Rarity sat staring at the clock on the wall, watching the second hand tick as she waited for her meeting to start. She had been coming here for a few weeks now and each time was the same, waiting for the doctor to arrive so they could begin their session. Was there something about getting a Ph. D. that caused one to be perpetually late? As busy a pony as she was, she was always there on time, regardless of when the meeting would actually start. It just would not do to be improper now, would it?
While she waited, she looked around the room for what felt like the thousandth time. In the center of the room was a large mahogany desk piled with papers and stationary all in perfect order, behind which sat a large executive chair. On the left hand side of the room was a small bar-like area with a refrigerator that housed a few non-alcoholic beverages. Next to the fridge was a large book case that stood from floor to ceiling and across most of the wall, housing hundreds of books, most of which looked worn from use. To her right was a large window looking out over a small garden area housed within the hospital.
She heard the a small click followed by the squeaking of a heavy door being pushed on its hinges behind her and stood from her chair, smoothing down the light orange summer dress (her own design, of course) that had gotten slightly creased from sitting during the wait, then turning with her most dazzling smile. Before her stood a large gray unicorn stallion with a short jet black mane. He wore a brown tweed jacket with dark knee pads. The coat was slightly obscuring his cutie mark, which Rarity knew to be a set of four golden cogs meshed together like the internals of the clock she kept glancing toward. On his face were some sleek black framed spectacles and the same dazzling smile he always wore coming in to the room.
“Dr Mender, how lovely to see you again!” she said, holding her front hoof in the air before him.
“Rarity, a delight as always.” he said, taking the offered hoof and planting a kiss on the end in greeting. “I must say, you look stunning as usual. I have no idea how you manage it!”
Rarity smiled slightly to herself, relishing the compliment. “I must say, doctor, you are too kind as usual! You’re such a gentlecolt. Forgive me for not standing, but I seem to have developed a small cramp.”
“Please, there is no need for such formalities here. We are like old friends, you and I. Please have a seat,” he said, smiling.
The doctor tilted his head to the side and asked, "Would you care for a drink?"
“Certainly,” she said, smiling. The doctor made his way over to the small refrigerator at the side of the room and poured a glass of water for her. After placing it in front of her, he walked around the desk to sit in his chair.
“So, how have you been since our last session?” he asked after getting comfortable.
“Busy as always, darling, you know how it is. But, when what you do is what you love, it’s hard to complain too much about a little hard work,” Rarity said with a small smile. The truth was, she had been struggling to keep up with the demand of dress orders she received. So many to fill, so little time – especially when forced to keep appointments such as this. “In fact I have been considering hiring an assistant, it is just impossible to get everything done all by my self.”
“And your family, how are they?”
“Just wonderful thank you for asking. Mother and Father have taken a small trip to Phillydelphia to visit family so it has been a delight to have Sweetie Bell stay with me this past week – even if at times she can be a bit of a nuisance.” She looked up to the clock to check the time. Sweetie would be finishing school in an hour and she reminded herself not to get distracted and be late again. The look on her sisters face is unbearable if she is not there when the bell sounds.
The doctor looked across at Rarity with an unreadable expression on his face. After a few seconds he sighed and closed his eyes, using his magic to lift his glasses from his head and rub them against his jacket, before returning them to his face.
“So truthfully now Rarity, how have you really been, since the accident?”
The doctor watched as she struggled to maintain the now fake smile plastered to her face. After a few seconds she managed to compose herself and her mask fell back in to place.
“Oh fine dear. I admit it was quite an ordeal at first but once I healed and got out of that dreadful hospital it has been nothing but smooth sailing ever since. Why I've barely thought of it since we talked of it at our last session.”
The doctor leaned forward, “I am glad to hear that, Rarity, but you know we need to discuss it again. Until you come to terms with what happened you will never fully heal.”
Rarity sighed and turned her head, looking out the window to the garden. The doctor waited until she had a few minutes to herself before coughing to bring her attention back to him. She looked at him again before looking down to her legs, ashamed at her mind wandering.
“To be honest, doctor, I’m not sure what you want me to say. Since the accident everything has been fine. I've been working hard and keeping my mind off the negative things. Spending time with my friends – everything one needs to rehabilitate. I honestly don't see the point in us continuing to have these sessions, I never felt better in my life then I have these past few weeks. I practically feel like a new pony.” She glanced up at the clock to ensure she was still on schedule.
Doctor Mender put one hoof up to his face and covered his mouth. He stared at her with intensity for a moment before sighing and resting his arm on the desk. “Please, Rarity, if we could just go through the accident one more time.”
Rarity sighed. “If we must, but I doubt there is anything I have to say that you have not heard before.” she said, resigning herself to her fate.
“It was a normal afternoon in Ponyville and I was heading towards the library to pick up a book order I had placed with Twilight. Everything was fine until I passed the flower shop where they had a gorgeous display of Jade Vine on sale. So rare! I had never seen them in real life and wanted to take a closer look, they are beautiful flowers and just staring at them was giving me a whole range of new ideas for my spring fashion line.” she said, smiling as she thought of the aqua colored flowers.
She paused momentarily to lift the glass into the air with her magic. After taking a sip of the cool liquid she replaced it on the desk before continuing her story. “Even though they were a little on the pricey side I purchased some of the flowers from Rosebud at the store, such a lovely mare, we really do need to catch up. But as I went to return the bit purse to my bag a sudden gust of wind took the flowers from my grip and threw them out into the street.” She sat back further in her chair, attempting futilely to get comfortable. It was not the chair, but the story making her fidgety.
“I must admit, it was very foolish of me to run right out into the street to grab them, but after what I had just spent they weren't exactly something to just let get trodden on. It was just a case of bad timing that the carriage was coming down the street. I do not blame the driver, he had no time to stop, but as I have said before I barely remember the impact.”
Rarity sighed again as she came to the conclusion of her story. “The next thing I know is I am in Ponyville hospital and three days have gone by. I owe the staff there my life and will be forever grateful toward them for what they did for me.” she said, giving a small smile as she remembering the ponies who had nursed her back to health. She had spent a week in the hospital before being discharged with a clean bill of health.
She looked at the clock once more, aware the end of the school day was only half an hour away. As she looked back to the doctor he was staring at her with an unreadable expression. After a minute she was starting to get uncomfortable when finally he broke the stare with a sigh. “Rarity, I am going to cut to the chase, these sessions are not working.”
She looked at him in confusion. “I am not sure what you mean, doctor. I have been here every week as mandated and every week we have gone over the same thing. My accident. I am not sure what more you want from me.”
“I want you to tell me the truth,” he said, staring into her eyes.
Rarity was completely confused now. “I have told you everything I remember. If there is something I am missing it is not a deliberate omission I assure you.”
“Why did you run in front of the cart, Rarity?”
“I told you. I dropped the flowers.” She said, shaking her head.
“Why did you run in front of the cart, Rarity?”
“I don't know what you want me to say.”
The stallion leaned forward, “Think hard. Why did you run in front of the cart, Rarity?”
She thought back as hard as she could. She purchased the flowers, went to put her purse away, dropped the flowers and chased them into the street. There was nothing more than that she could remember! Flowers, purse, drop, street. Flowers, purse –
A sharp pain suddenly exploded behind her eyes. It felt as if her head was on fire as the blinding light blocked out her vision. She struggled to find the glass in front of her. It appeared in her hooves and she gulped the rest down before dropping the glass. In the back of her mind she heard it smash on the floor but it sounded a lot further away than she knew it was. All at once she started getting flashes of vision, but in her confusion, it took her a few moments to realize it was not of the doctors office. It was of that day – the accident.
She was walking past the flower shop – wait, no, not she – they. They were walking past the flower shop when Rarity stopped to look at the flowers before buying the prettiest of the bunch she could see. She dropped the flowers and the wind took them away but as she looked up Sweetie had already started after them. It was then she remembered why she had waited so late to visit the library – she was coming home from picking her sister up from school. She screamed at her to stop but she was too late. It was like it happened in slow motion. Sweetie didn't even look up as she ran out onto the road and from there – from there it was Rarity’s worst nightmare. Nothing could ever get that image out of her mind. Nothing could ever make her forget the sickening crack as the vehicle collided with her world. Nothing. Nothing. Then why had she forgotten?
When her memories ceased she found herself on the floor, tears streaming down her face with Doctor Mender holding her tight as she screamed. There were others in the room that came in after hearing the screaming but the Doctor quickly motioned for them to leave. Rarity sat there in a daze, throat raw from use, as she sobbed into the doctors coat.
“I remember.” She said between breaths. “I remember.”
“It's okay Rarity, it's okay. Everything is going to be fine.”
“Fine?” Rarity choked out. “Fine? My sister is gone! Nothing will ever be 'fine'!”
She lay there for another few minutes going over and over that day in her head. She would never forget again – never could forget. Her sister. Her Sweetie. Never forget. Never.
She sat up, pulling away from the doctor. Looking around, she realized the doctor was on his knees, his forelegs digging into the glass she had dropped. There was a small puddle of blood pooling under him.
“Don't worry about it,” he said, shaking his head. “They are scratches. I’m just glad I was finally able to get through to you. We have been trying for six weeks and this is the first real reaction I've seen you have! I can deal with a little pain for that.”
Rarity stood up and looked around the room for what seemed like the first time. How had she never noticed the bars on the window before? Or the skyscrapers beyond the garden fence.
“Where am I?” She asked.
“Sacred Heart Private Mental Facility, Manehattan,” the doctor said, standing up himself and getting some tissues for his knees. “You have been here since the accident.”
Rarity’s face scrunched up in confusion. “Was I even hurt?”
“Not in the physical sense,” the doctor said. “Although your memories of the hospital are a fabrication. You had a temporary break after what happened and you have been here ever since your parents brought you.
“Am I some sort of prisoner?” She asked, motioning toward the bars.
The doctor frowned. “Of course not, you are a patient. We have been keeping you under observation twenty four hours a day while trying to break down the walls your mind built. I am so sorry for your loss, Rarity, I know how hard this must be for you right now.”
How could he possibly? How could he know what it was like for her to – to – hmm, odd, it was like there was something important she was supposed to remember. She looked up at the doctor and smiled, “Sorry doctor, I seem to have lost myself there for a moment, where were we?”
The doctor stared at her with his mouth open, not daring to speak, lest he confirm his suspicions. “Miss Rarity, we were discussing your sister.” He ventured carefully.
Rarity's eyes shot the to clock – she was going to be late!
“I am dreadfully sorry, doctor, but can we please cut this session short? I have to pick up Sweetie from school and if I am not there on time she gets awfully upset. You understand don't you?” She said, fluttering her eyelashes.
The doctor stood dejected. So close, yet so far. “Certainly, Rarity. Please, you go now. Don't forget our session next week,” he said with a fake smile on his face.
“You are too kind, sir. I look forward to it.”
As she left an orderly mare came into the room with a questioning look on her face. “Sir, what should we do?”
Mind Mender sighed. “Please escort her back to her room. We will try again next week.”
