Murdered... Inside

Twilight slowly opened her eyes. When they were fully opened, she realized she was in a hospital bed. Then, the headache hit. She instantly covered her head with both her hooves, except, she realized they weren't the normal bright purple color they were supposed to be. Instead, they were a damp red. She started to panic, but tried to breath slowly.

Okay, okay. My hooves are red... I'm in the hospital. What happened before... Think Twilight! I was... in my room looking out the window... then someponey came in... She rubbed her temples harder. FLASH!

She quickly scanned her surroundings, and realized he was laying in another bed next to her. He had bandages all over him, and a red bag hanging next to him. Twilight started to panic again.

Oh no. Oh no no no! What happened to him!? What happened to me!?

She had looked at her hooves again.

Wait... only my hooves are... red. Did... did I?

She started to breath faster and shake.

No! No! I couldn't have! I would... never! Something has to be wrong here! Then, she noticed Flash was twitching his eyes, and was starting to wake. He stood up to a sit, he immediately flinched in pain from the cuts and gashes.

"Ow! Jeez... More sore than when I brought that griffon arms dealer in." He said as he checked the rest of himself. Afterwards he stretched his back. Then, he noticed Twilight sitting next to him. She was staring at him with a look of distress.

"F- Flash? Are you okay?" Flash heard her voice again, and sighed in relief.

"Yeah I'm okay. How are you?"

"I'm... okay too. What happened?" Flash felt confused for a moment, then he saw Twilight's hooves. He had gasped.

It was... it was... real. She...

"F- Flash? What's going on?" She had started to shake again, and her breathing quickened.

"Twilight... you don't... remember?" She had shook her head and was beginning to get scared.

"Are you... sure you want me to tell you? I don't know if..."

"Tell me!"

Flash took a deep breath. "When we were alone in your room... something happened to you. You collapsed on the floor. Then you woke up again, only this time, you were... different. Your pupils were larger, and had no color to them, and your horn was glowing a dark green color. Then, you... grabbed my knife and attacked me." Twilight had gasped, and covered her mouth with both of her hooves.

"Then another guard came in... and you..." Flash hesitated, and Twilight was starting to scoot farther from Flash across her bed.

"Killed him." Flash finished, and Twilight's eyes were widened.

"I... k- killed him?" Twilight looked down at her hooves again. Then, it happened. She had a flashback. She was seeing everything her other self was seeing. It started when she bashed down the door, then it showed her taking the knife, and lunging it into the guard's neck. She snapped out of it, and started shaking again. She had another flashback. This time she was gashing Flash with the knife 3 second intervals for each cut he had. After she came back to reality, she started to hyperventilate, and was shaking her head and holding it with both her hooves. "No... no no no no..." She looked at her hooves. "No no nononono!" She had scrambled out of her bed, and recklessly backed against the wall.

"Twilight-"

"STAY AWAY FROM ME!" She yelled. Her breathing quickened, and she wrapped herself in her arms. "I'm... I'm a... monster... a witch..."

Flash looked at her distressed form.

She's going to lose it if I don't do something...

Flash slowly got up from his bed. It didn't hurt as much as he expected, but he was still extremely sore. He slowly walked towards Twilight.

"I SAID STAY AWAY DAMN IT!" She had yelled again, this time starting to tear up. Flash approached her, and knelt down in front of her.

"Twilight... if you think you are a monster, go ahead. Shoot me, right now. As hard as you can." Flash turned his face sideways, and Twilight just stared at him.

"I... I can't. I would never..." She was starting to relax.

"You see? That's right. Because you aren't what you say you are. You're no monster." Flash took one of her hooves in his. "None of this was your fault..." Before Flash could say another word, she lunged toward him and hugged him with all her might. Flash was a bit taken back by this, but he returned it by enveloping her in his wings.

"Flash... what's going to happen to me? I could be put on trial, I could be jailed, I might even be..."

"Twilight... don't think like that. Just take deep breaths okay? We will figure this out. You just need to keep calm." Twilight's breathing slowed, and she started to come to. "Just breath." He gently said. Twilight's breathing was starting to go back to normal. Once it was, Flash released her. "You okay now?" He gently asked, and Twilight nodded in agreement. Flash looked around a bit more, and noticed they were in the Castle Infirmary, and it was dark outside. He looked at a clock and it read 8:00. "Twilight, go wash up in the bathroom. It's down there on the left. Flash pointed, and Twilight nodded and went in the direction. This gave Flash some time to think.

There is only one explanation for this, mind control spell. The signs all lead to it. The green horn, blank eyes, she couldn't remember anything. But... who would want to do that to her? And why would she target me... Flash was still racing through his thoughts, while Twilight was washing up in the bathroom.

"Okay Twilight..." She said to herself in the mirror. "Just keep calm... keep calm. Deep breaths, do what he said." She said as she was washing the blood off her hooves. Wait... my hooves- No! Just don't look at them. Twilight avoided looking down as the dried blood washed down the sink. When she held them under the water for a few minutes and scrubbed them, she looked down relieved. She also decided to wash her face, considering all the tears and sweat. Wait, where is everypony? Twilight didn't take that into consideration. Usually there was a guard keeping watch somewhere, but she didn't see. Then, that's when Flash knocked on the door. "Twilight, you alright in there?" Flash saw her walk out. "Yes... I'm okay."

"Well... I found a note on my bed I didn't notice. It said that most of the guards are at a meeting concerning what happened. If we wake up at the time, we just stay here and rest."

"Oh, okay."

"I got you some fresh water." Flash handed her a plastic cup filled with water. Twilight gulped it down, and thanked him afterwards. They went back to their hospital beds, and sat across from each other.

"Flash? What do you think... happened?" She asked.

"Mind control is the only thing that comes to mind. Your horn was glowing a dark green, which is a sign of dark magic, and your eyes had no color to them. You also had no memory of what happened, which is a dead give away. What I can't figure out is why you attacked me. Normally, something like that would be used for a ransom, but whoever this pony is wanted me dead..."

"But... what about the... other guard?" Twilight tried to control her breathing.

"I am guessing the suspect didn't want anypony to see what was happening, so he had to kill him..."

"I had to kill him-"

"Twilight..."

"Right right... I'm sorry." Twilight was interrupted when her stomach growled. She blushed and covered the back of her neck with her hoof. "Heh, I just realized I haven't eaten since this morning."

"Well... they couldn't just leave us here without food." Flash looked around the room, and noticed there was a bowl on a table in the corner of the room. He walked over to it and saw it was full of fruits like apples, bananas, and grapes. He picked it up, grabbed an apple, and handed the bowl to Twilight.

"Thank you." She said as she picket up a banana, and peeled it with her magic.

"Man, wait until Faze hears about this." Flash said.

"Yeah- wait... oh no."

"What is it?"

"My... my friends. How am I going to break this to them!? I... I murdered somepony! And-"

"Twilight, you didn't-"

"Yes I did! I... how could-" Flash reached over and grabbed her hoof. "Twilight. You did not." He said, increasing his grip on her but not enough to cause pain. "I'm... I'm sorry. I did it again."

"No Twilight I completely understand. It's fine." He said as he let go.

"I am going to get some more water, then I'm sleeping. We will figure everything else out tomorrow." Twilight nodded at Flash in agreement.

He stepped out of the room, and approached the water dispenser. He took a cup, and started filling it. As he was, he looked back toward Twilight's direction. Then, he saw something seeping out from the bathroom door. It was black and clear. "Faze?" Flash asked for his friend, and he appeared in his physical. "Hey, what the hell happened?" He asked.

"Something went wrong with Twilight earlier today. I think she was mind controlled into killing me. And as a result, she killed a guard."

"Damn... How's she holding up?"

"Not well... she keeps blaming herself for the whole situation. I am trying my best to help her."

"Well, you can't help her for long Flash." Flash just stared blankly at Faze.

"W- What do you mean?"

"Have you even thought about how this whole event is going to effect her consciousness?" Flash thought for a moment, his hoof on his chin.

"Nightmares..." He realized, and gasped.

"Not just that Flash. Hallucinations, Flashbacks, the whole shebang."

"Jeez, how am I going to deal with that..." An idea popped into Faze's head.

"You know, you could just... comfort her in her sleep."

"What!? Faze! Are you suggesting I sleep with her!? I am not going to push that on her yet!" He yelled whispering.

Faze chuckled. He said yet... ha!

"Flash, comfort in sleep always helps nightmares. Plus, dream catchers aren't really that easy to find anymore. The ones that work anyways."

Flash just slapped his forehead.

"You still believe in those things?"

"Oh, they work Flash." He just grunted.

"If you say so... But I am not sleeping with her."

"Well, okay. It was just a suggestion."

A suggestion I wish I could do...

"A stupid suggestion!"

"Hmph, I could tell in your mind you're denying it."

Damn it Faze...

"Well, I am going to split. Let me know if she is feeling any better."

"Alright... will do."

Faze disappeared into the bathroom like he did last time. Flash went back to Twilight, and laid down in his bed with his water. "Flash, I heard voices coming from outside."

"Oh, that was just Faze popping in for a visit. He was just checking on us..."

Twilight just looked down at her bed. "Well, I am going to sleep. You should too, tomorrow is going to be... big." He finished, and Twilight nodded in agreement. "I suppose you're right." She tucked deeper into her covers. "Goodnight Flash... and thank you." She slowly drifted off into her imagination.

Don't thank me yet Twilight... Flash thought, looking at her sleeping form.