The image of Rainbow Dash being dragged away by the Royal Guard was forever burned into Twilight’s mind. In all her adventures around the land, this was the most painful sight she had ever endured. As Fluttershy was loaded onto a stretcher by the Royal Guard and taken to the Royal Canterlot Hospital, Applejack and Twilight just sat on the steps and watched, still processing the past few hours. Applejack was still angry with Rainbow Dash. “where are they gonna take her?”

“The only place possible.” Twilight sighed sadly

“take who?” Rarity chimed in, she had recovered from her fainting “And where is Dash?” She asked

“Don’t ask” Applejack warned “she’s gone”

“What only place?” Pinkie Pie asked Twilight

Twilight sighed. She knew exactly where Dash was being taken. She had heard of it once in a story from Celestia.

“St. Bridledale’s” Twilight said

“St. Whowhatnow?” Applejack asked

Twilight told them the same story she heard from Celestia long ago. The hospital Melvyn Featherhooves was committed to long ago in Fillydelphia, after he lost his horn in an accident where he worked. The event traumatized him so much he murdered a co-worker, and then went home and murdered his family. They called him Mad Melvyn. He was arrested and ruled insane in royal court. Instead of charges, he was committed to St. Bridledale’s Hospital, a then state of the art psychiatric evaluation center where he would be rehabilitated, and eventually released. But Melvyn was killed in an incident, which the hospital has claimed an accident. Celestia said it was the only remaining psychiatric hospital in Equestria today, and it was given a complete renovation. It was the only place to send troubled ponies who needed intensive psychiatric treatment.

“Oh my Celestia” Rarity gasped “Our Dashie’s been institutionalized!”

“Is that legal?” Pinkie Pie asked

“It is” Twilight said “It’s the only possible place the system will let her go.”

Twilight stood up, wiping a tear from her eye “All we can do now is hope for the best, hope that we can see her again soon.” She said softly.

Pinkie pie and Rarity bowed their heads in silent tears. Even Applejack removed her hat. She trotted over to the window. It was dark now, the moon was up. “Wherever she goes, I just hope she gets the help she needs. To make her feel herself again. And I hope Fluttershy makes a speedy recovery too so we can get our lives back on track again, the six of us.”

“Yeah, that’s what I hope too” Twilight said

The four of them all moved in for a hug. They were all hurting, but they knew they had each other.

Rainbow Dash awoke in the back of a covered wagon. She sensed they were moving, she opened her eyes and made to sit up, but she couldn’t move her legs, all four of them were bound in front of her. Dash realized she was wearing a straitjacket. She tried frantically to get free, but knew it was no use, she was locked up tight.

She tried to strain her neck to look outside, all she could see around her was a grass field, it spread over the horizon without a tree in sight. Rainbow Dash had never been anywhere with no trees, this was so strange. The wagon stopped and the back door opened, Rainbow heard ponies talking, one was a stallion with a deep southern accent, the other a mare with an accent Dash had never heard, it sounded foreign. She couldn’t make out what they were saying, and then she found herself being dragged out of the wagon. She began kicking about futilely, she tried to scream, but realized she was wearing a muzzle over her mouth and couldn’t speak. She was placed in a cart that was being pulled by a third pony she hadn’t heard speak. It was hopeless, she was completely restrained, she couldn’t do a thing to get away.

The cart began to move and they faced a building. It was wide and tall, Victorian style complex. The sign over the door read “St. Bridledale’s Hospital” a single tear materialized in Dash’s eye, it slid down her cheek splashing on her straitjacket. Dash closed her eyes, she could not hear the voice in her head now. Dash simply felt empty, like she was not inside her own body. She was being carried into the nuthouse. Dash was officially labeled crazy. For the first time since her accident, she wondered if it were true.

She thought about the voice she heard, she somehow remembered it more clearly now, it talking to her from inside her mind, telling her to attack Fluttershy and kill Lightning Dust and Spitfire. She was more clear about it now, as she was being carried into a mental hospital, which made her wonder, had she imagined the voice this whole time?

The foreign accented mare appeared from behind Dash as they entered the hospital. “Velcome to St. Bridledale’s Hospital, Fillydelphia’s premier psychiatric facility, vhere you vill be rehabilitated, and eventually released.” She spoke in a cold, very professional tone, she looked incapable of a smile “I’m Doctor Valentina Horvát, chief physician, and varden of the facility, allow me to personally velcome you to your new home, Rainbow Dash. You have my personal guarantee that you vill be cured.”

The accent stung Dash, just her voice was dominating and ice cold. She looked ahead and all she saw was a long, labyrinth of hallways. Dash felt afraid, however she felt something else, a feeling that seemed to overpower her fear. She felt her mouth forming into a smile beneath her restraining muzzle. Something was hilarious to Dash, but she couldn’t quite figure out what it was. All she could do was start laughing hysterically.

“Take her to Patient Processing and Decontamination.” Dr. Horvát ordered at the mute pony pulling Dash’s pacification cart. Muffled, shrieking laughs rang through her muzzle, and tears began rolling down her face. Dash couldn’t see straight anymore, she was laughing so hard.

“After decontamination, I think she needs some time in Isolation” Dr. Horvát said looking at Dash with disgust.

Rainbow Dash just shrieked and grunted with hysterical, maniacal laughter. The voice returned in her mind, and it laughed with her…

Fin.

Author's Note

I hope y'all enjoyed! I intend to continue this idea in a separate story. Rainbow Dash's path through the asylum and how the environment further fuels her condition, and how she struggles with her inner demons for control over her mental state.