Eventually Haley's..Rosetta's parents got too tired to stay up. They were still very apprehensive about the idea that Rosetta could go back to school as a pony and end up teaching ancient history. Mattie could tell that they seemed more than a little upset that Rosetta got her cutie mark and was cemented as a pony for life now, though they had tried to hide the fact it was bothering them. Rosetta on the other hoof was in high spirits; she had a goal and purpose beyond simply guarding ponies at night. It seemed to Mattie that are chosen path might be at odds with what she was for a different reason. How many classes would she end up being able to teach, if she even did manage to earn a masters and doctorate, if her body demanded a nocturnal schedule? Mattie put on a smiling face, but she was worried just as much as her marefriend's parents were that Rosetta was setting herself up disappointment.
"We really need to get you a new name. Your mother has a new name, I have a new name. Neither of us actually needed to take a new one, but you who has a name that needs to change haven't gotten around to it," Rosetta said as they flew back towards the church.
"I am open to suggestions, nothing is really coming to mind," Mattie replied.
"Well, let's work through what is appropriate considering your cutie mark and nature," Rosetta said happily, still hyped up about her cutie mark and plans for the future.
"I am not putting skull into my name," Mattie said quickly, heading off any possibility of the name.
"Aww, but it would make you more intimidating," Rosetta whined playfully.
"It would make me sound like some emo chic who is trying too hard to be dark and forbidding," Mattie said with a grumble. "And we want humans to like us, not have me be intimidating."
"I don't think you get to get off with a cute and cuddly name with a skull on your flank. It would be kind of weird," Rosetta said with a laugh.
"I want something very pony, but something that could sound like a human name too," Mattie said after a moment of thought. "Kind of like me your's and less like my mom's. Rosetta sounds like something a human might be called even if Rosetta Stone is a distinctly pony name."
"Hmm, that still has to tie back to who and what you are. Your talent involves trying to like take fear seriously, right? How about Phobia? It sounds like it could be a woman's name and it ties directly to your whole fear thing. I know it is about irrational fear, and you are about rational fear, but it could work since being afraid of you is just irrational," Rosetta suggested.
Mattie considered it. She really didn't have any ideas herself, as in no ideas herself. Her closest ideas had been involved using nightmare somehow in her name and those all sounded corny; Nightmare Chaser, Nightmare Defender, Waking Nightmare, Nightmare Breeze, Nightmare Moon. She highly doubted any of those names could have her taken seriously. Phobia was as good as any, she was just eager to shed her human name. Needed a bit more than just Phobia though. Plus she wanted to have it line up with her cutie mark rather than be a parody of it.
"Phobia Remedy," she finally said after much consideration. It wasn't the best, but it was more in line with what she wanted to be thought as. Fear, at least rational fear, was suppose to spur you to remedy the cause. Again not perfect, but it got her a name that wasn't Matthew.
"That has a nice ring to it. Even if it is just a completely made up name. Phobia Remedy it is then, Phobia; or do you prefer the Remedy part? Both could work as a shortening,," Rosetta asked.
"Think the Remedy part. I am not out to scare any pony or human," Remedy said. "So I have a name now. Hopefully everypony will stop asking me about it."
"You don't seem particularly excited about your name. Are you sure you actually want that one? You don't have to feel pressured to adopt something if you aren't ready," Rosetta said as they flew over the hospital area, which seemed to have finally settled down from the activity of the night before. Too bad it was almost dawn it the area was about to have to get right back up.
"A name is just a name to me. At least in regards to myself. I wasn't happy being called Matthew, but Mattie was okay. I did need a cleaner break from it though. If you think this one works then it is good enough for me," Remedy replied.
"We really need you to start opening up to yourself more. You should have stronger feelings about your own name. I'm excited to have a new name that better represents me. I want you to feel that way for yourself," Rosetta said sadly.
"I am happy, just it doesn't really stack up to changing into a pony, or getting confirmed as a mare, getting a marefriend, and I had my cutie mark for a little while before the name so the excitement was kind of delayed and weakened for it," Remedy said with a shrug.
"I suppose, though a lot of that I had we all went through. I went through all of it except the whole sex thing, and I also dumped a rotten partner who abused me in there. I know you have problems opening up though, with that emotional shell of yours. We'll work on it. Maybe we should have named you Shelly," Rosetta said with her own shrug.
"Definitely not," Remedy said with a scrunch of her muzzle.
"Oh, a reaction. You sure? We could name you Shell Game, Grey Shell, or Crabby Patty," Rosetta said in a teasing tone.
"Crabby Patty? Seriously? No, Phobia Remedy is perfectly great. I'm Phobia Remedy, and let's never bring up any of those suggestions ever again, ever," Remedy said with exaggerated disgust.
"Good to hear a preference! We will keep getting those out of you over time. I'll chip that shell away yet," Rosetta said with a smug tone.
"So what do you want to do while we wait for the doctor?" Remedy asked, changing the subject.
"Um, play doctor?" Rosetta said with a hopeful tone, then sighed. "Actually, forget I suggested that; not pressuring you. Maybe we could see about some of the universities that I can apply to. I had been considering Chicago before everything started with John. They have the Oriental Institute there. They are one of the only universities in the States that you can study things like Akkadian, and Ugarut, and Hittite. It would be awesome to be able to go there."
"I don't even know what those words mean. You never have given yourself enough credit for being intelligent. You are very focused in your interests, which makes it seem like you aren't as well studied as some others, but you seem to have an encyclopedic knowledge on what you are focused on. You even said it yourself that you that you made straight A's in those subjects in college. You're a specialist, and that's a good thing," Remedy said with a grin.
"I suppose so. I just want this all to work out as I hope," Rosetta said with with a lowered voice as they came in for a landing at the church. "Remedy, do you think I am being naive, trying to get into a university?"
Remedy considered her answer, and she could tell that she might have hurt Rosetta's feelings by taking time to consider rather than affirm right away.
"I think it is too early to tell. I can tell you that I will do everything I can to support you and try to help you reach that dream. I am actually more concerned about what if you do end up getting accepted and we end up moving to somewhere like Chicago. We don't know if there is any significant pony population out there. I would follow you regardless, but it seems a bit overwhelming to consider not having many ponies around," Remedy said after a long moment of consideration.
"I am glad you give me honest answers," Rosetta said as she came over and nuzzled Remedy. "Since we are just sitting around waiting it might be a good idea to just hop back on the internet and figure out what the demographics of the country are looking at. Chicago is my first choice, but there are a few others. Maybe there is a place that has a good balance for all our needs. I need to figure out a convincing argument about why they should accept a pony who doesn't have a source of income."
"Money is going to be a big issue for a lot of ponies. I really wish I knew how this is all going to work out. It would be nice to just form our own little communities and not have to worry about that, but we have to accept that we are still living under many of the same old rules," Remedy said.
"With ponies like you who are thinking about these things now something will be worked out. You can't be the only pony thinking about all of this rather than just going with the pony flow. We will be okay because of that," Rosetta said as she kissed Remedy.
"I hope so.." Remedy replied quietly.