Insomnia

The first thing I noticed after regaining consciousness was a hot, throbbing sensation on the side of my head. I could feel that my mane was matted with blood, binding it to my scalp.

I opened my eyes, and saw nothing. Wherever I was now, it was completely dark.

My mind rushed through all sort of horrible scenarios that could be playing out around me, but I wanted to find out which it was quickly.

“Hello? What’s going on?” I called out, my voice echoing through the blackness.

Immediately, I heard the shuffling of hooves around me; I was surrounded. A bright light switched on and shined in my face. I winced from the pain it caused my eyes. I was blinded for the moment, but I heard a voice answer me.

“We will be the ones asking questions here.” It was a booming voice, and the stallion it came from spoke with absolute authority - if not a bit too much volume.

As my eyes adjusted to the new lighting, I started to see the shapes of ponies all around me. Each one wore a long cloak, with hoods that hung over their faces. The hoods that belonged to unicorns had perfect cutouts for their horns to fit through.

I noticed that each of the unicorn’s horns had begun glowing. I initially assumed they were poised to fire some type of spell at me, but as my eyes fully adjusted I could now see blades poised in the air around me, caging me in.

I saw one pony that was significantly taller than the rest. Their hood bore a marking upon it.

That's the marking that was on the parchment last night! At least... I think that was last night. Oh sweet Celestia, how long might I have been unconscious anyways? Surely, Joe or my parents should have started looking for me if it's been long.

“Why should you be the one asking questions,” I spat disdainfully, “when I'm the one you bludgeoned and stuffed in a dungeon?”

The answer came without hesitation.

“Perhaps we would not have needed to take such measures if you hadn't attempted to apprehend our courier.”

Their courier? What was he even talking about?

“I don't know anything about a courier, pal, you're making stuff up. I haven't done anything but mind my own business for my-”

“QUIET!”

The pony’s voice seemed to emit power, and I reflexively stepped back a pace.

“Step forward.”

The voice had changed to a very solemn, and almost feminine tone. I started to step forward, as they had asked, prompting every levitating blade in the room to suddenly move in, inches from my throat. Needless to say, I stopped dead in my tracks.

“Not you,” a familiar, morose voice stated. ”Silly pony.”

The owner of this voice stepped forward, removing their hood to reveal the very same pony that had crashed into me in the streets of Canterlot.

“You! You've got a lot of nerve showing your face to me again,” I seethed. I started to channel magic to my horn in an attempt to grab him.

“Augh!”

I fell. My head suddenly felt like it was going to explode from the inside, and blood began to run from my nostrils.

“What the...”

“Ha! Now you know how it feels,” the stallion laughed at my expense.

I managed a question between shallow breaths while trying to recover from the sudden shock to my system.

“Know how... what feels?” I asked, truly confused by his statement.

“Those nasty little horn rings the guards use? I'm sure you were just told they inhibit magic,” he replied matter-of-factly, “but what doesn't make it into the papers is that it also causes the magic to backfire into your skull.”

I was stunned. If he was telling the truth, it seemed an incredibly barbaric tool for guards to use against anything besides violent criminals. Just what would happen if somepony tried to cast a fireball with one on? I didn’t want to think about it.

“If I may,” the tall pony spoke up again, “can you confirm this is the pony that attempted to apprehend you?”

The stallion looked me up and down once again

“You probably know, based on her little performance just now. But yes, I can confirm.”

“Very good.” The tall pony turned to me. “Who are you working for? Who hired you?”

“How is that even relevant?” I asked, puzzled by this new line of questioning.

“Because we need information about our enemies, and the more you talk, the longer we let you stay,” the tall pony informed me.

I scoffed.

“And why exactly would I want to stay? I just want to get away from this crazy cult, or whatever you think you are.”

The tall pony nodded at me.

“Have a memory wipe spell performed, and find a place to relocate her.”

Wait, what? Memory wipes? Relocation? Is this really a cult? I was just joking!

One of the unicorns began walking towards me, horn glowing and aimed at my head.

“Stop, wait! I don't know anything, I swear! Please don't do this!”

Plead and grovel as I might, none of the ponies moved a muscle to stop the unicorn who was now charging spell aimed directly at me.

“I work for Joe at the doughnut shop!” I was saying anything I could to get these ponies to maybe let me go, even though I had lost most hope of that happening now. I closed my eyes and braced myself for the imminent spell.

Nothing happened. I opened my eyes, seeing that the unicorn had stopped charging his spell, and that the tall pony had a hoof raised.

“Joe? We have seen no evidence of his involvement in such business.... What do you know that we have missed?” the tall pony questioned, cocking their head to the side.

“I don't know anything about secret societies or anything. I just make coffee all day. Please, just believe me.”

I was beginning tear up at this point. My life was about to end, or at least be erased, which wasn't a much better alternative.

“She's just trying to buy herself time,” the pony who had crashed into me insisted, “She knows too much anyways, just wipe her already.”

“Shut up!” I yelled between sobs, no longer trying to hide my fear, “You know nothing about me you stupid pony!”

I wouldn't have been able to speak anymore after my outburst if I had tried. The fear and tension of the situation had completely drained my energy.

There was long silence before the memory spell began being cast again. I couldn't fight anymore. I gave up.

“I believe her.”

Another voice spoke up from the group - this one very meek, almost sweet.

“I apologize for speaking out of turn, but I've been present for a lot of interrogations and this is the most sincerely I’ve ever seen a pony react.”

Finally, somepony with some sense.

She stepped forward and removed her hood, revealing a bright, pink mane, contrasted by her mud-brown coat.

“I know some of you can tell too, but I'm willing to take full responsibility for her if she acts against us after we release her. I trust her story. I really think she's clueless.”

I wasn't sure how to feel about her last comment, but at the very least she was keeping me from having my brain turned to mush. She turned to me and displayed a huge grin, which I found strangely unnerving.

“Candy,” the tall pony in charge replied, “you know what it would entail if we were to grant her release, and what you must do?”

“Yes, Princess,” Candy said, kneeling towards the pony.

Candy sure seems like a strange name for a cultist, and... wait. Did she just say princess? That tall pony is a mare?

“Then I leave her to you.” The mare gestured Candy towards a cluster of ponies near me. “Take her to a holding cell.”

I was left waiting in a makeshift holding cell — which was actually just a broom closet — for what felt like several hours. My nerves after the “trial” probably weren’t assisting the passage of time, though.

I was wondering about what the pony they called Princess meant when she asked Candy about whether she knew what releasing me would entail. Being locked up in a closet wasn’t getting me any closer to an answer, though.

I went over to the door and began banging on it with a forehoof for the third or fourth time since I had been put inside. After a few minutes I gave up once more, and almost immediately after I did, the door swung open.

A hooded pony stood outside the door, who tilted his head in a gesture for me to follow him. I thought about running past him and attempting escape, but there was no telling how many of them were waiting around the corner, or how I would even find a way out for that matter.

Instead I opted to comply, for the time being, and followed the pony down a long hallway until we arrived in what appeared to be a conference room. A large table sat in the middle of the room with seat cushions neatly set around it.

I recognized Candy sitting on one of the cushions close to the end when I saw her pink mane. It was hard to miss. Next to her, at the very end of the table, sat the tall pony - the one they called Princess.

My escort led me to the end opposite where Princess was sitting, so that we were facing each other. Her face was still mostly concealed by the low-hanging hood, but I could feel her stare penetrating me from across the room.

I sat down, and the pony who brought me in stayed by me, presumably to keep me from trying anything funny. I still had the anti-magic ring on my horn from earlier, so I had no means of attack besides my own four hooves.

We all sat in silence for a while, and occasionally another pony would walk in and take their seat. After about fifteen ponies had gathered, Princess finally spoke up.

“Is this everypony?” she directed the question at Candy.

“Yes Princess,” Candy nodded in the affirmative.

“Prisoner, the mission you will be tested by is a simple one. We just need you to get a message to a pony in Manehattan. Your mission, if you choose to accept it, will be to provide defence to the group when needed during travel. You will also be the one to personally deliver the message since you are unlikely to be pinned as one of our members.”

They’re sending me on a mission for them? This is hardly release, more like slave labor.

“And... if I refuse?” I asked.

“Then we go back to our original offer of wiping your memories and removing you from Canterlot.”

Well that settles that.

“Moving on then,” Princess continued, “which of you ponies will be going with the prisoner?”

Many of the ponies got up from their spots and left the room. Out of the fifteen that had been there to start with, three remained: Candy, another pegasus, and an earth pony.

“It’s settled then?” Princess inquired of the ponies. Each of them nodded in unison.

“Well then, I’ll allow you four to get acquainted then. I have matters to attend to in the meantime.”

Princess promptly exited the room. As soon as she did, the three ponies remaining at the table turned to face me.

“Ahem, well then!” Candy began. Her voice was shaky, yet cheerful. “You already know my name is Candy. Well, not my real name, but....”

“Wait, what do you mean not your real name? Do all of you ponies go by code names or something?” I asked, puzzled.

“Yes! Exactly,” she confirmed, to my surprise.

What have I gotten myself into?

“The Princess insists we remain anonymous so that we’re less likely to betray each other to the opposition. We all choose our own name, so I chose Candy because, well, I like candy.”

Quite.

“Anyways, this here is my brother, Crush,” Candy added, pointing to the slender, brown earth pony beside her. “I actually chose his name for him because it sounded cool.”

“Why wouldn’t you just let him choose his own name?” I asked.

“He doesn’t talk very much....” Candy gave Crush a playful look. “Isn’t that right, Bro?”

Crush nodded in my general direction; I couldn’t really tell if he was looking at me. After a moment Candy continued his introduction.

“He’s really good at fixing stuff, and he’s really protective of us all. I guess that’s all you really need to know about him.... Like I said, he doesn’t talk much.”

Candy cleared her throat.

“And last, but not least, this is Sta-”

“My name’s Starfire! Pleasure to meet ya, Doll.” A white-maned pegasus suddenly dashed in between Candy and I and hovered above the table. “I’m considered the combat specialist around here. I can keep y’all nice and safe when things get rough.”

I grimaced. I wasn’t very fond of ponies with big egos.

“Why do you even think we would get into any combat situations on a trip to Manehattan?” I questioned him.

He raised an eyebrow at me, and gestured with one of his forehooves.

“Oh there’s all kinds of troubles we could run into between here and Manehattan. There’s wild beasts, and bandits, and, uh...” his voice trailed off.

I have a feeling you’ve never even had a fight with anypony, or anything for that matter.

“It don’t matter what else,” he informed me. “Point is, I’m trained in flying and fighting techniques that’ll send any pony with a lick of sense running with their tail between their legs.”

Can a pony even do that? I wondered, fighting the urge to try it myself.

“So that’s us,” Candy spoke up again, “tell us about you. What do you want to be called?”

I had no intention to stay with these ponies any longer than I had to. Did it really matter if they knew my name in that case?

I decided to just give them my first name.

“Call me Silver.”

“Oooh, mysterious,” Candy stated gleefully.

Starfire looked me up and down.

“You don’t look silver to me, what gives?”

I am sick and tired of being asked questions today.

“Because that’s what I chose, what does it matter?” I said curtly, raising an eyebrow at Starfire.

“Suit yourself then.”

Candy stood up and addressed all three of us.

“Well if that concludes introductions, then let’s go catch a train.”

I sat staring out the window at the now very small silhouette of Canterlot that was pinned onto the mountainside.

Candy hadn’t talked much since we left the society’s headquarters, instead sitting quietly next to her brother in the seat ahead of me.

Starfire had been my sitting partner much to my disgust. He had just now stopped to take a breath after talking my ear off about his combat and flying skills for the first hour of the ride.

It was strange travelling with so many non-unicorns, all using their mouths to lift everything that wouldn’t fit in their saddlebags. It made me afraid to touch anything for fear of contamination.

Sheesh, couldn’t they at least had one unicorn come along just in case something actually needs to get done on this job? Speaking of magic...

“Hey, uh, Candy?” I tapped the mare sitting in the seat ahead of me on the shoulder, startling her.

“Oh! What is it Silver?” she questioned jovially.

“So I’m a unicorn... and unicorns use magic.”

“Uh huh?” She tilted her head and gave me a puzzled look. “I remember that from school.”

Ignoring her sarcasm, I pointed a hoof to the anti-magic ring, still attached firmly to my horn.

“Oh that,” she began, “Sorry, but we can’t take that off of you until you’ve proven your trustworthiness. Too many risks, especially when we don’t have a unicorn of our own to combat against magic. Really I’m sorry, but it’s the rules. I know it must be super uncomfortable.”

”Uncomfortable” wasn’t exactly the right word for it. It was more about the fact that it could give me a concussion even if I was just trying to pick up some trash off the street with my magic. So definitely more along the lines of “terrifying.”

“Don’t worry Doll,” Starfire spoke up, “I can protect all y’all if we run into any trouble. Which we probably won’t to be honest.”

I swear to Celestia if he calls me that again I am ramming my hoof down his throat.

“So, have you always lived in Canterlot, Doll?” he asked.

“I would much prefer if you called me Silver, thank you,” I informed him politely, choosing to simply fantasize strangling the life out of him instead of attempting it.

“Alright then Silver,” he huffed, “Guess you aren’t too worried about makin’ friends with your new partners.”

“We are not partners. I plan to head back home as soon as we’re done in Manehattan.”

Candy turned back and raised an eyebrow at me, and Starfire started laughing.

What’s that all about?

“You think it’s just that easy? You must not know much about secret societies,” Starfire said, chuckling. “Ain’t gettin’ away from this little group until you’re no longer deemed a threat to the society’s safety, that’s the rules.”

You have got to be kidding me.

My disgust must have been apparent on my face, as Starfire spoke again.

“Don’t worry, I think once you’ve been woken up, you’ll understand what we’re about. You’ll be beggin’ to fight for our side.”

“We’ll see about that... but for now, let’s just get to Manehattan.”

“Suit yourself, Doll.” He turned in his seat, facing his back towards me.

What does he mean by “woken up”? I don’t like the sound of it. I guess I really have no choice but to continue doing as I’m told, though. At least until they take this ring off my horn.

I rested my head against the window of the train car and closed my eyes. Sleep was at least a temporary escape from this dreadful situation I found myself stuck in.