Friendship is Failure #24- Twilight in Therapy

Chapters

Act 1: Need Help?
Act 2: Take a Chance
Act 3: Overworked
Act 4: You're a Disgrace
Act 5: Looking back: Part 1
Act 6: Looking Back: Part 2
Act 7: Presumptions
Act 8: Nobody But You
Final Act: Taking it Easy

Act 1: Need Help?

ACT ONE

Equestria, a place where Friendship is supposedly “the norm,” the best way to live, and the one in primary charge of keeping all this together was Twilight Sparkle: Princess of Friendship.

She had come a long way, learning so much about friendship and wanting nothing more than to spread it around the world, and teach it to others…

Which was why she founded The School of Friendship, to help train others in such fields and become as educated as she was in the subject.

For now, it was summertime, and the school was closed. Starlight Glimmer had gone on vacation to visit her father in Sire’s hollow.

Twilight Sparkle, on the other hoof, never took time off from her solemn duties she vowed to uphold-- in continuing to teach and spread the joys and wonders of friendship…

…Unfortunately, no pony is perfect-- No one is without flaws, and one of Princess Twilight’s most serious and often-recurring flaws was her Paranoia-- her extreme fear of Friendship dying, allowing hatred and evil to rise which would lead to catastrophic consequences for all Equestria.

While the Friendship Map in her Rainbow Castle would alert her to friendship issues in need of addressing, she would often take matters into her own hooves at even the slightest imperfection to her.

She would butt into the businesses and private lives of others in attempt to turn them around—make them see things from her point of view and, in her own words, “Embrace friendship. Take all the benefits from it and become a better being.”

While sometimes she and her friends would succeed, other times they would fail, mostly due to Twilight’s own stubbornness.

…And she had been failing a lot lately.

She tried to help two estranged brothers make up after a long quarrel and be more like a family again.

“No way!” one brother would yell.

“I don’t want to make up, especially not with him!”

She tried to help a guy who was dumped by his mare-friend to embrace his situation and move on with his life.

“What if I don’t want to move on? Did that thought ever occur to you?!” he balked before demanding she leave.

She and Rarity tried to help improve a shipping business that was dwindling to the verge of bankruptcy-- IE: turning it into a stylish, and fashionable business, with promotions of friendship in the workforce.

All that did was completely drive the business to the ground faster, causing all the ponies and creatures to lose their jobs.

Then, there was one Earth Pony mare who was down on her luck-- Her husband had died, she lost her job-- from the shipping business-- and her money was not doing well. She decided to end it all by committing suicide-- jumping from the roof of a tall building in Las Pegasus.

Twilight couldn’t allow such a thing, and rescued her with Rainbow Dash’s help, but the mare was far from grateful for their good deeds.

“Hey! We saved your life!” snapped Rainbow, only for the mare to protest “You didn’t save my life! You ruined my death! That’s what you did! I was going to be free from all this, and you ruined it all!”

It was in vain that Twilight tried to convince the pony, “Suicide is not the answer. You have much to live for, you just have to find it.”

…The pony insisted she was wrong, and for this, she was admitted to an insane asylum.

Twilight walked miserably through Ponyville. “I don’t get this!” she grumbled to Spike. “All I’m trying to do is help others. Is that so hard to understand.”

Spike hated to tell her, “Twilight, did you ever think maybe you’re taking this a little too far?”

As he expected, Twilight was shocked and appalled. “How can you ever say that?! I have a job and a mission in life. It’s my duty to spread friendship around, and help others see that.”

Spike was really growing worried for her. All this obsession and these failed missions were really starting to affect her in a bad way.

Before he could say anything, he and Twilight heard quarrelling, whereas a mother and son were arguing with one another.

“You are going to take over the family business, and it’s time you got to studying!”

“I don’t want to take over the family business!” protested the son. “I want to be a professional skateboarder!”

“No son of mine, is going to be putting himself in danger for no good reason!”

Twilight immediately galloped over shouting, “Hold it down here!”

The mother and son took one look at her and immediately backed away. “Stay away from us!” demanded the mother.

Twilight was stunned at her tone. “I just want help you.” insisted Twilight.

The mother balked, “This is none of your business, and besides, you’ll just mess it up more!”

Her son rudely blew a raspberry at Twilight before being dragged off by his mother leaving Twilight in a mix of shock and anger.

“Well, how do you like that?” she muttered.

Spike shook his head in dismay at her. “It wasn’t really your business, you know. It was between a mother and child to decide.”

“But what if it escalates into a bigger problem?” cried Twilight. “What if they get madder and madder at each other? What if they start to physically fight each other!”

Spike couldn’t deny, “That is a possibility, but that doesn’t mean it’ll actually happen.”

Twilight remained unconvinced.

As they walked a little further, they saw a grumpy Earth Pony stallion, in a well-dressed business suit leaving City Hall. He really looked mean and disturbed.

A beautiful Pegasus Mare was waiting on the steps, looking straight at him, with a queer look on her face-- the kind only a mare in love would have.

She tried to say hello to him, but he paid no mind, and didn’t even look her way, which made her feel hurt to the point of tears.

Twilight’s features hardened and she rushed off again.

“Oh, boy! Here we go again!” groaned Spike.

Twilight went up to the stallion. “Excuse me!” she balked, “Don’t you think you were very rude to her?”

The stallion snuffed and said, “She deserved it.” Then he looked back at the mare. “We dated for a whole year, then she broke up with me for personal reasons. Now she wants me back, but I won’t let her. She’s not going to make a fool of me again.

Goodbye!”

He went past Twilight, nearly shoving her out of the way.

“But wait--” was all Twilight could say before he yelled at her, “…GOOD… BYE!!”

Then Twilight turned to the tearful mare, wanting to console her, but the pony just yelled at her. “Thanks a lot, Princess. You didn’t have to butt in, you know!” and she flew off crying leaving Twilight feeling embarrassed and even sorer than ever, and Spike’s concern was nearing its peak.

They finally got home to the castle and sat down to dinner, but Twilight didn’t feel much like eating. She kept staring blankly at her plate of food, picking at it.

Spike asked, though he had his hunch, “Are you alright, Twilight?”

She hesitated, and then shook her head, “No… No, I’m not. I cannot believe how so many ponies are behaving. They wouldn’t even let me try to help them.”

Spike didn’t know if talking any more would do good, as Twilight didn’t seem to get what she was complaining about herself.

Suddenly, he felt strange, and then he let out a big belch, producing a magical letter with a royal seal on it.

“It’s from Celestia.” Spike said.

“I can see that!” Twilight snapped, making Spike jump in fear.

Twilight gasped at what she had just done, and she quickly apologized to him. She was under a lot of stress, which Spike understood.

She opened the letter from the Princess, and it was not full of happy news.

“Dear Princess Twilight…

This is a letter of extreme concern.

Lately, I have been receiving numerous letters from many ponies complaining of you’re meddling in their private affairs. I have also noticed that you have not been handling certain situations very well and have only made things worse instead of better.

I am worried and deeply concerned for you, as a personal friend-- not merely as my former student, nor for your reputation as Princess of Friendship.”

Twilight began to quiver nervously. She couldn’t believe the things her former mentor was saying about her, she almost didn’t dare keep reading.

“I wish for you to come to Canterlot some time to meet with a friend of mine.

His name is Dr. Cy Colt. He is a very great therapist who specializes in how others think or behave, and he has quite a way with words.

One might even say he has a way of understanding friendship that could even help you with your own.

I’m not making this an order, but I strongly urge you to do this, for your own sake.

--Princess Celestia.”

Twilight let the letter slowly fall onto the table and placed her hoofs on the sides of her head in total disbelief. “Therapy? Me?! I’m probably the last pony in all Equestria that would ever need such a thing.”

Spike disagreed, “I don’t know, Twilight. I think you should consider it.”

“Spike?!” spat Twilight.

“Well, look at you! You’re falling apart, you’re letting yourself become overly obsessed…”

“…I am NOT obsessed!” thundered Twilight, and she got up and stomped to her room for the night.

“Ugh!” groaned Spike, but now he was more than convinced that Twilight needed this therapy. “I’ve got to find a way to convince her, before she really goes off the deep end.”

He had an idea.

Twilight spent the remainder of the evening contemplating everything over and over.

“I don’t need therapy.” she kept saying to herself. “Why can every pony see that I’m just trying to help; improve their lives and show them the joys and wonders of friendship.”

She lay down in bed and blew out the candles, but she kept saying to herself, “I have a solemn duty to uphold. I have to do my best to keep Equestria safe, and make sure that every creature gets along so that no disasters will occur!

I have to…

They have to…

…It’s best for everyone.”

She let out a yawn and fell asleep.

Act 2: Take a Chance

ACT TWO

Twilight found herself walking through Ponyville, and what she saw turned her blood cold…

Everywhere she looked, ponies were being mean, angry, and very nasty instead of friendly, calm, and caring.

A filly was throwing dirt balls at colt.

“Why are you doing this?” the colt would ask.

“I just feel like it. So there!” answered the filly, and she threw one right at his head knocking him unconscious.

Teenage ponies were having a battle of genders, saying that Boys were better than Girls.

“Boys are stronger!!”

“Girls are smarter!!”

Back and forth, the insults flew, and then it turned into a full out street fight.

Twilight angrily tried to use her magic to break the fight up yelling, “Stop this, now!!” but to her surprise, her magic did nothing-- no barriers, no paralysis, she couldn’t even teleport one pony to someplace else.

Twilight ran for her dear life when one of the colts was thrown her way.

She barely made it up the street when she saw more ponies committing riots-- breaking and entering stores or other ponies’ homes and just helped themselves to whatever they could steal, and whatever they didn’t take, they’d break just for the fun of it.

“What are you all doing?!” Twilight thundered.

“Shut up!” one pony balked at her.

Twilight tried to protest, “THIS IS NOT HOW EQUESTRIA IS SUPPOSED TO BE!!” only to get shoved out of the way by another pony.

“Who cares what YOU think?!” he snapped at her, and he went to go fighting some pony else just to feel good about himself.

The skies were beginning to grow dark, and the grounds began to rumble, just as Twilight always feared.

“Please stop!!” she shouted to everyone. “The more hate you show, the more the world is descending into chaos!”

No one would listen, and the more they continued, the more the ground shook, and crevasses began to open spreading magical dark smoke that covered the lands in a veil of shadows, and the once proud land of Equestria was now a dark, chaotic world full of hate, anger and destruction… all of it was heading Twilight’s way.

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOO…!!!”

With a loud gasp, she bolted upright to find she was in her own bed, in her own room.

She quickly caught her breath and realized, “It was just a dream…” one that she had many times over.

She used her magic to pull the curtains open at the end of the room, only to see it a beautiful morning.

She dashed to the window to see all was normal in Ponyville. Adults were going to work, children were out playing in the summertime, and other ponies were hanging out, talking, and other blissful things.

She breathed a huge sigh of relief. “I can’t let it happen!” she said to herself. “I won’t let Equestria fall into darkness. I will uphold friendship, and I’ll help everyone else see that way too.”

Just then, there was a knock at her bedroom door. “Twilight, are you awake?” Spike called. He sounded rather upset.

Twilight quickly ran to the door. “What is it?”

“A friendship emergency! Come to the map room.”

Twilight’s eyes widened, and she teleported to the map room with Spike, only to find all her friends were there waiting for her, except for Starlight who was still away.

“What’s going on here?” asked Twilight.

Spike then told Twilight. “I’m sorry I lied…”

Twilight blinked once. “You mean there is no emergency?”

“…I had to say something that would get you here.” cried Spike.

Applejack motioned at Twilight’s chair at the table, “Have a seat. We need to have a little talk.”

Twilight was confused and asked, “Talk about what?”

“…About you.” replied Rainbow. “Spike came to visit us all last night and told us about Celestia wanting you to go to therapy.”

Twilight looked down at Spike, finally seeing how sleepy and baggy-eyed he looked-- proving he had been up late, and his wings sure looked tired from having to fly all over, and even to Cloudsdale to talk to Rainbow.

Twilight sighed, “Look, I don’t need this therapy. So, can’t we just drop it?”

Fluttershy stammered a little, trying to find her courage to speak up. “Um… well… No, we can’t really, Twilight.”

“I’m forced to agree with, Fluttershy.” said Rarity, and she addressed Twilight. “Darling, we do love you so, and we hate to see you coming apart at the seems like an old gown.

You should consider getting this help.”

Pinkie bounced giddily saying, “Yeah, come on, Twilight. What have you got to lose; it could even be fun.” She stopped right there, especially when the others glared at her hard for that last line.

Pinkie had forgotten that therapy was very serious.

“…Sorry, I knew I shouldn’t have eaten that extra cupcake today.”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Look, I appreciate everyone’s concern, but, really, I’m fine. I don’t need this, and I don’t have a problem. Can we please just forget about this?!” Her voice got louder and more aggravated, causing everyone to shake their heads at her.

“What?!” she snapped.

Rainbow said, “With talk and denial like that, you need this help more than ever.”

“RD’s got a point,” agreed Applejack, and she said to Twilight, “Don’t take it so hard. We all have problems we have to deal with.

RD’s a bit of a showoff.”

Rainbow’s features hardened. “True… But you overwork yourself to the point where you don’t pay attention to your surroundings.”

Applejack opened her mouth to argue, but she ultimately couldn’t.

Pinkie stuffed her face with another cupcake, “Rarity’s a bit of a diva.”

“Ah!” snapped Rarity, but she conceded, “I… suppose… I get a little full of myself, just like you, Pinkie, with your overindulging on junk food and hyper antics.”

“Guilty.” Pinkie admitted.

Fluttershy then spoke up, “Um… I have… Well, I… I guess.” She didn’t have to say much more, it was obvious her flaw was her timidity.

Spike, rather than say his own flaws, looked up at Twilight with very sincere eyes. “Please, Twilight. Won’t you do it-- if not for yourself, then for your friends, who are very concerned about you, and not just us, but for Celestia as well.”

Twilight looked back and forth at all her friends, and how they were gazing at her with desperate eyes. Pinkie even did her sad puppy dog impression.

“I… I just…!” she couldn’t seem to find the words. Her friends did seem worried, as if they could see things she couldn’t or had just forgotten about.

Finally, she relented, “Spike, take up a letter. I’ll do it.”

Everyone smiled proudly at her.

“…I’m only doing this to prove to you all that I’m just fine.”

“Sure, Twilight…” Spike muttered, and he got his quill and paper ready.

Twilight had written up a letter to Dr. Colt in Canterlot explaining her situation and scheduling an appointment to see him… under Celestia’s recommendation.

“Well, now we just wait.” said Spike.

Twilight agreed, “Who knows when we’ll get a reply?” but at that very second, Spike belched up a response letter, much to everyone’s surprise!

“Well, that certainly was fast.” remarked Rarity. “You’d think he was expecting you to write him.”

Which was exactly what the letter said when Twilight opened it, and even more surprising, Dr. Colt was willing to see Twilight to schedule sessions that very afternoon, much to Twilight’s shock.

“This afternoon?!” she spluttered.

Even Spike was astounded, “Is this guy a doc or some kind of psychic?”

That very afternoon, Twilight teleported herself and all her friends to Canterlot, to a big building in the village, and yet another surprise was there waiting for them.

“Princess Celestia?” Twilight nearly exclaimed when she and the others came into the doc’s office.

They all bowed immediately, and Celestia giggled. “Figured you’d come.”

Then she presented the doc himself.

Cy colt was a middle-aged orange coated Unicorn. He had a short red mane. He wore half-moon glasses, and wore a blue sweater under a purple blazer, and his cutie mark was that of a hypnotic pendulum ball on a string.

He seemed a kind, and very deep pony. “I am honored, Princess Twilight.” He said with respect.

Twilight felt a little flattered.

Soon, everyone was speaking privately in the office.

“I knew you’d be coming.” said Cy. “When Princess Celestia wrote to me, citing her concerns for you, I had a feeling it would not have been long. I wouldn’t have expected anything less from the Princess of Friendship.”

Twilight grinned nervously, but then cleared her throat. “Pardon me, Doctor…”

“Oh, please… call me “Cy.”

“…Cy.” said Twilight. “I really don’t think I should do this, or even be here.”

“Mm-hmm…” remarked sigh “That’s what they all say. Denial is the first and foremost excuse, and a formidable one.”

“I agree…” said Celestia. “I’m more than convinced she needs this treatment now than ever.”

Twilight was shocked at her. “But your majesty…! I’m just fine. I really don’t think I need all this.”

Celestia only gave her an unconvinced stare, not buying her whining at all.

“Princess Twilight, I know therapy can seem scary.” said Cy.

“I’m not scared. I just don’t get why I need all this.”

Rather than arguing to the point, and seeing she was truly in denial, Cy spoke softly to her, “Princess, no one is going to force you to do anything.”

He then went into a deep and profound speech…

“Many people who often come to me claiming the same thing-- that they are fine, and that they don’t need help. Maybe it’s true, maybe it isn’t, but I can’t force them to sit with me and spill their guts.

Therapy isn’t a matter of needing, it’s more a matter of “wanting.”

Many out there would deny their obvious problems for all to see and claim. “I’ve tried, and I’ve tried, but there is no help me out there.”

That’s a load of nonsense. Coming to me for advice and help is an excellent start, or even addressing your problems and finding ways to overcome them is a good way too…

…But the overall thing is that you have to “want” it. You have to be willing to get help, and you have to be willing to want to change.

Therapy isn’t some magical process, bargain, or instant relief. It’s a slow and delicate process that can take weeks to many years, and even with it, there is no guarantee that you will be cured.

My job isn’t to cure others myself, but to help them discover a cure for themselves, and whatever happens is entirely up to them, so there is no one else to blame when it fails.

It isn’t a matter that I didn’t help you, but rather you didn’t help yourself, or you weren’t willing to.”

The more he spoke, the more Twilight and friends were stunned and astounded by his deep words. It was no wonder he was considered a professional and recommended by Celestia.

“Give me a chance, Twilight.” said Cy. “I cannot guarantee success-- no therapist can-- but I am willing to try.

Are you?”

Overly moved by his speech, and the fact that she didn’t want to disappoint her friends or Celestia, Twilight could only ask, “…When do we start?”

Act 3: Overworked

ACT THREE

The next day, Twilight had shown up for her first session. She had been asked to remain in Canterlot for a week at Cy’s request.

“Like I said, things like these cannot be solved in one simple session. It might take quite a few sittings for me to really get to the bottom of the matter.”

This in respect, all the other ponies were transported back home by Celestia, and she offered to put Twilight up in the palace during her stay.

Twilight was still frustrated and insistent that she didn’t need any of this, but she made no effort to argue, not having come this far.

She was now sitting on the sofa in Cy’s office, which was very quiet, and not too much sunlight shone through the windows. There were even quiet nature sounds playing on a record.

Cy explained, “I like all my patients to be as comfortable as I can. It helps to keep their minds clear, and we can communicate better.”

“How wonderful.” Twilight snidely remarked.

Cy adjusted his glasses. “Now, now, Twilight. Let’s start by taking a nice, deep breath in… come on, now.”

Twilight shrugged but did as she was told.

“Slowly in through the nostrils…” instructed Cy “…And slowly out through the mouth. Ahhh…”

Twilight did feel a bit lighter and calmer.

“Good….” Said cy. “I want you to remember; I’m not here to chastise you in any way, but I’m here to understand you, to get to the root of your problems.”

Twilight was about to protest again, but she was cut off when Cy held up his hoof, “Now, now… it’ll be alright.

We’re perfectly alone here. I’ve even cast a spell of silence on the walls.”

The walls in the office gave small shimmers showing that magic was in effect.

“No one, absolutely no one can hear us. Whatever transpires in this room stays in this room, between us.”

Twilight was still uncertain.

Cy levitated his pad and quill, “Now, let’s begin, and I’ll start by asking you the big question.

…Twilight, what would you say your problem is? Why do you feel that you are here today?”

Twilight shut her eyes tight trying to find her words.

“Don’t struggle…” said Cy “Just take your time; nice and easy-- whatever you think is on your mind.”

“Well…” Twilight said, “I’d have to say my problem is how others look at me and misjudge me.

I’m such a kind and caring creature. I’m always trying to think about others and how they would feel.”

Cy wrote down everything on his pad, never missing a word of it. Then he asked, “Can you give me some examples of how caring you are?”

Twilight looked deep in her mind, “Well, I’m always willing to lend a helping hoof, like the time I organized a picnic and went to pick up the cupcakes.”

In a Flashback to the day of “Lesson Zero”

Twilight noticed the cupcakes all had inequal amounts of icing on their tops.

“I don't want anypony to feel like somepony else is getting more icing.”

Resulting in her overly smoothening out the icing until only a tiny drop was left on each cupcake.

“There, much better.”

“And then there was the “Winter Wrap up,”

She tried to help her friends with the annual clean up to prepare for spring, only to wind up make numerous mistakes in her attempts…

-Making messy birds’ nests in contrast to Rarity’s beautifully crafted ones.

-Trying to help Pinkie Pie score ice, only to be a lousy skater…

-Then there was helping Applejack with snow clearing, which ended in disaster as she had forgotten the Ponvyille tradition to not use magic.

“I… I just wanted to help.” Twilight said, trying not to tear up, “In the end, I did manage to get all the groups together in harmony and work together to help the wrap up.”

“Mm-hmm.” said Cy. “Well, at least it shows your heart was in the right place.”

“Of course, it does,” replied Twilight. “That’s all I ever do, is give, and give, and I try, and I try.”

“Tell me more...”

Twilight was about to think of something else, when she snapped upright and asked, “Wait, what does all this have to do with anything? I thought we were here to discover my problems?”

Cy raised his hoof, “Uh, uh, uh, Twilight… try to keep hold of yourself. There’s no need for outrage. I’m just asking questions, and I need to understand everything.

It’s like putting the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle together. If I don’t have all the pieces, I will never have the complete picture. Even the slightest missing details can be important.

Now, let’s take another deep breath, come on.”

Twilight did as she was told, and she relaxed back on the sofa.

“There we are… now, tell me more about how giving you are? What do you feel is the greatest gift you have to offer?”

Twilight smiled, “That’s easy… the greatest gift I have is friendship.

I try my best to get along with every pony and every other creature out there. I wouldn’t even be Princess of Friendship today if not for all the love and warmth I give.”

She couldn’t stop thinking of all the joyful times she had with her friends…

All the social events, all their projects, mission, working together to save Equestria from all the evil forces, and even working to start the School of Friendship to continue to spread all the love and joy they felt.

She even remembered one of her favorite songs. “Best Friends until the end of Time.”

Cy couldn’t help but smile and remark, “That’s very beautiful.”

Twilight couldn’t help but detect a note of slight cynicism in his voice. “…Is there something wrong with that?”

“Oh, no… there’s nothing wrong with that at all. Good, and healthy friendships are wonderful… but tell me…” he paused “All this time with your friends, and all the work you do on top of it--all the organizing, planning, adventures-- does any of this make you feel overworked?”

Twilight’s eyes went wide, “What do you mean?”

“What I mean is… you seem to have quite a workload-- a lot of schedules, chores, plans, and yet you somehow also make time to do other things as well such as extra circular activity or lending a helping hoof.

Don’t you think that’s rather excessive for one pony?”

Twilight began to feel as if he insulted her. “I’m a busy pony. I have a lot to do, I have many responsibilities, just like Celestia does. She works all day, and she manages to do everything she can.

If she can do it, so can I.”

“Hmmmmm…” Cy said as he looked over his notes.

“Hmmmmm… what?” asked Twilight.

“Just thinking… but… do you feel you have something to prove with all this work? Does it bring you joy, or comfort?”

Now Twilight was confused and hesitated as she tried to find answers. “Of course, I do… feel joy I mean. I feel proud that I can do all this. I’m just a multiple-trick pony with a Can-Do attitude.

I mean, I do get tired sometimes, and I end up making a few mistakes, but my heart is still in the right place.”

Cy agreed, “That’s right, it is, and that’s good… but…”

“But what…?”

“…Do you ever notice how sometimes, some of your escapades don’t work out so well?”

Twilight cringed, fearing this was coming.

“You did tell me that you made many mistakes during Winter Wrap Up, and that is a great expectation when someone has a load on their mind.

They try to do too much at once, or keep everything so balanced and scheduled, that it can lead to mistakes or misfortune in certain areas.”

Now, Twilight felt her insides growing cold with fear and anxiety, which Cy did notice by her sweating and biting her lower lip.

Twilight could not deny she had made a great deal of mistakes in her past…

-Fearing tardiness of not sending Celestia a Friendship Letter, resulting in her trying to create a friendship problem to solve, which nearly ended in extreme disaster…

-Trying to make perfection for the Canterlot Games commissioner, and accidently entertaining the wrong pony…

-Freeing the six pony pillars, and accidently unleashing the Pony of Shadows

-Wanting a vacation with her family “Once upon a Zeplin” to be perfect, but got side-tracked helping all the passengers with problems, causing her to miss out on things…

-Struggling to maintain her School of Friendship so Counciler Neighsayer wouldn’t shut it down…

…Just to name a few.

Twilight was shivering on the sofa. “I guess… maybe… I am a bit overworked.”

Cy agreed. “Glad to see you admit that. It’s a good start…”

Twilight sat upright again, “I can’t help it! There’s just so much that needs doing! There’s a lot out there that needs to be addressed! I can’t just sit by and not do anything. If I don’t do it, who will?”

Cy held up his hoof and told her, “Deep Breath…!”

Twilight hesitated, as if she had forgotten how to do so, but she managed, and she relaxed, but remained upright.

“It’s just that… so many depend on me. They expect me to do lots of things. Even I expect good results every now and then.

I can’t just change who I am like that.”

Cy spoke calmly to her, like a wise master. “No one is asking you to change who you are. What I’m asking of you is to take a moment and think clearly, and this is something I’ll be asking you a lot through our sessions.”

He got up and walked over to the window shade. The way the light and shade bathed his body in different areas, and the way he was going off with his words, you would think he was some sort of deep and profound storyteller.

“Life is a series of obstacles. It is never a question of “Can” they managed, but rather “How” and “When.” You do you very best to pace yourself and keep your schedules exactly to the point so that nothing will fly apart.”

Twilight nodded. “Some of us just have more to manage than others.”

Cy agreed, “Yes… sometimes they can come all at once, but you can’t conquer them all at once. Trying to do so, only leads to error and misjudgment, as well as stress and anxiety.”

Twilight hung her head low in thought.

Cy walked back to her, and he picked up his pad full of notes. “From what I’ve established so far, you have many good intentions, but you also have very much on your mind to go with it, and your struggles and anxieties to keep things perfect shows the possibilities of a scatterbrain.”

“Scatterbrain? Me?!” Twilight spat in disbelief.

Cy nodded, “Like I said before, you have good intentions, and that’s wonderful. It shows that you’re willing to help when and where you can, and you just want to be a good friend….

But…

…Consider the mistakes you made, and other mistakes that can be made. Good intentions may be all wonderful, but if nothing good comes from them, do those intentions really hold any merit?”

This was something Twilight had never thought of before, or rather she had forgotten and was realizing it all over again.

Suddenly, there was a soft sound of a bird whistling in one long note over the record, and then the nature sounds had ceased as the magic record had reached its end after one hour.

“I’m afraid that’s all the time we have for this session today.” said Cy. “But at least we’ve made a small breakthrough.”

Twilight got up from the sofa, but she was still in a bit of a daze, having come to grips with her flaw of being overworked.

“I’m not cured yet… am I?” she had to ask.

“Of course, not.” replied Cy. “We’ve only just begun to scratch the surface of your problems.

As much as I’d like to continue working with you, I have other patients to see, and I can’t give special treatment, not even to you, but our schedule is already dealt with, and your appointments are given to you.

We will have more to talk about at your session tomorrow.

In the meantime, try to take a few moments to relax occasionally, and put all your workloads to the side.”

With that, Twilight left the clinic peacefully, and on her way out, she felt very different than she had at the start of the day.

She came in feeling all frustrated and in denial, but after the things Cy said, and the way he said them, she said to herself, “He’s good… No wonder Celestia recommended him.”

As for Cy, though he was pleased Twilight had made her start, he was very concerned as he went over his notes again.

He thought to himself, “Being overworked is hard enough, but I think I know what really troubles her. Unless she realizes and admits it, she’ll never be able to get better.

I just hope she has the emotional strength to accept it.”

Act 4: You're a Disgrace

ACT FOUR

As Twilight walked through Canterlot town, she couldn’t stop thinking about Cy’s words about her being overworked and trying to juggle too much at once.

“How can I just not do all that I do?” she wondered. “I’ve always been a hard worker, and all I want is to give to others.”

Her thoughts were suddenly disrupted by the sounds of arguing.

Two little colts were having a tug of war with a single apple.

“It’s mine!”

“No, it’s mine!”

“Give it to me!”

“No! Let go!”

Characteristically, Twilight had to see to this and marched right over telling the boys to cease. “What’s going on here?”

The boys explained…

“It’s the last apple and I had it first.”

“No, you didn’t, and I want it all!”

The boys began to pull again, and Twilight did the only thing she could. She used her magic to pull the boys apart. “I think I know how to settle this…” then she magically sliced the apple into two equal halves and gave one each to the boys. “There you go, now you each get some of it. Problem solved.”

That’s what she wanted, but to her absolute shock, the boys were now madder than ever, and threw the two halves to the ground, and began to walk off in a huff.

“Wait a minute!” snapped Twilight, but the boys turned and balked at her.

“I wanted the whole apple!”

“Me too! You didn’t solve anything.”

Twilight tried to teach the boys, “Don’t you think it’s better to have a little some than none at all?”

“NO!!!” the stubborn boys yelled, and then they were gone leaving the now, useless apple halves on the dirty ground, and Twilight felt many passersby were staring awkwardly at her. She felt most uncomfortable.

With the apple halves now dirty from lying on the ground, Twilight sought to toss them away, but someone beat her too it as the pieces were magically levitated and thrown into a familiar looking trash wagon, by a familiar pony.

“…Stone Heart!” she growled under her breath. The trash-picker, once struggling writer, now self-help book author. She tried to help him change his groove once before, but ultimately failed.

Stone was now a successful writer-- in his own way-- like he always wanted to be, but he still worked as a trash picker to keep bringing more money in.

He gazed at her with a sneer. “Well, well… Princess Twilight.” He looked far less than pleased to see her than she did. “…Still can’t get it through your head that some just aren’t like you, and don’t seek the friendship path.”

Twilight already felt her blood boiling at the sound of his tone. “See you’ve hardly changed. You’re still opposed to friendship.”

“Let’s not start that again.” insisted Stone “You tried to control me, and you failed, and now I’m better than ever thanks to my multiple jobs, and my new books.”

He motioned around at how some ponies were reading some of his self-help books-- the titles of which appalled Twilight.

“Friendship is Not Everything.”

“The Art of Being Alone.”

“Think For Yourself.”

Twilight could not bear it. “How can any pony want to read books like those?” she wondered aloud, and she turned to Stone scolding him, “You’re trying to turn all ponies into selfish, spiteful beings.”

Stone glared at her, “…Just as presumptuous as ever, I see. You obviously never learned a thing from when you got in my face the last time.”

Twilight growled at him and looked ready to start a fight, but that would not be good for her in an open public, not to mention would put a serious bad spot on her reputation.

“Why am I even talking to you?” Stone grumbled, “You never learn anything, even from your own lessons, and you continue to butt in where you’re not wanted and make things worse.

You did it to me… to Talon Ted… to Strings… and others too.”

Twilight’s eyes widened. “How do you know all this?”

“Puh-lease!” sneered Stone “I read the papers, and I see things on my routes. What you do is hardly any secret to any pony.”

He then broke out into a mocking song which publicly denounced Twilight and insulted her.

You always just get in the way,
You always push yourself in everyone’s face
It’s plain for all to see that…
You’re a disgrace!

You’re vain, snobby, and low,
You always make things fall out of place,
There’s not much else to say but…
You’re a disgrace!

Why bother to fix things or help out?
In all of the pony race,
The way you handle stuff is clear…
You’re a Disgrace!

Twilight felt every word strike her like a burning blow, but she remained calm the whole way through.

Feeling proud of himself, Stone then said, “Now, if you’ll excuse me. I’m going to continue to do my job and contribute to this community more than you do.”

"Hey!" snapped Twilight. "I've helped to save Equestria many times over!"

Stone scoffed, "Sure, half of which are messes that YOU cause. Like that makes up for you constantly making a fool of yourself and pestering others?" teased Stone. "I think not."

All this combined with seeing people reading Stone’s books, as well as the trouble with the colts and the apple made her stomach turn again.

She began to hallucinate the very images from her nightmares…

The world around her was warping into darkness as ponies argued and acted hostile.

This time, things were far worse…!

The anger, hate, and hostility was growing so strong, that the ponies were starting to change shape-- from their normal, colorful selves, into dark, frightful demon-like creatures with fangs, claws. They would roar, snarl, breathe fire, or shoot beams out of their eyes spreading chaos and destruction everywhere.

“NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!” Twilight screamed, only to snap back into reality and see so many ponies were staring at her, making her cheeks turn red as she slumped silently away.

That night, she was having dinner with Celestia at the palace.

“Are you alright, Twilight? You’re hardly eating.”

Twilight just couldn’t get the horrifying thoughts out of her head. “I guess I’m still just a little twitchy from therapy today.” She lied, and Celestia could sense it, and it concerned her.

“You must be twitchy… to hide your true feelings from me.”

Twilight looked up, now remembering how foolish it was to keep things from her former teacher, but rather than explain her fear directly, she asked her, “Don’t you ever get worried sometimes…?

I mean, does it bother you that one thing can lead to another, and another, and another, and before you know it, everything just flies into chaos?”

Celestia blinked once at her and admitted, “Yes, occasionally it does, but I try not to let it get to me. I’d never be able to concentrate on my work and duties if I was always fretting of the unknown.”

Twilight wasn’t sure to feel proud or shocked that she would say such things.

“But how can you be so sure that bad things won’t happen?” she had to ask.

Celestia finally understood where Twilight was coming from, and the only advice she could give was, “All I know is that we can only judge others and things by what happens and things they do in the present; not by a future we cannot see or foretell.

If things like that happened-- if you always kept worrying more about your future-- you’d be afraid of everything, maybe even your own self.”

Twilight clutched herself softly.

She was still in deep thought as she lay awake in bed.

“What’s wrong with me?!” she wondered to herself. “I’m getting all messed up, but Celestia knows how to keep herself calm and collected.

How can she think like that when so much could be at stake? We’re looking at Equestria’s future!”

Then she thought of today…

Those two ungrateful boys she tried to help, and Stone Heart came along to rub it in her face and remind her of other missions that didn’t succeed.

She angrily slumped into bed, sulking, “Why does no one understand that I’m just trying to help improve their lives-- make things better for them?”

At least it was giving her ideas of what to say at her session with Cy the next day.

Far, far away, Spike was up at the doorway to Twilight’s room, just staring at the empty bed, wondering if she was okay.

He, and the others, were asked not to write letters to Twilight during therapy, as she needed to stay focused for the sessions.

Spike really hoped she was getting the help he knew she needed, but he still missed her, and rather than go back to his own bedroom, he climbed onto Twilight’s bed and fell asleep on it, to feel like she was with him.

The next day, Twilight showed up on time for her next appointment. She didn’t look like she had slept too well the other night, which Cy noticed.

“Trouble sleeping?” he asked.

Twilight answered in a slight grumpy voice, “You could say that…”

“Is it anything you wish to speak of today?”

Twilight folded her limbs as if she wanted to refuse, but, really, it was exactly what she wanted to deal with.

“I really don’t get other ponies who don’t appreciate my actions when all I’m trying to do is help them.

I know, yesterday we talked about “Good Intentions” and “Good Results.” but even that’s not what always gets me.

Even when my intentions are good and pure, and even when they can yield good results, they just refuse my services, or they don’t appreciate what I’ve done or am trying to do for them.”

Cy looked up from his notepad and asked, “…And you believe they should?”

“Of course, they should!” snapped Twilight, then she apologized, “I know, I know… deep breath.”

“Very good…”

Once Twilight had calmed down, Cy asked, “I’ll need some examples of all this. Can you tell me about these ponies you tried to help?”

As if Twilight struggled enough with all her bad memories, she wasn’t looking forward to re-explaining them, but she did want to prove her point.

Almost all of the ponies I tried to help expected only their wants and needs to be catered to without even bothering to truly work for them.

Do you know the writer named Stone Heart?”

Cy nodded, “Yes, I know him, but just by reputation. I’ve even bought some of his books.” He motioned over at the bookshelf where a few of Stone’s self-help books lay. “I found them all to be rather interesting.”

Twilight smacked her forehead in disbelief, but she carried on with her story.

Act 5: Looking back: Part 1

Author's Note

I can't use every single FIF I ever made...

-They all happen in different timelines...
-Certain characters appear in more than one story (None of which are canon-linked to one another)

It better just to use a few of the most major ones (Which don't include Beast Boy)

Act 5: Looking back: Part 1

ACT FIVE

*Twilight’s POV*

Stone Heart was a mere trash picker, but he also worked as a janitor, and at the Canterlot steel works, but he was a very disturbed, and very angry pony.

He tried to make it as a writer of novels. He would write tragic or deathly stories where friendship didn’t work. Instead, friends would betray friends, which lead to chaos, and battles so severe, that all the former friends would regret their actions.

He was also very adverse towards Character Development, or seeing characters in written stories grow, learn, and become better beings; preferring to settle for Plot-Driven sources instead.

He faced such ridicule from the public and other publishers.

Everywhere he went, he was treated harshly by others. They would tip over his trash wagon, throw garbage in his face, publicly denounce him.

“We know you’re a retard, but don’t call us out when you make such garbage.”

“Thank goodness there’s only one of you, because one is one too many!”

“Your works are stupid, and you’re stupid. I doubt if any decent pony would be able to stomach your nonsense without getting a headache!”

Others would even demand he change the story to be better suited for the public.

“Your stories will improve if you add better effort and character to them!”

“You want others to stop hating you? Then write something good for a change!”

So, stone wrote a book I really loved-- that the whole of Equestria loved “A Change of Heart.”

It had all the proper needs that everyone loved-- proper plotting, character development, less drama, logic, and friendship working out, and it finally became a best seller…

…But I found out that Stone was more infuriated than ever. He hated the story with a vengeance, and refused any, and all, benefits that came with it.

-He didn’t accept any money his books made-- he just gave the checks away to charity…

-He refused to attend signings or accept praise from his fans…

-I even invited him to the School of Friendship to help lecture the children on literature, and he refused…

-He even spat at Princess Celestia as well when she tried to praise him by inviting him to her Royal Book Club.

“The princess is most eagerly excited to have you this evening.” said the guard “Shall we inform her of your acceptance?”

“No!” snapped Stone “Give my comments and tell her to go to the devil!”

I never felt so horrified of anyone refusing a royal invitation like that, let alone insulting Celestia so angrily.

I knew he was having some sort of problem, and I thought I’d help him, I viewed into his life and realized he had lived a hard life in his childhood, and that he had been bullied so much, hardly had any friends, and friendship didn’t do the wonders for him as it did myself and others…

…this explained why he hated friendship so much, and why he refused to write good stories that everyone would love.

My friends and I tried to help him change his groove and show him that friendship was worth trying, and changing your ways isn’t all that bad, but all I got out of him was a load of hostility!

“Alright, Princess Twilight…” Stone said, and he looked her dead in the eye, “If you and your friends feel that way, why don’t YOU write stories like this, and while you’re at it, you can all accept the fame and praise and pride you feel that comes with it…

…BUT GET OFF ME!!”

“I’m not letting any-pony push me around anymore, least of all any of you! Now, please leave.”

“You need to give friendship better chances, Stone.” said Twilight, “I’m sure there’s some-pony out there who would appreciate you, but you have to be willing to appreciate them for their tastes and respect their ideals too.”

Stone was growing very irritable! “You know there’s a limit to my patience, and you are very rapidly reaching it!”

“You’re being very stubborn!” sneered Rarity “We are not going to sit by and let some-pony throw his life away and be some nobody!”

“That’s enough!” shouted Stone.

“Let us help you, Stone!” Twilight said, practically demanding “You can improve yourself! You can be so much more than what you are now, and other ponies will like you better!”

“…If you and your miserable friends are not out of my sight in two seconds, I don’t care if you are Princess, I actually will do something horrible, ON YOU!!”

Spike shuddered in fear, “Um, maybe we should just go.”

Twilight was furious, “How dare you speak to me that way. I’m only trying to help you, but if that’s way you want to be…”

“…TIME’S UP!!” shouted Stone, and he whipped round in a threatening manner, and Twilight stood ready to defend herself.

*POV Pause*

Twilight was panting-- more angrily than fearfully, but she calmed herself with deep breaths.

“My word!” cried Cy, “That sounds like some pony with some temper.”

Twilight grunted miserably. “I never met any pony like him. How could he hate friendship so much? How could he be so mean to others, and why couldn’t he just listen to reason.

…I was trying to help him become a better pony.”

Cy consulted his notes, and he had a funny suspicion the way Twilight claimed to have been “Helping” Stone, but rather than ask her about it, he needed more proof.

“Can you tell me another incident where you tried to help?”

Twilight relaxed and thought back. “There was Strings, the great singer and songwriter.”

Cy nodded, “Yes, I remember him. I loved his concerts, and I find some of his songs to be quite soothing.

I heard he has been living in recluse now and has given up on his music career.”

Then he nearly dropped his quill, “Wait, was it because of you that he decided to quit?”

“Oh, no, no… not really.” corrected Twilight. “He was planning on quitting all on his own because he had a huge problem.

…He was in love with--” she stopped right there, remembering this was supposed to be a big secret kept from the public. Only she, and a few others knew of it, and never told another soul.

“Yes, go on.” said Cy.

Twilight hesitated, and she said “It’s just that… well…”

“If it troubles you, we don’t have to speak of it, but just remember, anything that transpires in the room is between us, and no one outside will know.”

Twilight bit her lower lip, but ultimately knew she had to say it.

“…Strings…” she paused “…He was in love with Princess Cadance; my sister-in-law.”

Cy stopped writing, and his widened in surprise. “…Oh my.”

Twilight then went into details…

*POV Continues*

Strings had it all, talent, fame, spirit… but he seemed so sad, so lost, like pony ready to commit suicide, and eventually I discovered why.

He was in love with Cadance, and had been for many, many years. She was his main inspiration. She enflamed his passion to be a singer and make beautiful and romantic songs that the world fell in love with.

…But, of course, Cadance loved my brother, Shining Armor. They got married during the royal Canterlot Wedding…

…And Strings was crushed!

He didn’t swear vengeance, or stalk her, or do anything crazy like that. He let her be happy, and he also kept his feelings about her a deep secret. So, she never knew.

Over the years, Strings steadily fell deeper into despair, and his songs became as sad and as depressing as he was, but still well-received and adored by the public.

I had already tried to help him by matching him up with Sun Rae, a friend of his who loved him all her life-- also because I thought she and Strings were both in love with each other.

When I learned the truth-- when Cadance learned the truth-- were we ever surprised.

Strings had announced he was giving up his career and leaving the Crystal Empire. He didn’t say why at the start, but now it was clear…

…He was running away-- trying to put distance between himself and Cadance, even though it meant he was ruining his career, letting down all those fans who looked up to him, and breaking Sun Rae’s heart.

We tried to convince him he didn’t have to do this, and that he could move on, and be happy with Sun, but he refused.

“I never had feelings for you, Sun. I know that you love me, and I always have known, but I cannot give you the love you want. It would never work out.”

“But how do you know… you didn’t even try.” cried Sun “Why… why can’t you love me, Strings?”

“Love doesn’t work that way, Sun.” replied Strings “It’s not something two ponies can try and make happen. I can’t change my feelings simply because you want me to.

I can’t just stay here either. How can I keep making other ponies happy while I’m so incredibly unhappy? It isn’t healthy for me. I just can’t do this anymore. It hurts too much.”

So, he left the empire, and who knows where he went.

*POV Pause*

Twilight held her hooves over her eyes in frustration. “He could have moved on, he could have been happy, but he chose not to. He rejected all help, and… and…”

She had no words left, and Cy was growing more and more convinced of something, but he was still not ready to direct towards it yet.

“It feels hard, doesn’t it?” he asked. “We all feel that way… Frustrated and resentful that our efforts to help don’t work or go unappreciated.”

Twilight was forced to confess, “I hate that feeling, and I especially hated it when all my efforts were thrown back in my face when I tried to help Talon Ted the actor.”

Cy flipped over a clean sheet on his pad, “Go on…”

*POV Continued*

Talon Ted was resident of Ponyville who had a dream: he wanted to become a great superstar, but rather through conventional means-- Having serious training, taking lessons, and having a degree and all that stuff-- he wanted to get there through Raw Talent and self-training—to prove that such things were not truly needed.

He was rather fantastic, he could act, sing, dance, make impressions, even mime-- you’d think he was already a master.

However, he was refused all auditions from any acting agency or tryouts there were. For not having the proper training, credentials, or even a degree, he was denied any chance for anything, by others, and thus was forced to take lessons and get a degree.

After which, he was graciously welcomed by all those who turned him down, and many were practically begging him to audition, but Talon turned them all down.

“You’re a bunch of biased bigots! Rather than give me a chance to prove I can be just as good, you forced me to go against my pride.

I can never prove now that you don’t need degrees and serious training now!

I’ll never work for any of you until my pride is restored!”

He threw it all away-- all that opportunity, all the benefits, all the wonders he craved all his life, just to satisfy his own pride and ego.

He was viewed as a “Lazy, entitled, jerk expecting only his wants and needs to be catered to without even bothering to truly work for it.”

My friends and I tried to convince him to put his pride aside-- many did before us-- but he wouldn’t budge.

We tried to set him up in performing in a live stage show, so he could see that having a degree was nothing to be ashamed of, but he pulled a fast one on us by having one of his equally talented friends perform in his place… without a degree.

With this, he not only exposed the very bigotry he was trying to fight, but he humiliated me in public and destroyed all my arguments and attempts to help him.

With his pride resorted, and society renewed with this new revelation about having a degree… Talon went off to become famous.

To Be Continued...

Act 6: Looking Back: Part 2

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Act 7: Presumptions

ACT SEVEN

As Twilight slept that night, she once again had another nightmare of Equestria being swallowed by the shadows because friendship had failed.

The villages were all dilapidated, the lands were desolate and barren under a shadowy sky, and there wasn’t a sign of any pony or any other creature anywhere.

“No…!” Twilight cried. “This can’t be happening?”

“Oh, but it is…” hissed a shadowy voice.

Twilight couldn’t see anyone and had no idea where that voice came from.

“…You see what’s become of your precious land now, and you made it all happen by failing friendship.”

Twilight looked up into the skies and saw so many evil creatures of many horrifying shapes and sizes, and some of them were her own friends.

“Oh, my goodness!”

“Twilight!” Spike hissed at her with a large lizard-like tongue and nasty dark eyes. “Look what you’ve done to us!”

“You’ve doomed us all!” added Rarity.

The rest of the ponies snarled and growled at her, with their dripping fangs and their evil claws stretched.

“Time for you to join the crew.” Rainbow sneered.

Twilight’s blood ran cold. “No! No, I won’t join you!”

“You got no choice…” growled Applejack.

“Yeah, Twilight. You may as well give in.” hissed Pinkie.

“You’ll love being one of us.” said Fluttershy.

“One of us!

One of us!

…One if us!”

They just kept chanting and hissing those words at her, forcing Twilight to fly away as fast as she could through the endless streams of darkness, but her friends and all those other creatures were right on her tail and gaining on her.

“You can’t escape!” the dark voice called to her. “You caused all this! You let this happen, and now you’ll embrace it like all those before you!!”

Suddenly, the one behind the voice was revealed to be Celestia herself-- she too had been swallowed by the shadows much to Twilight’s horrors.

Celestia’s head grew to a massive size, looming over Twilight, and ready to devour her no matter how hard she resisted.

With a big chomp, Twilight was plunged into the darkness, tumbling, and screaming as she fell deeper and deeper…

…That’s when she noticed her limbs were changing color, from her usual lilac to an evil, palish gray, and claws began to sprout through her hooves.

He alicorn wings became dark and demonic, and she finally changed into a complete monster like all the others.

That’s when she finally landed on solid ground, and could, surprisingly, see her reflection!

“No!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!”

Overly horrified, she fell over backwards…

…And she landed on the floor after falling out of bed.

She straightened herself out and looked at her hooves, which were completely normal.

She quickly dashed over to the full-length mirror in her room and saw that she was still he normal self.

“Whew…!” she sighed in relief, but when she looked back in the mirror again, she hallucinated and saw her reflection as a shadowy beast-- like from her dream.

This made her back away in shock, only for her to snap back into reality-- her reflection was normal again.

“Ugh!!” she growled as she fell backwards onto her bed and rubbed her face in extreme frustration. “WHAT IN THE WORLD IS WRONG WITH ME?!!” she shouted in her mind, not wanting to be overheard.

“I can’t stop having these nightmares! I’m I really going crazy?!”

Then she looked at the booklet on her night table. “Cy! This is all his fault! He’s gotten me so wound up; I can’t think straight. He’s making me doubt myself and my friendship skills.

How can Celestia trust him and expect me to do the same?”

She looked over the booklet and its articles again, which angered her further that she nearly wanted to destroy it.

When she came to see Cy for her next session later that day, she practically burst into his office!

Cy acted calm and quiet as usual. “Good morning, Twilight.”

Twilight marched straight over to him and tossed the book onto the couch. Cy didn’t have to look at her to see she was outraged.

“…Just as I expected.” he thought to himself.

“How could you do this to me?” Twilight spat at him. “How could you give me all those horrible things? Are you trying to destroy me? Are you trying to ruin me? Are you trying to--”

Cy cut her off-- putting his hoof up and telling her, “…Deep Breath!”

“…I don’t feel like it right now!”

Remaining calm and collected, Cy motioned to the couch, “Will you at least sit down?”

She did so, but she was still fuming and picked up the booklet. “All these things you told me to do… You’re telling me to stop doing things that make me who I am. You’re trying to tell me that I’m wrong, and that all those I tried to help were justified in their actions and self-destructive behaviour!”

She stopped to catch her breath, and Cy still hardly budged, he remained silent until Twilight stopped panting.

“I never told you to change like that, Twilight, you just assumed I did.

I gave you that booklet with all these “suggestive” readings for you to reflect upon-- not just up and follow them blindly.”

Twilight suddenly remembered him did saying all that to her the other day, but she let her frustration blind her.

“…This booklet was a test for you.” Cy explained “You came in here outraged and acting very presumptuous-- just as I expected you to.”

Twilight was in shock. “You deliberately expected me to act like this, like a setup?”

Cy nodded while adjusting his glasses. “The jigsaw puzzle is nearing completion at this point—I nearly have a full and complete picture of what troubles you.

I should be able to diagnose you, but I need you to remain calm!”

Though he was neither shouting angrily nor scolding, Twilight felt as if he meant to, and she relaxed.

Cy then flipped over his notepad. “Today, we’re going to review those situations you spoke of yesterday, and we’re going to compare them to the things in the booklet I gave you.”

Twilight let out a soft, annoyed, sigh. “I figured this would happen.” she grumbled, but she didn’t argue it any further.

Cy levitated the booklet up. “As we’ve established… you feel frustrated when you try to help others, improve their lives, or make them into better beings, but they never appreciate your efforts, don’t want your help, and they don’t listen to you.”

Twilight gave a small twitch, proving this to be correct as usual.

“Well… the reason for this flaw is that you may be trying to help someone who does not wish to be helped or change.”

“But why?!” Twilight nearly wailed. “Why don’t they want to change. Everyone must change at some points in their lives, and changing their style can be so wonderful for them. It can help them improve.”

Cy nodded. “Yes, I agree, sometimes changing our ways can improve our lives, but there seems to be something you don’t tend to consider.

…Is it an improvement to them?”

“But that’s just my point.” protested Twilight. “It’s a good thing, its opportunity waiting for them. If they’d just give it a try…”

Cy cut her off, “…That doesn’t mean any guarantees.

Twilight, you may see something as an improvement, but that does not mean that others automatically share your view.”

He brought up Stone Heart…

“He had his own ideas of how to make stories, which were not all that bad. The problem did not lie necessarily with him, but those around him making it difficult.

…But I’m getting ahead of myself.

You said to me that Stone had been bullied all his life, correct?”

Twilight did remember. “Stone told me that ever since he was a colt, he was bullied, pushed around and disrespected by everyone around him.”

Cy agreed, “He did nothing to warrant any of that provoking, yet others chose to do-- to break his spirits for no good reason.

It’s no wonder Stone grew up resenting friendship and not believing in it, and that was where he got the inspiration for his own stories.”

Twilight agreed, “His stories were mercilessly panned by the public, and Stone was even more bullied for it than ever.

But he still had a chance for a better life! If he had just written stories better, and done good things with them…”

Cy, again, cut her off, “Better for who exactly…?”

Twilight gawked at him with a confused expression.

“It may be important to capture a reader’s interest, and while readers are entitled to have opinions over what they like or hate about a story, that does not give them the right to demand how the writer should do things.

Nobody likes to be told how to do their own things the way other people want it, and there is also a difference between “Criticism” and “Defaming.”

Twilight did feel that maybe the citizens were overly harsh with their rude attitudes. “But Stone was rude too!” she nearly balked. “He wrote a good story, and then he just batted everyone off, even those who would accept him.

And please don’t justify his behaviour.”

“I won’t…” said Cy “However, and this may come as a surprise to you, Twilight, but I saw how the people behaved when that book was published.

Though it had good characters, development, well thought out plotting…

…Did you know that Stone was still being bullied?”

Twilight gasped, “What?”

Cy nodded, and he went into a flashback detail.

He had seen many ponies bullying Stone before in the streets from his office window-- calling him names, insulting him, pushing him, and even attempting to defame him.

Then, even though “A Change of Heart” was a strong selling book…

“…Stone was still being bullied. I saw it all.

The very same ponies who were mocking and hurting him before were just as ruthless as ever.”

“So, you finally caved in, wuss!”

“About time you wrote something decent, too bad it’s too late.”

“You’re still a pathetic retard who ought to be run out of town.”

“I’m going to like this just to spite you.”

Hearing this made Twilight’s stomach turn.

“You see…?” Cy asked. “No one was ever really trying to help him improve, and no one really cared about who he was or how he lived his life.

Some ponies… just enjoy bullying. They love the laughs they gain; they love the power it makes them feel.”

Twilight still insisted, “But so many other ponies loved his new story, he had no right to be hostile or pushy with them.”

“Maybe so…” agreed Cy, “Then again, his anger was not without explanation.

He had been pushed around all his life, relentlessly bullied no reason, when all he wanted was to become a writer in his own way-- by making stories that stemmed from his own mind, his own creativity.

He didn’t try to force his view on others, he just wanted to do his own thing innocently.

But everyone continued to make a bother of it, including you when you intruded on his turf and began to force your own views on him, hoping he would change and become someone he did not wish to be.”

Twilight tried to protest, “I just wanted to show him things and ways that would improve his life and make him better.”

Cy shook his head in dismay, feeling Twilight hadn’t listened to a thing he had said.

“It was honorable that you wished to help, however…” he held up the booklet again. “Your advice to Stone was likely, to him, no good and unwanted.

He did not ask for your help.

He probably saw himself in a state where he did not need to change nor wanted to, and all the nagging, and unwanted advice thrown at him only further stressed and infuriated him.”

Twilight was supressing herself at this time, trying to not to admit that maybe Cy had a point.

“But he was being so harsh, so mean, so self-destructive. That’s not healthy for a pony. He shouldn’t live like that!”

Cy couldn’t deny this, “Stone, preferring to keep to himself, is not necessarily a bad thing. He did his work without fuss, and he was able to make a suitable living.”

“But then why are you saying I shouldn’t have tried to help him?!” Twilight asked. “Answer me that!”

“I’m not saying you shouldn’t have…” Cy said, trying to keep himself from snapping. “But what I am saying is that you need to stop being so presumptuous.”

“How am I being presumptuous?”

“How are you not?”

Twilight needed a moment to get a hold of herself. “I just have so much experience with friendship. It changed my life; it made me the pony I am today.

Equestria wouldn’t even be here today if not for the power of friendship. All those evil monsters and bad guys would have beaten us all.

Friendship is just so wonderful, and I know it’ll help everyone; if they’d just give it a chance.”

She began to pant again, having used a lot of strength in that preaching, and trying hard not to let any tears or sweat show.

“You can see that can’t you…?”

Cy didn’t answer right away.

“Well, can’t you?!” Twilight asked again.

Cy finally responded, “…Yes… and No.”

Twilight’s eyes widened. “Why “No?”

Cy explained, “This may be difficult for you to understand, but… you must realize… Friendship, as wonderful and as glorious as it is… it, too, is not everything, nor is it the only thing in the world.

Friendship, like everything else, has its own limits as well, and while it could solve many things, it cannot solve every single, solitary matter.”

Twilight felt her heart skip a beat. “How can you say that?”

Cy decided that the best way for her to understand was to continue observing the other stories.

Act 8: Nobody But You

ACT EIGHT

In addition to Stone Heart's ways, Cy observed every other subject Twilight attempted to help and fix.

*Cy’s POV*

Talon Ted was a bit like Stone Heart, he was pushed around and horribly mistreated for petty reasons-- namely he was not given any chances out of bigotry and biased attitudes.

So, it wasn’t a matter that he wasn’t willing to work for his dream, nor was he trying to be lazy and expect others to give into his demands-- if that’s what you could call them.

He was trying to do things his own way-- as his dream was to revolutionize the acting industry by showing others that you don’t need certain things to make it happen, and that other ponies should stop being so biased-- feeling that you must have a degree to be accepted.

Yet, you and many others got into his face trying to force him to accept what was being given to him, which would in turn only damage his pride and self-respect, and further reinforce his resolve to refuse.

Then there was Strings…

He knew that he could never win the heart of Princess Cadance, and willfully gave up on that, and yet he remained hopelessly in love with her that he found himself unable to change his feelings or let go of it entirely.

He also found that his singing and his career only brought him more suffering and more emotional pain and wanted to be done with it and get away to give himself time to be alone with his sorrows.

Yet you, and others tried to force him to move on, especially Sun Rae…

She was practically trying to force herself into Strings life-- get him to instantly fall out of love with Princess Cadance, and then immediately fall in love with her.

Strings was quite right when he said, “Love doesn’t work that way.” Just like therapy, it is a process that takes time. One cannot be expected nor demanded to just “Get over it!” like that, especially if others want it that way.

In my personal view, Strings did the right thing by quitting his career. True, his many fans would be disappointed, but if they knew all the emotional pain and trauma, he was suffering… perhaps some of them, at the very least, would understand, rather than continue to put him through torture just to please themselves.

Even if Strings can never move on from his undying feelings for Princess Cadance, that’s perfectly normal. The choice is his of whether he chooses to move on. No one can make it for him.

The same thing can be said about Snapshot…

Perhaps he was being selfish by giving up on his friends and no longer wishing to hang with them, but in another view of retrospect he did have a point in his actions…

He was not willing to settle for just being friends, and he could not bear to see the one he loved with another. He knew it would cause him trouble, and that would lead to trouble with his friends anyway, and he didn’t want that.

Knowing that there would be trouble either way he chose, he tried to do what would cause everyone less amounts of suffering.

By not hanging out with his friends, he doesn’t have to see Pirouette with another, and they don’t have to put up with any of his sulking or attitude problems.

Sometimes, a trial of separation is best.

Then there was Helper Soul, you tried to bring him and your father together to reconcile their friendship when Helper made it perfectly clear that he wished no such thing.

Forgiveness is not some obligation and never has been, and you cannot force it on someone.

You may try to persuade someone to forgive you. You may want to be forgiven, and perhaps you should be, and perhaps even you are entitled to a little forgiveness… but in the end, it is not up to you.

Forgiveness is a choice. Only the subject can decide whether to forgive you for themselves, and sometimes… I’m afraid the answer can still be “No.”

…And if it is, there is very little you can do.

Nagging at them, pestering them, giving them unwanted advice… it will only cause further negative impact, and it makes you come off as selfish and very inconsiderate.

*POV Ends*

At this point, Twilight was completely horrified and outraged.

“Selfish?! Me?! I don’t believe that! I won’t believe that!

I was just trying to help them! I was trying to persuade them to change; to be better beings, and to live better lives full of benefits and wonders and help them live the way they should.”

Cy calmly adjusted his glasses while giving a strict stare, “…For their sake, or for yours?”

Twilight’s eyes widened, and Cy continued to explain…

“Not everyone is like you, Twilight. What you may consider “Beneficial”, “Improvement”, “Wonder” … others may not.

When you see ponies that are not, you make it your business to “solve” their problems and live their lives the way you wish they would.

Trying to Change Others in that sort of manner is being selfish.

Some changes might be good for them, but the fact can't be changed that you are doing it to make yourself happier, or so that you can be satisfied.”

Twilight clutched her head, wailing in denial, “No! No! That’s not true!”

Cy hammered more in, “You also act very presumptuous. You assume you know what’s right for someone else-- what they need or want-- and yet you have no idea of the experiences and traumas they have dealt with.

Those kinds of efforts may be conveying this sort of message: “I know how to solve your problems better than you do. I dont trust your judgment or abilities. You’re incompetent or unmotivated.”

“No!!” Twilight shouted. “That’s not how it is at all!”

Due to the walls and the soundproof spell, no one else could hear her raving.

“I’m trying to help them all-- stop them from being so self-destructive! Stop them from spreading all the hate, all the darkness, all the chaos…!!

It’s my responsibility! It’s my duty to keep the peace!! I… I…!!”

Her tears started to fall no matter how hard she tried to fight them. She finally realized how badly she was shouting and throwing a fit.

“This is it.” Cy said. “It’s time for the last piece of the puzzle to go in-- time to get the complete picture.”

He waited until Twilight had calmed down, and he passed her the tissues again.

“Twilight…” he asked softly. “I want to ask you a very big question now, and the answer will finally determine your troubles, but are willing to hear it? Are you willing to answer me truthfully?”

Twilight could barely bring herself to speak, but she looked at him, and managed a barely visible nod.

Cy took a moment himself to ask his question. “I want to know… What exactly are you so afraid of?”

“Huh…?”

“You can tell me now because I think you’re ready to, but if not, I understand.

Again… what is scaring you so much?”

Twilight could see and feel every image from her nightmares flashing before her eyes-- all the darkness, the monsters, the hate, the doom…! Not even realizing she was actually spilling it all out to Cy.

“So, that’s it…” said Cy as he wrote down in his notes.

With her eyes still full of tears, Twilight confessed, “I don’t want Equestria to fall into chaos, and as Princess of Friendship, I must do everything I can to keep that from happening.”

A single tear fell from her eyes and landed on her hoof. “Friendship means so much to me. I owe it my life! I cannot… I will not let it fail!

…Why can’t we all just live in a world of all friendship and love-- No evil, no more problems, no chaos or fighting amongst each other.”

Cy hated to see her upset like this, like he did with any other patient he tried to help. These were common reactions for him, and he remained calm as ever and took pity on her.

“…I know perfectly well how you feel, and I’m not being presumptuous.

Many of us wish for the same thing you do, but…” he paused and looked Twilight deeply in the eye while shaking his head “…You’re asking for the impossible.”

“But why?” sobbed Twilight. “Why does it have to be this way? I’ve always been able to make the impossible possible! I’ve always turned hopelessness into a fighting chance!”

Cy disagreed, “Not always… Look at you now.

Ever since being crowned Princess of Friendship, you’ve had so many extra duties, responsibilities, and obligations.

It’s your responsibility to uphold friendship, and help others understand it, but that doesn’t mean you have to interfere with every single problem that shows up and act like a control freak.

We already talked about this…

You may have good intentions, but your fears of Equestria’s future, and your own reputation being ruined…

It causes you to overstep your thinking and to cross your boundaries. You try to solve other’s problems and hope they change in way you believe they should or want to…

…You only end up making things worse instead of better because you didn’t stop to think.

Don’t you see? Even when we do everything right, even if our intentions are purely good… bad things still sometimes happen.

Even my booklet showed you that there’s a difference between “Control” and “Influence.”

He took a moment to prepare himself for what he was about to say next to the distraught pony before him.

“I know this is extremely hard to accept, especially a pony like you, but the sad fact is that there are some things that we have the power to change, or control, but sometimes, the hardest thing to admit-- especially one as powerful and magical as you-- is that sometimes… we are…”

“…Powerless!” sobbed Twilight.

Cy nodded sadly.

Twilight cringed miserably. “I don’t want to be-- I hate-- I can’t be…!” she couldn’t bring herself to saw that awful word again.

Cy then said, “You are a remarkable pony, Twilight Sparkle, and you try to do so much for others.

…But you’re still only one pony-- a mere speck in a massive world where anything can happen when you least expect it.

You cannot be expected to make everything turn out alright or prevent bad things from ever happening.

What you can do is stop a minute and think about things instead of jumping the gun.

Just because a few friends have a falling out does not mean the world is going to end.

You may be able to solve some problems, but you can’t expect gratefulness every single time.

Even with the experiences you may have in your own life, you still have no idea how the other pony is thinking-- how it affects them.

And you can’t possibly think that friendship will solve all their problems, because it may not, and there’s no sense in forcing it further.”

Twilight wiped her eyes. “So, you’re not going to tell me that I should stop trying to help, period?”

“Certainly not…” replied Cy. “I can’t make you stop being who you are. Just like every other patient I’ve ever had…

You needed help, and you were willing to try, and you came to me, and that was very good. You’ve finally realized, and you’ve admitted what troubles you.

…But like I told you before, I can’t cure you. I can only give advice and helpful suggestions so that you can work hard to cure yourself…

…That is, if you’re willing to try. If you really want to change.

…It all depends on you, and the decision you make.”

At this time, Cy stopped the nature sound record himself, and used his magic to flip it over, which played a beautiful song he wanted to sing for Twilight.

(0:59)

Everyone has problems, some that are so big,
And seeing others suffer a lot can make you flip your wig.
We try our best to help them out, but sometimes it goes wrong,
We need to take some time to think of ways to help us along,

Because when you look…
Look inside you, Dear…
Deep in your mind, and you will find,
There’s one thing that is clear…

We try our best, to make our way through,
There is nothing more that we can try or do,
Only one person can have your view,
No one… Nobody… but you.

The things that we choose that shape up our days,
May not always be the greatest and best ways.
Not everyone can be the same, or know just what to do,
Because whatever’s right to them may often seem wrong for you,

Because when you look…
Look inside you, Dear…
Deep in your mind, and you will find,
There’s one thing that is clear…

We try our best, to make our way through,
There is nothing more that we can try or do,
Only one person can have your view,
No one… Nobody… but you.

No one… Nobody… but you.

The song ended, and Twilight wiped her eyes dry.

Final Act: Taking it Easy

FINAL ACT

Cy’s job was all but finished. He had finally helped Twilight realize the source of her troubles, there was nothing more he could do other than give suggestive advice.

He let her keep the booklet with the suggestive terms in them.

“Remember to consider them, not follow them blindly.

…And try not to overwork yourself so much. Equestria was not founded or built in a single day you know. You need to learn to take rests and maybe a much-needed vacation.”

Twilight could only promise, “I will try my best. Thank you, Doctor Colt, for everything.”

They shared a warm hug.

“Good Luck, Princess Twilight, and remember… my door is always open if you need and want the help I can give.”

Twilight returned home to Ponyville, and while her friends were excited and happy to see her back again, upon Cy’s suggestion that they not overwhelm her with big parties, or chores, friendship missions, and that she needed time to consult herself with the booklet and all the sections it offered.

This time she was willing to read through it all clearly, and not misjudge off the bat.

Cy only told her to consider the subjects and use them the next time she thought of getting involved in the affairs of others.

“Sometimes you can help, and sometimes you should, but always ask yourself if your help is even wanted or needed and be sure the kind of help you are giving is the kind that is wanted.”

Twilight kept thinking this as she and Spike took a walk one day.

“How are you feeling?” Spike asked for the millionth time.

Twilight rolled her eyes, “I feel fine, Spike. I appreciate your concern for me, but you don’t have to ask that question every ten minutes.”

Spike agreed to try not to. “I’m just so glad your home, and I’m glad you’re trying to get better.”

“Me too.”

Suddenly, she could see up ahead, those two ponies from the other day by town hall-- the stallion who refused his Ex Mare-Friend’s idea of getting back together.

“I don’t want to get back together with you, and that’s final.” the stallion said. “I’m not going to let you just string me along like you did before.”

Then he walked off, leaving the mare to the verge of tears.

“Twilight…?” Spike asked while looked up at her.

Rather than immediately go over and force herself onto the situation, Twilight anlysied things from what she had learned.

“Is this my issue or problem or is it someone else’s problem that’s affecting me?

Is this a problem I can/should fix or change?

Do they want my help or ideas?”

Instead, she walked over to the mare, and braced herself in case of any rejection…

“Excuse me…” she said in polite voice.

The mare looked up, “Princess Twilight?” then she looked guilty and apologized for her bad behaviour the other day “…I was just so upset.”

Twilight forgave her, and asked, “I know this may not be my business, but maybe I can help if you want it.”

The mare explained how she and her Ex dated a long time ago in high school. They dated a whole year, and he was very sweet guy. They never argued, he never questioned her, and he always said how much she was the greatest thing that ever happened to her, and even proposed marriage with a ring and everything.

“Well, why did you break up with him?” asked Twilight.

The mare guilty admitted, “I was growing bored, and I was charmed by another colt who was on the sports-team. He even asked me out, despite that I was already dating some pony else.”

Spike was disgusted by this point. “You cheated on your own Colt-Friend?”

“He didn’t know.” replied the mare “I just needed a change of pace. I needed some excitement. That one date turned into two more, and I realized I needed to break it off with my Ex.”

He didn’t take it well…

In a series of flashbacks, the breakup seemed so clear.

“Look, I’m sorry. I know I should’ve told you I wanted to breakup, but I didn’t know how to tell you without hurting you.”

“I can’t believe this.” he said.

“Don’t take this the wrong way.”

“Well, how else am I supposed to take it? You said I was a great guy, sweet, and kind… and for this you just dump me?”

“There’s nothing wrong with you at all.”

The guy had a mixed look on his face-- sadness, anger, crushed.

Then, she returned his ring to him, and she had the absolute nerve to ask, “Can we still be friends?”

He looked at her grimly, and shook his head at her, “I don’t think so.” and he walked off, throwing the ring in the trash.

That was the end of the flashback, and both Spike and Twilight were appalled. Now they had a clear picture.

The mare then explained, “I dated over the next few years, but none of those relationships worked out, and realized I was only happy when I dated him, but he wants nothing to do with me.”

“I don’t think I can blame him.” Spike muttered to himself.

Twilight considered more of the advice she was given.

She could see this was not a problem for her to workout herself, and it was obvious that this mare was only trying to get back with her Ex to ease her conscience and feel better about herself.

“All I can say to you is, you can’t force him to reconcile with you, and the more you nag him the worse its going to get.”

The mare’s features hardened. “I thought you were willing to help with all problems. Maybe you’re not the Princess of Friendship every pony says you are.”

Twilight remained calm and replied, “This isn’t my issue to control or influence. The both of you have to work this out for yourselves, and if the answer is still “No” well, that’s just the way it is.

…But if you want more help, there is some pony I can recommend.” And she handed her Cy’s business card. “He can help you, but you have to want help, you have to want to help yourself.”

The mare, still feeling upset, gave Twilight an angry sneer, but took the card anyway and slumped away.

Twilight took in a deep breath maintaining control of her nerves.

Spike was impressed with her. “Twilight, that was… amazing.”

Twilight agreed, unable to believe she had just done that. “It’s not our problem to solve, Spike, and I don’t want to make things worse, but if things do turn worse, I can think about it and still offer some help.

…My help and Cy’s help will still be there if they want it, but we can only offer so much advice.”

She didn’t feel too upset. It wasn’t as if Equestria was in danger from that one problem.

Still, she knew she had a long way to go before she could consider herself truly cured, but after what she had just done, both she and Spike felt that there was good hope in the future.

Author's Note

Originally, I wanted to make a story where Twilight goes on trial (Being sued by the citizens for harassment, disregard of privacy, and overstepping her authority and boundaries, but this was much easier and a bit calmer.

Twilight really needs to learn there are times when she should lay off. (Not every single time) but realize that her help is neither needed nor wanted.