The madness

A long time coming.

How did it all happen?

How did the star pupil of Princess Celestia fall from grace? And why has another unicorn been chosen to take her place?

To answer these questions, dear reader, we must whisk you back to the recent past, to a time of worry for a certain lavender coloured unicorn. When, in her mind, everything was starting to fall apart, and her friends were not helping at all...or so it seemed to her.

So, dear, dear reader, hold on tight, for we are in for a bumpy ride, and keep you hands inside the cage, I am not responsible for the loss of any limbs.

6 Weeks Earlier

My dearest, most beloved pupil,

While it is with utter joy that I receive your regular reports, I must question the reason for multiple copies.

I quite understand the need for safety, regarding that they may get lost in transportation, but never has this happened in thousands of years!

So, with the greatest respect, I would ask you to send only one copy in future.

Also, please would you be so kind as to visit myself and Luna at your earliest convenience, we have some questions we would like to ask.

Your Mentor,

Princess Celestia

Reading the letter again, Twilight was confused by the last part, ‘They have questions they’d like to ask me? Have I done something so dreadfully wrong that I’m now in trouble?’, she started to panic, and Spike wasn’t around to help her snap out of it, ‘Oh no! What if a report hasn’t arrived? What if it was an important report, one of my lessons? I’ll be TARDY!’

Twilight started to reschedule her whole calendar, just so she could fit in a visit to Canterlot, hours later, and many scrolls and quills later, Spike returned home, “Twilight?”, and hearing scribbling noises coming from upstairs, investigated.

“For Celestia’s sake Twilight! What’s gotten in to you?”, he shouted.

Shocked at the response from her Number One assistant, Twilight looked over the mound of paper, “I’m TARDY!”, she squeaked, “The Princesses want to ask me questions at the castle, and I’ve been trying to rearrange my calendar so I can fit it in.”

He facepalmed himself, and just looked her in the eyes, and said, “Just drop it Twilight! Just go to Canterlot, like right now! If you’re quick, you can get the next train out.”

Twilight looked over at the dragon, “O...okay, well, I’ll just…”

“No need, I’ve got one packed, for emergencies like this!”, Spike held up a saddlebag, “Good job I’m here to keep you sane!”, he chuckled.

Putting the saddlebag on, Twilight gave Spike a nuzzle, “Thanks Number One assistant! Look after the library for me!”, and teleported out of the tree, and over to the train station.

“Phew!”, he said, looking at Owlowiscious, “She’s going crazy! I thought that all this was over and done with after the Princess had spoken with her the last time!”, so, for the first time in days, Spike had a quiet evening.

Meanwhile at the train station, “One ticket for Canterlot, please!”, squeaked Twilight, “I need to get there right away!”

“Oh, Twilight!”, All Aboard said, “You’re in luck, we leave in 5 minutes, and for government employees, well, okay, for you, it’s free!”, he pushed a ticket under the glass.

Stunned, Twilight looked at him, and said, “Th...thank you!”, and taking her ticket, trotted out of the ticket office, and took a seat on the train.

Looking in her saddlebag, she noticed that Spike had indeed done a good job, ‘Let’s see, Daring Do novel, I’ve read it before, but, it’s always good having it. Smarty Pants doll, I could have sworn that Big Mac stole you, oh well, flask of tea, how did he know? I’ll ask him when I return, and fresh daisy sandwiches, hmmm, I’ll really have to ask him now!’

Settling back in her seat, Twilight dug out the novel, and Smarty Pants, putting the latter on the table in front of her, and got into a comfortable position to read.

The motion of the train started to lul Twilight to sleep, and so, she started to dream.

Dream Sequence 1

Where am I? Who am I?

Twilight floated in a blank landscape, the ground, if it could be called that, was silver sand, the sky, was a dark purple, so dark that it was almost, but not quite, black. There were no stars either.

“Hello? Hello?”, she called out, nothing, not even an echo, moving forward, tentatively, testing each hoofstep, to make sure that she didn’t sink in, she walked, in the direction she’d been facing, just in case she could find something, anything.

Walking was the only thing she could do, and, here, wherever here was, she didn’t seem to tire. In fact, she had more energy than she’d ever had before. An idea struck her, focusing on a point further ahead, she teleported.

Blinking out of existence, she felt disorientated, as if, as if...she reappeared, not the spot in the distance, but, somewhere else.

“Wha?”, she exclaimed, “What the hey?”

She’d reappeared in a stone room, the only colour that could describe it was cabbage green, there were beds, they looked like hospital beds, “Well, that’s strange!”, she said, to nopony in particular.

In each bed was one of her friends, they looked like they were asleep, the only difference was, their colours were muted, and above each bed, where their elements, pulsing slowly. There was one bed, unoccupied, which she assumed was for her.

Above, what she’d assumed was her bed, her element, was pulsing, but it wasn’t the colour of the element, it was a sickly black, with an equally sickly green tinge, which made her feel, strange. Not a funny kind of strange, but a strangeness she’d never felt before.

Trotting over to ‘her’ bed, she looked directly at her element, and felt a power flowing from it, a power so strong, so primordial. Something that she thought would make Celestia look like a day old foal.

“Twilight Sparkle!”, she jumped around upon hearing the voice behind her, “Twilight Sparkle! The power you see within your element is the heart of all our magic.”

She looked at the pony, no, not a pony, this was taller, much, much taller, it was a horse. The genesis of the pony race.

“Twilight Sparkle, take the power, and you shall become even more powerful than that whelp Celestia.”, the being spoke, with a voice that could shake down mountains, “She was offered the power to rule over all the world, and look at her!”

“Princess Celestia is a wise, and gentle ruler. She would NEVER succum to that sort of power!”, Twilight spat back, “Who are you? And where am I?”, she added.

“Never!? Never!? She was offered untold power, and control over ALL, not just her pitiful solar trick, she is weak, you, on the other hand, you have a spark within you that tell me different.”, it replied, “You are destined for a greatness beyond this land, a greatness that will make Celestia bow before you.”

“You still haven’t answered my questions!”, she shot back, “Where am I, and who are you?”

“Very well!”, the silence was almost deafening, it seemed like an eternity before it spoke again, “Very well, if you so insist...You are in HELL!”

“You mean Tartarus?”, Twilight stammered out, “There’s no place called hell.”

“You silly, stupid fool! Tartarus is just the name given to Hell by your so called Princess! You are in Hell, look out of a window if you do not believe me.”, and gestured to the windows.

Climbing onto her hind legs, she looked out of the window, the scene before her was, was, was of a landscape scarred by lava, a red/orange sky with comets hitting the ground, and churning everything up, there were figures walking upon the land, some walking upright, upon what she thought were their hind legs, and others walking on all fours. Turning back to the figure, she said, “I...I don't understand!”

“You are slowly beginning to understand!”, there seemed to be a chuckle in its voice, “Now, I shall answer the other part of your question.” Gesturing to two chairs that weren’t there a moment ago, “Sit. Please, sit.”

Twilight gingerly sat on the smallest of the chairs, “I am, as you have already figured out,a horse.”, it looked down at Twilight, “My name is Destiny, I am, how can one put it? I am the creator of the race you are part of. You could almost say I am a god!” It chuckled at that part, as if it had said a joke.

Twilight was shocked at that last part, “We don’t have any gods!”

“Yes you do, just because you are taught to believe that you do not, by that whelp”, it spat the last part out, “it does not mean that there are not any. And I can see by the look in your eyes that you have heard of my name.”, looking deeper into her eyes, it continued, “A part of you knows I am correct, a primeval part of your being.”

Twilight just sat there, mesmerized by this godlike being, saying all those things about her mentor, her motherfigure, she couldn’t take it anymore, her mind was beginning to crack, “It...it can’t be true! It just can’t!”, she started to sob.

Picking up the sobbing figure in its forelegs, it placed her upon the empty bed, “You are beginning to understand, my little pony!”, and chuckled, a particularly evil chuckle, “You will soon understand more!”

As Twilight slept, the black/green pulse of her element drew lower, and lower, towards her.

Snapping awake, Twilight almost screamed, sweat coating her fur, ‘Thank Celestia it was only a dream!’

End of Dream Sequence 1

The train pulled into Canterlot, “Canterlot! Last stop, Canterlot!”, All Aboard called out, and the passengers began to disembark. Twilight repacked her saddlebags, and followed the last of the passengers out onto the platform. Looking for a carriage, she spotted a familiar unicorn waiting at the exit, a unicorn she didn’t want to talk to. Thankfully, the crowd was moving swiftly, and she merged in with them, avoiding the unicorn.

‘Phew!’, she thought to herself, ‘Now for the carriage.’, spotting one, she trotted over to it, “Canterlot Castle, please, good sir!”

“It’s a bit late, miss. You won’t be able to tour.”, he repied.

“Oh, it’s no problem, I’m expected.”, Twilight said, in her politest voice. The carriage took off down the crowded evening streets, Twilight reliving memories of her time spent here, under the tutelage of Princess Celestia. Soon, the castle came into view, it’s gleaming towers, and walls, visible in the evening dusk.

“Here you go, miss! That’ll be 5 bits.”, the carriage driver said, holding out his hoof.

She passed over 7, having been brought up to tip, “Thank you, sir.”, she replied, trotting up to the front gates.

“Twilight Sparkle!”, one of the guards called as she approached, “You are expected. Though, we did not expect you so soon.”

“Strong Spear! I wouldn’t have arrived so soon, if I hadn’t been forced to!”, she replied, and followed him inside. The two ponies trotted through the hallways, until they arrived at the large doors that could only mean one place. The two guards standing by the doors saluted Twilight and her guide.

“Enter Twilight. You are expected.”, he intoned, and opened the doors for her.

“Thank you, sir!”, she replied in her most polite voice, and entered the throne room. Behind her the doors closed, with a white glow, meaning that there would be no admittance.

Upon the thrones, sat the two Princesses, “Twilight Sparkle, my faithful student!”, Celestia spoke, “We did not expect you so soon.”

“Verily, we thought that you wouldst arrive on the morrow.”, Luna spoke in her ancient voice, “Is there a reason thou hast arrived early?”

“Yes, your highness. Spike forced me to come.”, she said in an uncertain tone, “I would have been happier if I’d have been able to come tomorrow.”, a small smile, appearing on her face.

“Never mind, Twilight!”, Celestia said, moving forward to hug Twilight, “Now, for the reason we asked you here.”, she mentioned her Twilight to sit beside them.

“We have noticed, Twilight Sparkle, that thou hast started to send not one, but, two reports to thy Princess.”, Luna intoned, “We are concerned as to the meaning of this!”

Twilight swallowed, “I’m just making sure that they get here. I don’t want another incident to happen again.”

“You mean the time that I had to nullify your spell?”, Celestia chuckled, with an eyebrow raised.

“Y..yes, princess.”, Twilight meekly said, “I didn’t want to be tardy again!”

Luna just looked amused, Celestia, on the other hoof, looked concerned, “My faithful student, what happened then was not the result of you being tardy, it was the result of you being neurotic. And worrying about nothing!”

“Nothing? I was late with a friendship report, and if I couldn’t find a report to write, I’d have let you down!”, she replied, “And so, I’m sending copies of the reports so they can’t get lost, or misdirected.”

“Twilight Sparkle!”, Luna called out, in her Canterlot Voice, “There has never been a case of ANY missives just vanishing in over a thousand years!”

“But, there’s always a first!”, she replied, “I’m just being careful, Princess.”

“There’s careful,”, Celestia spoke softly, “And there’s being paranoid. Which brings me to the next part of the reason we asked you to come here.”

Twilight was confused, “What do you mean, Princess?”

“There was”, she seemed to be stuck for the words to say, Luna, on the otherhoof, had no trouble whatsoever.

“There was a problem with the spell my sister didst cast to cancel out thy spell!”, she paused, looking at Celestia, who just nodded, “We didst not understand the spell, and there seemed to be a feedback.”

“A feedback? What sort of feedback?”, Twilight stammered out.

“Your, neurosis was amplified back upon yourself.”, Celestia spoke with a hint of sorrow in her voice, “And, we are afraid that you will start to show signs of…”

Once again, Luna spoke up, “Signs of Insanity and Paranoia. Or, to simply put it, thou willst go mad!”, Celestia gave her sister a sharp look.

Twilight felt her heart break at these words, tears forming in the corners of her eyes, “Is...is there...anything you can do?”, she held back the tears, “I don’t want to…”, she whispered the next part, “go mad!”

“We are very sorry, Twilight Sparkle, we do not know enough of the spell you cast to work out a fix.”, she paused and nodded to her sister to continue the next part.

Celestia looked downcast, “My faithful student, from the moment my spell took control of your spell, and nullified it, you have already been going insane. Soon, if we are not careful, you’ll soon start to distrust everypony around you, including friends, and family.”, she had tears in her eyes now, “So, for the best, we will be placing you under an extensive examination at Ponyville Hospital.”

Twilight looked up when she heard the last words, “Ponyville?”

“Yes, unbeknownst to many, the Ponyville Infirmary, has the finest doctors, schooled in the arts of brain issues.”, Luna spoke, as gently as she could, “You will be safe and comfortable there, and, it is fortunate, your companion will still be able to visit.”

Twilight didn’t feel relieved at this, and finally snapped, “You think than locking me up, in a mad house will help cure me? That causing pain and suffering to the one, who I’ve raised like a child, will help me?”, feeling the rage increase within her, there was only one course of action her body could do, ‘Rage Shift’, “Buck you, Luna! Buck you! Locking me up! Seriously? How in your tiny, calcified mind could you think that such a bucking thing could help?”

Luna was, understandably shocked at this outburst, “Thou WILL KEEP A CIVIL TONGUE IN THY MOUTH, WHELP!”, causing Twilight to shift further. Celestia put a hoof on her sister shoulder, in an attempt to calm her down, “No sister, she hath insulted us! She will pay the price!”

Twilight was still in ‘Rage Shift’, “Twilight Sparkle! Thou will be not placed under strict observation at Ponyville Hospital, thou will be incarcerated there. Until a time that thou hast been deemed cured!”, Luna attempted to calm herself down, “If thou hast not been cured, thou will spend thy entire life there!”

Celestia was on the brink of tears, “Twilight, you must understand, it is for you own good, and that of everypony around!”, she paused, to take a breath, “I will understand if you do not wish to talk to me anymore, or have anything to do with me.”

Twilight had snapped back in reality, “Princess Luna, I’m...I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to snap!”

“It is too late, Twilight Sparkle, it is too late!”, Luna replied, with sorrow in her voice, “We will transport you there, directly. Guards!” In came the two guards who were standing outside, “No more visitors tonight, your Princesses will be taking a, trip.”, looking at a fallen Twilight, “We will be transporting Miss Sparkle back to Ponyville.”

“As you command, your highness.”, the guards spoke in unison, and bowed.

Moments later, both the alicorn princesses took a now, almost comatosed Twilight in their magic, and with not a moments thought, teleported to Ponyville Hospital.

“Your highness”, stammered Doctor Horse, “Are you quite certain?”

“If you cannot complete the task laid before you, DOCTOR”, Luna intoned in a voice that would brook no argument, “Then I’m sure we can find one who will, whilst you will be working in triage!”

“Of course, of course! The paperwork will be handled by myself, now, I’ll get an orderly to…”, and stopped.

“Doctor!”, Celestia spoke in a stern voice, “I WILL TAKE TWILIGHT MYSELF! I know the way.” And, taking a comatosed pony in her magic, walked to the secure unit, Luna and Doctor Horse following behind.

“She will receive the best care, your highnesses. The utter best care possible.”, the doctor said, “Nothing will be spared, nothing at all.”

“Thoust had better not mess THIS one up, doctor!”, Luna spoke quietly into his ear, “For if thou does, then THOU will join her!”

So, here we stand, dear reader, on the brink of collapse.

You understand now, what has happened, and why the star pupil took the downward path to insanity.

But, please, do not think this is the end, oh no! We must examine the coming of a new bearer, and the reason for them being chosen. For, there is a story to tell, and we have time, all the time we need.

Just remember one thing, do not judge Twilight. Her mind has shattered, and she still has a part to play. And Luna?

She will play her role, and more, oh, so much more!