Ages before the unity of Harmony were bound, there were groups of asylums and facilities, spread across the country. One, known as Fernside Asylum, took the grounds by storm - successful and a leading ward... however, one therapist had spread an idea among the others... this 'idea' involved violence, and a belief that pain to their patients would increase their endurance and become stronger.

The idea was rejected - deeply - by the others. The leading therapist, Rose Thorn, knew her plan wouldn't work and to make it succeed, she studied a spell of possessing them. When they were under her control she worked on her first 'subject'.

Over time the number of subjects grew, and the lead manager was killed and replaced by Rose Thorn herself. Murder and torture in the asylum spread like wildfire in the media, the facility was shut down... but not discontinued.

Ponies all over Manehattan, Ponyville and many towns couldn't believe it - the best ward had now become the worst. Could it have been a tribe from the Everfree Forest? Perhaps a dark magic corrupted the building... nobody could have known the truth. Celestia herself had tried to address the facility, but couldn't when she found the building had appeared abandoned.

Decades later, when all believed was right again and the ward was cleared, abductions took place, taking in criminals and the mentally-ill to test, examine and convert back to normal... but in no way a kind and safe way. One mare known as Summerlight takes a job as a counsellor; but in secret she's trying to get the place shut down for sure. Will she do it, or will she be corrupted like the others?