Iron Will liked to think of himself as the best motivational speaker ever alive. He'd liked to have thought he'd helped many ponies become better, happier. But lately he wasn't so sure of that. You see, not too long ago a pony named Fluttershy had come to one of his seminars and tried to become more confident but all of his tips had resulted in her becoming a big jerk to her friends and practically anyone she'd come across.
As a end result, Iron Will was left wondering was his special talent really helping anypony or were they better off the way they had been before? Were they just turning into jerks like Fluttershy was? To be honest, Iron Will wasn't really sure.
Outside Ponyville, Fluttershy's Cottage
To help him with his concerns Iron Will took a visit to the main subject which had started his troubles, the Element of Kindness also known as Fluttershy. The sun was shining brightly, thanks to the Solar Princess but that didn't help or comfort Iron Will in any way or remove his worries and doubts about himself.
"Iron Will wishes it would be raining, as that at least would mirror his feelings." The minotaur muttered. A older pony, a gardener looks of him waved and Iron Will waved back. By this point, Fluttershy's house was in front of him.
After he'd walked up the small pathway which led up to the doorway, Iron Will made three small knocks which were soon answered by the butter-yellow pink maned pegasus who let out a small "Eep" at the sight of him but quickly tried to make herself as confident as possible to face the minotaur. If Iron Will cared about such things, he'd have thought it cute.
"W-what are you doing here?" Fluttershy asked in a small voice still rather terrified of the minotaur. Iron Will, in private admitted to himself he couldn't blame her.
Iron Will adjusted his tie in a embarrassed manner.
"Iron Will... He needs advice." Iron Will admitted sheepishly while rubbing his head and blushing. "Do you... Oh, how do I phrase this... Do you think my motivational speeches have helped anypony?"
"I... I don't know. I-I mean, I guess they have but I don't know." Fluttershy replied nervously.
"They didn't in your case. They turned you into "Flutterjerk" as the name's been going around Iron Will hears." The minotaur replied. This caused Fluttershy to break out in a huge blush and squeak, as she was still embarrassed of being reminded of the earlier incident.
"B-But that may be a exception to the rule." Fluttershy told him kindly. "Other ponies may beg to differ. Y-you could ask them I suppose." she guessed.
"But how do I know?" Iron Will asked. "For all I know, I may have been a failure at what I've done!" He yelled and stamped a hoof in pure frustration with himself.
Fluttershy shook her head, and despite her fear of the minotaur actually smiled at him.
"D-Don't doubt yourself Iron Will, you are better then you think you are." Fluttershy told him. Little did Iron Will know how helpful those words would soon prove...
It was even less then a hour later after Iron Will had stayed for tea that Fluttershy had made that the minotaur found himself walking home with his self-doubts still not even slightly solved. The sun was beginning to go down for the night casting a mix of blues and pinks across the sky and already stars were just beginning to twinkle. Even Iron Will for the briefest of moments was distracted by it's beauty and majesty but he was then torn to another subject. Atop a hill, was a pony in a wagon about to roll down the hill and crash to the bottom. Iron Will's eyes widened, even from afar he could see what was trying to be attempted here.
With a burst of speed, Iron Will ran over to the hilltop and picked up the cart and moved it a safe distance from the hill's slope. Inside the cart was a very down-trodden pony with a grape colored mane. Iron Will took a sniff, and winced. The pony in question reeked of hard cider.
"You shulda let me fall, and end it!" Berry Punch yelled with tears rolling down her face. "There's nuthin left for me anymore anyhow." The pony slurred.
"Sorry, but Iron Will cannot let you do that. What were you thinking anyway?" Iron Will demanded.
"What did it look like I wuz thinking you bastard!?!" Berry yelled back. "Life's not worth it. Best to be done with it, so do me a favor and piss off!"
Iron Will's eyes widened, if ever there was a need for his talent for inspiring ponies and motivating them this was it. He couldn't let this poor mare continue on in this state, as for all he knew Berry probably would try again in some other way to kill herself. Fluttershy's words came back to Iron Will's memory.
"You're better then you think you are..."
Now, if only he could convince this pony of the same. But if Fluttershy couldn't get him out of his own depression, what chance did he have? Oh, who was he kidding? Iron Will was the best at what he did and he knew it. He could do this for Celestia's sake damnit!
"Now Iron Will disagrees with that, life is very worth it. See those stars? Why, I have a cousin in Manehatten who gets up a hour before the sun rises just so he can them!" Iron Will said.
"You could take after him, even if stargazing isn't your special talent you could do well at it for all you know." Iron Well continued before a thought struck him. "Hey what is your special talent anyway Iron Will is so bold to ask?"
Iron Will knew at once he'd asked a bad question.
"DON'T YOU DARE LAUGH AT ME!" Berry yelled, holding back a sob.
"I... I wasn't laughing." Iron Will stammered in response while holding up his hands in a surrendering manner but that still wasn't enough as Berry let a few tears slip from her eyes as they splashed against the wagon's wooden frame.
"LIAR!" The mare yelled causing Iron Will to take a step back. "Everypony knows what my talent is! Berry, the town drunk! Berry, the town's least sober resident! Oh, I've heard all the jokes and how I'll never change! Well you know what, buck 'em all! They've been proven right at last!"
Iron Will never let his emotions show most of the time as he always like to play the tough guy more often then not but even he let a tear slip from his eye at Berry's rant of rage and sadness. But he sensed there was something deeper here.
"That's... That's not all is it?" Iron Will dared to inquire. Maybe it was because she was drunk or the fact that nothing mattered to her right now Berry gave a answer.
"You're right about that! Even my own husband left me due to my problem! That's the last damn straw, it's evident I can't change so why do I bother at all?" Berry asked, fury at herself raging in her eyes like a inferno.
Iron Will gave the question a long hard thought before he answered.
"You bother because deep down some part of you knows you can succeed at defeating your drinking habits. You bother because you want to prove others wrong and win back your husband." Iron Will said, bringing Berry into a hug and whispering those fateful words in her ears that made Berry's eyes widen and for the dam to finally break.
"You're better then you think you are..."
And Berry hearing those words at last felt a new surge of hope and confidence for herself. Iron Will word's had hit their mark and she would try and hold up to them. It would take a long time, but Berry swore she'd do the minotaur proud. She wasn't the only one who had new hope and confidence in themselves though. Iron Will, pony motivator supreme was back.
It was the very next day a more happy Iron Will made a return visit to Fluttershy's cottage where he was swiftly greeted by the Pegasus who'd heard all about what had happened last night.
"I'm very proud of you Iron Will. You did a very good thing." Fluttershy smiled, with no fear at all.
"Yes, and it's all thanks to you." Iron Will smiled back. It wasn't long before he sent a letter to Princess Celestia detailing what he'd learned.
Dear Princess Celestia:
"Today I learned that you shouldn't doubt yourself. You know you can do something, so go ahead and do it!"
