Chapter Four: The Corruption of the Best is the Worst

It was a cool summer night, Celestia's sun had fallen beneath the horizon and like a perverted phoenix the moon rose from the ashes of twilight. There was an undeniable calm permeating through Ponyville, one everypony had come to love almost religiously. But there were heretics among these ponies, and ones that intended to let all know their stand on this orthodox. Grunts rang through Ponyville as several ponies muscled for position in a seemingly one-sided altercation. A midsummer breeze thick with the scent of flowers washed over the writhing and sweat-slicked forms of the combatants, eliciting a slight shiver from all three. The form of one pony in particular had his back to a wall, figuratively of course. Current combat withstanding, he would never risk contact with that one touchy spot on his back that currently was having a hoof ground into it. This unfortunate stallion, was... well that was up for debate, but we collapsed under the paralytic pain that pervaded within our veins like venom. The anguish afforded I, the one from before, a certain lucidity as the madness retreated from the foreign sensation, having your pain cherry popped was a very trying time indeed. My eyes bulged as I rolled on to my back, and struck out making contact with the multichromatic mare's ribs who had moments ago held me crippled. I attempted to stand, but the torture emanating from my back prevented me from doing so. I glanced sideways at the mares I was currently trying to force away from me, the orange one gave a look of concern at her partner in subjugation, but began to approach me nonetheless. I began to backpedal to try and get away, but the cyan one shot into the sky and landed behind me, aggression wielded like a club. I froze, eyes darting around as I looked for a way out, but luck had abandoned me. I saw the tree where madness had gripped my mind, and it made me fear not just myself, but the safety of the two mares in my company. I had struck the kind one, Applejack, out of fear and madness. Now she brandished an ever-deepening bruise that had most recently developed into a deep shade of purple. Rainbow Dash held her ground, content with protecting Ponyville rather than bringing the beating to me. Applejack however, slowly approached and held out a hoof reassuringly as she got as close as she wanted to be. She paused to allow my teetering mind to adjust to this, then began to speak in a reassuring tone.

"Now Cato, I don't blame ya'll for this," Applejack cooed, gesturing towards her marred cheek, "but I need ya'll to calm down and tell us what in the hay is the matter with you."

"I say we dump him in The Everfree, he deserves it after punchin' you." Rainbow stayed where she was, but her words struck harder than any physical blow. I felt my sanity recede, but Applejack dragged it back out.

"Rainbow hush up, he obviously feels bad fer what he done. You're part of the reason he hit me in the first place."

"What?! Me? What in the hay did I do? It's what you said that made him hit you! He woulda' still been curled under that tree if you hadn't opened your mouth!"

"If ya'll hadn't acted like my Ma then maybe he wouldn't be so dern scared o' us!"

"Well maybe if you hadn't held me back we woulda' had him hog-tied and to Twilight already!"

As the two exhausted mares bickered in a pointless arguement, I took my leave and headed for the only place I knew to be safe. I must ostracize myself for others to be safe... just needed supplies for us.

****

The wind had picked up as our gaze fell on a creaky old barn, next to a creaky old farmhouse, all owned by a creaky-hipped mare. At least we have semblance of a norm, we agreed. Sarcasm was something Orion and I could both agree with. I liked Orion, he had the strength of someone who had seen the worst and dared the world to send more. Orion was what my mind had fragmented into, to be everything I couldn't be. He was charismatic and a born leader. So like now, I allowed him the helm so to speak. I let him take control as we trotted up to the doors of the barn and looked for any kind of latch or locking mechanism. Finding none, we nudged the door tentatively with our snout and it creaked open. Of course a place like Ponyville had never experienced crime, we doubt they had ever experienced death as we had. We entered, but struggled with our legs. The strain of the day on our newly healed legs was to much, we just needed to rest. After we covered our tracks and found a clever place to hide. It felt like weeks since we had gotten a good night's rest, but we knew it had been just last night. We looked up at the ceiling and were disheartened to find that we could not see the stars or the moon. I had told Orion of how soothing that great white ball in the sky was, so we came to a consensus that we would sleep in one of the trees. We did not wish the bruised Apple to find us, not after we bruised her. I personally did not agree with his use of force, but I had followed as all good citizens should. I had presented him with many interrogatives on the subject but he insisted that it was the right decision. First he said, we would gather up saddlebags of supplies, then we would ascend a tree and rest.

****

"Ah can't believe ya' let Cato get away!" Applejack's voice galvanized me, and I almost fell out of the tree in astonishment. Orion was a little slow to become fully alert, but when he was I apprised him of the situation. He took control and held us stock still, just as I had, but he lowered our head below the leaves giving us a better view of the area.

The sun had already risen and was somewhere out of sight, meaning it was near high noon. A light cloud cover had formed, The weather mare is preoccupied after all, and the sharp wind from the previous night had persisted into the present. The wind tousled fallen leaves and my mane alike as it rolled over the Apple's quiet orchard. We glanced right and saw the barn, we glanced left and saw the farmhouse. We could not find the source of the drawl, so the source came to us. With a thunderous crash and snapping of limbs the form of the orange farm mare crashed into ours and we fell to the ground with a thud. The pain from the fall shot through our body like a death of a thousand cuts, we cried out and flailed in response. We wormed out from under the unmoving, earthly representation of the farmer mare turned projectile. We struggled to gain our senses, we had fallen directly on our back. Orion, being the dominant one, had taken most of the sensation. Orion forced our gaze upon her, If we kill her our problems will be no more. I of course used my right as consul to veto this motion, but the mere of idea of it appalled me. I forced forward and brushed the weakened Orion aside. I lifted Applejack onto my back, which Orion started to object to, but I silenced him and trotted for the barn. Rainbow Dash called out for me to stop, but she hadn't seen me until I had headbutted open the doors. I bucked them close, laid the still Applejack on a pile of hay to the left of the doors, and threw my body against doors in a vain attempt to keep out Rainbow. She had obviously got a running- or flying?- start and barreled through the doors at high speed. I was sent reeling as the doors strained to remain on their hinges. My limp form fell in a heap next to Applejack, she still had not returned. I saw the gash on her forehead, just under the brim of her signature stetson. I knew she needed help, and I struggled to crawl towards her. Rainbow thought I moved with malicious intent and shot in between us. She took a wide, protective stance and her gaze burned my soul like vitriol.

"Back up chump! Your not gettin' near her!" She laid a protective hoof on Applejack's head, I winced when she put her hoof right on the sickening gash, she recoiled when her hoof returned covered in blood.

"You! You hurt her didn't you! Then you brought her in here to finish it didn't you?!" I didn't respond, I doubt I could. I simply reached in the saddlebags we had put together the night before, and pulled out a roll of bandages.

"Your not getting near her with those." And I didn't, I laid them at her feet in a mock offering. She fumbled with them and struggled to get them around Applejack's head. I lightly nudged her with a hoof, and she slowly turned her head towards me.

I reached for the bandages with my right hoof, and she dropped them from her mouth, exasperated. I retrieved those, my canteen, and a towel; and set about my work. I opened Applejack's mouth and poured water down her throat to keep her hydrated. I poured the rest of the contents onto the towel and began washing her coat of the sanguineous fluid that flowed from her head. Once the wound was clean I removed AJ's signature hat and clenched the bandages in my teeth and set about patching her up properly. After thoroughly mummifying her I stepped back and admired my work. But the pride of my achievement paled in comparison to my apprehension, Orion stirred in my head, and I knew he intended to end me as an entity. I felt his presence grow stronger, and I fell to my knees as Orion asserted his power. In a last ditch effort I spoke for the first time since my perversion of sanity. It was barely audible and desperate, but Rainbow still heard me.

"Rainbow... get Twilight... help..." I collapsed as Orion encompassed me and forced me into unconsciousness. We had things to discuss.

****

An air of apprehension hung in the tree turned literature archive. The three ponies looked down at the writhing form of the pitiable pony before them. They all knew he needed help, if not he would surely perish. Twilight had taken another peek in on the stallion's mind and knew that the sanity of Cato stood on a dagger's edge. So she did the only thing she thought she could do.

"Spike, take a letter," Spike quickly produced a quill and parchment, "Dear Princess Celestia, I have a matter of grave importance. One of your subjects has fallen ill. Not in a manner that has ever been seen before, or any manner that can be cured by the people of Ponyville. We have him here in the library, and we request your assistance. He is not contagious, he is not even physically ill. This pony is afflicted with a diseased mind and needs treatment before damage is permanent. Please send help. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle." In tongues of emerald dragon fire, the message was turned to smoke and sent to the Princess. All three conscious ponies, and one dragon, watched the smoke soar towards Equestria's capital.

"Do you think she'll send help?" Rainbow's question was innocent enough, but her voice was tinged with doubt and apprehension.

"If she don't, Ah don't think Cato'll make it through the night." Applejack's drawl caused the distorting movements of Cato, or whoever he was now, to stop briefly.

"Celestia has always taken my letters seriously, if I know her she's personally on her way to this very ro-" Twilight was cut off as a lightless, swirling void filled the middle of the room. It congealed into the form of an ageless mare, who's body had stood the tests of insanity and magical reconstruction alike. "Princess Luna..."

"CHARMED, *ahem* Oh, a thousand pardons Miss Sparkle." Princess Luna stood embarrassed but graceful, seeming to draw all the light in the room to her self. Then subsequently killing it.

"No time for pleasantries Princess, where's Princess Celestia?" Twilight's voice carried the utmost urgency.

"Oh, she thought it would be more appropriate for me to come. I have more experience in the matter, and this pony seems to have an affinity for all things 'Luna.' I intend to wake him and find out why." Luna stamped her hoof in emphasis, and her tone carried with it the determination of a pony who wanted answers, not more questions.

"Uh... Princess? He ain't exactly takin' a nap. He's been out cold since before we brought him here," Applejack did her best to sound civilized in front of the Lunar Princess, "And what did ya'll mean experience?"

"My dear Applejack, you have met my psychological other have you not?" All light died around the Princess, and her body reshaped into a taller, darker mare, "Nightmare Moon?" The light suddenly returned, and before them stood the Nocturnal Magister Populi, Night Master of the People. All three mares cowered in fear as the Darkness Incarnate grinned revealing teeth that ended in points, those of a carnivore. The teeth slid out and hit the ground with a slobbery plop. At this Luna winked back to herself and fell onto her back in the throes of laughter. The library rang with the triumphant laughs of a prankster.

Luna wiped a single tear from her eye as she sat up, "Hehe... You should see your faces. Nightmare Moon works every time!"

"Princess Luna! This is no time for pranks, or laughter!" Twilight could not believe Luna's behavior, there was a pony in trouble and she just sat back and laughed! "This is a time for action! We need your help saving this pony!"

Luna sobered up immediately, throwing on a steeled expression she began, "My most heart felt apologies Miss Sparkle, where is the pony in question? What is wrong with him exactly?"

"Well there's somethin' Ah can tell ya'll. See Cato here has somethin', Twi' calls it 'multiple personality disorder,' bunch o' whooey... But she says that the other 'mental entity' is tryin' to wrassle for the top spot." Applejack gave the Princess a forgiving look, for the prank.

"And Twilight can't figure out a way to patch up his head. So we were hoping that an alicorn might have something in her repertoire." The last word surprised the three other mares, Rainbow Dash blushed and muttered, "What? I can read books too ya know..."

"Never mind that, Luna do you have a spell for helping him? I'm afraid he's losing the battle in his head." Twilight took a pitying look down at the stallion twisting about on the floor.

"I might, but it requires one of you to do something rather... unpleasant." Luna cringed slightly at the gazes the other ponies were giving her."You see, outside of using the Elements of Harmony, there isn't much we can do for him. But thankfully I know a spell that can give him the smarts, the strength, or the bravery of one of you. I can transfer your mind into his, and then you can help him how you deem necessary. This only leaves the decision of who will do it."

"I'll do it."

"Ah'll do it."