Those Thirty Days

  The stallion lifted himself inside of his cell. It had been so long since he had been thrust into this situation, and without the sun or moon, he had no fix on the time, though the meals that appeared in his small room gave him some sense of the time of day, breakfast, lunch, and dinner being distinct enough. The pony walked over to the sink-toilet, pressing the button for cold water, which he splashed on his face to make him feel a bit more awake than he really wanted to feel at the moment. Turning to the center of the room, he saw his dinner, comprised of mashed potatoes, a side of hay fries, some sort of cheese and spinach soup, a cup of water, and a small slice of cake.

  "Dinner time..." He moaned as he slowly walked over to the plate. The meal didn't last long, quickly falling to the stallion's appetite. He sat up, watching as the plate suddenly disappeared without a trace. If he had counted correctly, that was the third dinner he had eaten in this place, so unless the feeding schedule was weird, it was inching towards evening. He slowly walked over to one of the white walls, placing a hoof on the cushion, looking over for what seemed like the thousandth time. "When I said I wanted to get away, I didn't mean like this." He muttered in a half sarcastically and half remorsefully. He had long given up hope of escaping, but that didn't mean he desperately missed the outside, if the outside even still existed. The pony shook his head, clearing those dangerous thoughts from his mind. The outside was still there, even though he couldn't see it, it was, no pun intended, out there. He'd just have to play it smart and attempt to survive in this white version of Tartarus until he could find release.

  Keen Eye walked down the street, the architecture of the local police station coming into view as she took the final corner. She made her way inside, quickly moving towards the information desk. There were two ponies ahead of her, but really, she didn't mind, since it only meant that she had a few more moments to think. The tape of the third day was very much like the one from the second. Keen figured that it would eventually become routine to the pony that they were in a place they'd never escape, but she hadn't expected it so soon. Maybe stalwart minds maintained their strength through not questioning, and simply finding a semblance of normality in any situation, or maybe this pony was just hoping to ride out this storm.

  "Excuse me, ma'am, do you need something?" The police stallion asked, looking at Keen with a questioning glance. Keen only then realized tat the two ponies in front of her had already moved on, having finished their business. Keen moved up to the counter quickly, not wanting to waste any more time.

  "Yes, hello, I'm Private Investigator Keen Eye, I'm here on a case and need access to certain files for my investigation, if it isn't any trouble." Keen said with a smile.

  "Let me guess, you need files on a certain pony's spouse to see if they really are who they say they are." The stallion asked with a sigh and a look that feigned sympathy.

  "Actually, I need files on previously investigated cases that are similar to the one that I am working on." Keen countered. "I have information that the police investigated a case on a project by the Fillydelphia Research Institute, namely on a project called Illusions." The pony gave a slow nod, turning to a small box of files beside him, which he quickly began flipping though.

  "Hmm, nope, nothing here on a 'Project Illusions'. Perhaps it was filed under another name?" The stallion offered. Keen shrugged.

  "I guess it could've been filed under the collective file for the F.R.I., since by what I've heard, there might have been incidents prior to this one which might have incited an investigation into their matters." Keen replied, the stallion quickly going back to looking through the files. He eventually pulled out a file marked 'Fillydelphia Research Institute', which, for what Keen had expected, was quite thin. The pony opened the file up, only to give a whistle as he looked over what the few papers inside had to say.

  "I guess you just hit the jackpot of secretive. The file says that it requires the chief's permission to view anything that has been contained in this file." The stallion, giving Keen a smile. "His office is on the second floor is you want to go farther with this matter, though usually when a file is redacted, it is for a reason. The overall likelihood that you'll be gaining access to that folder is slim to none, unless of course, your investigation is of high enough importance." Keen gave a small nod before turning away and moving towards the stairs. "Good Luck, ma'am." The pony called after her before returning to his work.

  The captain's office wasn't that hard  to find, seeing as the door was labeled with a golden plaque. Keen gave the door a few knocks, receiving a call in return, bidding her to come inside. Keen slowly pushed the door open, finding herself with a room that reminded her of her own office slightly. The mare behind the desk looked up from her mountains of paperwork briefly, only to look back down.

  "Hello, miss, how may I help you today? If you don't mind, try and make it quick, as you can see, I have quite a bit of work in front of me." The captain stated as she gave another signature on some odd piece of paper with a wave of her magic. Keen entered, closing the door behind her, before turning to the chief of police once again.

  "I am Private Investigator Keen Eye. While pursuing a certain case I have acquired, I came here to look for some files, but when I asked the pony at the information desk, he told me that the specific files I was after were under your specific jurisdiction, and that without your express permission, no pony would be allowed to view it." At this the chief looked up at Keen with a raised eyebrow. "Since this file is rather important to my investigation, I've come up here to seek your permission to view the file in question." Keen finished. The police pony stood up from behind her desk, moving around it to look at Keen full on.

  "As the clerk no doubt already told you, when a file is put under such restriction, it's usually for a good reason." The chief stated. "Either the material is extremely sensitive, or it was designated as special access by authorities higher than this department. In either case, it is highly unlikely that you will be granted permission to view said files without a court order, unless I find it within my good graces to let you view them. Are you absolutely certain you need to view these folders, are maybe you now feel like you can get by without them?" The pony asked, advancing on Keen as she spoke.

  ""I'm certain that with the information contained in your files that I'll be better armed to deal with the case that I am currently on." Keen replied confidently.

  "Very well, if you insist. First, let me see your investigator's badge." Keen Eye quickly procured her badge from her coat. The police mare looked it over, giving a quick nod. "Very good, which files are you trying to get your hooves on that have been locked up?" The chief asked, turning to her filing cabinet.

  "I'm looking up information on the Fillydelphia Research Institute, I have information that they have been previously investigated, I just wanted to see what your investigation already turned up that might differ from mine." Keen informed the captain.

  "Ah yes, the F.R.I., a rather well investigated group of ponies. I can get you certain files on them without too much trouble, though some other files are completely off limits to anypony without a court order. You don't have one of those do you?" Keen simply shook her head. "Very well, I'll get you the less sensitive files so you can look over them." The pony said, pulling out a folder from her cabinet, passing it to Keen, who quickly flipped through the pages. "You can use the coffee room to read it if you want, since I can't really let you leave the building with it with you." Keen gave a slow nod.

  Well, I'll be in the coffee room then. Where exactly is it?" Keen asked, closing the folder and placing it on top of her back.

  "It's downstairs, behind the information desk. The pony there should understand and let you through. " The chief explained. "If you need anything else, don't hesitate to call. Oh, and, good luck." Keen nodded and opened the door, making her way back to the downstairs area. The whole police station was bustling as the morning gave way into the afternoon. Keen moved down the stairs, walking back to the information desk. She showed the pony the file, which caused him to give a small smile before he opened the small door that led behind the desk area, allowing her access to the coffee room. Keen gave a small nod, making her way beyond.

  Sitting down at one of the several tables, Keen opened the file, looking over the contents. There was one paper on 'Illusions', which had two days of being open, only to be categorized as 'accuser insanity', which promptly made the case shelved. 'Ghost Town', however, was a very different story, with the case going through two weeks of investigation, which mainly focused on the area where the experiment had been carried out. After that time had passed, the case was not closed, but transferred, with the official seal of the Royal Investigators keeping any further documentation away from Keen. The little information contained in it wasn't much more than what she had already obtained. It gave her diagrams of the place where the pony had been stranded, including all measure taken to ensure the pony would not leave, something she didn't have, but in the long run, wasn't that necessary for her to have.

  After reading, rereading, and rereading some more, Keen finally left the lunch area, ready to give the folder back and make her way to her apartment. She enjoyed days off, but with such a case looming over her, she couldn't really try and relax, even if she wanted to. She gave the folder back to the police captain without incident, and quickly made her way out of the police station. As she made her way down the street, Keen couldn't shake the feeling she was being watched, the hairs on the back of her neck standing straight up. Not wanting to look behind her and scare off who ever it was, Keen adjusted her plans, moving towards the center of the town. The feeling persisted as she came in view of the city park, causing her to pick up the pace.

  Soon enough she entered the park, setting herself down on the nearest bench, quickly looking around in the most inconspicuous way possible. Her gaze was quickly fixed on a pony that sat a few benches down. The pony was wearing a trench coat, sunglasses, and a wide brimmed hat. It almost felt to obvious, but that made her all the more likely in Keen's mind. There was a simple way to test that theory. Keen stood up once more, walking slowly through the park, as if she was just enjoying the day, as if she hadn't noticed anything. The sun shone down brightly for the first time in two days, a welcome relief from the overbearing downpour, but she wasn't really here for a leisurely stroll.

  The store was much as Keen had remembered it from the last time she had visited, dresses lining the window with their vibrant colors, but they were not the focus of her attention. Staring at the glass, the reflections of everypony behind her were clearly visible, and just as she had feared, the pony in the trench coat was directly across the street, just taking a seat at the local restaurant. the pony picked up the menu, looking at it, though by how the glint in her eye from the sun shifted, Keen could tell she wasn't actually focusing on the specials as she pretended. Keen moved down the street a ways, stopping at yet another store window, looking at the pony who was now finishing giving her order to one of the waiters. With in a few seconds, a sundae of some sort in a carryout cup. Keen walked away again, taking occasional glances at the glass around her at her pursuer. Keen knew that this pony doubtlessly knew where she lived, but even so, she didn't feel comfortable in taking her directly to it. She'd give this pony every opportunity to break the chase and maybe prove they weren't actually following her.

Day Twenty-two, the subject was quite shocked to find bits of electronics in her wound this morning, though they were easily removed. She seems to be getting even more suspicious of her surroundings. Most of the day was spent watching her held up in her room, her coltfriend attempting to talk her down from the edge as it were. In the evening, she burst out from her room and gave the droid a solid buck, sending it flying across the room. The landing caused the skin to fall off slightly, giving us a more than suitable reaction. The pony has once again made attempts to escape the testing area, but the fact she now expects everypony to be a robot stifles her courage in facing the guards, a good thing since we are not truly ready to allow the droids to initiate a violent encounter. She is now attempting to avoid everypony that she sees, much to some of the more extreme members of our team's elation. Tomorrow we will introduce 'Sub-project: Resistance', we can only imagine the results.

  Day Twenty-three, as previously stated, we have introduce the sub-project. Five more test subjects who have been in the same conditions all this time now allowed to overflow into the other areas. Much to our surprise, it appears that their shared experience has cause them to draw together as a group before we expected, though this is actually a welcome surprise instead of an unexpected complication. The one researcher we inserted into this group has fed the information given to her, and was then promptly taken away by some of our droids who have had their skins removed. The ponies now believe that they are part of small group of real ponies that are attempting to survive in this desperate future where almost all their relatives have been replaced by robots. This lie is most effective, especially when punctuated with the truly terrified screams of the researcher at her capture. It isn't like she didn't expect it, more of that these droids truly are a terrifying sight without their skins. There's no telling how these ponies will move from here, but we can only hope for natural reactions.

  Day Twenty-nine, I've had enough, the test is insane. I realize what we have been attempting to accomplish here: continued research on friendship and its reaction to adverse circumstances. I've heard whispers in the woodwork about several other projects going on at this moment, each as insane and hideous as this one. I hope this whole company gets sacked. No matter how good their intentions, the means of these experiments, much less the results on the ponies that go through them, are pure evil. Some ponies wonder why Discord had so much power over us, citing that we are peace loving and all that jazz, but looking out over this scene, the six ponies attempting to survive the now malignant droids, it's more than I can bear.

  Keen set down the file, looking out at her window, and then at her door for what seemed to be the hundredth time. She had huddled up in her apartment, setting her stun stick beside her as she waited for somepony to walk in and attempt to take all the evidence from her, but against her suspicion, nopony had arrived. Keen stood up, setting the now fully read papers on 'Illusions'. The possibility of somepony whose conscience was bothering them was becoming more and more possible, but it didn't mean that that was the way it had happened that she had acquired these things. One thing stuck out in Keen's mind, though. The client had said that it should become quite evident why she had been given this job, but she was still just guessing why, with no clear answer. She still had the files on the research that had previously been done on the F.R.I., but she didn't want to touch it quite yet, at least not until she knew what she was trying to look for. Taking the tape player out along with the files on 'Solitaire', Keen prepared to delve deeper, no matter how late she had to stay up to accomplish her goals.