Transcription of Session 10: Verdant Vines, Head Investigator
Date: April 29th
Time: 8:14 p.m.
Interviewer: Doctor Blue Sky, PhD
Miss Vines arrived late to our session. She looked worried when she arrived, but that did not become entirely clear to me until later.
Blue Sky (BS): Miss Vines. Is something bothering you?
Verdant Vines (VV): In a few ways, Doctor, yes.
BS: I’m sorry to hear that. Would you like to go over what I’ve found from my sessions today first?
Miss Vines took a few moments to reply.
VV: Of course.
BS: Lantern was sent to Canterlot last night, of course. I’ve not heard anything about him since then, but I’m certain if anything comes through you will most likely be the first to read about his condition. Though I was his doctor for these sessions, I suspect Miss Clover will not be sending any updates on his condition to me.
VV: I’ll be happy to keep you apprised, Doctor. Was there any… warning sign? I know I asked you last night, but I don’t think any of us were exactly level-headed.
Miss Vines shouted at me for answers shortly after we were called to Lantern’s tent, though there was not much I could say in my own state.
BS: No, I don’t feel that there was any sort of sign. Lantern seemed like he was improving before my suggestion. I can’t say for certain that what I gave him affected him so harshly, but I do feel responsible.
Miss Vines was silent for several moments, staring down at her hooves.
VV: Blue Sky, I wouldn’t trouble yourself worrying like that. Whatever happened to Lantern isn’t one pony’s fault alone.
BS: Regardless, Lantern’s dream journal didn’t show anything quite as drastic as whatever triggered this breaking point. There was nothing written about what he dreamed that day except for those eyes, so I assume there’s little we can gleam other than the dreams I discussed with him and that others have experienced.
VV: I see. We’ll have to wait and see if his condition changes then, if he becomes any more coherent.
BS: Exactly.
VV: What about the others?
BS: Cage was a bit more receptive to talking about his background, and he does seem perfectly fine, though a little despondent about current events, like everyone is. I don’t think he’ll need another session with me at this point, unless you want us to go through with one.
VV: I’ll leave it up to your judgment, then. Cage has always been rather sound of mind when on assignments as taxing as this, so if he seems fine in your eyes, then I’m sure he can continue on.
BS: Excellent. As for Pendant—
VV: I’m aware things went poorly. I didn’t see her afterwards like I usually do.
BS: I believe the stress of finding an answer, much like it has done to you, is piling up.
I had to correct myself quickly.
BS: Not to say that you yourself are unfit for duty here, but Pendant’s emotional state appears more fragile. She acted openly hostile and angry towards me when I questioned one of her viewpoints. She seems to believe she’s solely culpable to any failure in the investigation.
VV: I don’t think I fully understand you, Doctor.
BS: Pendant is… insistent that she is the only one on this investigation capable of uncovering the truth. That even if her mental state was eroded, her health and safety at risk, and you were ordering her to leave, she would not.
Miss Vines took a moment to respond.
VV: Doctor, I have had control and ownership of working many cases with Pendant at this point. I’ve seen this kind of drive out of her, this passion, before. This is how she’s solved the things she has.
BS: You can’t be suggesting th—
VV: I am, Doctor. Pendant may be abrasive in her attitude when she gets like this, but there’s no debating the results I’ve seen out of her.
BS: I can’t allow that, Miss Vines! Past experiences or not, I am the one with control over her treatment and evaluation, and if she’s gone through other cases in this mental state, it has likely been taxing on her. I know that any lack of progress on this case might make it seem like you need to go to some extreme, but her well-being is more important than that!
I will admit that I lost my composure with Miss Vines, but I still agree with my general opinion in regards to Pendant and her current state.
VV: I may only have four more days to come up with something on this case. One pony has already been driven to the breaking point and… I’m feeling it myself.
Miss Vines looked down, taking a few deep breaths. Her body appeared to be shaking as her eyes were closed.
VV: Overnight I… had the same dream that Lantern did before. I can still remember every detail of it and I hadn’t even read all of the information on it you gave me. The thing that worried me about it, though, was that I could hear Solace talking. About time, that there wasn’t any left. That it was running out. That Equestria was in danger. Isn’t the sacrifice of some ponies worth the well-being of all of them?
BS: Miss Vines, there’s no way to tell if that dream was influenced by some sort of underlying worry that you yourself have. It’s only right to feel a sense of duty about these events, given their severity, but to take a dream as some premonition in this case… We have to be concerned with the well-being of ponies we know are here.
VV: Just give me a day to talk to Pendant, Doctor, please. Maybe I can do something to keep her sane long enough to—
BS: I apologize for my outburst before, Miss Vines, but I won’t budge on this issue. I won’t insist that she leave in the morning if you need time to discuss details of the case. It’s already late enough as it is.
Miss Vines took another deep breath and sighed. It’s obvious the futility she feels in this case is wearing her thin, even if she has to stay composed for the sake of others.
VV: I appreciate that much, at least.
BS: This is for the best. Miss Clover will agree with me. I’ll speak to you tomorrow, Miss Vines.
VV: Good night, Doctor.
Miss Vines left my tent. I’ll be delivering a series of notes on both Lantern and Pendant’s condition with my records tomorrow. I will likely only have a meeting with Miss Vines to include with it.