As Applejack and Rarity walked back towards the institution in Canterlot, a lot of tension and resentment started surfacing between the two. They started talking about how this whole mess started and how they broke apart from each other. It seemed like eons ago that they fought Nightmare Moon and Discord, and the fun time times they had with Cadence and Shining Armor…all seemed lost to the winds. Cadence had not yet heard the news involving Twilight and her brother had completely turned his back on the situation; Scared at how their relationship might affect his relationship with his wife. It was odd to say the least, considering her brother should be worried for her sake.

“Shining Armor turned his back on Twilight? That’s not how family is supposed to act.” Applejack interrupted.

“You forget, my dear Applejack, Shining Armor was under a lot of stress the day I told him the news. I figured some part of him just couldn’t handle the stress of what he was dealing with that day and news about his sister’s breakdown. He’ll be fine, I’m sure; He’ll come to terms sooner or later.”

“I suppose you’re right, Rarity.”

Rarity went on to talk about how Rainbow and Fluttershy had started growing apart from each other due to the time spent around their dream lives. Rarity gave a little nod in Applejack’s direction hinting it it might just be from being too used to your current surroundings and not being near your friends. Applejack reluctantly agreed and nodded as she continued to listen to Rarity’s account of the days that seemed long forgotten.

“I’m sure deep down, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy haven’t forgotten us. Though I do worry for them both as much as I worry for your sake, my dear.” Rarity said thoughtfully.

“That means a lot to me, Rarity.”

A while later they finally arrived in the institution at the heart of Canterlot. The building was a huge white structure, with many floors and windows everywhere. With a deep breath and hope in their hearts, they were ready to confront Twilight after many months. They walked up to the receptionist’s desk and asked to see Twilight Sparkle.

“Ah, you mean that pony who was moved to iso a while back? Right this way please.” The receptionist said as she started leading the two down the left hallway. The receptionist was a white mare with a checklist for a cutie mark and small glasses on her face. She seemed a little old but not old enough to be a grandmother or anything.

“Isolation? I don’t remember Twilight ever being in isolation in this institute, are you sure we’re talking about the same Twilight Sparkle?” Applejack asked cautiously.

“Yes, well you see, she was moved to isolation the day after you came here about a month ago.”

“Was there a reason you moved our friend there?” Rarity asked, now somewhat concerned.

“She was disrupting other patients and ranting hysterically about some spy mission or something. Celestia knows what goes on in half the patients’ mind these days.” The receptionist said.

The walked for what seemed like half an hour to the deepest part of the institution where ponies were talking as if they had completely snapped. The two were scared as they walked deeper and deeper into the institution with nothing but the receptionist walking in front of them. When they finally reached Twilight’s chamber, they noticed something different about her and her cushioned room. She was now in a straight jacket and sitting there in the back of the room mumbling on and on about a war that didn’t exist. Her friends seemed worried, but ready to face whatever fears they may have about her.

“Umm, Twilight, it’s me Applejack and this is Rarity, you remember us right?” Applejack said nervously.

“Don’t open the gate, Applejack, don’t open the gate, they’ll come after us. They already have unicorns positioned ready to strike at Canterlot University. We need to get the children out.” Twilight started saying.

Much of what she said was semi-incoherent. The receptionist asked if they wanted to talk to her face to face and asked if they wanted the cell door opened. The two mares shook their heads violently, too scared to imagine what would become of them if they decided to open the gate. Suddenly, Twilight teleported to the cell door and grabbed Rarity by the dress collar and whispered something into her ear.

“Get me out of this jail Rarity, I must complete the mission, they know too much. Heaven forbid Celestia knows what I know and we’ll all be doomed. The Pegasi already have our positioning and if they don’t let me out, the whole of Equestria will perish by their rule. Please, help me, Rarity. Please…”

And just as quickly, Twilight teleported back to the back of the cell mumbling about numbers and coordinates to help her fellow unicorn. Rarity just stood there, unnerved, scared and very worried about her friend in the cell. What was going on in that head of hers and why were Pegasi attacking Canterlot in her mind? Nothing seemed to make sense to her. Has she seen something in the future or was she just crazy? Neither Rarity or Applejack knew what exactly had transpired in her head. However, Rarity was determined to help Twilight and asked the receptionist for a meeting with Twilight and a few psychologists.

“Sure, I’ll set it up, when do you want to hold this meeting, ma’am?” The receptionist said when they had made it back to her desk at the front of the institution.

“How about next Wednesday?” Rarity said.

“Next Wednesday is fine. Have a nice day, you two.” The receptionist said before bidding the two mares goodbye.

“What exactly did she whisper in your ear, Rarity?” Applejack asked as they started down the steps of the facility.

“Do you really want to know? She asked me to let her out so she can complete some mission while some pegasus had her surrounded. Celestia knows what’s going on in that mind of hers. If you ask me, we can’t do anything for her, at least not till I get some more information out of that crazy mind of hers. I’m sorry, Applejack, I know how much you want to bring her back.” Rarity said with a small stream of tears coming from her eyes as she leaned in to hug Applejack.

“I trust you, Rarity, we’ll get to the bottom of this.”

“Thank you, Applejack, it pains me to see our dear Twilight in shambles, but we need to stay strong for her sake. Now, I have a meeting today with Fancy Pants around noon, so if you’re not busy tonight, why not spend it over at my place, I’ll brew some tea for us and we’ll try to figure this out together; Like old times.” Rarity said with a smile.

“Sounds like a plan. I’ll be over as soon as I’m done with the stuff on the farm.”

The two headed off in opposite directions toward their respective destinations. Meanwhile, Twilight was still mumbling in her cell about plans to escape and meet up with the Princess.

“Of course, Princess, I’ll meet up with you as soon as I get out of this plastic prison. Oh, don’t worry, I won’t be here long; As soon as they open the cell door, I’ll pounce on them and make my escape, I will get the news to you, my dear Princess…this I promise….” Twilight mumbled with great excitement.

Hours passed, and soon it was time for the orderlies to feed the patients. Two orderlies started trotting toward Twilight’s cell. They were both earth ponies with white uniforms. She was still mumbling about how it won’t be long, but she knew she’d be free soon. At least, that’s what she thought. The two stallions came over and brought a tray. One of the stallions had an electric rod and the other one began unlocking the cell door.

“Here’s your dinner, Twilight. Don’t try to run now or we’ll have to stun you,” said the stallion with the rod.

He clicked a button on the rod and the tip became live with electricity. As his partner finished with the locks, he picked up the tray and put it into Twilight’s cell.

“Easy does it, Joe, the last thing we need is another accident with this one,” said the one with the rod.

“They don’t pay me enough to deal with this one.” The one called Joe said shakily.

Just as Joe started locking the cell door, Twilight stunned them both with a stun spell and left them both paralyzed and used her magic to rip off her straightjacket.

“I will not be stopped by a couple of stallions in a plastic prison, I am outta here.” Twilight took off down the hall toward the entrance to the cell. As she ran, her eyes started glowing in shades of red and orange, as if she was possessed. She was still shaky from the drugs the institution gave her earlier and couldn’t see clear enough. However, she let her senses guide her through the block of steel bars and cushions.

“I’m almost there,” she thought, “Just a little more and I’ll be free, I can get back to Princess Celestia and tell her the news. Then we’ll see who’s the crazy one.” She said with a smirk.

The institution had apparently god word of Twilight’s escape and had now sent out orderlies to find her and bring her back to her cell. She felt like an escaped convict, and with a body full of adrenaline and an excited mind she pushed forward toward the exit. The orderlies had finally spotted her down a hallway and were ready to subdue her. However she was too quick and managed to dodge or evade the orderlies. She weaved between the orderlies as they tried to grab her. Her magic didn’t seem to have stabilized enough for her to teleport and her vision was kinda fuzzy from the drugs, so she had to rely on her feet. She had almost made it to the exit when one of the bigger orderlies stood in the door way, blocking her path.

“Well, well, well, Twilight, I see that you’re trying to escape again. What is this, the three hundredth time? You’re not leaving this institution and that’s final. You wanna get out of that door? You’ll have to go through me, and I won’t let you leave here. Just like every other time, that teleport spell of yours won’t work on me and I know where you end up every time. So why not just make it easy on yourself and go back to your cell.

“Not today.” Twilight said confidently.

“What makes you think you will get past me after having done this 300 times?” The orderly said with a chuckle.

“I’ve learned. You can’t catch what you can’t see.” Twilight said confidently as she tried for an invisibility spell.

She started charging magic and instead of turning invisible she turned a furniture in the lobby green. She tried again, no luck.

“How can this be? Magic has never failed me before…” She shook her head to try and clear her mind, but had no luck. She tried again and again until the orderly simply injected her with a sleeping agent and brought her back to her cell.

“Magic has failed me…what will I do now?” She said with tears in her eyes before falling asleep.

Author's Note

Oops, seems I left the Author's notes blank this time. Anyway, to sum this up. I wanted to show off what Twilight was capable at the time, her magic is unstable because her mind isn't clear and will sometimes fudge spells of some sort. I have no idea why I made such a dramatic scene for the escape cause it feels like an addendum or something just to push the story's relevance with the title. Oh well. Not much to say here I suppose.