//------------------------------// // Luna versus Ponyville 6 // Story: Progress // by Andrew Joshua Talon //------------------------------// Progress: Luna versus Ponyville Part 6: Shock Therapy By Andrew J. Talon - - - - - - - - - They were all around her, covering her, pressing in on her from all sides. Luna felt like she couldn't breathe. "Miss Selene? Miss Selene?!" Those horrible, pain causing spheres... She was drowning in them... “Miss Selene! Please, wake up!” She found herself going back to a very small part of her mind. Her increased awareness, what might be called a side effect of her divine nature, shrank down, down, down to a tiny point, filled with the objects that tormented her so. Baseballs... Why did it have to be Baseballs...? - - - - - - - - Fluttershy felt extremely divided between the course of action she should take. On one hoof, her guest was apparently going into some sort of catatonic shock. On the other, her companion Angel was loading his tank up with more baseballs. “Angel!” She cried. “You need to stop this right now. Miss Selene is already horribly traumatized, can’t you see that?” Angel shot Fluttershy a glare she knew quite well, and translated as, “Of COURSE I can see that, that was the point, make me a sandwich mare.” “You haven’t explained why you did this terrible thing... And until you do, there will be... Be no sandwiches!” Fluttershy said, stomping her hoof in an expression of her outrage. Angel rolled his black beady eyes, before turning to the rest of the animal army and issuing orders in his high pitched rabbit speech. The assorted critters quickly moved, arranging their weapons into words on the floor of the cottage. Fluttershy frowned as she read the words formed by spoons, sticks, nuts, and knives. “‘Selene is actually...’” “HEY FLUTTERSHYYYYYY!” Bellowed a familiar, high pitched voice. The animal army fled in fear out the windows, doors, holes and gaps in the cottage. Angel stared in disbelief, before bringing his paw to his face. Applebloom stuck her head in through a window, looking concerned. “Hey Fluttershy! You’ll never believe what happened! A whole flock a’ critters came and stole mah baseballs and some... Machinery...” Applebloom blinked. “Ah, yes...” Fluttershy said, looking around at the catatonic Selene in a pile of baseballs, and Angel glaring death on top of his tank. “It’s... Um... A bit hard to explain...” “Princess Luna!” Applebloom blurted out. She looked back and forth and her young eyes widened. “OH MAH STARS! Your rabbit killed Princess Luna with mah baseballs!” “Wh-What?! Princess Luna?!” Fluttershy gasped. Applebloom jumped through the window and sped over to Luna, taking her hoof into her own. “Speak to me, Princess! Are you okay?! Speak to me!” “Oh my goodness, oh my goodness, I’m so sorry Princess Luna!” Fluttershy said, taking Luna’s other hoof and patting it. “Please, say something!” “... B... B... B...” “Yes? What is it?” Fluttershy asked. “... B... B... B-Baseball...” Luna whispered, trembling. Fluttershy looked around at the baseballs surrounding her, and blinked in realization. “Oh dear... She’s so traumatized by these baseballs she’s gone into a form of shock.” She glared at Angel. “How could you?” Angel once again shot her a look she could read: “I was trying to save you, stupid mare, now make me a sandwich.” “Princess Luna would never hurt nopony you... You crazy, vindictive varmint!” Applebloom growled. Angel bit his carrot cigar and scowled, unrepentant. “You’ve been very... Very... Naughty, Angel!” Fluttershy managed. “Now you will go straight to your hutch and stay there until I-I say so! … If it wouldn’t be too much trouble?” Fluttershy added at the end in a whisper. Angel pointed to the kitchen. Fluttershy sighed. “All right... One sandwich...” Angel hopped over to Fluttershy as she trotted into the kitchen, ignoring Applebloom’s glare. “Just please no-” Fluttershy began, but Angel hopped up and smacked her rump. “Eep!” Fluttershy sighed again and went to work on a carrot and peanut butter sandwich, while Angel marched to his tank and sat, imperious as a conqueror. “Ya know what Princess Luna? Ah think there’s something downright peculiar about this here relationship,” Applebloom muttered to Luna. “B-Baseballs...” - - - - - - - - Once Angel had retired with his tank and sandwich, Fluttershy and Applebloom had gathered up the baseballs into a bag and moved them just out of sight. Fluttershy then gave Luna some tea, which she drank with shaky hooves. “Oh... Th-Thank you,” Luna managed as she sipped the tea. “I’m so terribly sorry, Princess Luna, your Majesty. I had no idea it was you,” Fluttershy said. She paused. “Though in hindsight it was really very obvious... Sorry...” “It’s all right,” Luna said with a forced smile, “I-I am somewhat surprised it has worked so well as a disguise...” “Ah’m sorry too! Those are mah baseballs,” Applebloom said, oblivious to Luna’s flinch. “I’m very sorry to ask, but why would you have so many?” Fluttershy asked. Applebloom smiled brightly. “Princess Luna caught ‘em fer me at the baseball games we went to! Every single one of ‘em!” “Well, it seems a little... If you’ll forgive me, your majesty, strange that you’re so scared of baseballs,” Fluttershy said. Luna kept twitching. “Y-Yes... It is... “ She sighed. “I-I-I don’t even know how that... Weakness,” she said with extreme distaste, “could have come to be known to your rabbit.” “It may have been my fault, Your Majesty, I do try to keep up with a lot of things... And Angel is extremely intelligent,” Fluttershy said. “Ah’ll say! That tank o’ his was neat!” Applebloom gushed. “How’d it look when it was shootin’ baseballs?” “Ah... Er... If you could...” Luna tried. “Was it like a big ol’ avalanche of baseballs? Was it a storm of baseballs? Were the baseballs just heaved out like you was hocking a loogie?” “Um, Applebloom,” Fluttershy coughed. At Applebloom’s confusion, Fluttershy pointed at Luna. the princess was beginning to look like she might slip into catatonic shock again. “Oh... Oops... Sorry, yer Majesty,” Applebloom apologized. “No... It’s fine... It’s just...” Luna sighed. “It’s humiliating... If I’m not messing things up, I’m reduced to a... A whimpering foal by... By...!” “Baseballs?” Applebloom asked. Luna nodded. “Y-Yes...” “Well, um, if you’d like, perhaps we could try to help you,” Fluttershy suggested. “I’ve had to calm ponies and animals before with therapy... Maybe I could do something for you? If that would be all right with you.” “Well... I know only a little about psychology,” Luna admitted. “But I suppose-” “That’s a great idea!” Applebloom cried. She smiled up at the two older ponies. “When do we start? Ah wanna help!” “Well, of course you can help Applebloom,” Fluttershy said with a smile. “I’m sure we’ll be able to help you in no time, Princess.” “Thank you,” Luna said gratefully, as Applebloom began to chant about a “Royal Psychologist” cutie mark. - - - - - - - - “Now, let us begin with your foalhood,” Fluttershy said, sitting in her comfy chair next to her couch. Luna was lying on it, looking up at the ceiling while Applebloom stood anxiously next to Fluttershy’s chair. The filly had a book of psychology out in front of her which Fluttershy possessed. “My foalhood?” Luna asked. “Yes,” Fluttershy said. “Most problems of psychology have their roots in foalhood.” “Well... Um... My sister and I were born from the emergence of the universe, we were raised by our parents but then lost them when they went away,” Luna said. “Went away?” Fluttershy asked. “Ooh, abandonment issues!” Applebloom said, flipping to the appropriate page. She nodded. “Awright, continue!” “Well... Celestia did much of my raising, as the older sister,” Luna said. “However, we began to drift apart as we took on the responsibilities of princesses and goddesses. Forming the orientation of the stars, managing the sun, the different tasks we took on were very... Different,” Luna said. Fluttershy nodded as Applebloom flipped through the pages. “I see. Were there bad differences, or good differences?” “Maybe it’s all a case o’ multiple personalities!” Applebloom suggested. Fluttershy and Luna both looked over at her. “What?” Luna asked. “Well, maybe it’s like, two personalities and how they clash!” Applebloom said. “Um, Applebloom, that’s a problem when it’s within the same pony,” Fluttershy said gently. Applebloom pouted. “Oh.” “Please continue, Princess Luna,” Fluttershy said. Luna sighed and looked back up at the ceiling. “Well, when the ponies slept during the night, I felt... Under appreciated. During the day was when all the work and play and praise was done... There was almost nothing done at night.” “What did you do?” Fluttershy asked as Applebloom continued to skim the book. “Well, I tried to be productive in other ways. I buried myself in understanding the universe we managed and passing that knowledge onto the ponies. I used the movements of the planets and other worlds in the heavens as inspiration for government, law, even philosophy,” Luna said. “Order and discipline and education were the things I pushed, to perhaps be appreciated even during the day.” “So, maybe it’s this big schizophrenic thing,” Applebloom said. “A what?” Fluttershy and Luna asked. “Well, order and strange patterns are associated with it,” Applebloom said. “You ever hear voices that weren’t there?” “... Yes,” Luna admitted, “but I-” “AHA! Maybe your problems are acute schizophrenia, with a side o’ depression!” Applebloom said triumphantly. “Now, how much medication does that require?” “Applebloom, I hear the wishes ponies make on stars,” Luna said flatly. “They are not there with me, but they are real.” “‘Patient may defend his or her delusions due to persecution complex,’” Applebloom read. “I don’t feel persecuted!” Luna squawked. “Um, Applebloom, if you would,” Fluttershy tried. “‘And may be linked to feelings of im-po-tence in interpersonal relationships, includin’ sexual,’” Applebloom read. She looked up. “What does that mean anyway?” Luna and Fluttershy both blushed. The book glowed and then flew off back to the bookshelf. “M-Maybe diagnosis from the book can wait until we’re done talking with her?” Fluttershy suggested. Applebloom pouted. “Awww... All right.” - - - - - - - - Some time later, Luna, Fluttershy and Applebloom were sitting on a comfortable rug in a circle. Fluttershy smiled. “Now, we’re going to try a little role play,” Fluttershy said. “I will be a baseball, and I will-” “What do ah get t’ be?” Applebloom asked eagerly. Fluttershy blinked. “Um, well-” “Can ah be Princess Celestia? Can ah can ah can ah?” Applebloom asked. Fluttershy worried her lower lip. “Well, um, I’m not sure...” “She is... Um... Well, an issue,” Luna admitted uncomfortably. Fluttershy nodded. “All right... Applebloom, you can be Princess Celestia.” “Yay!” Applebloom cheered. She ran into the closet, rummaged about, and came back out with a plastic crown upon her head, fake wings, and a carrot serving as a horn. “Ready! How do ah look?” Luna covered her mouth with her hoof as she laughed. “The spitting image of a Royal Goddess!” “Hee! Ah am Princess Celestia, Mistress o’ the Dawn!” Applebloom strutted about proudly. “Worship me ‘n despair!” Luna looked over at Fluttershy. “Ah, Fluttershy, if I may ask-” “J-Just some leftovers from my modeling career,” Fluttershy said quickly. She cleared her throat. “Now then... I am a baseball, and-” “But you don’t look like a baseball,” Applebloom protested. “Ah dressed up fer this! You should too!” “But... Well... I’m not sure how useful it would be,” Fluttershy said, “Considering how you reacted before.” “Ah... er... Well, since it is just Fluttershy in a costume,” Luna said carefully, “maybe it wouldn’t hurt?” “There, see?” Applebloom said. “Now go on!” Fluttershy nodded, went into the closet, and soon came out in a sheet of white cloth with red stitches going over and through it. She smiled weakly. “Th-This work?” She asked. Luna felt very perturbed by the outfit, but managed a nod. “Y-Yes...” “Aw right! Let’s begin!” Applebloom cheered. “Ahem... Princess Luna-” “She would call me Luna. Just Luna,” Luna said. Applebloom nodded. “Aw right. Luna, mah dear sister! Let us go raise the sun and moon and make ‘n eclipse or somethin! Wouldn’t that be great?” Applebloom asked. Imagining Celestia talking in such a rustic manner made Luna and Fluttershy giggle. Applebloom then looked over at Fluttershy and gasped. “Oh no! It is a baseball!” Applebloom gasped. “Don’t worry Princess Luna, I-I will not harm you,” Fluttershy said. “But ya did harm her anyway,” Applebloom said. “Ah should banish you and that rabbit to the moon!” “It... Isn’t that a bit extreme? I’m just a baseball... Who is talking, even though baseballs cannot talk or move or... Um...” Fluttershy mumbled. Luna found herself laughing harder. Applebloom smiled cheerfully. “Hey! Ah think it’s working!” “Are you feeling better, Princess Luna?” Fluttershy asked. “Oh... Oh yes... Heeheehee...” Luna laughed, wiping her eyes. “Sorry...” “Nothing to be sorry for,” Fluttershy said with a smile. “Laughter is the best medicine, is it not?” “So, is she cured?” Applebloom asked. At that moment, a baseball came flying right at Luna’s head. It smacked into her forehead and sent her down, her glasses snapped in twain. Applebloom and Fluttershy looked over at Angel, smirking with a carrot in his mouth and his helmet on his head. “Angel!” Fluttershy gasped. “You consarnit good for nothing-!” Applebloom began, but abruptly stopped when the sunlight stopped coming through the windows. Both she and Fluttershy slowly turned to look at the only remaining source of light in the cottage-The aura of the enraged Princess Luna. The furniture began to float and spin around the cottage, anything not nailed down joining the storm. Luna’s eyes glowed like pure white fire, and her wings and horn spread her aura around her, causing an Aurora Borealis effect. “You...” Lightning crackled around her every hoof step as she advanced on Angel. To the rabbit’s credit, he stood his ground, calmly reaching into his sack and producing another baseball. “YOU...” A baseball that quite suddenly burst into flames and flew out through the window. “YOUUUUU...” Angel slowly looked at the hole in the window glass, then back to the approaching, wrath filled goddess. “YOU. BROKE. MY. GLASSES,” Luna snarled as the windows around them shattered. - - - - - - - - - “Oh my goodness... I’m so sorry,” Luna said for about the fifth time as she found another one of Fluttershy’s personal items in the mess. With her magic, she commanded it to return to it's original place and it zipped off to one of the shelves not overturned by her wrath. “N-No, it’s quite all right Your Majesty,” Fluttershy said, also for about the fifth time. “I-I understand that, well... We all lose our tempers sometimes, don’t we?” She smiled a bit awkwardly, an expression Luna shared. “Yes. Yes we do,” Luna murmured. Applebloom was looking back and forth between the two with awe, with anxious glances back at her flanks to see if anything had changed. Once again she was disappointed with seeing her unmarked flank, and returned to staring at Luna and Fluttershy in amazement. “That... Was incredible...” Applebloom said. “When ah grow up, can ah work fer you, Princess Luna?” “Certainly Applebloom, if you wish,” Luna said with a smile. “YIPPEE!” Applebloom cheered. Luna smiled indulgently, the young filly’s good spirit almost dangerous contagious. She looked at Fluttershy. “I do apologize for all of this, again... But I wonder if I could trouble you for some lunch?” “Oh, not at all, I was just about to do the same thing,” Fluttershy said. She made to move to the kitchen, but stopped. “Ah? Angel?” The little rabbit, carrot cigar forgotten, was furiously working at the oven with lightning speed to prepare a meal of vegetable stew, bread, and salad. Fluttershy blinked, then smiled. “Oh... Thank you very much Angel, this is very kind of you,” Fluttershy said. “But I really must-” “Now Fluttershy, relax,” Luna said calmly. “You already made him lunch, it’s only fair he returns the favor.” She eyed the white rabbit. “Isn’t it?” Angel spared the Princess a single, frantic nod, before returning to his duties. - - - - - - - - - To be continued...