Lovely Little Letters

To my one and only lover, and my Song.

You called me your rose, that enchanted flower that never wilts, never gives up. It's always a shining icon of your love for me. You shared the petals with me, and I feel that was a symbolic gesture in some way but, look, we both know I'm not really all that smart when it comes to symbolism and puzzles and whatnot. I'll just assume you had a deeper meaning behind the action, and I'll appreciate it.

Well if I'm a rose, then you are a song, one I never wanna stop listening to.

Hearing your laughter, your genuine joy? That sound makes me want to sing. I crave to stand atop the bakery roof and scream to every damn creature in this town that you are precious to me, and my mate. I want there to be no illusions as to who I am with, that you are mine, and I am yours. I'll screech it to the fucking skies and the gods that lay beyond it if that is what it takes. I ah, guess we both know now why we scream so loudly when mating with another um...ya know I don't need to say that!

Ignore that! Never mind! I've written this darn thing six times now and I ain't restarting!

Look I'm not eloquent with words, We both know that about me. I suck at this sappy emotional stuff! I love you, Gabby. I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you!

...I'm here for you, okay?

These last few days have been really hard for both of us. I know I said back at the castle that space was probably a good thing, but dammit I hate this. I miss you. I miss your company, and I miss how wonderful it is being around you. You are my Song, you make the world a much brighter place just by being around. Your laughter and smiles are infectious and if it truly is, then I miss being sick off it!

Look, let's lay the cards out on the table okay? You went through hell, what your father did to you? It was totally off the charts levels of unacceptable. I know you don't want me to hate that bastard but I do. His actions have seriously hurt you, and anyone that hurts you is on my shit list. Seeing you cry? It's so so painful to witness. It's like watching a cloud cover the sun on a perfect day, or seeing a batch of rose buns burn in the oven, I'm not good at this metaphor stuff. The point is, you are hurting and you want it to stop, right? You might have a lot of pain, and you might wanna hide from it, or lock it away somewhere dark, but that won't help, my Song. You aren't alone anymore! I know I'm not the best suited for this sort of stuff, but I wanna help you through that however I can.

Which brings up a problem...

Sadly, I don't think I can be the only one to help you. You've got to talk to a professional, someone who can give you the proper help to get through this. I know you aren't crazy, that's not what I'm implying. Now, hear me out first, I don't know any professional griffon shrinks in town(don't even think we have any, come to think of it), but I do know someone who can probably help... they 've got some experience with this sort of thing, kind of, so I invited em over tonight for dinner.

If you feel up for it, I'd like to have you join us. I wanna help and this is the only way I know of doing so. If not, don't worry about it, take all the time you need. I'll be down here for ya when that time comes.

I love you, my Song.

--Gilda Griffon.

Gabby trembled, and watched as her tears dropped from her eyes to the scroll in her claws. At the bottom of the letter was a cut out piece of paper, shaped like a musical note, stained black with ink, and roughly taped to the parchment.

It was beautiful.

"G-gilda...m-my Rose..." She whimpered, holding the letter to her chest feathers and curling up in her nest.

Gilda paced back and forth in a near panic, looking from the stairs, to Gabby's room, and back to the door. Their guests would be here any minute, but would Gabby appear?

A deep breath of air in, a breath out.

Smoothing her feathers down and breathing deeply, Gilda put her claws out in front of her. "Okay, okay, just be cool Gilda, be cool. You're gonna have guests, they are just like you and Gabby, nothing bad about that, it's aaalll normal. Yup, totally."

She lowered her claws and looked at the door. The pacing resumed twice as fast. "Oooh but what if this was a horrible idea? I don't wanna stress Gabby out more! She needs to feel safe not insecure!"

Her tail flicked back and forth anxiously as the seconds ticked by. "What if I acted too soon? What if she doesn't actually need others to talk to?! I'm not a therapist, I don't know how the brain works!" She warbled nervously and then nearly jumped out of her own pelt when there was a firm knock on the apartment door.

She quickly flung it open to the surprise of Gail and her daughter Glory. Gail flinched back from the door, lifting her arm protectively in front of her daughter, and smiled uncomfortably. "U-um hi Gilda! We got your...your invitation and...You uh, are you okay?"

Gilda was twitching and smiling way too largely, and unrealistically. "Y-you came! That's good! Very good! yes! Good good, the best good!" She chuckled, gripping the door a little too tightly. Glory chirped and nudged her mom forward a bit. Gail shot her daughter a look but also relented.

"Yes, we did." When Gilda laughed nervously and looked away, Gail stepped forward. "So, that's a definite 'no' on the okay part..."

Gilda lost it.

Her wings smacked the floor as they drooped, her cheeks puffed up and she grit her beak shut before flailing backwards. Rising onto her two hind legs she began pacing again, her wings flapping sporadically.

"No! No I am not okay and neither is Gabby and we have a problem and I don't know how to fix it and I really don't like feeling so helpless or out of control, ya know!? You're the only hens I know that are like us and I didn't want a to cause a scene but --AHAHAHA!-- I think I am and dammit Gabby won't--"

Gail leaned over to Glory and with a slightly disturbed expression, whispered "You were right, we shouldn't have brought board games..."

Glory nodded, watching Gilda with morbid fascination. "Geez was I this bad when Grenle attacked me?"

Gail sighed and rubbed her beak nares, as Gilda kept ranting. "No, thankfully."

Gilda continued, pacing around in a circle which allowed the two other hens to at least enter the home. Glory closed the door and then nudged her mom over to the dining room table. Gilda naturally ended up pacing around it as soon as the two hens sat down.

"--And there was the whole letter thing and the rose petals and she bought me this super fancy jewelry box I can't fricken figure out and the mystery writer was sending letters through different forms of mail and I was confused and I'm still confused and I wasn't sure I should or shouldn't do this and then--"

Gail shot a paw out and clamped Gilda's beak shut making the hen warble in shock. Gail let go after Gilda had taken in at least three long breaths, and pointed to the third chair. "Girl, sit."

Gilda didn't even argue it. She sighed haggardly and slumped into the chair, putting her claws on her head and gripping the feathers. "I...I just don't know what to do, Gail." She looked between the two of them. Gail sighed and pointed to the cabinets.

"Do you have any tea?"

Gilda blinked. "Huh?"

Gail ignored her confused expression as Glory got up and started rummaging around in them. While she did so, Gail grasped Gilda's talons in her own and leaned in. "Here is what you need to do first, breath."

Gilda went to protest and Gail clucked her tongue. "Ah, ah, ah, breath first. Slow intakes, slow outtakes, slow intakes..."

She waved her paw in a circular motion and kept saying it until Gilda was finally able to calm a little. Her feathers shifted back to their relaxed states, and her eyes were no longer slits of anxiety. Glory had found the pot but was still looking around the kitchen for the bags. Gilda glanced in her direction and sighed. "T-third drawer on your left, Glory."

Glory smiled and made an 'ah' sound, before the teen hen started pulling out packets. Gilda looked to Gail and then to their clasped claws. She blushed and pulled back slowly. Gail merely smiled and put her claws over one another on the table.

"Now, the second thing you do, is wait for the tea, and while doing so, simply think. Reorganize your thoughts, we'll still be here waiting to listen, but only when you are ready."

The room fell into quiet from then on, the bubbling of the tea pot the only sound any of them heard. At one point Gail twitched and glanced towards the upper landing, but when she seemed not to find whatever it was she'd heard, she looked back at the table.

Glory brought over three steaming cups and set them all out for the hens to enjoy. Gilda took hers in her claws and took a sip. Then she took another, and another, before sighing and setting the mug back down. A gentle trill of pleasure escaped her beak after running her claws through her head feathers a couple times. Next to her, Glory had pulled out a sketch book, pencil, and eraser.

"Better?" Gail asked.

Gilda nodded. "Better...okay, I don't know if you got any of that--"

"I certainly didn't." Glory murmured. Gail smiled as Gilda continued.

"--but here is the gist of it. Gabby and I are...we both are in love with each other. She's been writing love letters to me to help show her feelings."

She explained to them how the letters had started appearing, and how Gilda was left to try and discover the origins on her own. She told them of the jewelry box, and the rose petals, and then the period where she was exploring her own sexuality. She briefly spoke of Gabby's trauma, giving only enough detail to get the idea across as to what the hen had been through. Gilda didn't feel right telling it too deeply, that wasn't her secret to tell. It had to be said for Gail to get the full picture though, and Gilda explained how much fear was in the hen. She ended it with the recent situation at Zecora's and the Everfree castle. Through it all, Gail and glory listened, and she only interrupted once to ask Glory for a refill of her tea.

Gilda clasped her claws together on the table, rubbing her thumbs over one another slowly. "I wanna help her through the fear but I'm not a therapist, I have no idea how else to do this stuff." She weakly waved her paw at the other two hens and murmured, "And you two are the only ones I know who are ah...like us."

Gail was quiet for a moment, leaned back in her chair with a thoughtful expression. Gilda sipped her tea, the scratching of Glory's pencil on her pad the only sound Gilda could hear. Finally Gail sat back up and set her mug down.

"Well, this is a rough scenario, and you aren't exactly wrong about how you tackled it. I appreciate that you reached out to us, but Gabby has trauma that none of us here can relate to, so rule number one, never tell her you understand her pain. One of the best things to do is simply listen and allow them to come out of their shell at their on pace."

Gilda grit her beak teeth. "Okay I do understand that, I do, but she's been up in her room and won't come out at all! I need to--"

Gail put up her claws, stopping the hen.

"No, stop, Gilda. I know you wanna see her and help her physically, but that is probably the worst thing you can do right now. I can say with certainty that time is one of your best allies in this situation. So while it hurts, don't approach unless she makes the effort first, okay?"

Gilda sighed and nodded. "Kay."

Gail reached over and gripped Gilda's talons, squeezing gently to reassure her. Gilda smiled back and nodded. Then Glory set her pencil down and the pad, and spoke.

"Well for the letters, I think it's a great idea. It puts the ball in her court, and lets her react in an environment she feels safe in."

Gail nodded with a beaming smile. "Yes! Rule number two, help Gabby feel safe and secure, without coddling her. Bringing her food is good, and personally I think it's a sweet gesture from a potential mate, but see that you don't do that all the time. Doing it too much, can hinder her confidence and keep her locked away. If she doesn't have to change the status quo, why do so?"

Gilda nodded slowly here eyes darting back and forth across the table as she thought. "Okay, okay so I keep writing her letters, reaffirming my love and that I'm here for her, but I give her space to come out on her own and I let her approach me, I got that part." She looked to Gail. "Then what? She needs to go see a professional of this stuff, but I asked around town as carefully as I could, and we don't have anything like that here."

"We should." Glory murmured with a scowl. "Lotta birds here need it."

Gail frowned and looked to her cup. "Indeed, whoever moves in here with that job will have their claws full for quite a while. Still..." She glanced at Gilda with a worried expression. "Gilda, please don't get me wrong here, I think everyone who goes through this kind of thing, should seek out help, but it's not really that simple."

Gilda frowned as she stood, walking to the tea kettle to refill her drink. the hot murky liquid in her cup barely reflected the worry in her eyes. "How so?"

"You can lead a pony to water..." Glory murmured into her cup as she sipped.

Gail nodded to her daughter. "But you can't force them to drink."

Gilda looked between the two in confusion. Glory sat up and tapped the table with a talon. "It's like this, ya have a person who needs help, and sure, you could drag them, kicking and flailing to that help, but if they don't accept it, or outright refuse it? Did you really help them or hurt them more?"

Gilda groaned. "But the easiest thing to do would be to accept the help! That's what it's for!"

Glory looked off to the side and furrowed her brow. "Oh yeah, a lot of things would be easier, but not necessarily the best thing for you." She gripped her cup firmly and growled lightly. "If only some things weren't so hard to accept..."

Gilda watched the hen for a moment, and then looked to Gail. Gail had drooped her feathers a bit, and was watching her daughter with a pretty good helping of sorrow in her expression. It was here Gilda realized she might have stepped from one fire, in to another. She never questioned if the two hens had their own issues to sort out.

"...Glory...is right, Gilda. Easier doesn't always mean better. You have to let these things happen slowly otherwise they can damage relationships irreparably. No griffon wants to truly be alone though, and I know Gabby cares about you, she looks so much happier around you, but getting her to see that is the real challenge." She sipped her tea and then set it back down, and to Gilda's confusion, Gail leaned slightly over and looked past her with a gentle smile.

"Isn't that right, Gabby?"

Gilda whipped her head around so fast her neck muscles protested.

Gabby stood at the foot of the stairs, in the shadow of the kitchen light. Subconsciously rubbing her forearm with the other, staring at the three hens with her wings fluffed out. A failed attempt to make herself look bigger. Two of the other hens present were naturally taller then her, where as Glory was about the same size. It wouldn't work and yet her body still tried, making her look like a fluffy pile of hen.

They had been talking about her. She was able to hear the conversation the moment she'd cracked her door open to peek out, and had heard Gilda's panicky squawks of worry. She thought she was stealthy, but hadn't made it two feet before Gail had looked up her way. Gabby had smooshed herself to the floor, trying to use the natural shadows of the upper landing in her favor.

It had failed too, Gail stared right at her for several seconds before she simply smiled and turned back to the table and kept trying to calm down Gilda. Gabby waited several more seconds before she dared move again. She had to see Gilda, she needed to hear what the hen was saying. Something drove her to seek it out and whatever it was had overridden her fear--ran it completely over more like it-- and allowed Gabby to pluck up her courage.

The letter was still tightly clutched in one of her talons. She'd read it over and over again, each time her fear dwindled and her heart lifted a little more. The word's she'd written were genuine, from the heart. Gilda was a terrible liar, even when she wrote stuff down. Gabby could tell when Gilda was lying a mile off and the hen hated it. She couldn't keep any secrets from Gabby.

But you kept secrets from her... Gabby froze on the upper landing as her inner thoughts tried again to rear their ugly head.

No! What I withheld wasn't some simple secret I should divulge to everyone!

Her thoughts fell quiet. She took several slow breaths, lifting her foreleg and running her claws through her chest feathers as her pony friends had taught her. The cutie mark crusaders had been studying meditation once while she'd been around and they ended up teaching her a couple calming techniques that really helped when she was stressed or frustrated.

Or scared. They definitely helped when she was scared.

Her claws sifted higher through her neck feathers gently, triggering a tingle that washed up her spin to her nape and then ran back down it. She loved that feeling. She wasn't sure what caused it, but whenever she'd hear certain sounds or touch particular textures, it would trigger the pleasant sensation. Apparently it had a name but she couldn't remember. All she knew is it helped her calm down, and that was what mattered.

She resumed her stalking after a moment. The letter crinkling in her grasp. It was such a wonderful letter too, Gabby loved how Gilda couldn't articulate her words well, but still managed to get her point across. It was so cute!

Gabby carefully began taking the stairs one at a time, both to reduce noise, and to put less strain on her right leg. She could see Gilda's hind feet, hooked around the chair legs tightly, the claws flexing in and out. The lion eagle's large tail fluff flashed into view as it twitched back and forth.

Gilda was anxious. Gabby had slowly learned all of the hen's tells when she was upset or bothered by something. It helped Gabby react accordingly. Her cheeks flushed as she thought of the first letter she'd written to Gilda. The expression on Gilda's face was forever etched in Gabby's mind.

She was so flustered, I loved it...

Gabby paused half way down the stairs as her heart fluttered. She wanted Gilda so badly to love her, to hold her close and snuggle her into submission. She knew it was a deep desire to be loved like that...but then just the thought, the very feeling of another griffon's weight on her back, pressing into her fur, trapping her wings and pinning her down?

It was terrifying. She shuddered, the warm flutter in her heart dying like a candle in the wind. He loved doing that...pinning me down and then...so heavy...

Grover's wing tips, she could still feel him! Still feel the weight of his hips on her rump, the sharp claws on her nape, the dirty carpet in her beak nares, or the scent of his drunken breath...and that laugh, that horrible laugh as he hurt her repeatedly. Gabby slumped against the wall and grit her beak as tears threatened to escape. Her wings wrapped around herself without her command and she shook. Her claws lifted and clenched into her arm so firmly it hurt.

He's gone! He's gone he's gone he's gone!

Every night, sleep was fleeting and rare for her if she was in his house. She never dared to call it a home, it never was anything close. She never knew when he would come for her, or what demands he'd make. She never had time to prepare, his whims were as random as his drinking habits. As long as they were indoors, location didn't matter either. The bathroom, the bedroom, the kitchen, the basement, the stairs, no where was safe. Nothing mattered to him but his booze and access to her.

I'm not your father, Gabby.

Gabby blinked as the crystal clear voice of Gilda smashed through the horrible memories like a sledgehammer through old glass. Her shuddering halted for a moment as the memory of the castle in Everfree came back to the forefront of her mind.

Gilda hadn't forced her to do anything then, and she hadn't pinned gabby down under her wing when Gabby had panicked. Gilda had spoken honestly, and invited her back to her side. Even when Gabby couldn't do it, Gilda hadn't pushed the matter.

I love you Gabby, you are my Song.

The heart flutters returned. She was a song! A beautiful song that Gilda wanted to hear over and over again. Gabby clutched the letter tighter, the little paper music note from before now tucked safely away in Gabby's chest fluff. Gilda was an anchor, a monolith of comfort that Gabby could lean on when she felt like she was falling backwards.

I'm tired of falling.

Her leg lowered down to the next step.

I know I'm not crazy, Gilda. I know I need help, and that scares me...it scares me so much.

Another step was passed.

I want to heal. I need to have your love to get through this!

The last step to the stairs was met, and Gabby gulped, before stepping onto the carpet and turning to face the dining room table. Gilda hadn't noticed her yet.

But she has noticed you. She wrote you the letter. She searched for you in the forest. She found you, the REAL you. She didn't run away like you feared. Gilda stayed, and doesn't that show her love is genuine?

Gabby took in a quivering breath as Gail said something to Gilda, and then immediately turned back to look at her.

"Isn't that right, Gabby?"

Yes. Yes it was. It wouldn't be easy, it would be the second hardest thing she'd ever done in her life.

But with Gilda by my side...it will be easier.

Gabby slowly approached the table, and made eye contact with Gilda, those beautiful glimmering circles of molten gold stared into hers with so much love, hope, and worry. Gilda carefully got up and then was surprised when Gabby surged forward with a choking sob, and lunged into her chest. Gilda immediately hugged back, chirping and warbling softly into her nape.

"It's okay Gabby, it's gonna be okay, my Song. I'm here for you." Gilda whispered. Her talons pet Gabby's nape and head, just under her pony tail.

Gabby cried into her chest feathers, her claws gripping Gilda's sides desperately as she furiously nuzzled into the fluff. She whispered one muffled word.

"H-help."

When Doctor Ivy Mind was made aware she had new patients, she had been expecting ponies to say the least. Her room was furnished with many equine based books, and pony comforts. Over eighty percent of her patients were ponies after all, so it made sense. She was one of the best in Ponyville, also one of the only ones in Ponyville, so it was a little skewed in her favor. Still, she had worked hard to show her skills, and encouragement from her fellow colleagues in Canterlot had eventually trickled down to her.

More of them were needed down here though. She was only one unicorn mare after all!

So to say she was surprised to see a pair of griffon hens sitting outside her establishment that Monday morning, was a bit of an understatement. She was shocked. Griffons were among the highest rate of creatures that refused therapy or help, there were even books on how to help them without making them think you were!

The birds were stubborn, but she made sure to school her expression when she reached her door that morning. It wasn't uncommon to find a patient or two outside her door before opening, most of the time the stallion or mare needing a quick little session to get their bearings or get some assurance that their continued appointments were helping.

Patient self doubt in her field was a job killer in the literal sense. She smiled gently to them as she unlocked the door, allowing them into the lobby. A medium sized room with several windows, and three exits for patients who were feeling trapped. The walls were painted a light cream color, and several children's drawings were pinned to a cork board on the right. Six or so chairs sat along the walls on both sides of the room, twelve total. Ivy had never had that many patients in the lobby at once, but it never hurt to be prepared.

It was Ponyville after all. She was thankful she hadn't had a disaster befall her shop yet...

The hens didn't come in at first and that was alright, she surmised that they needed some time.

"It's alright, take your time, Gabby. We talked about this on the train, remember? We are gonna do this at your speed, not mine, okay?" She caught the bigger hen whisper to her friend.

So the big girl is the support, and the smaller one is the possible patient, good to know. Discerning that early always made it easier to handle both sides of the equation. Ivy flipped through her schedule and found she had several openings today, which was a relief. She'd have to take some time reading up on griffon mental research before working with the hen.

I will need to request some books from the library. She jotted down a quick note and then lit her horn, opening all the doors and windows as a precautionary measure.

If she feels she needs to escape I don't want any shattered windows or doors. Ivy looked herself over as the lioness eagle hen came into the doorway and looked around critically. Her golden eyes tracked over the room slowly, her sight landed on Ivy who nodded and smiled. The hen nodded sharply and leaned back out the door.

Protective posture blocking the door, strong stance, but slightly anxious, wings half open in defensive posture. The other one is smaller, are they possibly related? Sisters maybe?

Ivy readjusted her navy blue scarf, pulling it tighter around her shoulders. Her mane and tail, light mint green with a silver stripe starting next to it, were combed and clean. Her coat, an almost pale blue white color, was well maintained and groomed. Her horn was sharp and smooth, and her hooves pristine. Good, it wouldn't do to look unkept to a potential patient.

"It's okay, Gabby, the room is empty, cept for the Doctor. The doors and windows are all open too."

Her voice is soft, and she's doing what she can to be as non confrontational as possible, hmm.

Gabby came into view slowly and paused on the threshold to the lobby. She was looking around cautiously, hiding literally under the bigger hen's wing. Her body was tightly pushed up against her female friend and she seemed jumpy.

She is scared.

"Uh, hi there, Doc." The big one said with a wave of her claws.

"Hello there, feel free to enter at your own pace, this place is safe for all." Ivy said quietly. The hens nodded and Ivy stood and picked up some papers from the counter. "I need to go prepare some things, but will be back out in a few minutes, alright miss...?"

"Oh um, I'm Gilda, and this is Gabby." Gilda pointed between the two of them quickly.

Ivy nodded. "Are you here to sign up for my services?"

Gilda nodded and after a moment, "Yeah we ah, we both are."

Gabby chirped in confusion and looked up at Gilda. "Y-you don't have to--"

"I do." Gilda said gently, nuzzling the top of Gabby's head. The hen's pupils rapidly shrank and she flinched away from the touch like she'd been nipped, then seemed to frown in frustration at her own action. Gilda frowned too, but Ivy saw it was more of a sad one. Gabby finally entered the room and walked up to the counter. Gilda followed before reaching Ivy as well.

"Gail said it would be a good idea to join you in these sessions, and lets face it, I'm also in need of a session or two." Her voice was soft, and gentle, like she was talking to a foal.

Interesting... Ivy looked between the two for a few seconds before she slid over two clipboards with the proper paperwork. "I'll be happy to help any way I can. The sign up is free, as is the first three sessions, then the bill is paid at the end of each session beyond that." She looked to Gilda with a smile. "And if you would like to sit in on her sessions I'll need authorization from Gabby before allowing it, okay?"

Gilda nodded and accepted the clipboards. "Thanks."

Ivy watched as Gabby shook herself out from under Gilda's wing, noting that the hen's body was quivering. The two quickly became separated as Gabby sat on one side of the lobby, cradling her clipboard in her arms, seeming to hide in her wings. Gilda sat down on the floor on the other side, with her back to Gabby, her clipboard rest on the seat cushion in front of her.

Every couple of seconds one of them would glance over at the other. Gabby kept touching the spot she'd been nuzzled, her expression warring between happy and fearful.

Gabby has issues with touch, noted. Ivy quickly made her way to her office. Cleaning off a portion of her desk, she added to her note asking for any books on griffon psychology and known mental symptoms, and then magically sent it away to the library with a spell.

They would get back to her rather quickly, the library assistants were very proactive in their jobs. While this took place, she tidied her desk, and then double checked her schedule, noting that her first planned patient wasn't until one in the afternoon, giving her plenty of time to work with the two new arrivals. Ivy scribbled in some side notes about that particular case, before she lit up her horn and entered into the side room.

With her magic, she attacked her main session room with gusto! Foals toys and children's books were removed and replaced with magazines on travel, home décor, golf, and even a couple on flight and mountaineering. With illusion magic, the walls changed from frilly children's colors to deep greens, muted reds, and a pale cream in between them. The carpet color changed to a sturdy brown, and the cushions went from fluffy to faux leather with soft square pillows. A snow white throw blanket was pulled from a nearby travel trunk, unfolded, and draped over the couch the patients usually sat on, just in case. The last touch she did was adding a large stuffed rabbit plush that after a moment's hesitation, she placed in the center of the couch. They were griffons after all, maybe a prey animal in their area made them feel more in control?

She smiled and then focused harder, closing her eyes. The air hummed around her with energy as she cast a room wide enchantment. The scent of the room changed to a loam forest, pine needles, sugar pinecones, moss, light rain, and fresh dirt. These were all scents that now permeated the room. She smirked at her work, Illusion magic went a long way in the therapy and psychology field. It was great for setting an atmosphere.

She was lucky she'd visited Griffonstone once or twice, otherwise she'd have to have guessed on a more appropriate setting for--

The bell out in her lobby dinged loudly a couple times, making her ear flick in the direction of the noise. She nickered lightly, spinning around and exiting her office.

That was quicker then I expected.

Closing the door to her session room, Ivy trotted back into the lobby and put a gentle smile on her face as Gilda slid both clip boards over to her. Gabby was a couple steps behind her, looking around nervously. Ivy took the clip boards in her magic and started reading them over.

No previous therapy from either of them, so first timers. That's not really surprising, with them being griffons and--Oh! This Gilda is the one who owned that bakery in their city, she had lovely scones...Ivy made a note to compliment her on the work she did. It certainly had made their city feel more civil.

Her eyes scanned further down the page.

Hmm, neither one of them have insurance...I'll have to see about verified payments from Gilda after the third session then.

Her eyes widened a bit as she read their reason for coming in.

Gilda's paper said: Here to help my friend and mate through her trauma, and maybe get some advice on how to help her on my own? Also um...some other personal stuff...

Well that last part wasn't very helpful, but she'd had patients put down absolutely nothing in this section before and she still managed to get the info out of them in a session or two. It would just take some gentle poking.

Gabby's said: ... ... ...I was...hurt...by my father...a lot...rape.

Ivy lowered the clipboards a little and peered over them at Gabby. Now the little things she'd noticed made much more sense. The poor girl was traumatized. Gabby had also given Gilda permission to join in her sessions. It also explained how protective Gilda was being.

Ivy set the clipboards aside and summoned a calm smile on her face. "Alright ladies, everything looks to be in order. There is just one more thing I need from you, Gilda."

Gilda had been watching Gabby, the hen had gripped Gilda's tail tuft and was gently nosing it with her beak. She blushed, and looked back at the unicorn. "Y-yeah? What's up?"

Gabby noticed Ivy watching her and quickly let go of Gilda's tail, blushing as well before rubbing her arm with her claws.

"Nothing much, I just noticed neither of you have insurance, and I will need you to fill out one more form for me, okay? It's a financial slip that lets me mark your business down as verified payments, but that will only happen if we go beyond the third session. If you do go beyond the third session, then you'll receive a bill slip in the mail."

She handed the slip over and wasn't surprised when Gilda snatched it out of her magic with a grumble. "Right, this costs money, I almost forgot about that part."

Well I guess it's true what they say about griffons, they are greedy with their bits. Ivy smiled apologetically as Gilda groused over the paper. She watched Gabby during this time, noting how the hen would get close to Gilda, and then flinch away. She'd reach out her claws and just subtly touch Gilda's wing, side, or tail, and then almost immediately wrench her claws back as if bitten. Other times she'd make solid contact and seem to be able to handle it, but only for short bursts before her shivers became visible and she pulled back once more.

This might be a harder case to work through then Ivy thought.

Gilda slid the paper back and after Ivy checked it all over, she smiled to them both. "Okay, right this way ladies."

The two hens entered into her office and looked around. Gabby was super cautious, sniffing, hissing, and waiting until Gilda had fully entered before she dared cross the threshold. Ivy went behind her desk, and waited patiently as the two examined her room. Gilda sat down in front of Ivy's desk and folded her arms. "S-so how's this work exactly?"

Ivy folded her hooves over her desk. "Well first, I ask you both a few questions, and so you're both aware everything we say in here and in the session room is confidential. I tell no one about what you tell me, alright?"

When Gabby had sat reasonably close to Gilda and they both seemed to nod, she started.

"Alright, first question. Gilda, you put on your paper work that you are Gabby's friend and her mate, how long have you guys been partners?"

Gabby looked rather bothered by that question and hissed at Gilda. Gilda shot her hands up placatingly, before looking at Ivy. "W-well we aren't really...not yet? A lot has happened in the past few days, It's complicated. Just say we are close friends?"

She wasn't apparently asking Ivy, but Gabby. The smaller hen huffed and mumbled something under her breath that only Gilda caught, and Gilda nodded. "Y-yeah, okay, close friends, maybe more."

Ivy nodded slowly. "Uh huh, okay. Second question, Gabby, you said here your father figure hurt--"

Gabby growled loudly and Ivy put her hooves up quickly. "I won't say any further on that, I promise. I just need to know if they are unable to get in further contact with you. I take my patient's safety very seriously."

Gabby looked away and whimpered.

Gilda answered for her with a growl of her own. "He's six feet under, and that isn't deep enough in my opinion."

Ivy blinked for a second and then nodded and scribbled something down. "Oookay, last question." She steepled her hooves together. "Considering the severity of your circumstances, do you want to do the first session together or separate?"

The mare quickly held up a hoof to stop them both from interrupting, and continued. "Please be aware that my job is to help you, not diagnose your problems, or force you to talk about them, I will never do that. I do not guarantee success either, sometimes this helps, other times it doesn't. What I will do is assist you in coping with the pain, listen to you, and offer aid in working with your scenarios."

Ivy lowered her hooves. "But to do that, I will have to poke in some very personal places, and that can be painful. I ask if you want things separate in case there are some topics you don't want your friend to know in great detail."

Gilda and Gabby looked at one another. Gilda slowly opened her left wing and let the primary feather come close to Gabby's side. "I'm willing to weather this, if it helps you. I can do either or, so it's really your call." Gilda looked to Ivy, "We can always change it if things go badly right?"

"Of course, that is quite common in fact. We can also end the session early or let it go longer if I don't have another session stacked after it."

Gabby reached out and stroked Gilda's feather before gently gripping it. She warbled weakly and smiled. "I don't wanna keep anymore secrets...so...T-together..."

Ivy went to answer when a large swath of blue magic smoke sifted in through the underside of her door way and floated up the the desk. Gilda and Gabby stared at it with hissing and growling. The smoke dematerialized with a POP and four books landed on her desk with a dull thump. The threat no longer present, the two hens bristling lessened. Ivy shook her head.

"Sorry, I forgot to warn you of that. These are so I can study griffon psychology a bit more, to help you both." She stood and walked around the desk, closest to Gilda, "Why don't we have our first session then, please follow me."

The session door opened with magic, and Gabby's claws wrapped around Gilda's primary feather a little tighter. She got a reassuring smile from her Rose, and Gilda's Song nodded. Stepping forward into the room, they began the first steps to healing.