Chapters "Do you have everything you need to study for the afternoon now?" Spike asked, stacking the last of Twilight Sparkle's books on the floor in her room.
"Yes. Thank you Spike. I'd be nothing without you." Twilight replies with a smile, lying on a pillow on the floor next to her books.
As she began to read Spike looked at her with a hopeful grin. "Say Twilight?"
"Mmmm?" She answered, still reading.
Spike had his hands behind his back, standing on his heals. "I was just wondering..."
"Mmmm..."
"Could I have the rest of the day off?"
Twilight's eyes grow wide. She turned her head to Spike, and smiled, "Spike, there's still plenty of chores to be done."
Spike gave a confident grin. "No there aren't. I got up early to get a head start on them. I finished all the chores already! So can I-"
"Good! Then you could get to the basement laboratory. I've been extra busy there lately. It's a mess!" interrupted Twilight.
Spike was disappointed "But-"
The purple mare had half her head face Spike, and looked at him with a wide eye. "Spike. You're my number one assistant. Since the day we moved out of my parents' home to today. And you forever WILL be my number one assistant. And you don't want to let me down, right?"
Spike sighed in defeat, looking down at the floor. "...Right..."
He walked away down the stairs from Twilight's room, still looking down. Twilight smiled to herself. "Hmmhmmhmm! Oh, Spike."
She continued reading, when a figure emerged from behind her, looking at the book she was reading, trying hard to hold back fits of giggles. Twilight turned the page, to find that the next page was completely blank. She dropped her jaw in surprise. "What?! Where did all the words go?!!!"
"GOT YA! IT'S WHITE OUT!" Pinkie yelled from behind, startling Twilight. Pinkie held a book in one hoof, and the white out in the other. "Not to worry though. What you have is a copy. Here's the original, untainted book. Clever, huh?"
Suddenly, Twilight turned to the pink prankster, and screamed at the top of her lungs, "CAN'T YOU SEE I'M BUSY?! I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR YOU CHILDISH PRANKS!!!!!" As she screamed this, she violently pushed the book she had into a surprised Pinkie's chest, causing the white out to fly out of Pinkie's hoof, and grabbed to original book from the pink pony.
Twilight turned her back to Pinkie Pie with a furious look on her face. Pinkie stood there silently for a few seconds, in a state of surprise and slight disbelief, then spoke, "...Twilight...I'm-"
"Just get out Pinkie..." Twilight angrily, yet calmly stated.
Pinkie began walking out of the room. As she arrived at the stairway, she turned her head and said to Twilight with sincerity in her voice, "I really am sorry."
"OUT" The angry Mare yelled, making Pinkie cringe.
The pink pony slowly descended the stairs, her head hanging low. Twilight lay back down to continue studying, giving a furious snort.
Downstairs, Pinkie slowly paced the floor, stricken with guilt. "What's wrong?" Spike asked concerned, while climbing down a latter that was leaning on a bookshelf embedded in the wall.
"I messed up big time Spike." Pinkie looked up the stairs to Twilight's room. "Poor Twilight just wanted to study. But I interrupted her with my... childish prank. Am I really that immature?"
Pinkie and Spike faced each other. The purple dragon gently put a hand to Pinkie's right cheek. "Aw, cheer up. Your pranks are harmless. But they're not for everyone. Now you know not the prank Twilight when she's studying. I'm sure she'll forgive you."
They both huged. Pinkie gave a soft, smile. "Thanks Spike."
When they broke from their huge, Pinkie beamed. "When she's done studying, I'll give her the best apology ever!" Pinkie gave a look of determination and slight craziness, wearing a huge grin. Spike gave a huge grin back as Pinkie continued, "The best way I know how!"
Later that afternoon, Twilight finished her studying, happily closing the last book which read "The Mind" on the cover. Walking downstairs, she called out to Spike, "Oh, Spike. I'm done studying. You can put away those books now." She peeked her head into the room at the button of the stairs. "Ssssppiiiiikkeeee....."
"SURPRIIIIIIIISE!" Pinkamena, Spike, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash all shouted, startling and surprising Twilight. The room they were in was decorated with many balloons and confetti. There was a long table with several types of confections and a punch bowl.
Pinkie stood in front of the surprised purple mare. Her two front hooves were showing off a banner that hung over the entrance of the tree house that read 'I'm so sorry Twilight' She said to Twilight, "It's an 'I'm sorry for pranking you when you were just trying to study' party! So what do you say? Do for forgive me?"
Twilight stared into space with a crazed look on her face.
Pinkie was concerned. "...Twilight?"
The purple unicorn continued to stare into space, still holding that same crazed expression.
Pinkamena looked at her in silence. She then lowed her head once more, turned around, and slowly walked away. Fluttershy and Spike walked along side Pinkie, trying to comfort her. Rainbow Dash confronted Twilight and angrily shouted, "Twilight! All she was doing was apologizing! And do you do?!"
As Dash continued yelling, Twilight's crazed look slowly turned into a calm expression. Then she gave a soft smile. She quickly darted over to a sad Pinkamena, and called to her. "WAIT!" She faced Pinkie, "I forgive you. Would you forgive me for not forgiving you, and for blowing up in your face earlier?"
Without hesitation, the pink party pony embraced Twilight in a tight hug and yelled at the top of her lungs, "I DOOOOOOOO!!!" The others around them smiled, seeing that the two had reconciled. Then Spike, Pinkie, and Dash broke into wild dances, dancing to the music that played loud, while Twilight and Fluttershy enjoyed some punch. They partied hard all evening.
Later, at the end of the day, Rainbow and Fluttershy headed out the door, saying their good-byes. As Pinkamena was about to exit the tree house, Twilight Sparkle called out to her, "Pinkie, wait! Would you be able to visit here tomorrow so we can spend sometime together? Just you, me, and Spike?"
The pink mare turned around and said with a smile, "I'd enjoy that."
Pinkie walked out of the tree house, while Twilight waved good-bye and shouted, "Twelve noon?"
"Twelve noon!" Pinkie shouted back. After walking a little more, she bounced high into the air and gave the biggest, happiest smile she had ever had that day. "MmmmmmmmmmmMMMM!!!"
Twilight continued waving until Pinkamena was out of sight. Then she turned to Spike, who was sweeping up the confetti, and said, "Get some rest Spike. It's going to be a busy day tomorrow."
Pinkamena Happily bounced to Twilight's library. She opened the door with a casual, big grin. She saw Twilight Sparkle and Spike sitting on pillows at the tree stump that was in the center of the room, grinning back. The stump had several sheets of paper, ink, and a quill lying on it. With a great leap, Pinkie flew through the air, then jiggled up and down upon landing on a pillow that was next to the stump.
"So, what are we gonna do?" The pink mare asked gleefully.
Twilight held out one of the pieces of paper that was on the stump. "Today I thought you'd take a short quiz. Does that sound like fun?"
Pinkie looked at the sheet of paper and replied with a slightly disappointed tone, "Oh.... Tons."
She saw what was written on the paper. It asked to list one's favorite music, foods, drinks, pranks, gifts, and other such things. "This is easy!" she smiled.
Twilight watched as Pinkie began filling out the form. After a few moments, she spoke, "You almost-"
"Done!" The earth pony said with the completed quiz in he mouth.
Twilight looked over the paper while Pinkie was twiddling her front hooves nervously. "D-did I p-pass?"
"Almost." Twilight said. "Just copy these letters on to blank pieces of paper, and you pass!" The magic unicorn floated four pieces of paper up to Pinkie. The top one read 'Dear friends. Went to Manehattan to learn how to be a librarian. Twilight is a real inspiration! Sorry to leave on such short notice. Love Pinkamena.'
After reading all the letters, Pinkie gave a confused look. "But I'm not going to Manehatten... am I?"
"Oh, no! It's just part of a game we're going to play!" answered the purple pony.
"Yay!"
When Pinkie was copying the letters, Twilight watched as before, only more intently, with a hint of slight eagerness.
Pinkie finished and proudly displayed her work on the stump in front of Twilight. After a careful read, the unicorn floated all of the papers to her and said an eager tone, "Okay, I'll be right back." For a split second, a bright flash lit up the whole room, and Twilight vanished. Spike and Pinkie sat there in surprise and confusion. They looked at each other, when suddenly Twilight appeared in between Pinkie and Spike, flinging them both apart.
"Whaoooo!" Pinkie yelled.
"NGAH!" Spike shouted.
Twilight, unaware of what she had done, had a wide grin on her face. "Okay! Follow me!"
Twilight Sparkle led Pinkamena and Spike through the basement door. They found themselves in a short hall with two book shelves alongside the right side embedded into the wall, and a cliff on the left side. Each shelf had, resting in them, books and laboratory flasks filled with magic potions, and a lantern hanging above them. At the end of the hall were stairs that led to Twilight's lab below. "Hey! Didn't you try figuring out how my Pinkie sense works down here?" Pinkie exclaimed. "Are we going to try again? That would be fun!"
Before Twilight led them to the stairs, Pinkie's body started to shake violently. "Hmm?" Spike said in slight confusion and alarm.
Pinkie darted in front of Twilight and put her front hooves on the purple unicorn's shoulders. "Twilight! My whole body shook! Do you know what that means?!"
Twilight was staring in mild astonishment. "...A doozy?..."
Pinkie's body began to shake again. She gasped. "A Doozy?!! Do you think one of our friends could be in danger?! Maybe we should go check on-"
"Pinkie, wait! Don't go!" Twilight interrupted. "I know what the doozy is!!!!!"
"Wwwwwhhhhhaaaaatttt???!!!!!" Her pink mare friend asked, shaking more violently.
The big smile bearing unicorn swung her hoof. "It's the tremendous amount of FUN we're going to have!"
Pinkie stopped shaking. ".....Are you sure?..."
"Trust me! Remember last time? Fluttershy was in danger. But that wasn't the doozy. The doozy was me believing in your Pinkie sense!"
"......."
Twilight looked a little nervous, as she forced her smile to widened.
"Okey dokey lokey!" The happy pink pony was convinced.
Twilight turned towards the stairs, relieved. Spike gave a smile, as Pinkie leaped into the air. "WEEEEEE!"
They arrived at the bottom of the long stairs into a cave laboratory. The cave was brightly lit by some lanterns embedded in the walls, and by the electricity running through some metal rods sticking out of some machinery against the cave walls. Various tree branches were sticking out of the walls, and coming out from the ceiling, extending to the ground. Some were wrapped around the machinery.
Twilight pushed on one of the branches coming from the wall, opening a camouflaged door. "In here."
Pinkie joyfully hopped through the door and into a medium sized corridor. Looking left, she caught glimpses of some books on some books shelves that were in the wall. The titles of some read, 'Medical Dictionary,' 'Dissection and Vivisection,' 'Trauma and the mind,' 'Surgery For Dummies,' and 'Mind Control.' With her last bounce she came to a stop, a bit confused and slightly unnerved at the books' titles. This allowed Twilight and Spike to pass her.
She slowly walked on, looking around. To her right, she saw sharp, metallic medical instruments that glistened in the light. These included scalpels, syringes, surgical scissors, and bone cutting saws. Pinkie winced at the thought of being cut open with those surgical tools. Then what she saw next shocked her.
At her right side were shelves of jars and containers, containing what looked to be various organs and severed body parts of different creatures, floating in a transparent, yellowish liquid. Eye balls, tongues, stomachs, dragons scales, griffin beaks, bones, brains, genitailia, skulls, and even some cutie marks. Some jars seemed to contain different bodily fluids, such as saliva, semen, and blood.
"Twilight, are these... real?" Pinkie asked, pointing at the shelves.
"Hmm?" Twilight looked to where Pinkie was pointing. "Oh, those? Nah. They're just decorations for next Nightmare Night." The unicorn opened a dull reddish metallic door and signaled for her pink friend to go through. Pinkie walked towards the door, still looking at the jars and containers, amazed at just how realistic they looked.
Pinkie walked through the door, looking at Twilight. "So, what exactly are we going to-" Pinkie turned her head and then froze at the sight of the room she was now in. It was dimly lit, and made entirely out of concrete. There was a long glass window running along the right wall, that Pinkie was unable to see through. Another dull reddish metallic door was on the far side of the left wall. On the wall across from her were three red signs that read in bold capital letters, 'WILD PARTIES ARE WRONG!,' 'PRANKS ARE EVIL!!!,' and 'LOUD MUSIC IS BAD!!!!'
At the far right corner was what looked like a gigantic cylinder shaped battery with a number of buttons and a large switch. A black wire protruded from the device. It connected to a record player that rested on a small stand sitting close to the battery. There was a box containing some music records next to the stand. From the record player, another black wire jetted out. This one connected to a metallic board on the left side of the room. It had four metal cuffs. The board faced the long glass window, and was a little tilted towards the wall behind it.
Pinkamena stood there speechless. She jumped at the loud slam from behind. Twilight had shut the door, giving a small, sinister smirk.
Chapter Three - The Lesson Begins
"This game doesn't look like fun" Pinkie frowned.
Twilight replied smugly, "Well it isn't so much a game as it is a lesson on behavior. You've always misbehaved. But you've been extra bad lately. So, I'm going to discipline you with a series of electro-shocks and other various forms of punishment."
Pinkie starred nervously at Twilight and the purple unicorn continued.
"I'm going to correct your bad behavior. Your wild partying, fast, loud talking, excessive consumption of sweets..." Twilight looked more serious, "...and pranks."
Pinkamena looked like she had suddenly realized something. "Oooohhh!" She began laughing. "Heh-hahuh-hee ha ha ha! HA ha ha ha!"
Twilight watched her in disgust and irritation as she fell to the floor cracking up uncontrollably. "HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!"
Spike looked at Twilight from the side, concerned of how she may react.
The pink pony rapped her right arm around the angry unicorn's neck and said, "Is that what this is all about? My prank from yesterday?" She let go of Twilight to wipe a tear from her right eye from laughing so hard. "Well this prank is WAY better than mine! You got me! We're even."
Pinkie trotted towards the door. "See ya..."
Suddenly a magical aura surrounded Pinkie's entire body. And she felt herself unable to move. Twilight's magic forcefully slammed the pink mare against the metal rack. "Aah!" Pinkie shouted upon impact. Next she saw four cuffs rap around her limbs, keeping her stuck to the metallic board. "Twilight, You're not serious, are you?!"
Twilight responded sternly, "Oh, I'm very serious. Something YOU should be for once!"
Twilight opened the door in the far corner of the room, then glanced at Spike, "Spike, keep Pinkie company. I'll be back shortly."
After Twilight left, Spike nervously stood in front of Pinkie, with his hands behind his back. Then she whispered, "Spike, Twilight isn't for real, right? She's just pranking me, right?"
Spike replied, "Twilight is just doing what's best for you. She's going to transform you into a better person... Like she did to me back in Canterlot before we moved here... and... now..."
Pinkamena widened her eyes at Spike. Spike continued, "Now I'm her number one assistant... But being here... Reminded of my punishments, I... I..." Spike began sweating.
"SPIKE! Don't joke like that! It's NOT funny! Now help me out of here!" Pinkie shouted, not wanting to believe what the little dragon had just told her. She struggled to break free, but to no avail.
A wide eyed Spike sat in a fetal position, shaking, and sweating heavily, while rocking back and forth. He repeated to himself, "I'm a good dragon. I'm a good dragon. I'll do my chores Twilight. I'm a good dragon. I'll listen to you. I'm a good dragon..."
A few moments later the door at the end of the room opened, "How's everything in here?"
Spike darted up to the sound of Twilight's voice, "Twilight!"
Twilight was now wearing a white, short sleeved lab coat. It had a turtle neck and black buttons running down the front. Spike ran up to her and asked, "May I go do chores upstairs like a good dragon?"
Pinkie couldn't believe what she was witnessing.
The lab coat wearing pony looked down at him and replied. "Of course my number one assistant. Just remember..." She looked at the small dragon more intensely, "I'm always watching you!"
Spike backed away with a nervous but relieved smile. "Thank you!"
He dashed out of the room as Pinkie yelled, "SPIKE! CALL FOR HELP!"
"He won't," The purple mare said in response. "He's obedient to me. And soon you will be too!"
The unicorn's horn lit up and the metal board Pinkamena was on rotated to face the wall with the three red signs.
Twilight began searching through the box of music records. "Now let's see..."
Pinkie spoke, "I'm sorry I pranked you. I really am! You don't have to do this."
Twilight continued searching, completely ignoring Pinkie. Pinkie was now struggling. "Pease let me go! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
"Ah!" Twilight held up an album, then looked at the pink mare. "I have here one of your favorite music records that you so graciously listed on your little 'quiz.' But-"
"NO!" Pinkie had had enough. "This prank has crossed the line between funny and not funny. And this is NOT FUNNY! Now LET ME GO!"
Twilight walked right up to the pink pony's angry face. Then she leaped up into the air and delivered a hard blow to Pinkie's little nose with her right front hoof. The force caused Pinkamena's head to turn right, as blood shot out of her left nostril and hit the glass window.
Pinkie was in absolute shock at what had just happened. She looked down to see blood dripping from her bruised nose onto her belly.
Twilight exhaled as she swung her red stained hoof, flinging a few drops of blood into the air. "I hope that made it absolutely clear to you as to just how BLOODY serious I am!"
Pinkie Pie began breathing rapidly and her heart raced. She couldn't think clearly. She was in total shock.
The unicorn placed the record in the record player. "Now, as I said before, this is one of your favorite soundtracks. Well, loud party music like this is painful and unpleasant. And I'm now going to show you just how painful it can really be!"
She walked over to the large, cylinder battery, put her right hoof on the lever, and smirked at Pinkamena. Adrenaline filled the little pink pony's body. She shouted in full alarm, "NO!!! PLEASE DON'T!!!!"
Twilight pushed the lever down. A powerful, high voltage, low amp, electrical current ran through the wire from the battery. The record player started playing one of Pinkie's favorite music tracks unbearably loud. And, at the same time, electricity coursed through the metal board and throughout Pinkie Pie’s body. Her muscles instantly contracted. She screamed out in immense pain, shaking and jerked violently. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!" The burning heat was unbearable.
The entire room lit up from the electrical activity. Twilight wore a big grin as she watched Pinkie writhing in agony. She thought to herself, 'Finally, Pinkie Pie is starting to learn her lesson.'
After about one and a half minutes, when the first track finished, Twilight pushed the lever back up, turning off the electric current, stopping the music, and Pinkie's pain.
The electro shocks left the earth pony twitching and disoriented. "This... this isn't real... Twilight is my friend..." As if in response to Pinkie's cry, Twilight fired up the electricity again, sending another wave of painful shocks into the body of her pink friend. Screaming and music echoed throughout the room. The second track played, then Twilight shut down the power once again.
Pinkie was shaking and sweating, head hung low with wide eyes. Twilight happily walking up to her and said, "You see how unpleasant your music is? Huh?"
The party pony quickly lifted her head. "...Yes. I see how wrong I was. I'm never going to listen to loud music again... No more partying or pranking for me!"
"You and I both know that you don't actually mean that. You can't fool me! You understand now that it's impossible for you to avoid your punishment. Now let's contin-"
"PLEASE LET ME GO!" There was desperation in the pink pony's voice. "I'm sorry for pranking you! I'm sorry for partying and my music! I'll never do any of them again! I won't tell anyone about this! I promise! I PINKIE promise! Just let me go! PLEASE!! I'm BEGGING you! Please!!!!"
"Eeeeeee!" Twilight was gleeful. "Record change!" Magic floated another record to the record player, while taking out the old one. The new album was ready to be played.
Pinkie was now on the verge of hysteria, shaking and sweating uncontrollably. "Twilight is NOT doing this to me! She CAN'T be! She's my friend! She's just still pranking me is all! She's GOING to let me go soon, and we'll all have a good laugh about it! And that IS the truth! Because friends don't hurt each other like this! Yeah! Heh-heh-hee-ha!!"
The next record started to play, and Pinkie screamed, "NNNOOOOOO!!!!!!!!"
