Fluttershy was walking into the town market, it bustling with the flow of life and transactions being made. Everywhere, ponies were yelling at salesponies trying to get the lowest deal where other salesponies were chasing away the children trying to abscond with their wares. Fluttershy shrunk into herself as she headed towards the lettuce stand. She was crouched so low that she didn’t notice when she bumped into somepony.
“Oh, I’msorryIdidn’tmeanto-”
“Hey, Fluttershy!”
Fluttershy raised to head to see Pinkie Pie, whereupon she let out a sigh of relief. “Hey, Pinkie.”
Pinkie giggled. “So, what are you here for? I’m here for more balloons!”
Fluttershy nodded. Pinkie could never have enough balloons. “Well, I’m just here for lettuce to feed Angel.”
Pinkie nodded. “Man, you really spoil that rabbit! Don’t they usually eat carrots?”
Fluttershy shook her head. “No. Carrots aren’t very healthy for bunnies. If I fed Angel a consistent diet of carrots, it’d be like you or me eating only chocolate. I honestly have no idea where that started…” she trailed off as she noticed Pinkie was lost in her own reverie. She lightly poked Pinkie Pie, who snapped out of it immediately.
“Wha?”
Fluttershy giggled. “You were lost in thought.”
Pinkie shook her head. “Well, no time for that! Time for balloons!” she announced as she walked towards Fluttershy and Fluttershy walked towards her. Suddenly, Fluttershy’s hoof caught on an uneven cobblestone and she tripped forward, landing on her muzzle. Pinkie turned towards her and laughed, along with what was probably the entire market. She sat there, shivering.
“Fluttershy, you should really watch where you’re going!”
“S-stay the hay away from may today!”
Pinkie raised an eyebrow. “Why should I stay away from May? May is one of the happiest months on the calendar, silly filly!” She giggled again, her laugh echoing in Fluttershy’s mind.
“Because cue cards!” she shrieked as she flew behind a couple of crates.
“Fluttershy, are you okay? You don’t seem okay. Maybe I should get Twilight…” Pinkie mused as she started pronking in the directions of the library, leaving Fluttershy to shiver in terror.
“Fluttershy?”
Fluttershy raised her head to see Twilight looming over her menacingly.
“Lettuce, lettuce, lettuce, lettuce…” she droned on while rocking back and forth.
Twilight raised an eyebrow. “I’m not sure what’s wrong with her Pinkie, but I could perform a simple test.”
“OK!” Pinkie said accusingly. Fluttershy shrunk back.
“Ok,” Twilight said, “Is your name Fluttershy?”
“Y-yes…”
“Are you in the town market?”
“Y-yes…” Fluttershy whispered.
“Are you a head of lettuce?”
“Y-yes!” Fluttershy cried out as she covered her head in her forehooves.
“‘Hmmm, I think I see the problem. Pinkie, help me carry her to Ponyville Hospital!”
“Okie dokie lokie!” Pinkie said as she launched Fluttershy onto her back.
“Effervescent bubbling can’t overthrow the delight of life!” Fluttershy yelled as she landed onto Pinkie’s back, Pinkie rushing off towards the hospital, Twilight following.
Pinkie, Twilight and Fluttershy entered the emergency room, Fluttershy still on Pinkie’s back. Twilight approached the desk.
“Nurse Redheart, I think Fluttershy’s having a psychotic break!”
Nurse Redheart looked up from her magazine, her blue eyes filled with concern. “I’m sorry to hear that, I really am. But you’ll have to wait your turn, just like everypony here.” She gestured across the waiting room, where only three ponies sat.
Twilight frowned. “Ok, I suppose we can wait. Come on, Pinkie, let’s take a seat.” Pinkie nodded, propped Fluttershy up, and sat down next to her. Twilight sat next to Fluttershy while Pinkie held Fluttershy in a deep embrace.
“It’ll be ok, Fluttershy. Auntie Pinkie will make it all better.”
Fluttershy glared at Pinkie. “Pinkie, I’m a yolder thoo.” Her eyes then widened in horror.
Pinkie looked at Fluttershy in confusion. “What’s a yolder thoo?”
“I think she was trying to say that she’s a year older than you.” Twilight remarked.
“Well, why didn’t she just say that?” Twilight facehooved as she shook her head.
Eventually, the other patients filed out and it was Fluttershy’s turn.
A purple earth pony with green eyes walked out. “Fluttershy?”
Fluttershy nodded. “Come on, Fluttershy,” Twilight said as she lifted Fluttershy onto her hooves, “it’s time to see the doctor.” Pinkie waved at them as they entered triage.
In triage, the purple nurse sat behind a desk and motioned Twilight and Fluttershy towards two chairs. Fluttershy and Twilight sat down. “Hello, I’m Nurse Sweetheart. What seems to be the problem today?”
Twilight facehooved. “I already told them at the front desk.”
Nurse Sweetheart shook her head. “It’s not like we have some kind of magical information database. Now what seems to be the problem?”
Twilight shook her head. “Well, Fluttershy here appears to be having a psychotic break.”
Nurse Sweetheart chuckled. “Now what makes you say that?”
“Well, from what Pinkie told me, it was triggered by an acute anxiety attack and she described signs of Clanging and Illogicality.” Twilight then sighed. “Whereupon I discovered her, I witnessed for myself Perseveration and Stilted Speech, and Neologisms in the waiting room. As you can see now, she’s suffering from Alogia.”
Nurse Sweetheart nodded and looked up. “Is that right, Fluttershy?”
Fluttershy looked up. “Well, uh...that is...to say, very...very, right.” She said nervously, then looked back down.
Nurse Sweetheart nodded. “Ok...well, I’m going to send you to the E.R., where Doctor Stable will be with you shortly.”
Fluttershy nodded uneasily and stood up, Twilight following her. They walked to the E.R., and noticing that all of the beds were empty, picked the one closest to the door. Fluttershy then looked up to Twilight and asked, “Wi Bokay?”
Twilight looked at Fluttershy confusedly, then nodded as a flash of realization flashed across her face. “Yes, Fluttershy, you’ll be ok.” and pulled Fluttershy into a tight embrace. Fluttershy started crying into Twilight’s shoulder.
Doctor Stable then walked in. “Hello, Fluttershy. What seems to be the problem?”
Twilight facehooved again.
“WellIwasinthemarketandthenItrippedandeveryponywaslaughingatme—” Fluttershy rushed out before Doctor Stable cut her off.
“Woah, woah, woah. One step at a time, Fluttershy.”
“Well everypony was laughing and, uh, Angel Bunny is so cute!” she said, tears streaming down her face.
Doctor Stable stared bemusedly at Fluttershy. “Well, she appears to be having a psychotic break.”
Twilight double facehooved. “That’s what I told everypony from the E.R all the way to here!”
Doctor Stable shook his head. “Well, it’s not like we have a magical database that tells us everything that’s going on!” He then walked out of the room, walking back in a few minutes later with a syringe. Fluttershy cringed.
“Now, now, there’s nothing to fear. This’ll just make the confusion go away.” He then proceeded to inject Fluttershy with the solution, Fluttershy hissing as the needle went in.
“She should be better in about three...two...one!”
Fluttershy proceeded to blush a shade of crimson.
“Feeling better, Fluttershy?”
Fluttershy nodded. “Yes, Doctor Stable. Thank you.”
Doctor Stable took a few notes. “Now can you tell me of any other instances where this has happened?”
Fluttershy nodded. “Well, there was this one time when we had to prepare for the big waterspout, and I thought everypony was laughing at me. It was like they were laughing in slow motion!” Doctor Stable nodded, taking more notes. “And recently, when I was outed as Big Mac’s voice, I saw big theater masks laughing at me!” She then curled up into a ball. “It was so scary!”
Doctor Stable nodded. “Uh huh.” He then scribbled something on a prescription pad and handed it to Fluttershy. “What you’re experiencing is known as schizophrenia. Normally, I’d write it off as ‘Ponyville’, but your history seems to hint at an underlying disorder. I want you to take this medication every day.”
Fluttershy examined the prescription. “Thorazine?”
Twilight butted in with, “It’s an antipsychotic—”
Fluttershy hushed her. “I know what Thorazine is...but isn’t this for crazy ponies?”
Doctor Stable hung his head low. “The media does tend to sign an unfair label on the mentally ill, but you’re not crazy. You’re just sick, and this medicine will help you get better.”
Fluttershy nodded uneasily.”O...ok, Doctor Stable. Whatever you say.”
Doctor Stable nodded. “Good! Now get on out of here! It’s a bright, sunny day outside! Don’t want to miss that now, do you?”
Fluttershy smiled. “I guess not. Come on, Twilight!” Fluttershy said as she hopped off the table. “It’s a beautiful day outside, and I have shopping to do!”
Twilight nodded and followed Fluttershy out.
