The Prince's Predicament 2: The Princess's Predicament

Shining left his therapy session knowing that he'd just been tricked into therapy. It didn't feel great, but he knew, deep down, that he'd have never agreed to it if it hadn't just fallen on top of him. He didn't think he needed therapy this morning, and when he heard that Doctor Funi was in the field of psychology, he was sure he was here to either study, or to help one of the guards. If he'd known that the doctor was here for him, he'd have thanked him for coming, refused his service, and sent him on his way. However, by the time he realised what was happening, he was in the middle of his kindergarten musical performance.

He didn't know if he'd actually come back. While Funi had scheduled a continuance on Sunday, and sessions twice a week until the problems were solved, Shining didn't really want to go back. Therapy was a good thing if you had something you needed to work through, but he wanted to work through it on his own. Just... not right now.

He slogged his way through dinner and then went for a good, long soak in the guard's baths. True, he could use the royal bath, but right now, he wanted company. It wasn't a long wait. "Good evening, Sir," greeted Mustard, slipping into the tub. "Long day?"

"Very long," sighed Shining. "I went to therapy."

"Good for you!" He patted Shining on the shoulder. "You know, the first step to recovery is admitting you need help."

"Not true," sighed Shining. "The first step is admitting there's a problem. Sometimes, one can recover without help."

"I mean... sure, but it takes longer."

"Sometimes, I wonder if that's a good thing."

"What do you mean? Of course it is! The sooner you feel right again, the sooner you can start helping everypony. I think that's a step forward."

Shining shook his head. "But what if..." he took a deep breath. "He said something to me during our session. He thinks that the reason I've been doing so much work to build up the Crystal Empire was to hide from an emotional pain I was feeling."

"Your wife poisoning you, yeah."

"Does everypony know?!"

Mustard rubbed his shoulder. "I was in the room when she told you. I don't know if everypony else knows, but I haven't told anypony."

"Your husband said the very same."

"Oh, he knows, too? I've been trying to keep from telling him for a long time... That's going to be a load off of my chest..."

Shining sighed. "I wonder who else knows..."

Mustard shook his head. "Look, why does it matter? Who cares why you were being so nice to everypony? You built the empire up to be huge. And everypony loves that you did. I dare you to find one pony that doesn't like having you in charge."

"The bandits."

"Who cares what a bunch of criminals think?"

"They're still citizens."

"But not in good standing with the law."

"And yet, they still have a right to a fair trial."

Mustard sighed. "Not the point... What I was driving at was, who cares why you did your reforms. You did them, and it was good for almost everypony. Why would going to therapy change that?"

Shining took a deep breath. "If my own damage was causing me to leap in front of everypony and protect them, then what happens if I lose that pain and, along with it, my reason to stand in defense of the very ponies I've sworn to protect? What if I stop seeing it as wanting to keep them from experiencing the same horror I lived through, and start seeing it as just a job?"

Mustard shook his head. "I don't buy that for a second. Even before this happened, you stood in de--" he paused. "Do you remember how we first met?"

"Wasn't it when you were in training?"

Mustard shook his head. "Long, long before that. I was on a trip with my school, and one of the other students was throwing rocks at me. And you stepped in and threatened to have him arrested. You were just a kid at the time, but the intimidation was still just as effective."

Shining shook his head. "I remember the event, but I don't remember you being there."

"How else would I know about it?"

"Fair, fair..."

"You wouldn't experience the pain that swayed your decisions for twenty years. What were you running from then that made you stand up and defend some kid you'd never see again, as far as you knew?"

Shining slumped down into the water. "I don't know. I just... I saw somepony that needed help, and I wanted to do the right thing."

"So, what makes you think that picking yourself up and healing from this is going to make you start making cruel decisions?"

"If I'm making the decisions because I'm running away, then not running away will lead to different choices. If my reasons for making decisions change, my goals will change, and I could end up a cruel, heartless dictator."

"I don't think you're capable of being heartless," assured Mustard. "Plus, how will your goals change? You'll go from wanting to protect the empire to... what, wanting to see it burn?"

Shining visibly shivered.

"See, there? Even the thought of your citizens coming to harm frightens you. I don't believe in the slightest that you'd let them suffer."

Shining leaned forward, tears starting to form in his eyes.

"You've given us the world, your highness. I speak on behalf of all of Equestria when I say, we want you to recover. If you're hurting, and we know you are, we want to help. We want you to be as happy as you've made us. And I speak for all of your friends when I say, please keep up the therapy. I can see the pain you're trying to suppress, and it hurts me every time you put on that fake smile. This is a personal plea. Even if I'm the only one who knows you're going to therapy, please keep doing it. It's good for you."

Shining let out a sigh. "I'm afraid it's going to change me."

"It's not going to change you any more than a skin graft after a nasty burn."

"Promise?"

Mustard wrapped his hooves around Shining, pulling him into his lap. "I promise."