The night winds were fierce and loud as they wailed outside the gothic, nightmarish institution. The rain poured down and the moon was partially hidden behind large, ominous storm clouds. The grass that surrounded the institution was flooded and pools of mud and grime sat agitated as the rain continued to fall violently. Trees swayed with the winds and the rain and danced in agony around the Equestrian Asylum for the Criminally Insane.

A new guard, just shipped over to the Asylum under the orders of General Shining Armor, was taking his first step into quite possibly the darkest place in all of Equestria…and the known world. More than the Canterlot Caverns, the Everfree Forest, and the Pit of Tartarus, ponies that knew well the stories feared the Equestrian Asylum more than any place in the world, and for good reason.

It had been established a short time after Princess Luna’s regression into Nightmare Moon, for after she had been banished by her elder sister, the Asylum, then a fort manned by Luna’s most loyal guards, shut down, and the guards within refused to abandon their post. With their leader gone, they dug themselves in and prepared for a war, even though Celestia had no intention of starting one. They needed only pledge loyalty to Celestia, and the fort would be re-purposed for a better use, but the guards could not betray the Princess of the Night, and so they kept themselves fortified and boxed in, aiming weapons in all directions and keeping their backs towards one another. Eventually, when supplies ran low, fatigue plagued them as a disease, and Luna showed no signs of return anytime soon, and so the guards descended into anarchy and madness, turning against each others, killing their allies and comrades, sometimes eating them to keep away starvation and malnutrition. Celestia was mortified when finally, only a handful remained and were found dying in the bloody fortress; from that moment on, Celestia moved the surviving guards to cave system on the outskirts of the region to keep themselves sustained, and condemned the site for the evils that had taken place there.

Still, the stigma that was attracted to the site, as well as its remote location in the farther regions of Equestria, made it an ideal place for the newly necessary Asylum. And so, Celestia had the fortress converted in a medical facility, with much of it still retaining the gothic architecture from the previous inhabitants and their ruler.

However, the Equestrian Asylum did not gain recognition until 1,000 years later, when Princess Twilight Sparkle went mad, and in a day that shall forever live in infamy for all ponykind, decimated the town of Ponyville, slaughtering the inhabitants and setting ablaze the land that had nourished her life for years. Princesses Celestia, Luna, and Cadence were horrified that their beloved Twilight could do anything so evil with seemingly no good reason. An official investigation conducted after Twilight’s capture and imprisonment within the dark confines of the Asylum revealed some evidence, but no declaration was ever made by the other rulers as to Twilight’s actions or motives. Up to this very day, it remained a mystery to all but them.

Those who remember Twilight from her younger days, before her breakdown and the massacre, still recall memories of happiness and joy with her. Those who never knew her, think of pain, suffering, and insanity when they hear the name Twilight Sparkle. Princesses Celestia and Cadence never truly recovered from Twilight’s actions, and Luna, though more distant with Twilight than the other two, was also considerably grimmer. Being immortal, Twilight would spend the next eternity, and longer, in the Asylum, trapped within the dark walls and enslaved by the deathly chains of the poorly run institution…

The guard took a few steps inside to find the admittance desk, behind a well-reinforced protective glass encasing, and spoke with the receptionist.

“Hello, I’m the new guard to be stationed here, Captain Chaser.”

“Ah, Captain Ghost Chaser, nice to meet you. I hope you’ll last longer then the last guard who had your post,” She told the newcomer as she filled out a form.

“What do you mean?” Captain Chaser inquired looking up sharply as a scream of terror and pain rang out from the inner bowels of the Asylum and pierced his ears.

“The last guard was killed in a tragic accident. Reports indicate that he was violently murdered by the most infamous patient here at the Equestrian Asylum: Twilight Sparkle.”

“She used to a Princess, right? I heard somepony say once that she was a Princess around the time that General Armor married Princess Cadence…I think he also said that General Armor was somehow related to the former Princess too.”

“I don’t know the details…they’ve been hard to come by since the massacre of Ponyville all those decades ago.”

“But you’ve surely heard the stories right? About how horrible she is?”

“I’ve never seen Twilight Sparkle, and to be honest, I don’t want to. She is the one patient I try vehemently to avoid at all costs.”

“I wonder what made her snap. You know, they say that she was one of nicest, most promising ponies around some time ago.”

“You’ve sure heard a lot about her, haven’t you?”

“Well…I…I have heard a bit. I actually think it’s a little funny…you know, it all seems like it belongs in a comic book, but it’s all real.”
“Yes, it's all real. You can remember that well as you pass the memorial for the guard you’re replacing.”

“Ummm…I know it’s horrible of me to say that about the things she’s done, but I don’t admire her, not in any way.”

“Just go and see Warden Gates in his office on the top floor,” She told him and waved her hoof in the direction he was meant to go.

Captain Chaser proceeded down the hall, littered with antique trinkets and portraits of Wardens and interesting patients long passed. At the end of the hall, in the biggest frame, was a picture of his secret adoration and obsession: Twilight Sparkle. Her lips were creased in a big smile, but almost forced, while blood splatters decorated her lavender face and her magic aura glowed a necrotic black and green.

Another agonizing scream erupted, this time he perceived it to be louder, and he looked out at a nearby elevator that was about to lower down to the inmate public area; a male earth pony with no front limbs was screaming furiously as he was taken into the elevator and descended into a sea of unicorns, pegasi, and earth ponies who were all at some level disturbed and insane.

He wanted to dig deeper into the business of the Asylum, but he would have time to do so later. Now, the warden was expecting him, and Chaser was a little worried that Warden Gates or another staff member would figure out his odd “hobby”. Of course, if they did find it out, they would no doubt label it an obsession. And with an obsession like his, he might just be damned to the very Asylum he was supposed to guard. He chuckled quietly to himself at the thought of something like that happening. Still, he would do the same thing to another pony with a keen interest in violent cases of insanity and mental instability, especially ones shrouded in mystery and legend like Twilight Sparkle. Then again, it wasn’t like he was going to do anything foolish here. He would never help or scheme with one of the patients, not even Twilight Sparkle. Especially not Twilight Sparkle; any slight help he gave her would spell pain, misery, and doom for many ponies. But he would certainly watch her from the sidelines, study her, think of her, and wonder constantly about her, and what made her snap so violently like she did.

He shook himself from these thoughts as his hoof instinctively knocked on The Warden’s Door.

“Come in.” A deep voice called.

Captain Chaser entered and found an older pony with a gray coat and a white mane sitting at a desk.

“You must be Captain Chaser,” Gates greeted as he rose and went over to the approaching guard, “please, come in and have a seat.”

“Thank you sir.”

“Welcome to the Equestrian Asylum. I hope you weren’t expecting an easy post, for this job requires your full attention and skill. On the surface, watching patients who are mentally unstable may seem a bit easy, but not all patients are tame, docile, or as broken as a toddler. Many of them are far better described as insane or mad rather than mentally unstable. I’m sure you saw the portrait of the most infamous patient we’ve ever had, Twilight Sparkle.”

“I...noticed it.” Chaser told the Warden, his heart beating a little faster than before.

“Some question why we hang portraits of our most dangerous patients. Well, on the one hoof, many staff members don’t take their jobs seriously enough, and end up dead due to carelessness. But at the same time, we like to motivate ourselves. This isn’t a job you take for the sake of having it. This is a job that you have because you want to make a difference. I’ve been warden for over 20 years now, and I still recall thinking about how wonderful it would be to cure the legendary Twilight Sparkle in my first year. Alas, nopony has been successful, but that will not stop us from ever trying. We shall not truly rest until Twilight and the other patients like her are made safe and productive members of society once more.”

“Believe me sir, I want to work here because I want to make a difference,” Chaser told the warden, though he wasn’t quite sure he entirely thought and believed that. His main motivation for wanting to be here was Twilight, but he definitely did want to be here. And, if he was around when she was cured, or just maybe, if he helped to cure her, then he would take the utmost pride in his work and actions.

“Good to hear. I believe you too. A good portion of guards that come along are either intimidated by the thought of being stuck here too long or so disinterested with the insane patients that they get careless or too complacent. You, on the other hoof, you seem to want nothing more than to be here. I can tell by looking you in the eye…you’ve a good reason for being here. I don’t know what it is…but I don’t care; its none of my business why you’re here, as long as you’re dedicated and careful, I’ll be very pleased to call you a member of my staff.”

“Thank you sir.” Chaser replied as he wiped a single drop of sweat away from his face with his hoof.

“Now then, you can report to Guard Barracks Station 3 and find Captain Chains, he will be your superior.”

“Yes sir.”

“He will give you your assigned duties for the week and show you around further.”

“Yes sir, thank you for having me here.”

“Not at all…oh and Captain?”

“Warden?”

“…Welcome to the madhouse.” He said somewhat ominously and chuckled, though Chaser was sure he was unintentionally ominous. He was…wasn’t he?

...

Captain Iron Chains was a strict, loyal, and courageous guard who upheld the rules and the law more than morality, but then again, it wasn’t his job to be a filly sitter. Physically speaking, he was slightly muscular, with military posture running through his veins, and a constant shine on his armor. His coat was clay red, and his mane was pitch black. He was second in the Asylum only to Warden Gates and the Chief Medical Supervisor, whose identity Captain Chaser had just learned to be Dr. Mindkeeper. At the moment, Captain Chains was talking as he guided Chaser around the High Security Ward, where the most dangerous patients were kept, two levels below the ground floor that was the mansion where a good portion of therapy work was done.

They had already been through the standard cellblocks, and Chaser was instructed on how to react in certain key areas such as the surgical bay or the mess hall if an alarm went off. He inhaled the information, integrating his mind into the society of the asylum and establishing himself as a watchtower within the dark abyss of the institution.

“And as you can see Captain Chaser, these patients have demonstrated extremely violent tendencies or wildly erratic behavior. As such, Dr. Mindkeeper has ordered them to remain in solitude and under heavy surveillance most of the time, with periodic releases from their cells for exercise twice a month and highly privatized meetings with the best of the medical staff when requested. If they’re in those cells, any attempts at escape will be considered authorization to use extreme force, and although the Docs complain about us killing these ones too, there is no rule that prevents us from doing exactly that.”

“I understand, sir," Chaser replied and nodded slightly.

“The roster here is pretty short, only a few mentionable names. Shield Crest is an old solider who was an officer when I was in basic; he killed his company in delusion when I became a sergeant. Another notable case, Cloudfury, was in line to be a Wonderbolt believe it or not. The tension got to her head, and she ended up poisoning an entire arena in a frantic rage.”

“I see Twilight Sparkle is kept here.” Chaser said aloud, letting his lust for his fascinations outweigh his (somewhat noticeable) anxiety of discovery.

“Yes, of course. A most interesting case that one, too. Used to be of all things, a Princess,” Captain Chains told his new officer, laughing at the idea of an immortal being going crazy and staying captive for many decades, “I imagine you heard the stories at least. Most folks have, but almost all that work here are real touchy about it. They all fear her. All except me. She has the ability to murder the entire staff, but only if we let her. And let me be clear, I will not allow her to kill me or anypony else if I can help it. Of course, accidents happen and guards get careless, but if I have the power to stop her from making a kill, I will show no hesitation.”

“Does she really give us a lot of trouble?” Chaser inquired as a nearby patient banged on the cell door, causing Chains to kick it in attempt to stave off the interruption.

“Sure as Celestia rises the sun, but the problem is that she’s deceivingly clever. Sometimes she’s blood thirsty, but others she won’t move a muscle, it all depends on how good a day it is. I’ve never been around to stop her from killing anypony though, and every time I prepare to silence her for good, one of the doctors or the Warden stops me. I’ll see her cured or dead if it’s the last thing I do though, mark these words.”

“I see…”

“Tell me the truth. Are you scared of her?”

“Umm…I have, shall we say, an interest in her case, which causes me to observe her with some hesitance, but I don’t know if afraid is exactly the right word,” Chaser explained, stumbling with his words and treading on very thin ice.

“I asked you for the truth. Yes or no? Do you fear Twilight Sparkle?” Captain Chains repeated.

“I do.” Chaser reluctantly told his superior. Thankfully, he was at liberty to be a little less cautious around Captain Chains, for the veteran guard pony of the asylum seemed less concerned about his staff than the patients. As long as Chaser did what he was told, then Chains wouldn’t mind very much.

Still, Chaser wasn’t sure that fear was the right word. He was in a sense afraid to see and interact with her, but only because that would take away a little of the mystery. Still, what she had to say or do or act out would be far more than worth the mystery of her case. After all, secrets were meant to be discovered.

“Well, then I’ll have to get you used to her. Your first duty will be relieve Sgt. Rock with watching over the High Security Wing when your shift begins early tomorrow morning.”

“Yes sir.”

“Good soldier. Now, go on ahead and unpack, get settled in, and rest up, because tomorrow will likely be the longest day of your young life.”

“Yes sir.” Chaser repeated, saluted, and went off back to the third guard barracks.

After unpacking and eating dinner, Captain Chaser sat up in bed and wrote down a passage in his personal journal:

“Here I am, inside the Equestrian Asylum. It seems so macabre to other ponies, something to be feared, but I really like being here. What others find to be gross or disturbing, I have always found to be fascinating and worth investigating. Out of pure chance and misunderstanding of my true feelings, Captain Chains has stationed me in the High Security Wing, mere yards away from the one case at The Equestrian Asylum that attracts me more than any other: Twilight Sparkle. I hope to begin digging into her past and interacting with her in any way I can very soon. I want to dive into the ocean of mystery and allurement that surrounds her and this Asylum, but before one dives, one must be sure he can swim. I hope that my activities are not noticed by the warden or a doctor who could get me out of the Asylum, or worse, actually lock me away with these psychos. It’ll be hard to find time to sleep when so much is going through my head, but I have to maintain my health and composure. After all, it isn’t as if this place will be gone when I wake up. Here’s to possibly the greatest day of my life."

With that entry finished, Ghost Chaser laid down and fell into a sleep that passed away like a mere second before he was awoken by another guard.