//------------------------------// // Doctor Hooves 4 // Story: Unwell // by HazamaBrony //------------------------------// Twilight bounded into the room, her smile so wide that it was positively blinding. “Good morning, Doctor! How are you today?” she practically chirped. “Good morning to you as well, Twilight. Even if it is one o’clock in the afternoon.” I said with a chuckle. “And I am just fine, thank you for asking. How are you?” “Really good,” Twilight said, her smile growing even wider. “Really, really good.” I grinned. “I see. This wouldn’t have anything to do with the date that you went on with Rainbow, would it?” “It has everything to do with that, Doctor!” she sang. Suddenly, a frown appeared on her face. “Wait, how did you know that?” “Well, the whole town is kind of talking about it,” I explained. “I mean, a candlelight dinner between the best young flyer and the Princess’s student? The whole town is talking about it. You know how small towns love their gossip.” “Oh, really?” Twilight said. Her earlier good mood had vanished, and she looked around the room nervously. I chuckled. “Relax, Twilight. I know what you are thinking, and, for the record, I didn’t hear a single negative thing about you and Rainbow.” “Really?” Twilight said again, this time with a small smile on her face. “Yes,” I said, “nothing bad was said about you. In fact, the overall sentiment in town is that it took Rainbow far too long to actually ask you out.” “Oh. Was she really that obvious? I didn’t catch on at all.” Twilight said in a somewhat cheery voice. “You don’t sound too upset about that,” I observed. “Well, I guess I’m just in a good mood,” she said with a laugh. “Now then, last time we talked, you said that you were going to tell Rainbow about your A.C.M.S. I take it that went well?” I asked. “It went well overall.” “Overall? Were there some parts that didn’t go as well?” I asked, slightly worried. “Well,” Twilight said with a slightly faraway look in her eyes, “at first, she didn’t believe me. That was kind of frustrating. But after I explained everything, she was very accepting.” “That’s good. To tell you the truth, I knew almost for sure that it would turn out this way. Rainbow is an exceptional mare, judging from my, admittedly few, interactions with her. She most definitely doesn’t seem like the type of pony that would judge you over a little thing like this.” “Funny, Rainbow used the exact same words to describe A.C.M.S. It was a ‘little thing,’” she said, and then immediately looked surprised at the bitterness in her voice. “Well, um,” I said, a little startled myself, “You sound somewhat, um, angry about that. Do you know why?” “No! I didn’t mean it like that! It just slipped out! I’m not angry at Rainbow or anything!” she said, looking a little panicked. “I’m not saying that you are, but there was something there. Do you think we could just think on it a little bit?” “Well…” Twilight bit her lip, deep in thought. “I think I know what it is.” “Yes?” “Well, ever since I had my first episode… I mean, this had been such a major part of my life. It has always felt like a sword hanging over my head. I know you don’t like me thinking about it that way, but that is just the way I feel. And for her to just marginalize such a large part of my life like that…” “And that makes you angry, doesn’t it.” I said softly. Twilight looked away from me with a grimace. “Yes.” “I can see how this could be a dilemma for you. On the one hoof, Rainbow did dismiss a large portion of your life as not very important. No matter how much I would like to say otherwise, it has had a profound effect on your life, and Rainbow will have to learn to live with it. On the other hoof, however, Rainbow refused to let your A.C.M.S. affect how she views you. That was probably the best possible outcome, but the dissonance between how the two of you view your condition is a little confusing, isn’t it.” “Yes. Yes, it is. What do you think I should do about it?” Twilight asked, looking straight at me. I sighed. “Now Twilight, I don’t think that you will like this answer, but… I think you need to treat it as Rainbow does.” Twilight looked downright shocked, but she motioned for me to continue. “Twilight, you said that this feels like a sword hanging over your head. An ever present constant to worry about, right? Thinking about it that way just increases your stress, and that isn’t healthy for anypony. Let Rainbow and your friends take your mind off it.” I said. “But when I have a relapse—“ “Just remember that by telling Rainbow Dash you have expanded your safety net by quite a bit.” “That… is true…” Twilight said, biting her lip again. “I still need to go over what to do when I have a relapse…” “’If,’ Twilight.” “Huh?” “You said ‘when’ you have a relapse. That should be if. As so long as you continue to take your medication, a relapse is unlikely. Speaking of your medication, do you need a refill?” Twilight shook her head. “Nope. I still have a refill left before I need another prescription.” “Oh, really? And you have been taking it every night, correct?” I asked, somewhat surprised. She fixed me with a level glare. “Of course I have been, doctor. It is part of my routine, after all, and you know how I am about routine.” I shifted in my seat a little uncomfortably. “Right. Sorry.” She laughed. “No problem, doctor. You just have a tendency to ask if I need more a little too soon. It doesn’t bug me at all.” “Right… silly me.” “Don’t beat yourself up over it. Better safe than sorry, right?” “I suppose…” To my surprise, Twilight began to giggle. “What are you thinking about, Twilight?” I asked, hoping that she would tell me what she found so amusing. “Sorry, sorry,” she said, her voice a little strained from holding back her laughter. “It’s just that, well… it was almost like we switched roles there for a second.” “I see… huh, I guess that is kind of funny,” I said. “Perhaps you should ask me about my latest research project! … Twilight?” Twilight was staring straight at me with wide eyes, looking very shocked. “Twilight? Um, are you all right?” I asked, getting worried. “Oh no… My research project! AHH!” Twilight let out a frustrated groan. “Calm down, Twilight. Can you tell me what’s wrong?” I was getting a little concerned. “I just told you! My research project! Argh, how could I have let this happen?” “Okay… this has something to do with your research project, then?” I was getting more and more lost. “Did something go wrong with it?” “No! Nothing happened! That’s the problem! With all of this excitement with Rainbow I completely forgot to work on it at all! Argh, now I’m behind schedule!” Oh. “Well, I don’t think that it is productive to panic about it, so calm down, Twilight.” “I can’t calm down, this is too important! Sorry, Doctor, but I need to cut my visit short today. I really have to get started on this backlog I’ve got now!” She turned and looked ready to run out the door. “Wait! Twilight, I need to—“ “No symptoms this week either! See you next week, Doctor!” She shouted over her shoulder as she galloped out of the room. I just sat there, too stunned by the abrupt ending of our session to do anything. Eventually, I reorganized my thoughts, and let out a sigh. Ending the session early probably was the best thing to do, even if I would have liked more control. Twilight would have been too preoccupied with her research project to have been comfortable with continuing our talk. And plus, I got more time to work on my ever present paperwork. Not that I wouldn’t like a break from all of the forms…