Twilight looked over her letter one more time, then looked up at the building she was standing in front of. It was a large, foreboding structure with the word, "Infirmary - Mental Ward" printed in bold letters across the front of the building. She didn't even know Canterlot had a mental ward. Nevertheless, she was always one to help ponies in need. Receiving her letter, she had immediately hopped on a train to Canterlot, and after a bit of wandering through the halls of the castle, had found her way to the Infirmary, and was now standing outside of the mental ward.
Taking a deep breath, and briefly wondering what she would find inside this forsaken place, she went inside.
The inside was actually not very scary, in fact it appeared a little friendly. It was a regular looking waiting room, cheesy motivational posters hung on the walls, magazines on various tables, and a few ponies here and there looking bored. She walked up to the receptionist, an earth pony mare who looked like she didn't want to be there, and said warmly, "Hello! My name's Twilight Sparkle, I'm, uh, here for a patient," she handed over the letter from Princess Celestia. The receptionist took it, looked it over, and nodded ,"I know the one," she said simply, and then walked out of the room and opened a door leading to the back halls, "Come with me," she instructed, and walked down the halls.
Twilight followed, the only noise was coming from the clinking of their hooves on the linoleum. She was just about to make some small talk when the receptionist started giving her instructions, "We don't have any records on him, or at least who he claims to be. In fact, we don't even have a name for him. Formally, we call him patient 173, but around here. he's known as the Crooked Pony."
"Why's that?" Twilight asked curiously, frantically scribbling her words down on a scroll with a quill she had brought with her.
The receptionist looked at her, "You'll see," and she kept walking. After a moment, she continued, "Don't let him eat anything dairy, it makes him cranky and unable to sleep. Also, if he starts misbehaving, just play some music and that should calm him down. If not, spritz him with this," she handed over a spray bottle full of water. Twilight pocketed the bottle, not thinking she would need to use it. The receptionist walked over to a cabinet and removed something from it, "This is his prized possession, we found him clutching it for dear life. If you want him to be quiet, he'll stare at if for a good few hours before getting bored." She handed her a small snowglobe, depicting a mountain capped in snow.
Twilight pocketed it, then said curiously, "Did you say you found him?"
The receptionist nodded, "He was found outside of the Everfree, half dead and rambling about Celestia knows what. We brought him here, but we can't do anything else but feed and care for him. That's where you come in." She stopped in front of a door labeled 173 and opened it, "And here he is!"
Twilight stepped inside the small padded room and gasped. There, sitting in the corner, was the most pitiful, pathetic pony she had ever seen. But then he stood up, and he didn't look pitiful, he looked...not scary, not frightening, just...off. Crooked.
He was an earth pony, with deep black fur. His mane was long and unruly, white-ish, silvery grey in color. But that was just the start of it. He was dressed in a hospital gown, but his face was what really captured Twilight's attention. He had a wide chin, and might've been handsome at some point, but he looked terrifying now. His eyes were two different colors; the right was brilliant blue, intently focusing on Twilight, but the left was blood red, beady, skittering all about the place, looking at Twilight and then bouncing away. His mouth was equally crooked; the right side, under his blue eye, was normal, smiling friendlily. But the left side, the one under his red eye, was also smiling, but it looked like he was smiling with malicious intent. It stretched back further than seemed normal, and his teeth only on that side were sharpened, like a lion's, except thinner, eviler.
"Hello, Twilight," The Crooked Pony greeted.
Twilight nodded, "Oh, you told him I was coming?" she asked the receptionist.
The receptionist sighed, "No, we didn't. That's another problem we've been having, he knows things without anybody telling them and it's freaking everypony out."
Twilight looked at the crooked pony curiously, "How's he doing that?"
The receptionist shrugged, "Dunno. He's your problem now, though." and she turned and left, "Remember to check out in the main ward."
Twilight turned towards the crooked pony who was still smiling that crooked smile and said warmly, "I don't think you're a monster. I'll help you as best I can."
The crooked pony nodded, "Thank you, Twilight." his voice was low and jumpy, as if he was breathing irregularly as he spoke. He got up and walked towards Twilight, following her. Even the way he walked was crooked, as if one of his legs was longer than the other.
But Twilight ignored that. This pony needed her help, and she intended to give it to him, "Come on, let's go," she said, and walked away, leading the crooked pony.
She was going to help this pony, as best she could, at least, but even she had her private fears. It was really his crooked smile, it was just so...unsettling.
