"So, Griffin, how are you feeling today?" Mind Mender asked me, stroking his beard in the way people with beards typically stroke them. It strikes me as odd, how typical he is. If someone asked me, 'How does a psychologist look/act?' I could just point at him, since he fills every stereotype. The dull colors, old, wisened eyes, long, wispy white beard, and slight wrinkles on his forhead.

"Kinda cr.... bad I guess." They had also been trying to break me of my swearing habit. I'm not a sailor anymore after all. At least, not while I'm in therapy. I was going to say 'crappy' but, I caught myself. I figure I might as well try, for the sake of the ponies who were trying to help me. "I've got a headache, kind of a dull ache everywhere, not a sharp localized pain. I didn't get much sleep the past couple of nights, woke up a couple times from nightmares shaking, cold sweats, and these weren't just the 'black river' dreams. Been like that for about a week and a half, starting... about two weeks after the first nightmare. I've also been getting antsy. Haven't been getting out much you know? Or doing magic for that matter."

"Why would not performing magic make you restless?" He asked, making a 'thinking face'.

"I guess it sort of became a habit for me. I guess it's fun, seeing all the different ways I can affect the world, and relaxing too." I explained, laying on my back on the classic psychologist couch.

"Hmm. Well, we've already taken your baseline measurements, perhaps it's time to see what's changed as a result of the withdraw?"

"I think that would be a good idea."

So, what ended up happening is Mind Mender passed that message to Celestia, who, being the one personally overseeing my case due to it's unique nature, (It wouldn't do to have psychologists calling me crazy for believing I'm a member of the mythical 'human' race, when I actually am one, plus it was all in the papers after Puppy Love's interview. Since she's the highest authority, and she knows about it, it made sense for her to keep tabs on it at least) and SHE called in the biggest nerd in the country. You guessed it, Twilight Sparkle. Celestia also had her bring in her crazy magic helmet thing that she made Pinkie wear when she tried to figure out her Pinkie Sense. The princess didn't actually tell her WHY she needed to come, just that she did, and what to bring, so when Twilight saw me, well, she was more than a little surprised.

"Griffin? What are you doing here?" She asked, raising her eyebrow as she spoke.

"Well, it looks like you get to run tests on me after all. I have a nasty addiction I need to kick, but the withdraw could kill me, so, we're trying to figure out exactly what's going on in my body before it gets too bad so we can work through it and lessen the effects."

"Well, that explains why I'm here, but why are you here?"

"Oh. That. Yeah. Um, I kinda went a little crazy and tried to kill someone who saved my island because he has an evil spider in his head. And it's not the me imagining spiders in people's heads thing that's crazy, because it's true and Celestia will back me up on that. It's the me going crazy and trying to kill him part we need to fix." I said not calmly, but not nervously. Anxious maybe? I don't know anymore.

"Um... okaaaaay then? Never mind, forget I asked. Let's just hook you up. Now, what was it you said you were addicted to?" Twilight asked.

"Dragon blood. By the way, if Spike ever gets a cut, make sure you don't get any in your mouth, or you'll wind up in here with me..... I guess that explains why they have such thick scales. Let's get this started then."

So, I spent all day in the same spot, with a wacky helmet on. I cast some basic spells, ate, drank, exercised, and at night they had me go to sleep still wearing the thing. I had my nightmare, woke up shaking, and in the morning, Twilight came by (she stayed in the castle overnight) to collect the massive pile of paper that the thing churned out so she could go over the data. She took the helmet off me, and I got some breakfast while the brainiac herself spent nearly half the day working through the data running on nothing but some coffee. I was given the rest of the day to myself to relax before she finally came back with the results.

"This is just amazing! And you've been living like this for over a year? Simply fascinating!" She cheered for herself.

"Indeed. It is quite the predicament you've gotten yourself into Griffin." Celestia said in turn.

"No wonder your body is all off track." Food Pyramid quipped.

"Can someone PLEASE stop speaking vaguely and tell me what is going on?" I asked, annoyed.

"You're diabetic." Twilight said sharply. "Magically, that is. After running some tests on both the vials you had with you, and on your leylines, meridians, and body in general, it seems rather clear that the blood of dragons acts as a temporary enhancer of your natural magical processes. Basically, you absorb and metabolize magic at a higher rate than normal, and at the same time, it also has a great deal of thaumatic particles stored within it. It gives you the raw material, and makes it easier for you to use them." Twilight said pointedly.

"That doesn't explain why I'm 'diabetic' though." I retorted.

"Well, the first time used, it makes you crave it, but getting off of it wouldn't be that difficult. You reported the symptoms you had while in the Great Southern Rainforest occurred after TWO months of not using it, and now you can barely go one. According to our data, if you had held off a little longer, you would have been in the clear. But.... due to the extensive amount you've consumed, and over such a long period, you've gotten far more used to it, and it's going to be much more difficult to get you off of it." I just nodded. I understood what she was saying, despite the technical jargon. Basically, I dun goofed. I should have just sucked it up and dealt with the symptoms, because now it's going to be a way worse. That still doesn't explain the other part though.

"As for the diabetic part, you see, magic is all around us, and even those of us who can't use it directly, it is still part of us, and we need it to live. It's not something we need to consume, rather, we absorb it from the world around us naturally, and we produce it as well. The concentration builds up, usually when we're at rest, sleeping, and then we use it during the day as we work, play, whatever. The problem, it seems, is that since you used an artificial enhancer for such an extended period, your body's way of naturally using up excess magic has been weakened, since it wasn't needed."

"So, just how a diabetic needs insulin to metabolize sugar, my body needs dragon blood to 'metabolize' magic, except that this was caused by my use of it."

"Right, and that's what causes your highs and lows. When you fought off those dragons, you used up nearly all the magic in your body, which you need to live, so you almost died. When you spend extended periods of time at rest, you build up too much, it can't be let off, so you get the negative effects of overload, much like a lesser form of what I experienced when my magic was overloaded by the sonic rainboom during my entrance exam. After Princess Celestia got it under control, I was elated at passing, but I should have been exhausted from expending that much energy. Instead I hopped around like an excited griffin who just learned his crew can handle themselves." She smirked.

"Remind me to prank Princess Luna next time I see her." I grumbled. I'm never going to live that down.

"Anyways, we figured out how to deal with the addiction. Keep active so you don't get overloaded, but not so active that you burn yourself out. That'll take care of the negative physical side effects. On the other end, you'll still have cravings, but a strict watch making sure you don't get any of that junk will deal with that. Eventually, you'll get over it, and your body's natural magic processes will come back and take over, now that you're not suppressing them. Start off slow. Work till you feel tired, but don't push yourself to the point of passing out."

"So... then.... that's it? You're not going to have to tie me to a bed while I thrash and scream in agony till I pass out from exhaustion? I'm not going to go on a rampage and cut down everything between me and the nearest dragon so I can bite them like a vampire?" I said hopefully.

"Why..... why in Equestria would you think THAT?" Mind Mender asked, in a little bit of surprise over my de facto way of describing something so horrible.

"Eh, active imagination." I'm going to leave out the part about how I could most likely write a book, something fictional, about something I a fan of. Some kind of fan..... fiction? Nah. "So.... what now?"

"Now, we need to have a talk. I'm sure you have some questions you've been meaning to ask." Celestia stated calmly. "Mainly pertaining to why we've been pouring so many resources into your recovery?"

"........ damn psychics. Alright, fine, I have been wondering that, I'll ask. Why have you been putting so much effort on trying to help me get better?"

"You see Griffin, as you know, there are a large number of humans in this world. In case you haven't noticed, a large number of them are..."

"Bonkers?" I cut her off. "Let's see, I'm a powerhouse with nurtured bipolar disorder, a side of narcissism, a phobia shake, and a great big paranoia pie for dessert. Ember is a schitzo with enough juice to turn a town into a volcano, Aoi is a depressed ninja that could kill any one of us if he had the mind to, Ivan is a bloodthirsty maniac with an evil god in his head, Knightmare is a shape shifting perv and Celt is... well I don't know much about him. The only time I saw him he was plastered, and even if it was at a party, he's a violent drunk like my father. How many?" What I was asking was clear.

"Eighty seven, and those are just the ones we know about. Reports all over the country of all manner of life coming out of the woodwork. We've been keeping tabs on them, and some of them are fine. Others try to blend in. But so far, we've located eighty seven individuals like yourself who are in desperate need of help. You're the first one we've even attempted to treat. Our methods may not be as effective as they would be with a pony."

"So basically, I'm a guinea pig."

"Pardon?" They raised their eyebrows.

"Lab rat?" I tried.

"A what?" Still no go.

"Test subject?" Should have figured they'd be against animal testing.

"Um... yes. If we can find a method that works with you, chances are we'll be able to discover what works with other humans as well. Considering the influence your kind has been having on this world, this has been deemed a top priority." The sun mare decreed.

"Alright. I'm for it."

".... really?" Celestia, Twilight, and Mind Mender asked in shock. "I was expecting you to refuse. Much of what we are going to try will be..... invasive."

"I came here for help. Least I can do is help you, help me, help you, to help us all. Being contrary just to tick you off isn't going to get me anywhere." I replied. "Just as long as you're not pumping me full of weird drugs. I don't need any more problems."

"Very well, but do not hold it against us if we cross a line you were not yet ready to cross."

That night, I didn't eat very much. I was more than a little nervous about the whole, 'invasive' thing. What did Celestia mean by that anyways? At the same time, I also knew that despite wanting to run away and never come back, to just ignore the problem and avoid doing.... whatever difficult thing they had planned, I couldn't. I had to trust her. I also knew that if I wanted to fix whatever was wrong with me, I had to do it. I didn't like it, but what choice did I have? Go back on the ship and wait till I snapped? What if I hurt someone innocent? Or a crew member? Or Gilda? If I hurt her, I don't think I could live with myself. So, the time came for me to go to sleep. I hopped in the bed in the castle guest room, took deep breaths, and waited for the lethargy to over take me.

The next time I awoke, I found myself lying on a bench. I didn't know where I was, and I was surrounded by ponies I didn't recognize. The air was dusty, and it was bright and sunny, but being somewhere unfamiliar gave it all an edge of apprehension. I tried to take off, to get a better view of my surroundings, only to fall over on my side. My prosthetic wing was gone. So was my amulet. And my armor. I was in an unfamiliar place, surrounded by unfamiliar faces, and I was completely naked.

"Damn it Celestia. What the hell would this accomplish?" So, I began wandering around the town, looking for anything remarkable, anything that could tell me where I was. This town was.... a little odd. It was kind of like Texas, what with the western desert-ish environment and all the dust, but the inhabitants didn't look very rustic. It's as though they took Ponyvillians and dropped them in Appleoosa. The second thing that struck me as odd was how nothing was labeled. There were no street signs, no signs on buildings to tell what they were for, nothing. As I wandered, a third thing struck me as odd. I was being watched. Everypony I passed had their eyes locked on me.

'Okay... no big deal... they just haven't seen a griffin in a while.. yeah.. that's gotta be it.' So, I walked up to one pony who was looking at me, a purple mare with orange hair, and asked, "Excuse me, I'm a bit lost, do you know where I am?" Only for her to stick her nose up in the air and walk off. Or, maybe they know what griffins are and don't like them? Figures. I approached a dark brown stallion, only for the same thing to occur.

"What the hell? Why won't anybody help me? I'm just looking for directions!" I shouted. At that moment, time stood still. Everything just stopped. The random milling about the town, the birds, the clouds, it all stopped, as every pony in that little town stared at me.

"Go away." One of them said, at little more than a whisper, just barely audible.

"You're not wanted here." Said another from behind.

"Freak."

"Loser."

"Trash."

All around me, the ponies began spewing insults, their unblinking eyes locked on me. Unwanted. Different. Useless. Their piercing gazes bored straight through me as my head began to spin. They all looked so much larger than before, and the circle of the crowd closed in around me, shouting insults in my face. I fell to the ground, closed my eyes, and covered my head with my claws, but even that didn't block out the hate. Finally, I had enough, and screamed to the heavens, "LEAVE ME ALONE!"

In that instant, the voices stopped. I cautiously opened my eyes to find that through the tears, there wasn't a soul in that little town. The buildings looked as though they had been abandoned, as if my plea had made everyone simply leave their homes. I once more began to wander the town, searching for someone, anyone who would help me find a way out of this hellish place. All the doors were locked. I eventually left the town, and found my way to a river on the outskirts. The clear blue waters did nothing to calm me, and feeling the desolation of solitude, came bearing down. I began to cry once more.

"Griffin..." I heard a voice calling. I looked up to find Princess Luna floating down from above.

"What? What are you doing here?" I asked, slowly backing away.

"As mistress of the night, it is my duty to safeguard the dreams of others.... except on pub night when I crack skulls" She replied, ramming one hoof into the other for emphasis, then she turned back to me. "One of the 'invasive' measures my sister spoke of was for me to enter your dreams."

"You mean I'm dreaming? I.. I was sure that Celestia had just dumped me off in the middle of nowhere."

"Truly? How cruel do you think we are?" She asked. I didn't answer. "I see. I think I've discovered what it is that torments you. Though on the outside, you maintain your image, your mask, within the realm of sleep, you are who you truly are. Do you know what I see before me?" I shook my head no. "I see a child. Sad, scared, and alone." Looking at Luna, I realized that she too was several times larger than she normally was, like how I felt that shrinking feeling in front of the other ponies in the dream. No, that's not right, I was several times smaller than normal, and my feathers did not have the red tinge at their tips.

"I am glad that I came when I did. I believe I have discovered the root of your fear."

"You have?"

"Yes. You are afraid of people. Social contact. Ponies, griffins, humans. Other sentient beings."

"That's ridiculous. How can I be afraid of people? I stood in front of crowds at concerts, and gave speeches."

"That was in front of them, not among them, and the entire time, you were thinking of ways to escape should you need to." She was right. Every time, I had been distracted by how I could get out if I had to, and I surrounded myself with bodyguards.

"Throughout your life, you have had consistent negative experiences with people. You fear being rejected and mocked. But you also fear being abandoned and alone, to the point of having panic attacks. You cannot fulfill both, being with others, and being alone, and lets face it, there are people everywhere. You have to deal with them. So, you allowed yourself to be around others, but never trusting them, ever paranoid. Even now, you were under the impression that you had finally trusted my sister and I, only for us to forsake you and 'dump you off' in this desolate place. When you are around others, you manipulate, and you dominate, so that you cannot be betrayed, because you always have the upper hoof... er, hand. How long did it take you before you told your crew who you really are? How dire was the situation before you taught Trixie how to ensnare the minds of others?"

"You know about that huh..." I hung my head in shame.

"Though we know not the method, Celestia and I are aware that you can 'steal minds'. We are somewhat disappointed that you would devise such a thing, though we are also proud that you have seen fit to no longer use it. It does beg the question however... what else have you come up with?"

"You know I'm not going to tell you that. After all, if it took me how long to trust someone I sleep near, do you think I'd just give my secrets to someone who put a spider on me?"

"Ah, yes, I figured as much. I'm getting off topic... ah yes, your crew. Even in your joyful expression of your crew's ability to care for themselves, afterwards, you became mopey, almost depressed. You're worried that if they don't need you, they'll be rid of you."

"So then... if I am afraid of people, how does that get fixed?"

"That is both simple, yet difficult. All you must do is spend time with others and have positive experiences, not marred by battle, or under the oppressive cloud of the duty you put on yourself, like the concerts, which had to be successful to help the cause. No, they must be free and joyous. That is simple. The difficulty is overcoming the paranoia. To trust wholeheartedly in another, and not because you have contingency plans, but on faith."

"But, I can't. I trusted Gilda, and Nadene, and you know what they did, what they tried to do. It's like every time I open up, someone is just waiting to take advantage. I thought Ivan was alright, but that was just his spider trying to make life easier for him by manipulating me."

"What about now? Here you are, in your mind, bare of any defense and infantilized. Have I harmed you in any way?"

"No... but I still don't like it. It's just like when Malice was in my head, but less evil."

"Indeed. Malice enjoys toying with emotions. Tugging at the webs of love and hate, but he is not the cause of your problems. He had no hold over you till you met Ivan, and even then, while he can change emotions, you still always have a choice in your actions. Know however, that I will not harm you. Just as he brought you turmoil, I work to bring peace to the slumbering minds of the world." She walked forwards and wrapped her hooves around me, holding me close to her chest and arching her neck over my head.

"The wounds on your heart start at the very beginning. I think perhaps the best way to help you trust others, is by the most basic of such actions. You need to be around others and be platonically intimate with them. Now awaken."

My eyes shot open, only to wince shut at the obnoxious rays of the morning sun.

"What did she mean by that?"