Ghostly shimmer

Meanwhile in the currently empty staff lounge, three familiar figures disguised as nurses were conversing in private.

"Did you do it?" The first asked her orange curly hair pinned back in a bun making it seem smaller but didn't hide the fluffy curly mess we'll enough to disguise her form anyone who knew her.

"Yep, switched out the ink blots for Sonata's paintings just like you planned Dagi." The second replied, her purple pigtails with green highlights hanging behind her shoulders on either side of her head.

"Excellent, for once Sonata's aweful painting paid off." Adagio Dazzle replied with a Smirk. "With any luck the doctors will think she's completely insane and keep her here, subjecting her to all kinds of traumatic 'treatments'" the Dazzljng gave a wicked chuckle.

"Remind me why are we doing this?" Sonata asked "I mean if it's just for revenge why not just lock her in to car trunk and push her over a cliff? Or steal her clothes and leave her in yeh girls locker room, or post embarrassing posters around the school with some joke about how her hair looks like bacon?" The two Dazzlings beside her grunt sped rubbing their temples.

"For the love of! Sigh ok listen carefully this time Sonata." Aria said explaining the plan to Sinata for the fifth time. "We made a deal with Tirek that if he gave us back our amulets we'd help him gather up enough magic from this world for him to escape Tartarus so he can conquer equestria."

"But what Tirek doesn't know." Adagio added. "Is that we have been secretly holding most of the power we've been sending him for ourselves so that we can conquer this world, then take equestria and rule both worlds ourselves."

"Oooooh." Sonata said. "I still don't get it why are we targeting sunset so much then?"

"Because, though others like this pathetic waste." She said gesturing to the weak unconscious doctor behind her who she'd sapped of almost all his energy. "Sunset has a powerful soul filed with powerful magic, equestrian magic, it will take more then what we normally do to manipulate and extract her power, we need to break her first. And once we have her power nothing will be able to stop us." The three laughed evilly unaware through all three of their gems, a pair of sinister yellow eyes was watching.

"Sooo... They think they can betray me? Hmmmm." Tirek said in a deep breathy rasp of a voice clenching his fist as in his other hand he held the viewing or. He used to see through their amulets. "I will show them who the puppets are, when I cut their strings." He waved his hand over the globe and saw Sunset doing a tricky puzzle with the nurse next to her. "Hmmmmm.l in this one I sense great power... But also... Great.. Paaaaaain." He smirked his sharp teeth glinting in yeh light of tartarus's infernal flames that burned bright in the deeper pits he had been sent to after being banished by Twilight. "Pain caused.. By those three treacherous harpies.... Interesting." He chuckled.

As Sunset was about halfway through her puzzle the doctor, accompanied by Headcase walked up to her. "Oh um hello sir, is.. Everything alright?" She asked noticing the Solomon look on his face.... And then he smiled... But this wasn't like before.. This smile was cold.. Practiced.

"Yes miss Shimmer it's just time to begin your treatment is all." He said.

"Oh um ok." She said.

"Shall I follow you with her to the." The nurse was cut off by Headcase.

"That won't be necessary myself and Doctor Confidence can take it for here Nurse Warmhug, you can return to you duties now." Warmhug nodded and left.. Without another word, then Headcase turned to Sunset. "Can you try and walk for me? Where we're gong isn't accessible via wheelchair."

"Oh.. Um alright." Sunset said slowly climbing back up to her feet, supporting herself on her crutch as she followed Headcase, Doctor Confidence making sure to keep his pace walking behind her blocking off any means of escape. As they walked through numerous hallways and up a rather tall stairs case with, as Headcase had mentioned, no wheelchair accessibility Sunset required help about halfway up which Doctor Confidence happily supplied.

They walked her into an office where Sunset was asked to lay down, it was kind of dark and the only thing she could really make out was a peculiar looking chair. "Um so.. What kind of treatment are you going to give me?" Sunset asked as Headcase took her crutch away upon helping her I to the chair.

"The only treatment I think would help in the slightest." He said and Sunset gasped as he and Doctor Confidence strapped her wrists and ankles tightly to the chair. She struggled but it was no use, the thick leather straps were too tight. "You see miss Shimmer your ink blot examination reveals deeply burries trauma aswell as sociopathic tendencies laying dormant within you, therefor we are resorting to drastic measures." He explained as Doctor Confidence attached two straps with wires coming out of them to Sunset's upper arms, the felt sort of heavy and cold, almost like they were made of metal.

"The wires in these armbands." Doctor Confidence began to explain. "Are highly conductive, we are going to attempt to hopefully settle the electrical imbalance caused by too many electrical impulses in your brain through electro shock therapy." Sunset's eyes went wide.

"W-what?!" She cried out before a metal headband was place around her head,wires also sticking out of it, terror sweat ran down Sunset's brow as she felt the cold ring being placed around her head and as Headcase turned to her for a moment, pausing before he threw the switch Sunset screamed out in thong as she felt the voltage course through her. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!" Headcase the. Stopped allowing Sunset a moment or two to breath before throwing the switch again causing her to spasm as again she cried out in agony.

This went on for several hours, outside the three Dazzlings listened intently to her screams. "Just listen to that girls, all her pain, all her power... Will soon be our."

"I dunno Adagio." Aria said. "This plan seems kinda fishy."

"Fishy?" Sonata sniffed the air "no I'm pretty sure I smell bacon."

"Ugh go back to sleep Sonata." Aria said rubbing the space between her eyes.

The therapy went on for several hours until eventually Headcase turned off the power and he and Doctor Confidence I strapped Sunset, she fought at first panicking. "NO! NO! LET ME GO! STAY AWAY FROM. ME!" She cried out in terror.

"Patient actually seems to have become less docile." Doctor Confidence said.m"we should restrain her."

"Let me handle it Confidence. Sunset? Sunset look at me." He said trying to keep her still as he held her wrists. "You need to calm down do you hear me?" Sunset continued to fight and Headcase sighed. "It's not working she's too upset."

"We'll have to end the treatment for now and try again tomorrow." At this Sunset's eyes widened as continued to panic and struggle.

"NO! NO! NOT AGAIN! PLEASE ANYTHING BUT THAT AGAIN!" She screamed. Eventually they were finally able to drag her to her room and lock her in, but not before she'd managed the break free twice, the first time getting slightly further then the second time before her leg gave out and she landed flat on her stomach almost tripping three doctors.

Headcase and Confidence stood outside her room talking. "It's no good, the treatments may work but what do we do in the meantime?"

"Have her restrained I suppose." Headcase said. "That's the best we can do to protect her and everyone else form her violent outbursts." As Sunset shimmer overhead them, she curled up in her Gurney, hugging her pillow, tears pouring form her eyes as she gritted her teeth trying to muffle her whimpers.

Through the comming months Sunset's reluctant towards her 'therapy' worsened, I between sessions doctors tried a multitude of methods, a lot of them quack doctor remedies that only seemed to make thing worse, her outbursts becoming more and kore violent, the strain of which didn't do her leg any favours, not that the doctors cared, it just made her easier to catch whenever she tried to make a bolt for it.

Then one day.

Sunset was shivering in the corner, not from the cold despite it being winter, from fear, terror of what might be awaiting her today when she was pulled out of those doors. The a familiar face.. The only one she trusted anymore, nurse Warmhug. "Hey Sunny, you ok today?" He asked kneeling down beside her. Sunset nodded with a quivering smile as she continued to shiver. "That's great." Warmhug said putting a hand on her shoulder to try comfort her. "We have a nice surprise for you today, a few of your friends came to visit. Won't that be fun?"

At this Sunset's smile became slightly stronger, she hadn't seen her friends since they came to visit her on her birthday, they weren't aloud to visit much because of school but it was nearing the Christmas holidays now so Principal Celestia had given them special permission to visit Sunset thinking it might help her a bit.

After how she'd heard from Applejack she'd been quote 'shakin like a leaf the entire time, lookin over her shoulder as if someone were out to get her.' Celestia had become increasingly worried.

"Alright come on, up." Warmhug said softly helping Sunset up into a wheelchair and pushing her towards the visitors centre on the other end of the facility, Sunset always felt lost relaxed in the visitors centre because it was far away from all the treatment rooms, a small room with benches where patients and their friends and family from the outside could sit and interact with each other.

"Ah there you are darling." Rarity said as she saw Sunset being wheeled over to where she and AJ were sitting. "How have you been?"

"Oh y-you know.. Pretty good." Sunset lied, she'd not been able to sleep for at least two nights.

"We'll glad to hear it." Applejack said. "How's the leg?"

"All fixed up." She said "still kinda wobbly though, don't think I'll be walking for at least another week or so."

"Well you keep at it." Rarity said supportively "I'm sure you'll be standing tall in no time at all." She gave a giggle "oh good gracious that rhymed." All three of them laugh, even Sunset giving a soft chuckle.

"Didn't the others wanna come with you?" Sunset asked. Rarity and Applejack exchanged looks.

"We'll uh, you see sugar cube." Applejack said trying to think of. Away to let her down gently. "Well y'all know Flutershy,mash couldn't even bring herself to visit the last time."

"I know." Sunset said "I did like the card she made though,mi keep it in my windowsill."

"Aaw I'm sure she'll be delighted to hear that." Rarity replied. "Anyway as for the others.. Well Bon Bon is busy with work, she got a part time job working for a sweets shop down the street form school, Rainbowdash unfortunately has managed to convince Lyra that you belong in here and has been growing ever more so isolated since Pinkie came out of the hospital... She wears a fake smile around Pinkie to avoid upsetting her but I can tell she's hiding something inside."

Sunset looked depressed. "It's all my fault."

"No it ain't." Applejack said. "If rainbow wants to be Stuborn let her but don't y'all fear one cotton pickin minute think her to blame fear this."

"Thanks Applejack." Sunset said a little cheered up by it.

"Anytime sugar cube." Applejack said smiling, "Octavia and Vinyl wanted to come but last minute they both got called out of town for a big music convention where they're representin the school."

"Oh wow that's amazing." Sunset said. "And uh.... How's Pinkie?" She asked the room was silent for a moment.

"She's fine dear." Rarity said "Well she is and she isn't." Applejack poked Rarity I the ribs with her elbow.

"What she means is, Pinkie's ben havin a bit a trouble adjustin to her little predicament but she's gettin along, heck she even got a set of fancy leg braces so'z she can walk again, not really built for bouncing around though."

Sunset chuckled. "That's Pinkie, can't keep a good girl down."

"We'll we better go, see ya soon sugar cube, y'all take care ya hear?" AJ said getting up.

"Yes darling and please if you ever just need to talk or anything I'm only a phone all away." Rarity added.

"Thanks guys, I hope you'll come by and visit again." Sunset said hopefully.

"Oh ofcourse darling, we're dropping by when we break up for the holidays." Rarity said which made Sunset smile.

"Bon Bon's even fixin ya up some of her home made taffy." Applejack added.

"Oh wow." Sunset said. "Oh wait." She said getting depressed again. "The rules don't allow outside food unless it's been checked or is a trusted brand, you know people sneaking in stuff and all, they probably won't even let Bon Bin bring it in With her."

"We'll Tarantino if that don't beat all, it ain't fair, y'all don't belong here locked up like some looney bird, heck ah know that."

"I think half of Canterlot high knows that, but the other half apparently holds sway here Applejack." Rarity said as they both turned to leave. Sunset was taken back to her room and soon it became dark, she watched the snow fall gently outside her window before closing her eyes to go to sleep.

Then something odd happened... Something that should have been impossible. Sunset woke up to the sound of lightning, she looked around in the dark and saw a tall dark figure in a suit, carrying a walking stick standing in the corner. "Good evening Sunset Shimmer." Man man said calmly, a long black raincoat draped over his shoulders. "Quite the unusual storm we're having." He said pointing towards the window and Sunset noticed as she turned to look, It was raining.

"H-who are you?" Sunset asked frightened. "Another Doctor?"

"No." The man replied never raising his voice, his face hidden in the dark. "But I am here to help you."

"H-how?" Sunset asked. The man slowly raised his hand up to his face still hidden in the shadows.

"Shhhhh... Best not to let anyone know you're up.. Or they might think you're talking to yourself." Sunset gave a confused look. "I know why you're here miss Shimmer... A grave injustice indeed." He said as he began pacing up and down the room, never once stepping close to the light but every so often turning to face Sunset. "You get blamed for a friend getting hurt, then an old nuisance harasses you, planting evidence in your home and then I you, threatening to hurt those you care about if you don't stay quiet and let them convince everyone you've lost your marbles.... A mind is a terrible thing to waste... And these treatments... They're driving you mad aren't they?"

Sunset hugged her knees looking away for  him for a moment. "Th-they're painful... They don't make sense."

"Yesssss." The man said almost in a whisper of a hiss. "They're not really helping..l they think you're already beyond help, they don't want to help you..... But I do... I'm here to offer you a deal."