The Gentlecolts Club

Thunderlane approached the weather factory and he knew he was already late.  The morning conversation with Soarin distracted his concentration when he should have been flying with everything he had to make it on time for this shift.  Today on the other hand, he would be anything but on time.

Thinking aloud, he sorted through ways to keep out of being detected.  “How to get in…how to get in…  I think if I came in from below and poked my head through a cloud, I bet nopony would notice me.  If nopony notices, there’s nothing to explain!”  His face lit up and he dove down hard under the cloud where nopony is usually seen.  Continuing on, he looked up trying to figure out where to go next.

“Ugh, which area was I scheduled for today?”  He said aloud.  “Lightning bolt charging, fog generator, hailstone casting, it could be anything!  Rainbow Dash has the list!”  He paced under the cloud in nervous deliberation.  Finally coming to a stop, he made use of all wits available to him.

“Well, if I worked on the raincloud maker yesterday it’s either a test run with the tornado centrifuge or the high wind fans.  But, which is it?”  He smacked his head with a hoof in frustration.  “It’s got to be the fans.  The generator is down for the next few days.  I’m sure of it.”

Thunderlane flew directly underneath where the spare high wind fans sat in storage for repairs.  Poking his head up through the clouds, he couldn’t see a pony in sight.  With a wide grin he popped up through the cloud and landed softly on the floor.

“Yes!  Nopony will know!”  He said aloud and turned around.  Just as he did so, Rainbow Dash is seen directly in front of him.

“So, Thunderlane. “  She said causing Thunderlane to back up in surprise.  “You decided to come to work after all today.”   Looking over at the wall, she studied the clock and pointed it to Thunderlane.  “You’re also more than twenty minutes late.”

Quickly perking up, Thunderlane did his best to impress.  “RD!  Hey!  What’s happening?  How are things going at the factory?  Any rain forecasted over the week?”  He smiled quite sheepishly.

“Yes, things are going as usual.”  She replied with dry wit.  Her tone changed as she became more assertive.   “Some changes are also happening too.  Thunderlane, this is the fourth time you’ve been late just this week.  If you aren’t here, we can’t get everything done as it is.”  She placed a hoof over her face and shook her head.  “This already looks bad for us, but now I have to suspend you from weather duties and report you to the Canterlot weather commission for further action.”

“Reported to Canterlot!?”  Thunderlane shouted in shock.  “You can’t do that!  They’ll put me on extra duty!  They’ll cut my bit pay in half!”  Thunderlane fell to the ground, crawled over to RD and wrapped his hooves around her front leg.  “Please!  Anything but that!“ As continued, he sobbed and started to make a mess on her hoof.

With a groan and rolling her eyes, Rainbow Dash stepped back pulling her hoof out of the grasp of Thunderlane.  “It’s something I HAVE to do.  Besides, you’re already on the books for having missed work in the past.  You’ve also missed out on a LOT of duties when we needed you the most.  I already told you that last time was your last chance to shape up!  What am I supposed to do?  Just let it go?”  She looked at him wide eyed with a hoof in the air.

Getting up, Thunderlane came up with an idea.  “Wait!”  he blurted.  Looking around and tapping his head, he shouted out the first thing that came to mind.  “What if…what if I could get you a night out with one of the Wonderbolts?”  His eyes were wide and a smile is spread across his face.

Rainbow dash not expecting such a ridiculous response immediately burst out laughing.  “You?  Ha!  You think you can get me a night out with one of the Wonderbolts?”  She dropped to the ground and rolled around.  “Oh in the name of Celestia, that the best one I’ve heard in a while!”  Her loud laughter could be heard clear across the warehouse.

Thunderlane clearly irritated turned around and started toward the exit.  “Well, fine then.  Being that I’m on suspension and since you’re not interested, I’ll just leave and have to tell Soarin a filly turned him down…”

Rainbow dash in a half roll immediately got up and looked wide eyed at Thunderlane.  “Wait a second!  Did you….did you say Soarin!?  The one rarely seen with a date!?”  Her face lit up as she spoke in elation.

As smug as can be, Thunderlane looked back and nodded.  “Yep.  Just you and Soarin for a night out if you’re interested of course.”  Turning on the charm, he stood up and started to imitate a dance twirling around in circles and jumping up into the air.  “You and him can have a festive night out better then you can imagine!”

Rainbow dash thought for a moment and looked at Thunderlane with contempt.  “How do I know you’re even telling the truth?  You might just be stalling for time…”  She looked at him closely with one eyebrow raised clearly questioning his honesty.

“No!  Seriously!  He’ll be back at my place tonight!’  He waved both hooves in front of him.  “We can meet up and schedule a time for you two to go out!  I’m dead serious!  Even Rumble can prove it!”

The filly looked hard at the stallion deep in thought.  Finaly she spoke chewing on her words.  “Okay.  I‘ll leave you out of the report to Canterlot, but you’re still on suspension for three days.  You’re not getting out that easy.”

Thunderlane gave a big sigh of relief.  “Rainbow, you wouldn’t believe what you’ve…”

The filly raised a hoof and pointed it at the Stallion.  “Save it.  If I find out you lied to me, I’ll bury you deeper than a Diamond Dog.  Even Celestia herself won’t be able to save you.  After all of the headaches you’ve caused me, I’m just trying to keep cool.“

The Stallion chuckled a nervous laugh.  “Well, ah, great then!  I’ll see you over at my place just before sunset then, right?”

The look on Rainbow Dash lightened up.  “Your place sounds fine just to meet up.  I may even be there a little sooner than that to see him.”  A mild smile could be noticed as she was thinking about it.

“Great!”  Thunderlane stated still trying to play off the problem.  “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to get back to these fans…”

“Thunderlane.”  Rainbow dash interrupted.  “You’re supposed to be at the Tornado centrifuge. It was fixed this morning.”

“Oh, well uh…thanks.  Off to work then!” he chimed as he trots out of the warehouse.

Once out of sight, Rainbow Dash lets out a squeal and trots around in a circle.  “Oh my gosh!  Soarin!  A night with Soarin!  Eeek!  What will I wear?  What will we do?  So much to plan for!”  She placed both hooves on her muzzle and squealed again.

Darting forward in a full gallop, she runs out of the warehouse thinking of the night ahead.

**************************************

Waking up, Soarin looked around in a daze.  His head throbbed and the room was still spinning a bit.  As if calling from a far away distance, a faint voice is heard that he can’t quite make out.  From his position he could tell he was lying down on a bed.  A flash of light passed over his eyes as the figure moved back and forth.  Squinting hard, Soarin looked at the figure until it cleared up enough to determine that it was the Ponyville doctor wearing a white gown.

“Soarin?”  The voice started.  “Soarin can you hear me?” The figure called to him.

Waving a hoof in front of his snout, Soarin closed his eyes and turned his head trying to block the light.  “Yes…” he croaked.  “I can hear you just fine.  It’s my head that hurts.”  He let out a groan of pain.  Looking around, he faced the doctor.  “Where am I anyway?”

“Ponyville hospital.  Obviously  you’re here from the accident I’m afraid.”  The doctor could now easily be seen and replied while looking intently at his head and placing the light back in his pocket.  “It appears to be a rather nasty bump on your noggin by the look of it.”

“Accident?”  Soarin looked confused at the doctor and lightly shook his head.  “Wait, what accident?”

Picking up the clipboard at the foot of the bed, he is busily scribbling notes and paused for a moment with it in one hoof.   While still holding the pencil in the other, the doctor looked at Soarin and then adjusted his glasses.  “Sorry, I’m a bit busy today.  There’s far too many things on the mind.”  He sat down and continued on.  “From what I’ve been told, your accident happened today while you were training at the Wonderbolt facility.  A few ponies brought you in with your training leader…er…what’s her name…”

“Was it Spitfire?”  Soarin interjected while tapping his head and wincing upon touching the knot.

“ Yes.  Your direct supervisor…or…captain as you say brought you in with help from another Pegasi and informed us you had fallen from a stepladder while performing cleaning duties.  You must have hit fairly hard into a wall or fixed object from what I can tell.  Ladder falls are one of the most common and leading preventable accidents we see you know.”

“Yeah.  I hit something alright.”  Soarin grumbled while looking away from the doctor.

Looking back at the clipboard, the doctor continued with his note scribbling. ”Consider yourself rather lucky you weren’t more seriously hurt.  Some ponies have been known to hit much harder objects on the way down.  Especially Pegasi from what the records say.”

“I’m not so sure about that.”  Soarin added.

“Anyway” The doctor added “You’re cleared on medical leave from duty for the next three days.  The paperwork has already been sent to your command.  Your work requirements are not to include flying and plenty of rest during your off time for the next week after that.  Keep in mind that you will still need to report to your direct supervisor at roll call each day before you are relieved.”

Soarin quickly looked back at the doctor in shock.  “Wait a minute, I’m grounded!?  No flight duties at all!?”  He raised hoof in protest, sat up, and his tone shifted to frustration.  “But I have a performance to attend and I’m stuck in Ponyville!  We’re already short for time between two events that are only a few days apart!”  The room spun more heavily as his head throbbed again from the shouting and Soarin winced as a reaction.  In pain and dizziness, hey lay back down.

“Like I said” The doctor nonchalantly continued.  “You aren’t going to be on any flight duties with that bump you’ve taken.  You can still travel from town to town by air, but you’ll have to restrict it as much as possible.  No hot-dogging.  My job is to keep you alive so you’re fit for duty when you return.  For that, you must stay on the ground.”  Making a few more notes on the board, the doctor tapped at the bottom of it.  “Other than another few tests to run here for safety reasons, we can discharge you in a couple of hours.  We’ll get you out as soon as possible.”

Soarin closed his eyes and spoke aloud trying to get the mild spinning to subside while his head throbbed.  “Doc, I’ve seriously thought about a specialist because I need answers to some questions.”

The doctor looked at him closer.  “Yes? What type of specialist?”

“I get scared in public.  It’s a kind of scared that leaves me breathless, causes me to feel dizzy.  I just can’t think and it’s driving me crazy.”  He covered his eyes with a leg as the spinning subsided.

“Hmm, I think I know who may help.”  Pulling a card from his coat poket, he placed on the bed for Soarin to see.  Lifting his arm, the bedridden pony looked down to read the inscription.

“Doctor H?”  Soarin asked.  “Seems rather strange not to have a full name.  Any particular reason?”

The doctor shook his head.  “None I’m aware of, but his reputation is quite well known around here.  If he doesn’t know what you’re looking for, perhaps he can help find someone who can.”

Placing the clipboard back on the foot of the bed, the medical pony tucked the pencil in his coat pocket.  Heading over to the door and opening it, the doctor looked back and his face brightened up.  “Look on the bright side.  Being as busy as you Wonderbolts are, I’m sure you could use the rest and relaxation.  Try to look forward to the time off.”

Before the doctor could walk out, Soarin called from his bed.  “Doctor?”

Turning back around, the doctor again looked at Soarin.  “Yes, what is it?”

Soarin taking a deep breath sighed heavily.  “Is there any way to stay here for another day or two?”

With short laugh, the doctor raised an eyebrow.  “Oh, don’t be silly.  We can’t keep you here longer then needed.  You act as if there’s something you’re trying to get away from.”  With that he left and closed the door.

Looking up at the ceiling, Soarin blinked and stared wide eyed at the hundreds of holes that dotted the tiles while whispered to himself silently.  “More then you know.”

**************************************

Down the road from Ponyville, the first recess bell of the schoolhouse started to ring.  All of the young fillies and colts burst out of the rear exit door to play outside.  Cheers and laugher erupted from all fillies and colts as they spread out across the courtyard.

“C’mon Snips!”  The unicorn colt Snails looked back in and yelled while at the doorway.  “Last one to the tether ball court is a slow-colt!”

Snails jumped down the stairs and started in a full gallop just as the shorter and squatter Snips jumped out of the door quickly running at full speed.  “No fair!  You made it out the door first!”  He yelled trying to catch up.

Scootaloo came out of the door next talking behind her as she made it down the stairs.  “So where to first guys?  Jungle gym, sandbox, ball court, or the tree?”

Sweetie bell followed close behind with Applebloom.  “”The tree isn’t quite like our treehouse, but it’s still fun to hang from.”  Applebloom followed up.  “Wait, I know!  We’ll get a rope and tie you to a branch so you can fly in circles underneath!”  Laughter started between the two.

“Ha, ha.  Real funny.”  Scootaloo retorted.  “One of these days when I get up in the air, you won’t know what you’ll be missing in Cloudsdale.”  She hung her head low close to the grass.

With a smile, Applebloom motioned to Sweetie bell move faster.  Quickly both caught up and walked alongside Sootaloo.  “Aww, we’re just joking.”  She jested bumping into her with her shouder.  “Someday, even Rainbow Dash will be jealous of you.”

Sticking her tongue between her lips and waving her hoof around in a circle, Scootaloo caught on and blew a raspberry.  “Right! Pbhtt! ”

All three tumbled over giggling and laughing while rolling on the ground at the idea.   Sweetie Bell looking over was the first to stop and gave Applebloom a tap as she looked over her.  “Have a look.  It seems like we have a guest.”  She pointed a hoof in the direction.

Applebloom looking over noticed Rumble as he walked up from the sandbox looking to start a conversation.  “Hey guys!”  He stated dusting off his hooves.  “You wouldn’t believe what I found out today!”

All three fillies got up and surround the young colt.  “Heya Rumble!”  Applebloom greeted. “Whats goin on today?”

Rumble, wide eyed and full of suspense started up slowly.  “This morning you just WOULDN’T believe who I ran into!  It was a total surprise!  Had I knows I would have been ready with pictures and a picture to autograph and everything!”

“Go on Rumble…” Scootaloo said rolling her eyes.

”It was incredible to even see him there!  I mean, so early in the morning!  I got up and went to Thunderlanes room and it totally caught me off guard!  I mean, I couldn’t help but stare and was like ‘WOW’ because you would never expect it!”  Rumble carried on looking even more surprised.

“Rumble…”  Sweetie Bell groaned clearly growing irritated.

Looking up and raising hoof he continued.  “He was so big!  He must have been three times bigger than me even!   To look up and think he couldn’t be so large and be wrong is one thing but he is so big!  I mean, to see him at the show was one thing, but to act-“

“Rumble!”  Appleboom shouted.  “Get on with it!”

With a blank face, Rumble took a deep breath and let it out .  “Soarin the Wonderbolt was at my house!”

All across the yard heads turned as fillies and colts caught off guard turn around and talk is heard between them.  One by one having heard the news, all of them walk over to Rumble and surround him.

“Is it true?”  One voice says from the back.  “No, not Soarin…” Another starts from the other direction.

Sweetie Bell, Scootaloo and Applebloom look around to see the whole courtyard surrounding them trying to hear more.  Applebloom being the first to step forward, looked at Rumble in the eye.

“Rumble!”  She gasped and continued on.  “Was he really there?  Swear on it.”  Asking in amazement.

Rumble raised his head and closed his eyes. “On my word of Celestia guarding Equestia, I swear.”

Talk quickly burst out from all fillies and colts across the yard.  Cherilee inside of the schoolhouse having  heard how calm the schoolyard was and looking out of the doorway noticed the commotion.  Curious of the situation, she walked out and approached the crowd.

Sorting through the group, she arrived at the center.  Looking confused, she looked around at all fillies and colts.  “Children, what in all Ponyville is happening here?”

Applebloom turned to her and pointed to Rumble.  “Cherilee, he says Soarin the Wonderbolt was at his home last night.”

Looking over from the filly, she had seen the colt in the center of the crowd.  “Well, let me see about this.” Cherilee spoke as she directed her attention to Rumble and moved on over.

Cherilee looking down on the group of fillies and colts stepped though to approach him.  With a curious look, she and lay down face to face with him.

“Now Rumble, what is going on out here?  Is something the matter?”  She said as pleasant as can be with a kind smile.

“Teacher, it’s true!  Honest!  Thunderlane was there!  Soarin promised a royal escort for Thunderlane to Cloudsdale!”  Rumble asserted himself again.

Working their way forward from the crowd, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoons giggled with laughter.  “Thunderlane?  Your lazy brother?  An escort even?  Ha!  I should have known he would have put you up to this.  I heard he’s been late to work more times than anypony in Equestria can remember!  He’d do anything to keep his rump out of trouble!”  Silver spoons then chimed in.  “How much did he pay you this time?  Two bits or three?  He may have even paid the same to dress up one of his friends in a Wonderbolt suit!”  Together they laughed again.

Angrily, Rumble jumped toward the two asserting himself. “No!  I really saw him!  He was in my brother’s bedroom this morning sleeping on the floor!”

Snickers and a wave of laughter spread across the group as Diamond Tiara and Silver spoons couldn’t contain themselves rolling on the ground.  Sweetie bell and Applebloom were the only two calm as can be while Scootaloo couldn’t help but let out a small giggle.  With a quick glare from Applebloom, she composed herself and quieted down.

Cherilee looked down at the ground not quite knowing what to say.  With a sorrowful face, she looked back at the small colt.  “Rumble, it’s one thing to tell stories but I really wonder if it could have been your big brother that put you up to this.  We weren’t there so we can’t say for sure.  Wonderbolts have an awful lot to do and they’re very busy most of the time.  I can’t say for sure one way or the other.”

Rumble feeling betrayed, looked up at Cherilee.  His eyes welled up with tears ready to cry.  “You don’t believe me?  Do you?”  Sniffling, he walked through the crowd over to a nearby tree.

Cherilee sighed and got back up.  “Children, recess is over in a few minutes.  Please put everything away and I’ll meet you inside the classroom.  I have something to take care of.”  With that, she walked over to the colt sobbing at the base of the tree to console him.

Applebloom took note as Cherilee sat down and held the sobbing colt.  “Girls, as far as I know Rumble seemed pretty serious about it.  It just doesn’t make sense for him tell a lie like that for any reason.”

Scootaloo piped up.  “Did you hear that though?  Soarin of all Wonderbolts sleeping on the floor of his brothers bedroom?  You can’t seriously believe that.” With a look of disbelief and rolling her eyes, she let out a disconcerting hiss. “Pssh.”

“I know.  That’s pretty tough even for me to believe.”  Applebloom looked over to Sweetie Belle.  “What do you think?”

Lifting a hoof and shrugging a shoulder she clearly couldn’t decide.  “It’s a stretch, but what if it’s true?  What can we do?”

As her face lit up, Applebloom spoke out whith charisma.  “I know!  We can track down Thunderlane and see if he meets up with Soarin again!  I’ll bring a camera and we can prove it to Cherilee!  It’ll clear rumble and we may even get a cutie mark!  Whadda ya say Cutie Mark Crusaders?!”

With a cheer, all three let out hoots and hollers.  Cherilee walking back over from the tree shouted out across the courtyard.  “”Time is up children!  Let’s all go back to class!”  As she rounded up the stragglers, Applebloom waited as rumble slowly walked up while Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo went inside the schoolhouse.

“Rumble?”  She started.  “We’ll help prove you aren’t lying.  Me, Scoots and Sweetie Bell that is.”

Forlorn and sniffling, Rumble looked up at her with soaked eyes.  “R-really?  You’d do that?”  Applebloom nodded with a warm smile.  “Of course Rumble.  It’s what friends are for.”

Cheerilee came over to the pair and ushered them forward in an assuring tone.  “Cmon you two.  It’s time to go inside and you’re the last ones to go in.”

Rumble and Applebloom walked on over to the schoolhouse door.  “Don’t worry Rumble.  The Cutie Mark Crusaders are on the job!”  With that, the trio went inside.

**************************************

In the center of a small study while sorting through books on a shelf, a light brown pony with a dark brown mane is standing on a short stepladder and looking at each one intently as he went along.  “No, no, no…defiantly not…no…BAH!  NO!  It’s not here!  Where IS it!”  He tuned and shouted to the next room.  “A book is missing here!”

“Which one?”  A strangely higher pitched voice called back from the next room.

“The book on paranormal evidence detection!  It’s part of the forensics texts!  I know it was here yesterday!”  The pony stepped down and made his way to the center of the room where he sat on a large pillow and shuffled through a dusty pileof books reading the cover one by one and sorting them.  Deep in thought, he jumped when a loud knock rapped on the door.  With a shake of his hed, he came back to his senses.

“My!  A visitor!”  He stood up from the pillow and trotted to the door.  Opening it, he faced a rather strange character in what appeared to be a fedora, sunglasses and beard.  The dark brown trenchcoat he was also wearing didn’t make things any easier in understanding his apparel.

“Ah, hello good sir.  May I…er… help you?”  He inquired still taking the image in.   Looking around, the unknown character faced the host.  “I’m here for your services if you’re available.“  The overdressed pony looked over him and pointed a light blue hoof over to the pillow near the fireplace.  “May I have a seat?”  The figure inquired.

Opening the door wide, the host continued on.  “Yes!  Please do come in and make yourself comfortable.”  Having entered the room, the mystery guest turned and looked back.  “May I ask your name, sir?”

The pony at the door smirked.  “Please, just call me Doctor.  It’s more professional that way.”  He closed the door and quickly made it back over to his chair while his visitor took his time seating himself last.

“So!  Mr…whom shall I call you?”  the doctor inquired while lying down and placing one front hoof crossed over another.

Thinking for minute, the pony spoke out.  “Just call me…Sailing.  Sailing Jack.  Alright?”  Looking around briefly, he pulled up the jacket collar tightly around his neck.  “I was also told that doctors have patient confidentiality rules. ”

“Okay…er…Jack.”  The doctor gave him a peculiar look.   “I’m sure there’s a very good reason you’re here.  I can also promise anything said here won’t leave the room.”  He lifted his hooves while still watching him and lightly tapped them together.

The doctor looking briefly over the shoulder of the mystery guest looked back and smiled without moving an inch.  Sitting forward, the doctor looked intently into the glasses of the guest.  “Well, I suppose we really should finish the introductions first then before moving on.  I would like for you to meet…”  The doctor motioned with a hoof at another character to come forward hidden in the shadows.

Curious, the mystery visitor turns around in the chair to come face to face by mere inches with a pony looking directly at him with crossed eyes.  In shock and as a reaction, the beard and sunglasses fall off as he jerked back.  The doctor looked to the filly and laughed.  “...Derpy.”

“Hi!”  she spoke with a charismatic charm.  “Muffin?”  She handed out a plate full of an assortment from blueberry to bran.  One on the corner appeared to be half eaten.

“Oops!  Mine!”  Grabbing it, she pulls the plate back and starts chewing on it enthusiastically.  She sits while continuing to snack.

Looking back at the pony in the chair, the doctor instantly recognized who he was minus the glasses and beard.  Lifting both hooves in a charismatic welcome, he announced his thoughts.  “Ah, so the rumors are true.  Soarin does provide us a visit in Ponyville.  As memory recalls, you don’t visit here often.  What brings you to this neck of the woods?”

“Well, so much for Jack then.”  As Soarin removed his hat and trenchcoat, the Doctor noticed the large knot on his head.  Pointing it out, the Doctor interjected.  “That looks rather nasty.  Did that happen earlier?

Reaching up on top of his head, Soarin winced as he tapped it.  “Unfortuantly yes.  The medical doctor has taken me out of flight duties for three days due to the dizzy spells.  It comes and goes but for now it’s doing better.”

“I imagine not being able to fly becomes a large problem for a pegasi.”  The doctor inquired.

“Indeed.”  Soarin calmly agreed as he moved on.  “Anyhow, as most ponies do that come through your front door, I have a problem.  Lets just say it was a recommendation from another pony and I’m looking for answers.”

The doctor lay down both hooves and leaned back.  “This isn’t normally my line of work, but anything to help bring in a few extra bits tends to make life a little easier.  I do what I can for all ponies when they come to my aid.  I was inspired to do more when I first met Derpy here.”  He pointed a hoof at her.

Hearing her name, she looked up quizzically from the plate with half of the muffins already gone and her face covered in crumbs.  “Huh?’

His face brightening up, the doctor laughed.  “How couldn’t you love her?”  His kind eyes watched the pegasi as she continued to heartily with enthusiasm.

“Uh, right.”  Soarin cleared his throat and with a serious tone continued with the doctor.  “Doc, I really don’t know where to begin.    Ever since I was young I worked hard to get to be where I am and now that I’ve done it, there are certain…problems that have arisen because of it.”  With that, he paused.

Noticing the lapse, the doctor waved a hoof.  “Please, continue if you can.”

Taking a deep breath Soarin about to speak, stalled looking over at Derpy still face deep into the plate of muffins.  With a quizzical look, he looked back at the doctor.  “Should she be here for this?”

The doctor chuckled and shook his head.  “I wouldn’t worry at all.  She doesn’t take much interest in my studies.  It’s quite likely she won’t even recall you being here by bedtime tonight.”  Tapping his hoof on the floor, the doctor continued with his interest in the pegasi.  “Now let’s move on.”

Soarin chewed on his lower lip and looked around.  “Doc, I just can’t take this tension.  It’s these fillies and mares both between on and off duty.  Some of my own team think I’m too distant because of...well…this issue whatever it is.  I try to play it off and sometimes I have to hide if I can just to get back under control.  It feels like it’s getting worse and nothing seems to help.”

Visibly thinking hard, the doctor threw out a question.  “Does it happen when you perform in the air at all?”

“No!”  Soarin blurted wide eyed.  “That’s just it!  Up there, I feel free as the birds  They can’t touch me, hold me, grab me or squeeze me while I’m in the air.  I feel like I can get away if I had to.  It’s when I land on the ground and the crowd comes.  It’s that…that…SWARM if you will.”  “As he continued, his tone became more vocal and his hoof movements more excited.  “Colts and stallions will shake a hoof or tell you how great you are, but it’s these mares that I just cant handle Doc.  Something breaks down.  At nights I have nightmares that they pull at me, at my hair and tear my suit apart trying get a piece of me!  I feel buried as the group closes in on me!  I can’t breathe Doctor.  I just-“

“Here!  Get him!”  Derpy cut into the conversation with the last half eaten bran muffin on the tray offering it to Soarin.

“YAH!  Stay away!”  Leaping off the pillow, Soarin scrambled back in a panic.  Visibly shaken and breathing heavily, he cowered into the nearest wall corner covering his head with a wing.  With a blank face Derpy looked from Soarin to the muffin on the plate.  Studying it closely with her offset eyes and poking it, she bit into it. Munching, she turned at the doctor.   “Seems fine to me.”  She mumbled with a mouthful of muffin.

The doctor having watched the situation unfold before him looked down at the floor and slowly tapped it with a hoof.  After a brief moment, he looked up and waved over to the pegasi in the corner.  “Soarin, come on back and have a seat.  I think I see the trouble or at least part of it anyway.”

Slowly crawling out of the corner, Soarin lay back down on the cushion mildly trembling and his breathing still quite labored.  In a calm tone, the doctor stretched his head forward to speak closer.  “I can understand how this is a problem for you in your line of work.  Statistically speaking, fillies and mares do indeed outnumber colts and stallions from what I’ve seen in some areas more so then others.”

Soarin covered his head with a hoof.  “But doctor, what do I do!  This is holding me back!  I can’t take it anymore!”  He lowered his head to the ground and beat on it with both hooves.

The doctor leaned back on his pillow.  “From what I’ve seen just this far, I would have to lean towards a social anxiety disorder.  It’s certainly not physical, but part of that wiring in your head is not right.”  Getting up, he looked over on the shelf and ran a hoof down the line.  Upon finidng a book, he pulls it off and begind leafing through it.  “Paranoia, schizophrenia…ah.  Here it is.  Anxiety in its simplest sense is a state of uneasiness and apprehension, as about future uncertainties.  Hmm…”  Leafing through it he goes silent for a moment.  Before long, the doctor closes the book and places it back on the shelf.

“Now Soarin…”  the doctor returned to the pillow next to the fire.  “This is a rather broad problem and I’ll need time to narrow down the exact causes of what triggers your problem.”  Looking back over at Derpy, he rubbed his chin with a hoof.  Thinking aloud, he spoke his mind.  “I want to try something…”

The doctor motions at him to move.  “Walk over to Derpy and stand next to her.”  Looking over, Soarin slowly crept over and edged ever so slightly next to Derpy.  “Now”  The doctor continued.  “Put a hoof over her.”

Soarin looked nervous.  “What?  You’re not serious!”  As he took a step sideways away from her, Derpy looked at him with her offset eyes, smiled and just cocked her head.  “Don’t worry, the doc knows what he’s doing.”  The doctor nodded in agreement.  “Have no fear, it’s just one pony and as I mentioned, quite harmless.”  Unsure, Soarin looked at her and hesitantly but gradually lifted a hoof.  Ever so gently, he placed it on the back of her neck.  Initially breathing heavily and looking away, he calmed down in the stillness.

The doctor paused as he read his facial expressions.   “So how do you feel Soarin?”  He questioned.

“A little ill, but mostly calm for the time being.”  He replied with a mildly nervous tone.  “For the most part though, I’m doing OK.”

The doctor nodded.  “Now Soarin, I’m going to have Derpy put hoof around your neck just as you have on hers.  This will basically be the same as meeting a colt friend from an outing or family members even.  Just as friends.  Nothing more.”  With that, the doctor gave a nod to Derpy.

“Yay!  Friends!”  She squealed as she grabbed his neck by the hoof.  Visibly tensing up and swallowing hard, Soarin leaned away but kept his remaining hooves planted.  Managing to keep composure, he let out a dull whine.  “Are we done yet?  I REALLY don’t enjoy this.”

“Nearly.  Results appear just as I thought.”  The doctor stated.  “Now for this last part Soarin, I need you to keep perfectly still.  Don’t move.”  Turning around, the doctor made his way to a large trunk, opened it and brought out a pair of earmuffs.  Bringing them back over, he placed them on the ground.

“Now Soarin, I want you to close your eyes and count to a hundred while you’re wearing these.”  Picking up the earmuffs, he placed on the blue Pegasi’s head.  Closing his eyes, Soren then could be seen visibly mouthing the numbes one by one.

“Now Derpy.”  The doctor looked over to her.  “Ever so quietly tell Soarin you think he’s cute.”

The grey filly nodded, turned to the colt and whipered as the doctor studied closely.  “Soarin, I think you’re cute.”  Still clearly counting, Soarin neither budged or moved an inch.  His face lighting up, the doctor looked at Derpy.  “Now tell him you love him, but quietly.  I don’t want him to hear it.”  Nodding at the doctor, she turned and did so.  “Soarin, I love you.”  Soarin still deaf to the world counted on.

“I knew it!”  The doctor exclaimed slapping a hoof on the ground.  Barely hearing the muffle, Soarin looked up at the pair.  “What was that?”

“Nothing, nothing.”  The Doctor removed the earmuffs while watching Soarin closely.  “I think she said something about you having a good looking mane.”

Immediately Soarin unwrapped his hooves and jerked away from Derpy as if she had something contagious.  Looking a bit sad, she shook her head at the doctor.  “But I didn’t say that.”

“You certainly didn’t and we’re done for now.”  Raising a hoof, he placed it vertical across his lips and winked at her as if to stay hushed.  He quickly turned to Soarin thereafter.  “I’m rather certain where we stand.  We can have a seat back next to the fire.”

Both ponies walk over and lay down on their respective pillows.  “Well, the good news is that I have a ballpark idea of where to start my friend.”  The doctor stated.  “I’ll need some time and when ready, I’ll send Derpy for you.  I have some spare time here tonight and I want to get started immediately.  When I have conclusion, I’ll need you return here later on.  Will that suffice?”

With a heavy sigh of relief, Soarin closed his eyes and let out a long sigh.  “You don’t know what this means to me doc, really.”  With a light chuckle, the doctor nodded.  “Glad to help my friend.”

As Soarin picked up his belongings, he thought to himself for a few seconds before turning to the doctor. “Perhaps it’s too early for any sort of remedy doc, but is there you can give me for at least for the short term to work with?  Anything that helps ease the mind until later?”  Soarin asked almost pleading.

The Doctor looking up tapped his chin with a hoof.  “I have found that if this problem comes at you headlong, you must face it rather then run.  Try to remember that you are in control and not the other way around.”  The doctor then gave a mild shrug.  “At least that’s how it has worked for me.”

Both ponies walked over to the entry door as Soarin started to redress himself in the disguise he arrived in.  The Doctor placed  a hoof on his shoulder.  “Remember, you have a choice.  You are in control.”

Soarin nodded.  “Of course.  Thank you doctor.”

As the pegasi walked out, the Doctor closed the door behind him, returned to the pillow and sat down while obviously deep in thought.  Somewhat confused at his long pause without commentary, she walked over to him.  “Is everything ok?”  She asked.

“Derpy, we have work to do.”  The doctor spoke in a serious tone.  “Our friend Soarin will need our help and we’ll need to prepare.  Assemble the gentlecolts.  The meeting is late tonight, same place and time.”

“Right!”  Doing an about face with two skips and a leap, she shot out of the nearest window, spread her wings, and took off into the afternoon sun.