What Friends Are For

[click]

Rainbow it's uh been a while.

...

How do you find this place?.

I prefer the prison.

You don't like it here?

Of course I don't Like it here nopony does!

Tell me why you don't like it.

Jail is where I belong, I don't like it there either but in there everypony knows I've done something bad and should be locked for it. Here I'm locked up for doing something bad sure only I have to listen to doctors telling me that they'll make things better for me, things will never be better not unless I can go back in time and change what I did.

Rainbow this isn't about you or Pinkie, You were transferred here because you've been screaming every middle of the night.

So I've been having a few bad dreams what about it?

Having bad dreams everyday isn't a good thing, what happens in them?

Why're so interested?!

I hear you scream every night Rainbow... it scares me.

(silence)

Rainbow Dash all of our friends are here too.

Really... and Pinkie?

Yes she's here too but not as you remember

What do you mean?

(sighs) It's true that you didn't really kill pinkie but she’s not same anymore. She doesn't trust me or anypony else, I haven't seen her smile once since that day.

Re-really?... you mean?

Yes she been really upset since you tried to kill her, she doesn't want to make ponies laugh anymore she just wants to stay away from them forever.

(silence)

Rainbow?

I...I didn't

[click]

What happened next made the purple unicorn cease her recording session, she could note down anything that might occur later.  Rainbow Dash was still present in the room sitting in front of Twilight, hooves pressed against her eyelids she let loose a throaty wail of suppressed emotions. Twilight came over to the cyan pegasus softly wrapping her arms around her to provide some comfort. Rainbow didn't refuse it's been long since she felt any friendly contact, especially from somepony who she thought would've neglected her for her actions.

"It's okay Rainbow, it's okay" Even though that wasn't true somehow it felt good to know that Twilight still cared about her, she felt the need let out all of her sins to the one friend who listens to her now. "I...I almost killed Pinkie...and I...just ran away... I should have helped her, say I was sorry anything to let her know that I didn't mean for this to happen". Rainbow held her unicorn friend close hoping she would understand her. "You ran away because you thought you were a danger to her and maybe the rest of us, you didn’t know that you hurt even more when you left her ". The cyan pony continued her sobbing damping Twilight’s shoulder. "Your dreams have something to do with this don't they?" The sobs of the cyan mare were fading but were still there her throat dried up from all her cries "They just won't leave me alone, they keep coming back every night I see Pinkie offering me a cupcake and then she takes me to her basement and she cuts me open she rips out my organs and... every dream is like this. Every time I sleep she cuts me and when I’m awake she just waits for me to come back". Twilight guessed that Rainbow’s dreams would involve Pinkie but she never imagined them to be so horrible, it makes murder a trivial thing. "Rainbow all of our friends are here and they aren’t themselves either. Rainbow's tears dried up but still the sadness lingered though it became a calm sadness, "really?”.

“Yeah I think they deserve to know the reason for what happened"

"I...I don’t know"

“Listen break starts in an hour you and I can go outside we might find Applejack there maybe you two could maybe play basketball”. For the first in ages Rainbow Dash smiled.

Twilight and Rainbow made their way to the asylum grounds, there was a sitting area where ponies would chill or chat with some the friends they made here, a basketball field to which many stallions played in and also a garden area where patients could water some plants. Rainbow Dash would often be on her own whenever she came out here, avoiding any interaction with anypony, but Twilight standing by her made her feel more confident  her friends might have saved some harsh unforgiving remarks for her since she disappeared from Ponyville. In the sitting area there was Applejack sitting uncomfortable on a bench, her legs shaking and her head hanging low keeping her vision on the ground. Twilight noticed Rainbow looking as uneasy as Applejack though for a different reason, "Do you want to talk to her or do want me to first then you" Twilight asked her unenthusiastic friend, "You go first that'll give me time" Rainbow dejected as she placed herself on a nearby bench.

Twilight left her cyan friend for the moment and began to approach the farm pony, Applejack lifted her "Howdy Twi", she greeted as best as could.

"Hey Applejack, how are you holding up" she said in response as she sat herself next to the farm pony.

"Aw ya know just trying ma best ta cope without any drinks so not so good really" said the unhappy mare, returning her head to the low hanging state.

"You'll will get through this you're a strong pony" Twilight said giving her a small pat to her back, "Thanks sugarcube" Applejack with no change in her tone.

A natural silence fell upon the two, twilight made glances between her two friends standing far apart noticing their nervous retractions from each other’s sight. "How's Rainbow?" Applejack finally broke out.

"I had an interview with her and she had a breakdown, she's really upset about what she did before".

"Oh ah bet she is awright" Applejack muttered sarcastically, this didn't escape the unicorn but she decided to ignore her statement and started to tell her farmer friend everything that Rainbow confessed to her. It took a while for Applejack to feel any remorse for her judgement against the pony who she assaulted when she found out the cause of Pinkie's near death wound. She always assumed her cyan friend had turned evil for no reason and didn't think to question why. Considering the problems she had right now, there was no room for the blame game.

"Ah don't know what ta say" Applejack finally said.

"You'll have to talk to Rainbow, she's right there", Applejack looked in the direction where Twilight hoof was pointing and sure enough Rainbow remained on the same bench though she pretended to not notice the two ponies talking about her.

"Ah don't know sugarcube maybe now's not the time" Applejack said nervously, Twilight expected this but she knew that Rainbow making amends with Applejack would be a good start and she also knew her denial now might mean she'll never attempt to talk the athletic pony.

"Don't forget you've actually killed two ponies from alcohol influence since then you been living her life with regret and misery, believing that everypony you ever loved or cared about would never forgive you, Rainbow Dash is no different". Silence, Applejack lowered her eyes but otherwise wore an almost convincing poker face.

"Listen I'm gonna look for Fluttershy she'd maybe like to know of rainbow as well".

"Ya'll find her in the labyrinth that's where she always goes" Applejack said with a wave of her hoof, directing it to the garden.

"Thanks just please talk to her", Applejack didn't respond, Twilight went over to Rainbow and informed her of what she said and allowed her to do the rest. Then she left her companions to their talk or silence whichever would come to pass.

The gardens was set up to look similar to the royal Canterlot gardens only less open spaced and no presence of any critters, the only animals there were wild birds that came and flew away from time to time, some would often return to visit they're recently befriended mare. The caretaker preferred to be on her own when it came to strangers so she spent most of her time in the labyrinth, which is where the unicorn would find her as Applejack advised. The labyrinth was a small, circular maze that would tower even Celestia, it was made as a sanctuary for the shy pony. The young unicorn gingerly took her first steps into unfamiliar territory, sneaking wasn't an option even if intended one of Fluttershys bird friends would've already spotted the intruder and warned her. The Pegasus wouldn't consider Twilight under such a name but if the unicorn were to approached her the wrong way she could trigger a violent outburst. She took turns and twists into same areas she found herself in, two, three times?, either way not one small glimpse of yellow or any colour other than green or brown was shown. She felt engulfed in this accursed labyrinth, "how hard is it to find a pegasus in the same place she always goes to" Twilight said to herself in an irritated tone. Sooner than expected a sound was heard, not a whimper or a squeak or any sound expected of the caretaker, this was a muffled sound, finding it's source wasn't difficult for Twilight to locate but the source brought her into an instant freeze.

She saw a bloody stallion crawling on the ground like a lost baby, his eyes red and swollen with blood, a strip of cloth lounged into his mouth, suffocating him. Panicking, the unicorn rushed over to the stallion bringing a hoof to his shoulder letting him know he's with someone "Somepony help!" she shouted while using her magic to remove the cloth from his mouth, he puffed out a breath followed by a few coughs."What happened?" Twilight asked moving her hoof away from him. "M-my-my eyes" he brought both his hooves within his eyeline though they barely made contact. He desperately grabbed Twilight's coat in a pleading manner "P-please he-help me". More horrified than ever the young mare was given a full up close view of the stallion's eyes drenched in still wet blood running down his face. Cold sweat began to moisture on twilight's face, she tried to fight the oncoming dizziness but she couldn't look away from the blood, eventually she leaned sideways and began to faint.

A blurred vision slowly cleared itself granting the purple mare with a familiar sight, although it was dark her eyes began to adjust itself in the blackness. She began observing the environment of her location strangely she was in Fluttershy's cottage, yes everything about this place had the kind welcome feeling that always fell upon any living thing that entered it much like it's owner. She lifted herself from the couch that she lay on, she trotted over to the staircase door, she turned the door knob to reveal a set of stairs drenched in darkness that lead to a dim light which only showed a wooden floor. She descended downstairs with a feeling of excitment as if she were a filly waking up on hearth warmers day. She found herself in a dirt filled dimly lit room, in the centre of the room was a gray coated silver maned pegasus, her hoofs tied up, limbs spread firmly wide, her wings held by some grapple hooks she hang there lifelessly. Still dazed she lazily lifted her head trying to look for any sight known to her, the darkness was alien to her, the need to know what's going on combined with her inability to move or voice any questions put her in a slight confused panic. Twilight enjoyed the sight of her helpless victim and was ready for much more, she trotted over to a wheeled tray of unorganised surgical tools and some vegetable oil, she immediately took out a syringe to inject her victim with. She approached the pegasus who regained full conscious noticing the things that held her she hopelessly tried free herself.

"Been a while hasn't it Cloudchaser?" Twilight said innocently. The pegasus shot her head up in fright at the sudden voice, face to face with Twilight she stared at her captor in horror and disbelief. "No, no, no, no, why me? What am I doing here?”, she asked in a hoarse yell, "Nothing personal dear...well maybe a little but for the most part I feel like this has to be done for my sake". Cloudchaser was still trying to escape her bounds and same result as before no success only the straining feeling around her wrists. "Look if it's because of how I treated you before I'm sorry okay I'm really, really sorry just don't kill me please!" Twilight giggled childishly to her own enjoyment of seeing her pitiful victim begging, 'actually pathetic seems to fit more than pitiful, Twilight thought to herself. She placed her right hoof on the back of back of Cloudchaser's neck, softly stroking her mane. "Shh shh shh shh it's okay, you did nothing wrong" she said in a soothing tone which seemed to have slowed the pegasus's heavy breathing, with the syringe in her other hoof she forced the needle into the left side of her neck. Cloudchaser let out a short cry of shock and pain followed by a panic filled panting. "Just so you know that's adrenaline I put into you so you don't pass out from the things I'll be doing to you", Cloudchaser still fought against her bounds though it proved no effort all she could do was feel for oncoming torture. "Hmm those wings remarkable strong yet sensitive like all pegasi, I wonder if you are the same", Twilight said as she began to massage her left wing with care, Cloudchaser didn't like was about to come, Twilight pulled out one feather and another, and another. As she went on Cloudchaser started to make slight twitches and a few sharp breath intakes, she was teasing her sooner or later she would be in for some real pain. Twilight stopped her actions and went over get the vegetable oil, Cloudchaser didn't bother to notice she only hoped that this was just some bad dream hoping she would wake up soon, though the pain was trivial it was enough to prove that is was real. Twilight returned to her victim this time she faced her right wing, "I heard you like to rub your wings in oil for your coltfriend, let's how sexy you look with some on you" Twilight said in sultry tone as she unscrewed the lid from the vegetable oil. Cloudchaser felt confused as well as sceptic to what her captor had just said, "okay seriously what the bu-" she failed to finish her sentence as she felt a pair of oil covered hooves begin to massage her wing. She didn't know what was going on was but she felt more and more turned on as her captor very delicately continued to cover every bit of her wing in oil, not too much and not too little. Cloudchaser took a strong intake of breath through her nose then a long release through the mouth, her wings stiffened despite the pain from the grapple hooks holding them, she quietly moaned. Twilight felt pleased with her skills and Cloudchaser's approval "You want me to do the other wing?", Twilight asked still keeping her sultry tone, "yes" Cloudchaser said, accepting this treatment that seemed to have come out of nowhere. Twilight began rubbing the other wing like she did the other one trying to cover every feather, all thoughts Cloudchaser had from before diminished with every moan she let out. Finished Twilight went over to get something else from the tray "I have another surprise for you, wait a sec" Cloudchaser protested in a small whine though she was eager for some real action. Her eyes widened in horror as saw what Twilight brought before her, finally realizing what the oil was really for, in Twilight hooves was an open matchbox, she smiled evilly at the look on Cloudchaser's face. She scratched the end of match igniting the flames, she came over to Cloudchaser's left wing, she placed the tip of the flame just above the lowest point feather "No wait pl-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" The flames spread at a fast pace, burning every feather and then the wing bone, Twilight quickly ignited the other wing which spread as fast as the previous one. Cloudchaser shrieked from the pain she suffered, Twilight cast away her match and observed her work with a small grin. "Fluttershy please stop!" Cloudchaser begged with all she could muster Twilight shook her head with a quiet chuckle in response to her victim's plea.

Twilight awoke with a start, breathing heavily, sweat pouring down her face she looked around to see she was back at the asylum in one of the medical wards laying in a bed. One pony noticed her just waking up, Nurse Redheart a white coat, light pink maned mare she went over to the startled unicorn.

"Twilight you're awake, how do you feel?" she said, placing her hoof across Twilight's forehead.

"I'm fine I just... well I" Twilight couldn't finish her sentence, she felt like she had just returned from a long journey.

"It's okay Twilight, take your time then tell what you remember" Redheart asked, removing her hoof from Twilight's head.

"I was in the labyrinth trying to find one of my patients then I saw somepony lying on the ground and-" Twilight stopped herself she completely forgot about the stallion she found in the labyrinth up until now.

"What about the stallion I found is he okay?" she asked in worried panic, the nurse placed a hoof on the unicorn's shoulder

"He's going to be fine dear, it's not your fault, but he is in real shock and has been blinded from the incident so he won't be working here anymore" The nurse said as she got out a plastic cup and refilled with water from the sink. "You only fainted after seeing the stallion it's likely because of the blood you saw on him so you should be fine" she gave the cup to Twilight which she gladly accepted taking a big gulp of it. "What about Fluttershy? Did you find her?" Twilight asked

"Fluttershy was already inside when you called for help, do you think she might have something to do with this?"

"No... when I saw the stallion his eyes were still gushing blood which means it happened recently, Fluttershy wouldn't have had enough time to do something like that then go back inside within a few minutes, so either the stallion did it to himself or somepony else did".

"Rest assured we'll find the pony who did it don't worry, now get some rest you've had quite a day" Nurse Redheart said as she left the room, both ponies waving goodbye to each other. Alone the unicorn was, not really tired or sleepy, the dream she had early put off any thoughts but she didn't feel getting out of her bed either, "Yes might as well rest for a bit" Twilight said to herself.