//------------------------------// // Patient 3, Part 2 // Story: Cozy Glow: Psychology PhD // by Jmaster49 //------------------------------// So yeah, I pretty much spent the next night scrambling through my notes for any info on dragons I could find. Not even Pale-Pops knew anything about them! This would easily be my most challenging task yet! How was I supposed to diagnose a dragon as a pony?! “Argh…” I rubbed my head after bumping it against a shelf in the middle of the night. Was I stressing out too much about this? “It’s fine! It’s fine…he’s just a dragon--what’s the worst he could do?” In my manic state of panic, I turned to a plastic mold of a skull that I often spoke to when I was alone. “...Burn down the entire school? What no! I-I owe them this! If I can do Smolder this one solid favor, then maybe she can forgive me for what I did in the past, right? Right?” I stared at the fake skull, and it stared back at me with my loose ends in my curly hair and twitching eyelid. “...What am I doing? I can’t make Ash conform to pony ways. I need to treat him like a dragon--maybe wrestle with him a little--or fly! I can fly with him and show him great places to blow smoke!” Yeah, turns out my skull friend wasn’t actually anywhere as useful as I thought. With a whinny and a huff, I kicked it into the nearest garbage bin and flopped onto my bed. “Guess I’ll just have to see for myself once I speak with him tomorrow….probably shouldn’t have drank all that red buffalo--urp!” Also, it turns out that energy drinks are terrible. In fact, the only thing they’re good at is sending me to the bathroom--in which I proceeded to puke my guts out. Yeah--not fun whatsoever. I think I was stressing out too much. Maybe Ash was a nice dragon like Spike and I was getting worked up over nothing. Whatever the case, I needed to relax myself so that I could rest. After all, a therapist is only as good as her last case--or is that buckball? The next day… So I trotted on down to the School of Friendship. I had asked Starlight in advance to let me in so that I could speak with Ash during off-hours--whatever those were. Looking back, I had no idea how this school’s schedule worked. I guess that’s what happens when you’re too busy trying to take it over. But in reality, Ash wasn’t inside at all. He was outside on the buckball field, playing a rousing game of it with the other students. I noticed a kirin and a zebra or two among them. Seems as if more species were getting involved which was always a good thing. But of course, I didn’t get involved right away. I wanted to wait until their little game was done before I got involved. “Hey, Cozy--” “AWK!” I swear I shed a few feathers when I heard someone call my name. “...Oh, it’s just you, Starlight. Don’t do me like that.” Indeed--the Headmare of the academy had approached me with a bashful smile on her face in an attempt to cover up those aged wrinkles under her eyes. “Sorry about that--I’m just…checking up on you,” she explained, “Smolder told me about the concerns she had regarding Ash. Don’t worry. If you need help, Sunburst and Trixie are wonderful guidance counselors and can help you with anything you need.” Oh yeah. Those two… No offense, but they didn’t strike me as the most helpful regarding dragon mental processes. I needed to try and find out if there was anything bothering the little guy before I did anything like get them involved. Plus, between you and me--I think she’s a bit sweet on them both so she’s a bit biased. “Oh yeah--no problem,” I replied earnestly to hide my doubts, “I’m just concerned that, as a pony, we won’t be able to understand a dragon like Ash very well. It’s going to take a lot of notes to be able to suss out all the potential variables involved,” I said as I pulled out a pencil and notepad from my curly mane. “But don’t worry. I’ve got ways to keep track of everything.” Starlight looked at me with a smile, then giggled. “Oh you....you’re just like your father. An expert in mental gymnastics and notation.” “Hey, Pale’s methods weren’t exactly standard, but they saved the world didn’t it?” “I can’t argue with that,” she replied, “I just hope you’ll be fine. I don’t want you to stress yourself out. That’s how you end up getting into energy drinks and fall into a state of self-loathing. Tea is a much better alternative for stress anyhow.” Oh good. If only my stomach and I knew that last night! “Yeah, I think I got that. Don’t worry about me--” I waved my hoof dismissively, “You just…do whatever it is principals do-” “Paperwork,” Starlight lamented with a roll of her eyes and she began to trot off. “Lots and lots of paperwork…” Once I was alone, I could observe them all more carefully. Ash was flying in the air and playing defensively to keep the balls from entering the baskets as his teammates--a kirin and a zebra--had respectively taken on the roles that a unicorn and earth pony would normally play. He was pretty good too! The opposing team--consisting of a male yak in the earth pony position, male changeling in the pegasus position, and a female unicorn--couldn’t even score a goal against him! As the game ended though, there was something rather specific I noticed. Something that only the keen eye of a pony raised by a detective and a teacher would rationalize: Not once did he breathe a single spark of fire. Now this may seem like quite the conclusion to leap to. But among the crowd--several other dragon students breathed smoke and brief sparks to show their excitement. But Ash? Not a single flicker. Even as he roared after winning the match--nothing. “Hm…” I rubbed my hoof against my chin as I gave it some thought. Maybe I was jumping to conclusions? Only one way to find out-- “Excuse me--” “AH!” I yelped yet again. Turns out, Ash had walked up to me to address me. Guess I was lost in thought for longer than I…thought? “Oh, sorry--did you need something?” I asked with a nervous smile on my face. “I couldn’t help but notice you were focusing on me during that match,” Ash explained, “Did Smolder put you up to this?” “...No?” I lied as I darted my eyes. Ash slapped his claw against his forehead in disappointment. “There’s no need to hover over me. I’m perfectly fine, ma’am. Tell Smolder that she’s off her proverbial rocker. And please don’t follow me--I have problems with people who follow me.” Before I could say anything else, the silver dragon was already wandering off into the building with the other students close behind. I could faintly see an annoyed frown on his face--indicating that he hated being watched over. How was I gonna handle this kiddo?