Therapy
Five days passed after that without much interesting happening. Despite that Scootaloo seemed to be doing better, Twilight and Apple Jack both said they doubted she had truly moved on so quickly. She sure seemed happy when we started moving into my new house, but soon I did find cause to look into therapy for the filly as Twilight kept insisting I should.
Everything started out so well that day too.
That mourning I traveled up the stairs of my new house, flying to avoid all the items I was planning to put away at… some point. Trophies, clothes, toys, it all lay strewn everywhere. It had taken me years to set up my mansion, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that taking that long with a kid in my life was probably wrong.
I thought about it, but I didn’t dwell much on it. At the top of the stairs I knocked on Scootaloo’s door. I didn’t get a response so I listened. It was then that I got an idea. Scoots had been relying on me to wake her up all week. True, I had yet to find and unpack an alarm clock for her, but I still felt like being a little cheeky. I tested the door knob, unlocked, good.
I slowly opened the door, flying into the dark room. I slowly flew to the light switch, being quiet as I could. Everything played in my head before it was to happen. I would hit the switch, Scootaloo would curl up in her covers and I would pounce on her, tangling her up in the blanket and from there do basically whatever I wanted to my little filly victim. (Worst thing I would do would be tickling of course, but I was still being devious and loving it.)
I flicked the switch and- “BOO!” Scootaloo jumped up in my face from the floor at my feet where I had failed to notice her, sending me back out the door in shock and causing me to bonk my head on the wall. Grinning, Scootaloo took off down the stairs, scrambling past boxes as she went and knocking a few of them over.
I had to get my breathing back to normal for half a second, but still, she was NOT getting away with that. “Get back here you little runt!” I shot down the stairs after her.
I found her in the dining room, jumping onto one of the chairs around the dinner table. “Base!” she shouted. I gave her a sly smile as she grinned at me. “That’s the third time you’ve done that this week. I got you back this time didn’t I?” she asked as I flew around her seat.
“You think you’re safe on base huh?” I asked. “I’ll let you have it,” I said, slowly landing. “But you know, you’re going to have to come away from it eventually and you know it.
I looked around my new kitchen. It was much less grand than my old home, which was no doubt being demolished by now. I had actually done my best to say away from the cloud mansion that week, as I didn’t want to make Scootaloo question if I really wanted her more than my old house… truth is I didn’t want to question it myself.
In the kitchen I had a table, a few chairs, some cabinets, the refrigerator, an oven, the usual stuff. It wasn’t very roomy, but like I had told Scootaloo before, I really wasn’t that rich. Food and unpacked boxes lined the counters. Again it struck me that maybe I should take Pinkie up on her offer of a moving party.
I got a little cereal for myself. “You gonna get some for your daughter?” asked Scootaloo, looking at me as if to beg. I pretended to ignore her and just sat at the table instead with my cereal.
“Somepony is going to have to venture out and get it herself isn’t she?” I asked, slowly starting to read a newspaper I had put by my chair the day before. Scootaloo looked at the cereal, just sitting on the kitchen counter. She could easily just jump off her chair and grab it, but she knew she would have to leave “base”. I glanced at the front page, waiting for my prey. The head line caught my eye however.
It read as follows; “Town Hero, Rainbow Dash, Adopts Filly After Saving her Life”. The story went on to describe in detail the events of my adoption of Scootaloo and her past abuse. There was even a part that detailed Scootaloo’s rejection by her mother at the clinic. My mouth dropped open.
“What the buck?” I asked quietly. I started getting more and more angry as I read. This was personal stuff. No pony needed to know what Violet Blaze did. Sure I wanted Violet’s reputation ruined, but announcing things like this would make things hard for Scoots too. I paused when I finally saw who the source for all this was. I looked up, noticing Scootaloo had snuck some cereal while I wasn’t paying attention. “Um Scootaloo, didn’t I tell you to keep what happened in the clinic to yourself?”
Scootaloo shrugged. “I forgot.”
“Why would you tell anypony this much?” I asked further, showing her the paper.
“I had to talk to somepony I guess.” She took another bite.
“Why didn’t you come to me?”
“Well… you know what happened… and… you seem happier when I’m happy so… ya know. You gonna punish me?”
“Well… I guess not. It doesn’t seem right, you were just reaching out and all. But you need to listen to me.” Scootaloo kept eating her cereal. “Have you been hiding your feelings from me?”
“Maybe a little… I just want you to be happy is all.”
“But I’m… I’m… I’m your mother.”
“So?”
“But what are you really feeling?” I lifted up from my chair and flew over to her. “Squirt, if what your mother said is still bothering you I wouldn’t blame you.”
“I’m fine,” she said, eating her cereal.
“If that’s true, why pour your heart out to strangers?”
“I just had to get some things off my chest.”
“But you live with me, just do that with me.”
“No,” Scootaloo replied.
“But you should.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m your mother.”
“Like I already said, so?” She raised an eyebrow to me. “I love you, I don’t want to see you sad and knowing when I’m feeling bad will only make you feel bad. So don’t worry about it, I’ll handle it.”
I landed and stomped a hoof on the ground. “Scoots NO!” I shouted at her. “You have to talk to ME!”
“WHY!?” she shouted back.
“I’m your mother, it’s my job!” I yelled back.
“WHY?!”
“I… because…” I sat down on the floor. “Why?” I whispered to myself. ‘I know I’m right,’ I thought. ‘But, why am I right?’
“Well?” Scootaloo asked.
“Well for one ponies like this will just take advantage of you,” I showed her the paper again. “Do you really want all the other foals at school knowing what happened to you in the clinic?” Scootaloo paused, then looked at her cereal. “I would never do that to you.”
“I know that. You love me so you don’t want to hurt me. I love you so I don’t want to hurt you.”
“But I want to help you.”
“So?”
“So let me!” I shouted again.
“NO!” She glared at her cereal. “I will NEVER hurt my friends or my new mother. I won’t hurt them, not like… not like…”
I blinked, suddenly knowing what she was going to say. “Not like your old mother hurt you?” Scootaloo bit her lip. “Oh I am so out of my league here,” I accidentally said out loud. “We need help.”
(***)
Seeing as it was Saturday, there was no school, but I opted to take Scootaloo to the clinic instead of letting her hang out with her friends. I didn’t like keeping her from Sweetie and AB, but I had to get answers. I needed to know what Scootaloo was really feeling and to know how to get her to come to me. Even as we walked to the clinic, Scootaloo seemed to walk with a spring in her step, that now I was starting to analyze. Did she really feel good or was it all a show?
Out of the clinic walked a pony wearing a Stetson hat. I stopped her. “Apple Jack?” AJ looked up. “What are you doing here?”
AJ chuckled. “Hm? Oh ah swear ah must come ere’ at least once a week. Apple Bloom and Big Mac can’t go as long without cuttin’, breakin’ or bruisin’ somethin’… not that ah’m much better. Mostly minor stuff though. Ah was just filling a prescription for Granny today is all. What’er you here for?”
I looked down at Scootaloo. “We need a shrink I think.”
Scootaloo sighed. “Is this really necessary?” she asked.
“Had a feelin’ that might need ta happen,” AJ opted. “You’re adoption happened so fast an’ all.” AJ started to dig into her saddle bags. “Ifn’ ya’ll could hold up a bit, the clinic has a therapist ah might recommend. Apple Bloom has needed a few visits herself, especially considerin’ our parents passin’ away.” Apple Jack pulled out a card and gave it to me. “Not sure what ah would do without this stallion, he’s a life saver when it comes to foals, trust me.”
I read the card. “Um… This is a joke right?”
AJ shook her head. “Ah have no idea what’s wit’ that name. He’s a nice stallion though, trust me.”
(***)
I stood outside his office, reading his name plate over and over again. “Killy Filly MFCC” I’d never actually been to a therapist before but I was pretty sure a name like that wasn’t a good sign. A nurse passed by and I grinned asking, “Is there a ya know, Happy Filly or Feel Good Colt or something? I mean… Killy Filly…”
The nurse rolled her eyes. “I don’t know why he won’t change his name. Course Killy is apparently a family name so I don’t know what he’s supposed to do. You want to be concerned, you should be here when his family visits.” I cocked my head to the side. “He has a good reputation. I suppose we had a Happy Filly for a while, but he was sued for malpractice… like fifteen times. Trust me you don’t want to track him down.”
“Um…”
The nurse rolled her eyes. “Oh for Celestia sake, I’ll just knock on the door for you.” And she did thusly.
A brown stallion pegasus opened the door. “Ah!” he said. “So you must be Rainbow Dash, the front desk said you would be back soon.”
“I’ve never met you, how do you know my name-“ he and I both looked at my mane. “Oh, right… kinda obvious.”
“Well there’s that and again, the front desk just sent you back. A little apprehensive are we?” He asked.
“I’m bringing you a filly and your name is Killy Filly, to be blunt, yes.”
The therapist walked back into his office, me following. “I find the name to be a bit of a filter. I’m one of the only therapists in town with such a good reputation. Still, when ponies see the name, they often give trying to solve their problems themselves another shot. Basically to talk to a doctor called Killy Filly, you have to be pretty sure something is wrong with your filly, don’t you?”
“Why would you… huh?” I asked.
“You would not believe how many children develop a complex due to their parents not having enough faith to just work with them or let them work things out on their own.” We both looked at Scootaloo, who was just standing in the door way. “Is she the patient? Are you coming in young lady?”
“You’re not gonna kill me are you? I’m a filly,” Scootaloo answered.
The therapist held up a hoof. “I promise I won’t even touch you.”
“Seriously though, what is it with that name?” I asked.
“Well the filly seems to be observant and to be having normal reactions,” he smiled at me and blinked. I blinked and had to think. “As do you it seems.”
“Wait did you just- did you-“ I stuttered.
“Don’t think about it.” The doctor took out a note pad from his desk. I looked around the office, seeing I was currently surrounded by several selves with books. In front of me was the doctor and his large desk and to my right was a rather strange looking couch. “You can have a seat if you think you’d be more comfortable.” He looked up and smiled warmly at Scootaloo, suppressing what looked like a chortle. “Oh and young lady, as long as you’re still over there, could you shut the door?” Scootaloo looked at me as if to make sure it was okay to obey him. I nodded. She came in, closed the door and came closer to us. The doctor leaned back, relaxing. “So why are you two here?”
“My new daughter here, she’s talking to other ponies about her problems and not coming to me. What should I do?” I asked.
The doctor looked at me with a raised eyebrow. “Nothing?” he shrugged. “If you just adopted her recently, she’s probably not used to coming to you with problems. She just needs to learn that she can trust you.”
“How did you know I adopted her recently?” I sighed. “Did you read the paper?” I asked, looking over at the newspaper on his desk.
“Hm? You- oh wow, that is you,” the doctor picked up his paper. “No I didn’t think of that. Actually I was just paying attention. You said she was your “new daughter”.” He made air quotes. “So I deduced you recently adopted.”
Scootaloo put up her hoof. “Hold up, I trust Rainbow Dash. What do you mean I need to learn to trust?”
The doctor motioned to the couch. “Why don’t you have a seat?” Scootaloo obeyed, still looking confused. “So, let me ask you something. To you, who’s Rainbow Dash?” he asked her.
“The best flyer in all of Equestria, the bestest athlete period. She says she’s gonna take me under her wing some day and she agreed to be my sister and- oh right and she’s my mom now.” I grinned hearing the stream of compliments from Scootaloo, she was always a source of ego stroking.
“It has struck you that she is no longer your sister then right?” The doctor picked up the newspaper. “Odd, the paper didn’t say you two were already related before the adoption.”
“Oh well technically we weren’t,” I threw in. “I was basically her mentor, but we called it a sisterhood.”
“I see,” he said nodding. The doctor put down the paper again and clicked his hooves together. “Let me try something,” he pointed at me. “Scootaloo, who is this?”
“Rainbow Dash… duh,” she said.
“Mmmhm.” He looked back to me. “Rainbow Dash, might I ask you a few things?”
I shrugged. “Sure.”
“Who is that?” he pointed at Scootaloo.
“Scootaloo, my new daughter,” I replied easily.
“I see,” he replied. I cocked my head to the side, not sure I liked that response. “Rainbow Dash, how long ago did you adopt this child?”
“Just a few days,” I replied.
He looked back to Scootaloo. “Scootaloo, Rainbow Dash is your mother. Why don’t you call her mom?”
“Um, because I’m not use to it I guess,” Scootaloo replied.
“I surmised as much,” Mr. Killy replied. “However… maybe this is the right question. What do you expect in a mother?”
Scootaloo seemed to have to think about that one for a minute, looking at the couch, then around the room, then at me. “Um… um, toooooo live in the same house?”
“There are no wrong answers here Scootaloo, just tell me what you think,” the therapist reassured.
Scootaloo had to think again. “Well, I expect her to love me. I expect her to spend time with me, at least I hope she will,” my eyes went wide, but Mr. Killy held up a hoof to keep me quiet. “I want someone to play with me. To make sure I have enough food I guess… I think… a mother is supposed to do that right?” Neither of us answered, me growing more and more uncomfortable with each answer. “Someone to pay the bills… I guess that’s it.”
“What about discipline, how often have you disciplined Scootaloo as a parent or as sister?” asked the doctor of me.
“Well never really. I figured at this point I should try to be nice.” I replied.
“Oh no,” the doctor waved his hoof to cut me off. “Hm… that I can correct you on right now. Imagine if Celestia did away with all of her laws in the wake of a national disaster, no more prosecuting criminal ponies, all law suspended until everyone feels better.”
I thought for a minute. “It could work, sounds nice actually, I mean-“
“Chaos would immediately ensue and the citizenry would feel completely vulnerable,” the doctor cut me off. “Scootaloo needs rules and discipline not just to be raised properly but just to feel secure. You suspending discipline keeps her from having a sense of normality and structure.”
“From the fact that her mother only saw her on weekends or less, I doubt she’s ever really had that much structure in her life. I would guess she’s used to that by now,” I said with a shrug.
“You have no idea how sad that is do you?” Killy asked. I tried to think for a minute, but shook my head soon thereafter.
I sighed. I knew there was something wrong with the answers I was giving, and I guessed I should have known what, but I didn’t. “I’m gonna be a bad mother aren’t I?” I asked.
Killy shook his head. “You think every new mother immediately knows the value of discipline?” he asked. “The fact that you care enough to be here and you’re not chewing me out for daring to question your methods says there’s definitely hope for you. You don’t know how often I’ve been attacked by parents for just stating simple truths.” The doctor looked at Scoots again. “Scootaloo, what do you expect from a sister?”
Scootaloo didn’t have to think as long on that one. “Her to love me, spend time with me and play with me. Also I guess it would be great if she trained me a little.”
Killy nodded. “It doesn’t seem like either of you know what to expect from this endeavor. That’s not too surprising from a new parent and a neglected foal I suppose, however I feel I must point out, I would have recommended someone with parenting experience take on the task of raising an abused foal, not a pony completely new to the concept.”
I nodded, remembering the whole thing with me wanting Apple Jack to do this. “It’s not like I can give her to somepony else now,” I said. “Can I?” I asked, getting a rather dejected look from Scootaloo. “I’d still be your sister just-“
“No.” the doctor said flatly, and I swear he rolled his eyes (not sure how professional that is). “Bouncing her around would be a bad idea. You’re what we’ve got,” the doctor said pointing at me, “And we need to work with what we’ve got.” He looked at the ceiling. “Now if I might ask, what specifically made you concerned that Scootaloo wasn’t coming to you?”
I pointed at the news paper. “She talked to a bunch of strangers instead of telling me she was still having problems with what happened with her mother.”
Killy raised an eyebrow to me. “Her still being upset after about a week… you should have expected that. Still, Scootaloo, why didn’t you talk to Rainbow Dash about how you were feeling?”
“Hm?” Scootaloo asked back. “Well she already knows what’s going on. But even then, I don’t like making her sad. Everyone around me was crying, hugging and being so quiet when I was upset and I didn’t like that, so I figured I just keep how I feel to myself.” She looked down at the couch again. “Actually I’m not sure why I told the reporters what happened and how sad I sometimes am.”
“Might I take a guess at why?” asked the therapist. “You wanted to talk to someone but you didn’t want to upset those you care about so you told a stranger. Sound about right?” Scootaloo nodded.
Scoots continued. “Rainbow Dash is an awesome pony and so are the rest of my friends. They all helped me so much. I don’t know I figured if all they need is a smile then… it’s the least I can do.” Scoots hung her head. “I really am having fun with everyone!” she practically shouted, forcing a smile. “It’s not like I’m faking, not… not entirely.”
The therapist nodded. “I see.”
I turned to her. “Scoots, you can come to me, in fact, you should come to me when you’re hurting so-“
The doctor cut me off, waving a hoof at me. “No, not necessarily. Scootaloo does need to learn to share her feelings with those she can trust, but that doesn’t always mean you,” the doctor looked back at his notes. “In any case, has she ever shared her feelings with you on matters like this?”
“I was there for the initial sock of it all,” I said. “When she first lost her home she didn’t hide much of anything from me.”
The doctor nodded. “I see.” The doctor held up the newspaper again. “I guess this is probably a valid enough reference. Here’s what I’m starting to get, Rainbow, Scootaloo. To you Scootaloo, Rainbow wants to help you through your problems. Believe it or not, that will actually make her happier than you know.” I looked at Scootaloo and nodded, Scoots looking away from me. “To you Rainbow Dash, you rescued Scootaloo, adopted her and are now providing for her in a way she’s not used too. She wouldn’t be the first pony to feel like she’s becoming a burden in a situation like that. She wants to do things for you but she’s not sure what she even can do… am I right?” Scootaloo nodded. “It’s common.”
“Scootaloo you don’t need to-“
“Again no. You like to jump in don’t you?” the doctor asked me. I grinned sheepishly. “Telling her she doesn’t need to do anything will range from useless to making the problem worse. Have you ever wanted to pay someone back for a favor only to have them tell you not to even try?” I shook my head. “Really?” the doctor’s head practically shot back. “I thought everypony had experienced that. Folks do nice things for you yes?”
“Well yea, but I always figure I’ll pay them back eventually and don’t worry about it.” I replied.
“You’re a fairly capable pony aren’t you?” He asked. I nodded. “Well then I guess I’ll need to break this down for you. There will come a time when you will need somepony else’s help, it WILL happen. On that day, some day, you will not be able to pay that pony back, ever. Again, this WILL happen. How do you think that will make you feel?”
I had to think about that. Twilight and the rest of my friends had done so much for me, and even I knew I hadn’t truly paid them all back completely, but what would it mean to not be able to? I guessed that would probably have something to do with when I got old. I wouldn’t have much money, wouldn’t be able to fly very fast, I wouldn’t remember stuff… “If I were in a situation like that, wouldn’t I be more worried about myself?” I asked.
The doctor cocked his head to the side, about to speak, but then paused. He seemed to consider better of something. “For a while perhaps. But eventually you will worry about what those around you are going through too. And just like with Scootaloo here, simply telling you that you don’t need to do anything won’t help, it may even make you feel worse.” The doctor sat back in his chair. “Here’s what I’m going to recommend for now. First, I might like a few follow up visits with Scootaloo, you might not be allowed to personally sit in on all of them, just to warn you.”
“Why not?”
“It’s not always easy to understand why, but sometimes it really is easier to talk to a stranger about what’s bothering you than someone you respect. Not having you in the room may help Scootaloo open up more.” I sighed. I didn’t like that idea one bit. But I supposed this guy was the expert… at least I hoped he was with a name like Killy Filly. “Next, when you get home, I want you to start enforcing rules and penalties for breaking them. You need to start getting her used to what it means to be in a stable home, you do her no favors by delaying the transition. I want you to NOT constantly bug her about what might be wrong, at least not more than would be natural. If she’s crying or unusually quiet, of course ask if something is wrong, but don’t pester her, you’ll make her feel like you don’t believe she can recover. Finally,” the doctor clicked his hoof at Scootaloo. “You need to strategize with her what she can do to start paying back those who have helped her.”
“But she can’t,” I protested. “Not really.” Scootaloo gave me a look of shock, like I had just taken away an important toy and smashed it in front of her.
“Blunt aren’t we?” the doctor asked shaking his head and almost laughing. “I suppose not truly, now that you’ve just thrown that out there,” he turned to Scoots. “However, young lady, there are things you can do for others and I see nothing wrong with you doing them. How about you make Rainbow Dash breakfast in bed a few times?” I wasn’t sure about her doing that, but to my surprise she nodded and started to smile. “Are there any extra chores you can do?”
Scootaloo paused to think, however she looked unusually happy about doing chores. “I could help unpack some of Rainbow Dash’s boxes from the move. I mean she… gave up her house for me.” Scootaloo slowed down.
“Oh… oh I see,” The doctor turned to me again. “You really do need to start letting her do things for you.”
“Why?” I asked. “I’m her mother now, isn’t it just normal that I do things without asking for anything back? That’s how my mom was. She never asked anything of me.”
“Never?” he asked.
“Well… I don’t remember anything anyway. Course then again- er… um,” I looked at Scootaloo. I stopped. How could I tell her my mother had passed away before I was even her age? She would feel sorry for me and might question if I even knew what it meant to be a mother… which I didn’t to be fair.
“If you’ll take the compliment, you don’t look that old Rainbow Dash, your time at home couldn’t have been that long ago. What did you do for your mother growing up? Like maybe when she was sad, or if she got injured?”
“I… I don’t know,” I gritted my teeth. “The only time… the only time…” I didn’t even know what was happening but I suddenly shot it out, “Can Scootaloo PLEASE leave… just the room… just wait outside… PLEASE!” Scootaloo backed up on the couch. The doctor started moving slowly himself. He looked at me, like he was studying me.
“For the moment… Scootaloo, please leave the room. I will tell you when it’s alright to come back in.” Scoots lifted a hoof to leave, but then put it back down. She held up her head and sat down with a steely look of resolve on her face. “Scootaloo this is not a trick, I know you want to help, but don’t fight me. Just please go outside the door. I promise we are not ignoring you.”
“But if she’s hurting then I want to-“
“Go!” the doctor finally ordered. I didn’t like him taking a tone with her when she was only being nice, but I was doing by best not to fight him. Scootaloo walked out the door quickly, but hesitated when she reached for the knob. She looked back. I nodded to her. She walked out and closed the door.
The doctor sighed and started talking again. “Now, what-“
“She’s dead!” I shouted. “My mother died when I was seven!” I started choking on my own words. “I remember almost nothing. I don’t know how to be a mom and I never should have tried.” I stamped the floor several times. “All I do is play with her and say a few nice words, it’s all I know how to do. Discipline? I don’t know how to punish a child. What if I go too far? What if it’s not far enough? And now it’s just getting worse as she’s hurting and she won’t even tell me what’s wrong. I don’t know what I’m doing. I knew I should have had Apple Jack do this, I just knew it. I can’t be a mother, I’m not mature, I’m not smart, I’m not… why are you letting me say these things, aren’t you supposed to help?”
The doctor nodded. “Yes I am. However constantly interrupting you won’t do that. Let me pose you a question though. If I were one of your friends, for instance, this Apple Jack that you mentioned, what would she say?”
“She would say… she would try to be honest. She would say I am immature, but I can be smart when I want to be. She would say I can grow if I really try. She would say that this isn’t going to be easy, but I can do it.”
Killy nodded. “Yes. To be honest, it doesn’t sound like there’s much I could say that would be better than that.”
“Then why am I here with you and not with her?”
“Well, again, to be honest, you don’t have to do things with me. You could have gone to a friend and things might have worked out better, if for nothing else, then just for your wallet. However, the difference is, I have authority and have studied these things. For instance, she would probably not know to say this. Go ahead and cry. Let it out.”
I held in a scream, stamping the floor again, tears were streaming out of my eyes at this point. Finally I gave in to a few sobs.
I don’t know when it happened exactly, but I suddenly felt a small body press up against mine and wrap me in a tight hug. I looked down to see Scootaloo looking up at me. I suddenly looked up at the doctor. “You- you-“ I gently pushed her away. Then I shouted in rage. “You knew she would listen didn’t you?!”
He seemed to hold back a chuckle. “She didn’t have to, you’re the one who decided to shout, stomp and scream. Had you let me speak before your outburst I would have told you to keep it down. However when you shouted instead of listening to me, I decided to let nature takes its course.” Still angry, but not able to see him as wrong, I looked away from both ponies in the room. “Rainbow Dash, don’t you see what’s happening here? You’re holding back how you feel from Scootaloo. Why?”
“Because she’s been through enough!” I yelled back, glaring at him. I’m wasn’t even sure why I was angry at him at this point either. “Her mother told her she didn’t love her. All mine did was die that’s nothing compared to it. I can’t even imagine how I would feel if that happened.” I looked away quickly.
“Scootaloo, why don’t you want to talk to Rainbow Dash about your problems?” I don’t know what the visual response was but she didn’t talk. “It’s because you think she’s helped enough don’t you?” I looked over my shoulder slowly, seeing Scootaloo looking away from me. “And, I might guess, it’s also because you don’t want to hurt her.”
The doctor paused and then continued. “And this is the problem. Both of you have the idea that there’s some kind of limit and that sharing your feelings will go over that limit.” I noticed Scootaloo slowly look back at me. “And I’m going to tell you something you’re not going to like. What you both believe so earnestly, is complete bunk.” Both of us snapped to looking at the therapist.
He addressed me first. “Rainbow Dash, helping you with your feelings would allow Scootaloo to feel like she’s being of use and not just burdening you. She can listen and there are a plethora of other things she can do to help you. As her mother, one of the things you must do is foster a desire to help others and to pay back her debts, not tell her she's wrong for having such feelings. You also aren’t demonstrating much faith in her. If she were going overboard that would be one thing, but wanting to do something at all isn’t overboard.”
He looked at my daughter. “Scootaloo, you need to understand that being dishonest with your mother actually hurts her in the long run as she earnestly wants what’s best for you. You’re making her feel like she’s failing. And yes, I’m sure she was there when you got hurt. That doesn’t mean she knows what’s happening inside your head. If you want your mother to feel better, you need to tell her what's wrong or you will only make her feel worse and worse.” I wanted tell him to stop being so honest with her about that. He was make her feel guilt no doubt. Like I said, she had been through enough, she didn’t need to have my problems too.
The doctor continued. “Here is what I’m going to have you two do. Later I want both of you to do something fun together, just to confirm that I’m right in saying it won’t break the other for you to share with them. But right now, Rainbow Dash, you go first, you’re the mother, you have to be an example. Tell Scootaloo what happened with your mother, beginning to end. Let her know what happened and how you feel now.”
“I don’t want to hurt her.” I said. Scootaloo looked at me, holding up a hoof, like she was holding back from running to me.
“Feeling closed off from you hurts her, it shows her that that's how to behave. You want to help her, let her help you.”
“What can she do?”
“She can listen.” He looked at my daughter. “Scootaloo, can you do that?”
Scootaloo didn’t look at the doctor. She looked at me with those big innocent eyes and nodded.
“I can’t…” I said, starting to cry again. “She… she…”
“Do it.”
I took a deep breath. I prepared to tell my daughter, the story of my mother.
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Again, this chapter almost got me to tear up a bit.
Being honest, the chapter reads kind of like one of those televised therapy shows. Not to say it wasn't accurate. You actually really nailed down the general way therapists like to project themselves. At least, the ones from my own experience. Rainbow Dash not worrying about repaying friends for kindnesses and favors does seem a touch out of character though. To me, fair dues is a part of loyalty. But maybe that's just me.
Hay you liked my story? Thanks, gives me more incentive to actually work on it. Also story is going great so far albeit more realistic than I would like.
6489596
Wasn't sure on that point. RD has issues with loyalty, but even if you take that out of the equation, her immaturity makes it likely she would just assume she would be able to pay others back and wouldn't worry about not being able to. It's not that she never does, she's just never been unable to. Well okay, in this story there is one pony she was never able to pay back, her mom, but she probably didn't think of that for obvious reasons.
I think thoughts about how life will be when you inevitably become old or disabled are rather mature for someone in their late teens to early twenties. RD wouldn't be the first to not really think about it and not really have been confronted with it either. If she wants to pay someone back, she just flies over and does so.
6489753
I think your story has potential and I think you have the drive, keep at it.
This chapter was excellent, I really liked rainbow's actions towards the end.
And prepare for comments contemplating the ways of discipline while siding with dash or scoots...
Though on a side note for a therapy (Which I was sooooooooo not looking forward to aka I hate these things)
That was pretty good. Nice irony with the name and nice speech harsh. but nice
To sum it up there is little more I can say so
Good going with the chapter :)
6490082
Thanks.
6490269
Thankyou.
Oh yes, totally. Also I think you mean between the doctor and Rainbow, Scootaloo had opinions, but mostly she was being cooperative, she just didn't like never being able to do anything in return for all the nice things being done for her and didn't want to be like her mom.
My thoughts on Rainbow deciding to suspend disciplining Scootaloo until some time when everything blew over, I can understand where she's coming from (I wrote is, so of course I can) but I think the doctor is right personally. That would just deprive her of having structure in her life and slowly make things become chaotic for her as her life has no authority in it. That seems great, until Scoots does something stupid and didn't think twice cause there were no penalties, something like telling reporters about her personal life so now her bullies at school can hold what her mom said in the clinic over her head... oops... yea having no discipline sounds great until you really think about what it would mean.
I can't say I didn't see this coming but I did. As for writing therapy-are you sure your not a therapist-because believe me you nailed it on the head. I have been to many therapists, but what you wrote is common sense-the basics of any therapy. I applaud you good sir, and give you 5 Scootaloos
6492873
Really? I was thinking I might have even said some risky stuff, but then again, this is a site for a show based on morality, so I guess saying "discipline is vital, even in a tragedy" isn't so novel. Guess that's what's so cool about this fan base.
yay Updates :), like to have more please, interested in dash's home life.
I'd say you nailed their issues on the head, and you had the doctor suggest the best course of action, too.