Chapter 1: Subject #0865, “Light Weaver”
The sun was sinking low as a deep night was beginning to settle in. With the golden rays shining across the scene, a few individual rays peered into the windows of an old, large building, cutting light in stripes across a female pony’s face and body. Her magenta eyes blinked tiredly, examining the trees of a forest outside. Beyond, dots of a far city shone in the horizon; the mare's eyes hovered over the little dots of the city, named Manehattan.
This mare, known as Summerlight, had been working in this building -- an asylum, for over two years now. As a filly, she had a great fascination with mental health and especially hypnosis; it was a strange thing for the common foal to have such an advanced interest and many foals often teased her. She had studied for a reasonably long time: since she was young, through her teenage years and now as an adult. Something within Summerlight craved to know the great depths of the pony mind and she was gradually succeeding - but she knew the mind was deeper than an abyss - the further down, the darker it was. The darker it was, the more could be discovered and analysed.
As for the asylum, known as Fernside, it was old and externally looked almost completely abandoned. Its windows were barred or boarded, the bricks looked rusted and out of place, the roof top was missing some tiles... This was all because the government had cancelled funding and thus, the place looked abandoned. So, why was the funding cut? What had caused the place to be shut of all business?
A century ago, murder was committed in the asylum; not by a patient, but by a therapist. Through a series of months another murder was committed, and another - eventually the murders were becoming a frequent disgusting practice. What was strange however was that the asylum itself seemed to have no interest with the strange murders. The horrendous acts eventually got media involved and newspaper presses were shocked at the disturbing events. As time went on, the asylum was shut down however not discontinued. Ponies who worked there began a series of crimes to get money… and years afterwards, the facility began underground businesses. As they learned ways of combat in preparation, the workers would spy as agents, kidnapping criminals and hauling them into the asylum in secret.
Today, a newcomer was to be brought into the facility and Summerlight was excited as to just when the patient would be brought in. With a smile, she read on her clipboard:
Subject #0865, “Light Weaver”
Sex: Female.
Age: 23.
Home Address: 27/Aurora Ln/Manehattan
Disorders/Mental Illnesses:
/ Yet to be discovered /
Criminal Record -
- Homicide - 2 kills
- Store theft
- Child Kidnapping
- Drug Abuse (cocaine)
Danger Value - Medium
Putting it down onto her desk, she heaved a sigh. ‘What terrible things could bring a pony to commit crimes?’ She thought to herself, ‘An advanced question brings many different answers from many different ponies.’
As she was thinking, she heard the sound of hoof-steps near closer to her office. The angry statements and voices silencing the feminine-sounding pony, Summerlight knew that the new patient must have finally been found. Rushing to open her door and check, she saw the very two ponies dragging the bloodied white mare around with binding ropes. Light Weaver was clenching her teeth in anger as she struggled with the bindings.
Summerlight’s ear perked as she heard a door open and close near her - turning in the direction of sound, she spotted her boss: a dark grey unicorn who was casually approaching the group, dressed in high attire and wearing diamond earrings. This mare, known as Cloudy Gem was the leader of the facility and highly known for her grumpy attitude; her mean statements and overall general bitterness proven as she whipped Summerlight with her tail.
“Miss Light Weaver,” she stared angrily at the white mare, “killer of two foals, thief of stores and child kidnapper, I sentence you to room 20.”
Light Weaver flinched angrily and kicked around her legs; one of the bucks hit Summerlight in the stomach, who tripped slightly. “Fool,” Summer growled under her breath.
“Why am I here?” Light Weaver demanded, and as her anger controlled her, she tried to break the cuffs around her wrists with her unicorn magic but failed as no magic would show. “What have you done to my horn!?”
Cloudy Gem looked down at her, “We nullified your magic, dear… so you'll be an obedient mare.”
Growling at the manager, she spat and shouted at her, “Just you wait until I get out of here! I'll kill you and shut down this fucking place!”
A chuckle and smirk came from Cloudy Gem, and Summerlight looked at the mare mockingly. “Well, that's just it, you see," Cloudy Gem told Light Weaver, "The government had us shut down years ago…”
“What?”
Gem laughed then ordered, “Obsidian Fire, Stormwave, take her to her room.”
Fear suddenly stuck Light Weaver and she struggled in her bounds, attempting to kick and thrash the stallions. As the two walked away with her, the sounds of her anger blurred further into the building.
When all was silent, Cloudy Gem looked at Summer with a smile, “Good work on getting the reports sorted. In an hour you’ll begin your therapies for Subject #0865.”
“Yes, ma’am,” she responded, “I'll gather my equipment for the hypnosis.”
“Also, send her to the Underground… She needs to be punished.”
Bowing in obedience, Summerlight trotted to her office.
*
Obsidian Fire and Stormwave tugged on the rope restraining Light Weaver, dragging her to a barred room. When the two stallions removed Light Weaver from her bounds, they hauled her into the barred room, made with a grey-padded wall and carpet flooring. In the corner of the room standing against a small window, she spotted a wood-frame bed. With instinct, Light Weaver moved herself to it, facing her back to the barred wall; she let the angry grimace fade from her face. Correcting the blankets with her magic, the white mare closed her eyes, hoping she'd wake up in a more peaceful land.
"...What is going on?" she muttered quietly.
Quickly brought out of her contemplation, she snarled when she heard hoof-steps edge closer. Glancing up to see who it was, Light Weaver felt the hate run back in her veins and shouted to the familiar unicorn, "What do you want?! Here to torment me more?"
Unresponsive, it was Summerlight, wearing a saddle-bag; she had a somewhat glum look upon her face as she opened the door, immediately wincing when Light Weaver lunged right to her neck with her horn. As adrenaline rushed, she teleported herself to the opposite side of the cell, then ordered in a strong tone: "Stop."
Light Weaver wouldn't have it - she lunged again, screaming out, "Get me out of here now!"
The two struggled and Summerlight, once again, teleported once more to the other side of the cell; "I said stop. Listen to me, I'll explain what's going on."
Light Weaver glared at Summerlight, "What makes you think I'll listen?"
"Even if you have not a single moment to stop and try to, that's fine," Summerlight relaxed a bit when she had realised that Light Weaver was no longer attempting to attack her, but just-in-case she didn't let her guard down. "I just want to tell you, that if you want to stay alive, these are your options."
Before she could list them, Light Weaver's fur stuck up and her eyes widened, "...stay alive? As in... they are planning to kill me?"
"Not particularly... but this place is dangerous," Summer told her with deep warning, "I want to get out of this place just as much as you do. The manager, Cloudy Gem, holds even the workers captive here --myself included-- and thanks to her we don't have any 'home' to return to. All we do every day in the waking moments to the time we fall asleep, we're working busy."
Light Weaver had now no intentions of hurting her now as trust was beginning to build. She said, "What do we have to do to escape?"
"Well," Summerlight sighed, "Escaping isn't really an option, I'm afraid. Not yet anyway; we will find a way out, but you have to trust me first."
Light looked down at her hooves, frightened. "Well, I've only just met you. Can't really say I trust you... but over time I might, if you damn well prove your loyalty."
"I promise we'll get out of here... eventually," Summerlight looked at her, smiling very gently. With that, she turned to leave, and from her saddle-bag she hovered a drink bottle near to Light Weaver, then a few pills, and lastly, a curious gemstone made of crystal quartz. Hovering it at Light's hooves, she told her, "Shine that up to the light; remember there is still light, and perhaps you can weave it into beautiful patterns to keep you happy and entertained."
As she left, she heard her ask, "Wait! Your name; what's your name?"
With a small chuckle, she told her, "It's Summerlight."
The mare smiled at her in some sort of reassurance and watched as Summerlight gradually left her view, walking down the hallway. 'Nice mare,'she thought, 'But I'd better keep my guard up.' Flicking her tail the young mare wandered down the long maze-like hallways, lights on the ceiling shining above her dimly, one after the other as she trotted further into the asylum. Eventually, as she wandered Summerlight had come to a stop, peering at a large set of metal doors, rusty in appearance and on one, a sign read:
- Entrance to the Underground; show ID for access and place all items in the safe here. Be sure to retrieve them after you leave. -
Above the doors a light shone red and unblinking. With no hesitation, Summerlight gathered her ID from around her neck and hovered it near the scanner and as she did so, the doors unlocked. The light, now green, allowed access. Heaving the doors open a large, wide room cloaked in darkness appeared on the other side, its ceiling becoming higher and higher when Summer paced down the stairs. As she moved down into the dark room beneath the building, she recollected the horrible memories of ripped flesh, blood-spill and ear-splitting cries. Relief flooded through her as it was clear the Underground had nothing but silence tonight, however it didn't seem that much of a difference. It was the Underground, the place where the tests, the experiments, the torture and strange rituals of the worker ponies occurred. A cold shiver run down her spine as Summerlight shone her horn for the light switch and she reached for it, flicking it on. As she had, hanging lamps on the ceiling stuttered first, then beamed a pale light in the massive room.
Noticing that a majority of the ponies were gone, likely upstairs and not being worked on; however one of them, a young earth filly, blinked her eyes drearily and her sobbing echoed in the Underground. The filly lay on her side, her breaths heavy and slow but as Summerlight approached however, the young filly's eyes shone with hope, sodden with tears.
"Miss Summer," she exclaimed in happiness, "...you're back!"
"What did the therapists do this time?" Summerlight dared to ask as she felt her jaw stutter slightly in grief. "Did they--"
"They made me sit by one of the fillies I've met here, and forced me to watch her get attacked and yelled at. Oh, Summer, the sounds of her cries, it was terrible... I just wanted to cry all the way through it. She kept calling for her daddy... I was so scared."
"Silver," she looked at the young filly through the bars, "Why are you still in there though? After the experiment's over, they're supposed to send you back upstairs to your room."
With a deep snivel, Silver lay her head down on the concrete floor, "They said I was a bad little filly for not fighting to protect her... all I did was sit in shock and fear. I couldn't help it, though! I just wanted to get out of there and I still want to. I just wanna go home."
Summerlight's heart beat fast in her chest; she knew if they had kept her down here, they would make her retake the test tomorrow. Feeling a few tears drip out, she wiped them away. "I can't give you a gift that will last tonight, but here: I brought some chocolate candies for you. Eat them up fast, make sure no-pony knows I gave them to you."
"Don't, Summerlight..." she cried, "I'm a worthless friend, a bad pony... I don't deserve gifts. Not even in secret."
"But--"
"You can help me and reward me when I've taken the test... and succeeded... tomorrow, when I'm back upstairs..." Silver wept heavily. "...but I'm going to fail again, aren't I? They'll make me fight, they'll hurt me!"
"Don't be scared," she told her, "J-just take the test, fight back... you can do it, Silver."
"I can't, Miss Summer," Silver's blue eyes shone in fear, "I just can't. I just want to go home."
Summerlight saw the hope fading in the filly's eyes and wished she could help her. "I'm sorry, Silver... I'm so so sorry."
Author's Note
Annnd that's it for the chapter so far. Mainly just introducing a few characters and getting prepared for the next one which will be about Silver. So yeah, it shall be sad but it'll be interesting :)
Character Summary -
Summerlight - unicorn, main character wanting to close down the place for good, wanting to help them all.
Cloudy Gem - unicorn, boss of the asylum, mean-spirited, believes in Summerlight that she's a good counsellor doing the 'right' thing.
Obsidian Fire - earth pony, background (for now)
Stormwave - earth pony, background (for now)
Light Weaver - first subject pony to appear, is curious about her fate.
Silver - young earth pony, first Underground pony we see.
Chapter 2: Subject #0859, “Silver"
The air was cold in the Underground and the room was awake with light. A few ponies were now gathered outside the cage Silver lay in, all carrying clipboards under their arms. One in particular, a stallion who eyed the little filly in a cruel, mocking glance. "So, this is the young Silver, I see?"
Silver huddled up near the back of the bars, afraid. Laying her head into her hooves she quickly hiccuped and sobbed; she knew what was coming. She's have to do it again, the horrible test. At the staircase leading above ground, Silver noticed the young filly they brought in the day before by large stallions with scowling maws and eyes that looked over at the stallion standing near Silver. The two muscular stallions approached him, eyes glaring hatred.
"Professor Needler," one of them grunted, "Sorry to keep you waiting. Here's that filly you requested."
With that, they both pushed the young filly from their grasp, who fell onto the cement with a scream. The little filly, a pale blue in colour, sat now, staring at the ground and her breathing came in slow pants. Feeling sweat drip from her forehead, she now looked up and immediately locked gazes with Silver, who was sobbing deeply now. With a short glance, she looked up to Professor Needler as he spoke, "I understand from yesterday's report, Silver has failed her test and will have another chase to prove herself worthy of leaving the Underground. Skyhigh will be her subject, same as yesterday."
The filly, Skyhigh, immediately struggled in her bounds at Needler's request. Panicking, she flew as high as she could and eventually reached the rafters in the ceiling. They all looked up at her, eyes fixated on Skyhigh now, as she moved along the rafters and grasped onto a pole that connected vertically with the ceiling. Panting she called out down to them, "I... won't let you... do this again," she panted in tears, and called loud, bordering on anger and fear, "You won't... hurt me again...!"
But with their eyes still glancing at her as though mocking her somehow, she cried and looked away, "Don't look at me! Stop... looking at me..."
The gazes wouldn't stop, and when Needler uttered a small, simple request, the room suddenly was alive with movement as one of the stallions flew up to get her. Screaming as she was being taken off the metal rafters, Skyhigh held on tight to the pole, refusing to let go. As the stallion leaped on to the rafter, he turned and squared a kick that hit her heavy. As she lost grip of the pole and fell, her wings caught the air before the impact of the ground could hurt her. The scared filly had fallen softly on the floor when she landed herself clumsily. A deep glare was washing into her gaze... something inside her, a fiery hatred for the therapists. Staring weakly at a bleeding wound, she looked down and pressed against it without noticing Needler who had trotted to her and grinned. Skyhigh hid behind her arms.
"Now, little Skyhigh will be a good girl, hmm?" Needler teased, "Little Skyhigh will do the test now, won't she?"
Needler edged near to her face, waiting for her answer; when she held her silence however, he growled and kicked her to the ground, demanding authority, "...won't she!?"
After the heavy beatings and still, Skyhigh kept quiet aside from her gritted teeth and stifling breath. She had tried to endure the hits, small tears forming in her eyes until at last, she dared confront him, her voice shaky, "I will not obey a stallion as evil as you, you can't... you... you can't make me!"
Grunting in anger, Needler raised a hoof and whacked her over the head and with the hit, a scream of pain uttered out from Skyhigh. "Do it, filly!" he growled, and hit her again; Silver watched from the cage, tears filling her eyes, "Just do it, Sky! It'll be over soon, I promise!"
One hit after the other until at last, Skyhigh screamed, "All right! I'll do it!"
At this, Needler stopped and examined the fresh bruises beginning to form and the blood from the kick-wound one of the pegasi stallions gave her. "You two," Needler commanded, "Get Skyhigh into the cage at once. The experiment must begin."
With eyes burning in tears, her throat dry and her voice almost thrashed, Silver begged softly as Sky was being led into the cage, "Just look at me, okay? Keep looking, don't look away."
The cage next to Silver was bigger and taller and completely covered in rust. The only things inside were a chair, a rope and a large whip, still specked in dry blood. The two stallions had tied Skyhigh to a few bars of the cage.
"That's one," Professor Needler examined, "Now the other."
One of the stallions went to get Silver now and lead her onto the chair. Silver didn't struggle at all and on Professor Needler's face was a smile, "Starting to succumb to our rules, little Silver? You're a good girl."
Silver didn't look at Professor Needler at all when she was being tied to the chair, she just continued to look at her hooves in some sense of sadness, though her tears were drying. Looking over at Skyhigh, she saw the filly's eyes wide in fear but she refused to be scared this time. Today was another chance; she could not fail the test.
"I, Professor Needler have declared the beginning of the next Trial for Freedom for these two fillies," he said seemingly to nobody, until a sound of rattling caught their attention. Step by step, the pale gold fur of Summerlight paced into the room, her expression blank and meaningless.
"Summerlight?" Needler called, his voice echoing in the large room. "I thought you were busy with Light Weaver. It's what Cloudy Gem wanted, fool! Get back to your duties, this doesn't concern you!"
Summerlight said nothing and approached the cage, placing her hoof upon it and then she turned to the Professor, her eyes seething in anger as she spoke, "What do you think you are doing?"
Silver squeaked, "It's okay, Summerlight! They can do it if they want."
"No," the therapist hissed, and her horn began to spark, "I won't let you!"
The two stallions neared her, "Madam, go to your office. There is nothing to see here."
Leaping at the Professor, she fired her horn in the air and cast an attack. However, Professor Needler had cast a spell first; with a screech of pain, Summerlight fell to his hooves, a loud thump on the cement sounded out through the Underground. Pulling herself up, she dared cast another spell to stun him but her magic hushed out. Needler laid a hoof onto her and spat, "Get out of here, your precious fillies will be fine."
The cold ending of his sentence struck her heart, "Can I at least stay with them?"
"No, Miss. Summerlight," the Professor removed his hoof from her chest and then gestured to the door. "Out. No more of this violence between the asylum, hmm?"
She forced herself to hush and getting to her hooves, she walked away, up the stairs and out of the Underground. Professor Needler watched her go and sighed; "Now that that's over with, where was I? Oh yes - I, Professor Needler have declared the beginning of the next Trial for Freedom for these two fillies," he chuckled, "Now Silver..."
He looked at her file with a interested glance -
Subject #0859, “Silver Sight”
Sex: Female.
Age: 10.
Home Address: 103/Rose Crescent/Manehattan
Disorders/Mental Illnesses:
- Anxiety.
Status -
- Yet to be tested -
Danger Value - Low
"Alright, and you Skyhigh..." he muttered as he switched to her file.
Subject #0860, “Skyhigh”
Sex: Female.
Age: 13.
Home Address: 13/Crystal Fog Patch/Cloudsdale
Disorders/Mental Illnesses:
- Anxiety Disorder.
Status -
- yet to be tested -
Danger Value - Low
"Mmhmm," he observed the files and then placed them aside, "Now, the Trial shall begin. Jet, Cloud Rush, positions."
The two stallions walked into the large cage - Jet neared Skyhigh and Cloud Rush sat by Silver.
"Begin!" the Professor called out.
In that instance, Jet, the unicorn, began hitting vicious strikes at Skyhigh, who was being ever so silent. 'I can't scream. I won't show pain!' she thought. The strikes became tougher and Silver who watched, didn't turn away, though her eyes were showing traces of tears. It was what they had wanted but it had to continue; until Professor Needler was satisfied.
"Hit her harder!" Needler commanded, "Don't forget about the spells, Mr. Unicorn! Stun her!"
Silver eyed the stallion who hit her, over and over. "I promise we'll be out of this soon!" Silver cried, "I promise, just keep looking at me! You'll be home soon, it'll be okay!"
"Shut up!" Professor Needler yelled and watched as Jet had begun to cast a spell, stunning her. Her body wouldn't move, but her eyes showed hope and faith. 'I'll be home soon, I'll be home soon.'
Jet continued his cruel act; now possessing the whip, he held it up high and hit her once, her body convulsing in pain. "It doesn't hurt," she dared to say. Again, another whip cracked through the air and Silver watched as blood began to soak the floor. It was getting harder and harder to stay silent... she wanted to help her, to free her... but she knew she had to keep still.
Blood ran further and Skyhigh's vision began to blur... the pain was like a burn stinging into her body like fire. But she did not cry, she did not whine... another hit and another. 'Celestia, take me home,' her mind began to reel, 'Take me there... back to mother and father... please!'
Three more whips and then it was over. Crimson hatred splattered around the cage. Silver was almost about to sob, but didn't. The silence held the area until the Professor neared the cage and walked inside.
"Congratulations, foal." Professor Needler smirked at Silver, "...you have passed the test." A small smile formed on her mouth and when she was untied, she instantly hugged Skyhigh, relief finally coming to her.
"Skyhigh, you did it! I'm so happy! You didn't cry once!"
As she hugged her friend, blood seeped over her hooves and she looked at the filly. A sickening feeling burned her gut and she took a step back. "Skyhigh...?"
Skyhigh's body wasn't moving... she was still stunned, but an ominous silence filled the air. Something wasn't right.
"Skyhigh, answer me!" she shoved her, but with empty response. Blood wandered into many paths down her back and met the floor. No breathing... not a single breath.
"Skyhigh, please! Wake up, you did it, Skyhigh! Please!" Silver called out mournfully.
It was no use... the filly was dead. All life drained from her face, she stared at Silver with the slight courage that was left.
Professor Needler looked at Silver now, his gaze heavy and direct, "Yes; little foal. This is how you pass the test. Watch a filly be killed in front of you and don't stutter... though you are mourning her pathetic existence, that doesn't matter. I'm letting you pass. Now, you return to the surface and go back into your room, Silver. You are worthy and will see death in life, especially here in the Asylum but you have shown courage! Jet, Cloud Rush, take this filly to her room."
As Silver listened her heart beat in her chest and her mouth began to open in shock, she watched Skyhigh and began to whimper ever so slightly. 'Skyhigh, I'm sorry... but for you, I'll be strong... I'm going to escape the place, no matter what!'
When the two stallions, Jet and Cloud Rush led her back to her room, she glanced at the bloodied body of Skyhigh and then, back to her front. Up the stairs, through the Asylum she was eventually returned. The room was like Light Weaver's, padded with a carpet floor and a barred wall with a gate. The only outside light that shone in the room was from two vents near the bottom of the padded walls. Seeing a photo of her parents on her bedside table, she made herself comfortable. Grasping the photo frame in her hooves, she looked at the familiar faces, the blue glinting eyes of her mother and the smirking face of her father, always so bright and happy. Curling up into a ball in her bed, she fell into a long sleep.
