Asylum
Written by Xfiles90210
Prologue
Recording 01: Patient entry check
This is Doctor Harvey speaking. As the security and research protocols require, it is needed to record the progress on our patients on tape. I was designated to look after patient zero-four-two; her name is Pinkamena Diane Pie, but she keeps calling herself Pinkie Pie or Auntie Pinkie. She's not a human-type patient; she's one of the recently discovered species of talking ponies, an earth pony to be specific.
It seems like she really hates any human who tries to get close to her. She even changes physically to show her emotions, like changing her mane style or even her coat color. The pre-tests say she might have bipolar disorder, but I differ. It seems that the patient's history, provided by Princess Twilight, says that this pony saw how her parents died; that must be part of her trauma, but that doesn't explain her hatred towards humans.
Also, I think it is relevant to mention she always carries a baby alligator. She even bit a nurse when she tried to take it from her to check it. Tomorrow I will talk to her personally and begin the therapy, but she won't see me. I was told I must pretend to be an equine so I could succeed. I never liked to lie to my patients, but this time an exception is needed.
The story
Recording 02: Session 01
This is Doctor Harvey speaking. In five minutes I'll personally meet my personal patient. Heh, I never thought I'd be doing this while I was at medical school, but I guess that's what happens when the world is not fully known.
Anyway, I was getting ready for today's session. Since I can't allow her to find out I'm a human, then we'll be in a room separated by a special glass wall that allows me to see her, but she won't see me.
Steps are heard coming closer and then the sound of a door being opened is heard.
Oh, hello Miss Julie, is the patient ready?
- Yes Doctor. She's calmed now, but she's still very unstable.
I see. Please put her in the patient's area
- Very well. Good luck, doctor.
The sounds of her steps are heard coming out as well as the door being closed. Moments later, slow galloping sounds are heard, entering the room.
Hello, Pinkamena. It's nice to meet you.
"Who's this?"
Calm down, I'm just a friend.
"Friend? Heh, my so called friends brought me here".
I'm... different.
"How so? Are you another pesky human?"
Of course not. I'm... I'm a Pegasus.
"Then why aren't you smiling?"
What do you mean?
"You know what I mean."
Suddenly, sounds of galloping are heard again, followed by a loud sound of something hitting the wall.
Ponkamena, stop.
"Get me out of here!"
Calm down, just calm down. I just want to talk.
"How can I be calm, uh? How can I be calm if he's still somewhere, outside?"
Who is he?
Again, another loud sound is heard on the wall.
Pinkamena, don't do this. You're just hurting yourself.
"You don't care, nopony cares! You're like them. You hurt me before, but not this time, not this time!"
The sound of the door being opened is heard and then various steps coming inside.
"I told you I didn't want to see you, Pete. Get your hands off me, not-friend!"
Pete?
Sounds of struggling are heard for a moment. Suddenly, it stopped.
Sigh, thanks for the support, guards. Guess there was no other choice but to sedate her.
- Not a problem. Some patients are too dangerous.
The sound of the same door being closed is heard as the sound of the same steps and someone being dragged is heard.
Note to self: I must not only pretend to be a Pegasus, but a happy one. She knows something important, I feel it.
Recording 03: Session 02
Second day with my new patient; she's under medical treatment due to what happened yesterday. Sigh, now she has to take painkillers to avoid another incident.
I know making a diagnosis after a brief interaction is pointless, but I have the hunch she has some sort of schizophrenia. I expect to be wrong; two mental diseases with no known cure in a patient would make her mentally unstable for the rest of her life.
The sound of the door being opened, followed by slow gallops are heard.
Oh, hello Pinka... Pinkie.
There's no noise for a while. An awkward silence is present for a moment.
Well, I know it's not easy to stay here. That's why I'm here, to accompany you.
"Silly voice; I don't need the company of anypony else but Gummy."
I just want to be your friend. What do you say, Pinkie?
Sounds of female giggles are heard, followed by a couple of gallops.
"Your voice; Mister serious is not so serious now."
I just followed your advice, Pinkie. Like you, I can be a joker.
"Ohhh, you seem to be a nice Pegasus, but..."
Another moment of silence is present. Suddenly, her voice is heard again, but much more serious.
"... nopony survived."
What about your friends? They also did so as I did.
"They're dead for me."
Why?
"They weren't smiling; they never said a joke..."
Her voice pauses again, only to be heard in a happy tone again.
"...after all, life is just a biiig joke."
Don't be so rude, they're happy now.
"Nu-uh, they pretend to be happy, but they're not."
Interesting, what makes you say that?
"I'm the element of laughter, silly! I was born to make everypony happy, but I can't make them happy as long as I'm locked up here."
Well, it won't last long. I'm sure of it. You still have me... and Gummy.
"That's not enough. They say I'm nuts..."
Sounds of quiet laughs are heard.
"...but who isn't?"
Heh, you may be right. Everything I want is to be sure you go back to who you were.
"Were? Silly, I never changed."
So you say it was normal for you to kill walkers.
"Walkers..."
Her voice, once again, changes to a serious one.
"...They were never smiling. They were just walking around with long faces."
Can you tell me what happened when it all started? I mean, if you're ready to.
"I was just doing my duty as the element of laughter. Heh heh, if I couldn't make them smile, then I ended up their misery."
And what about your family? Were they...
Suddenly, a loud sound of fortified glass being hit hard is heard.
"Don't dare to mention them!"
I'm sorry, Pinkie. Please calm down.
"Calm down? Heh, I'm calmed."
Very well Pinkie. Is there something you want to talk about?
"You."
Excuse me?
"You say you want to be my friend. I don't even know your name."
Oh, my name is... Free Mind.
"That's a funny name. I like it. At least it's not Mind Free."
Sounds of two giggles are heard; a male and a female one.
"So, tell me; what's your cutie mark, friendo?"
Nothing important, it's just the silhouette of a pony with a green cross on its head.
"Wow, kinda creepy if you ask me."
Yes, I know.
"Cheer up! Auntie Pinkie only wants her friends to smile."
I know. We're afraid what you would do if they don't.
"Well..."
Her voice changed to a serious, but mocking tone.
"...Only dead ponies don't laugh at my jokes. You know what I do to dead ponies."
Even if that pony was your friend Twilight Sparkle?
"Princess Twi? Maybe, maybe not. We had lots of adventures, but not anymore."
Her voice tone then changes back.
"Anyway, guess we had a nice chit chat, uh?"
It was nice to meet you, Pinkie.
"I say the same, Free Mind. Hope that I already prove you I'm not too crazy, I'm just being myself, my true self."
Sounds of the door being tried to be opened is heard, followed by a bunch of knocks on it.
"Why is the door locked?"
Don't worry, it's just part of the protocols.
"Protocols are boring."
But make our lives safer...
"From me?"
You bit a nurse and tried to hit a guard.
"Oh, humans..."
He voice's tone changes to one full of hatred.
"...I hate 'em."
Why?
"Why not? They think violence is funny."
Not always.
"Yes they do. I bet they even write and draw violent stuff just for fun. And they say I'm nuts."
What?
"I'd write a violent story involving them just to see their faces, but I'm not that silly."
Sounds of steps coming closer are heard. Then, the sound of the door being opened is heard.
"Don't even dare to lay a finger on me, miserable human. I'd rather go alone to my small, boring cell."
- It's not my choice, patient zero-four-two.
Guard; please just escort her to her room. Pinkie, promise me you won't try to escape.
"Thanks Free. Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."
Uh?
"It's a Pinkie promise, silly! I never break those, never!"
Erm... okay. Guard, just please do what I say.
-I'm sorry, but I can't take any chances, sir.
If something happens, it will fall under my responsibility.
-Very well. If she escapes, then it falls under your responsibility.
"See ya later, Free! Same Pinkie room, same Pinkie hour.
Sounds of trotting and steps are heard going away. Then, the door closes again.
Note to self: tell the nurse to keep giving her the painkillers. At least she will be stable during the sessions. Oh, and also tell her to enforce the glass, it almost broke with a single blow from her bare hoof.
Recording 04: Session 03.
Doctor Harvey speaking. The schedule for the third session was delayed due to... unexpected inconvenience. Patient four-two tried to escape; one of the guards is in the nursery with a critical condition. We still don't know how she got a knife.
In her mental instability, she really thinks humans are pesky. She hates humans in general, or at least she's seemed to hate everyone who has got close to her. There's something intirguing though, she calls us all "Pete"...
The sound of the door being opened is heard.
-Doctor, she's ready for the session.
Good, let her in.
-Yes, Doctor.
The door closes again. After a moment, the door opens again and sounds of small wheels are heard.
Why is she tied up?
-That was an order from the warden. He doesn't want anymore incidents.
Very well, you can leave now. Come back in ten minutes.
After the door closes, there's a moment of complete silence.
...Do you want to say anything, Pinkie?
There's another moment of silence before her voice, with a tone of anger, is heard:
"Get these dumb ropes off me!"
Calm down. Why did you attack that guard?
"He deserved it. That stupid human deserved it"
She giggles, slowly turning into laughs.
But Pinkie, you almost killed him.
"So what? Heh, Pete was lucky today."
Where did you get that knife?
"Who cares? All that matters is that he learned his lesson"
You know what you did was wrong, Pinkie...
"Why are you defending them!? They tried to stops us all from smiling! Heh heh heh, I'm just returning the favor."
Pinkie, you told me you were born to bring happiness and smiles.
"Mmhmm, that's exactly what I'm doing."
You slashed his throat! You tried to kill him!
"Kill him? Nah, I just wanted him to not to laugh anymore, that's it. Y'know what they say: no voice, no laughs."
Don't do this again, please.
"I can't promise that, you know it, Free. They released these monsters, they threatened our families. They must pay, isn't it?"
That's murder. What would your mother think if she knew you just harmed someone else?
"My mommy..."
Her voice tone is changed to one with great anger.
"I told you never mention them ever!"
Pinkie...
"Get me out of here! I don't want to be in this pesky place full with pesky humans!"
Female sobs are heard.
"I want to keep doin' what I'm good at: smilin', partyin', laughin'. I hate to be tied up, I feel useless!"
You know you can't be free. You're a threat to everyone and everypony. You're letting your hatred consume you.
"Shut up, shut up! Get me out of here!"
Calm down, Pinkie, calm down.
"No!"
A hard slam on the floor is heard.
Guards, we need assistance.
The door is heard to be opened, followed by constant steps. The sounds of her screams are mixed with the struggle for moments. Then, there's complete silence.
Thanks for the support again.
- She's starting to get less stable. We had to double the dose of sedatives.
Sigh. I need more time. I can cure her.
- It's starting to get risky. The warden won't approve that.
Just one more chance. Please, one more chance.
- That's not up to us, Doctor. You must ask him.
Seems like there's no other way. Okay, you can take her back to her cell.
The sounds of the steps are heard again, followed by the door being closed.
I can't let her lose her mind. I need to find a way to make her open her heart and mind. Note to self: never mention her family again, that altered her too much.
Recording 05: Patient Overview
It's been almost two months since patient zero-four-two go under my care. Although she shows signs of stability at times, she suddenly and constantly suffers mental breakdowns.
However, I've noticed something that could be helpful to begin a true process to heal her: She seems to be afraid or someone, or something. Every night she mumbles, like if she was talking to someone else, unbearable words.
I don't know if I'm being professional, but I recorded one of her schizophrenic episodes. This recording may be the key if I know how to take advantage of it.
There's a brief silence, followed by sounds of a small object being set on the table. Then, her voice is heard; it has a glimpse of anxiety and stress.
"Gummy... I know he won't hurt us if we stick together..." She giggles, "...He wants me to be alone. He's waiting over there... No, over there!" A scream of surprise is heard. "He's coming, Gummy. I know it... But they don't know."
Sobs are heard for a while; then, they slowly turn into giggles.
"Twi, Dashie, Rarity... my friends are being silly. Why don't they want to laugh with me?... Maybe he's right... Yeah, he must be right!" She laughs loudly but briefly. "Maybe they aren't friends, maybe... maybe they didn't even exist all this time... Maybe they're just inside my head, like he is... Oh, what's that, Gummy? You say you're bored? You say he's doing this to make me stop laughing?" She gasps, "But he won't succeed... Mommy's here. She's here, with me. Look, Gummy. She's saying hi... She's asking where daddy is... Why isn't she seeing him? He's beside her..."
A long moment of silence is present. Then, her voice is heard again with a glimpse of horror.
"No! Don't hurt mommy!... Daddy, why are you doing this?... Wait, you're not daddy... leave her... leave us alone!" Loud sounds are heard, like if something was hitting the door. "Stop laughing at us!... Leave me... Take 'em away, please take 'em away", she sobs again, "You said you were our friend. You said... You said you'd be our best friend forever..." She starts to pant fast and heavily. "That music... Make it stop, Gummy. He knows that. They know what I've done... They're smiling, but they ain't happy..."
Then, she starts to say in a singing, but emotionless tone: "They're inside me... I'm inside out... They're all around... Within, Without... They're inside... I'm outside... They're all around... Within without." She keeps repeating it for over three minutes. Suddenly, twisted laughs are heard before the record ends.
As it can be seen, the patient has too much stress. Her quick emotion changes, her anxiety and her fear at something yet unknown to me, are proofs of her mental disorders. What I still don't understand is, why does she seem to hate humans?
Recording 06: Session 04.
Finally patient zero-four-two seems to have more mental stability since the last time the nurse checked her. Since the reports show her as a low threat, I can attempt once more to try to make her open her heart and mind. I pray for this to work.
Sounds of the door being opened, followed by slow galloping, are heard. Then, the door is closed again.
Good to see you again, Pinkie Pie. How have you...
"Where were you all this time, Mind?"
...Excuse me?
"You heard me well. Tell me, didn't those mean humans allow you to see me even once?"
Not at all, Pinkie...
"Then why didn't you pay me a visit? Gummy and I have missed the company of somepony else."
I'm sorry. I thought you'd be okay with your pet Gummy.
"He ain't a pet. He's my friend, silly." Her tone changes to a more playful one. "And of course I didn't feel alone, not at all. But y'know, it's better to be with more and more friends. Oh, we three could hang out after I get out of this dumb and boring place that stinks like pesky human."
Come on, Pinkie. I'm sure not all humans are evil. There are humans that are even trying to help you.
"Help?" Her tone changes back to anger, "Help!? If they wanted to do that, then none of this would've never ever ever happened! He deceived us! He mocked at us! He laughed at us!"
Who, Pinkie?
"He's still out there! He should be here, not me!"
You mean Pete?
"Shut up! Don't say his name, don't dare to do it again!"
Okay, okay. I won't, but calm down, Pinkie. Look, most of them didn't even know about what happened, and now they're even helping to rebuild New Equestria.
"New Equestria? No, no. It's called Equestria... And these pesky humans should stay away from my friends. They should stay away from the place I live!"