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The smallest ones often have the largest wounds.
Back to Equestria. Since I am taking my initial flight training out at Sweet Apple Acres http://www.furaffinity.net/view/7159689/ I am getting more chances to see the Apple family. In particular I have been interested in how the littlest Apple has been doing.
While the whole messy adventure with the Lord of Shadows was not enjoyable on our end it was nothing compared to what little Applebloom went through http://www.furaffinity.net/view/6505853/ . Being abducted and physically drawn into his realm was a terrifying experience and it is been very fortunate for her that she has had such a supportive family to help her through the ordeal.
After her return to Equestria, Applebloom was of course given a medical examination and magical exam to try and determine whether she had any unknown injuries, diseases or spells lurking in her. The results were negative but there is so much we will never known about the Kingdom of Shadows, so there has been this little nagging concern that something could have been missed.
While there is a desire to ask what happened to her and the other farmhands in the Kingdom of Shadow, Celestia has asked that we don't press any pony for details. "When they feel ready to talk about they will." was her declaration. Still recent events have made Apple family's desire to know what happened to their little Applebloom in that horrible place more acute.
After her initial emotional outburst from being reunited with her big sister and family http://www.furaffinity.net/view/6945186/ , Applebloom has become very withdrawn and remote to her family and friends. This is not unusual for someone who has undergone extreme duress for an extended period of time, but there are other things that are bothering the family.
Applebloom has found it almost impossible to sleep her room at night without a light in the room, and she does not like going into down in the basement or any place where it is dark and she can not see. Once again this is not unreasonable considering where she was taken to, but the family feels there is something else that the little filly either won't or can't say.
She has been having nightmares almost every night even with the light in her room. Once again this is understandable considering the stress she has undergone. The other members of her family have heard her screams, cries and sobbing and even having big sis Applejack sleep in the same room with her has done little to stop the episodes. What alarms the family is that she won't say what the nightmares are about even though they are pretty certain she is remembering at least parts of them.
Further AJ has described Applebloom as now being "evasive". She doesn't like making eye contact with other family members or her friends and classmates. She complains that everything she eats tastes bitter and her appetite has greatly diminished. The doctors have run their tests and various spells have been cast on her but nothing conclusive has come from it. All the Apple family can do now is be there for her.
While the whole messy adventure with the Lord of Shadows was not enjoyable on our end it was nothing compared to what little Applebloom went through http://www.furaffinity.net/view/6505853/ . Being abducted and physically drawn into his realm was a terrifying experience and it is been very fortunate for her that she has had such a supportive family to help her through the ordeal.
After her return to Equestria, Applebloom was of course given a medical examination and magical exam to try and determine whether she had any unknown injuries, diseases or spells lurking in her. The results were negative but there is so much we will never known about the Kingdom of Shadows, so there has been this little nagging concern that something could have been missed.
While there is a desire to ask what happened to her and the other farmhands in the Kingdom of Shadow, Celestia has asked that we don't press any pony for details. "When they feel ready to talk about they will." was her declaration. Still recent events have made Apple family's desire to know what happened to their little Applebloom in that horrible place more acute.
After her initial emotional outburst from being reunited with her big sister and family http://www.furaffinity.net/view/6945186/ , Applebloom has become very withdrawn and remote to her family and friends. This is not unusual for someone who has undergone extreme duress for an extended period of time, but there are other things that are bothering the family.
Applebloom has found it almost impossible to sleep her room at night without a light in the room, and she does not like going into down in the basement or any place where it is dark and she can not see. Once again this is not unreasonable considering where she was taken to, but the family feels there is something else that the little filly either won't or can't say.
She has been having nightmares almost every night even with the light in her room. Once again this is understandable considering the stress she has undergone. The other members of her family have heard her screams, cries and sobbing and even having big sis Applejack sleep in the same room with her has done little to stop the episodes. What alarms the family is that she won't say what the nightmares are about even though they are pretty certain she is remembering at least parts of them.
Further AJ has described Applebloom as now being "evasive". She doesn't like making eye contact with other family members or her friends and classmates. She complains that everything she eats tastes bitter and her appetite has greatly diminished. The doctors have run their tests and various spells have been cast on her but nothing conclusive has come from it. All the Apple family can do now is be there for her.
Category All / All
Species Horse
Size 653 x 650px
File Size 72.7 kB
The stuff I am posting right now on FA happened over a month ago in my sleep I just do not have the time to sketch and write up everything and post it as it happens. I will not post any spoilers here but I will say this. If you really like Applebloom and the Apple Family the next few months will not be much very fun to read about at times.
If you really like Applebloom and the Apple Family the next few months will not be much very fun to read about at times.
Poor AJ. Poor little Applebloom. Even if she's still hurting at least she has her family and friends nearby to offer support.
And now I am indeed wondering just she experienced in the Kingdom of Shadows. The Shadow Lord's cartoonish at times villainy suddenly looks a whole lot less 'cartoony' if you know what I mean.
Poor AJ. Poor little Applebloom. Even if she's still hurting at least she has her family and friends nearby to offer support.
And now I am indeed wondering just she experienced in the Kingdom of Shadows. The Shadow Lord's cartoonish at times villainy suddenly looks a whole lot less 'cartoony' if you know what I mean.
I know what the problem is...!
She's an evil enchantress
She does evil dances
And if you look deep in her eyes
She'll put you in trances
Then what will she do?
She'll mix up an evil brew
Then she'll gobble you up
In a big tasty stew
Sooo.... WATCH OUT!
Someone get Zecora on the phone.... err... email... err... magical scroll mail. Yeah!
She's an evil enchantress
She does evil dances
And if you look deep in her eyes
She'll put you in trances
Then what will she do?
She'll mix up an evil brew
Then she'll gobble you up
In a big tasty stew
Sooo.... WATCH OUT!
Someone get Zecora on the phone.... err... email... err... magical scroll mail. Yeah!
Oh, Gods Above and Below. That poor filly. Is there any form of counseling available? Has the concept of trauma counseling even developed in this world? I can only imagine what the rest of the family must be going through. And how are Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell taking their friend's behavior?
Oh, Gods Above and Below. That poor filly. Is there any form of counseling available? Has the concept of trauma counseling even developed in this world?
Short answer. No. Long answer. Sort of, maybe but nothing that has been formalized into a therapy or treatment program like what exists in our world. Especially since Equestria is a relatively peaceful realm that has not any of major routine horrors of wars that made up so much of our 20th Century history. No millions of case examples to study and develop bodies of statistical data from.
The biggest thing that is hindering the Apple family and any of the farmhand families is just trying to find out what happened to them in the Kingdom of Shadows. A couple of the workers who were also taken that day have conveyed some of what happened to them. Their stories are somewhat jumbled, chaotic at times but they have described a realm filled with both horrifying creatures and utter isolation.
They vaguely described a land of gray twilight and utter desolation where the horizon was almost always blurred by a smoky haze. Just visible on the edge of the horizon were giant obscured shapes that filled them with dread. Sometimes these shapes would seem to disappear or move as if titanic creatures were lurking just beyond their vision. Watching them. Stalking them. Where one felt constantly watched and shadows moved as if of their own accord. They described being suddenly attacked by terrifying creatures who would then just as suddenly vanish. Never seeing another pony the whole time there. No food, no water yet never succumbing to thirst or hunger. A cold unrelenting wind that howled and chilled them to the bone. No real day. No real night. Just an endless nightmare limbo.
Both mention a creature or being called the Shadow Mother and Applebloom has screamed that name at least once in her sleep. That is all we have been to learn and Applebloom has told nothing of her ordeal yet.
Short answer. No. Long answer. Sort of, maybe but nothing that has been formalized into a therapy or treatment program like what exists in our world. Especially since Equestria is a relatively peaceful realm that has not any of major routine horrors of wars that made up so much of our 20th Century history. No millions of case examples to study and develop bodies of statistical data from.
The biggest thing that is hindering the Apple family and any of the farmhand families is just trying to find out what happened to them in the Kingdom of Shadows. A couple of the workers who were also taken that day have conveyed some of what happened to them. Their stories are somewhat jumbled, chaotic at times but they have described a realm filled with both horrifying creatures and utter isolation.
They vaguely described a land of gray twilight and utter desolation where the horizon was almost always blurred by a smoky haze. Just visible on the edge of the horizon were giant obscured shapes that filled them with dread. Sometimes these shapes would seem to disappear or move as if titanic creatures were lurking just beyond their vision. Watching them. Stalking them. Where one felt constantly watched and shadows moved as if of their own accord. They described being suddenly attacked by terrifying creatures who would then just as suddenly vanish. Never seeing another pony the whole time there. No food, no water yet never succumbing to thirst or hunger. A cold unrelenting wind that howled and chilled them to the bone. No real day. No real night. Just an endless nightmare limbo.
Both mention a creature or being called the Shadow Mother and Applebloom has screamed that name at least once in her sleep. That is all we have been to learn and Applebloom has told nothing of her ordeal yet.
The only example of the book went up with the Lord of Shadows and a good portion of the Everfree Forest when he met his demise http://www.furaffinity.net/view/6889618/
Dang. Well there goes one avenue of investigation. On the other hoof, perhaps it's just as well. From what you mentioned in earlier posts, the whole Kingdom of Shadows was tied to that darn thing. I wonder what Paynes Grey would feel knowing his work had such lasting affects. Probably shame, poor guy.
Well I do have some memories of when I was effectively Payne's horse and he was communicating to us from his banishment. I have some vague general idea what the Shadow Mother is. I think she acts as sort of a gate guard between the Kingdom of Shadows and Equestria. That is about the extent of my knowledge though.
This is probably one of the few good things that living in a world beset by two or three major wars every generation. Probably one of the most valuable things anyone could give Equestria is a set of textbooks describing how to deal with PTSD and mass casualties, punctuated by saying "Don't ask how we figured all this stuff out, just know that it works."
Oh they have noticed. Both Scootloo and Sweetie Bell were so happy to hear that Applebloom had returned, but have been thwarted at every attempt to cheer up their closest friend. What is making the matter worse is that Applebloom has started going out of her way to try and not be in contact with them. The two can see that Applebloom is in some form of anguish but unable to help her. It is very frustrating for them.
What you described (as related by some of the farmhands in a reply to a couple of posts higher) sounds a lot like the beginnings of an attempt to break their wills -- in popular terms, brainwashing.
Part of it sounds like sensory deprivation. The attacks and isolation sound like radical, unpredictable changes in treatment. The part about never eating or drinking but never being hungry or thirsty is surreal, which touches on getting the subject to believe something that isn't true. All are tactics in psychological manipulation.
If you haven't already and you can deliberately bring information into a dreamscape, you might do a little websurfing and read up on therapy for victims of this kind of treatment (and maybe the Stockholm Syndrome, too). Pass it along to the Princesses and let them decide if it's worth acting on. Personally, I'm hoping the problem's already resolved. From the presence of memory and dream magic, I'd say they're well in advance of us on understanding the mind, even if they're lacking experience with trauma. For the worst cases, a selective "forget" spell or modification of the memories to the level of bad dreams or detaching any feeling from them might work.
Part of it sounds like sensory deprivation. The attacks and isolation sound like radical, unpredictable changes in treatment. The part about never eating or drinking but never being hungry or thirsty is surreal, which touches on getting the subject to believe something that isn't true. All are tactics in psychological manipulation.
If you haven't already and you can deliberately bring information into a dreamscape, you might do a little websurfing and read up on therapy for victims of this kind of treatment (and maybe the Stockholm Syndrome, too). Pass it along to the Princesses and let them decide if it's worth acting on. Personally, I'm hoping the problem's already resolved. From the presence of memory and dream magic, I'd say they're well in advance of us on understanding the mind, even if they're lacking experience with trauma. For the worst cases, a selective "forget" spell or modification of the memories to the level of bad dreams or detaching any feeling from them might work.
We are discussing it with Luna and she is trying to figure out a suitable treatment for Applebloom and the time to come down to Sweet Apple Acres and talk to the little filly. After all she knows a thing or two on the subject. Unfortunately she is now a very busy pony just like her sister managing the affairs of Equestria, and no matter how much she would just like to drop everything and come over she has to keep the big picture in her mind.
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