A VERY STRESSFUL HOUR AFTER "ALL THE PONIES IN THIS TOWN ARE CRAZY!"

Twilight paced up and down the little room she was in, fuming. Was this doctor trying to fillynap her or something? Or did Celestia think she had gone as mad as Pinkie? She had tried to teleport out. Nothing had happened. The room was proofed against it. She could preform magic inside, but the door and walls were all magic-proof. Twilight had heard screaming from next door, and had tried to kick the door down and only injuried herself.

A while later, the door opened. A cyan mare trotted in, trembling. She was levitating a small tray on her back with food. More than Pinkie had eaten, she'd bet. Twilight looked at the mare. There was no horn. There must be someone else behind her levitating it instead.
"M-miss Sparkle, Doctor Bright sent me to care for you..."
"Care for me? Why do I need any "Care"? Your doctor locked me in this room and hasn't told me anything. What is this about?"
"H-he says that you were violent, Miss. That we had to lock you up."
"I certainly was not! I have never been violent, and I hope I never will be!"
"We just look after you, Miss."
Twilight was coming closer, intending to go through the door as soon as possible. She peered through the door and saw nopony. Hmm.
"Really." she said, meaning nothing but to keep the mare talking while she sneaked out. That mare couldn't drag her back in after all.
"Miss Sparkle, can you get away from the door please?"
Well. That was that. Twilight dived quickly through the open door and shut it on the mare. She scrabbled at the lock on the door and the door flew open with violent force and threw her off the lock. Twilight looked at the mare. Her eyes were glowing bright yellow, and she wasn't looking too happy. Some needles on a string flew out her pocket and crashed to the ground. Her eyes went back to a more ordinary shade and she stared, blinking at Twilight. Who immediately ran down the corridor. The nurse's eyes turned yellow again as Twilight looked over her shoulder and she felt herself stop and be dragged back slowly. The nurse's head was glowing. What was this? This was obviously magic, but she was no unicorn... but she couldn't worry about that. Twilight looked at the needles the nurse was levitating and aiming at her as soon as she was in range. Twilight narrowed her eyes and used her magic, much stronger than the mare's, to push them into the mare. She didn't notice. Twilight shot a quick blast of magic through it and the mare fell over with a shriek as her eyes changed colour again. Twilight wrapped the wire around her. The mare couldn't move with how tightly she was holding onto it with her magic.
"What in Celestia's name was that about?" Twilight said to the nurse, who was looking terrified again.
"What? What are... what are you..." the nurse seemed to run down in midsentence, then her eyes flared again and Twilight could feel another magic struggling at the tough bonds. Twilight was glad of her training under Celestia more than ever now. The eyes gave out again just as before.
"Stop that! It won't work." Twilight said, breathing heavily. "How are you doing that? You aren't a unicorn..." she said, her natural curiosity overtaking her excitement. The mare said nothing, but grinned inanely. Twilight repeated the question and got nothing. Oh, well. Twilight pushed her into the room they had just left and locked the latch, sealing her in. That was incredibly strange. But now... Pinkie. Even she couldn't be left in here.

Twilight trotted up to the door next to her. She checked inside by nudging the door open. Nothing. The other side of her cell had a locked door, locked with a latch and a key. It was probably the one with Pinkie inside. This was worrying. Bright would likely have it somewhere. This place was no where to be skulking around, but she couldn't get help. Not if Celestia had ordered this... if she had. But a place of this level couldn't support itself without having the Princess on it's side. Twilight walked through the mostly deserted corridors till she heard speaking. She ran into the closest door quickly and hoped no one was inside. There wasn't. Twilight stayed near the door, listening.
"That little nurse liked me." the voice sounded pained.
"Only because you're a braggart, Phalanx."
"Shut up. Don't pretend you haven't tried the same thing, Aquilinus."
"My stories are actually believable. You know what they about the mare you say you roughed up? Seems she likely killed a hundred ponies or so, so who would believe you would just wander in and beat her up?"
"Shut it."
"Why? It's true. You were always a runt, Phal-" the voice of Aquilinus cut off. There was a sudden whispering which Twilight listened closely to.
"Aquilinus... never talk... I have it now..." Aquilinus screamed, and Phalanx rose his voice to be heard "Now who is a runt? Aquilinus, get back to your duties and never speak of this again. Or you know what will happen."
Twilight waited until the sounds of Phalanx leaving were gone, then peeked outside the door.
There was a white pegasus guard lying on the ground outside, shaking. A guard. This was certainly maintained by Celestia, but with the horrific things were happening now... she walked up to Aquilinus. The guard had a number of scars that looked animal made along his side and was wearing heavy gilded armor.
The guard on the floor got up shakily and stared at her, then said "Twilight Sparkle? Doctor Bright told us you had turned violent, what happened? Why are you here?"
Twilight assumed that Bright had told everyone that story by now, and said "He lied. What happened to you just then?"
"Nothing!"
"I was listening, and your screaming wasn't hard to miss..."
Aquilinus sighed, and said "I don't know. Phalanx is just some guy I know, bit of a bastard but I don't know what happened or why he did that. He had some of those strange needle things that run on magic, I don't know how he worked them."
"A nurse earlier used some of those. She wasn't a unicorn eithier... "
Aquilinus came closer to her and said quietly "I don't like it here. It seems the doctors do more harm than good and I've seen a few people from the older garrisons in the cells themselves. I think this garrison is gonna be next. Starting with Phalanx, he's nuts. Celestia's bleeding-" he stopped and looked at Twilight, who filled in the rest of the curse herself. She wasn't a total innocent after all, and she had heard some younger ponies talking like that when they thought she wasn't listening. "Saving your presence, Miss." Oh dear. "Saving your presence"... what did she have to do with Celestia's bleeding whatevers? Twilight brought her mind back to the facts at hoof.
"Aquilinus- yes, I heard it earlier- can you come help me? I'm trying to get out of here, but one of my friends has been trapped in here too and I need to get her out."
"Who is it?"
"Pinkie Pie." she said, bracing herself for a lot of abuse and worry.
"Her? Phalanx was bragging about beating her up, and if that was true I'll eat my armor. She could help. But... what are you and her going to do when you escape? Me too, I guess." he added. The expected abuse didn't come.
"I don't know. But do you want to go through that all again? I know Pinkie won't, with all she has had. I heard her screaming."
Aquilinus looked rather pained. "You're right. That was horrible... but you, miss, are Celestia's prize student. Model citizen who nopony would suspect. And you seem hardly as much of a loony-" he stopped again. Twilight wondered if he knew any cursewords that weren't related to the princesses. "I mean, you aren't as crazy as the people in the cells. So why would you need to go with this Pinkie? Surely you can-"
"No. Celestia owns this place, you think I won't just get thrown back inside? And I'm not letting Pinkie go on her own. And you are just in the same position as me."
Aquilinus pawed at the ground, obviously worried. "Well, we have an agreement, so I had better give you the keys."
"Wait, you have the keys to the cells?"
"Sure. I'm not just any old guard, you know. Me, Phalanx and Bright all have keys to that area. Bright keeps giving them to the nurses, the lazy git. My copy of them are in that silly office they gave me. I asked for a station in the barracks, but apparently I had to deal with paperwork on the crazies as well. Follow me but try and keep quiet. Jump in a room if you hear anything."
Aquilinus trotted forwards, along the corridors.

Doctor Bright was walking on his way to Twilight Sparkle's cell. He was worrying about how he would get this done. Twilight was too close to Celestia, maybe she could be released with suitable threats... or maybe just gutting her and dumping the body somewhere might work to keep him safe.

Aquilinus came around the corner and stopped, then said loudly "Nice to see you again, Doctor Bright."
This was strange for the usually quiet voiced guard. Bright remembered that Phalanx had told him what he had done to him earlier, and had praised him. Very few guards managed to realise how to release the magic inside of them. Bright really disliked the disciplinary officer at the barracks. He would have had much more guards with magic if it wasn't for the disciplinary officer. Bright put it up to Aquilinus being rather shocked after his sudden surprise and pain. He heard a door close along the corridor.
"Aquilinus. Had a little shock have you?"
"N-no sir. Perfectly fine."
"Phalanx mentioned otherwise."
Aquilinus was grimacing. "No sir. No problem whatsoever. Just a small argument."
"Heh. You obey him pretty readily. Like his new powers?"
"Sir."
"Was that a yes or a no?"
"Yessir."
"I will choose to understand that as a yes. Would you like the same power, Aquilinus?"
"No thank you, sir."
"You are increbibly formal, even for a guard. Loosen up a little, eh? But anyway, I think you will likely change your mind soon. I think Phalanx will enjoy your company in his magic..." Bright chuckled and moved on, leaving Aquilinus looking mortified. Aquilinus was too conditioned, when it came for Bright to release his magic he didn't expect much. Phalanx would enjoy it though.

Aquilinus muttered a few insults about Bright and went to the doors nearby, looking for Twilight. He opened a door and heard an "Ouch." when he hit someone with it. Twilight was there anyway.
"Come on, we need those keys."
After they had got on their way again, Twilight asked "What was he talking about? New powers?"
"He's magic. He says he can make Earth ponies and Pegasi magic now."
"Is that true?"
"Nope." he said sarcastically "I was just singing a song back there in that corridor earlier with my buddy Phalanx."
"You know, you're the first guard I've ever talked more than a few words to. Are you all like this?"
"Some of us."
"No wonder Celestia makes you have to shut up all the time."
"Oh well done. Classy. How about I tell you about some of the stuff we have going around in the barracks about her and her favourate student..."
Twilight gave him a quick look and blushed.

"Attention please. The violent patient known as Twilight Sparkle has escaped. May the guards Phalanx and Aquilinus please head to the violent cells." a loudspeaker annouced.
"Well, good thing we were heading there anyway. What are we going do about Phalanx?"
Aquilinus shrugged. He had been in the minor little wars that Phalanx hadn't been in, that Celestia tried to avoid mentioning to her little ponies in Equestria. Buffalo out of their range, zebra pirates and smugglers, dragons, ursas and hydras gone on a rampage... He knew what was going to be needed.
"Kill him."
Twilight was shocked. "But... what? That's just too much!"
"It's him or us. I'm not going to risk myself to a life of hell just to save that nut's sorry arse. We're criminals anyway now, and you can plead insanity if you get caught, after all."
"I'm not crazy!"
"Never said you were, but lots of ponies think you are and that's what's important."
Aquilinus looked at Twilight and relaxed slightly. She was understandably against murder. Aquilinus knew about Pinkie, and what Twilight would feel like.
"Look, if we don't get Phalanx out of the way you, me and your Pinkie are gonna end up in the cells, being tortured by Bright and Phalanx."
Twilight said nothing. Aquilinus shrugged and moved on.

Phalanx was walking outside Twilight's empty cell, thinking of what had happened a moment ago. What an incredible power! How it had felt! The magic coursing through him, it was incredible... he was so thankful to Bright after he had showed him how to use magic.

Aquilinus was walking up the corridor. Phalanx sneered.
"Come to beg, Aquilinus? Should I use the needles some more?"
Aquilinus turned his head away and said "Bright says we need to take that pink mare out."
This was serious. Phalanx would only listen to Bright now, to learn more about magic...
"Take her then. Don't bother me."
Aquilinus unlocked the door and walked in, then stopped and stared at the shield of energy that was still through half the room.
"Er, Phalanx, do you think you could bring down this thing?"
"Why would I do that? You got sent didn't you? Just have go at magic, you will love it."
Silence. Then Aquilinus said "You know I can't."
"Still think it should just be unicorns then?"
"I do. Listen, Phalanx, everypony who has done magic has ended up in the cells. They're going nuts. What in Equestia happened to you, anyway? You are so different now..."
Phalanx couldn't give up magic. It flowed through him in a blast of Euthoria whenever he used it, and he loved the power over those who used to be above him.
"Aquilinus, you don't know what is like. Beautiful..."
"You're nuts, Phalanx. I've given up on you."
Phalanx took out the needles, getting ready to shock Aquilinus into obedience and was quickly met by Aquilinus's head ramming into his chest. He fell over and got a kick from Aquilinus. He was furious. Aquilinus was blatantly attacking him, he who had actually had the guts to use magic, and this old guard was attacking him? Phalanx aimed the needles at Aquilinus and shocked him hard enough to put him gasping on the ground, then felt himself leaving the floor. He could sense a strain of magic from behind him. He tried to turn around and manage to wriggle over till he could see a lavender mare levitating him. Phalanx struggled against the magic with his own, to no avail. He levitated one of those strange oily plants and hit the mare with it, who flinched and dropped the spell holding him. Phalanx quickly put the wires clsoe to her her throat, and she froze. Phalanx trotted closer to her, leaving the shaking Aquilinus behind.
"Bright will be happy I caught you. Am I such a braggart now, Aquilinus?"
Aquilinus breathed gasped and said nothing. He was trying to get to his feet and failing.
"Now, I think Bright will teach me a lot for you. Or maybe he can cut your horn off... silly thing. Just stops you getting the best of your magic. Stupid little Aquilinus never wanted magic. But you unicorns will do anything to protect it. Maybe we could stick your horn on Aquilinus, then he might-"
He stopped, and stared at the knife sticking out of his chest. Aquilinus was lying under him, and had driven his knife into Phalanx's chest. Phalanx couldn't think, couldn't feel anything now but pain and a growing numbness. He stared at it until he saw nothing.

Pinkie had been watching, amazed. Rocky had been stabbed, and had turned into a large pegasus. Both were dead. The roots on the ceiling pulled back and the number shrunk away from the body. The loam of the tunnel around her became more straight and solid and eventually seemed to be a wall. Pinkie watched, attentively now, as the guard on the ground eventually picked himself up off the ground and gave the body of the other one a kick. Twilight... Twilight was here. The shield quickly vanished as Twilight's horn flared it's light.
"Pinkie, come with us. We have to get out." Twilight said.
"You got taken too, then?" Pinkie asked.
"Yes. But Pinkie, we can't keep talking, we have to leave now."
Pinkie pointed at the other guard and said "He's a guard. Are you going to bring him along too?"
"I have a name." the guard said "I'm called Aquilinus. Nice to meet you, Miss Pinkie-"
"Pinkamena." she said automatically. That was something Bright had always tried to say to her.
"Hmm. Well, nice to meet you. But we must leave, and it can be explained later."
"Why bring me? You should hate me, Twilight." Pinkie said with bitterness.
"Pinkie, I have no idea why I'm doing this. But you are coming with me. Don't argue."
"Twilight, I'm disgusting. I'm a monster. I can see that now, and I can't stop it..."
"Please don't Pinkie. We can do this later... please!"
Both were crying now.
"Twilight is right.." Aquilinus spoke up. "We need to leave, and you two can hash out your problems later. But now, let's go."