What Friends Are For

Time passed as Twilight remained silent in her bed, deprived of any need for sleep. The other ponies that resided in the same room as her felt otherwise as they slept soundly in their beds. This left the young doctor with nothing but unwanted quietness and uninteresting sights of medical machinery, which ultimately failed to occupy her mind.

Silence never bothered the unicorn, mostly because during moments like this, she would usually have a book to read which mostly occurred whenever she was in her own office during break hours. Ever since she made this place her temporary home, she lived by the rules similar to the ones she enforced in her library. Always use indoor voices, organize to an extent, and of course she would treat her room like it was her own library. In reality, it may seem strange and unnecessary; but in Twilight's own world, it was as if she hadn't left her home, and was still a librarian.

With the amount of time she spent awake, she began to think slightly more clearly about the events that occurred a few hours ago. Re-thinking about her witness to the stallion's injuries, Twilight convinced herself that it was no self act (which she foolishly said otherwise to Nurse Redheart); still she was no closer to deducing any possible identities of the attacker, or any motives.

The attacker wasn't her problem, by now the staff would have called the police to investigate. Twilight was allowed a small but unpromising relief from her worry, before another thought crawled into her mind. The dream. Twilight, though fascinated by how dreams work, still saw them as nothing more than a slideshow of vivid images that were played by the brain’s subconscious . Rainbow Dash doesn't see it that way though a voice said out loud in her head. The young doctor thought back to her rainbow friend, she couldn't but compare her dream to Rainbow's haunting nightmares. Not only were the nightmares horrifying but they described as realistic. Somehow, Twilight's dream also felt real; the venomous words she said to her victim, the feel of her oil covered hooves stroking Cloudchaser's wings, the burning heat radiating on her coat... it all felt so real. I sounded like Fluttershy, but thought and acted as if I was somepony else... why? Her file says she did kill Cloudchaser and a few other pegasi, but did it really happen like that? Why would I dream about something Fluttershy did? Why did it feel so real, would she hav-

Twilight stopped herself from hopelessly trying to answer her onslaught of self questions, realizing that she was making a big deal out of something that could just be a minor coincidence. "It was only a dream Twilight...a weird dream sure, but it's not like you've never had those before." Twilight whispered to herself in a calm tone, encouraging herself to ease into bed and put her thoughts to rest for now.

A voice interrupted her short-lived comfort. It belonged to a skinny, ginger coated, rose maned mare, and like all doctors she had the professional look and the necessary experience. She was the only earth pony doctor in the asylum and always spoke in a Scottish accent which helped separate her from the others.

“Dr Sparkle, you’ve been checked out, so you're free to go. However the police arrived a few minutes ago, and since you're a witness, you’re wanted for questioning I wouldn't keep them waiting.". Twilight jumped out of her bed and went out of the room before the earth pony doctor could say anything else. "It's alright Dr Shockwall all I have to do is answer some questions and that's it".

Dr Shockwall and Twilight were merely familiar faces to each other, and rarely made conversation that would be considered friendly. "Well, I should probably take you there. After all, I've also to been called to answer them as well."

"Why's that?"

"The stallion that got attacked was one of my orderlies, and they'll need to know what I know about him and anything he did before the incident"

"Oh...I'm sorry that he won't working here anymore"

"Well as long as he's alive. Besides, he didn't like his job anyway, he always thought that this asylum would only further disgrace this town more than it already has been".

"So why did he decide to work here?".

"He told me he once grew up here, back when it was was more peaceful. I could only imagine how he felt when he came back to find it like this. I think he wanted to make sure that this asylum idea works, though I've never asked much of his personal life".

"He is going to be okay though, right?"

"Yeah, like I said he's still alive, but then again I don't how he'll cope without his eyes"

The whole walk brought the two doctors to the grounds just outside the labyrinth. There were a number of police ponies surrounding the outer walls, and a few entering the maze while carrying certain police equipment. By the looks of it, they were already setting up a crime scene.

Two stallion police ponies took notice of the now present doctors, and approached them with strict professionalism.

"Which one of you is the witness?" One of the police asked. Twilight raised her hoof to her eye level in response. "And you are?" asked the same the police stallion, directing his attention to Dr Shockwall. "I'm associated with the victim; he was my orderly".

"Alright we'll come to you second, if you’ll just wait here for a bit"

Dr Shockwall didn't need to answer as the police stallions escorted Twilight back indoors, where she was gestured to take a seat before the one of the stallions whipped out his notepad and writing pen.

"Alright, Dr Sparkle is it? Can you start from the beginning please".

Twilight told the police stallions everything that she could remember from before she lost consciousness; knowing the dream to be of little importance, she made sure to leave out that detail.

"So you're sure you didn't see anypony else enter or come out the labyrinth before you went in?"

"Yes." Twilight confirmed. The stallion scribbled down a few last words, before putting his note pad away. "Alright, thank you for that. Now then, I should inform you that the labyrinth will be restricted to patients and staff until we resolve this incident. We also need a favour from you".

"Of course, what kind of favour?" Twilight wasn't convinced that she would be much further use to them after confirming that she has no idea of who the attacker is, but she knew she couldn't just say no. "Actually make that two favours" The police stallion gestured to his partner to go get the other doctor waiting outside. "You said that your patient Fluttershy was the only pony you know that goes in the labyrinth regularly."

Twilight didn't respond immediately, she became stricken by a much quick assuming feeling of dread.  No no no, please, I already told you that Fluttershy couldn't have been involved in this. "Yes", Twilight finally answered with a worried tone that didn't escape the stallion's notice.

"Listen, your story doesn't prove that your patient's a suspect, but we still need to talk to her.She might know something". The stallion's words put the purple unicorn at ease, but she still had to know exactly why they needed Fluttershy. "Pardon me for asking, but what could Fluttershy know that'll help?".

"Well, she may have known or seen somepony in the labyrinth before the attack happened. I know that's not much of a lead, but if we are to solve this, we need to know as much as possible. So we're asking if it's okay to bring your patient here, so we can question her."Twilight turned her head to face the hand clock on the wall.  "I'm afraid you'll have wait for a while I've got an appointment with her in 10 minutes".

"Alright, just let us know when she's ready",

"What about the other favour you wanted from me?"

Before the stallion could answer the purple unicorn his partner trotted in with Dr Shockwall, The stallion lifted his hoof to his partner to halt him. "The second favour we need from you is to be more careful for now on. You were the only witness to the crime, and the attacker might come after you next." This information brought Twilight to a level of fear close to panic: Her own life may or may not be in danger. "B-but I never saw this pony do anything!"

"Regardless, you came too close to knowing too much. I'm not saying this is true, but should that be the case, you shouldn't go around this place on your own."

There was a silence that lasted until twilight acknowledged the police stallion’s warning. "I understand officer”. The purple unicorn looked at the police stallion as if to ask if she was done here, to which the officer nodded in response. "Thank you for your time Dr Sparkle, you should get back to work". She made a small bow to the officer and a wave of farewell to Dr Shockwall, which she returned. The young doctor made her way to meet the young cream coloured pegasus.

[click]

Hey Fluttershy, how are you today?

Um...I’m okay I guess

Are you sure?

Oh yes, I am really... it’s just that I heard about what happened earlier and...I was so worried about you.

It's okay Fluttershy, I'm not hurt... I was more worried about you. I mean you're usually the one that's in the labyrinth, what if it was you that got hurt instead of that stallion?

Well okay, but um Twilight.... Because of what happened, does that mean that I'm not allowed in the labyrinth anymore?

Sadly, yes.  The police told me that you and nopony else but them is to go in there.

Oh, okay I guess. I'll find another place to hang around.

If you don't mind me asking, why do you like the labyrinth so much?

Well it's the only thing in this place that reminds me of Celestia's gardens and apart from my room, it's the only place where I'm on my own...which is most of the time.

Isn't there anypony else in there that you talk to?

...(sighs) no.

Fluttershy, you have to remember that our friends are here too, and you can talk to them. I'd bet they be happy to see you.

I I don't think they will.

Why not? If it's because of the bad stuff you did, the others have done bad stuff too.

I've done too many terrible things, I-I don't think I'll ever be forgiven

Fluttershy believe me, I think Applejack and Rainbow Dash would have talked to each other and maybe have forgiven each other.

Really? what did they do?, if you don't mind me asking.

Well Applejack killed the Flim Flam brothers and Rainbow Dash tried to kill Pinkie Pie.

...W-what made them do these things?

Applejack didn't intentionally kill the brothers but she had a blackout that made her do it and Rainbow Dash was having nightmares about Pinkie Pie mutilating her almost every night.

...(weeps) I-I-I thought that Rainbow abandoned us because we weren't good enough and Applejack left because everypony else was abandoning each other.

You had nothing to do with why they left, or the things that happened to them. They thought that running away and hiding would make their problems disappear.

They were scared...just like me.

Yes Fluttershy, we all were. Applejack was scared of losing everything she worked for and Rainbow Dash...well she always thought that flying would solve her problems, and she was so scared, she lost the will to fly again.

...

[silence]

Fluttershy?

(pant) (pant) (pant)

Fluttershy, what's wrong?

N-no no no no please not again.

Fluttershy, please tell me what's happening!

S-stop it (pant) please make them stop laughing at me.

What laughing? No one’s laughing, please calm down.

NO! STOP IT!

Gruff, get in here quick! Fluttershy, it's okay, I'm here.

STOP IT! STOP MAKING FUN OF ME STO-

[click]