So we're really doing this, huh?
Ryan looks over the hospital's exterior with some amount of discomfort. He's never particularly cared for doctors, despite how many times they've patched him up in the past. Not to mention; Ponyville General is a bleeding memory of the many painful mistakes he's made over the course of his stay in Equestria. Looking at the entrance is akin to staring down the devil himself, as if going in there would open up many other doors to his past that he would rather keep shut. He's never been to therapy, despite a few too many suggestions even before crossing worlds, and he is certainly not looking forward to it. Even if it is for both him and Dash; the latter of which was also staring blankly at the doors in front of them with equal discomfort.
"I take it you're pretty nervous about this?" Rainbow asks aloud, her eyes still stagnant and unmoving.
"Yep. How are you holding up."
"Not gonna lie, I really don't want to do this."
"Would you two relax." Twilight pipes up from behind, stepping around the two to stand in front of them. While they are paying attention to her, their eyes remain locked. "This isn't some monster to face down. It's just a bit of counseling to help you both sort out your issues. Nothing bad is gonna happen."
"Have you ever been to therapy?" Ryan asks, deciding to pry his gaze from the all-too-intimiadting structure behind the alicorn lecturing them.
Twilight shoots him a cock-eyed look, "Of course not. Why would I, of all ponies, need therapy?"
"I could think of a few reasons." Dash adds rather bluntly to the conversation.
"I could give you fifteen right off the bat." Ryan tacks on. "You could wake me from a drunken stupor, I could still give you- like- nine."
Twilight deadpans at the two of them, but focuses her frustration on the human who started this whole thing. "Gee, thanks Ryan." She begins in a facetious tone. "Really glad to have you back. I don't know how we ever made it without you."
That aside, Twilight was actually very happy to have their missing friend involved in their lives once more. Even more so now that he's actually doing his best to get the help he needs, all while slowly trying to correct his past mistakes and pushing to be a supporting parent to the daughter he only recently discovered. "I know this seems like a lot, but try to remember why you're doing this. Why both of you are doing this." Ryan and Dash have bestowed their full attention onto Twilight, only glancing at each other a single time. "We've all been through a lot and we're working hard to adapt back to our normal lives, but the largest impact of all of this is on you guys. This is to help you both heal and come to terms with your issues so you can be the loving and supportive parents that Azure both needs and deserves."
Letting out a collective sigh, Ryan turns his head to face Rainbow Dash and she does the same. They lock eyes, at firtst looking defeated, but steadily hardening their gazes as they focus up and start walking past Twilight and toward the entrance. The alicorn follows them with her eyes, turning around to watch as they step into the building before letting out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. "Please, Celestia, let this work."
"This suuuuucks!" Azure whines as she moves a basket of apples onto the wooden cart stationed between herself and Applejack. "I thought we were supposed to be spending more time together. Instead I have to be shoved off while they to see a doctor." The filly leans her back against the cart, looking out at the countless number of apple trees she would be helping buck for harvest.
Applejack, having been listening to the young pony gripe about not being able to spend more time with her parents, especially her estranged father, approaches with a much larger basket and sets it down near the front end of the cart. "Ah know it's not ideal fer ya, little one. But, they rightly should have been gettin professional help a long time ago."
Azure glances back at Aj, who rests her elbows on the glorified wagon. "I get why mom would need to, but dad seems like he has his head on his shoulders. Why does he need therapy?"
"You'd be surprised." Applejack adds matter-of-factly. "Believe it or not, yer daddy had a lot of issues long before you came 'round. And from what ah've heard, he's got a few demons he ain't all that aware of right now."
This peaks Azure's attention, causing her to turn her entire body to face the farm pony properly. "What do you mean? What kind of demons?"
Applejack removes her hat to scratch the top of her head as she thinks of the best way to elaborate this new information to the filly, it still being relatively fresh in her own mind as well. "It's hard ta explain really." She begins, "Ya know how- like- Berry Punch got bit by that spider some time ago?"
Azure nods in response to her inquiry. "And ya know how she is really scared of spiders now?" Again, the filly nods in approval. "It's kinda like that, except yer daddy has done a lot of pretty darn dumb things over the years and ah think it's all startin' to catch up to him."
"Like what?"
Applejack falls silent as she recalls Fluttershy's words; How she found him alone, in his living room, clutching that knife. The very same one he used to cut the rope that kept him from falling to his death. She didn't see the episode herself, but with how the pegasus described him it painted a very vivid picture in her head. She could imagine, clear as day, the fear in his eyes and just the thought shook her to her core. It was only made worse when Rarity added on how he had a similar reaction when she touched the scar on his back. Many of them have gone so long with the idea that Ryan was practically invincible, unfazed by anything. However, after hearing those two tales, it's becoming more and more obvious that he's just as mortal as the rest of them. It just took longer for it all to reach him.
"It's nothin you need to worry yer little head about, Sugarcube." Applejack finally answers, looking a bit pale in the face. "Ah'm sure that it';ll all get sorted out soon enough."
Azure wants to pry more information out of Applejack. However, just because she's honest, that doesn't mean that she needs to say anything at all. Noticing the filly's inner quarrel, Applejack decides to tack on, "Hay, with any luck, we might even see a change as soon as they get out of therapy today. Who knows just how much good that pony is doing for them. Why, I'd say that they're even having a breakthrough right this second."
Dr. Gaze finds himself at a loss as he sits in his chair, in agony. After some time talking to the human, everything he knew has been put into question. The rollercoaster of emotions that have taken hold has left the poor stallion disheveled, his dark mane sticking out in random directions and the brown fur around his eyes matted with tears. His clothes are now wrinkled and untucked, the pen and pad having fallen from his grip some time ago as he struggled to keep his own feelings in check. With closed eyes and a lowered head, he reaches up and removes his glasses to wipe the tears away with a sleeve. "But...w-what if I'm not good enough? What if I fail?"
"Don't you ever say that!" Ryan's voice booms from above him, causing him to look up at the standing form in front of him just in time to watch the human place its furless hand onto his shoulders and give him a gentle shove. The force lifts Dr. Gaze up, straightening his posture and making him sit upright. "You only fail when you stop trying! Take a look at me."
The human steps back and holds his arms out, doing a slow spin so that the stallion in front of him can really absorb his presence. "I'm nothing! No one! A literal alien, ripped from his home and brought here with a blank slate that I immediately tainted." Holding his position, Ryan lowers his arms and locks eyes with the therapist. "It took me way too long to realize my mistakes. Longer to come back and try to fix them. Over a decade later, I finally grew the sense to pull my head out of my ass and here I am, trying to right my wrong doings and get my life on track for a daughter I didn't even know I had."
"If I can come back from the brink, then so can you!" Ryan announces, "I don't know a single pony in this world that has fucked up as bad as me and I'm still here fighting to do better. I am not failing, because I refuse to give up, despite all the bullshit I've gone through! What's your excuse?"
Dr. Gaze glances around at nothing, his eyes just shifting around as he searches for an answer. "I-I...I don't-"
"That's what I thought." Closing the distance between them, Ryan kneels down so that he is eye level with the seated pony. "If there's any advice in this life that I can give you, it's this; Don't give up on the things you love, because you never truly know what you're missing out on. Now stand up!"
Ryan grabs both of the doctor's shoulders, standing upright and pulling the pony along with him. Once up, he turns both himself and his charge toward the door. "Face down your enemy! Hold no fear in your heart!" A wave of adrenaline surges through Dr. Gaze as he stares down the door that leads out of his office and into the open world beyond. "You have your goal, you have your dream! A what do we do with dreams?"
"We don't let our dreams be memes!" Gaze all but screams out, his heart pounding in his chest as he feels the humans words in his mind, body and soul.
"That's the spirit! Now go out there and make it happen!" With a mighty roar, the stallion charges out of the office, nearly breaking the door and he pushes through. His screams can beard down the hall, only pausing when he's some distance away to announce, "I love you ponies, but I hate this job!" before continuing on his warpath.
That was the dumbest speech I've ever heard and I loved it.
Rainbow Dash is dumbstruck at what it is she just witnessed from her spot on the lounge. Ten minutes was all it took for Ryan to turn the questions around; ten minutes to make the doctor open up about past experiences and abandoned passions. After that, five minutes of nearly yelling at the stallion before convincing him to pursue the things that make him happy. Now, here they are, alone in an abandoned office while their doctor goes off to chase his dreams in Manehattan. If things got any dumber, she would swear that this is all some kind of weird fever dream.
"Ryan..." The human in question turns back to look at the pegasus calling his name. Dash eyes him curiously as he looks back at her, his expression being rather unexpected. He looks sad, in a sense; defeated and broken as he walks over and takes a seat in the chair their therapist was in just a moment ago. "what the hell was all of that about?"
Taking a breath, Ryan cycles through about six different emotions and one hundred different ways he could answer this. The only thing he manages to bark out during this short freak out is, "I panicked..." He finally replies, his voice breathy and inconsistent. "I don't know what came over me. He started asking about my childhood then everything kinda went haywire and now he's gone and I can finally breathe!"
It's becoming painfully obvious to her that Ryan really does have some deep seeded issues with his past and while he's shared plenty of stories about hijinks and mischief, very rarely did he ever share personal information. She knows virtually nothing about his childhood, none of her friends do either- to her knowledge. He's a total enigma and it only makes her wonder more just how bad things could have been where just being asked about it can provoke such a reaction. It would be one thing if he just got mad and snapped at the doctor, but instead he played twelfth dimensional chess with the poor stallion and won with rehearsed ease so hard that the cosmos could have felt it.
There's a painful pang in Rainbow's chest as she watches the man struggle to regain some sense of normalcy. It's still a very new and uncomfortable experience to see him so weak and vulnerable. It's probably something she'll never get used to, considering how she came to know him during his time in this world. It's unnatural, but it brings some sense of comfort to see him like this as well. It's hard for her to process the exact reason why and it still bothers her to see him like this. Following her heart, Dash lifts herself from the lounge and carefully approaches the human. He's too lost in thought to really pay her any mind, so she simply goes with her gut and places herself down on his lap.
The sudden change pulls Ryan out of his stupor in time to notice Dash settling in on top of him, curling into a ball before wrapping an arm around his shoulder, her other hand resting on his side while she places her head just under his chin. "Do you know how I spent the last eleven years?" Initially, he's lost on what's just happened, but habit kicks in and he finds himself snaking his arms around her as well. He feels content to just sit here like this, holding someone close while she regales him in her tale. "I spent almost every day alone, wishing and hoping you would come waltzing back into my life. I would dream about it."
"Now that you're here though, I just feel lost." Dash resumes, unsure herself why she's spilling her guts out like this. "I want us to do better. But, I feel like all of this could backfire any second." While her presence helps him to calm his nerves some, her words prompt him to revisit the whole reason that they came here. He wants to get better and to be better, for both his own sake and Azure's. On top of that, this is supposed to help Dash come to terms with everything as well. "I'm afraid of losing you all over again.
How can any of them possibly hope to get better if he remains closed off to the very ponies he's trying to help and support?
It's better this way.
"...No it's not."
Dash pulls her head back to look at Ryan, her grip only slackening just enough to give her ease of access. "What are you-"
"My mother was...troubled." Ryan cuts her off, deciding that it's finally time to get some weight off of his chest before he loses his nerve. "She had a lot of problems; mentally, physically."
I'm sorry, but what part of 'Leave it buried!' did you not understand!?
"Painkillers and steroids were her poison of choice." "Ryan blurted out, determined to finally release some of the monsters he kept locked away for so long. This comes as a major surprise to Rainbow, who's heard little to nothing about his relationship with his parents. "Not many out there can say they've fought someone who was roided out and could feel no pain. I can though. All thanks to her." There's plenty more to tell, but while he wants to finally let go of some of this, he would rather not sit here and describe every little detail for the next twelve hours. Meanwhile, the pegasus on his lap is listening with a certain amount of intensity, clinging on to every detail with wide eyes and her face drawing closer to his. "My dad was unstable in his own regard. He drank pretty heavily, which made it easier on him, I guess. When my mom decided that there was nothing more she could take from him, she told him to leave...and he did. Didn't even try to put up a fight. Just left me alone with that horrible woman."
It's becoming more and more difficult for Ryan to speak clearly as opening Pandora's Box draws more of this repressed anger and frustration out of him. He sniffs, trying to fight back the tears threatening to escape him. "I hate them. I hate them so much." He continues breathily, his face turning red as the moisture in his eyes breaks past his seal and begins running down his face. "I hate her for what she put me through. I spent so long thinking that she hated me and I hate that selfish cocksucker for letting it all happen and walking away without a second thought! I spent years just wanting to die because I felt like I was the one who caused it all!"
"But more than anything," Ryan dares to face Rainbow, feeling broken and ashamed of himself. "I hate that they made me like this..."
Dash takes the reins as the man finally gives into his despair, falling to her chest. She's quick to take charge, pulling him into her center and cradling his head like a child. "That's enough!" She chokes out, not out of anger or even frustration. The mare just can't handle seeing him like this any longer. "You don't need to say anything else."
Together, they sit in relative silence.
Minutes pass by in seconds and before long Ryan manages to pull himself out of his fallen state, lifting his head from Dash's torso so he can take in his surroundings with a clear mind. His eyes are still red, but the waterworks have been drained and the man notices himself feeling better than he expected. There's a certain heaviness that seems as though it's simply vanished, allowing him to breathe easier; a veil having been lifted from his eyes, letting him see the world in a new light. He looks back at Dash, who seems at a loss. He can't tell if she is conflicted or just plain confused, but he wants to help her in any way he can. He feels he owes her at least that.
"Come home with me tonight."
Dash stares at him as if he's grown a second head. It's not that she doesn't want to, it's just that suggestion itself seems rather sudden. "What?"
"You heard me." Ryan says teasingly, having a sudden rush of energy now that he's recovered from his short weeping fest. He feels like his old self again, only better somehow. "I want you and Azure to come home with me." The pegasus is still in shock, unable to find the words to respond to him. "Take a breath, Dashie. I'm not asking you to move in with me. I just think it would be nice for us all to be together tonight. You know, like how families do."
Rainbow blinks a few times in response, feeling that warmth in her chest again. The heat blossoms and all but forces a small smile on her face, causing her to blush some as well before stepping down from Ryan's lap and getting back onto her own to legs. "I think I'd like that..." She says, gingerly holding out her hand to him, which he eagerly accepts, pulling himself upright. "let's get the hell out of here."
"Couldn't have said it better myself."
They look down at their hands, still holding one another before glancing at each other. In a split second decision, the two maneuver their hands and interlock their fingers.
Ryan's expression screams uncertainty at this. "Is this weird? It feels a little weird."
"A little, yeah." Rainbow responds with a subtle giggle. "Maybe...we just need time to get used to it, you know?"
"Yeah, that sounds about right." Ryan concludes, feeling like- for the first time ever- he and Dash are on the same page. "We can pace this out and take our time doing things."
"Perfect."
Rainbow looks down at their hands once more, questioningly. After a few seconds of consideration, she figures that it can't hurt and the couple departs from the office and works their way out of the hospital. It's a relatively quiet and overall peaceful walk to Sweet Apple Acres. The occasional stares and whispers don't seem to bother Ryan or Rainbow this time around as they continue their venture to collect the missing member of their group. After a nice little hike, they find themselves closing in on the property. Already, they can see the barn in the distance.
Incoming!
From the top of the barn, Azure spots them from the open window in the hay loft. Eagerness is quick to overtake her as she sees her parents coming closer, but she knows better than to get too rowdy around the giant stacks of hay. Even so, she zips through the loft, spreading her wings as she reaches the edge. The filly jumps from the ledge and glides down to the ground floor, catching the attention of the farm pony, who had preoccupied herself with unstacking the baskets from the cart and restacking them in the eastern side of the barn.
"What's got you all worked up there, Sugarcube?"
Azure looks back at Applejack, unable to contain the feeling of pure joy that rockets through her body like a small missile. "Mom and dad are here!"
Applejack raises a brow at this and glances out of the window to look at the sun. "Ah could have sworn they were supposed to be gone longer." Shrugging, she places down another basket before adjusting her hat and walking over to join the filly. "Figure we should meet 'em halfway?"
"Yes, please!"
Applejack can't help but to laugh at the filly's excitement. "Well, come along then."
The two ponies exit the barn and begin marching out to meet Rainbow and Ryan. Azure practically bounces all the way to the gate, her smile only growing bigger as she looks out to see her mother and father- hand in hand- drawing closer. Without further hesitation, the young pony takes flight and launches herself in their direction, forcing Applejack to have to pick up the pace just to keep up.
Azure lowers herself and hits the ground with both feet, sliding to a stop before running and nearly tackling her parents to the ground as she slams into them with outstretched arms.
"Easy now, baby girl!" Ryan calls out with a laugh as he barely manages to keep himself upright, putting his free arm around his daughter. "We just left the hospital and I'm not looking for a fast pass back there quite yet."
Rainbow giggles at the interaction, taking the impact with much more ease than Ryan as she mimics his movement and puts an arm on her filly as well. "How's it going, squirt? AJ been keeping you busy?"
Azure tightens her hold on them for a brief moment before breaking free and taking a step back to admire the view of them together. "Yep! Me and Applejack picked a bunch of apples and I got to go up in the hayloft to look for critters!"
"She's been a mighty help, as usual." Applejack adds in as she reaches the trio, wiping a bit of sweat from her head once she comes to a stop beside Azure. "Woo! Gettin' old here! Can't keep chasin' after the youngins like ah used ta."
Ryan shoots her a look of disbelief, "Are you kidding? You and Mac are still built like a brick house!"
That remark earns him a laugh from the farm pony, who raises and arm and flexes, showing off her well-toned and built muscles. "That earth ponies fer ya. Tough as nails through and through!"
God, I want her to use us like a living dildo again.
"No shit." Ryan remarks, feeling Rainbow's grip on his hand tighten a bit. He pays it no mind and turns his attention back to Azure. "Well, we'll get out of mane now. Thanks for keeping an eye on her while we've been gone."
"Oh, heck! It's my pleasure."
With that, the three of them depart and make their way back to the human's home on the edge of town. All the while, Azure shared stories about her time with Applejack. She made it a point to ask her parents how therapy went, which they answered very cryptically as to not divulge just how crazy it all was. Once they arrived at the house, Ryan opened the door and let the ponies enter before him. He is quickly reminded just how barren and boring his house is, but he could care less at the moment. Today has been eventful enough and some quiet time sounds heavenly.
Ryan stretches his arms out and yawns. "I don't know about you guys, but I'd kill for a nap right about now."
"After the day we've had; a nap sounds awesome." Rainbow groans out in approval.
"But, we don't have beds here." Azure points out as Ryan closes and locks the door behind them.
"I have a bed." Ryan retorts, moving away from the door and walking toward his old bedroom. "We'll just have to squish together."
Noooooo!
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
Azure doesn't even blink as she rushes past her parents and through the door, throwing herself into the middle of the lone bed in his bedroom, waiting impatiently for her mother and father to join her. Ryan and Rainbow aren't nearly as quick to divebomb the bed, but the sounds they make as they finally roll in on either side of the filly would make outsiders question their activities. A few adjustments later and the family makes themselves comfortable, with Rainbow and Ryan at either end- facing each other- and Azure sandwiched between them. Silence begins to encompass the room as they begin to lull-
Something isn't right here...
A loud crash echoes through the house from the main room, causing the trio to nearly jump out of their skins. "Ryan!" An all too familiar voice calls out in the distance as the three sit up and cower back at the scream of- what is obviously- a very pissed off Twilight. "Did you make your therapist quit his job to be a ballet dancer!?"
"Oh, shit…" Rainbow blurts out.
Ryan's eyes go dead before he looks over at his daughter and quickly climbs out of bed, opening the nearby window. Rainbow, knowing the drill, is up immediately and standing by his side. "Azure, daddy's about to introduce you to one of his favorite pastimes."
Azure follows shortly after out of instinct, watching her dad all but jump out of the window. "What's that?"
The sound of stomping draws close to the bedroom door. "It's called run like hell before Twilight rips your head off!"