Reaching Out

Twilight was sitting in her room while reading a book. There was a knock on her door. She got up and went over to her door to see who it was. When she got to her door she opened it up and was greeted by her friend Fluttershy. She smiled and spoke to Fluttershy.

"Hello Fluttershy? You need anything?" Twilight asked. Fluttershy thought for a second and looked at Twilight. Twilight wondered why she was at her place. Fluttershy needed to say something to Twilight. She then spoke.

"Can...I come inside?" Fluttershy asked. Twilight smiled and stepped aside. Fluttershy walked into Twilight's library. Twilight closed the door. Fluttershy sat down and Twilight sat down as well. Twilight faced Fluttershy and Fluttershy looked right back at her.

"So Fluttershy what brings you here? I thought you were busy at your cottage. Weren't you feeding the animals?" Twilight asked.

"No I wasn't busy. I fed them that's all they needed so that gave me time to come over here." Fluttershy said. Twilight nodded.

"You can come here anytime you need to." Twilight said. Fluttershy smiled at her but blushed and looked down.

"So you need anything or you just want to hang out?" Twilight asked. Fluttershy gulped knowing she had to tell Twilight sooner or later.

"I do want to hang out with you yes but I came over here...for something else..." Fluttershy asked. Twilight smiled.

"Sure we can hang out. What is that other thing you want to say?" Twilight asked being patient while giving her friend a gentle smile. Fluttershy looked at Twilight straight in the eyes. She had no clue on how to tell Twilight her feelings. Fluttershy didn't know what to say. Twilight had no clue of what Fluttershy would tell her.

"Will you understand my problems Twilight?" Fluttershy asked glancing over her shoulder. Twilight looked at her in silence for a few moments and responded.

"Of coarse I can! Why you need to say something to me?" Twilight asked. Fluttershy nodded.

"Yes I do. If I tell you my secret will you not judge me?" Fluttershy asked as her voice shook and her breathing became rapid. Her heart beat fast. Twilight nodded

"No I will not judge you Fluttershy I could never do that to my friends. You can trust me. Just say what's been bothering you." Twilight said. Fluttershy took a deep breath and prepared herself and then spoke.

"I've...been hurting myself." Fluttershy said. Twilights eyes widened. Twilight pulled back. She stared at Fluttershy. She didn't know what to say to her friend. She had no idea Fluttershy would hurt herself. Fluttershy rolled up her sleeves and Twilight gasped as she saw scars all over her friends arms. She calmed herself and spoke.

"Fluttershy you don't have to be ashamed of that. You need to understand me when I say this. You don't need to be ashamed and keep this a secret. You need help Fluttershy. I'm not trying to be mean I'm not trying to be judgemental but you need help!" Twilight said heartfully. Fluttershy nodded.

"I know! I was thinking about going to see a therapist. I feel...." Fluttershy started to say. Twilight saw Fluttershy stopping so she rubbed Fluttershy's back soothingly.

"It's okay Fluttershy tell me what's on your mind." Twilight said.

"I feel alone I feel like nobody cares about me." Fluttershy said. Twilight shook her head. She tried to think up a way to respond to Fluttershy. She spoke again.

"That's not true me and all of my friends care about you and your brother cares about you including Celestia! We are all here for you. If you need help you need to tell us!" Twilight said. Fluttershy hugged her.

"Thank you! Please don't tell anybody!" Fluttershy begged. Twilight felt conflicted at this. Her mind was telling her to tell her friends and get a therapist but on the other hand she felt as if Fluttershy should do that as she didn't want to rat out her friend. Fluttershy was telling her to keep it a secret so that she wasn't shunned and so she wouldn't worry her friends.

Twilight was stuck between these two options. She tried to think of the right thing to do she then realized what the right decision was and spoke.

"No Fluttershy I can't keep this a secret. You need help! If you'd don't get help I'll have to get you help. I'm sorry Fluttershy but I can't just keep this under wraps you are hurting inside and you need help! I care about you to much that I will have to tell some counselor somebody out of concern." Twilight spoke as she held Fluttershy's hand. Fluttershy cried. Twilight hugged.

"Please don't! They'll judge me!" Fluttershy begged. Twilight lifted her head to meet her eyes.

"No they will not judge you. They will understand! You can trust me Fluttershy. Please let me help you! If you keep this a secret it will eat away at you!" Twilight spoke. Fluttershy sadly nodded getting what Twilight was saying.

"Thanks Twilight. I'll welcome all the help I can get! Just one question...will I have to be put under strict supervision?" Fluttershy said. Twilight thought for a minute and spoke.

"No but therapists are required by law to keep an eye on you but you still are going to be given privacy." Twilight said. Fluttershy didn't understand. Twilight could tell so she spoke.

"Meaning they won't watch you taking a shower or getting undressed or stay in your house 24/7. It depends on jurisdictions of Equestria it varies for some reason. Around this area as far as I know the only things a therapist can do is come in and visit you for some time, see how your doing, have you talk to them about your problems, stuff like that. You would possibly get a request to go into a support group and they watch over the people that are in this support group. Again it depends." Twilight explained the best she could.

"Thanks Twilight I was just curious. I don't mind as long as they don't stalk me." Fluttershy said. Twilight nodded.

"Yeah again it depends." Twilight said. Fluttershy hugged Twilight close. Twilight thought for a second and spoke.

"About our friends....I won't tell them for you if you don't want me to." Twilight said. Fluttershy shook her head.

"Tell them...please..." Fluttershy begged as her mind seemed to have changed. Twilight smiled and hugged her in a warm embrace. Soon they let go of the hug and hung out for the rest of the day as they went to lighter topics. Soon when Twilight got home she told the rest of Fluttershy's friends about Fluttershy and Fluttershy's friends understood what Fluttershy was going through.

Fluttershy got a therapist who would regularly visit her place and she got a group therapy set up where she would go every week. Fluttershy was lucky that people were understanding. She was also glad that Twilight let her mostly talk about it and was glad Twilight didnt blab about Fluttershy's problem to everybody as Twilight would never do that. Fluttershy would get better.