“Unbelieveable… there was enough quetiapine in that shot to subdue two ponies,” muttered the gruff voice of a stallion from beyond the metal door of Applejack’s dimly lit cell, “is she even awake? She has been staring at the ceiling for the last hour without blinking for a damn second.”

“Yeah,” came a sympathetically intoned voice of a mare, trying her best not to speak too loud, “not to mention she has not been eating well. She’s lost one quarter of her body weight since her arrival and there seems to be no signs of improvement. I’m beginning to think we’re administering the wrong treatment. If we’re not careful we may have to put her on an intravenous just to get the right amount nutrients into her body.”

“Who’s assigned to her anyway?”

“Somepony called Nurse Redheart. Apparently she is some kind of leading medical adviser at some other facility for Princess Twilight Sparkle.”

“Why would the Princess assign somepony from a different facility for some run of the mill crazy?”

“What? You don’t know?”

“...know about what?”

“The patient and her little sister was a captive of Pinkamena Diane Pie—u"

"Wait a minute, the same mare that murdered and, ate, her victims?"

"She escaped royal custody; from a maximum security facility for the criminally insane at that about a month ago. This poor mare was the only one left alive at the scene. When they found her she was covered head to hoof in blood... I can’t imagine what it was she went through.”

“By Discord’s beard… she was a survivor of that monster? She’s incredibly lucky. What else do you know?”

“I don’t know much about it other than what I just told you. What I do know is she left that ordeal without a scratch on her, but I believe the damage is something I don’t think any kind of medicine will ever be able to fix.”

"What happened to Pinkamena?"

"I heard—now I am not sure this is true, but our patient here? She killed that crazy mare with her own hooves. Bashed her brains in, or so the rumors go."

"No way..."

Teary and glazed emerald eyes slithered away from the crack in the ceiling above her head towards the heavy iron door and the iron barred, open porthole, which displayed the obscured faces of two ponies Applejack could only assume to whom the voices belonged.

The moment Applejack met eye contact, the porthole was slammed shut and a scurry of hooves and hushed incoherent whispers disappeared down the hallway, leaving the mare to the complete serenity of her cell.

Applejack felt as if her body was being suspended in midair, her mind afloat through a haze of ambiguity, unsure if she were entirely awake or lost within a dream. Yet despite this sensation, her limbs were anchored to the gurney all thanks to a series of leather shackles pinning her down via three separate places along the limb, while a thick central strap was drawn tight around her mid-section to completely restrict her movements.

Her dry and chapped lips parted for a sigh, her tongue almost sticking to the roof of her mouth as dehydration had long settled in, which was one of the many minor side effects her calm inducing anti-psychotic tranquilizer that was forced upon her.

Finally, with a subtle turn of her head, Applejack finally acknowledged the blood soaked, crazed pink mare standing at her bedside looking down upon her with the saddest of frowns, causing Applejack’s tears to loosen from the corners of her eyes and to slip down the side of her head, soaking into the sprayed strands of her mane.

“Don’t look so down, Applejack,” Pinkie Pie tilted her head, “I’m right here besides you.”

“Where’s… ya smile?” Applejack inquired in a drowsy rasp of concern.

Pinkie Pie drew close to Applejack’s prone figure, snaking a foreleg under Applejack’s head to pull her into a comforting embrace while her other hoof worked to smooth the unkempt golden mane from those forlorn emerald eyes.

“Shhh, it’s okay. I’m just concerned about my little apple being all cooped up in such a dark place, surrounded by big meanies that’s all. You can't exactly grow indoors, can you? We need you outside! Where alllllllllllll the fun is~”

“Ah’ve missed you, sugar” Applejack turned her muzzle to press her nose against Pinkie’s fur, inhaling the faint metallic scent of blood, “ya’ll smell good… comforting... Ah wish Ah could smell this more often...”

The pink mare drew from Applejack to inspect the mare’s face, then with a giggle, she leaned in and snaked a tongue out to lick around Applejack’s parched lips to moisten them before smiling brightly down at her.

“Mmmm~tasty! Even though you've been in here for a few weeks now Applejack, you still taste and smell like a freshly picked apple from your orchards… speaking of which, what happened? I thought you were going to invite Big Mac to our super secret, invite only party? I know he was on the other side of a screen and you had like a bajillon ponies trying to hold you down and all, but that ain’t good enough! You have to try harder otherwise nopony will be coming to our party! And that'd be a shame.”

“Ah’m sorry sugar, Ah couldn't quite get to him to ask him properly… Ah’ll do better next time; Ah’ll invite him for sure, Ah did Pinkie Promise." Applejack looked back up at Pinkie Pie, distressed she had disappointed her in any way whatsoever. "Please don’ be upset with me.”

“I would never be upset with you, silly filly!” Pinkie Pie grinned maliciously. “But don’t forget if you fail your Pinkie Promise you have to—”

“Slit mah throat, an’ hope to die, stick a cupcake in my eye~” Applejack and Pinkie Pie chanted together, both pausing a beat after they did so, all just so they could share yet another intimate giggle between them before their lips crashed together in a deep, loving kiss that neither wanted to part from.

Each seeking to dominate the other's tongue.

With every wrestle of lips and a sloppy, wet pop between each gasp, the kiss grew in its ferocity as the mares growled and snarled like timberwolves until the sudden heavy clunk of the cell door’s deadbolt unlocking drew Applejack’s head away from Pinkie and towards the source, acknowledging the entrance of a white earth pony wearing a stethoscope about her neck with an innocent smile into her cell.

“Hello, Applejack, I see your medication is starting to wear off. How are you feeling?”

Nurse Redheart gave the small isolation cell a once over and more pointedly her patient’s restraints, just to make sure the mare was securely fastened to the gurney. As she approached the bedside, she gave each leather shackle a small tug just to confirm and test their stability.

“Ah feel like Ah’ve done eights rounds in a rodeo. Ah’m mighty thirsty.” Applejack settled her head back onto the pillowless bed, still feeling like her body was entirely not her own to command.

“That’s just a side effect of the drug,” Nurse Redheart took a step back as she took a hoof to place the bell of the stethoscope against Applejack’s chest, “have you felt anything else other than drowsiness since you have started coming round? Palpitations, anxiety, temporary loss of vision in one or both eyes?”

“N-no, jus’ feelin’ a touch tired, that’s all.”

“That’s fine. However, if you do start experiencing anything like that within the next few hours please contact a member of staff immediately. The dosage we gave you was fairly strong considering how severe your episode was during time with your brother.”

Applejack’s ears flattened against her head as she drew her eyes away to stare at the wall. “He must hate me.”

Nurse Redheart shook her head, exposing her most warmest of smiles and friendliest of tones. “Don’t say such things, Applejack. He is your brother and he loves you very much. He knows the trauma has left you… vulnerable. But don’t worry, we will cure this illness all in due to time, providing of course we work together to beat it. I simply cannot cure you, Applejack. You must be willing to allow it to happen as well. We must cast aside negative thoughts and think only upon the positive, which we can start by eating a full meal.”

Nodding, Applejack smiled towards Redheart. “Sure, Ah’ll do anything to return to my family. Ah don’ want to be here for the rest of my days… Ah want a normal life.”

Nurse Redheard gave her patient quite the scolding expression. “First off, you have not eaten a suitable amount of nutrients since being admitted. You are far under the average weight for a female earth pony of your age, so I expect you to stick to my dietary regime until you have reached your preferred weight and are eating healthily. I am also going to give you a course of medication with a low dosage of amisulpride, which should help with any such depression you may be experiencing until we can accurately diagnose you and offer a better treatment. Now, while I am here I would like for you to answer a few questions...”

Applejack was not quite paying attention to Redheart, even though she was practically gazing over the mare’s shoulder; though she did nod a touch at Redheart's pause, as if instinctively knowing that she was supposed to respond in some manner.

What had got her attention was the floating red balloon hovering above Redheart’s flank with a red string holding it in place, the end linked directly to a strand of the mare’s pink tail, as if it was a part of her.

But what grabbed Applejack the most was not the fact the balloon existed and the other pony had not noticed it, but what was written upon it.

A number.

#4

“Applejack?”

“Wha? Ah’m... ah'm sorry, Nurse Redheart, Ah’m still not quite with it.” Applejack smiled weakly up at the mare’s concerned expression.

“Perhaps I should wait until the morning until you are fully recovered. I will send in an orderly to escort you to your room via wheelchair, since I am sure you will be unable to get there under your own power. Now, go straight to sleep when you return. Another nurse will be with you by tonight to give you your new medication.”

Nurse Redheart turned to depart, though was stilled by a slight giggle. With a raising brow, Redheart regarded Applejack with a confused blink.

“Is something the matter?”

Applejack shook her head, restraining a smile. “Ah, it’s nothing. Ah felt suddenly giggly. Might be the medication.”

“... the orderly will be with you shortly. If you want to talk about anything, ask an orderly or a nurse and I will come straight to you.” With those parting words, Nurse Redheart left, leaving Applejack nibbling on her lower lip as yet another giggle threatened to spill out of her at the sight of the red balloon following on after the pony.

Still smiling despite her excessive gnawing, Applejack glanced to the corner of her eyes to once again note Pinkie Pie’s existence.

"How good are you at baking, Applejack?" Pinkie Pie inquired with a toothy, blood stained grin. "Because I have such a great idea for a recipe that is simply to die for."

Applejack snorted, her body quaking as she broke out into laughter. "Tha' was a terrible joke!"

"I know." Pinkie's unblinking, wide eyes turned to the closed cell door, a knowing smirk smothered across her face. "I know."

Author's Note

*Places on his specially designed vest*

Like, hate, flame, whatever is good.

I noted some errors and I am sure people are going to point them out to me. I'll change as quick as I spot them. Either way I'm wearing body armor so...