Twilight led all her five pony friends through a door. A short hall was on the other side, with two book shelves alongside each other, embedded into the right wall. Each shelf had books and laboratory flasks filled with magic potions resting in them, and a lantern hanging above them. The lanterns gave off a dim light. But it was still enough to see their way through. Passing through the short hall, they made a left turn and descended down some stairs. Fluttershy, however, was hesitant. But Pinkie turned to her, and give a reassuring smile.

After making a right turn, then a left and another right, they finally arrived at the bottom of the long stairs and into what looked like a laboratory in a darkened cave. The only light in the room was coming from some lanterns embedded in the walls, and from the electricity running through some metal rods sticking out of some machinery against the cave walls. Various tree branches were sticking out of the walls, and coming out from the ceiling, extending to the ground. Some were wrapped around the machinery.

At the center of the room was what appeared to be a control panel. Five metallic tables forming a semi circle around the control device. They were tilted towards and facing the control panel, each about five meters from the control panel. The purple unicorn brought the laboratory flask filled with her favorite drink to her mouth, and took a sip. "Beautiful, isn't it?... What is everyone looking at?"

"Twilight? Did you just drink a potion out of that glass container, used to hold chemicals?" One of the other ponies questioned.

She answered, "It's one of my most favored drinks. You've seen me drink this before."

"Out of a that?" Rarity asked.

"Don't worry. It's clean. I do not know why, but I sometimes just like drinking out of a lab flask. Weird, I know." replied Twilight Sparkle. No one thought much of it.

Rarity pointed out three skeletal models of ponies up against one of the cavern walls. One of each kind of pony, supported by poles. "Those are just plain... creepy." said Rarity.

Twilight was glad someone took notice of them, "Oh, you like them? These pony skeleton models weren't too difficult to make. I've even given them nicknames. The first is a model of a male earth pony. 'Doc Brown-mane' is his name. He's a hot one. The second one is a female Pegasus pony I've named 'Derp-stick.' And the last, 'The Trixter,' is a female unicorn. They're all such cuties!" Everyone just stared at Twilight awkwardly.

Pinkie spoke out, "Say Twilight. Isn't this the same room where you tried to collect data from my 'Pinkie senses' in the 'feeling Pinkie keen' episode?"

Applejack gave Pinkie a confused look. "Episode? What the hay 're ya talkin' 'bout Pink?"

"Yes it is, Pinkie." Twilight said, answering Pinkie's question.

Fluttershy was looking around the cave. "W...what are we going to do in this... unsettling place, Twilight?"

"Science experiments." Twilight responded.

"Science experiments?" Dash complained. "Give me a break. Science isn't my thing."

"Rainbow Dash!" scolded AJ. "We said we'd stay to learn more about friendship with Twilight. And if science experiments are how we're going to learn, then by golly, we'll participate."

Pinkie nodded in agreement, "Yeah Dashie. Don't be a science party pooper scooper!"

Dash gave in, "Sigh. Fine. Let's get this done with."

Twilight gave Dash a cheery look, "Thank you Dash! Trust me. You'll find this interesting."

"Alright everypony. Get on the tilted tables." Twilight told them.

Rainbow Dash began to get nervous and was hesitating, "Um, Twi?"

"Something wrong, Dash?"

"Oh, heh. Nothing... except, this is reminding me of a dream- NO! Nightmare I had two weeks ago." Rainbow was looking at Pinkie Pie uncomfortably, while Pinkie just smiled back obliviously.

Twilight tried reverse psychology on Dash. "Don't worry. I'm sure this will be nothing like your dream. But... I understand if you're scared."

Dash was indignant. "WHAT? I am not scared! I'll... I'll prove it!" Just like that, Dash lay on the table. "See!"

"I knew you could do it!" Twilight said as she directed everyone else where to lie.

Everyone lied on their assigned tables, except for Fluttershy. Twilight questioned Fluttershy, "What are you waiting for Shy?"

Fluttershy had an unsure look on her face. "Well, it's just, um, it looks, well, restricting, and... scary. And, well, yeah. I'd rather not."

"You don't have to be afraid. I'm your friend. You trust me, right?"

"Yeah. Well, I'd still rather not." Shy said timidly.

Twilight had a look of disapproval. "I see..." Twilight's horn started to glow. She used magic to push Fluttershy onto the metal board. Then she quickly went over to the control panel and pushed a button, cuffing all five ponies' four hooves, assuring that they could not escape from the platforms.

Fluttershy, being as sensitive as she is, didn't take the sudden impact into the metallic platform well. She started crying. Rarity grew angry. "Twilight! That was simply rude and unnecessary. And why are we cuffed to these boards? It's so tight. I can't move."

Rainbow Dash began to find the situation unnerving again. "Okay Twilight. This is really getting to be like my dream."

A disappointed Twilight said, "I'm hurt. Don't you all trust me? I promise everypony will benefit and learn well from this experience. So, what do you say? Please? For me?"

Rarity spoke. "Well... Alright. Sorry dear."

Fluttershy's eye's cleared up. "Me too... I guess."

Rainbow Dash: "...okay...I... I trust you Twilight."

"Thank you everyone. I knew I could rely on you." Twilight said with a cheery tone.

Twilight was ready to explain, "Now. What these experiments will do is to help us better understand who we are as ponies. To do this, we shall study and carefully analyze our talents. That is, the meaning of our cutie marks. We also will look into the element of harmony each of us represent."

Dash felt a little better. "Oh. Okay. That's not so bad. That actually sounds pretty fun! Though I still don't know why we need to be cuffed to these planks, but I trust you."

Twilight was pleased. "Great! Let's start with Pinkie Pie."

"OOoooOOOoooo!" Pinkie said with an excited voice.

Twilight continued, "As we all know, Pinkie is the pink, party throwing pony of ponyville. She does it to bring smiles and joy to the ponies who attend the parties. That is signified by her three balloon cutie mark. She's energetic, and has a wild, fun-loving personality. No wonder she is the carrier of the element of laughter."

Dash agreed. "That's Pinkie Pie! Heeheeheehee!"

Twilight went on. "In hopes of better understanding her joyous, mentality, I shall examine her mind intimately. Very intimately."

Applejack was slightly puzzled by that statement. "Like, how?"

To everyone's surprise, Twi gave the happy pink horse a long passionate kiss on her tender cheek. "I love your body... I'll be back." Twilight said as she left the room. Pinkie waited in curiosity and anticipation.

When she returned, they noticed that she was wearing a clean, white apron. And she was carrying a metal box with her. "Is that a white apron... worn by... surgeons?" Asked Rarity. Rainbow felt uneasy again.

Pinkie Pie corrected Rarity. "Don't be a silly big filly! That's a baker's apron. She want's to bake a cake like I would, to better understand my mind." The ponies were almost convinced at what Pinkie Pie said, until they saw Twilight put on a surgical mask, open the box, reach inside, and take out what looked like a surgical knife. Everyone's eyes grew wide with concern, with the exception of Pinkie Pie. Pinkie was so excited. "I knew it! And that's the knife to cut the cake! Right?"

"Something like that." Twilight chuckled. Twilight held the scalpel close up to Pinkie's face. "Here's for science."

"Heh heh. Careful with that knife." Pinkie said nervously.

Dash's heart beat significantly faster at the sight of a knife that close to her friend. "Twilight. I don't want to do this! Please let me go." Yelled Dash.

Twilight was vexed. "Why not? Your silly nightmare?"

Dash replied, "This is getting more and more like that nightmare. What exactly do you plan on doing with that knife anyway?"

Applejack joined in. "You're worrying us Twi."

Twilight sighed in frustration. "It's for science. We just went over this. I thought you were okay with this."

Pinkie watched as the knife hovered down her chest and to her belly. "Shouldn't you be baking that cake now?"

The knife caressed the skin of Pinkie's belly. Suddenly, Twilight pushed harder on the knife, and the extremely sharp tool cut through the skin and muscle of the pink pony's belly. "OUCH!" Pinkie yelled. Then Twilight quickly moved the blade straight down the belly, making a deep horizontal gash through the skin and muscle, causing Pinkie to scream in pain. It was not long before red liquid was seeping out of the wound.

There was a sudden adrenaline rush in everyone, from seeing what just happened. "TWILIGHT!" Both Rarity and AJ hollered.

Rainbow Dash was now filled with panic. "GET ME OUTTA HERE!" Dash screamed, while jerking franticly, trying to break free from the metal cuffs, but to no avail.

"Don't worry Dash. I will." Rarity said, with a look of anger and determination towards Twilight. Rarity's horn glowed as she used her magic to take hold of the knife, right before Twilight was going to make another incision into Pinkie. Twilight had an annoyed look on her face. And the irises in her eyes... turned red.

She tried to regain control of the scalpel with her magic. "Rarity! Stop it!" They were both fighting for the knife, pulling on it like a game of tug and war. The purple pony had had enough. She used her magic to flip a switch on the control board at the center of the room. This sent a powerful electric shock throughout Rarity's body. Her muscles instantly contracted. She shook and jerked violently, screaming out in agony from burning heat. This left her twitching and disoriented, allowing Twilight to take control of the surgical tool once again. All the pony test subjects had never been so scared in their lives.

Turning off the power, and returning to a crying Pinkie, Twilight used her blade to make two more deep gashes on the chest of her pink friend. Both cuts were slanting down, their bottom ends joining together, along with the top end of the first cut on Pinkie's belly. There was now a capital Y shaped incision on Pinkie's entire underside. The Y turned red. The blood was beginning to flow down Pinkie's chest and tummy, down to her legs and dripping onto the floor. Moaning and weeping she innocently asked, "Twilight... why?"

"*Snort* I get it. A 'why' incision. That's really funny Pink. Cliché, but still funny." Snickered the surgeon.

Rarity recovered enough composer to once more take control of the knife. Twilight was getting angry. She again turned the same electricity inducing switch on. "Rarity! Quit it! You're being immature!"

Rarity was in intense pain as before. The electricity was roasting her body tissue to the point where it was smoking. But she fought against the horrible burn, more determined than ever to stop Twilight. Rarity used her magic to move the knife away from Twilight. Everyone else was watching in high hopes. The book worm unicorn's anger grew. She turned off the electric current and had a quick sip from her glassware in frustration. The next thing Rarity knew, Twilight seemed to easily yank the sharp cutting instrument with her raging magic. "That is IT!" Twilight brought out a bone cutting hacksaw from the silver case. Rarity tried to move the saw away from her with her glowing horn, but Twilight's magic was now too overpowering, as if getting her mad was making her magic stronger. Coming to Rarity with the hacksaw, she positioned the teethed blade at the base of the white unicorn's horn and started sawing.

Rarity's magic was getting weaker with each thrust of the saw through her horn. She winced as the blade cut through some skin at around the base of the horn. A small amount of blood flew down her face. After about 30 seconds, Rarity saw her blood-stained horn drop to the ground. Everyone's heart sank as they watched what seemed to be their last hope of escape fall to the ground and die. Twilight let out a warning, "Anypony else who resists will be dealt with by my magic. Now, if that's all."