> Therapy With Doodle Noodle > by Yosh-E-O > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Chapter 1 - Night Time Revelations > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Hey, Yosh!” cheered a youthful voice. “How are you doing?” Yosh gripped the white cane in his right claw and glid it gently before him until he came upon where he knew the voice to be coming from. “Hey, Snowdrop!” he cheered. “I thank you so much for helping me feel more comfortable in being totally blind.” “Well,” she giggled. “There are other ways to see, right?” The dragon-duckling laughed and nodded. “Yep!” he cheered. “Though…,” stated Snowdrop. “There is something I need to tell you.” “What’s that?” asked Yosh. FA-CHING! “It is really I, Princess Luna, who have been guiding you in your dreams,” the mare with the dark-blue, flowing mane stated. “What?” gasped Yosh as his cane slipped from his fingers. Princess Luna used her magic to pick up the dragon-duckling’s cane and ease it back into his claw. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I did not mean to deceive you.” “So,” panicked Yosh. “Snowdrop isn’t real?” Luna felt a tear form in her eye. “Snowdrop was indeed real,” she said somberly. “She was the first who truly appreciated my night while illustrating to us the true gift of winter.” “Was she blind?” Yosh inquired. “She was,” replied Luna. “And, like you, she was capable of amazing things even without physical sight.” “So…,” worried Yosh. “Now what?” The Princess of the Night nodded. “I know you have had difficulty in the real world coping with your situation,” she spoke. “I advise seeing the one known as Doodle Noodle.” “Doodle Noodle?” wondered Yosh. “Yes,” replied Luna. “She will be able to help you where I cannot.” “And how will I find this ‘Doodle Noodle’?” he asked. “I’ve left you her address on your night stand,” she replied. “It is in basic Braille and Spike will help you there.” “Isn’t he back in Ponyville?” “I’ve made arrangements for him to arrive in canterlot tomorrow morning,” she stated. “He knows he is to guide you to Doodle Noodle’s office.” There was a brief pause. “Luna…?” wondered Yosh. “What of the real Snowdrop?” “My sister wrote a book of her exploits while I was… away,” she sighed. “If you are willing to work with Doodle Noodle, I shall take time to visit your dreams and tell you of her tale.” “Promise…,” Yosh said with teary eyes. “I promise,” she replied while gently putting a hoof upon Yosh’s shoulder. “Then I’ll do it,” stated Yosh. “I will meet this Doodle Noodle and see what she can do to help me where these dreams may have not.” “Good,” grinned Luna. “Then until tomorrow night.” > Chapter 2 - Blindisms > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- “…Yeah,” said Spike. “I was surprised when I burped up a letter from Princess Luna asking me to go with you to meet some pony named Doodle Noodle.” “Have you ever heard of her?” asked Yosh while using a hollow, staff-like rod to feel at the roads of Canterlot. “Nope!” replied Spike while he tugged at his friend’s left arm to keep him from running into an oncoming Pony. “I mean, uh…” “It’s okay, Spike,” sighed Yosh. “As I learned from my dreams, you are only trying to help.” “I just couldn’t imagine what it must be like not being able to see,” the purple dragon remarked. “You and I were both taught by Princess Celestia how to read and write. However, that was all with our eyes and claws.” “snowdrop…,” said Yosh with a sigh. “I mean, Princess Luna has been teaching me this other way of writing called ‘Braille’. She helped Snowdrop learn it by calling all the bumps made, ‘Twinkles’.” “’Twinkles’?” wondered Spike. “Yeah,” continued the green-and-white, dragon-duckling. “Each letter has a different number of ‘Twinkles’ that, sometimes, make themselves feel like you are touching ‘Star Formations’. So it didn’t confuse other ponies when Snowdrop would write with it, they gave it a name that sounded different, but memorable. This is why it is called ‘Braille’.” “And you learned about that snowy, star-like pendant you found in your pocket?” asked Spike. “Yeah,” Yosh grinned while pulling it out from under his shirt. “Watch this!” PFEW! “Best buddy, Spike,” a female voice said from within the snow-like jewel after appearing to have taken a picture of the green-eyed dragon. “Whoa!” awed Spike. “What is that thing?” Yosh tucked the pendant back into his shirt. “Princess Luna was working on this with snowdrop before they were, uh, separated…,” trailed Yosh. “Luna gave it to me to help see if it could aid me where she had intended it to assist Snowdrop in ‘Seeing the world in a different way’.” “What happened to Snowdrop and Princess Luna?” asked Spike. Yosh sighed. “I think the whole ‘Nightmare Moon’ situation,” the dragon-duckling replied. “I honestly haven’t started to wonder about such things until Princess Luna revealed herself last night to tell me she had been playing the role of snowdrop and felt I needed to see this Doodle Noodle.” “Hmm,” pondered Spike. “Perhaps I could have Twi research ‘Snowdrop’?” “Per-“ Yosh stammered as he slipped into a pothole and only kept his footing thanks to Spike’s hold on his left arm coupled with gently using his metal rod as a brace. “-haps!” “Are you okay?” panicked Spike while taking a firmer hold of Yosh. “fine…,” he sighed. “Sorry about that.” “Nothing to be sorry for,” commented Spike. “It’s not like you can see the potholes in the road.” Yosh sighed while lowering his head. “Oh!” the green-bellied, purple dragon announced. “I think we’re here!” Yosh couldn’t see anything, but Spike did notice a sign beside a house that read, “Doodle Noodle’s House of Healing”. “Whoa!” cried Yosh while Spike eagerly swung around to guide them towards the building. “Oops!” blushed Spike. “I keep forgetting to tell you when I’m making a sudden move.” Yosh groaned. “That’s alright,” he said. “I’m just glad you don’t mind helping me.” “Not at all!” proclaimed Twilight Sparkle’s ‘Number One Assistant’. “Now let’s see what this Doodle Noodle is all about!” > Chapter 3 - Doodle Noodle > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- “I hear water…,” Yosh announced upon being guided into the building. “And something smells really nice.” “Yeah,” remarked Spike. “Good thing your nose and ears are as good as ever.” Yosh sighed. “I, uh…,” stammered Spike. “Hello!” called a friendly, female voice. “Are you Yosh?” “I’m Spike!” the purple dragon replied while moving so his dragon-duckling friend could be fully seen. “This is Yosh.” “D’aww!” awed the mare. “Princess Luna wasn’t kidding when she said you were a cutie.” Yosh blushed as Spike gave him a gentle nudge. Yosh would tease his purple, dragon friend over his crush on Rarity. This Doodle Noodle was giving him a long awaited chance to tease back. “You said, ‘Princess Luna’…?” Yosh wondered. “I did, cutie,” she answered sweetly. “She sometimes helps set up appointments with me for those she believes her dream therapy may not be enough for.” Yosh lowered his head. “Does that mean there’s something really wrong with me?” he asked somberly. Doodle Noodle wrapped a hoof around the dragon-duckling. “Of course not, silly,” she stated. “Some ponies, err, duck dragons just need some pony to talk to while they are awake to feel better about how things are going.” Yosh sighed. “Trust me,” assured the mint-green colored Unicorn. “You and I are going to have a good time together exploring the wonderful world of feelings.” “Feelings?” wondered Yosh. “Why, yes!” cheered Doodle Noodle. “They are very important. And, like friendship, are best when comfortably shared with some pony you can trust.” “But…,” Spike chimed in. “We are just meeting you now. How do we know we can trust you?” “Gracious!” gasped the mare as her green, blue, and purple colored mane streaked through the light as she turned to face the pair. “That’s a good point, young dragon.” “I know,” Spike proudly stated. “So, uh, how are we going to solve this?” Doodle Noodle took a few steps back from the pair. “A couple of ways,” she replied. “First off, you are both welcome to ask me any questions you want. Don’t be shy.” Spike felt like a proud protector as he inquired, “How do you know Princess Luna?” “She visits me in my dreams,” replied Doodle Noodle while gesturing towards a series of framed certificates, degrees, and a document marked with the royal seal sighned by both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. “Most ponies are busy during the day, so I typically work into the night with those who need a friend to help them realize the magic their feelings hold. So, after a few dream visits, Princess Luna stopped by one evening and asked if I wouldn’t mind aiding her in her duties.” Spike inspected the framed letter bearing the royal seal and signatures. “It’s real,” he awed. “But I don’t know why we haven’t heard of you.” “Well,” shrugged Doodle Noodle. “Like Princess Luna, I’m sworn to not share the feelings of others unless they provide me permission to do so. Therefore, those who see me don’t tend to talk about me and what we do unless they feel really comfortable with their feelings.” Each time Yosh heard her say ‘feelings’ he felt a surge of anxiety rush through his body. It was like his body really wanted to get something out, but didn’t know how. “Well, sweetie?” inquired Doodle Noodle to Yosh. “Do you have any questions for me?” “Uh…,” quacked the dragon-duckling. “I… I think I need to know more about my ‘feelings’.” “You’re in the right place for that, cutie,” she cooed. “You and I can start your adventure in discovering the magic of your feelings whenever you’re ready.” Yosh’s blush deepened. He also felt himself smile each time she used a term of endearment towards him. Spike noticed his friend looking all rosey in the cheeks that puffed from a massive smile that formed across his beak. “Well,” shrugged Spike. “I’ll be waiting right out here in case you try any funny business.” “No worries, Spike,” she assured. “Your adorably sweet friend is in good hooves with me.” Doodle Noodle moved alongside Yosh so he could take hold of her right, front leg. “Do not fret,” she assured. “I will guide you safely to where we can make you feel so much better about everything that is making you feel so troubled on the inside.” “Okay,” said Yosh as he wrapped his arm around her leg, moved out the hollow, metal rod he used to ‘see’, and headed towards a room on the other side of the waiting area. “Good luck,” said Spike with as much confidence as his skeptical mind could muster. He then pulled out a quill and parchment to write a letter to Princess celestia as Doodle Noodle and Yosh entered into a dimly lit room and closed the door. > Chapter 4 - A Warm Place > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Doodle Noodle used her magic to quietly close the door as she lead Yosh inward. “Is there a fountain in here?” the dragon-duckling asked while breathing in a soothing scent he couldn’t quite identify. “Yes, sweetie,” answered the mint-green Unicorn. “I have tiny fountains placed all about this room. TING Yosh’s ear heard the sound of a soft chime. “What’s that?” he inquired. “It’s a triangle I’ve set up so it rings after so much water falls onto a lever,” she replied. “You are indeed perceptive.” Yosh sighed as he felt Doodle Noodle stop and ask for him to sit himself upon a cushion. “This is cozy,” cooed Yosh while stifling a yawn. “I could take a nap right now.” The Unicorn with the sun-striped tail and cartoon-styled brain for a Cutie Mark sat on a cushion across from Yosh. “So you are relaxed?” she asked. “Well…,” mumbled the dragon-duckling as he felt another surge of anxiety surge through him. “I wish I could see all the nifty things you have in here.” “But you did,” cooed Doodle. “There’s nothing in here that your ears didn’t tell you.” Yosh sighed. “I’d rather see everything,” he said. “I don’t even know what you look like.” “That’s easily fixed,” she replied. “I’m a Unicorn mare with a blue, green, and purple streaked mane, mint-green coat, and a picture of an artsy brain on my flank.” Yosh’s mind started to formulate what Doodle Noodle looked like. In that brief moment he forgot he was blind as the room came to life through his imagination. “See me now?” she asked with a smile. “Sort of,” he sighed. “It’s a start!” she cheered. “I bet you see more than you may think, too.” “What do you mean?” Yosh asked as he felt himself getting annoyed. “I’m saying how, even without physical sight, I’m certain you can still see things,” Doodle calmly replied. “You just see them differently than you once did.” Yosh lowered his head and sighed. “Your physical eyes still can help you,” continued the therapist. “Allow yourself to think about being in this room while using just your eyes to look around in a clockwise direction.” The green, dragon-duckling felt more annoyed. However, something in Doodle Noodle’s voice compelled him to do as he was instructed. “As you move your eyes around,” she said. “Try to keep mindful of how you feel in your chest and stomach. You may just find that looking a certain way helps to make all that stress you may be feeling melt away a bit.” Yosh was skeptical, but did notice he felt a bit better when his eyes were looking downward. “Okay,” he said. “Now what?” “Now,” Doodle said gently. “I want you to breathe slowly in your nose and out your mouth while keeping your eyes looking where you noticed you felt the least amount of stress in your chest and tummy.” Hearing ‘tummy’ made the dragon-duckling smile from the pure silliness of the word. It also got him to better focus on what Doodle Noodle had instructed him to do. SHING Doodle’s horn glowed a shade of purple as she magically put a lavender-colored aura around the dragon-duckling. “Oh…,” hummed Yosh. “I feel so relaxed.” “Good,” beamed the therapist while reducing the effect of her spell a bit. “Now, I want you to tell me whatever is on your adorable, little mind.” > Chapter 5 - Emotional Release > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- “…It’s hard,” pouted Yosh. “I feel so useless.” “Why do you feel ‘useless’?” asked Doodle while she silently levitated a quill and notepad up to take notes. “Because…,” groaned the dragon-duckling. “I can’t do anything.” “You’re talking,” stated the therapist. “And you seem quite able to use your arms and legs.” Yosh got annoyed. “But not like I used to!” he quacked. “What do you mean?” she asked in a soft tone. “I can’t read!” he huffed. “I can’t write! I can’t even find my way around without asking for help or bumping into everything!” “Oh, sweetie,” she said gently. “Are you sure you ‘can’t’ read, write, or find your way by yourself?” Yosh felt himself break down as tears formed in his eyes. “I’m just useless!” he burst. Doodle Noodle used her magic to enhance the aura she had put around the dragon-duckling. “The word ‘can’t’ is a pretty strong way to describe someone with talents like yours,” she said. “What talents,” sobbed the dragon-duckling as Doodle’s magic eased down his anxiety enough to allow him the flow of tears without the physical pain he was experiencing from his chest and stomach. “What if we talked about what makes you happy?” asked Doodle. “Surely you have things in your life that make you happy.” “Uh, huh…,” the green, dragon-duckling whimpered. “I’d start with how you are very smart,” she said. “Smart?” he sniffled. “Yes,” she continued. “You have already started to discover ways to get yourself around without needing constant help.” Yosh felt at the metal rod he had been using. It wasn’t quite the ‘white cane’ Snowdrop, or rather Princess Luna, had shown him, but it did the job. “ “Right,” beamed Doodle. “You found something that ‘you’ knew would ‘work for you’.” “But,” Yosh whimpered while shaking his head. “I still run into things and look totally stupid.” “How long have you worked with your ‘little helper’?” she asked. “Uh…,” he thought aloud. “Maybe about two weeks.” “And how old are you?” she asked. “Ten going on eleven,” he replied. “So,” she said while reducing the effect of her magical aura on the dragon-duckling. “You’ve gotten pretty good in two weeks with something brand new. You are learning to see in a whole new way and are doing so even faster than you learned how to actually see.” The dragon-duckling was confused. “Huh?” he wondered while feeling at the metal rod. “You also were able to ‘know’ what was in this room with just your ears and imagination,” she continued. “Take a moment to listen and tell me where everything is, sweetie.” Yosh felt something good inside himself as he started to listen and point out where he heard the fountains, noticed the chiming triangle, and knew where Doodle Noodle was. “That’s it!” cheered the mint-colored Unicorn. “It’s all a matter of learning to use your other skills to become all everyone knows you can be!” “”I…,” sputtered Yosh. “I guess I never thought of it that way.” “We all need a little help to discover who we are through the help of our friends,” remarked Doodle. “I do hope you see me as a friend.” “I do,” sighed Yosh. “I just really miss being able to see the world around me.” “And that’s okay,” assured the therapist. “It’s a feeling you may have for a long, long time. Fortunately, it is not a bad feeling as long as you remember how you are still growing and finding ways to be all you and everyone around you know you can be.” Yosh was surprised. “It’s okay to be sad?” he asked with a quack. “But I’m supposed to be the happy, cheerful one. Not one who whines and complains all the time.” “Oh, sweetie,” soothed Doodle. “Nobody expects you to always be happy all the time. Just know that you are allowed your feelings and experiencing them is what will help you become stronger and more confident.” “Really?” he asked. Doodle removed the aura she had on the dragon-duckling and smiled. “Really,” she said. “And I want you to know that I’m here to help you discover how to use your feelings to be the best, dragon-duck you can be. To find happiness in your life despite how much hurt losing your vision has caused.” “You are?” “I…,” sputtered Yosh. “I can do that?” “Actually,” cooed Doodle Noodle while moving towards Yosh and extending her hoof. “’We’ can do it together.” Yosh ‘heard’ and ‘felt’ Doodle draw close and instinctively reached out to her. “That’s it, sweetie,” she soothed while allowing the dragon-duckling to cuddle her. “You’re never alone. Spike out there cares about you lots, too, and I know will give plenty of hugs and support as you continue to realize how much you still have to give despite this little setback.” Yosh only sobbed and sniffled as he nuzzled against Doodle’s body. He felt the most relieved he had since before the tragedy of losing his sight occurred. Up to this point, such joy was only afforded to him in his dreams. To feel it while awake was freeing in so many ways. “Now, sweetie,” said Doodle while rubbing his back. “How about I see you again tomorrow and we can continue to work on ‘feeling’ great both while asleep and awake?” “Uh, huh?” he whimpered. He did not want to let go of his cozy hold on Doodle Noodle. “How about we go and see your pal, spike?” suggested Doodle while helping Yosh to his feet and using her magic to give him his makeshift cane. “I’m sure you two will have a lot to talk about being the best you each can be.” > Chapter 6 - A New Beginning > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Spike had begun to doze when Yosh and Doodle Noodle emerged from the secluded room. “Yosh!” cried the purple dragon as he quickly snapped himself out of a daydream he was having. “How’d it go?” “Good,” the green dragon-duckling sighed with a nod. “I think I’m going to be okay.” “You ‘will’ be okay,” cooed the therapist while rubbing at Yosh’s back. “We have only begun to discover the magic your feelings have towards making your life as happy as can be.” Spike took a moment to look at Yosh. He appeared very subdued. It was as if he were an entirely different dragon from when he first entered into the office with him. “Hmm?” he pondered. “You didn’t cast any spells on him? Like something to make him your mind slave or something like that?” “Oh, no,” chuckled Doodle. “I’m a therapist whose magic can only soothe. Kind of like a Unicorn who is a masseuse. I just learned to use my magic to help others express their feelings only as much as they feel comfortable in doing so.” Spike waved his hand in front of his friend’s eyes. “I’m here, Spike,” stated Yosh as he felt the breeze from Spike’s flapping claw. “I assure you I am under no enchantment.” “Well…,” Spike said while giving Doodle a curious eye. “I’m still not going to trust you completely alone with him.” “And I wouldn’t expect you to,” grinned Doodle. “Yosh really needs you to help him as we work on discovering himself in this new chapter in his life. I can only do so much as his therapist. The rest is up to him and his friends.” Spike felt a little deflated by Doodle’s acceptance of his skepticism. “So,” said Doodle while she levitated a book and quill to her. “Tomorrow at 1:00 PM okay with you?” “Sure,” replied Yosh. “That’s if you don’t mind helping me get here, Spike?” “Got any gems?” the purple dragon jokingly asked. “Of course,” Yosh laughed. “I saved you all my rubies because I know how much you love them.” “You two are too cute,” complimented Doodle as she noticed her next client enter into the office. “I must be off now. However I look forward to seeing you tomorrow, Yosh. I’m sure you’ll have a lot to share with me between now and then.” “Thanks, Doodle!” quacked Yosh as he waved. Spike took Yosh’s hand. “You sure she didn’t brainwash you?” he asked quietly. “I’m sure,” grinned Yosh. “I now knoew that everything is going to be okay so long as I never forget how to be happy.” “Is there anything I can do to help?” the green eyed dragon asked. Yosh hugged himself around Spike and hummed. “Just being my friend is all I need,” he said. “Now let’s go get some donuts. I do believe Joe is having his special today on peanut butter filled and you know how much I love those.” Spike licked his lips. “Sweet!” he proclaimed. “Let’s go!” Yosh extended his metal rod as Spike took hold of his free hand. The pair then headed off to enjoy the rest of their day as if nothing had ever changed as a result of Yosh having lost his physical eyesight.