look, it's starting to become clear that y'all are hidin' stuff from us and that y'all aren't bein' honest with us about what it is, and I don't like it. Especially from you, Apple Bloom." Applejack scolded. "Enough of this," Rainbow said, putting her sister on her back, "We're going home, and you're not leaving that cloud until I know what's going on. I may be the element of loyalty, but I'm not loyal to liars." Rarity followed suit as she and Sweetie Belle walked out of the door. Apple Bloom walked behind her sister with shame at her words. Luna looked on in silence. At the home cloud... Scootaloo was trying to stay awake, but she knew that she couldn't afford to fall asleep. There was too much at stake. Rainbow came down the stairs and approached her with a scowl. "Last chance, Scootaloo. Tell me the truth," she ordered. With tears, Scootaloo shook her head. If there's one thing she hated, it was making Rainbow upset at her. She sighed. "Fine. I guess I have no choice." Bracing herself, Scootaloo winced...only to look up in surprise when Rainbow sat next to her. She then paled when she saw what she had in between her feathers. Although it was small, it was a syringe filled with a dark blue liquid. "Rainbow...what is that?" Scootaloo said, backing away, prompting Rainbow to come closer. "It's just something that'll help you sleep tonight. That's all." "Luna gave that to you, didn't she?!" Scootaloo cried, "Please, Rainbow! I'm begging you! I can't let Luna see what's going on!" "It's not just you. Applejack and Rarity got the syringe as well. Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom are already fast asleep." Rainbow grabbed a sobbing Scootaloo and held her with a strong grip as she uncapped the needle. She struggled to get away, but to no avail. "Rainbow, PLEASE!" she screamed, "Don't do this!!" To her surprise, Rainbow froze. She still held onto her arm with the needle ready; a soft smile spread across her face. "This is to help you, Scootaloo. You're clearly concerned about something. Luna's just going to ask you three some questions and she'll leave. You'll be able to sleep soundly again! Doesn't that sound nice?" Sniffling, Scootaloo refused to turn toward her. "It'll only hurt for a few seconds...then you'll be out like a light..." she advised. "But where will you be...?" Scootaloo asked softly. "I'll be right here..." she said, "Waiting for you to wake up." With that, she softly placed the needle in her left foreleg and injected the blue fluid. Scootaloo bit her tongue to keep from screaming, but that didn't stop the flood of tears coming from her face. The instant the needle was empty, Rainbow took it out and embraced Scootaloo with a tight hug. The filly looked up at her reassuring smile as everything around her slowly faded to black. "Don't leave me, Rainbow Dash," she sobbed, burying her face into her chest as she lost consciousness. "I'll be right here, Scoots. You'll wake up in my arms...I promise." As soon as the sentence finished, Scootaloo was teleported back to her dreamscape. She shuddered as she looked into the unrelenting eyes of Princess Luna. > The Cracks In A Soul > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Diamond Tiara laid on her bed, staring at the bland white ceiling. She was looking for something, but she didn't know what, or if she would ever find it. Although there was nothing there, she tried to make sense of why things were the way they were or why Celestia would do this to her. She's thought about it many times during the course of her tenure at the asylum. Her body sank deeper into the turquoise bed sheets as her mind drifted to her past, her present, and future. "Maybe they can help me," she muttered with hope in her voice. Thanks to the Cutie Mark Crusaders, her eyes were opened to the benefits of true friendships. In addition to this, she was able to expose her mother to how advantageous strong relationships were with others, whether they were friends, or family. The entire reason she was as generous as she was is because of Diamond. It made no sense that Celestia would simply persuade her to disown her only child. Reaching to her bedside table on her right, she turned the light switch off. Her eyes were opened, but she could feel herself being bathed in darkness. It felt...odd, to say the least. She was still, silent, and calm. For the first time in years, she felt alone. "Diamond?" Spike called from the joining room. She heard him from the vents. "Hm?" "Your light just went out. You alright?" "No. I haven't been alright for years." "Oh." Diamond closed her eyes, still searching for any sign of potential restoration. She was at her lowest point. The Crusaders have come and gone. Pinkie and Spike just arrived, but they would be out in a week or two. She was the only constant. And she didn't even know the exact reason as to why she was there. "Spike...I just don't understand..." she whispered in a quivering voice. "Understand what?" "Why she could give me up so easily..." "That wasn't under her control," Spike reminded her, "Remember?" "I don't want anything to do with ruling Equestria, Spike...I'm one of the last people that could be seen as a threat." "Maybe." As she began to weep silently, she began to think of her tears. As each one trickled down her cheek and onto her blanket, she realized something. Each one lasted for a much shorter duration than that of her stay in the asylum. Each one represented something: hope, relationships, friends, a future, and more. But like tears, they didn't last long. They appeared in her life before rapidly disappearing into nothing. "I wish this were just a bad dream," she lamented, "I just want to wake up." "Well, this bad dream will have a happy ending," Spike said confidently, "I promise." "You can't promise," she replied, "You won't be in here too long." "Well, how about this: when I get outta here, the first thing I'll do is ask Twilight to get you out of here." Diamond smiled. "I'd love that. But she'll likely go straight to Celestia in terms of this." "I'll deal with her when she visits." She shot up. "Celestia is visiting you?!" "Yeah. In a couple of days with Luna." She frantically hid under her covers, trembling in fear. Spike could hear her sobs from his room. "Diamond? Diamond, you okay?" "Spike..." she whispered in fear, "Every time she comes here and sees me...she extends my sentence...I may never get out of here..." "WHAT?!" Spike cried, "How? Why? That's ridiculous!" "Please don't tell her about me," Diamond pleaded, "She'll just tell the staff to keep me here!" "Not if I have a say in it," Spike said, "I'll talk to Luna too. She's much more merciful than her sister." "Spike!" "If she extends your sentence, Pinkie, the Crusaders and I will break you out if we have to." Spike said in a determined voice, "We need to let Celestia know this isn't okay." Diamond shuddered. "If you want, I can ask Cadance to check on you before she leaves," Spike offered, "Love and affection is her specialty, no matter who the pony is." "Who's Cadance?" Diamond asked, sniffling. "Princess of the Crystal Empire and Twilight's sister-in-law. Also one of the sweetest alicorns I know." "I dunno, Spike. I'm already on bad terms with one princess. Why should I meet another?" "Because life here has obviously kept your defenses up at all times. You've been living in fear for a long time now. She can help you relax." "What do you mean?" "Her words and actions can get past anypony's hard outer shell of their soul. When she's done, she makes you feel really good about yourself. I think she can help you." "How?" "The cracks in your soul are showing, Diamond," Spike answered, "For the first time in a long time, they're showing. And Cadance can help you to go back to the happy, kind self you were after the Crusaders helped you. Don't you want that?" Diamond was silenced. The idea that she could go back to the way things were before all of this happened...the chance that she could be happy again...it sent chills down her spine. "Yes," she muttered with a small smile, "Yes, I do..." "Good. She'll be here this afternoon. I'll make sure to mention you," Spike said. "Okay..." Diamond said before closing her eyes. "Don't let hope die, Diamond..." In the Dreamscape... From the looks of things, the Crusaders looked like they were standing on nothing. Well, nothing but stars. Surrounding them were millions of stars. It was peaceful; it would've been an incredible ambience to fall asleep to if Luna wasn't putting fear in the hearts of the three fillies with her stare. "Let's get to the point," Luna said, "Why couldn't I see your dreams? How were you able to sleep?" None of the fillies spoke; they avoided her gaze. She narrowed her eyes. "The sooner you answer, the sooner you get to get a good night's sleep. And I bet that would feel good, wouldn't it?" The fillies nodded, clearly conflicted. "Now. Whatever you're not telling me, whoever you're trying to protect, is it worth losing sleep over?" "YES!" Sweetie cried at the thought of Spike. Luna smiled deviously; she'd struck a nerve. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom shoved their hooves on Sweetie's mouth and smiled nervously at Luna. "What she meant to say was, 'In SOME cases'," Scootaloo corrected. "In this case, who we're trying to protect is...ya know...kinda worth losin' sleep over," Apple Bloom explained. "Clearly whoever it is must be very important to Sweetie Belle," Luna replied, "Please, do share." "MMF!! MMMMF!! MMMMMMMFFFFF!!!" Sweetie Belle screamed in a muffled voice; had the other two fillies not covered her mouth, Luna would've found out. "She clearly wants to say something," Luna said, knowing she was getting closer, "Let her speak!" Scootaloo and Apple Bloom shook her head as Sweetie's eyes shimmered. It seemed that she had completely forgotten what they were trying to avoid. Luna sighed. "Fine," she replied, feigning disappointment, "I'll talk to my sister about this. Clearly, your friend isn't as important to you as you believe they are." Luna's horn shone, signifying her departure. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom sighed before uncovering Sweetie's mouth. However, Luna hadn't left yet. She wore a victorious smile, knowing Sweetie Belle was about to sing like a bird. The other two fillies realized they had freed Sweetie Belle prematurely, but it was too late to fix their mistake. "HOW DARE YOU SAY I DON'T CARE ABOUT SPIKE," Sweetie Belle screamed with a blush as water flowed down her face. "Bloody Tartarus," Scootaloo muttered, hoofpalming herself as Apple Bloom threw her head back in disappointment. Luna's horn stopped glowing. "It seems I was mistaken," Luna said, "My apologies. But what about Spike, Sweetie Belle?" Sweetie Belle looked at Scootaloo and Apple Bloom, who wore looks of confusion and annoyance. "We know you care," Scootaloo said, "You might as well tell her." "Go 'head," Apple Bloom approved with a smile. "Well, Sweetie Belle?" Luna asked. "He told us that his friends are hypoc--hypocr--" Sweetie Belle struggled. "Hypocrites?" Luna finished with an inquisitive look on her face. "Yeah, that." "Why might that be?" "Even though the elements of harmony keep promoting friendship, they're using his friendship for their own personal gain," she continued, "And behind his back, they insult him, they don't care about him...they're against him the entire time!" Luna shuddered at her explanation. "Go on." "He appreciates Pinkie, the three of us, and Discord, but no matter what he sees, no one will believe him," Sweetie Belle said, "He said he's seen Celestia do things that are against what she teaches! And no one will bat an eye because she's the ruler of Equestria!" Luna sighed. "So, he believes that my sister is corrupt with power?" "Yes." "Does this line up with what he told you two?" "We were in the room when he said it," Scootaloo said. "But how were you able to get back to the--oh," Luna said, having put the pieces together, "That's why you were out late. He invited the three of you back to discuss this." The three of them nodded. "Well..." Apple Bloom said, "Not him." "Then who?" Silence. The three of them avoided her eyes. "How were you able to avoid me looking into your dreams?" "Spike gave us a berry that made us dream of nothing," Scootaloo explained, "But it ended up giving us nightmares instead." "Nightmares of what?" "How each of us di--got eliminated in Discord's game." "Ah. I see. I didn't even know a berry like that existed." "Well, all I need to know is who exactly invited you back to the asylum," Luna said. Sweetie Belle was about to speak up, but Luna put her hoof up. "From someone who's not Sweetie Belle. She's said plenty." The other two fillies did not say a word. They just continued to stare off into literal space. "Scootaloo?" She looked at Luna. "Rainbow is waiting for you..." "I--I know..." "The sooner you answer, the sooner you get to see her again..." Luna noted. It wasn't normal for her to take such low roads in trying to get information, but this had peaked her curiosity ever since they returned from the psychiatrist. "And Apple Bloom. I'll make sure to tell Applejack of your cooperation tomorrow..." The two fillies were tempted. Seeing their sisters smile at them was one of the things they wanted most right now. "I know you're scared. But in reality, you're helping more than hurting. In fact, you're not hurting anybody." Luna advised. "It...it was Diamond Tiara..." Apple Bloom confessed, "She needs help...she just wants to go back to living her normal life." Luna's eyes widened. "What's Diamond Tiara doing in the asylum?" "Ask your sister," Scootaloo replied. Luna gasped. "Celestia had something to do with this?! Diamond is a filly!" The Crusaders said nothing more. Luna sighed. "Thank you for your cooperation. Oh, and Sweetie Belle?" Sweetie Belle looked up. "Your secret is safe with me," she replied, winking, "Now, sleep well." She said before teleporting the fillies back to the real world. At the palace... Celestia could not stop crying as she held a scroll in front of her. She didn't want to put the order into law. There was still hope for Spike to get better. He just had to. The scroll's title was: Executive Order 19245: The Dragon Removal Act. It read: At the ratification of this law, all dragons residing or currently in Ponyville will be asked to leave within a week of the request from the proper authorities. Failure to do so is punishable by imprisonment or death at the Princesses' or Element's of Harmony's discretion. The act had been written up centuries ago, but no one had put it into law. At the time, the Dragon Kingdom was one of Equestria's greatest allies. Despite there only being one dragon in Ponyville at the moment, there was still a chance that he could get better. And that was the hope Celestia was holding on to. Celestia put the scroll away; she hoped she would never sign it. However, it was like what she told Luna. She would do what she had to do to keep everyone safe. > Love's Spear > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Sister. We need to talk." Celestia's sorrow was interrupted by the sound of Luna throwing the door open and striding towards her, clearly upset. Despite Celestia feeling truly remorseful about what she may have to do to protect her kingdom, she had just begun raising the sun. At the moment, its upper half had its light spread all throughout the kingdom. She turned around slowly. "What seems to be the matter, Luna?" Luna put her face closer to Celestia's. "I was told that you had put a filly in the asylum," she whispered in disgust, "An innocent filly! A filly that was perfectly stable!" With an annoyed look on her face, Celestia pushed her sisters face away with the tip of her golden hoof. "And who told you this?" "Why did you do it?" Luna countered, "HOW did you do it? Do her mother and father even know?!" "Who told you?" she repeated, once again. Luna's eyes narrowed as the sun continued to rise. "Why does that matter?" "Luna, I know everypony in this town. I know whether or not they are speaking based on fact or rumor. As such, depending on who the pony is, I'll know if they're telling the truth or not. If not, I will confront them accordingly. If they are, I'll admit when they're right and explain why." "Why?" Luna asked in a raspy breath, still unable to comprehend a pony so young to be trapped in such an establishment. Celestia didn't blink. "Who told you, Luna? This is the last time I ask." "The Cutie Mark Crusaders," Luna shot back, "Now, why did you do it?!" Celestia's eyes widened at the realization. The ways they've been acting, they're nervousness, everything...someone must have been talking to them at the asylum. "Which filly are you referring to?" Celestia asked, turning her body towards the rising sun. Luna was floored. "You mean...you mean you've put more than one in there...?" "No, sister," Celestia replied, "I'm just asking: out of all of the fillies in Ponyville, which one is the filly in question?" "Enough games," yelled Luna, storming in front of her once more, "WHY?! Why did you put Diamond Tiara in there?!" Again, silence. Celestia was again, unmoved. Until the unthinkable happened: Celestia began to laugh! Luna's eyes twitched. "This isn't funny, Celestia! You're responsible for potential mental scarring of a filly who didn't deserve to be there in the first place!" "That's not why I'm laughing," Celestia said, in between chuckles, "I'm laughing because you believed a rumor so untrue that even I would have difficulty topping it!" As Celestia continued to laugh, Luna stepped back, now confused more than anything. "That makes no sense," Luna said, "The Crusaders were so sure of themselves when I confronted them about it." "Ah..." Celestia said, wiping away a tear from laughing so hard, "They've just been through something that they can't even begin to understand. Something that is terrifying to them..." "Yes? And?" "And so, maybe it was just another nightmare! Please do give their sisters another one of that serum from last night. This time, put it in a blue pill--" "How did you know I gave that to them last night?" asked Luna suspiciously, "You were sleeping!" "Maybe," she responded, "But it seems that you've forgotten that I have eyes and ears everywhere, my dear sister." "..." "Like I was saying, put it in a blue pill that dissolves in water. Maybe then they wouldn't be so scared. Other than that, don't believe everything you hear, especially if it's just playground gossip from three fillies." "But they don't gossip anymore! You remember the Gabby Gums scandal!" Luna protested. "Indeed, I do," muttered Celestia, "But there's nothing harmful in simply discussing a rumor amongst themselves and waiting for it to come to pass or not. As long as they don't do anything to hurt anyone, I find this more funny than serious." "When's the last time you saw Diamond Tiara?" Celestia's brows furrowed. "Look," she stated in an authoritative voice, "I'll personally go to the asylum with Cadance this afternoon and see if Diamond Tiara is there. I'll ask them to provide a copy of all the current ponies residing in the building. Once you see that she's not there, THEN will you believe me?" "I'll believe it when I see it," Luna affirmed. "Good. When I'm finished, I'll go to the Crusaders and discuss this issue with them." Luna gasped when she finished, remembering what they were told about her sister. Celestia turned to look at her. "Is that all? Or is there more you would like to share?" Lunan thought carefully before responding. "Just one more question: what exactly will we do when Spike gets out? Clearly things are going to be different around here." "Yes...indeed. I've been juggling some ideas around, but for now, the plan is for him to build his trust in Twilight again by continuing his assistant duties." "But then he'll be no better off than before Discord's game! It'll be the same thing!" "Luna, no matter how long we've known him, Spike is still a dragon. A docile dragon, at that. And I will do what I must to keep it that way," she replied, "I would rather have a kind dragon than a frightful one, wouldn't you?" Luna slowly nodded her head. "In addition, it will give you the chance to continue to spend time with him. Twilight's relationship wasn't the only one at stake." "Yeah...yes, I guess you're right." "Excellent. But remember, dear sister. I will do what I must to keep the peace." Luna stared at her, wondering what she meant. "Now, go get some rest. I have some business to attend to when I am finished here." As Luna walked through the doors, Celestia had successfully raised the sun up in the sky, signifying the start of a brand new day. The townsponies were already out and about, purchasing groceries, making deals, eating breakfast, and more. Walking back to her room, Celestia frowned as she began to jot down a letter to asylum. "i should've done this a long time ago...” Spike sat in his usual position in the center of room behind the glass, waiting for the door to open. Other than Twilight, Cadance was one of the other ponies that he could truly trust with all of his heart. Although, he could only imagine what her reaction was to the news that Twilight no doubt shared with her prior to her visit. He couldn't bear to think of her face the moment she saw Twilight's scarred face...the scar that was a result of his rebelliousness. He shuddered in the wooden seat. "I...I..." He didn't know. He had no idea what was going on, what would happen to him, who might get hurt in the process of his 'rehabilitation', and whose relationships would be destroyed in the process. The door was still closed; it was still just him in the room. Although there were many ponies in the asylum, two of which he knew were on both sides of his bedroom, he had never felt so alone. Whenever he closed his eyes, he felt nothing but...well, nothing. He couldn't feel joy, sadness, pain, pleasure, guilt, just nothing. It was a bit of a blank feeling if you will. And there was no medicine that he could take to get rid of this feeling. As he slumped to the padded floor of his side, he heard two knocks on the metal door that served as his gateway to reality. It was so close, yet so far. He had been there often, but seemed to cross to the darkest side of his own mind in this particular situation. But, as was stated before, his mind, his life, his relationships, his entire world...it was all blank. All he knew was that it was just him. The door creaked open and in trotted Princess Cadance, trotted in, wearing a smile. Spike frowned at the sight of her. There was nothing wrong with her. Spike just wished that he felt like that. Knowing that in the end, everything is going to be all right. In the end, there would still be people that loved him. There were only 24 hours in a day, and most of the time, nopony realizes how quickly time really flies. It seemed to stop just for Spike, though. Every second that passed seemed like a century. Cadance reluctantly walked up to the glass and stared at Spike, who was slumped over. His body was on the chair, but his head was on the ground. He stared up at the ceiling, hoping to find an answer to a question that he didn't know he had. From Cadance's view, his emerald eyes, which were usually so full of glee, told a story that everything wasn't all right. And that he didn't know if they ever would be again. "Spike?" He didn't answer. He slowly turned his head and looked into Cadance's worried eyes. Usually whenever he caught sight of her, he didn't hesitate to give her the most genuine smile he could muster. It hurt him to see someone like her worried. It explained why Cadance sensed something was off about him. "I saw what you did to...t--to Twilight," she stammered, almost unable to finish her sentence. Spike sat up. It was clear that Cadance was close to tears, despite her wearing a smile when she walked in. It seemed that, like Spike during his remorse over Rarity, she too wore a mask. How'd he know? Because Cadance never cried unless something hurt her personally. She never shed a tear when she was physically hurt. She was mentally sound. She was similar to Pinkie in the fact that her goal was to spread joy, in her case, love. "Yeah," Spike said, "D--do you see why I did it...?" "Did you mean to, Spike?" she asked, "Did you want to inflict pain on her?" He stayed silent for a moment. The dragon would have to choose his answer carefully. On one hand, how else would he get his point across that he was tired of being mentally, emotionally, and sometimes physically abused? On the other, he never liked hurting his friends, especially Twilight, who he's known the longest out of anypony? "I c--can't answer," he responded, "Both of them are the right answer." "What do you mean?" He got up and sat back in his chair before avoiding Cadance's gaze. "How would you feel," he began, "If your "friends", the ones that have known you for the longest time, the ones who you thought always had your back like you've been there for them, had always thought that you were simply an obstacle...a side character of sorts...somepony who you could pay no mind to and treat however you wanted, while expecting to get nothing but respect in return?" Cadance put her hoof to her chin, intrigued by his question. "I'd confront them about it," she said slowly, "And let them know that the way that they're treating me isn't fair. Friendship-wise, of course." "I expected that answer," Spike responded, causing Cadance's heart to jump to her throat. "What do you mean, Spike?" "You're the princess of love. The last thing you would do is turn a weapon on a friend." "You're right." "But I'm a dragon, Cadance," he continued, calmly, "And my 'friends' are the Elements of Harmony. They should know when they're using somepony for personal gain by now. On top of that, they should've realized that that was no way to treat a friend at all." Cadance was silent. Spike had a point. "But apparently, they didn't know that. They didn't know that insulting somepony behind a friend's back was rude. Of course, they didn't know that." Spike continued, raising his voice slightly. "Spike. Do you know why you're here?" "But of course, Cadance! I'm here because I wasn't acting like a good little servant. I'm here because I was acting like a dragon. I seemed to pose a threat when all I did was confront them to learn why they've been lying to me about how they felt towards me for almost ten years!" Spike cried, the flame of anger now fully blazing in his eyes. "Spike, calm down," commanded Cadance, "That's not why you're here!" "I didn't want to hurt anypony," ranted Spike, pacing back and forth from one side of the room to the other, "But it's kinda hard not to when the ponies you're upset with only want you to stop when they're in danger. They're only scared of me when I call them out on their hypocrisy! I'm a threat! That's why I'm here, Cadance!" He glanced at Cadance and his flame died down a little. Water was trickling down her face. He had truly terrified her; it was the one thing he didn't know he could do to anyone in Ponyville. He felt guilty almost immediately. "That's not why you're here, Spike..." "Cadance...I--I'm sorry, it's just--" "No, I understand," she sniffled, "But you're misinformed as to why you're here." When she finished that sentence, he began to regain some of his skepticism. "Well. then why am I here?" "You're here because we don't want anypony getting hurt. We need you to calm down before you can go back to being Twilight's assistant." Spike was dumbfounded. "Are you serious? That's not true at all!" "It's what Celestia told me," she responded. Spike rolled his eyes. "Of course she did," said Spike. "Is there a reason I shouldn't believe that?" "Yes! You weren't there when we finished Discord's game. You weren't there when I scratched Twilight," he argued, "You don't know the whole story! You only know what she told you!" "Well, then what am I missing?" "You're missing the part where they apologized for calling me a pest," he said, "Oh, and the part where I called them out on their ridiculousness, and the part where Luna, the third closest princess I have a relationship to, basically admitted that she never cared about me. You missed a lot!" Defeated, Spike looked down. He couldn't cry. There were too many tears shed. For now, his goal was to get someone to believe his story. "Spike, we're here to help you. Please, just let us!" His eyes lit up. "You can help me by helping somepony else," he said, "There's a filly that needs help; she was put in this asylum against her will even though nothing was wrong with her." Cadance smiled at the dragon's concern. "Sure. What's her name?" "Diamond Tiara." Her smile formed into a look of confusion. Spike stared at her. "What?" "Nothing, it's just...Celestia said there was nopony in here named Diamond Tiara. Apparently, Luna was also concerned about a similar situation. Celestia came with me to get a copy of everypony in this asylum and bring it back to Luna to ease her worries." Spike gasped and ran to the window. "WHAT?! CADANCE, YOU NEED TO GET TO THE ROOM TO THE LEFT OF MINE, NOW!" "Why? Is something wrong?" "YES! Diamond Tiara IS here, and Celestia was the one who put her in here! We don't know what she'll do to her!" "Whoa, whoa, slow down, Spike! What are you saying?!" "I'm saying that Celestia could be about to hurt a filly! She needs more love than anything, Cadance! She needs you!" "But, you need help too!" "You'd be doing me a HUGE favor if you did this! Please! Make sure she's alright before you go!" Cadance quickly trotted to the door and opened it. Looking back, she saw Spike's pleading eyes peer into her soul. For a second, she thought she saw the old Spike, the kind, generous, loving dragon staring back at her. What he was replaced with was a dragon who needed help. She ran through the door and headed for Diamond's room. It was moderately easy to find; she overheard Celestia say Spike's room number as she headed to see him. Diamond's door was simply to the left of his. When she got to the door, she peered inside. It was pitch black. Cautiously opening the door, she noticed that everything was neatly in place; it looked like an unoccupied room. Slowly closing the door and illuminating her horn to see, she approached the bed. "Hello?" Silence. Although it seemed like it, she had the feeling that she wasn't the only one in the room. She waited. "Diamond Tiara? Are you in here?" When she finished, she looked down, and out came the filly, clearly scared and confused. When Cadance saw her, she recognized her instantly. She remembered the Crusaders being the victims of her bullying, but she also remembered the three of them unable to contain their excitement when they mentioned how they were able to revert her to the side of friendship. Ever since then, her encounters with her have been nothing but pleasant. In addition to this, she realized that Spike's story was right. She knelt down to the cowering filly. "My name is Cadance," she softly spoke, "Spike told me about you." Her eyes shimmered at the mention of her name. Spike had kept his promise. There was still hope for her! Almost instinctively, she threw herself into Cadance's outstretched wings. As soon as she did, they wrapped around her; she could feel the aura of love that flowed through the princess's body. For the first time in a long time, she felt appreciated, cared for...loved. "There, there," she said as she stroked the crying filly's mane, "Everything is going to be all right." "How are you so...so sure?" Diamond sobbed, "You don't know my story!" "You're right." Cadance lifted her onto the bed and sat across from her with a caring smile. "But I'm willing to hear it," she said. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Discord floated above the asylum, watching the Celestia depart from the building with a smile on her face. Flying down to her, he greeted her with a glare. "What have you done?" he seethed. "What do you mean?" she responded. "To Diamond Tiara? What have you done?!" "Nothing," she said, innocently. "Then why is she still here? You put her in here for no reason!" "Not for long. She'll be leaving tomorrow. It turns out that she was in here and I forgot why." "Lies," hissed Discord, "Why did you really put her here? What do you have against Diamond Tiara?" "Nothing," insisted Celestia, "If you think I have something against her, ask her tomorrow." Celestia walked around him and took flight to her castle. Discord went invisible and entered the asylum, making his way to Diamond's room. > A Matter of Trust > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scootaloo yawned. As her eyes fluttered awake, she was relieved to see that she was still being held by Rainbow Dash on the sofa, just like she promised. The two of them shared a rainbow colored blanket; it was the one on Rainbow's bed. She had gotten it while Scootaloo was asleep. Her blue fur had dried up from the previous night's tears and was now softer than ever. Laying her head back on her chest, she felt it rise and fall as Rainbow slept peacefully. Looking at the clock, she was shocked to see that it was only 4 in the morning. She had been asleep for only a couple hours! Celestia didn't usually raise the sun until about 6 or 6:30. Of course, as a schoolfilly, Scootaloo saw it as an opportunity to get some more sleep. Yet, she couldn't. There were some questions that she had after her encounter with Luna. Escaping Rainbow's embrace, she silently trotted over to the kitchen, grabbed a glass and poured herself a large cup of milk. After putting it in the microwave, she sat at the table listening to the monotonous ambience of the machine in the background. With it droning behind her, she mulled over the questions in her head. Did Luna believe their claims? Would their confession impact the relationship she had with the Crusaders? After all, she had helped the three of them with their individual problems in the past. Sweetie Belle had Luna's help in recreating a headdress made by Rarity for the performer Sapphire Shores after the filly destroyed it as an act of revenge. Luna helped Apple Bloom understand why she was having nightmares over the meaning of the random cutie marks she received at one point. Finally, the princess of the night influenced Scootaloo to confront her fear of not being cool enough for Rainbow Dash on the first camping trip they went on. It didn't take much to see that Luna's bond with the Crusaders had grown over the years. The issue with this particular scenario is that the Crusaders antagonized her sister right to her face. Although they may not see eye to eye on all matters, the two alicorns were actually extremely close; close enough to go toe to toe with anyone who dares to spread rumors or misinformation about the other. Scootaloo was interrupted by the sudden beeping of the microwave. Trudging over to take out her now-warm milk, she couldn't help but think of all of the additional repercussions that the dream could have. For example, the princess could think differently about the Rainbow, Applejack, and Rarity because of this. It was one of the few things Scootaloo didn't want to be responsible for. "Getting an early start, huh?" Whirling around, she saw Rainbow sitting up on the couch, giving her a tired smile. Her usually smooth, multicolored mane had morphed into a lazy, nappy mess. Scootaloo sat back down at the table and nodded before taking a sip of her milk before her sister walked over and took a seat next to her. "You look like something's on your mind," Rainbow observed, "What's up, Scoots?" She stared at her now-half empty glass of milk, trying to think of an answer to give her. "I dunno, Rainbow Dash. It's just...I'm wondering what'll happen if Luna tells her sister what we told her." "Whaddya mean?" "Like, how will it affect what she thinks of the three of us? How will it affect you?" "What was so bad about what you told her that it might have a negative impact on me?" Rainbow questioned with slightly narrowed eyes. Scootaloo again became nervous, but she gave up trying to hide the truth. "We saw Diamond Tiara in the asylum before you came to pick us up," Scootaloo confessed, avoiding her gaze, "We asked--" "What?! You saw Diamond Tiara in there?! She's a filly!" Rainbow cried, now fully awake. "Yeah." "Why?" "She told us to come back at night so she could explain why. It was why I was just coming through the door when you were leaving the other day." "Oh. Well, what'd she say?" "She said that Celestia and the Elements of Harmony weren't what they seemed," Scootaloo continued, "She thinks that they're hypocrites. Spike was there too; he agreed, but to a lesser degree. He still believes that you're all genuinely good ponies." "Well, what do you think, Scootaloo?" Rainbow asked, now putting the spotlight on her. This was the one question she hoped Rainbow would never ask. In essence, this was basically asking if she trusted the cyan-colored pegasus. She loved her very much; that was never questionable. However, after everything they've been through, from Rainbow taking her under her wing to the recent events of Discord's game, there were reasons to and to not trust her. Diamond's claims only influenced the latter choice. "I just want to help her get outta there, Rainbow Dash," she said. "That doesn't answer the question, though. What is it with you three and avoiding simple questions?" "But that's no simple question, Rainbow," Scootaloo exclaimed, "You're asking me if I think the strongest beings in Ponyville are hypocrites! You're asking me if YOU'RE a hypocrite!" "And do you think I am?" "No! You're the Element of Loyalty! Why would you be?" "Then what's the problem?" Scootaloo took another sip of her milk before answering. "I have to choose between you and Diamond Tiara," she responded, "What kind of friend would I be if I didn't believe her? She's in a really bad spot to begin with! But if I agreed with her..." She looked away, tears quickly approaching, She felt the eyes of Rainbow Dash trained on her. "...I don't know what you'd think of me...I don't know what you'd do to me, what you'd say to me..." She pulled her into an embrace again and stroked her wavy, purple mane with a frown. "I'd try to get your trust, then," she replied, in a matter-of-factly tone, "Is that all?" Scootaloo looked up at Rainbow Dash in surprise. "You...wouldn't be upset?" "Why should I be? If you don't trust me, you don't trust me. That just means I get multiple opportunities to show you why you should." As a smile spread across her face, Scootaloo still had a troubled look; there were some things that she was leaving out. "I'm guessing that's not all," Rainbow deduced, "You look like there's something you're not telling me." "Diamond also said that Celestia was the cause of her being there." Rainbow's smile disappeared instantly. Scootaloo could tell what was going through her head. Why would the princess of Ponyville be responsible for such a thing? What could she possibly gain from it? Do her parents know? "I'm sorry...what did you just say?" "Celestia's responsible for her being in the asylum," Scootaloo repeated, "Apparently, she--" "That's ridiculous! Are you sure she's telling the truth?" she asked suspiciously. Scootaloo nodded. "You're going to the asylum soon! I can show you her room and you can ask her yourself!" "Oh, I'd love that, because the idea that Celestia is at fault here is proposterous. Nopony goes into that asylum unless they are seriously, mentally ill!" As Rainbow ranted, Scootaloo felt the effects of the warm milk start to kick in. She yawned and had trouble seeing straight. Drowsiness was quickly overtaking her, and Rainbow quickly made note of this. "Hey," she said softly, "I forgot to say this a couple days ago, but I'm sorry." "Wh--what for?" Scootaloo slurred, laying her head on the table. "For how I treated you in the forest. I know that you didn't cheat. Your strategy was actually something I didn't think about, especially since I know a thing or two about science. Using physics to win was a very interesting idea, but I was just...angry," she said. "I shouldn't have won, Rainbow Dash," Scootaloo admitted with a quivering voice, "I wish I didn't win..." "I'm glad you did, though," Rainbow said, picking her up and taking her to her room, "You definitely showed me that you're stronger than you show yourself to be. You took my punches and kicks like a champ and were able to think on the spot. That was an impressive performance, Scootaloo!" Scootaloo presented a broken smile as she fell asleep in her sister's forearms. "I'll get your trust back, Scootaloo," she whispered, "I'll make sure of it." Sweetie Belle was back at the asylum, this time alone. Despite it being early in the morning and still being tired from Luna's interrogation, she had only one reason to go there and one reason alone. All she wanted to do was talk with Spike. Now, some of you may wonder: why go all this way this early just so she could come back with her sister later? After all, today was Tuesday: Applejack and Rarity were due for a visit in the afternoon, and Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle had agreed to tag along. But there is one problem with that thinking. After all of the events of that night, there's no doubt that Luna would share what she learned with her sister, who would then turn around and tell the Elements of Harmony about it. News regarding an Element or one of the princesses usually spread like wildfire, especially amongst the eight of them. It would definitely spell trouble for the three of them when they hear what they were told. So, the question still remains: why come this early just to go back? The answer is simple: she doesn't know when or if she'll ever see Spike again after that day. Of course, this may all just be her overthinking things, but if it wasn't, she was hoping to be prepared. Sweetie Belle looked like she was wide awake; her mane was freshly oiled and curled, and oil kept her pristine white coat fresh. However, she was still extremely nervous. Although the hallway was brightened, everything seemed so dark. It didn't help that she almost fainted on the way there. She left the boutique, went to the asylum, and all of a sudden, she went from the front door to Spike's bedroom door. Was she scared? Of course; she was on her own. Neither her sisters, nor the Crusaders knew where she was. She placed her hoof in front of his door, preparing to knock. "Okay, Sweetie Belle," she whispered, "You're just here to talk; don't worry! He's just your friendly Ponyville dragon." Mustering up the courage, she knocked on the door three times...only to have every ounce of it vanish when she stopped. She waited for the door to open, only for silence to fill the air. Exhaling, her heart slowed down a little. "Maybe he's asleep?" she wondered, knocking once more. However, after the first knock on her second attempt, she heard a muffled, "Alright, alright, I'm coming, I'm coming!" followed by the sound of medium-sized footsteps hitting the floor and slowly approaching the door. Each footstep had a bit of a clacking sound to it due to the claws at the edge of his feet. As he got closer and closer, a million thoughts raced in her head per second. What would he say? How would he think I look? Does he even want me to be here? Spike opened the door and looked into the eyes of a very anxious Sweetie Belle. Her green eyes had shrunken, her knees were shaken, and she looked like she was about to faint. He himself looked like he was ready to go for a night on the town; his scales, teeth, and claws were sharpened, polished, and not looking even a bit dull. "H--hi, Sp--Spike! I mean, good m--m--morning!" she stuttered. "Hey, Sweetie Belle," Spike said casually, "What are you doing here so early?" "Oh...no reason," she said with a quivering voice. Spike looked at a nearby clock; it read 4:55 AM. "It's almost 5 in the morning," he observed, "Clearly, you're here for a reason. And where are the other two?" He looked down the hallway and saw no sign of Apple Bloom or Scootaloo. Sweetie Belle's nervous smile was still going strong. He gave her a warm smile. "Well, it looks like it's just you. Do you wanna come in? You look like you can barely sta--" "YES," she almost shouted, causing Spike to jump a little. "...stand. Okay, then." Going back inside the room Sweetie Belle followed him inside and closed the door behind them. This was one of the first times she'd been in Spike's room. Needless to say, it looked...perfectly plain. Besides the bed Spike was currently sitting on, all he had in his room was a bright red chair next to the bed, a television in front of it, fresh flowers, a clock, a phone, a recently filled glass of water, and a picture of him and Twilight on his bedside stand, and a clock above the door. It smelled more like a hotel room than of a hospital bedroom; Sweetie detected the scent instantly: Strawberry Surprise, made specially by Strawberry Sunrise. The room was filled with a sweet aroma. "So, what's up?" Spike asked, bringing Sweetie back down to earth. "Hm? Oh! I--I just came to talk!" She insisted, taking a seat in the red chair. "About?" Everything seemed to line up well in her head on the way there. Now, she was tongue-tied. There was only one way out, as far as she could see. "Please don't be mad...but we may have kinda sorta potentially possibly told Luna about what you and Diamond told us." Spike kept a straight face. "Okay. I had a feeling she would get you three to crack eventually. Diamond did too; she and I were discussing it before we went to sleep that night." Sweetie Belle was shocked. "You didn't think we could keep the secret?" "That's not what I said. In fact, I know that you three are perfectly capable of keeping secrets. Luna just knows the right questions to ask and the right buttons to push to get you to tell you what she wants to know." She was silenced. Luna had definitely pushed a button of hers that night. "Anyway, Luna is more chill than her sister. You should be able to sleep pretty well now." "Speaking of sleep," Sweetie said, glaring at him, "That berry you gave us when we left was responsible for a set of nightmares that night!" "What? How? I eat one of those berries every time I don't want Luna to see what I'm dreaming about!" What could be so bad that he doesn't want Luna to see? she thought. "Well, it didn't work for us," continued Sweetie Belle. "Have you ever thought that maybe it wasn't the berry? Diamond Tiara uses it too, and she gets a good night's sleep." "Why wouldn't it be?" Spike shrugged. "Well, what was your nightmare about?" Sweetie Belle looked away. "How we each got eliminated in Discord's game." "So, maybe that nightmare wasn't the berry, but you," Spike predicted, "If I recall correctly, Luna eliminated you." She nodded. "It was a beautiful attack, but after that, it was just painful! Nothing but darkness and pain!" "So, maybe your fear of Luna was responsible for that nightmare. If you said all three of you had a nightmare, then Apple Bloom and Scootaloo had a nightmare of Pinkamena." "That's right!" "Hm. Well, that's just my two bits. I'm sorry about the berry, though." Spike smiled as Sweetie Belle curled up in the chair even tighter. "Anything else?" "Nope," she insisted, causing Spike to chuckle. "Heh," he said with a small smile. "What?" "Oh, nothing. It's just that you and I both know that you still have a lot on your mind. In addition to that, you're here for a reason." > A Confession > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sweetie Belle avoided Spike's eyes after he called her bluff. He was right; there was more that she had to tell him. It was only a matter of what and when it would be told. Nervously swinging her hindlegs that dangled off the chair, she racked her brains for words. Spike stared at her, waiting for her to say something, anything. And yet, she couldn't find anything. She had already told him everything that was on her mind. Well, most of what was on her mind. She was shocked to learn that he had expected Luna to get the information from them. But that confession only led to a slew of other questions. "So, if Luna knows about this now, what's gonna happen to you?" Spike shrugged. "I dunno. Whatever happens happens." "She's going to interrogate you, Spike," she warned, "And I doubt that she'd be happy after learning about what you said about her sister." "I doubt that she'd doubt me when I remind her that she's not exactly innocent either," Spike countered, causing Sweetie Belle to gasp. "No, not corrupt," Spike corrected, "I mean she hasn't exactly been truthful with me either." "What do you mean?" With remorseful eyes, Spike looked at the ceiling. "I mean that ever since she's become my dragonsitter, she's had this...disguise on. As if she really cared about me, as if she really trusted me, as if she really knew how important our friendship was to me." Sweetie Belle listened intently; this was similar to what she heard in the LSB during the game. "...and that fight we had, she showed me how she really felt," Spike said with tears in her eyes, "I trusted her, Sweetie Belle. I poured out my secrets, my past, my hopes and...well, she already knows my dreams, but you get the point. I told her everything. And in the end..." Spike wiped his eyes and looked at his friend. "...in the end, it didn't even matter," he finished, sniffling, "I don't know when she was being genuine or when she was faking it all. I don't even know if she told the truth about where my parents came from." "You're wrong, Spike," Sweetie interjected, causing him to glare at her. "How?" "Just a teensy, weensy bit wrong," she corrected, "It did matter in the end." "That doesn't answer my question." "It matters because...well...it's sounding like her being your dragonsitter was really therapeutic for you," she explained, "You told her everything that was on your mind. From what it sounds like, you told her the good, bad, and the ugly of your life, and she gave you advice on how to deal with it. You told her your secrets, and I haven't heard you say that she told them to anypony. On top of that, even if she did fake the story of your parents, there's still some good that came out of it." "What did you just say?!" snarled Spike, enraged by her last sentence. Cowering back into her seat, Sweetie Belle made the realization too late that she had used a poor choice of words. "Spike, let me finish!" "I've been looking for a way to figure out where I came from for years! And when there's a chance that the answer I found is a fake, you say that's a good thing?" he hissed getting out of bed and approaching her, claws gleaming. Donning a determined look, she glared back at him. "YES!" Sweetie Belle shouted, "YOU WANNA KNOW WHY?!" "Why?!" "Because she made you feel like you belonged somewhere!" she screamed, tears flowing, "She made you feel like there's a reason you are the way you are! Like there's a reason you're sweet, compassionate, and not scary at all!" Her words silenced Spike; she took it as a cue to continue. "Even if she didn't know where you came from," she responded in a quivering voice, "She did something to make you feel like she did and you did. I doubt that all of your efforts and worries about learning about your origin went unnoticed by her. I also doubt that she felt good about lying to you about it. But one thing that I'm certain of is that her doing it to make you feel like you belonged somewhere was worth it. Not just to her, but to you." Getting out of her seat, she embraced Spike with a hug full of as much love as she can muster. She was now sobbing at the suddenness of Spike's anger. Although his scales were a bit dry, she didn't care; Spike was taken aback. "We all love you, Spike," she cried, "More than you'll ever know." Embracing her back, he sighed. "It's time for you to go now," he said, "I'll see you this afternoon, okay?" Letting go of him, she walked to and opened the door. The coolness of the hallway quickly got rid of the warmth that Spike's room held. She looked back at him, and was happy to see him leaning on his bed, donning a grateful smile. "Spike?" "Yes?" She took a deep breath; she didn't know if she'd ever have this chance again. Convincing herself to go back, she ran to him, and planted a kiss on his cheek, changing the dragon's emotions from tired to happy to shocked all in one go. "Sleep well, Spikey," she whispered with a smile before running back out into the hallway. The second she stepped back into it, she was sure she'd faint. At the moment, it was the gutsiest thing she'd ever done in her life. You know he has eyes for Rarity, Sweetie Belle! she scolded in her head, Why would you do that? As she walked down the stairs towards the lobby, she knew that, no matter if he returned her feelings or not, at least he knew. Or at least she hoped he did. The chill of the hallways of the asylum were nothing compared to the cold air outside of it. Sweetie Belle, taking one more deep breath, ran back to the Carousel Boutique with mere minutes before Rarity awoke. Cadance held a crying Diamond Tiara in her hooves; she felt truly dismayed. Everything Spike had said in that room was true! In addition, she was able to picture Diamond's struggle in her mind as she told the story. Her retelling of the story had come with painful details that she had purposefully left out to Spike, Pinkie and the Crusaders. After asking why she did not tell them, she found out that if the filly were to repeat them to the others, she would be crying for a long time.* "I'm definitely going to talk to Celestia about--" "NO!" She yelled, latching herself onto her chest again, "If you tell Celestia, she'll keep me here! I've already been here for a month!" Cadance's eyes widened; this was a new detail! The fact that an innocent pony, a young one at that, was being confined to such a place for such a long time...and for nothing but politcal gain? It made no sense! It sounded like the exact opposite of friendship! "Well, I'm going to do something," she said, letting go of Diamond Tiara, and walking to the wall. "Where are you going?! Don't leave me, please!" she sobbed, "I don't wanna be alone!" "I'm just going to Spike's room; it's one room down from here. I'm just going to tell him what I learned and I'll be right back. I promise." Diamond didn't move; she was too scared to. Levitating her onto the bed, Cadance put the covers over her. "How about this," she proposed, "When I get back, I'll tell you a bedtime story! And I'll stay with you the entire night." Diamond gasped with a smile. Although she didn't like to admit it, she always loved bedtime stories; the ones that she was told were always phenomenal. Smiling, Cadance phased through the wall to find Spike simply staring at his door in shock. "Spike? Hello?" She waved a hoof in front of his face; still no reaction. "Earth to Spike?" "Oh! Hey, Cadance," Spike said, getting out of his shocked stupor, "How's Diamond?" "You were right," she admitted, "I never imagined it to be as bad as this." Sadly nodding, Spike looked down. "Yeah? Well, you're not the only one feeling down." "What happened?" "Sweetie Belle was just here," he said, "She was giving me some predictions about how Luna acted towards me..." Sitting down, Cadance stayed silent. "...even if she was acting like she cared...Sweetie Belle thought it was...'therapeutic'." "What did she mean by that?" "Like, someone to talk to. Someone I could share my secrets with, someone I could voice my frustrations and worries to, that kind of thing." "I see." "And then she mentioned my origins and said that if she faked that, it could've been good..." Cadance watched as he balled his fists in regret. "Then what?" "...and I snapped at her...I yelled at her before she could explain...it was like I was gonna...hurt her..." he choked on the last part. "I'm presuming you didn't?" "I would never do such a thing, Cadance," he cried defensively, "Not when she's trying to help me!" Cadance smiled. "Alright, just checking. Did she get to explain?" "Yeah. She said that if she made it up, at least she made me feel like I belonged somewhere." "Is she right?" asked Cadance, already knowing the answer. "Y--yes..." he muttered, "I've never thought if it like that." "Well, I'm glad she was able to open your eyes to a different scenario," Cadance said with a smile. Walking back toward the wall to get to Diamond Tiara's room, Cadance turned back at him. "And Spike?" "Hm?" "I know that Rarity and Applejack are visiting today, along with their sisters." "Yeah. Why?" "I just think that you won't be thinking of Rarity as much as you did in the past. That's all." Cadance said with a wink. Spike's eyes enlargened once more. "What? What do you mean?!" " You're not dense, Spike. I think you know what I mean." With that, Cadance walked back through the wall, leaving Spike dumbfounded as he mulled over the possibility of what her words meant. It was definitely possible...but is that something he would be willing to accept? Cadance chuckled to herself as she saw the filly asleep after she came through the wall. She was in the same position she was in when she left. Walking over to her, the alicorn brushed her feathers against her cheek with a smile. They were oddly wet; she remembered that she had wiped her tears away before she left. "She's adorable when she sleeps," she whispered, "But I could've sworn her cheeks were dry." She was also oddly cold, despite being under the covers. And yet, she wasn't shivering. Now Cadance was confused. "CADANCE!" She almost jumped to the ceiling at the sound of the sudden voice. The voice was clearly Discord's; she didn't see where it was coming from, though. "Discord?" "Yes! There's no time to lose! You must get her to the hospital as soon as possible!" "Who? Diamond Tiara?" "No, Spike," he said sarcastically, "YES, DIAMOND TIARA!" "Why? Nothing's wrong with her!" "Really?" She heard him snap his fingers, and the second he did, Diamond's bedside stand opened its one drawer. Looking inside of it; Cadance's hooves went to her mouth. She stared at a syringe that looked like it had been recently used. It had remnants of a dark blue liquid inside of it, but she saw a hint of pink mixed in with it. "Wh--what's this...?" "We must go; I'll explain on the way!" "Wait!" cried Cadance, "What's going on?!" "What's going on," Discord said, appearing in front of her, "Is that if we don't get her to the hospital now, she's going to die." You up? "I can't sleep," Pinkie answered, putting her pillow on her face. Neither can I. "We're in one body; if you can't sleep, neither can I." You're right! So, what's on your mind? "You know what's on my mind!" ... "Pinkamena, you're....I...how many days do you have left?" It depends on how much you realize I'm here. "What's that supposed to mean?" The less you consult me, the less I'll be here. "So...I'm gonna guess...a couple days at worst?" At best. "What?" Sad...but true, Pinkie. Sad but true. > The Last Thing I Want > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Twilight?" Celestia knocked on the wooden door that led to Twilight's bedroom. Knocking three times, the instant she stopped, she heard the princess begin to sob harder. She sighed. "Twilight, please let me in." "No," she insisted in between sobs, "I can't let you see me like this!" "I've seen worse," Celestia replied, "You've been in there for almost three days now! You need to talk to somepony!" "No!" Rolling her eyes, Celestia's horn glowed as she utilized her magic to unlock the door from the outside. As the door slowly opened with a faint creek, she went wide-eyed at what she saw. Despite everything that had happened over the last week, Twilight had somehow managed to keep her room in near perfect condition! Her desk had a neat stack of graded papers sitting on them; above it were pictures of her closest friends and family, from Shining Armor and Cadance to Spike, Elements of Harmony, Discord, and the princesses. Next to it, Celestia noticed that she had rearranged her bookshelf (again); they were now alphabetized by name and author, color coordinated, chronologically correct, number of pages, and located based on personal preference. Not even Celestia herself had the patience to put that level of detail into the organization of her library. Next to her bed, she had a fresh bouquet of flowers organized by the color of the rainbow. Like her bookshelf, she put intense care into its organization. Not only were the flowers alphabetized, but they were also placed around the edge of the vase based on their age and height. Once again, unnecessary details tended to by her top student. Her bed was neatly made; although Twilight lay face down at its edge, it didn't have a single wrinkle in it. The window was open, allowing for some fresh air to blow through the room; Celestia shivered a little as a cold gust of wind entered. "Surprised?" Twilight said, looking up at her mentor with remorse, "I told you I didn't want you to see me like this, and now you see why!" "Actually, it's quite the opposite," Celestia corrected, "Everything looks neater than the last time I was in here." "Sure, that's what it looks like. But it's not..." "How?" Celestia closed the door behind her and draped a wing around her. However, she was surprised to see that Twilight moved away from her as she got closer. "Is everything alright?" "No! Nothing is alright!" Twilight screamed, "Everything is horrible!" "That's not true," Celestia said, "If everything goes according to plan, Spike and Pinkie Pie should be out on Sunday." "NOOOOOO..." Twilight wailed as she stuffed her face into her pillow, crying even harder. Celestia was more confused than usual when it came to dealing with her student. "I would've thought that this is a good thing, Twilight! What's wrong?" "He hates me! That's what's wrong!" "I'm sure that's not--wait a second." Narrowing her eyes, she took a whiff of the air around Twilight. Although the window was open, she had a bit of a sour aroma surrounding her; it seemed to come from her breath, which explained why she got away from her the closer Celestia got. A thought entered her mind, and she prayed it wasn't true. "Twilight?" "What? What's wrong?" "Why does your breath smell like gin?" Twilight's pupils shrunk at her question. She avoided the gaze of her teacher as she searched for an answer, only to find out that there was only one right answer. Celestia's shocked gaze burned into her head. "You haven't been drinking, have you?" "N--no!" she answered, waving her hooves in defense. "Are you sure?" "No! I MEAN, YES! Yes, I'm sure!" Twilight finished rapidly, fidgeting farther away from Celestia. This time, Celestia kept her distance, not wanting to catch the smell of alcohol again. "You lie, Twilight Sparkle," Celestia said in a disappointed tone, "How could you do this?" "D--Do what?" Twilight asked before burping. Celestia's face scrunched up as Twilight chuckled after she finished. "I didn't do anything wrong!" "You've clearly been drinking, Twilight," she answered, "That's not very becoming of a princess." "W--well, it's not..." Twilight muttered, "Because I haven't been dri--*burp*--inking!" "Yes. You have," Celestia said in a matter-of-fact tone, getting annoyed, "Why?" "Even if I did, it's none of your business," muttered Twilight, laying her head down on her pillow with her back to her authority. Celestia gasped and grit her teeth. "What did you just say?" "You heard me, Princess Celestia!" Twilight shot back, "It's none. Of. Your. BUSINESS!" "It IS my business, Twilight Sparkle," yelled Celestia, spreading her wings*, "For a teacher and a role model to all of Equestria, you of all ponies should know the drawbacks of drinking! There's no excuse whatsoever for this kind of behavior! Did you forget that? Because if so, I'd be happy to remind you." Twilight's conscience screamed at her to stop before things got worse than they already were. But her will had other plans. "You know what, Celestia?! You're right! I've been drinking!" Twilight screamed, forcefully poking Celestia's nose with her hoof with tears pouring down her face, "You know why?! Because my Spike, my number one assistant, is locked up in a mental asylum, and it's almost all my fault! I'm drinking because Spike, my closest friend, is living in a world where he thinks that everypony despises him and that their friendship was all a lie!" Taking back her hoof, Twilight began to levitate in a mix of frustration heartbreak, confusion, and drunkenness. She could barely see Celestia's face because her tears blinded her. "I'm drinking because Spike, my little brother, hates me! Our relationship is nearly destroyed because of me!" "Twilight, that's not--" "LET ME FINISH!" she shrieked, silencing Celestia once more. "Because you say it's not very becoming of a princess when what IS becoming is the exact opposite of what I want!" Pausing to catch her breath, she looked at her with fury in her eyes. "I left this castle every night for the past week to go to Filthy Rich's bar," she said with newfound boldness, "I ask him to give me the strongest drink that he has! It originally burned my throat, but ya know what I found?!" Celestia stayed silent, listening to Twilight rant. "I found that I'm the happiest I've ever been! I forget my worries! In this new world, Spike loves me again! Pinkie Pie is perfectly sane! Everything is perfect in the world again!" she yelled, not caring who heard her, "And then when I wake up in the morning, my world just comes crashing down again! Everything is terrible; Spike is still in that asylum, Pinkie is still insane, and I'm pulling as many strings as I can to get them out while also wondering what we can do when they DO get out!" "Twilight, I understand. I know--" "No! You don't understand, Princess Celestia," Twilight sobbed, "I opened that window to make sure that no one can ever detect that I've been drinking! Everything here is perfectly placed and clean when in reality, my world couldn't be more disorganized and dirty." Stuffing her head into her pillow again, Twilight bawled frantically as her world once again crumbled around her. As much as she didn't want to admit it, Celestia was right; it was unbecoming of a princess to do such a thing to cope. "I have to keep drinking to make sure I don't go insane," she admitted, "I'm at my lowest point, Princess Celestia. I've hit rock bottom, and I don't know if I can get back up again." "You can, and you will. You have to stay strong, Twilight. The last thing I want for you is to feel like you're powerless when you have the opportunity to show how strong you truly are." "But--" "The road you chose to take isn't making you stronger; you're simply avoiding the problem and making it worse on yourself." Celestia said calmly. "And you're not alone...I've made more mistakes than I could ever hope to fix. Some are actually coming back to haunt me at the moment..." Twilight looked at her with half-open eyes. "But the least I could do is try to find a way to make things right," she continued, "And that's what I'm going to do later this week." "What?" "The visiting day for Luna and I is near. I'll make sure to send him your regards and let him know how much you miss and love him." Twilight looked at her once more and felt her soul shatter again; Celestia noticed it too. "But for now, it's time for you to rest. The time for crying is over; it is time for action, my dear princess." Placing her under the covers, Twilight began to quietly sob once more at her recent misfortune. Brushing her tears away, Celestia sighed. "Everything will be alright in the end. I'll make sure of it." "I hope you're right." "Oh, and one more question," Celestia stated as she opened the door, "Have you been sleeping at all?" Twilight shook her head. "No...well, at least I try. Whenever Luna finds me, I ask her to leave me alone, and she just moves onto somepony else's dream." "I see...rest well, Twilight Sparkle..." Under Cloudsdale, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Rarity stood patiently. Rarity and Applejack shivered at the cold weather while Rainbow Dash just yawned because it was so early. "Where is she? This is my one day off for the week and I was going to use it to sleep in," Rainbow complained. "I don't have a problem with the time; I get up way earlier than this," Applejack said, "I'm just not used to the cold!" "You can say that again, darling," agreed Rarity, "I would've brought my wool sweater from my Winter line if I'd known it would be this cold!" "You'll get over it. It's not too bad." "Easy for you to say, huh, Rainbow Dash?" Sitting down, Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes at her friend's remark. "So, what do you think she wants to talk about?" "Beats me. She said she appreciated Apple Bloom's cooperation in her interrogation." "Sweetie Belle was said to have been of good use as well..." "She didn't tell me anything about Scootaloo." "She was of good help too, Rainbow Dash." Looking above them, they were relieved to see Luna descend gracefully onto the dirt path that lead towards Ponyville. "Morning, Princess," Rainbow greeted. "Hello, Rainbow Dash. I know that you're tired, but I promise I'll try not to take too long." "Good. Those apples ain't gonna buck 'emselves!" Applejack said, excited at the idea of work. "Ugh, work," Rainbow groaned, "Can we just get this over with?" "Yes. Long story short, according to your sisters, Spike is starting to think that the Elements of Harmony, my sister and I are hypocrites." "What?! How could Spikey think such a thing?!" Rarity asked shocked at the thought of it. "Apparently, we're just using him for our own personal gain and don't care about him at all," Luna sheepishly explained, "And I can recall some times where that was the case..." "I can't. Can you, RARITY?" Applejack asked, looking at the fashionista with a skeptical look. "Hey, it's not only me! What about Rainbow Dash?" "Oh, no, she's asking YOU, Rarity! Considering he's head over heels in love with you, there were multiple times where you've used him without giving him another thought," Rainbow Dash said. Luna chuckled. "Speaking of which, you just might have some competition, Rarity," Luna said. "Competition? For what?" "Spike's heart, of course." "But I don't want Spike's hea--" she froze midsentence; if she finished it, she would just be proving Rainbow Dash and Applejack right. "What was that, Rarity?" asked Rainbow Dash, causing Rarity to blush furiously. "Oh, shut it, you. Who's my 'so-called' competition?" "You'll find out soon enough. Anyway, here's what I propose to see what other information we could get without actually having to visit the asylum. And this is why I'm here." "Thank goodness, we're almost done," Rainbow weakly celebrated. "Yes, we're almost done. I was a bit reluctant on this idea because I didn't know how you three would react to it, but it's why I'm making sure you all are alright with it." "What is it?" Applejack asked. Rarity was still thinking about who her competition could be. "I suggest that we check the Cutie Mark Crusaders into the mental asylum." Luna said casually. > This Was A Mistake > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The three ponies stood in complete silence, trying to comprehend what Luna just suggested. The Crusaders had been in a lot of danger recently, and it didn't look like it would cease anytime soon. It also didn't seem like age would be an issue when it came to putting them into these circumstances. Rainbow Dash had been taken out of her exhausted daze and was taken back to reality; Rarity had stopped thinking about who else could be vying for Spike's attention; Applejack's thoughts of having work to do were replaced with putting her sister in yet another perilous situation. Reality had slapped them in the face with a hint of surrealness. "Okay, I'm done," Rainbow declared, clearly peeved at Luna's wish, "Why are you all trying so hard to get our sisters scarred for life? Seriously!" "That's not what I'm trying to do in the slightest. I'm trying to get information on what's going on in that asylum. I'm trying to do so without Celestia getting suspicious." Luna explained, not batting an eye at Rainbow's words. "What I don't think you're understanding, Princess," Applejack said in a snarky voice, "Is that these are our sisters you're talkin' bout! They've gone through a lot recently; don't they deserve a break?" "Yes, they do. Their role in this entire situation could be vital to learning about what exactly Diamond Tiara is doing there." "I still won't allow this," Rarity chipped in, "Why should Sweetie Belle do this? If I seem to recall correctly, you eliminated her in Discord's little...*ahem*...game. I'm fairly certain she's scared of you." "I agree with Rarity; why on Earth would Scootaloo agree to this?! She almost died a couple of days ago, then got her heart ripped out by Pinkie Pie, and now you want her to spend time in a place that she's terrified of going back to! That's crazy!" Rainbow yelled, "I'm not going to risk losing my sister for a third time! Isn't she scarred enough?" "This is exactly why I tried to get it past you three first, because I had a feeling that you would have a couple of...opinions on the topic." "Opinions? Try flat-out refusal. I'm not going to let her do this." Rainbow said before preparing to leave. "Also, why can't you just go into Diamond Tiara's dreams to find out what's going on?" Rarity asked. "I'm sure that she wouldn't exactly be enthusiastic to see me." "Why not?" "Because I'm Celestia's sister; she might be afraid that I tell her about my experiences. It's already bad enough that she asked me to tell her about what the Crusaders were dreaming the other night." "Why does she need to know all this stuff," asked Rainbow, "It's not like it's any of her business what they think." "I don't know," answered Luna, "But this may be one of the only chances we have to find out." "I'm still not on board with this. This could hurt more than help. Plus, don't forget, Diamond Tiara was a former bully of theirs at school. What makes ya think she's not messing around here?" inquired Applejack. Luna sighed. "Because it's not just her; it's Spike too. Apparently their opinions line up. We need to find out what exactly they think and what they know." After that, none of the ponies said a word. They were still recovering from the initial shock of the Princess' request. The rebuttals that were presented were justified. After a life-threatening experience, Luna is trying to thrust them into more danger which, according to Rarity, could easily be avoided by simply going into her dreams. "At the moment, no. But if Sweetie Belle is okay with it, then I will agree. For now, it's absolutely imperative that we head to the asylum. Spike is expecting us," Rarity said before turning tail and leaving without any additional comment. "Same goes for me," Applejack agreed. Rainbow simply nodded before making the ascension back to her cloudy home to get some much needed rest. Celestia was in the process of raising the sun; its rays filled the entire area with an orange glow. The lush greenness of the grass was now visible, the clouds were a light pink in the early hours of the morning, and Luna felt its warmth envelope her, along with the rest of Ponyville. Now left alone, she began to wonder if her idea was in fact the best idea. According to those three, it certainly wasn't the best way to go around doing things. It was bad enough that the three of them were exposed to a traumatic experience at such an early age, now there's more that she needs from them, and this task is almost twice as dangerous. "Is that really true," she asked herself, "Is Sweetie Belle really afraid of me for what I did? She didn't seem like that two nights ago." Her defense of Spike made Luna wonder about the impact the dragon's wellbeing had on Sweetie Belle. It was no doubt a vital part of her current state. But maybe it was something deeper than that. Luna approached the castle to discuss with her sister her concerns, having second thoughts about whether or not she can be trusted. Spike was sitting on his side of the visiting room in silence, waiting for the four ponies to enter the room. He couldn't help but think of the previous night's encounter with Sweetie Belle and the theories they exchanged. Is she right? he thought to himself, Even if it was a lie, is it possible that Luna had good intentions behind it? Even if that were the case, she's talked to Spike long enough to know that the subject of his origins was a very touchy topic for him, which is why whenever she brought it up, she quickly changed the theme to something else. It was because she preferred to have him bring it up when he was ready; seeing the dragon so emotionally distraught is something that she hated to see. Tucking his feet in towards him, he began thinking about Applejack and Rarity. As the Elements of Honesty and Generosity, they were going to use their gifts in the best ways they could as they exchanged comments on what was going on. Applejack would always give him the truth, no matter how much he wished it were false while Rarity would likely attempt to soften the blow. "Oh yeah, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom will be here too..." he remembered, putting a claw to his scaled forehead in fatigue. Apple Bloom was a mixture of Applejack and Rarity while still maintaining her status as a member of the Apple Family. She was as honest as she could be but also knew when her honesty would hurt somepony's feelings. As such, she usually stopped explaining anything when she realized that it could come across as an insult. In other words, she tried not to make her explanations too blunt. Sweetie Belle was also like her sister in the sense that she is still in the process of improving her eye for stray details. She tended to focus on what isn't said rather than what is; it is through that way of thinking that she's able to make her next move. On top of that, for the first time in his life, he was actually nervous about seeing Sweetie Belle after the discussion they had the previous night. He knew that she was going to be back today, so there's a chance that she also felt uncomfortable as well. "It can't be too bad. They're all good ponies. At least, I know three of them are; I'm still unsure about--" He was cut off by the sound of the door opening with an ear-piercing CREEEEEAK followed by the rhythmic hoofsteps of Rarity, Applejack, and their sisters. The sounds were all jumbled up because each pony was moving at a different pace than the other. Rarity had a fast pace as she walked to the window to see Spike peering at her with a look of remorse. His expression was a reflection of hers; disappointed, confused, and above all, scared. Applejack walked a little slower than Rarity, but it was evident that she was concerned as well, as her face morphed into a worried frown before she attempted to make a comforting smile. However, at Spike's glance, her optimistic appearance fell to her actual emotions. Apple Bloom refused to leave her sister's side despite going at a slower pace. Sitting down, she appeared to be deep in thought; she was both intrigued and worried. After all, she had information that Spike didn't tell her sister yet, so she had a better understanding of what he would say and what he meant when he says it. Sweetie Belle reluctantly went up to the window and stared at Spike. Although she knew that she did nothing wrong, the only thing that she wanted to know was if her feelings were reciprocated by Spike. The kiss from the previous night had been replaying in her head ever since she left the asylum in the early hours of the morning. She had questions about it and so desperately wanted to ask them, but it wasn't the time yet. Spike flicked out his forked tongue in nonchalance and sighed as he laid back in his chair. "Hey, everypony. Nice of you to stop by," he greeted, "It's been a while." "But of course," Rarity replied with a fake smile, "It's you, Spike!" "I'm glad you're concerned, Rarity," Spike answered with a straight face, "It's good to see you." Sweetie Belle frowned at his words, prompting Apple Bloom to place a hoof on her shoulder. Spike noticed her reaction and chuckled. "Sweetie Belle." "Huh?!" She glanced at him with wide green eyes. "Yeah?" "How are you doing? Is everything alright?" For the first time in the last couple of days, the group saw Spike give her the warmest smile that they've seen since before Discord's game. His eyes sparkled as he awaited her answer. Apple Bloom nudged her to remind her to respond. "Yeah!" she said with newfound happiness, "I'm just fine. How're you Spike?" "I feel alright. Thank you, by the way." He winked at her, signaling the end of that question so as to not to attract suspicion. However, Rarity was already on the case. Applejack chuckled heartily as she took her hat off. "Well, ah'm glad that you're okay, Spike. It ain't the same 'round Ponyville withoutcha." "Thanks, Applejack. I'm glad you're here. I'm glad all of you are here." "So, with the introductions out of the way," Rarity began, eyeing a starstruck Sweetie Belle with narrow eyes, "There is something that we need to discuss promptly." "And what might that be," Spike asked, crossing his legs. "Rarity," Applejack scolded, "We'll get to that later. Spike, have you been--" "No, no, Applejack, I just wanted to get some understanding on what Spike meant when he said that the Elements of Harmony were corrupt," Rarity said, now looking at Spike. The two Crusaders' heart rate multiplied. Applejack facehoofed herself while Rarity's sister suddenly felt the remnants of her sister's fierce gaze on her head. Spike seemed totally calm. "Oh. That's an understandable concern; I'm actually kind of glad that you brought it up, Rarity. I take it that you've been speaking with Princess Luna?" "That's correct, Spike," she replied, "What is the meaning of your comments? We've been nothing but genuine to everypony! I didn't expect her to tell me that you said something like that! It's just not...well...li--" "Like me?" Spike finished, raising an eyebrow. "Precisely, darling." "I see. Well, let me ask you something, Rarity." "Oh, Celestia help us," Apple Bloom muttered as her sister shook her head, knowing what's about to come. "If my memory serves me right, there have been a couple of times where YOU've been acting out of your element, right?" Rarity was silenced at his rebuttal as the memories came flooding back to her of her disrespect towards some creatures; Spike was on the receiving end of some of her actions. Surely enough, he was right. "I'll take that as a yes. So, then, why don't you relax and remember that you're not exactly the perfect pony either, alright?" "Anyway," Applejack interrupted, "Spike, we're concerned about you. Twilight misses you and loves you very much. Ya don't know how far she's fallen since she came to see you." Spike sat up straight with a look of worry in his eyes. "What do you mean?" Applejack looked at her sister and Sweetie Belle. "Let's just say that it's really bad; can't say it 'round these two." The two of them frowned and rolled her eyes as Rarity stepped in. "The point is, we care about you. Is there anything we can do to help you?" Spike was too worried about Twilight to even articulate what Rarity asked. "What's wrong with Twilight?" "Spike, I said we can't say in front of these two." "Well, tell her to come by as soon as she can! I need to make sure she's alright." "She's working with the princesses in getting you out of here, Spike," Apple Bloom explained, "It could be a while before she comes back in here." He frowned and pounded his fist on his leg in frustration. "Spike, I'm glad that you care, but first we need to get you out of here." He said no more; looking down at his feet, trying to figure out how to rebuild this world that he was just thrust in. The group headed back towards the door and frowned. “Excuse us, Spike. We need to step out for a minute,” Rarity said before opening the door. They each left the room, with heads hung low. Sweetie Belle looked back at the dragon who was silently sobbing once more before following the other three back. Once the door was closed and they were outside, Applejack looked at the two fillies. "Look, we really need ta find out more about what Spike is thinking during his time here." "And?" asked Apple Bloom. "Well, we know about what you three told Princess Luna," Rarity revealed with surprised eyes, "And we simply must know more." "Okay. So what?" Sweetie Belle asked, worried at the upcoming request. "Well," the farmpony said looking at Rarity with nervous eyes, "We think that you three should stay in this asylum until Spike's release." The instant she finished that sentence, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle fainted. > Who's The Crazy One? > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- A gentle breeze tickled Cadance's feathers as she slept peacefully. The initial shock of Diamond Tiara's sudden unconsciousness had startled her so much that shortly after she and Discord left the asylum, she fainted. She could only assume that Discord had teleported the three of them to the hospital and that she was laying either in the waiting room or in a nearby hotel. As the soft breeze continued, Cadance's eyes slowly opened and she gasped. She was staring at a ceiling made of stars! All different colors and changing, they turned the environment into an astral paradise. When she saw them, she was not only shocked, but she was also strangely calm. The quiet was something that she could get used to, especially with her having to take care of Flurry Heart with Shining Armor most of the time. Looking to her left and her right, the universe she was in only seemed to spread to the entire area. As she looked around in awe, a small, but bright, circular object floated past her face. Catching it with her hoof, she realized that she was holding an entire galaxy in it! A small smile crept across her face while she imagined the many lives that lived in that universe. She felt more powerful than Celestia and Luna combined while also remaining the calmest she's ever been in the last couple of days. Letting the world go, she laid back down and watched the different worlds carelessly drift across the heavenly plane. She placed her hooves behind her head and sighed. "This is amazing. I don't know where I am, but this is amazing," she muttered, closing her eyes, "If this is a hospital, this is getting a five-star recommendation from me." "I'm so glad you approve." She heard the sound of a light switch click and just like that, her galaxy was replaced with the setting of a normal bedroom. Or an abnormal one. As Discord looked at her with a wide grin, she noticed that her room was in fact the oddest one she's ever been in. "What the hay..." she muttered as she prepared to climb out of bed, "Discord, where in the woOOOOOOORLD--" Discord stifled his laughter as Cadance fell three feet to the floor. "You're not in your world, to answer your question," he replied, "Well, actually, technically we are, but we're in a different dimension." Grabbing her head with her hooves, Cadance groaned as her head was assaulted with a newfound headache from the fall. Discord's smile was still going strong as she raised her head to look at him. Before she did, she took note of the floor pattern, and was confident that it was one of the ugliest she'd ever seen. The entire carpet was a large picture of Discord, with every detail accentuated. His crinkly gray eyebrows had every hair in the highest quality. His mouth was in a wide grin, but she noticed a huge load of plaque and tartar buildup on his teeth, along with a cavity on almost every tooth. In addition, his chin was littered with crumbs of different foods. His claws were uncut and his pony hoof unpolished. Cadance's hooves flew to her mouth to keep her from throwing up. "Like it? I consider that picture to be one of my best from ten years ago; especially since I have absolutely no experience in photography," he said, proudly. With a disgusted frown, Cadance shook her head frantically. "No...no, not at all. I'll have to tell Photo Finish about you," she answered bluntly, "I bet she can--" "This picture was TEN YEARS AGO, Princess," he answered snootily, "Of course I've gone to Photo Finish since then! Ever since then, I've been taking pictures of less...repulsive things." Rolling her eyes and feeling a slight twinge of guilt at Discord's insult to himself, she looked at the room and gasped. It turned out her bed was floating three feet in the air, which explained why she fell that far. Not only was the bed floating, but so was almost everything else. The left bedside table had a small plant with a light switch that served as a lamp for the entire room. On the right side, there was a vase of freshly picked...venus flytraps? They looked like they were fast asleep, but they could also be waiting for an unsuspecting fly. To Discord's left was an average bedroom door, which looked like the only normal thing in the room. To his right was a floating stationary bookshelf that had books that changed to a different color every couple of seconds. Each color was different than the last; some of the colors that were displayed were ones that Cadance had never seen before. The circular window gave her a view of the dimension; she looked like she was in a purple vortex, and besides the neatly cut lawn outside the house, she was able to see a variety of objects that had come to life thanks to Discord's dimension. "Why aren't we at the hospital?" she grunted, getting to her hooves. "Surprisingly, they were closed. Plus, I doubt that they have the medicine that we need," he replied, rolling his eyes, "How can a mental asylum be open twenty-four hours, but an actual hospital be closed--" "WAIT! How's Diamond Tiara? Where is she? Is she okay?!" Cadance cried, coming to remembrance of the situation they were in. "Fine, the other room, yes," he casually responded, "She's sleeping peacefully, and I was able to use my magic to counter the drug that was given to her. Come on." Discord then opened the door to his left and looked back at Cadance; she had a worried look on her face, not sure what to expect. He rolled his eyes and snapped his fingers. "There. Everything we see will look completely...normal." He shuddered at the last word before leaving the room. Reluctantly following him, Cadance made sure that he was telling the truth and was glad to see that he was. Although the room they were going to was a short walk down the hall, what Cadance could see was common in a regular house. She heard a tea kettle go off, followed by the chime of a grandfather clock. She noticed that a freshly-baked plate of cookies was set in front of a sky-blue couch and armchair set. The wooden front door had a circular window cut into quarters that enabled her to see a small portion of the doorstep. A clock was to its left that had the hour hand approaching three o'clock, or tea time. On the walls of the hall that they walked through, there were a couple of pictures. One picture was a group photo with Discord and the Elements of Harmony, all wearing huge smiles. Another had a picture of him, Spike, and Big Mac at the conclusion of another one of their infamous "Guys Nights". A third picture had a picture of him stretching Twilight's mouth into a smile while laughing hysterically. For some reason, she could hear the third one. "Huh. Not bad decor, Discord! Not bad at all." "Don't expect this to stay like this. When Fluttershy gets here, all of this normalcy is going out the window. Literally," he muttered with a frown. "Fluttershy? Why's she coming here?" Discord opened the door to another bedroom and flicked the light switch on which, to Cadance's surprise, turned on a light. "We have tea every Tuesday from three to five in the afternoon," he answered while entering the room, "Come on in; Diamond Tiara is right here." Cadance walked in and was relieved to see that the only thing in the room was a bed where Diamond Tiara was sleeping peacefully. She sighed and put her hoof to her chest. Discord snapped his finger and the syringe the two found at the asylum was placed in his hand. Cadance sat at her bedside and sighed before looking at Discord. "Alright, there are a couple of things that we need to discuss," she said, "Is she going to hear any of this?" "Nope. As far we're concerned, she's drifting in a colorless void to the destination of nowhere." "I thought she was alive!" "She is. She's just dreaming of nothing." "Okay. But wait, is Luna going to--" "No. If I know Luna, I know that she usually saves people from interesting nightmares." Cadance wore a confused look on her face after his explanation. He chuckled. "More on that later, because I can tell that you have a question. For now though, I bet you want to know what in the world this is," he said, presenting her with the syringe filled with dark matter. "Yeah, what is that?!" she almost yelled, "That looks...disgusting!" "And intriguing," Discord said with an evil smile, "I haven't seen this for ages." "You mean you've seen this before?" "I've been around for millennia, Princess. I've seen a thing or three," he muttered nonchalantly, "In all of my attempts to rule Equestria, I've never once used this at all, simply because I've never had access to it." "But you could teleport anywhere! Why not there?!" "Well, Celestia has the best security in Equestria. Anytime anypony tries to access something super hush-hush, Celestia is the first to be informed and is the only one who can give permission to get it. I could teleport to where they hold this, but I'd get caught instantly." "Hold on," she interrupted, holding her hoof to her head, "You still never even told me what 'this' is!" He held the needle up to his face and squinted at it with a determined look. "This particular spell is called Tormential Demise. I heard that this was once used to recieve information from prisoners about invading forces." Cadance gasped. "What?! That doesn't sound like something Equestria would ever use! It's a world of friendship and prosperity, not torture!" "Ironically enough, this potion was primarily used on forces that they felt could truly wreak havoc if they were set free. Does that sound familiar?" Her heart jumped to her throat as she remembered who was currently in the asylum. "No..." "Yes. This elixir puts the victim in a deep sleep where Luna meets them and gives them one last chance to give up information. If they don't submit...well...they're tormented by their most painful fear until it kills them." "But...it's all a dream, right? They won't feel anything in the outside world?" "No. But the pain is still very real in the dream. For instance, although they'll be unscathed to anypony else, they could be bleeding all over in the dream. This was considered to be an effective technique back then because to everypony else, they're just sleeping. They wouldn't know they're in pain because the elixir would render their screams inaudible to anypony in the real world. The victim can scream as loud as they could and their mouth would be shut to everypony else." Cadance felt sick to her stomach at what the filly had gone through. "This can't be possible...how could this happen...why--" "Celestia was responsible for this, you know." She was silenced at the thought of the Princesses being corrupt. So far, every single thing that she had been told by Spike and Diamond Tiara had been one-hundred percent accurate. "I bet you're wondering how I countered it." "..." "I'm glad you asked," he said sarcastically before snapping his fingers to reveal another needle. This one was filled with a pink fluid. "This is called Delightful Tsunami. It does exactly what it sounds like; if the user has been injected with the other potion, this nullifies every effect of it and replaces it with an overwhelming feeling of pleasure. Unfortunately, the user will not feel any of this pleasure when they wake up, but they will wake up well-rested." "There's too much going on right now; and I still have questions about the other one!" "Then feel free to ask." "Is that elixir's production discontinued?" "Yes." "Then how'd Celestia get it?" "I don't know, but I have a theory. She'd have to have someone make it for her. And remember that she's the princess of the day and Luna is princess of the night." "Don't tell me that you're suggesting Luna made this!" "Gee, Sherlock Hooves, I wonder how you came to that conclusion," he said, "Of course that's what I'm suggesting. Only Luna has the ability to create things like that!" "I refuse to believe this." "Well, believe it." "But if it's discontinued, it has to be for a reason! How did Luna agree to make more of it?!" "That's something I'm unsure about. I'm going to guess that Celestia did something to persuade her to produce more." "Well, how'd you get the counterpotion to this?" "Spring cleaning," he responded, "Shortly after my reform, Fluttershy and her friends came in to confiscate any weapon I had that could potentially be used for harm against Equestria. They took everything. After we finished, they gave me one of those potions as a 'reward' for cooperating. They explained what it did and left. Oh, and that reminds me!" "What?" "The happy potion could be used while you're awake, but it only lasts a couple of hours." "Oh." Tears welled up in Cadance's eyes as she softly brushed her hoof along Diamond's cheek. "How could this happen?" "I don't know. But this is far from over." She got up and walked out the door and Discord followed. "I could only imagine what Spike would think if he ever found out that Luna had to do with this," Cadance said, "I have the feeling that he wants to trust her again, but finds it difficult to with everything going on." "I agree. But for now..." The doorbell rang. "Would you like to join us for tea?" Discord asked as he approached the door to let Fluttershy in. Cadance nodded and went down the stairs to take a seat. > The Darkest Light > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- For a pony whose job it was to brighten people's day, the darkness that Pinkie was covered with seemed like the brightest thing in the room. To everypony else, when something is dark, you just shine a light on it and it becomes clearer. But why is it that when Pinkie shines a light on herself, she gets worse? Pinkie laid in her room surrounded by pitch black. The windows were closed, she was determined to make sure that no light entered. She didn't want anypony to see her like this. Why? Because she didn't want the light to shine on her problems. "You good?" Pinkie turned to her side, shuddering as she felt Pinkamena's presence amplify within her. Whenever her alter ego spoke, she sent waves of negative emotion through her. Of course, there have been times where she was actually helpful, but for the main part, she was the complete opposite of everything Pinkie was. To describe it in a couple of words: ruthless, deceptive, and disappointed. "No. I'm not." "Why not?" "Look at where we are, won't you?!" yelled Pinkie, not caring who heard her, "I don't care who's staying to my right or my left, this is still a place where I never wanted to be!" "Pinkie, you and I both know that you would have ended up here sooner or later. It was just a matter of when." "Because of YOU!" wailed the party pony, "It's all YOU! Why are you so determined to make everyone feel so much agony wherever you go?!" "Why are you so determined to make everyone feel happy wherever you go?" "Because a happy pony is a happy Pinkie," she answered, "But for you, it's the opposite! The suffering of one pony brings a smile to your face!" "Need I remind you that my face is also yours?" "NO! It's not! Ponies know the difference between my face and yours; they know that I have a smile that can--" "Brighten anyone's day, I know. You've made that point quite clear." "But now, ALL of my friends know who you look like. Your smile--" "Brings chaos and calamity to everypony I see?" She turned over once again. "Well, yeah! Can you imagine how scary--" "Stop talking, Pinkie." "No. It's time I speak my mind about you! You're not going to silence me! Not now, not ever again!" "Well, if you're going to do that, let me do the honors." Pinkamena cleared her throat as Pinkie rolled her eyes. "You think that I'm a menace to society. You think that I should be in here, not you. You acknowledge the fact that I can kill anyone I want with the clop of a hoof. Is that right?" "Spot on," Pinkie muttered. "Well, allow me to dismantle your argument with a couple of simple of facts: firstly, I live inside of you; you created me, so there's only one way to get rid of me permanently. And that way is..." "I die." "Good Pinkie. Secondly, you say I'm a negative version of you. While that's true, I'm one other thing." "What?" "I'm the realistic version of you." "What?! How?! Everything is GREAT here! This is real life!" "Clearly not. Have you forgotten where you are? Have you forgotten what's going on with Spike? Have you forgotten that the Princesses are mad with power? Have you forgotten all of this?" "No, but--" "Answer this honestly: do you think you would've seen this if I'd stayed completely silent during the competition?" Pinkie stayed silent as Pinkamena sported a triumphant grin. "I'll take that as a yes. You just said that everything was great in Ponyville. That's from your eyes. But from mine, everything is excessively joyful." "How is that a bad thing?" "Pinkie, you're missing everything that goes on in the background! To you, everything is sunshine, rainbows, cupcakes, and cake! You would risk your life if somepony did something that would make another pony sad!" "I have to! If I had the opportunity to make somepony happy, I'd jump at it!" "I'm not saying to stop making ponies happy. That's a good thing, I guess. I'm trying to get you to wake up!" "To what?!" "To the fact that not everything is as happy as you want it to be!" Shocked at her words, Pinkie's lips quivered as her dark self presented her with this piece of information. "That's why I said you're mentally unstable. Positivity is good, but excessive positivity can result in you expecting everything to go right. When something goes wrong, you go into this depression, and that's where I come in. It's also why I'm here." "Why?" "To balance things out with you! Being happy is good, but there have to be some sad times too. How else do you expect to grow?" "But--but you said you could kill somepony--" "And I can. But I haven't. Besides the fight with Spike, I haven't attempted to hurt a single soul." "What about Fluttershy?" asked Pinkie with a raised eyebrow. "Well, other than her," she said with a nervous chuckle, "But in my defense, she was going to try to get rid of me." "But you'll be gone one way or another." "That's something that I can live with. And something you've got to live with is that my job is to make sure that you don't go too far in thinking that everything is better than it really is." "I guess that's fair but...I absolutely hate--" "Being sad? Well, you'll have to live with the fact that no one can avoid it. Sorry." Tears quickly approached Pinkie's eyes and Pinkamena sighed. "I'll let you handle making others happy. Just don't go too out of hand." She felt Pinkamena's aura fade the instant she finished her sentence. Simultaneously, she noticed that a ray of sunshine had gotten into the room. Sitting up, a small smile spread across her face as she realized that there was truth in what Pinkamena told her. At the moment, her goal was to make ponies happy, starting with herself. Twilight sat alone at her map table thinking about what Celestia had told her at their previous encounter. She was right on both fronts; no matter how desperately she needed the high after the slew of unfortunate events that have plagued her recently, becoming an alcoholic was no way to cope. Secondly, Spike is counting on her to help him get out sooner. It was a well-known fact that they loved each other dearly; they had known each other for their entire lives. There was no way she would have something like this keep them apart. Although she was motivated after Celestia's visit, she was still half-awake and half-drunk. There was row after row of bags under her eyes and she could barely keep herself focused on what she was doing. Everytime she opened her mouth, it was a yawn followed by a burp that released an unbearable stench from her mouth that gave away the fact that she's been drinking. She pounded her hoof on the table in frustration. "Alright, Sparkle, get it together!" she muttered, "We gotta get him outta there. But how--" "I may have a solution." Turning around, she was shocked to see Princess Luna gracefully approach her with a nervous smile on her face. Twilight's hoof went to her chest. "You nearly gave me a heart attack, Princess!" "A worse fate would've greeted you if you keep drinking." "How'd you know that I--" Luna chuckled. "The frazzled mane, the lack of focus, the constant muttering, the terrible aroma that comes from your mouth whenever you speak, your dizzy walk. Just to name a few." "Okay, okay, I get it. What's your idea?" Luna took a seat and put her hooves together, appearing to be unsure of how to explain. "Well...you see...I went to Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash for advice before I came over here. They didn't seem too thrilled." "And why might that be? Your ideas are usually good," Twilight said, staring intensively at the map as if an idea would go from there to her head. "Thank you for the compliment, Twilight, but...this one is different." "How?" "Well...this one has to do with the Cutie Mark Crusaders." Twilight's eyes went from the map to the nervous princess, who was rubbing a hoof behind her neck after the confession. The young princess' eyes were now twitching rapidly. "Before you say anything," Luna interrupted, "Just know that--" "ARE YOU CRAZY?! THEY HAD JUST COME OUT OF DISCORD'S GAME!!" Twilight shrieked before her hooves flew to her mouth at the remembrance at who she was talking to. "Sorry, it's just--" "No, no, I understand your concern. Not exactly one of my most well-recieved ideas." "I see why they said no, but please do continue." "My idea was to put the three of them in the asylum to obtain more information on Diamond Tiara and Spike's conversations." "Now I definitely see why the three of them were so against it. But what about Pinkie? She's not well either." Luna opened her mouth to answer, before closing it in embarrassment. "I've never considered that. You're right; Pinkie must also be checked on to make sure she gets the proper care that she needs--" "Princess, I'm not saying I'm in support of your idea. In fact at the moment, it's the opposite. We need to make sure these fillies stay out of harm's way." "I'm afraid that it's too late for that." "Why?" "It's been too late ever since they explained to me what happened in the asylum in their dreams." "But still. I don't really like this. However, it's not under my control. I'm leaving this up to the three of them; this is up to them." "I understand completely. I was only asking for your opinion." Twilight scoffed. "I don't think you'll really like my opinion." "I can see that." "But in the meantime, I need to find a way to get Spike out of there. I think I need to go back." "Go for it! I'm sure he'll be happy to see you." "But I'm not!" "Look, I understand that the last meeting didn't end the way you wanted it to," Luna explained, "But look at it this way. You can use it as a chance to reflect on your experience and brainstorm ways to make the subsequent encounter more pleasant." Tears approached Twilight's eyes as she laid her head on the table while remembering Spike lashing out at her when she was at the asylum. "I don't know how, Princess. I just don't know." "Well," Luna said, lifting her face with her hoof, "You have time to figure it out. But one thing is for certain: he needs you. And you have to be there for him. Everypony makes mistakes; it's up to you to figure out how to fix them though." Wiping away her tears, Twilight smiled. "Thanks, Princess Luna." "Anytime, Twilight. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get ready for my visit with Spike." "I forgot that tomorrow was your and Princess Celestia's day to visit!" Twilight gasped with eyes darting, "I hope that you know that you mean a lot to Spike; he couldn't stop talking about how much he enjoyed your company while the six of us were away." Twilight choked on her cries at the mention of her beloved assistant once more while Luna looked up somberly. She could still remember the fire in his eyes at the insult that she had aimed at him during their fight. That attack hurt him more than any spell or beam ever would. "I still wish I could take back what I said that day," Luna confessed, "He's helped each of us out more times than I could count..." She stared at her hoof. "So at least twice." "Well, somepony once told me that everypony makes mistakes, and that it was up to you to figure out how to fix them." Twilight said with a smile. Luna chuckled before vanishing away with newfound hope in her heart. > The True Definition of Alone > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Oooohhh...not exactly the reponse I was hoping for," Rarity said as she looked at her sister's unconscious body that was sprawled in the middle of the hallway. Applejack shook her head and donned a decisive look. "Well, in mah opinion, that's the only answer we need. They ain't goin' through with this. I don't care what the princess said, I ain't puttin' her in any more danger." Rarity stayed silent as she used her magic to float Sweetie Belle onto her back and Apple Bloom onto Applejack's. Applejack sighed and turned to look at the door leading to the room that held dragon waiting for their return. "We should at least consider Luna's suggestion, darling. This could lead to the exposition of a scandal the likes of which Equestria has never seen. And these two seem to be right in the middle of it." Applejack glared at Rarity. "Need I remind ya that it's a baby dragon and three, count 'em, THREE fillies against two princesses that've mastered the art of magic?" "No...no you don't," Rarity said, looking down ashamedly. "I thought so. I'm puttin' mah hoof down. Unless Apple Bloom explicitly tells me that she wants to do this, I'm not budgin' an inch." "We don't even know if Luna is with us or against us yet, Applejack!" "Still. I'm not takin' any chances!" "I understand, but--" "Rarity! I said I ain't takin' any chances!" Applejack yelled. "What part of 'this is dangerous' do ya not understand?!" "I just said I understood! Besides, have you considered the role that these two and Scootaloo play in this entire ordeal?" Applejack rolled her eyes. "Yes. You just mentioned that these two are the primary parts of a bigger scandal in the kingdom. But what you aren't realizing is that they could get hurt! And that's why I refuse to let my little sister go through with this!" Rarity stayed silent as Applejack walked towards the cell room. Slowly following her, Rarity was clearly conflicted about the choice that she had to make regarding this event. "Rarity," Applejack said calmly before opening the door, "This ain't one of your little fictional detective stories thatcha like readin'. This is real life. Somepony can and will get hurt, one way or another. Right now, it's in our hands to determine who. I don't want her to be that pony. Ya get it?" Rarity nodded her head before following Applejack back inside the room. As the door closed behind them, they could see Spike with his head in his hands, clearly distraught. Quietly approaching the window and setting their sisters down, Rarity cleared her throat and tapped on the glass. Spike didn't move. "Ahem...Spike?" No response. Spike didn't even look up at them. Applejack and Rarity looked at each other with a frown. "Spike?" Applejack asked, "Umm...I dunno how to say this but--" "Just say it," Spike mumbled in a muffled voice, "You're the element of honesty, remember?" "Well...things aren't the same ever since you got in here, darling. We miss you very much..." "I know, Rarity. Everyone who's visited me so far has said that," Spike responded, "It doesn't change the fact that I'm still in here." "In terms of Twilight, Spike," Applejack answered, "None of us have seen her in a while. The last time we saw her was your first day here. We gathered at the castle to put together a visiting schedule." Spike raised his head and looked at the two of them with glistening emerald eyes. When Applejack and Rarity stared at them, an entire story seemed to be told in the short silence that came with it. This story was, in essence, the story of Spike and Twilight. Needless to say, it was a little over a decade in a matter of seconds. "I shouldn't have yelled at her like that," Spike wailed, "I can't imagine what she's doing or how she's feeling right now..." He looked at his claws; they were a faint shade of red since he personally delivered a scar to Twilight's cheek at the conclusion of prior events. "Spike...everything'll be alright...we know how much you love Twilight--" "That's what everyone says, Applejack...but there are times when I'm not so sure." "What makes you say that?" Spike got off of his chair and simply laid down on the padded floor, staring into his friends' eyes through the window that seperated the two of them. "I'm so used to being around you six that when I'm not, I feel...alone." Rarity's eyes widened, clearly intrigued. Applejack raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Go on," she encouraged. "I know what you're thinking: 'Oh, but Spike, you're never alone! No matter how things may seem!' And that's true...in an empty room, it's just me, my fears, and my conscience." "But they're all a part of you--" Rarity started before Applejack shoved a hoof to her mouth. "I think I see what yer sayin'" Applejack answered nervously. "Applejack, you being the element of honesty makes it very easy to tell when you're lying," Spike answered nonchalantly, "I know you don't understand, which was why I was going to explain it to you." "I mean...okay," she conceded. "It's like my fears and conscience are two different ponies, so to speak. They keep me company whenever I'm feeling down. They're in charge of my thoughts, my dreams, my secrets, everything that goes on in my mind." "But Spikey, they're not actual beings! How exactly do they keep you company?" Rarity asked with a hoof to her chin. Spike smiled. "Simple. They just...talk to me. It's like they have a mind of their own." "And they talk to you about...what exactly?" asked Applejack with a concerned look on her face. "Anything! You six, the Crusaders, the princesses, the goings on of Ponyville, anything that happens in Equestria!" "I don't follow you, Spike. How are they able to be anywhere in Equestria at any given time?" Rarity asked, prompting Spike to frown. Just like the two ponies read his face, he was able to read theirs. He sat down in his chair. "I'm not insane, I swear," he said in a begging tone, "You all have these little assistants inside your head that tell you things, right? It's part of everypony's mind!" "Yes, but my question is what role do these beings play in this particular scenario? It's just you, Pinkie Pie, and Diamond Tiara in here!" Spike glanced at Rarity with worry riddled on his face. "How do you know about Diamond Tiara being in here?" Nervously shuffling to the side, Applejack sheepishly grinned while Rarity avoided his gaze, "Luna may've told us everything, Spike." Applejack's confession triggered an eyeroll out of the young dragon. Despite him knowing that the mane six would figure it out eventually, he was curious as to what the consequences of it might be. "The point is," Spike continued, "That we each have little ponies, or dragons in my case, in our heads telling us what to do. And to answer your question, Rarity, I bring them up because eventually..." He tucked his legs in and frowned once more. "Eventually you get tired of hearing them. And when you do...they stop talking. Then you're truly alone." Rarity's hoof went to her mouth in shock and Applejack took her hat off. "I still don't understand, Spike!" Applejack said, "What in the world are you goin' on about?" "When your mind stops speaking to you, you're alone. I've been alone for the past couple days, Applejack," he said, "Alone with my fears. All because I just didn't want to hear the same old same old from these...'assistants' of mine." "And? What's the big takeaway from all of this? Help ME understand, Spike!" "They've been talking about Twilight over and over again...tormenting me with images of her smiling at me, past experiences, everything..." he said with a shaky voice, "They know how sorry I am..." "Spike, everything's go--" "Going to be okay. I know...it always is." Spike finished with tears approaching his eyes. "But the period between not okay and okay is a long one, Rarity." A couple of stray tears fell down his face as thoughts of Twilight bombarded his mind again. "But I don't know if I'll ever be okay again..." "I understand, Spike..." Rarity answered. "I've never heard that definition of being alone." Applejack sighed. "Well, maybe you can explain it to me, Rarity. But it just breaks mah heart ta see ya like this, Spike." Behind them, Sweetie Belle began to stir as Apple Bloom lay silently next to her. As the filly grabbed her head to soothe a newly formed migraine, she saw Spike with his head buried in his arms, quietly sobbing in front of her sister and Applejack. It was at that moment, her heart grew heavy for him and everything that he's gone through thus far. From multiple instances of abuse to constant rejection from Rarity to being housed like a wild animal, he's always seemed to have experiences that she'd hope to never have. Walking over with reluctance in every step, she looked to her sister. "What's going on?" Without looking her in the eyes, Rarity answered "He's hurting, Sweetie Belle. He's hurting." "I've never seen him cry before. It's weird because with everything he has," Sweetie Belle muttered, "With all of the friends, the knowledge, the courage...what did he do to deserve something like this..." "I dunno," Applejack answered softly, "But we're gonna find out soon." Rarity looked at her sister to see her look so hurt at the dragon. She knew that the two of them have had a close friendship since they met, but it's the first time she's seen her sister look legitimately remorseful at his fate. What was going through her head was a mystery, but it wasn't time for its solution to come to light just yet. "Look," Spike muttered, "I know you all have a lot to work on and I know that the princesses are coming buy at some point this week, so I'd better get some rest, you know?" "You...you want us to leave?" Sweetie Belle asked with sorrow in her voice, "But we're here to help you! Just let us!" Spike choked up again at his friend's words but shook his head. "I don't know if I'll be able to get help at this point, Sweetie Belle. Apparently I'm a threat to everypony here." "That's not true, and you know it, Spike!" Applejack cried, "You know as well as I do that we love you with all of our hearts!" Spike stayed silent and looked down. Even with his friends, he still felt alone. His mind was silent. The only thing that seperated them from him was a window a couple feet in front of him. And even then, it might as well have been a thousand-mile road. "And I love all of you," he admitted, "But when it's just you in here being treated like you're a savage dragon, the biggest threat Ponyville's ever seen, it gets hard to see yourself on the same playing field as everypony else." "But everypony in here is getting help, Spike! It's not just--" Rarity began. "THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH ME," Spike suddenly roared, causing them to jump back in shock, "Prior to now, I was and still am completely sane! What is so hard to understand about that?!" "Nothing is," Sweetie Belle responded in a raised voice, "Nothing is, Spike! But based off of everything you're saying, you're making it sound like you're beyong help when we're offering it to you!" "And I'm taking the help, Sweetie Belle," he responded, "But I'm literally only in here to 'calm down'! I'm not a threat to anypony! You know that as well as I do!" "Then why'd you scratch Twilight, Spike?!" she shot back in a quivering voice laced with courage. Those words rendered Spike speechless. "Out of anger? Maybe! Out of hate? Never! The Spike I know would never hurt his friends like that!" "Sweetie Belle! That's enough out of you!" Rarity yelled. "There are some lines you don't cross. Especially right now." "I'm seen as a threat because of that one scenario, Sweetie Belle." answered the heartbroken dragon to the filly. "But there hundreds of other scenarios where you're one of the most amazing friends in the world! What about those?" "How can you be so sure nothing like this will ever happen again when I DO get out? How are you so sure that I won't turn into a dragon after I leave this asylum?" Sweetie Belle looked down, frantically searching for answers. "I--I guess you'll have to control it, Spike. And I'll help you! We all will!" Rarity and Applejack simply stared at Sweetie Belle, who turned to Rarity. "I'll stay." she proclaimed decisively.