The night was beautiful and full of stars. The air cooled rapidly, going from sweltering heat to freezing cold, but the sand stayed warm. Fireflies winked as they flitted about. The foals played, running about, shouting, finally getting their excessive energy out from being cooped up inside all day. Even Graves had joined in, playing tag with the others.
Noctilucent pondered his place in life, trying to rationalise and comes to terms with his servitude. His mind struggled to come up with reasons on why he should be angry, and while he could think of a few, he could no longer seem to muster up the anger. Failing to become angry, he angled his head and kissed the foal slung from his neck and tried to think about things he should be thankful for instead.
The letter writing had been a total bust, but he still had tomorrow.
The foal, having had a bottle some time ago, announced her discomfort with foal formula with an impossibly loud belch that filled the air with the stench of rotten eggs, followed by further acts of gastro-intestinal discomfort.
Noctilucent patiently kissed her again, his nose crinkling, and waited for the worst to pass. It seemed like a good philosophy for life. He tried to think of reasons to keep going, to keep living, so he could weigh them against all the reasons he had for dying. It was a lopsided process, as he found that he had trouble thinking about thoughts about actually killing himself. Every time he tried, he found himself thinking about the foal around his neck instead. He had trouble understanding if it was Princess Luna’s magic or if he was perhaps emotionally invested in the foal. He didn’t feel any magical compulsion, and he had always felt it before when it took place.
Holly was sprawled in a reclining lawn chair reading a book by hornlight, trying to finish the last chapter before the library wagon arrived.
“You are like a little shortbread cookie,” Noctilucent said. “Just sweet enough to be a cookie, but not too sweet. I hate sweets,” Noctilucent confessed.
The foal gurgled in reply.
“I think I like you,” Noctilucent whispered. “I can talk to you and you will keep my secrets, won't you?” the midnight blue and white dappled pegasus asked. “And no matter what I tell you, you will not hate me for the awful things I’ve done.”
The foal farted in reply, wiggled a bit in discomfort, and then went still once again, content to watch the world go by.
Noctilucent looked up at the vast cluster of stars in the sky known as “Stallion’s Seed” and sighed. His own pelt was dotted with stars, or so his grandmother had said. He missed her terribly. She kept him leveled off, she had kept him happy, she was the external force he had needed to keep his life in balance. And she was gone.
Noctilucent wasn’t sure that he had an internal force that could keep him happy. The thought frightened him a great deal. Something had to keep him happy. Something had to motivate him to stick around. Something had to motivate him to keep him healthy, in both body and mind.
Holly finished her book and was now watching the foals. It was now cold enough to see everyponies’ breath, and Noctilucent wondered if the foal was warm enough. He pressed his chin against the top of her head and tried to keep her as close to him as possible, stretching out his good wing and wrapping it around her.
It left his side cold, but he could live with that if he had to.
The foals abandoned their game and began to squeal as a figure came around the corner of the orphanage pulling a wagon, pulling directly into the back yard. The foals mobbed the white unicorn, jumping up and down, and shouting “hello.” Even Holly got up from her lawn chair and said hello.
And Noctilucent stayed right where he was, feeling awkward and out of place. He would find a book once the crowd quieted down.
The new unicorn was the whitest white unicorn he had ever seen, with dark green hair in her mane and tail. She practically glowed in the moonlight. A strange lump rose up into his throat while he watched her.
Noctilucent suddenly felt very confused. He remained where he was, keeping his foal warm, saying nothing, and doing everything he could to not draw attention to himself, doing what he had always done, being a perfect background pony.
The white unicorn unhitched herself from the wagon, hugged Holly warmly, and then watched as the foals mobbed the wagon looking for books. Noctilucent could see the white unicorn and Holly talking to one another, but could not hear what was being said. The two seemed quite friendly.
Graves let out an exalted cry of triumph, probably about finding some book that interested him. Cactus was now sitting with the two unicorn mares, staring sightlessly at nothing off in the distance. The other foals remained around the wagon, even Arroyo was looking for something. Picture books were also popular for a reason.
Noctilucent’s decent evening was ruined quite suddenly when both mares stood up and began to walk in his direction. He whimpered faintly, feeling a faint bit of panic. He wasn’t in the mood to meet new ponies right now. It had been a trying day, and he was emotionally unsettled.
Both mares drew closer.
Breaking his wing was the stupidest thing he had ever done, Noctilucent realised that now. He could fly away. Land on a roof. Continue his peaceful quiet vigil. But no, he was ground bound. Pegasi lived to fly, and a pegasus without flight wasn’t much of a pegasus at all.
“Oh bugger,” Noctilucent whined.
“Noctilucent, dear, this is Quercus Alba. She pulls the library wagon and occasionally helps out here. Everypony calls her Quirky,” Holly said, introducing the mare. “Quirky, this is Noctilucent, our new resident caretaker and foal sitter as you can see,” Holly said, finishing her introduction.
“Night Shining,” Quirky said, looking thoughtful. “Pleased to meet you.”
“Old language…” Noctilucent said, or attempted to, if his words hadn’t died halfway through his sentence.
“My name means ‘white oak’ in the old language,” Quirky explained. “Is something wrong?”
Noctilucent didn’t know how to respond. Yes, he replied internally, there is something wrong. What came out however was far less eloquent.
“Bluh,” Noctilucent mumbled.
Holly rolled her eyes and looked away. She was getting too old for this kind of foolishness. The pegasus was clearly a bird brain.
“I beg your pardon?” Quirky asked.
“Blerph,” Noctilucent answered, choking on his own tongue. The white unicorn with the green mane was strangely distracting.
“Excuse me, but did you just say “blerph” to me?” Quirky asked, smiling faintly, a merry twinkle in her eye.
Noctilucent shook his head ‘no’ and gave up on attempting to speak.
“Quirky here is going to help us out by teat-feeding the foal. I have some potions downstairs for this sort of thing. This is her first time. I would, but I am getting old, I am sterile, and the magic doesn’t work well on me. I produce bitter milk,” Holly said, her tone full of old regret and a hint of bitterness. “Once the foals wear themselves out and are put to bed, we’ll go downstairs and see what we can do.”
The flighty blue pegasus, who already had intimacy issues, very nearly shut down at the mention of teat feeding. His mouth went as dry as the desert sand, and, whatever force that drove his consciousness stepped out of its office for a moment for a breather. Noctilucent sat in the sand staring blankly for a moment, unable to do much of anything.
“Are you alright?” Quirky asked, leaning in closer.
No, I am not alright Noctilucent replied silently. What actually came out: “Flurplenumble,” Noctilucent stammered.
“Well, it is good to see the Crown taking such a socially conscious approach towards hiring the simple minded,” Quirky said, suddenly looking very serious.
“I don’t know what has come over him. Usually he’s well spoken,” Holly said. “Did you hit your head or something when your wing was broken? Should I contact Princess Luna?”
“That foal is adorable,” Quirky said, seemingly unconcerned about the now simple minded idiot sitting in the sand. She leaned forward and nuzzled her snoot against the foal’s snoot, and Noctilucent got a whiff of her mane.
He very nearly fell over.
“You are acting really peculiar Noctilucent, you are starting to worry me,” Holly said, looking genuinely concerned. “I think I’ll sit here with you and keep an eye on you for a while while the foals play.”
“And I am going to play with the foals,” Quirky said, turning around and taking off, her mane and tail streaming out behind her in the night breeze as she departed.
“I guess Shady Patch didn’t feel up to walking with her on her rounds tonight,” Holly said to herself. She situated herself beside Noctilucent, who was staring vacantly ahead. Holly gently nuzzled the foal and then sat, looking somewhat concerned for Noctilucent, who didn’t seem well.
When the foals had ran themselves out, they were herded downstairs, tucked into bed, each one of them kissed by Holly. Quirky was in Holly’s room, she had drank the potion a short while ago, and was now waiting for it to kick in so she could feed the foal.
Noctilucent stood in the hallway, the foal still around his neck, occasionally dozing in its sling.
Holly closed the door most of the way and stepped into the hall with Noctilucent. She gestured, using her head, for Noctilucent to follow her into her room. He did, and Holly pulled the foal from the sling.
Quirky was on Holly’s bed, reclining comfortably on her side, looking somewhat bored. “I don’t know about this, my teats are so sensitive and ticklish,” she confessed with a hint of a giggle.
Holly settled the foal on to the bed beside Quirky, positioning her so she could suckle. Noctilucent watched all of this with wide eyed curiousity. And then, his brain broke.
He turned to depart the room in a hurry, his eyes now closed. He slammed into the wall next to the door, missing the door completely. He bounced away and then fell on his plot, his nose now bleeding.
Holly sighed, turned him around, and then pressed a cloth she conjured up to his nose. Noctilucent kept his eyes shut tightly as Holly tried to stop the blood flow.
“You didn’t have to leave, I am not modest about this sort of thing, and you seem nice enough for being a simple minded idiot,” Quirky said to the bleeding pegasus.
Noctilucent opened his eyes and looked at Quirky. He saw the foal suckling. He didn’t know what he was seeing. Deep within his brain, his Id took a piece of chalk, drew a door upon the barn, made it real, and then kicked it wide open, causing Noctilucent’s brain to flood with all manner of feelings and emotions. His Id, feeling pleased with itself, went off into Noctilucent’s subconscious and went looking for a can of paint.
Holly looked at Noctilucent, watching him stare, and something went off in her own brain. “Aw, how sweet, you’re innocent… you’re a virgin aren’t you?” Holly questioned, her voice embarrassingly mother-like as she spoke.
Noctilucent wanted to flee the room again, but Holly had his nose carefully pinched in a cloth and he didn’t want to bleed everywhere.
“Do you think I am a pretty unicorn?” Quirky asked, fluttering her eyelashes at the flustered pegasus.
“Oh don’t tease Quirky, that’s mean, look at how he’s been acting. I told you something wasn’t right,” Holly said, her tone still motherly.
“Do I really fluster you that badly?” Quirky asked.
“Wyeth,” Noctilucent replied around the cloth clamped over his nose.
“So, “yes.” Well, that is good to know,” Quirky replied. “I’m flattered. Usually all I get are lecherous old stallions saying lewd things and giving me much unwanted invites.”
“Thimethorry,” Noctilucnet mumbled.
“Don’t be sorry,” Quirky said as the foal continued to get a good meal. She giggled and squirmed a bit. “Oh gosh that tickles.”
“Aw, you’re so young and sweet,” Holly gushed, now treating Noctilucent like a foal.
Noctilucent silently fumed as Holly wrapped a foreleg around his withers and hugged him.
“I’ll be by early in the morning too,” Quirky said. “By then I should have a lot of milk right? Is there a pump for some extra during the day? I’ll try to stop by tomorrow night as well.”
“You are very kind Quirky. Thank you so much. That poor foal didn’t take well to formula,” Holly said with gratitude. She pulled away the cloth from Noctilucent’s nose and saw the trickle had subsided. She gently wiped away the rest of the blood, folded the cloth, and set it on her desk for the time being.
“Shortbread Cookie,” Noctilucent said, licking his lips nervously.
“What?” Holly asked.
“The foal. Shortbread Cookie,” Noctilucent replied.
“Oh!” Holly gasped. “That’s lovely.”
“That is a good name for an earth pony, I am sure she’d appreciate having a good name,” Quirky agreed. “Say, Noctilucent, when I am done here, there is a diner up the road. Want to get some pie?”
Noctilucent said nothing, but looked at Holly, unsure how to answer.
“He’d love to,” Holly said. “Go on, I’ll be fine here for a while all by myself. I’m a big mare.”
4431485 bull>shit. obviously equestria does not function in that manner at all if you noticed their culture. a large part of it is self discovery, as in figuring out your own path, free will and such. every single member of their species is taught this, and it seems the only way for them to gain their cutie marks.
also that hwole brainwashing thing in fact prevents him from learning. being incapable of his own agency and only being able to make 'good' decisions means you do not learn nor grow. he is not deciding to not hurt himself, he is being forced to, and in a way far more invasive than simply stopping someone from leaping off a roof.
not to mention this is a form of chaos she is doing right now. it is order, but order on its own is a lie, as all it does is cause strain and feed chaos.
giong towards the elements, look who their bearers are. beings who are incredibly flawed. they have full free will and choice, and it is their aiblity to choose wrong that makes their aiblity to chosoe right all the more meaningful. they are not paragons of their virtues, they struggle with them, and that is seemingly what the elements of harmony want in their bearers.
For some reason, that was so funny
4441426
Keep all of this in mind and keep reading.
That's all I can say.
Be patient. Wait for it to play out. See what is actually going on before you say anything else.
I commend you... You've done awesome.
So entertaining, to be sure.
what a lovely chapter, nothing more to add
4431485 basically your ideas are starting to really clash with what the elements, and equestria, are and is. elements are not forces of Order, and thus will tear down both order and chaos and create balance. removing someone's will thus is not within their aiblities as you did with luna nor would it be soemthing it WOULD do. that would be imposing order, which is the greatest of lies as it only feeds into chaos should the scale tip in its favor. harmony is a balance of chaos and order, of light and dark, and evil exists on either side of order and chaos.
also considering Celestia's mindset, the term subject probably is not used in terms of calling the ponies property. they are subject to her rule, but they are not bound by it in any sense. celestia is too down to earth. she treats everyone as her equal, from twilight, to even the cake couple whom she teased for treating her as their superior.
only way she could be more down to earth is if you buried her in sweet apple acres and she grew into a tree, making fluttershy jealous.
The air, perhaps?
Also romance, always nice.
4441455
Fine. You've convinced me. I'll delete the story right away because it is so very wrong. Is that what you want to hear? Do you want to rob everyone else who is enjoying it their right to enjoy it?
I'm not in the mood for further shit.
4441455
Dude, it's fan fiction. Don't like what the author's writing? Don't read it.
nawww poor Noctilucent, getting all flusted and acting like a simpleton
4441455 That's Celestia. Luna's values are a millenia out of date. Why don't you take modern human values and place them against a millenia ago? Hmm let's see peasantry had even fewer rights than Noctilucent has in this story, there were no age limits on either marriage or fucking, serfs were the spiritual predecessors of slaves . . . yeah Luna's not really being that bad.
4441455 I do NOT want to see this story discontinued because of your views of Equestrian society. So...
If you don't like the way this story is going, STOP READING IT.
As for the story, this looks like things are about to get a little bit more complicated for Noctilucent.
4441592 its called giving a critique people. i have a critique of the story and nothing more. i did not call the story bad or garbage or any of that, just pointed out a flaw.
Here's a comment. You better treat it right or else.
4441592
I have no intention of killing the story, I just wanted to drive home a point.
People are making entirely too many snap judgment calls on what is going on, when they don't actually know what is going on.
4441599 And the author basically told you that the "flaw" you pointed out is going to be addressed in some fashion later on down the line, and you kept haranguing him about it. That's what we're objecting to.
4441613
Horry story, happy ending, as stated from the beginning.
4441618 Pffft, I meant treating my comment right or else.
Last time I try to be funny...
I find his reaction to Quirky a bit too "retardet". And i cant stop thinking about the Milka cow when i see the cover art.
4441426
I have to disagree with you, self discovery and personal freedom are not mutually exclusive. All throughout the culture of the show we see signs that the leadership will manipulate a set of circumstances to get a desired outcome (ex. Magical Mystery Cure, Nightmare Night. ect.) The best way to accomplish this is by giving the subject the illusion of freedom, but the act of doing so is a form of control.
Not I guess your opposed to the level of control that is being used here. To that I say, how do we as a free society treat our Suicide survivors? We restrict what they can or can't do. Door are closed for those people certain jobs are restricted and they must find normalcy wit little to no guidance. You say that what Luna is doing is Chaotic, but I disagree. What I believe is happening here is our protagonist is a case study where Luna is discovering what controls, mental ques, and hormone levels will work toward the process for future cases. It doesn't help to save the victim if you don't fix the underlying problem.
It's like his wing, to fix the wing you set the bones and bind them so they can't move until they heal, Lunas method is similar in theory.
4441711
The wing is an external metaphor of the internal problem to be dealt with. Yes, it must be bound, held in place, and allowed to heal, at which time it will be set free.
That was kinda what I was going after here.
4441455 if you don't like it, stop reading. You're being an ass.
4441711 difference there is that the government on equestria has enogh non real world factors for it to function a few shades more cleanly than the real world. largely having basically pony buddahs to help guide them. thoguh the fact that equine by instinct have group mentality and do not have a tendency to outright kill each other might help in that.
problem also is that we restrict them, yes, but we also try to help them and guide them. sadly does not always work out but we do not strip someone of their agency. physically preventing someone from hurting themselves or others is one thing. mentally restraining them is naother kettle of fish. he is not really learning, he is simply incapable of killing himself period. worse yet if he is entirely reliant on it and, if something happened to the spell, he would immediately end his own life. and that is a large possiblity too, that something might happento the spell.
there had to be a better method to use.
4441853
You say this though without really knowing what is going on.
Can you actually say what is really happening?
All you have is Noctilucent's perspective. And nothing else. You are clueless.
You cannot present all the facts because you don't know them. And thus, you cannot say what is, or isn't, and what he would do afterwards.
Yet I am sure you will keep trying.
I am concerned about this new pony, she's kinda that in the need character. since your story is still fleshing out I can't claim she's being shoehorned in, so here's to hopingfor good development with her. I guess what I'm saying is I'm hoping for some good conflict with this character, like she has a boyfriend ormental scars it keep her from being intimate with someone, are you going to conflict with Lunawhere she could become a detriment to the study. I'm looking forward to what may come.
4441880
Read the side story The End of Your Rope.
It explains Quirky.
She isn't being shoehorned in. She was planned from the beginning.
4441863 of course i am making claims. that is because i do not have that information yet, or even know it exists. if you prove me wrong in my opinions and claims then you have proven me wrong, and i will either accept that or praise you if it is something immensely clever.
there is no point getting mad me for not knowing when i would have no way of knowing till we reach that point. i actually enjoy being proven wrong cause it means the story has beat my expectations............
sadly that has not happened very often as of late and it has made me quite cynical....... perhaps that has affected the comments i make.
4441924
Just wait. Big things are coming.
Much like my other story, The Chase, nothing is ever quite what it seems.
You have to wait for the events to unfold to see everything.
4441935 all i can say is we will see. i am hoping that there is something more going on. as i said; grown quite cynical...........
i am like the opposite of the more cynical fanbase. some guys have grown to trust the fanworks more than the show, and while i trust the show i am more cynical towards the fics.
4441832 rubs eye........... i am making a critique. and i did not say i disliked it. there has to be quite a few good things about it for it to get that many one ups.........
then again i have seen stories get upwards of four hundred likes and all it has is one, count of one, well written character and it treats demigods like pansies compared to a human.........
i have grown a hide of cynicism i think. more often than not it is safer to be cynical than it is to be optimistic.............
4442275
Well, I couldn't call it the Milky Way.
Well... and then Nocty and Quirky fell in love and they got married and had two beautiful children, Nathaniel and Superfly! Mostly because Quirky is adorable, but I'm afraid that she is too good for our idiot hero... I'm also afraid to find out what is wrong with her... She's either as damaged as he is... or she really is perfectly kind and wonderful and he doesn't deserve her... yet. He has some major ground to cover before he's ready to court the magnificent
4441470 Wait... NO! This is because I'm bnot a good person isn't it? Please don't deprive us of this story... I really do like Nocty and if her grew a little more I might find him worthy of Quirky... Please say it isn't so! Okay I'm done... seriously...
4441455 As for you... relax, it's all fan fic brother.
You only need the first song... though Caramel's Light is good too...
Well... and then Nocty and Quirky fell in love and they got married and had two beautiful children, Nathaniel and Superfly! Mostly because Quirky is adorable, but I'm afraid that she is too good for our idiot hero... I'm also afraid to find out what is wrong with her... She's either as damaged as he is... or she really is perfectly kind and wonderful and he doesn't deserve her... yet. He has some major ground to cover before he's ready to court the magnificent
4441470 Wait... NO! This is because I'm not a good person isn't it? Please don't deprive us of this story... I really do like Nocty and if he grew a little more I might find him worthy of Quirky... Please say it isn't so! Okay I'm done... seriously... carry on...
4441455 As for you... relax, it's all fan fic brother.
You only need the first song... though Caramel's Light is good too...
4441887
OK I read "End of your Rope" I never thought she was a shoehorned character, I just felt her introduction was a bit abridged. Now that I have read you story my opinion of her has only slightly changed. The story did little to develop her character and only served to establish her connection to the project as well as that delicious tease reference her cutiemark. (I'm assuming that she's been in town at least a few weeks alredy. Or else Luna wouldn't be aware of her in the beginning chapters) I'm still hoping for some conflict with this charecter, if not from Luna then at least some sort of rivalry. I could see a young Zebra colt and a certain blind filly worried there care take would be taken away by some stranger. I would prefer a more adult kind of conflict, like older widower fancies her and is willing to use political influence to get her or something like that. Just to let you know, I like the idea of the charecter, just looking forward to see more.
Loses his mind and tongue when the mares are around? This ought to be good...
I needed a good laugh and you provided yet again for this story. I love how the guy gets all tongue tied, it reminds me of myself. I also love how things are really heating up in terms of how much personal info is being shared by everypony, its marvelous!
4441426
You are one whiny little shit. If this story bugs you so damn much then fuck off, simple right? I feel like you're the kind of person that comments on stories that are wonderful but your jealousy or need to be noticed causes you to be a douche. This Story, it bugs you because it isn't cannon, hey smart guy, its a FANFICTION. Ya know, the thing that fans make just because they can. Feel like you can do better, then make a story and get it on the featured.
4441426
Luna's spell does not impede Noctilucent's ability to learn, at all. He's already learned a couple of things about his life and choices: that he was wrong to attempt suicide, and that it might be possible to make amends for a past mistake.
It only barely impedes his free will. Yes, Luna has expressly forbidden him from making another suicide attempt, but that's no different than putting someone on suicide watch, wherein you remove anything from the patient's room that they could possibly use to harm themselves and keep them under constant surveillance so that they don't try to swallow their own tongues or something. In fact, I dare say Luna's option is a bit less monstrous than suicide watch; at least this allows Noctilucent to have his privacy.
And yes, Luna has ordered him to obey Holly's every "reasonable" demand. That means he is free to decide if one of Holly's demands is unreasonable. That means he has free will.
These facts have all been spelled out in the story proper, however, which leads me to believe that you haven't actually read the story proper in its entirety. I'm willing to bet good money that you stopped reading at Luna's first description of her spell (if you even got that far) and immediately started shooting your mouth off in the comments. Good sir, you started complaining too soon. Kindly shut the buck up and actually read a story before you whine about it.
I give this chapter 10 blerphs out of 10.
Flumplewurmple.
You know, just to make things easier on the non-psychology students, you could take the lesser-known terms and link them to appropriate articles. For example the first time you used the word "ID" I was kinda confused, until: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Id,_ego_and_super-ego
You could make the first use of the word "ID" link to the appropriate article, for future readers.
Also, I don't know.... the whole loss-of-speech thing... I'll be honest, I've had some fucking-terrible social anxieties, that thank god, I'm getting over, but even with mine as terrible as they were, loss-of-speech was never something that occurred to me. Stuttering, yes. Hesitation in sentences (while choosing the proper words), Yes. But all out loss-of-speech, never happened. Does this actually happen to people? Don't they know they're just compounding their problems by doing this?
Either way, keep going, this is a good fic.
4444417
Oh, there are things even worse than loss of speech. Social anxiety incontinence for example.
Hello!
Wait, are you...
Well, you are. Good day I guess.
Noctilucent hasn't had a good run at romance. Hearts and Hooves day debacle, getting his potential love interest drunk, and, in a fit of conscience, wanting to stop what he had started, only to have his friend pick up where he left off, etc. It is merely a brief interruption in services.
And don't worry, Noctilucent is mostly fine from encounter. A sore snoot, a little embarrassed, a new lifelong teat / nursing fetish, everything is good.
4444184
But if he keeps reading, he might learn something...
We want him to keep reading, right?
Well, you see who is actually paying attention. Carry on then, social awkwardness, Hooo!
4444457
>Social anxiety incontinence
Go to the restroom before you step out of the house?
You can't empty an empty bladder.
4444468
Except in about twenty minutes, your bladder has enough for a good spotting.
Usually, the sufferers have to wear pee pads or adult diapers.
Now there is an adult diaper story waiting to happen, since people seem to be so fond of placing ponies in diapers.
I hope I can manage my SAID.
HI!
Damnit stupid bladder.
4444474 Oh god....
4444476
It is a more common problem than you think, too.
And because it increases social anxiety (because everybody is afraid of pissing themselves in public) it increases the symptoms and severity of the effect. The more you worry, the worse it is. The worse it is, the more you worry. Self defeating cycle.
So, once you start down this well marked path, you keep going. Takes a lot to change it.
4444480 Poor guys/gals..... That must suck.
Why don't we have enough chemical innovation, or conditioning therapy to cure some of these conditions, anyway? I'm not going to lie, it was a combination of thought, and drugs, that led to my social anxieties being greatly reduced. And continued practice that helps to keep reducing them. (if you want to get over social fears, you have to talk to people: a lot. You go too long without talking to people, and they come right back. )
4444499
Not enough market.
The problem is small, relatively speaking. So there is not enough financial return to even begin thinking about a chemical fix. It only effects maybe less than a million people or so in the United States.
Big pharma won't even bother thinking about it with those numbers.
4444511 Ahh. That makes sense. Always comes down to economics, doesn't it?