“Princess...” A voice called from far away.

Twilight ignored the voice. She was in a warm place and didn’t want to leave yet.

“Princess, it’s time to wake up.” the voiced called again, this time slightly louder than before.

Twilight turned away from where the voice was coming from and pressed a hoof to her ear. Why was the voice vexing her? Couldn’t whoever was speaking to her see that she didn’t want to be disturbed? Why couldn’t they just let her…

“ATTENTION STAR BUTT, IT IS TIME TO GET UP NOW!”

Twilight opened her eyes and turned to see the scowling face of Dr. Layne.

“Oh… Good morning.” Twilight said as her eyes began to droop.

“Miss Sparkle, if you go back to sleep I swear…” whatever Dr. Layne was about to say was lost as Twilight drifted back to sleep.

Dr. Layne bit down on Twilight’s blanket and pulled it off of her. “MISS SPARKLE, WAKE UP!” he snapped.

Twilight’s eyes flung wide open.

“I’m up, I’m up,” She said as she scrambled to her feet.

Dr. Layne glared at Twilight for a second before saying, “You’ve over slept for about two hours, and the cyborg told me I had to wake you up. Something about keeping your sleeping habits regular. Anyway, your breakfast is on the counter, feel free to come out whenever you please. If you need me, I’ll be on my bench.”

Dr. Layne turned and began to exit the room. As Twilight’s body woke up, memories of the previous night returned to her like birds in the spring.

“Dr. Layne wait, I…” Dr. Layne had closed the door behind him, “have something that I need to tell you…”

Twilight sat back down on her bed and was considering going back to sleep when a low rumble in her tummy demanded food. She looked at the bag the doctor had left on the counter and investigated it. Inside were three brown egg shaped objects that looked like they were made out of some sort of fudge. Twilight munched the objects down as quickly as she could.

When she was finished, Twilight left her room and went to find either Dr. Layne or Dread. It didn’t take her long to find the former sleeping on the same sofa he had been the day before. Twilight thought for a moment on how she would bring up the topic of the so called mutagenic lab.

Before she could decide on what to say, Dread came out of Pinkamena’s room and asked, “Layne, are you up? Is Miss Sparkle awake yet?”

Dr. Layne opened his eyes and glared at the android, “Yes, I’m up. And yes, I woke up the princess about five minutes ago. What do you want?”

“It’s Miss Pie, Layne, she’s waking up.”

At this, Twilight forgot all about the lab, “She’s waking up? Does that mean she’s going to be okay?”

Dread turned to face Twilight, “There you are, Miss Sparkle, I did not see you there. To answer your questions; yes, Miss Pie’s breathing has improved over night, so it is safe to say that she will likely wake up sometime within the next couple of hours.”

Twilight grinned, “That’s great! Do you think that…”

“However,” Dread interrupted, “I cannot say for sure what the long term effects of the poison will be.”

Twilight’s smile quickly faded, “What do you mean?”

“I do not fully understand the nature of the poison that was given to her. Right now I can only assume that its only function was to dehydrate the ponies who partook of it. But even if that was all it did, there is no telling how much Miss Pie’s body was damaged from it.”

Twilight’s ears fell flat, “Is there any way that we can figure out if there are any problems?”

Dr. Layne answered, “Unless that ‘forbidden lab’ has some sort of device that analyzes every cell in the body, no.”

Twilight shifted uncomfortably.

Seeing this, Dread asked, “Is there something wrong, Miss Sparkle?”

“Well you see… I, uh… I…”

“Spit it out,” Dr. Layne snorted.

Twilight took a deep breath, “Last night, while every pony was asleep, I went into the genetic slab.”

“YOU DID WHAT?” Dr. Layne shouted. The storm grey pegasus took a step towards Twilight, “OF ALL THE STUPID THINGS THAT…” Dr. Layne was interrupted when Dread stomped one of his metal hooves.

“Calm down, Layne. There is no need for shouting,” The android said.

Dr. Layne glared at the robot, his body rigid with anger, “She disobeyed us and in doing so put herself in danger. Buck, she probably put us all in danger! She needs to know that when we say not to do something, that means that SHE SHOULD NOT DO IT!” A vein began to pulse in Dr. Layne’s left temple.

“She is not a child, Layne, and we are not her parents. Even though she did something that we told her not to, we have no right to punish her for it.”

Dr. Layne’s body relaxed and the crippled pony seemed to shrink a little, “She could have gotten hurt, Dread. We have no idea what’s beyond that door.”

“I understand your concern Dr. Layne, but Miss Sparkle is clearly unharmed, at least visibly. There is no cause to berate her.”

“Are you saying that you approve Twilight’s reckless actions?”

“No, I will have a word with Ms. Sparkle later on her irresponsible behavior. But for right now I am more interested in what she has to say.”

“Very well then,” Dr. Layne said begrudgingly, “let’s hear it then.”

Twilight took a deep breath and began recounting everything she had discovered the previous night, from the fake heads to the grape juice mix. As she was speaking, Twilight couldn’t help but watch Dr. Layne’s face to see if he reacted to anything she said. The doctor listened with a blank look on his face, almost as if Twilight’s story bored him.

“Well, that’s disappointing,” Dr. Layne said when Twilight had finished, “I wasn’t expecting to gamble on the lab to save Fluttershy, but still…” Dr. Layne trailed off into a low grumble.

“We’ll find a way Layne,” Dread said, “the loss of one answer does not break the puzzle.”

Dr. Layne sighed, “I suppose you’re right. If anything, Twilight’s news should be a relief. Now I don’t have to worry about mutant parasprites laying eggs in my eyes. Anyway, I’d like to get back to my nap, so I’ll leave you two to discuss the lab.”

Dr. Layne turned and walked back to the sofa he had been sleeping on.

“So…” Dread said, after almost a minute of awkward silence, “is there anything else you would like to say about the laboratory?”

Twilight thought for a moment then said, “No, not that I can think of.”

“Well in that case, is there anything that you would like to do?”

“You said that Pinkamena was waking up, right?”

“Yes, I believe I mentioned that before we brought up the laboratory.”

Twilight smiled, “I’d like to see her, if that’s okay.”

Dread walked with Twilight to Pinkamena’s room. Pinkamena was sleeping softly, her lips curled into a small smile. Occasionally she would twitch a little, but for the most part she lay there motionless. Twilight almost couldn’t recognize her; she looked like a different pony entirely. Her fur was cleaner, her cheeks less sunken, and her hair had curled back up.

“Um, Dread?” Twilight said when she noticed that something was amiss.

“Yes, Miss Sparkle?”

“Where’s her straightjacket?”

“Ah yes, the straightjacket,” The android said, “I removed Miss Pie’s straightjacket when I bathed her… If I remember correctly I placed it in one of the drawers so that I didn’t lose it.”

“Don’t you think we should put it back on her before she wakes up?”

“Yes, that would be wise. If you will give me a moment, I will fetch it.”

Dread went over to the where the drawers were and pulled out the off white jacket.

The android turned to Twilight and asked, “Would you mind holding Miss Pie up while I put the jacket back on her?”

“Not at all.”

Twilight climbed onto the bed and propped Pinkamena into an upright position with her snout. Dread pulled the straightjacket’s sleeves over Pinkamena’s forelegs; first the left, then the right. As he began to buckle the straps of the straight jacked into place, Pinkamena began to mutter something.

Seeing this, Twilight said, “Dread, I think she’s waking up!”

“I’m almost finished, just a few more buckles.”

When the last buckle was secured, Dread hastily lowered Pinkamena onto her pillow and pulled the blanket over her. A second later, Pinkamena’s eyes fluttered open.

“Dread? Twilight? Is that you?” Pinkamena asked, her voice barely more than a whisper.

“Yes, Miss Pie, it is us.” Dread answered.

“Then that means that it wasn’t a dream. I’m really imprisoned in Sleipnir, and I really ate…” Pinkamena’s ears fell flat and her eyes began to tear up, “Dread, why am I still alive? Why didn’t you kill me?”

“Miss Pie, I don’t understand…”

“WHY AM I NOT DEAD YET?” Pinkamena shrieked, and then she turned over and began to cry into her pillow, “I don’t deserve to live.”

“Miss Pie, why would you think such a thing?” Dread asked.

Pinkamena, or perhaps Diane, continued to sob into the pillow, ignoring Dread’s question.

“Miss Pie, I want to know why you believe that you deserve to die.” Dread said.

“Because…” Pinkamena choked, “Because I’m a monster. I killed two of my best friends and I… I…” Whatever Pinkamena was going to say was lost in a stream of tears.

Dread extended one of his claw-like appendages and laid it on one of Pinkamena’s shoulders.

“Miss Pie, I understand the guilt that you feel, but what you’ve done in the past does not invalidate your life. Your death will not bring Rainbow Dash back, nor will it avenge her. One death cannot be undone by another.”

“How… How am I supposed to live with myself; knowing what I did?” Pinkamena asked.

“All sins can be forgiven, Miss Pie, but you must learn to forgive yourself first.”

“Dread, that doesn’t make any sense. How can I forgive myself?”

“As for that, I cannot say. If you would like, Miss Sparkle and I will give you some time alone.”

“Yeah, I think I’d like that.”

After Dread and Twilight left Pinkamena’s room and were a safe distance away, Twilight asked, “Was that Pinkamena or Diane?”

“I’m not sure.” Dread replied, “Probably Diane though, given her emotional state.”

“Yeah, I suppose it isn’t like Pinkamena to start crying like that. It’s just something about her felt off, like she wasn’t really herself.”

A few minutes of walking later, the two met Dr. Layne at his bench.

“Back from visiting our little cannibal? How is the little psycho?” Dr. Layne asked.

“She is awake at the moment.” Dread answered, “And I suggest that you not call her a psychopath in front of her, she’s in a delicate state of mind.”

Dr. Layne sighed, “Alright, I’ll watch my tongue. Have you noticed any lasting effects from the poison she was given?”

“Not at this time, no.” Dread answered.

“Well let’s hope we don’t find any at all.” Dr. Layne said, “Anyway, I want to talk to the two of you about the fake lab.”

“What about it?” Twilight asked.

“I’ve been giving it some thought while you two were visiting Pinkie; something about Twilight’s story bothers me.”

“I told you everything I know!” Twilight snapped.

“I’m not calling you liar, Twilight, let me finish,” Dr. Layne said, “What did you think about the lab??”

“I figured it some kind of elaborate joke.”

“You mentioned that the heads were made out of foam, and that there was no way the device could work, correct?” Dr. Layne asked.

“Yes. What about it?”

“Seems like an awful lot of trouble to go through just for the sake of a joke, doesn’t it?”

Twilight shrugged, “I guess so… But I’ve seen ponies go even farther to make their jokes work. Like this one time Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie were…”

Dr. Layne stomped a hoof in frustration, “Do I have to spell it out for you?”

“I suppose so,” Dread answered, “considering neither of us have any idea what you’re going on about.”

Dr. Layne sighed, “What I’m getting at is that I think that the whole mutagenic lab thing might’ve a cover up for something. As to what, I have no idea.”

“Interesting theory,” Dread said, “but what exactly could the higher up to that would make them so paranoid? Why would they need to set up such an elaborate hoax? It’s not like they didn’t have other ways to keep things secret. ”

“Yeah, when I was in the lab last night I didn’t get the feeling that there was anything more to it. What you’re describing sounds like something a teenager would come up with.”

Dr. Layne stomped his hoof once more, “Well then why would they go to so much trouble? I mean those heads could not have been cheap to make, and the time it would’ve taken to set up the tesla coils and mist effects! DON’T YOU SEE IT? There has to be a reason! There has to something more!”

“Perhaps there is, Dr. Layne,” Dread said, “but does it matter? I mean it’s an interesting theory; it’s just that we have so much more to worry about at the moment. Don’t you think we should focus on the problems before us?”

Dr. Layne’s ears fell flat, “Yes, I suppose so. I’m sorry; I-I started thinking about the possibility and allowed my imagination to get the better of me. It won’t happen again.”

Dr. Layne turned around and started to walk off.

“Wait,” Dread said.

Dr. Layne stopped and asked, “What?”

“There’s no reason to be embarrassed, I was not trying to put you down. It is an interesting theory, just not one that we should focus on at the moment. Perhaps when both Miss Pie and Miss Shy are back to full health we can look into it.”

Dr. Layne gave a small smile, “I suppose that would be acceptable. I can wait.”

Once more Dr. Layne started back toward his bench. When he was a small distance away, Twilight heard a small click from somewhere behind her. She turned to see Pinkamena slowly walking towards them.

“Hi.” Pinkamena said softly when she was near enough.

“Hey Pinkamena,” Twilight said happily, “or are you Diane?”

Pinkamena looked at Twilight questioningly, “Diane is my middle name? What are you talking about?”

“Nothing!” Twlight said quickly “I just… I… So how are you feeling?”

Pinkamena smiled, “I’m fine, a little woozy though. I wanted to tell you that I’m sorry for how I reacted earlier. I was having a nice dream and I suppose that I…” Pinkamena trailed off.

“It’s okay,” Twilight said with a small smile, “I understand.”

Pinkamena smiled, baring her unnaturally pointed teeth, “Thanks you.”

A split second later, a loud grumble emanated from Pinkamena’s stomache.

“So… how long until dinner?” Pinkamena asked.

The android turned to look at something off in the distance, “About five minutes, can you wait that long?”

“I think so,” Pinkamena answered.

“If you’ll excuse me, I should’ve been preparing the cart two minutes ago,” Dread said, “I will leave you two to catch up.”

Dread turned and trotted off towards the hall of cells.

“I didn’t know he could move that fast.” Pinkamena said, “I mean I’ve only ever seen him walk. I figured that was as fast as he could go.”

“He moved pretty quickly when he was breaking me out of my cell, though I wasn’t really paying attention at the time?”

“That reminds me, what are we doing out of our cells?”

Twilight explained the effects the Administrator’s loaf had on ponies and how Dread piled them both onto a cart and brought them to the hospital.

When Twilight was finished, Pinkamena asked her, “Any idea what the beeping was?”

“Beeping?” Twilight asked.

“The last thing I remember was a high pitched beeping.”

“Oh yeah!” Twilight said, a faint memory of a high pitched beeping coming back to her, “I haven’t really thought about it.”

Pinkamena shrugged in her straight jacket, “Well, I guess it’s not important. Who knows, it might’ve just been the intercom freaking out or something. Anyways, do you mind catching me up on what’s happened while I’ve been out?”

Twilight explained what had happened during her stay at the hospital. Her recount of the events was out of order and mostly focused on the falsehood that was the mutagenic lab.

“It was really disappointing,” Twilight continued with her story, “I know that we weren’t planning on using the lab to help Fluttershy anyway, but still…”

At this, Pinkamena’s eyes widened and her entire body tensed up, “Fluttershy?”

“Um, yes… She’s in a hospital room not far from here if you want to see her…” Twilight said, a shiver flowing down her spine as she spoke.

“Yes, I would like to see her…” Pinkamena said, her left eye had begun to twitch, “In fact I’d like to see her now if that’s possible.”

“Um… sure,” Twilight said, “right this way.”

Twilight led Pinkamena to Fluttershy’s room. As they walked, Twilight could not shake the feeling that she was making a grave error; that she should turn around and tell Pinkamena that Fluttershy was no condition for visitors.

Twilight ignored these feelings and opened the door for Pinkamena to enter the room. When she saw Fluttershy’s motionless body, Pinkamena’s eyes grew wider, her lips curled into a twisted smile, and her entire body started to shake.

“Is this my Fluttershy?” Pinkamena asked, “The one I k-killed?”

“Yes.” Twilight answered.

“She’s not dead, is she?”

“No, she isn’t.”

“Good.”

Pinkamena approached Fluttershy with a hungry look in her eyes. She tore the blanket off her with her mouth and threw it aside. Pinkamena examined Fluttershy’s torn up body much like a wolf examines a wounded dear. She traced each of Fluttershy’s stitches with her eyes and sniffed every patch of skin.

An alarm rang in Twilight’s mind. What was she thinking, bringing Pinkamena here? Didn’t Dread tell her that they needed to keep Fluttershy a secret? She had to get Fluttershy away from her, undo her unforgivable error. If she didn’t, then Pinkamena would… Pinkamena would…

“What’s wrong with her stitches?” Pinkamena asked, interrupting Twilight’s train of thought.

Twilight’s heart skipped a beat when Pinkamena spoke.

“What do you mean?” Twilight asked.

“Her stitches, they look sloppy. Like the pony that sewed them had never held a needle before.” Pinkamena said.

“Oh, that…” Twilight explained everything she knew about how Dread recovered Fluttershy and the medical treatment he had given to her.

“Weird…” Pinkamena said when Twilight finished.

“What’s weird?”

“Something about what you told me seems off.”

“What exactly?” Twilight asked.

Pinkamena shook her head, “I’ll need to talk to Dread about it, because he’s the only one who would have the answer. But something is odd about how he brought Fluttershy here. Anyway, the stitches need to be redone.”

Twilight and Pinkamena stayed with Fluttershy for a minute longer, leaving when they heard Dread announcing dinner. Twilight led Pinkamena to the area where they usually eat and there Dread gave them both Ziploc bags of what appeared to dried pieces of peeled skin, burned mucus, and cheese. The two ponies ate their food quickly (Dr. Layne chose to eat slowly) and Pinkamena spoke;

“Is it okay if I talk you about Fluttershy?”

Dr. Layne choked on the skin peel that he had been eating, and when he coughed it up said, “Fluttershy? What are you talking about?”

“I showed her Fluttershy.” Twilight admitted.

“You did what?” Dr. Layne asked, already his voice was beginning to rise.

“I forgot.” was all Twilight could say, her mind was clouded with fear of what was about to come.

“Forget? Forget! HOW COULD YOU FORGET?” Dr. Layne’s eyes started bulging, “WE TOLD YOU NOT TO TELL THAT PINKAMENA ABOUT FLUTTERSHY UNTIL WE SAID SO! AND YOU WENT AND SHOWED HER FLUTTERSHY? YOU DID NOT FORGET; YOU DELIBERATELY DISOBEYED US!”

Twilight felt herself shrink a little, “I’m sorry! I wasn’t thinking at the time and…”

“Of course,” Dr. Layne said, his voice was hoarse from yelling, “you weren’t thinking. Tell me, Princess, how would you feel if one of your best friends was killed because you weren’t thinking?”

“Well I…”

“Your actions could’ve gotten Fluttershy KILLED, did you think of that? No, you weren’t thinking. And it was your lack of thinking that nearly cost Fluttershy her LIFE! IF I EVER FIND OUT THAT YOU’VE DISOBEYED US AGAIN I’LL…”

“STOP IT!” Pinkamena roared. Tears were beginning to run down her face, “Yelling is not going to solve anything!”

“Miss Pie is correct,” said Dread, “all this yelling is pointless. This is the second time today that I’ve said this, but there is no reason to punish Twilight when no harm was done. Miss Pie has clearly not harmed Miss Shy, nor has she even attempted such a thing. Am I correct, Miss Sparkle?”

Twilight nodded.

Dr. Layne grumbled, “What good does it do to have rules if no one is willing to enforce them?”

“The rules,” Dread answered, “are in place to prevent possible harm, at least as far as I’m concerned. If a rule is broken and no harm was done, then the rule’s existence becomes meaningless.”

Dr. Layne glared at Dread. He looked as though he were ready to pounce on the robot, but thought better of it.

“Very well then,” Dr. Layne said through gritted teeth, “but when harm does come when a rule is broken, don’t come crying to me.” Dr. Layne stormed off.

A moment later, Dread gave Twilight and Pinkamena their dinner. The food was waxy material that rolled up onto a piece of plastic. Twilight expected it to taste disgusting, but was pleasantly surprised to find that it was actually pretty good.

When they were done eating, Dr. Layne came back with a softer look on his face.

“I wanted to apologize for earlier,” he said, “it wasn’t right for me to yell at you. I’m sorry.”

Twilight starred at the pegasus, slightly shocked at his apology, “It’s okay. I know that you meant well…”

Dr. Layne took a deep breath, “Thank you, Twilight, I’ll try not to snap at you like that again.” He then turned his attention to Pinkamena, “Any thoughts on Fluttershy? How did you feel when you found out she was still alive?”

Pinkamena looked at the pegasus with mild surprise, “Why do you ask?”

Dr. Layne shrugged, “I’m a scientist. I want to know how the mind of some pony infected with a severe case of sanguinam ungolum reacts to finding out that one her victims survived.”

Pinkamena shivered at the word ‘victims’ and for a moment seemed like she unsure if she wanted to answer. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but would quickly swallow the words before they came out.

Seeing this, Dr. Layne said, “If you don’t want to talk about it then I won’t hold it against you. Just say so and I’ll return to my bench.”

“No,” Pinkamena answer, “I’ll answer your question; I just need to figure out how to put my thoughts into words.”

“Take your time.” Dr. Layne said as he pulled a small notebook out of his coat.

Pinkamena took a deep breath, “When I saw Fluttershy lying on the bed, my first thought was that it wasn’t right, that she should be inside me, playing with Rainbow Dash. I think I was about to bite at her neck when I remembered Rainbow Dash wasn’t actually inside me, and everything else Dread has talked to me about. I don’t think that stopped me from wanting to kill her, I don’t think I’ll ever stop wanting to kill her… but at least I managed to ignore the urge.”

“That’s wonderful, Miss Pie.” Dread said, “This is a major improvement for you.”

Pinkamena gave a small smile and continued, “Anyway, I examined Fluttershy’s injuries a little bit. I wanted to get her help. I still want to get her help.” Pinkamena suddenly looked at Dread, “How did you get Fluttershy here again? I think Twilight might’ve already told me, but I forgot.”

Dread made a clicking noise from somewhere inside him, “I went back for her through the reality warp. Why do you ask?”

Pinkamena beamed, “Because if we can get to the reality warp, we can get Fluttershy to some actual doctors and maybe save her!”

Dr. Layne laughed, “I hate to burst your bubble, Pinkamena, but do you really think I’d still be here if I could just leave?”

“Dr. Layne has a point,” Dread said, “the Administrator is in control of all exits, nothing gets in or out without him knowing it.”

Pinkamena’s ears fell flat, “Oh… Well anyway, after that Twilight and I left and…”

“Wait a minute!” Twilight interrupted. She looked at Dread in his ‘eyes’ and asked, “If the Administrator knows about everything that comes in and out of Sleipnir, then how you did hide Fluttershy?”

“I… I’m not sure.” Dread said, “The Administrator has never seemed to notice. I assumed that he was just distracted when brought Miss Shy aboard. He hasn’t said anything about it.”

Dr. Layne seemed to shrink, “Now that you mention it, I don’t think the Administrator has said anything in the past few days, not even announcements.”

Twilight felt as if her blood had turned to ice, “What does this mean?”

“It would mean,” said a genderless voice on the intercom, “that you are not as clever as you would like to think.”