Release Me
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Dealing With Heretics

Release Me

Twilight was jolted from her rest when a pair of hooves grabbed her forcefully. Still half asleep, Twilight's attempts to struggle made her look like a fish out of water, flailing madly at some unknown assailant. A cloth sack was slipped over her head, blocking what little light there was in the bedroom. The more she struggled, the more she awakened and realized that whatever was going on, it wasn't good. The hooves that gripped her were strong - painful, even. Whoever held her, they certainly weren't allies.

"Hey, let me go!" Twilight shrieked in protest.

The powerful vice-grips only tightened their hold on the helpless mare's hooves. In her drowsiness, Twilight had completely forgotten about her magic. She summoned a familiar violet aura to her horn and let it loose, sure that it would penetrate the sack with ease. The magical energy was impacted with the cloth and instead of slicing through it like a hot knife through butter, the fabric absorbed it, sending purple lights resonating through the interior. Seeing that her magic was useless, Twilight fought harder. She felt the figures moving her, her body jolted with every step as her captors descended the staircase. When they had reached the main floor and approached the door, the captive unicorn began to scream along with her defying grunts.

"They said this one wouldn't come quietly, but I've never seen one of them squirm so much," one of Twilight's kidnappers said in a low, raspy voice.

"Never mind. We have our orders. Let's just get her there as soon as we can, then we can go home for the night," the other assailant assured; his tone a smooth baritone.

They paused for a moment to open the door. This wasn't an easy task considering that they were carrying a pony that wouldn't stop squirming and screaming. Once the door was open, one hoof detached from Twilight's leg and was firmly placed on her mouth, still concealed by the sack.

"Make one sound, and I'll gut you like a fish," the raspy voice said, ending with a malefic chuckle. Twilight let out a high pitched squeak at the unexpected threat. The ponies carried her farther out of the doorway. One of the hooves left her leg and the sound of an opening steel door echoed in Twilight's ears. Suddenly, Twilight felt a third pair of hooves at work, tying her front hooves together as well as her hind hooves. Before Twilight could protest through the hoof over her mouth, a rope was tied firmly around her neck, keeping the sack in place but allowing her to breathe.

With a heave, the unicorn was thrown in what Twilight assumed was the back of a carriage. The steel door slammed shut with a loud crash. The carriage driver let out a shrill whiny before he broke into a fierce gallop, pulling the cart behind it. Under the cloth, tears streamed down Twilight's cheeks. Her harsh captors coupled with the confusion of the moment left her in a state of hysteria. Realizing through the slowly-dying panic that she was still quite tired, Twilight closed her eyes and tried to drift off to sleep on the hard floor.

Twilight awoke to the sensation of her body being thrown out of the cart, falling to the ground below. Before she could react, a hoof grabbed her bound front hooves and started to drag her. Instinctively, the bound mare kicked and fought, but the hoof holding her didn't let go. After only a minute or two of pulling her across the dirt, the pony stopped.

"Who's there?" asked a monotone, robotic voice.

"It's Rusty, Doctor. I got another 'crazy' for ya," said a familiar raspy voice.

There was a brief pause before the sound of an automated gate opening followed by cackling laughter.

"Rusty, my friend, I thought you were dead meat when I heard who you were going to be bringing here," said a heavily accented voice.

"You kidding? This bitch was fast asleep when we took her. I tell ya though, she put up a hell of a struggle."

Rusty was answered was another maniacal laugh from his comrade.

"As long as we have her. Come. Bring her to the cleansing station, and we will go from there."

Even though Twilight could barely see a thing through the pinprick holes in the sack, she could tell that the doctor was smiling as he said those words.

"You got it," Rusty responded, continuing to drag the unicorn once more. The ground's texture suddenly changed from dirt to cement. This wasn't much of an improvement, but Twilight now knew she was at least in a building. It wasn't long before she heard another door open and felt herself being lifted and dropped onto a metallic table. A set of claws sliced the ropes binding her hooves and the cord around her neck.

Wait a minute. Claws? Twilight thought.

Before she could move her hooves freely again, her appendages were grasped and cuffed to the sides of the table. The sack was ripped off her head, allowing the blinding florescent light from the ceiling to briefly disorient Twilight as a clasp was placed on the top of her horn. Adjusting to the sudden brightness, Twilight could make out that she was in a disturbingly white room. The only part that wasn't white were the rusted medical tools lying on a tray nearby.

"Greetings, Ms. Sparkle," the accented voice said.

Twilight looked to her left to find a gryphon wearing a lab coat the same color as the room, a sickly-pale white. Aside from the grey feathers coating the upper half of his body, the fur on the lower half was mostly covered by the long coat. He had piercing amber eyes that seemed to stare into Twilight's very soul with a look of malice and joy.

"Who are you? Where am I? What's going on?" Twilight asked, struggling against the cuffs on her legs.

The gryphon cackled, sending a shiver down the unicorn's spine. "Me? I am known by many names, my dear: Evil Incarnate, The Unholy One, and The Root of all Fear to name a few. Here, though, the 'crazies' and the staff have taken a fancy to calling me Dr. Sunshine. I believe that one fits best, don't you?"

Sunshine grinned at Twilight; his teeth, serrated to a point and slightly chrome in color. It was then that Twilight noticed that his beak wasn't a natural one; it was metal.

"What happened to you beak?" she asked curiously. A croaky laugh came from the other side of the room. Twilight arched her neck to see a rust colored earth pony laughing his head off.

"Tell'er, Sunshine. Tell'er the story!" he said, eagerly jumping around like a madmare.

"Very well. If you insist, Rusty."

The earth pony sat down on the floor like a foal waiting to hear a bedtime story. Sunshine cleared his throat and told his tale:

"It was a dark and stormy night. I was living in that accursed shack that I called home with my father at the time, so the book I was reading was the only one available to me. I was waiting for him to arrive home from the bar, sure to result in me being beaten again in another one of his drunken episodes. The book I was reading contained a hero whose bravery could not be matched by any of his adversaries. It was then that I had a brilliant idea; I would make sure my father would never beat me again. I was going to be brave - like the hero in my book."

"He eventually came home, and as he was about to strike me, I hit him square in the jaw. Needless to say, he did not like that all too much. He pulled a knife out of seemingly nowhere and started swinging madly. I tried to dodge, looking for any opening for escape I had, but there was no way around him. On his final strike, he took off my entire beak, sending my blood flying everywhere. Again, he was hammered at the time, so the blood disoriented him and caused him to drop the knife. I grabbed it as quick as I could and did the only thing I could think of doing: I stabbed him. I didn't stop there, though - no ma'am. I just kept on stabbing and stabbing, even after I was sure he was dead. I just couldn't stop, the rush I felt after every sickening blow felt simply marvelous."

Twilight's eyes widened. This gryphon was insane.

"Once the rush finally wore off, I realized that I was bleeding out rather quickly. Then, another brilliant idea came to me: my father had been working on a prototype weapon for the gryphon military: a metallic beak to replace a soldier's normal beak. I learned a thing or two about welding and soldering metal after watching my father on several occasions, so that night, I attached this beauty to my face."

Rusty began clapping madly, prompting the doctor to bow and thank him for being a wonderful listener.

"And the blood was everywhere!" Rusty exclaimed, laughing and rolling on the floor. It was quickly becoming apparent that the earth pony's continued laughter was growing more and more annoying to the doctor.

"Silence!" Sunshine snapped. Rusty stopped cackling and stood back up.

"Sorry, doc. Guess I got carried away."

"It is okay, my friend," Sunshine said, turning to Twilight. "Now. Let us get down to business."

Walking over to the tray, the doctor retrieved a rusty hacksaw, the teeth as sharp as his own. Twilight tried desperately to cast a spell to protect herself, but the claps on her horn was blocking her magical energy.

"Now you are going to feel a little tingle", Sunshine sneered. He brought the blade down to Twilight's horn and pulled back, making the first cut. Twilight screamed as pain shot through her horn. Sunshine closed his eyes and smiled. "Yes. Your screams make such music."

He continued to push and pull the blade back and forth, slicing deeper into the poor mare's horn. Twilight's screams became louder and more shrill; tears streaming like waterfalls down her face. Rusty held her head in place so the doctor would have to worry about using anesthesia; he loved it when the patients could feel every slice and cut.

"Stop it! Please!" Twilight wailed. She tugged and pulled to try and free herself, but the cuffs ceased her attempts to escape, yet again.

"Yes! Scream louder! Let the agony overtake you, my dear!" Sunshine exclaimed, laughing with sickening enthusiasm. With one final stroke, Twilight heard something fall to the floor with a sickening plop. The doctor put the saw back on the tray and bent down to pick up the object. What Twilight saw next would haunt her forever. There, in Dr. Sunshine's talons, was her horn; gory and dripping with fresh scarlet.

"We cannot have you using that pesky magic, can we? It would make it all the harder to cure you."

"...why? Why are you doing this?" Twilight managed to ask between sobs.

"Why, you ask? We are only here to help you, Ms. Sparkle. You are sick, you see - sick in the head. You clearly would not accept help with a direct approach, so the ponies who contacted us about you had to take more...drastic measures," Sunshine said with a grin.

Twilight felt Rusty wrapping her horn in gauze. She tried to struggle against the cuffs once more, attracting the doctor's attention.

"You keep trying and trying to escape, but you are still restrained. Have I ever told you the definition of insanity?"

The captive mare raised an eyebrow through the pain of her still stinging head.

"Insanity is when you do something over and over and over again, and expect a different result. It is sad, really. So many ponies come here believing they are sane when they are clearly not - ponies such as yourself, Ms. Sparkle."

Before Twilight could respond, the cloth sack from before was slipped over her head once more. The metal table was pushed forwards until it hit another metallic surface. Through the small openings of the sack, Twilight could tell that her head was now under the faucet of a sink. With a flick of Sunshine's wrist, the water flowed forth, splashing onto the cloth and soaking the unicorn within. Twilight tried to flail and thrash, but the cuffs held her firmly in place. As the sack clung to her skin, she felt as though she were drowning; gasping and sputtering for breath.

"Do you feel that, Ms. Sparkle? Your brain is sensing that you are in grave peril, so it is making your body do anything it can to stay alive, even if what you are attempting is utterly useless. Ahahaha!"

The doctor's maniacal laughter only prompted Twilight to struggle harder. Her strength was fading; she was running out of breath fast. Though her mind was screaming for her to fight, to try and escape, her body no longer obeyed; all she could do was lie on the table while the approaching darkness took over.

Suddenly, the water stopped and the sack was ripped off Twilight's head. She sputtered, gasping for breath and coughing up water that had gained access to her lungs. Rusty slapped her hard across the face, eliciting a cry from Twilight. The cuffs restraining her were opened allowing her to fall to the floor, flailing like a madmare. Before she could get to her hooves, a powerful hoof struck her in the gut, knocking the wind out of her. Again and again the hoof pounded her abdomen and ribs. The combined pain from her still-throbbing stub and the new injuries being inflicted upon her was unbearable. Twilight had no more tears to cry, reducing her cries for mercy to little more than tiny whimpers.

"That is enough, Rusty," said Sunshine. "Apply the collar, if you would, please."

Rusty slipped a seemingly ordinary collar around the unicorn's neck. Sunshine smiled.

"You are probably wondering what this collar is for. Basically, it is a tracking device; we will know where you are every second of every day." The doctor pulled out another collar to demonstrate it's more 'interesting' features. "It can also sense any sudden movements you make. The first time, it will give you a small shock. Nothing extreme, but enough to stop you in your tracks. If you fight back against any of the guards, the shock you will receive will be quite painful as well as subdue you long enough for you to also receive a hearty beating. If you leave the building, well, let's just say you won't move ever again..."

The doctor pulled out a small controller and pressed a bright red button labelled, 'cured for good'. Several serrated blades shot out of the interior lining of the collar. Twilight looked on in horror. After dabbling in pony anatomy, she realized that this would effectively decapitate anypony wearing this terrible device of torture.

"There will also be times when the guards will get bored and give you a good jolt just for the fun of it. Prepare yourself for that. Rusty, take her to her cell. I have important business to attend to," Sunshine said with a grin.

"Of course, Dr. Sunshine." With another kick to Twilight's ribs, Rusty dragged her broken body out of the room. As she was pulled through the pristine white hallways, the guards they passed, all in matching uniforms, made snide comments like:

"Goody. Another toy to play with."

"She's kinda cute. I can't wait to wreck her."

"I wonder how tight she is."

She knew what they were talking about. They very idea made her gag. When Rusty turned a corner, something caught Twilight's eye: a pitch black door. Compared to the unnaturally white hallways and doors, this door stuck out like a sore hoof.

"What's...that...?" Twilight managed to wheeze.

"That area is forbidden for everypony except the doctor. You enter that room, you'll be killed as quick as a flash. Boom!" He stamped the ground with his hoof and stared at Twilight with his mismatched eyes. "That's the end. No more you." He resumed dragging Twilight through the hallways, though the mare's mind was still on what could be behind the mysterious black door. Soon, they reached a steel-barred gate, protected by two muscular guards. Rusty nodded to them and the gate opened. As Rusty pulled Twilight through, one of the guards smacked Twilight's rump with enough force to cause her to cry out in pain. The gate closed behind them, and before Twilight lay a series of prison cells layered upon each other, all accessible by an array of staircases.

"Welcome to your new home, Ms. Sparkle. The Equestrian Mental Correctional Facility, or as most refer to it, The Asylum." Rusty shouted over the cackling laughter and sorrowful cries of the inmates. Twilight was pulled past several interesting cells. Though most were sulking in their rooms, one mare was acting like she was a dog, sniffing around and trying to dig at the cement floor. Another mare was hanging onto the bars of her cell door, reaching out to Twilight.

"I can smell you!" she howled, beating her head against the bars.

Needless to say, this was frightening to the lavender mare, but what she saw next was beyond what she could bear. There, in cell seventy-four, a unicorn stallion hung from the bed post of the room's top bunk. He dangled there, motionless, his eyes closed; a smile on his face. Twilight shuddered. She didn't think things would be this bad.

"Here we are. Cell eighty-eight." Rusty opened the door and shoved Twilight inside. "Enjoy." With that, the earth pony walked away, snickering to himself.

Twilight looked around the room. Aside from the cement floor, a shanty bunk bed and a toilet was all she saw. Upon further inspection, Twilight found that bottom bunk's ragged blanket had a small, shivering lump.

"P...please don't hurt me, again," a small voice from under the blanket whimpered. Before Twilight could respond, a young colt emerged from underneath, his body covered in bruises and his eyes red with tears. He didn't look much older than Applebloom and her friends, though it looked like he hadn't eaten in weeks. Twilight sat next to the colt, causing him to pull the covers back over his head.

"What's your name, little one?" Twilight asked, sympathy heavy in her tone. Slowly, the foal pushed the blanket back and looked at Twilight questioningly.

"T-they call me Tweak. They say that I'm a bother to everypony I come in contact with due to my condition," he said, his voice devoid of life.

Twilight extended a hoof to him, but Tweak recoiled and whimpered. Though Twilight knew that Tweak had obviously been through a lot, she wanted to comfort him. She placed her hoof on his head and ruffled his shaggy brown mane.

"I'm Twilight Sparkle. It's a pleasure to meet you, Tweak."

Tweak scooted to the far corner of the bunk, a blank expression on his face. Twilight felt that maybe he would warm up if they had a conversation.

"So...why do they call you 'Tweak'?" she asked.

The foal looked at her, still huddled in the corner away from her. "I have...outbursts, sometimes. My mama dropped me off here a couple years ago. I haven't seen her since."

Tears fell from Tweak's eyes. His body shook with every sob he emitted. Twilight felt sorry for the poor little foal. Before she could reach over and give him a caring hug, a pony started banging on their door.

"Lunch time, crazies," the guard said, sliding a plate of a strange substance under the door, still holding onto it. Tweak ceased crying and darted toward the plate of food, his eyes resembling that of a starving dog rather than a pony. Before he could reach the food, the guard pulled the plate away, leading Tweak to crash headfirst into the metal bars. He cried out in pain and opened his eyes in time to see the guard throw the odd slab of food onto the ground and stamp on it. Tweak started to sob and the guard stepped as close to the door as he could. This was laughter Twilight had never heard before. For some strange reason, it seemed to be filled with pure and utter malice, like the guard was getting a kick out of seeing the foal cry. This was more than Twilight could handle.

Twilight shot towards the door and punched the guard with all of her might, knocking him back. The stallion rubbed his jaw, a mixture of surprise and rage evident in his expression. He pulled a small controller from his vest pocket similar to the controller Dr. Sunshine had showed her. With a press of a button, a powerful surge of electricity shot through Twilight's body. She screamed in agony as the intensity of the shocks seemed to set her coat ablaze and burn her insides. All the while, the guard smiled as Twilight fell to the floor, writhing in anguish. Twilight passed out before the shocks stopped.

When Twilight awoke, she felt two things: one was the soft padding beneath her and all around her. The second sensation was multiple hooves connecting with her body, the impacts rocking her to her very core. Looking around more, she noticed five guards pounding her into the padding, their faces full of hatred. At first, Twilight couldn't feel anything, but after she received a good kick to the face, every nerve in her body screamed in agony. A faint laughter could be heard throughout the entire room. Listening more closely, Twilight recognized the voice as Dr. Sunshine.

"That is enough, boys. I think Ms. Sparkle needs some alone time now."

With that, the guards left one by one, each taking the time to spit on the broken unicorn laying on the floor. When Sunshine closed the padded door, she tried to move her hooves. However, Twilight found that her front hooves were strapped around her torso by a peculiar looking white jacket.

"Ms. Sparkle. I was sure that you would be smarter than this. Fighting a guard on your first day? My my my, not off to a good start, are we?" Sunshine's voice echoed through the padded room. Scared, Twilight used her hind hooves to back herself into a corner of the room, hoping for safety. Looking up, one thing stood out from the soft, white padding of the room: an old, worn out speaker hung from the few wires it was still attached to.

"What the hay did you do to that poor colt? Why was he covered in bruises?"

Sunshine chuckled over the intercom. "I think you know exactly what happened. He had one of his little episodes, so we tried to cure him of his ailment."

"What kind of cure involves hurting ponies?!" Twilight snapped.

A disapproving noise came from over the intercom. "I don't like your tone, Ms. Sparkle. Why must you crazies always talk back to me?"

A tremendous jolt shot through Twilight's body like a bullet, making her brain momentarily go haywire. As Twilight recovered, the horrific cackle of Dr. Sunshine echoed over the room's intercom.

"Such a weak, pathetic thing you are. No wonder your friends wanted to be rid of you."

This puzzled the restrained mare. Her friends wanted her gone? It didn't make sense. "What are you talking about, Sunshine? My friends would never send to a place as disgusting as this."

A deep chuckle was her answer. "Please. With your blasphemies about the princesses, how could they not want to be rid of you?"

A new sound came over the intercom. It was a voice, but not Sunshine's voice. It was...

"Rainbow Dash?" asked Twilight, her eyes lighting up. Surely her marefriend would save her from this wretched place.

"Hey guys, we need to talk about Twilight," Dash said, her voice somber and stern.

"What about her?" Applejack's voice asked. "Is somethin' wrong?"

"I'll say there's something wrong," answered Dash, "she's spewing all this nonsense about the sun and moon controlling themselves. She's completely lost it."

Twilight couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her friends didn't believe her?

"Dash! You have to believe me!" Twilight cried.

The voices continued.

"Well what are we to do about it? We can't just recommend her to a good psychiatrist. She'll believe that something is awry," Rarity said.

Dash's voice sighed. "Desperate times call for desperate measures. I think we all know what we have to do to help our friend..."

A group of voices Twilight knew belonged to her friends gasped.

"Um, you don't mean that we send her...there, do you?" asked Fluttershy.

"Yeah. Come on, Dashie. There has to be another way," urged Pinkie, sounding uncharacteristically miserable.

"I'm sorry guys. This has to be done. I know that Twilight may be my marefriend, and I know that there are a lot of horror stories about...that place, but we don't have any other choice."

Tears fell down Twilight's face. This didn't sound like her friends, at all. Was this really how they felt about her new-found knowledge? Was this really how they felt about her?

"You see, Ms. Sparkle? Your friends have abandoned you. They all think you're insane. You know what the funny part is, though? They're right. You are insane. Have I ever told you the definition of insanity?"

Though Twilight was crying, she was confused by the doctor's response. Hadn't he already asked her that question, before?

"Your friends aren't the only ones who have abandoned you," the doctor said. A new voice entered Twilight's ears, one she had known since she was a foal.

"Shining? Is that you?" she asked, blinking the tears from her eyes. Twilight waited anxiously for her brother's voice, hoping that he would rescue her.

"I hate you, Twily..."

The mare's reddened eyes shot open. What did her brother say?

"I can't believe you. I thought you would be loyal to your teacher, yet you go and run your mouth about the celestial beings governing themselves. You are a despicable, useless, unintelligent little foal. If you ever get out of here, don't bother coming home; mom and dad have banned you from our household. Good riddance, you disgusting waste of space."

Loud sobs rocked Twilight's body as fresh tears fell down her face like two waterfalls. That couldn't have been Shining Armor, she thought. Though it did sound exactly like him...

The door to the padded cell opened, revealing Dr. Sunshine, a maniacal grin on his beak. Twilight sniffled.

"Did...did those voices really belong to my friends and brother?" she asked through sobs.

The doctor's look changed from one of sick delight to one of confusion. "What are you talking about? What voices, my dear?"

"My friends talked about me over the intercom and my brother spoke to me. I know they did!"

"Ms. Sparkle, I knew you were insane, but I had no idea you heard voices. Oh, how I adore curing ponies who hear voices. Lobotomy is such a fun procedure."

Though Twilight's eyes were red and puffy, they bulged at the word 'lobotomy'. The thought of having metal rods inserted through her eye sockets and messing with her brain made her queasy.

"Oh well. We will have to schedule that a few days from now. So many patients, so little time..." With this, he punched Twilight in the stomach and dragged her out of the room. Before the room left her sight, Twilight looked at the ceiling to where the speaker was. To her surprise, it was no longer there.

I couldn't have imagined that, she thought. Could I?

The doctor tossed Twilight back into her cell, a smile still on his face. She picked herself off the floor and brushed herself off, thankful that the straight jacket had been removed. A familiar foal popped out from underneath the bottom bunk's blanket, deep blue eyes red with tears.

"Why are you crying, Tweak?" Twilight asked.

The little pony sniffled and hugged Twilight's leg.

"Nopony has ever stuck up for me, before. My last roommate just took my food if the guard was ever nice enough to actually give it to me. Thank you, Twilight Sparkle." he said, hugging Twilight's leg even tighter.

The lavender unicorn stroked Tweak's mane, sighing happily. Suddenly, Tweak fell to the floor, thrashing about and screaming. Twilight recoiled at first, shocked by the foal's sudden outburst. When she realized the severity of the situation, however, she knelt down and held the foals head in place, making sure that he wouldn't damage himself permanently.

The sound of galloping hooves entered Twilight's ears, nervous chills rushing down her spine. Tweak's eyes were rolling back into his head, his mouth frothing. The galloping grew louder; voices joining in the chorus. Before Twilight could react, three guard ponies came to the door, malicious smiles on their faces. Twilight continued to hold Tweak's head as he relentlessly flail about. One of the guards chuckled as he fumbled with his keys and unlocked the door and jerked it open.

What happened next seemed like a blur to Twilight. Before she could turn to face the guards, a powerful hoof connected with her face, sending her sliding across the cold, concrete floor. Through the hair in front of her muzzle, Twilight opened her eyes to see two of the guards ruthlessly beating and kicking the poor foal as his seizure carried on.

Twilight looked upward to see the third guard staring down at her, one eye twitching and his expression contorted into a sickening smirk.

"Time for a little fun," he said, raising his hoof and bringing it down on Twilight's temple. The world began to spin, colors of all hues and intensities spiraling around in the mare's mind as the world finally turned to black.

Twilight awoke with a gasp. She didn't know what happened beyond the guard's hoof colliding with her head, but she did know that she had a splitting headache. Rubbing her temple tenderly, she cautiously looked around the room, hoping the guards were no longer present. To her relief, the door was locked and the guards were gone. Something seemed...off to Twilight. Besides the fact that she was propped up in the far corner of the cell, a musky, pungent scent hung in the air. It wasn't a pleasant smell to Twilight, but it certainly grabbed her attention.

Hmm. It smells like a mix of sweat and...and...

Twilight's eyes widened. She knew that scent. It couldn't be what she thought it was - it couldn't be! She slowly tilted her head toward the floor, hoping, praying that she was wrong.

There. Sitting between her haunches was a sizable pool of blood.

No...please, no... she thought. Twilight stared at the puddle, now knowing full well what happened while she was unconscious. The crimson puddle mocked her. It seemed to laugh at her, relishing in the unicorn's loss of innocence. A soft voice caused Twilight's ears to perk up, taking her attention away from both her physical and emotional pain.

"A-are you okay, Twilight Sparkle?" the little voice cooed from the beds. Twilight turned to find Tweak laying on the bottom bunk, his face and tiny body covered in fresh cuts and bruises. A sharp pain stabbed Twilight's heart; this foal had done nothing to deserve what he had gotten. Shakily standing on her hooves again, Twilight walked over to the bunk and sat down next to Tweak, tears forming in her eyes.

"Miss Twilight? Are you okay?" he asked again. Twilight looked at the battered foal. Though his body was all but destroyed, his eyes still held feeling; still held a child-like innocence. This was too much for Twilight to bear. She fell down next to Tweak, powerful sobs rocking her body to the core. Seeing Twilight in such a state caused sorrowful waterfalls to cascade down Tweak's muzzle, staining the ratty mattress under him. He flung his little arms around Twilight's neck, sobbing loudly with her.

Twilight wasn't quite sure how long they both lay there bawling their eyes out. She did realize that once their sobs had turned to nothing more than hushed whimpers, the guards were checking the cells to make sure they were locked for the night. With a sniffle, Twilight shifted into a sitting position to get a better view of the nightly routine of her captors. Tweak protested the absence of Twilight's warmth in his sleep, causing the unicorn to smile warmly. This foal seemed to be taking a liking to her.

Getting up and pulling the patchy-linen blanket over the sleeping colt, Twilight couldn't help but giggle. He looked so peaceful despite the days past events. Remembering all that Tweak had been through that day and what he had surely been through the entirety of his stay there, a tear trickled down Twilight's cheek. How could anypony hurt such a pure, defenseless creature? A loud banging on the cell door snapped Twilight from her sympathy-induced trance.

"Dinner time, freaks," the guard said, sliding a plate under the bars. It was the same thing Twilight had seen earlier that day: a reddish slab of food, surrounded by brownish-red juice. Looking closer, Twilight noticed that it was charred in some places, indicating that it had been cooked or grilled.

"What is this?" asked Twilight.

The guard put on a wicked smile. "Something the doctor likes to call 'Soylent Green'. He loves the stuff."

"What is it, though?"

"Why don't you just eat the damn thing and quite your whining," the guard huffed as her walked away, his keys jingling.

Twilight sighed. Everypony there seemed to be hiding a plethora of knowledge from her. She'd figure out a plan of action to find out what exactly it was that these ponies were hiding. Her stomach growled, causing Twilight to blush. She hadn't realized how hungry she was. Looking back at the slab of...something, she decided to save half for Tweak when he woke up. She attempted to use her magic to carry the object to her lips, then realized that she no longer possessed her past abilities. She sat down on the concrete and picked up the hunk with her hooves, juice dripping down her arms. Twilight ignored this and took an experimental bite.

It was disgusting, but she had certainly had worse. This was unlike anything she had ever tasted in her life. It tasted nothing like a plant, at all. She looked more closely at the reddish interior of the slab, studying the juices that seeped out when she squeezed it. Twilight was irate that she had nothing to document this fascinating find with, but she figured a mental note would be enough. She took another bite, and then another, and then another. Twilight set the slab back down when she had had her fill, still unsure of what exactly she had just eaten.

Surprisingly, Tweak had remained asleep when the guard had struck the bars of the door. Twilight got back to her hooves and lay down next to Tweak, wrapping her hooves around him. Tweak seemed to notice this, turning in his sleep and nuzzling into the unicorn, smiling slightly. Twilight smiled warmly at the young foal and fell asleep embracing him.

"Twilight! Get up!" Tweak cried, shaking the unicorn in question.

"Huh? Tweak? What's going on?" she asked, drowsiness still evident in her tone. When she had fully opened her eyes, she noticed the foal grimacing and pointing to her stomach. Her eyes nearly popped out of her head when she noticed what Tweak was pointing to. There, near her lower abdomen, was a large bulge. Slowly placing a hoof on the bulge, Twilight hoped that this wasn't what she thought it was.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Twilight was horrified. She cried out, falling out of the bottom bunk onto her back and clamoring into the corner of the cell farthest from Tweak. A low gurgling sound came from the growth, followed by a forceful kick against her inner lining. It was a foal. A foal...was inside her.

"Let me out!" squealed a high-pitched voice.

Twilight froze. She...didn't hear that. She couldn't have heard it. That couldn't have just happened. She painstakingly turned her head downward toward the bulge. Tiny indents were created every time a tiny hoof would connect with her insides.

"I want to live! Let me out!" the voice cried again.

Twilight slowly shook her head side to side mumbling. "No, no, no. Please no. This can't be happening."

The foal kicked harder, eliciting a scream of pain from Twilight. Tears were running down her face now. Utterly in shock, Twilight had forgotten to tell Tweak to get help.

"Tweak! Please get-" she said before her voice caught in her throat. Looking at Tweak, she saw that her was held in place by the cement of the floor. The poor foal struggled to break free, but to no avail. The foal kicked again, sending Twilight into spasms of agony on the cold, unforgiving floor. She wailed loudly, screaming for the pain to stop.

She got her wish. The foal kicked again, only this time, it didn't stay inside. It kicked through Twilight's stomach,it's bloody hoof protruding like a cyst. A second hoof emerged from inside. The two appendages forced Twilight's belly open farther, allowing the foal room to escape. Slowly but surely, it stepped out of Twilight's open abdominal cavity.

Twilight gaped at the monstrosity that had escaped her womb. Whatever that...thing was, it wasn't a pony. It wasn't like any creature she had ever seen. It stared directly at the struggling Tweak with black, soulless eyes. It hissed like a snake around it's multiple rows of serrated teeth. The bat-like ears on it's head twitched as it crouched, preparing to pounce on it's prey.

Before Twilight could say anything through her immeasurable agony, the creature leaped onto Tweak, ripping him to shreds as he screamed in protest. A sea of crimson seemed to pass over the cell, coating the walls and all that was within them in a fresh scarlet.

The creature turned around and slowly walked back towards it mother, teeth barred and a low growling sound coming from deep within it's throat. With nowhere to escape, Twilight awaited the beast's move. It drew closer and closer until she could smell it's breath; it smelled disturbingly similar to when she found the pool of blood between her legs. It let loose a hellish roar in her face, splattering blood all over Twilight's muzzle.

Twilight closed her eyes and braced herself for the beast's inevitable attack. With a low chuckle, the beast sank it's teeth into Twilight's flesh.

"No!" Twilight screamed, springing into a sitting position. Panting, she looked around the cell. She could tell it was morning since the guards were making their rounds. Cold sweat dripped off her body and moistened the sheet beneath her. A sudden realization occurred to her, prompting her to look down at her stomach; everything was as it should be. With a sigh of relief, Twilight got out of bed. She looked back to the bed and saw that Tweak was still there, sleeping like a newborn foal.

She smiled and kissed Tweak tenderly on the forehead. Twilight had grown attached to this foal over the past day or so she'd been in that wretched facility. She wasn't sure why, but this colt was special to her. She had urges to hug him, kiss his wounds, and comfort him. Twilight was beginning to see Tweak as her foal, to provide protection and solace for his broken spirit.

Tweak yawned and lazily opened his eyes. When he noticed Twilight beaming back at him, Tweak pulled the blanket over his head. The mare frowned and pulled the blanket back, revealing a blushing Tweak. Smiling warmly, Twilight kissed his forehead, causing Tweak's blush to brighten immensely. She sat down next to the foal curled into a ball and stroked his mane.

"It's okay, Tweak," she said in a relaxing tone, "I'm not going to hurt you."

"I know," Tweak mumbled. He attempted to look back at Twilight, but quickly looked away when tears formed in his eyes.

"What's wrong?"

"You wouldn't want to be around me anymore if I told you," said Tweak, speaking a bit more clearly.

Twilight wrapped her hooves around the foal. "I have a pretty good idea of what you're going to say, so you can say it. I won't be mad."

Tweak turned his head away. "I...wanted to say that..."

"...that you like me?"

She was answered by Tweak hugging her around the neck and crying softly. "I do. I like you, Twilight Sparkle. Please don't hate me."

Twilight hugged back, rubbing the foals back as he cried. "It's okay, Tweak. I understand. I don't hate you. I kinda see you as my foal, so I'm here to protect you."

"Really?" asked the foal, looking into Twilight's eyes.

"I do."

"Will...will you be my mother?"

With a radiant smile, Twilight kissed his forehead again. "Of course, Tweak."

The two of them hugged and cried what what felt like the longest time, eventually falling asleep in each other's embrace.

When Twilight awoke, she realized that it was late evening since the guards were gone. She look at the smiling foal she held and grinned. She liked his company - no - she loved his company. He made this ordeal so much more bearable for her. As her thoughts wandered, they kept coming back to two things: Tweak, and that odd substance they had eaten. She didn't want to leave Tweak there by himself, but this seemed like a good opportunity to finally find out what "Soylent Green" was.

She approached the bars of the door. Rubbing her hooves together, she attempted to pry them open, but to no avail. Suddenly, an idea popped into her head. Unscrewing a nail from the mirror above the sink, Twilight took her makeshift lockpick to the door. She carefully extended her hoof through the bars and inserted the nail into the lock on the door, wiggling it until she heard a satisfying click.

Sliding open the door without creating any sound was more difficult than Twilight had anticipated. Inch by inch, the door creaked and groaned as it was slowly opened enough for Twilight to safely walk through. Gazing down the long, dark hallways, Twilight realized how large the building was and how many patients it actually held.

The kitchen, she thought, that's where I need to go.

The unicorn crept through the empty walkways with the utmost caution, wary of any noise she heard. Upon approaching one of the many stairwells, a sign was held stating the different functions of the floors and their numbers. The kitchen was on the first floor. Twilight sighed, knowing that she was currently on the eighth floor. This didn't deter her, however, from making the trip down the several flights of stairs.

When she reached the first floor, her breath caught in her throat. A lone guard had almost shined his flashlight directly on her. As the guard moved past, Twilight maneuvered her way into the hallway in front of her, trying her best not breathe noisily. Proceeding through the corridor at a snail's pace, Twilight checked every door sign until she found one saying: "Kitchen Area. Staff Only."

Creaking the door open, Twilight entered and immediately covered her nose. The stench was horrible. Though the smell was almost enough to make her vomit, Twilight didn't leave her cell in the middle of the night for nothing. She started to enter the room when a hoof tapped her on the back. Twilight nearly jumped out of her skin. Turning around, she expected to find a guard who would most likely do unspeakable things to her, but instead found Tweak looking up at her.

"What are you doing out of bed, Twilight? If they catch us-"

Twilight put a hoof over the colt's mouth, shushing him.

"We will get caught if you keep talking that loudly," she whispered harshly.

Tweak looked to the ground, a guilty look on his face. Twilight knelt down and hugged him.

"Hey, Tweak. It's okay. I'm just doing a bit of exploring."

"Can...can I come, too?"

"Sure."

The two ponies entered the room. Tweak gagged, the smell overwhelming him. Twilight continued into the kitchen, crouching low to the floor. All around, hunks of Soylent Green hung from hooks attached to the ceiling, red and dripping with juice. The cabinets holding the various cookware were made of steel, reflecting the intruders as they passed. Peeking above the metal counter, Twilight nearly screamed. A segment of Soylent Green was protruding from the pale blue leg of a pony hanging on a hook. Hanging on the hooks next to it were the other three legs and the chest cavity, fur cut off in some places. Twilight looked over to find the decapitated head sitting on a cutting board.

An earth pony in a bloody apron came in one of the doors, whistling to himself. He picked up the butcher knife next to the head and started hacking away, whistling a cheerful tune all the while.

"What's going on up there?" Tweak whispered.

Twilight didn't answer as she stealthily moved behind the earth pony. Looking at the lit burner on the stove, Twilight formed a sickening idea. She grasped the head of the earth pony and drove it into the flames. Twilight turned up the dial to the maximum amount and held the pony there, his limbs waving madly as his face was being cooked. Eventually, the cook stopped flailing and stiffened, his last breath escaping his charred lips.

She let go of the earth pony, allowing his body to flop onto the floor. Twilight looked back to Tweak, a look of horror plastered on his muzzle. Tweak began to back away, but Twilight walked up to him and hugged him.

"I did that to save us, Tweak. We're okay now."

Tweak hesitantly hugged back at first, but soon embraced his new mother with enthusiasm.

"Thank you, Twilight," he said.

Twilight smiled. Suddenly, a thought occurred to her. If she wanted to, she could go to the control center and unlock all of the gates, setting everypony free. Nopony deserved to serve time in this horrid place.

That's not a good idea, Twilight said to herself.

Yes it is, Twilight, another voice in her head interjected. Twilight froze. How could she have a second conscience? Was it her own voice conflicting with her mind?

Are you my conscience? Twilight asked.

You could call me that, the voice said.

You really do think it's a good idea?

It's the best idea you've had in quite some time, the voice responded.

Taking the voice's advice, Twilight held Tweak's hoof and pulled him through the door the cook had come through. A plush office room greeted them. Several television monitors covered the far wall, showing many key areas of the facility. At the desk sat a familiar face to Twilight: it was Dr. Sunshine.

Twilight crept closer to the desk, making sure not to rustle the soft fibers of the carpet. Getting back to her hooves next to the table, she saw that the doctor was asleep in his chair, snoring loudly. She rolled her eyes and examined the layout of the buttons. She spotted one that said 'Lockdown' and one that said 'Evacuation' immediately being that they were the most brightly colored of the bunch.

In one swift movement, Twilight slammed her hoof down on the evacuation button, grabbed Tweak, and rushed out of the door. A piercing siren rang through the building as every cell opened, allowing every patient the freedom they craved. Sunshine's eyes shot open, bloodshot and seething with rage.

As patients left the building in droves, the guards ran after them, the siren still resounding all the while. Some patients stayed behind to fight their oppressors, but were quickly dispatched by the well-armed guards. Utter pandemonium broke out within the walls of the asylum. A resounding chorus of breaking limbs, metal slicing flesh, and cries of shock, anger, and fear.

Twilight ran down hallway after hallway, knowing that Sunshine was following, his furious voice echoing behind her. She didn't know where she was going, all she knew was that she had to get away from him - to get away evil itself. Rounding a corner and maneuvering around a pile of patients brutally pummeling a pleading guard pony, Twilight spotted a janitors closet. As quick as a flash, she swung the door open and pulled Tweak inside, shutting the door forcefully. It smelled of unwashed garments, but being in that room was better than what awaited them in the hall.

"Oh Twilight," Sunshine called in a sing-song voice, "Where are you?"

Both ponies were breathing heavily in the dark, contained room. Twilight thought that if her heart beat any faster, it would stop altogether. Tweak tried to say something, but Twilight clasped her hoof over his mouth, keeping him silent.

"You can't hide from me, Twilight," the doctor said in a cheerful tone, "I can smell your fear. I know exactly where you are."

All of a sudden, Tweak started to squirm and thrash about. Twilight held her hoof tighter over his mouth, muffling his shrieks and cries. Twilight knew that he was having one of his episodes and her mind raced to find a solution before Sunshine found them.

Kill him.

Twilight froze. She hadn't just thought of that.

Kill him.

The unicorn shook her head, whispering: "No...I can't."

You can. Snap his neck right now. One little twist and *pop!** he's dead. Do it.*

"I won't do it," whispered Twilight, tears flowing freely.

You can. It's your only option. Do it. DO IT!

"I'm...I'm sorry, Tweak. I love you."

With one quick jerk, Twilight snapped the colt's neck. A muffled whimper was the only sound that came from Tweak as he drifted off into eternal sleep.

Realizing what she had just done, Twilight instinctively screamed and backed away from Tweak's body, her back now resting against the door. A burst of light entered the room as the door was opened, revealing Dr. Sunshine.

"Hello there," he said with a smile.

Twilight pushed him aside and ran past, running away from the doctor and away from her hellish deed. Briefly disoriented, the doctor regained his composure and chased after the renegade mare, his lab coat billowing behind him. Twilight had to get away. She had to escape this vile place, whatever the cost.

Running around what seemed like the hundredth corner of identical hallways, Twilight spotted a landmark: the black door. She ran up to it and hesitated. What was beyond this door? Would it lead to freedom? Death?

She didn't care anymore. Summoning her strength, she kicked open the door and ran inside, coming face to face with a massive furnace. It was a dead end. The doctor would come in any minute. He was out there, almost to the door. Making a split second decision, Twilight grabbed a nearby chair and propped the head underneath the door handle. When Sunshine tried to open the door, he found that it was stuck. He roared in fury as he repeatedly rammed into the door, colliding with the solid wall of pitch black steel.

Twilight knew it wouldn't hold him back for long. She had to think of something. Fast! Her attention turned to the flaming furnace. She approached the hinged opening, the heat bringing warmth to her freezing bones and nerves.

Jump in.

No. That's insane.

You ARE insane. Do it!

I'm not insane. I can't be.

After what you've done here, you're insane to think you're not. Do it! It's the only way.

"Make the voices stop!" Twilight cried. She opened the door to her demise and crawled into the furnace. She cried out in agony as she was slowly cooked alive. Her throat sealed shut, her skin melted away, and the life left her body in one last breath.

Twilight was nothing more than a speck floating through the vastness of space. She was truly at peace. She wasn't sure why her conscience still existed, but she didn't care. She was finally free of her torture.

"Going somewhere?" a demonic voice asked, chuckling.

In front of Twilight stood the beast that had emerged from her womb, it's jagged teeth forming a devilish grin, and it's jet black eyes staring into her soul.

"What...what do you want?" Twilight asked.

The beast laughed. "I'm here to tell you that it's not your time to be with me, yet. A very important creature still has plans for you. Once he's done having his fun, then you can visit me again. I do get lonely here."

When he said this, fire erupted all around him, hitting Twilight with the greatest amount of pain she had ever received. She didn't have the ability to scream, cry, or even blink as the inferno seemed to consume her. The fire dissipated and the beast chuckled.

"Until we meet again, Twilight Sparkle."

Twilight's eyes opened as she sucked in an enormous gulp of air. Breathing heavily, she looked around. She was in a square, brick room. She was strapped down to a metal gurney, her skin charred and her fur and hair all but gone.

"Greetings, Twilight Sparkle," said a familiar voice. Twilight looked towards the source of the voice to find Dr. Sunshine standing next to an I.V. stand, a wicked grin on his beak.

"What happened?" asked Twilight, her voice raspy and barely audible.

Sunshine tilted his head to floor, laughing with his eyes closed. He looked back up at Twilight, showing off his polished, blood-stained beak.

"Nothing important, just a slight riot in the facility. It is really not much to write home about. However, you did attempt to kill yourself to escape me."

He slowly walked to the gurney and gripped in edge with his talons, causing the metal to groan and shriek in protest. Leaning in so that the tip of his sanguinary beak touched the end of Twilight's nose, a deep chuckle escaped his mouth, allowing Twilight to smell his horrid, metallic breath. His eyes stared into what was left of her soul and a sick, twisted smile formed on his beak.

"Did you honestly think death would come that easily?"