Dr. Anonymous (unfinished)

>Day e^6.0307 in Equestria
>You are Anon
>More specifically, you are Dr. Anonymous, Cuddle Therapist at Ponyville Hospital
>Along with your colleague Pinkie Pie, you're the operating staff of the hospital's Cuddle Center
>The Center's been open for a few weeks now, and things are still relatively uneventful
>Your days haven't been particularly busy, apparently Ponyville doesn't have a massive need for cuddle counseling
>A few patients have come and gone, their stories and problems pretty minor
>Not many repeat visits, and all conflicts seemingly resolved
>Luckily, the Mayor is still very glad that the two of you have been doing well
>She values the well-being of the residents very highly, so you and the Cuddle Center are here to stay
>Due to the low demand of your services, Pinkie and you are now splitting your workdays into two shifts
>This allows the both of you a nice amount of free time, which allows you to visit the local watering hole every so often
>Tonight is one of those nights

>Your somewhat-frequent visits to the bar have gotten you acquainted with its owner, Berry Punch
>Already a couple of beers into the evening, you decide to change it up for a bit
"Berry, a glass of your finest port wine please" you ask the mare on bartender duty
>"Oh Anon, you're sooo classy" she responds as she turns away, obvious mockery in her voice
"What can I say, I suppose am rather stylish" you say, your lips curling into a smile during the sentence
>Berry Punch turns back to you, holding a glass and a bottle of the 20% ABV goodness
>She grins at you as she pours out your drink
>"Of course you are. You do really like this stuff though, don't you? I think this is your third night in a row that ends with it"
"Really? Heh, I guess I do"
>Berry is called away, excusing herself as she goes off to serve her next customer
>You sit in silence for a little bit, taking a few sips of the port wine
>The bar is pretty quiet, even though there's a healthy number of ponies there
>The only ones that make some noise from time to time are Rainbow Dash and Applejack, who burst out in laughter occasionally
>More than a few orders of cider have gone to their table, even after the other few ponies they originally sat with had left
>The two mares look like they're having a great time

>You make small talk with some of the ponies who also sit at the bar, and decide to take your leave after a while
>Perhaps a bit more inebriated than you had planned, you walk back to your home
>It's okay though, your shift only starts at 2pm tomorrow, so you're able to sleep in
>After a couple of minutes, you arrive at your house
>You go to sleep shortly after

--

>RRRRRIIIIIINNNNNGGGGG-
>That was not the peaceful awakening you were hoping for
>Why the hell would your alarm clock be ringing, anyways?
>You blindly slam your bedside table, hitting your target on your third attempt
>Without looking, you flip the switch on the back of the device, but it's no use
>Your ears, and your mood, are still being assaulted by that awful ringing
>The realization that it's the doorbell, not your poor alarm clock, dawns on you
>Ugh, gotta get out of bed
>You get up and walk towards the door, the unrelenting ring of the doorbell almost constantly plaguing you
"What?!" you ask, swinging the door open
>Perhaps that was a little harsh, but then again, damn ponies shouldn't be bothering you on your morning off

>Once your eyes ajust to the bright sunlight, you see Junebug standing there, a little startled
>Before she gets a chance to speak, you mutter a quick "Sorry" in an attempt to regain your composure
>"Uh, it's okay Anon, I know it's your morning off. But I'm afraid we need you back at the hospital"
"Why? Isn't Pinkie on duty?" you ask, barely able to suppress a discontent sigh
>"Well, yes... But a patient has requested a session with you, specifically."
"That's all fine and dandy, tell them to come back in the afternoon. Y'know, when I'm on duty"
>Oops, those last two words were a little too accentuated
>"Well, I would, but... She looked pretty distraught and... I kind of told her she'd be helped as soon as possible"
>Damn it, Junebug
>Of course, now there's no way out of it, it's no good for a new department's image to tell a patient to get lost for a while
"Fine, I'll be over in fifteen minutes" you grumble, already turning back inside
>"S-sorry, thanks for the effot, Anonymous"
>You force yourself to be nice to your secretary, there's nothing to be changed about the situation now anyways
"It's okay. See you in a bit"
>You hear the door close softly behind you as you start making yourself some breakfast

>Ten minutes, breakfast, and two rather strong cups on coffee later, you return to your bedroom to get dressed
>The hospital didn't really give you a dresscode, which made sense to you
>You were more of a shrink than a doctor anyways, cuddle therapy is no exact science
>Opting for the usual black suit and tie, you get yourself dressed
>Minutes later, you're walking over to the hospital
>Good thing it's pretty close to your home
>Not before long, you walk through the hospital's staff entrance
>As you make your way to your office, you pass Junebug, who's sorting some files
>"All ready?" she asks with a sheepish smile
"Sure, send her over in a minute or so"
>Good thing she didn't hold a grudge over your less-than-polite encounter earlier
>You enter your office, taking a seat on your desk chair and grabbing your notebook and pencil
>A kettle of hot tea stands on the coffee table, giving the room a pleasant smell
>Thoughtful, Junebug. Well done
>The notebook was more of a formality, you hadn't actually wrote down more than a few scribbles for any of your patients as of yet
>Still, you liked how professional it looked, despite its uselessness

>Just after you were all settled, the door to your office slowly creaked open
>Well, that's one pony you weren't expecting to see
>She wasn't looking too good, her mane disheveled and slight bags under her eyes
"Good morning, Rainbow Dash" you say in your most professional voice
>"H-hey, Anonymous" she says in a creaky voice
"Come in, take a seat"
>You gesture towards the sofa, and sure enough, Dash hesitantly walks over to it
"So, Rainbow Dash. What's up?"
>The cyan mare looks up at you, a slightly irritated expression on her face
>"Please, just call me Dash, or something" she says
>"I don't like when ponies use my full name all the time" she mutters, barely audible
>Okay, noted, in the literal sense of the word
>Clearly Dash isn't doing too well, you can understand that Junebug wanted to comfort her with the promise of quick help
"Okay, Dash, that's cool. So, something's clearly bothering you. Would you like to tell me what's going on?"
>You make sure to drop the attitude a little, leveling with the pony in front of you
>She sighs, deeply
>"I-... I don't know, Anon. I'm not all that good with this kind of stuff. It's all very confusing to me."
"That's okay, Dash, social issues can be confusing to any of us."
>"I guess... Hey, you won't tell anyone about this, right?"
"Of course not, these sessions are strictly confidential unless ponies give their explicit permission to share them."

>"Okay... Well, you know about our group of friends, right? Me, Twilight, Fluttershy..."
>You nod in acknowledgement
>"Well, you know, out of the group I've always been best friends with Applejack."
>Another nod
>"And, uh, I've always liked her a lot, and stuff. But, recently, I really don't know what to think anymore..."
>Rainbow Dash shakes her head, seemingly unsure of what to say next
>You decide to remain silent, let her do the talking for now
>"You know how you love your friends? Well... I think I'm starting to love Applejack as...
>"... more than a... friend..."
>Rainbow's voice trails off during the sentence, but the message comes across just fine
>The urge to speak up is very strong, but you see that she isn't done just yet
>"And... And I feel like I should be really happy but I'm not... I have no idea what AJ will think of it, if she would even consider the idea..."
>"I just don't know what to do! It's so annoying!"
>For the first time since she started talking, the pegasus raises her head and looks at you
>You finish your writing on the notebook and look it over shortly before putting it aside
"Alright, Dash, here's what I think. It might be difficult to handle your feelings for Applejack, but I think there's a very clear solution to this situation."
>The rainbow pony's eyes widen a bit, her expression a mixture of surprise and hope

"If I know anything about Applejack, it's that she values honesty above all else. So I think that, regardless of the mixed feelings you have, you should just be open about them towards her."
>"But... What if she doesn't feel the same way? She could get mad at me for making things so complicated! And--"
"Rainbow, listen. I'm sure that, no matter what she thinks of it, AJ would prefer that you just talk to her instead of walking around with feelings that make you miserable. Don't you agree?"
>Dash is quiet for a bit, seemingly lost in thought
>By the looks of it, she's still not quite sure about the whole thing
>You sense that this is a good moment to put the 'cuddle' part of your job to use
>You get out of your chair, and walk around the desk towards the sofa where the cyan mare is seated
>She looks up at you, but doesn't protest
>As soon as you sit down next to her, you wrap an arm around her shoulder
>The pegasus leans into your embrace almost instinctively
>"I don't know, Anon... What you're saying makes sense, but still..."
"It's okay, Dash. Stuff like this rarely works out perfectly, at least in our heads. But you've got to realize that, whatever crazy scenario your mind dreams up, there's no saying whether or not it will be anywhere near the truth. And you know what? The truth almost never turns out to be a worst-case scenario."
>Rainbow Dash turns to look at you
>Those big, pink eyes stare right into yours, her body trembling a bit
>The pony with the most carefree and self-assured attitude you know is practically melting in your arms, over something relatively simple like a crush
>Sure, she had a point with the idea that it could complicate her friendship with Applejack as it is, but it doesn't seem like that big of a problem
>"T-thank you, Anon. It's really comforting." she says quietly
>You just smile at her and  pull her in for a hug, which she eagerly returns

>You know, ponies seem so appreciative of what you're doing as a job
>Like you're sacrificing yourself in any way for the well-being of others
>Of course, you spend a good amount of time here in the hospital, but it earns you a decent living
>But the money doesn't matter. Of course it doesn't
>Your job is lovely for many reasons, but surely not the least of them is that you literally hug adorable pastel-colored mini horses for a living
>And this embrace with Rainbow Dash is certainly a good example
>You feel the incredible softness of her coat, a quality which all of these ponies posess but one that stands out to you every time
>The gentle warmth that radiates from her body as it's pressed against yours
>The faint smell of her mane, which reminds you of that first moment outside after a rainy day
>Her tail curled up, draped over your legs
>And last, but not least, the quiet breaths she takes, her face snuggled into your neck
>Naturally, you'd had some training which proved that cuddling really was an effective method of therapy
>You were still a professional, after all, but Celestia be damned if it wasn't enjoyable for you too
>Slowly, you start running your hand up and down her back, carefully rubbing it along with her wing
>Dash purrs a bit, like a cat
>"Hmm.... Thanks Anon, this really is great."
>You remain like that for a moment longer, before Rainbow Dash backs away and sits down again
"Don't mention it." you say, ruffling your hand through her mane
>"This cuddle therapy thing really is great! I'm so much more relaxed now."
"Good to hear, that's kind of the idea." you joke
>The two of you share a laugh

--

>"Well, Anon, I gotta say, you're the nicest doctor I've ever met."
>You chuckle at the compliment, then decide to wave it off a little
"Probably has to do with the specialization, heh."
>"Maybe." Dash says, a grin on her face
>"Anyway, I guess I'll get going. And I'm going to give it a shot."
>She flashes you a smile with that signature determined look
"You do that. I'm sure everything will work out, one way or the other."
>"Sure thing. Anon, thanks again for the support!"
>You nod, and watch the athletic pegasus as she walks out of you office
>Another client out the door, another good feeling about their case
>Romantic conflicts are a large share of the things you deal with, for obvious reasons
>And while they can be difficult, you don't doubt that Rainbow's crush will destroy her friendship with Applejack
>Hopefully, a relationship between the two is feasible, but either way it'll work out
>Surely

>The rest of the day is uneventful
>A couple of days go by, nothing out of the ordinary
>Another pleasant visit to Berry Punch's bar is among the highlights
>No sign of a particular cyan pegasus though
>No news is good news, right?
>Drinking the last bit of your coffee, you're now officially Ready For Work®
>It's a nice day, a comfortable temerature outside and a very reasonable amount of sun


>There's no rain scheduled until tomorrow, either, so you don't have to worry
>You get to the hospital, casually greeting the other employees whom you pass
>Junebug tells you that there are no appointments today, so it'll probably be a rather quiet afternoon
>Once in your office, you get comfortable in the swiveling chair behind your desk and grab a book
>A little while passes, and indeed, not a whole lot is going on in the Cuddle Therapy ward
>That is, until you hear someone stepping towards your door quite rapidly
>The poor wooden thing swings open violently, taking you by surprise
>Usually ponies would knock, even when there are serious matters at hand
>Well, not this one
>And she's got the appearance to show for it
>Rainbow Dash practically storms in, sweat on her brow and her eyes slightly bloodshot
>Well, this isn't going to be good, is it
>You get up from your chair, an act of instinct more than anything else
>"Anon, I messed up. I've ruined it all! I..."
"Ssshh..." You hold your hand in front of your mouth, before pointing it towards the bed
"Let's try to calm down a bit, Rainbow. You want to get on the bed?"
>Somewhat bewildered, the cyan pegasus stares at you, then at the bed, before exhaling loudly and walking towards the bed
>You follow behind her, going out of your way to close the door
>Your hand rests on the rotating lock for a moment, but you decide against it
>As you turn back around, you see Dash on the bed, facing the other way
>She's shaking visibly

>Calmly, you sit down on the bed and take off your shoes
>You can hear Rainbow Dash breathing heavily all the while
>Once you lay down properly and scoot over to her, she tenses up momentarily when you wrap your arm around her
>The fact that she does this even though she was fully aware that you were going to hug her reinforces how shocked she is
>You pull the terrified pegasus in close, stroking her mane out of her face
>After a minute or so, you feel that Dash is ever so slghtly more comfortable, and decide to break the silence
"Alright, Rainbow. Now, can you tell me what exactly happened?"
>"... Okay"
>Reassuringly, you place your hand on her foreleg
>"Well... I went down to Sweet Apple Acres today, t-to ask Applejack..."
>Dash desperately tries to hold back a wave of tears
>"... on a date."
"Mm-hmm," you hum, stroking her gently
>"So, when I got there and greeted her, everything was fine. She was at work, busy as always. I tried to get her to stop for a moment and talk to me, but she just kept trotting."
>"I followed her, and said I really wanted to talk. And then, she started to get annoyed. That never happens with AJ, not usually..."
>Rainbow Dash's last few words trail off, the tears finally flowing
>You hate seeing ponies sob like this, but sometimes it's necessary and there's nothing to be done about it
>All you can manage is holding her tight, snuggling extra close to her
>"I... I really wanted to tell her how I feel, I was so excited, I just kept going."
>"S-so, even when she told me not to and walked away, I chased her, and I just managed to say that I wanted to ask her out sometime..."
>The story is once again interrupted by the athletic mare's sobbing, the poor thing


>"And... And then, because I wasn't looking out where I was going, I crashed into an empty cart, a-and it broke..."
>"But that didn't matter. The horrible thing was that, after I crashed, Applejack was absolutely furious. She said that... That she doesn't want to see me anymore, that I should leave her alone..."
>Amidst her tears, Rainbow Dash turns to face you, trying to maintain eye contact through her tears
>"She hates me for it, Anon! And for good reason! I shouldn't have tried, but I just had to go and... and fuck it all up! I should've just kept my feelings in control but I couldn't and she must've seen it coming because she was so annoyed and..."
>You hold Dash's head as she rests it on your shoulder, sobbing uncontrollably and scolding herself in between
>This was a scenario you hadn't seen coming
>If it was anywhere near as bad as Rainbow described it, their friendship had taken a severe hit from what had happened today
>Of course, she was probably exaggerating it due to her state of mind, but still, a genuinely angry Applejack was quite the rarity
>And to be honest, you really didn't know what the best course of action would be
>For now, it's probably best to cuddle her until she calms down
>So that's what you do
>You let your hand run down her back, passing between her still very tense wings, and slowly rise it up again
>She holds on to you firmly, crying into your shoulder

>A long time passes as the two of you just lay there, Rainbow's sobbing slowly coming to an end
>All the while, you've been rubbing her back, occasionally telling her that it'll be okay in an attempt to calm her
>Once Dash finally stops crying, you wonder whether it's because she's starting to accept the situation or her body simply can't supply any more tears
>She's absolutely torn apart by the events at the farm earlier, and you really feel for her
>Trying the best you can, you give her some advice
"Rainbow, I know everything seems horrible now, but to be honest I still think you should have a talk with Applejack. Seeing what happened today, she probably won't take to the idea of dating well, but I can't believe that she would completely cut off your friendship over it."
>The rainbow pegasus listens to what you have to say, but it's clear that she's not quite taking your word for granted
>She sighs, tired from all the horrible thoughts that have been going through her head
>You would've liked to have seen a response to your idea, but it seems you aren't getting any
>On the contrary, you suspect that Dash has fallen asleep, half on top of you, wrapped in your embrace
>She's still a bit restless, fidgeting around periodically
>But, even in this sad time, you can't help but smile at the sight of a cute pony sleeping
>You continue to rub her back, hoping that it'll at least help prevent her from nightmares
>After a while, you too get drowsy, and you're not strong enough to convince yourself to stay awake when you're this comfortable
>Snuggling into Rainbow's mane, you too drift off into sleep


>You wake up, a rainbow-colored mane tickling your nose
>Dash is still asleep, peacefully dreaming away on your chest
>At least she's found some rest
>Taking a moment before waking her up, you simply lay there and admire the situation
>This was the reason you decided to take the job of cuddle therapist: Getting paid a very fair sum of bits to cuddle with beautiful, cute ponies
>Of course not every session, or every client for that matter, was such a joy
>Rainbow Dash truly is a very pretty pony, from her slim build to the stark contrast between her coat and her mane
>And it's certainly no punishment to have her snuggled up against you
>Though not as tight as before, she still has her forelegs wrapped around you, her head on your chest
>You feel the pleasant warmth she gives off, even through your suit
>Good times
>Times. That reminded you to check the clock
>It had been an hour since you fell asleep, so you should really wake her up and conclude the session
>You hadn't been awakened by Junebug, so there were probably no other ponies waiting, but still
>Dash probably had more things to do with her day too
>So, albeit a bit reluctantly, you pat the cyan pegasus on her shoulder, hoping to wake her up in the most relaxed way possible

"Hey, sleepy head. Wake up." you whisper
>Rainbow Dash half-responds, twisting around awkwardly while mumbling to herself
>You can't quite decide whether it's adorable or sad
>Anyway, she's not quite awake just yet
"Dash." you say, with your hand now firmly on her back
>She wakes up, her barely-open, reddened eyes looking at you
>"... H-hey."
>Her voice cracks, even though it was only a single syllable
"How are you feeling?" you ask her in your most soothing voice
>"Not good." comes her blunt response
>You had anticipated this, as it's not weird to be grumpy after potentially losing your best friend
>It's a difficult situation, and not only for the ponies involved
>You don't really know what to tell the hurt pegasus, the whole thing worked out quite different than you had expected
>Personally, you are still convinced that Rainbow should go and talk to Applejack, as you simply couldn't believe that she's let her entire friendship be destroyed
>But then again, you didn't know her that well, perhaps she was a lot more consevative than you had initially thought
>Dash speaks up, interrupting your mental reasoning
>"Ugh, Anon... This just sucks. Whatever I do now I'm gonna lose."
>"I... I guess I can't see her anymore... She's mad at me and I'd only make things worse with another stupid mistake."
>Tears are once again appearing in her eyes

"I know it's a very troublesome situation, Dash... And I'll be honest with you, even I don't quite know what the best course of action would be."
>She gives you a sincere look, and though she's still sad it doesn't look like it'll turn to crying again
>The eye contact remains for longer than you have ever had with her, or any other pony in recent memory
>After a small eternity, she simply closes her eyes and tightly grabs onto you
>Rainbow doesn't say a thing, so you decide to stay quiet for another moment as well
>Once again, the two of you remain still for a moment
"Perhaps you should let it rest for a few days, however difficult it may be."
>"...Yeah, maybe you're right." comes her voice, quietly