//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: Dream Counseling // by arkman575 //------------------------------// “Thank you for seeing me on such short notice. I’ll admit it is rather unusual of me to ask a pony to meet if they are not a client before hoof, but I feel this is justified.” Pen spoke, looking up to his goddess. Princess Celestia sat up on the couch, levitating a tea bag in and out of a small glass, a soft smile on her lips. Pen himself, while maintaining a professional composure, was rather worried about how this meeting would play out, considering the topic at hand. “It’s of no trouble at all, Doctor Pen.” Celestia replied, sipping from her cup. “As sanity and a cleared mind is quality needed for governing a nation, I can’t help but happily agree to any advice a psychologist could offer. Now, what was the subject you wished to discuss?” “It revolves around your request for me to aid your sister, Princess Luna, your majesty.” Pen spoke, looking to the notes he had taken of the last session. “Ah yes, I was meaning to see you about her. How, might I ask, is she?” There was concern in the mare’s eyes. Pen looked down to his notes, hesitating to truly tell her how the meeting with her sister went. He had client confidentiality on his side, but also owed some truth to the sister of said client. “Regarding the events of the city-wide dream event and her past dealing with it, your sister Luna is doing quite well if not past the event entirely. However, there was a few things she mentioned that I thought would be of everypony’s best interest if I were to aid.” He spoke, looking to the first note. “It is wonderful to hear that my sister is pushing past the dark days of her past. One can only imagine the taxation of her soul those images caused.” The mare added,putting her cup of tea down before looking at Pen directly. “But if I may ask, Dr. Pen, why did you refer to my sister by her name rather than a title like you did me?” Pen looked up, not expecting such a question. “Um... well, honestly it’s more from stature and presentation.” He spoke, thinking into the whole ranking of the princesses. “My apology, but... as I have known you are my leader and princess, it’s only natural to feel somewhat humbling to be before you, much less counseling you.” “And with Luna?” “As she has only returned within the half decade, and with her being more in touch with the common folk during the night mare night events we hold here in Ponyville, she is more seen as ‘one of the people’. I mean no offence princess... it’s just my observation” he replied with a slight shakiness in his voice at the last sentence. “It’s quite all right. It’s just curiosity is all.” Celestia replied with her norma warm smile. However, she internally cringed at the new information. Her sister was more accepted than her. “I don’t wish to bother you again, however. You may begin where we left off.” “Ah yes, about why Luna was here and why I summoned you. With her recovery over the event being rather impressive, I had to ask who or what aided her. She had mentioned that it was Princess Sparkle and her friends who were the ones to aid in her time of need.” “It was due to her fighting the six again and again within her dream. As their spiritual energy was so vivid, the creature she created must have found the actual owners. Thus, began the event.” the mare replied, thinking back to what Twilight said in her letter. Her student had even found the spell Luna used to create the beast. “I see. She spoke of how vivid the dream was to her. From what I could tell, a small part of her enjoyed that little fact, knowing to her it was perfect mental torture to herself for her actions.” Pen added, looking back to the pad. “And, if I may ask, did you ever notice any signs of her nightmares? Sleep deprivation, perhaps?” Celesta looked up to pen for a second, then down to the floor. “In... In a way, I’m glad this happened now. I did see signs of her abnormal sleep. We have separate towers for our own chambers of course, but when we were called off to other parts of the lands, we usually roomed together. In the day, sometimes I would walk into the room and see her twitching her her sleep. Her fearful words...” Celestia spoke, then shook her head. “Other then those occasions, no. Nothing out of the ordinary.” “And, what is ‘ordinary’ for the two sisters? You don’t have to go into detail about your more bothersome tasks, but I am curious about how you two interact on a day to day level. It could lead to some clues on the dreams.” “Well, to be honest, our interactions are kept quite limited. We eat breakfast together. I guess for her it’s dinner. After eating, we discuss anything relevant the other should know.” She explained, a bit deep in thought. “Usually our time is not together, as we tend to sleep and work without the other. When we do work together... there’s not much to be said.” “Are there any arguments?” “Well, occasionally. All sisters argue. Of all ponies, you should know that.” Pen silently nodded when Celestia paused. “One of the more recent arguments was actually this. Luna had insisted she was without need to come here.” “Yet, it seemed to be a rather informative topic.” Pen added. “She mentioned Princess Twilight was her aid in the recovery. Her and her friends were involved, and they were the true help. Not I.” “True. Twilight truly has become the princess of magic.” “If I may ask, you were the teacher to Princess Twilight, correct?” Pen asked, eyeing his notes for a second. “Why yes. My most gifted student...” She trailed off, smiling back. “And, you sent her into fight your sister that night, a few years ago?” Celestia returned her look to Pen, opening her eyes some. The doctor had kept his eyes on the mare since bringing up the subject, his expression blocked by the notepad. “I did, yes.” She spoke, a tad dryly. “For what reason, considering the circumstances?” Again, a moment of silence. “She was well worth the task at hand, doctor.” “To kill her?” “Never!” Celestia roared, then calmed. However, her new glare stayed with the earthpony. “Why are we pushing this subject in the first place? Last i recall, all this began with Luna, and her dreams. When did my choices of my former student get involved?” “It was actually Luna who wished to know.” Pen then spoke, holding his ground from Celestia’s bark. “She wished to know why you sent Twilight that night, rather than yourself. As it was Twilight and her friends she killed over and over, she apparently began to question the choice.” “And you think it wrong of me to send Twilight?” Celestia spoke up. “Truthfully... I was taking a risk, but it was risk worth taking.” “Do you mind elaborating?” “Yes, I would in this matter. Is there any other questions you would like to ask, or was that all that was brought up by my sister?” It was obvious that there was some impatience in her voice. “Actually, a few I would like to bring up. One being a dream. A dream of you seeing Luna being a vengeful sister.” Pen spoke, holding his quill in his hoof. Celestia looked up then, her eyes no longer holding any anger or boredom. Now, she was ashamed. “And to think my sister would have kept that dream a secret...” She muttered at first, more to herself. “The truth is, I fear what my sister is capable of. That’s why we truly never get too close. And... I secretly feared for so long that she would want revenge for all those years I left her helpless on the moon. If you were to be left in isolation... away from the ones you hold close, knowing you would never see them again... wouldn't you hate the one who did it to you?” “I couldn’t say, considering the circumstances.” Pen replied, feeling a bit unsure if he was even supposed to answer the possible rhetorical question. “My only concerns are that if she does exact her revenge... I don’t want others harmed...” Celestia spoke on. “She may or may not have given up her hatred for the past, but it is still too much of a risk for me to let slip by.” “You... would accept her revenge?” “Of course. I was the one to take a thousand years from her. If there were any angered aggression she wished to take out on me, I would rather it be just me.” “And, I assume it’s why you try to keep her within your watch?” “Admittedly yes... we aren’t close, but I at least want to keep an eye on her. And, for another reason. With Nightmare Moon’s return, there is belief that Luna is still her. Obviously, citizens in Canterlot and Ponyville have separated the two, due to the exposure of my sister. But, I have been told that some areas still hold the rumor of Luna being her nightmarish self still. I personally find it intolerable that some would still consider her to be a threat to the people, however Luna seems to worry less about it. Whenever I brought up my anger over the subject, she barely spoke of it, only trying to calm me or dismiss the subject all together.” “Have you ever considered that you are smothering your sister?” Pen asked, offering a slight frown. The goddess looked at the stallion with some curiosity. “How so?” “She is your sister, yes. However, she still is a mare and does need to branch out. Considering two princesses have moved away from your watching eye with ease and have now governed their own lands with relative success, I wouldn’t say she feels thrilled to be under your hold is all.” The stallion added, looking to what he had written down. “You are her caring sister, but she still needs to be free some time. You let your student go free after all.” Celestia nodded some to the advice,, thinking it over for a bit. “If I might ask a favor... can I schedule one final session? I would like Luna here for it. I want to tell her about Twilight.”