//------------------------------//
// Episode 12: "Rock Solid Diet" 
// Story: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Season 11 
// by twilightsparkle3562 
//------------------------------//

…
…
One morning, Rockhoof was at a place he never thought he would be at…sitting in a doctor's office in Canterlot. But he wasn't alone. All of the pillars were there with him.

"Do I have to go here?" Rockhoof asked Starswirl. "I assure you there's nothing wrong with me!"

But the pony sorcerer was not convinced. "Rockhoof," He sighed. "We all agreed that your excessive consummation of food is becoming a problem."

"But it's all muscle, laddie," Rockhoof protested, showing off his bulky forelegs to Starswirl. "I've just been working very hard lately. Using my strength in training. You know how it is."

Starswirl merely raised an eyebrow upon hearing this. 

"Who's been eating all of the food in the storage every day this week?" He remarked. "Seems to me the Equestrian Pillar of Strength is also the Equestrian Pillar of Gluttony!"

Just then, Rockhoof looked down at his stomach and could see it grumbling away rather noisily.

"Hey, hey! Knock off the rumblin'!" He hissed. "Ya hear me, lad?!"

"Maybe it's your stomach's way of sayin' it can't take much more of your eatin', sugar," Mage Meadowbrook suggested, putting down a health magazine she was reading. "I mean, I just happened to be readin' this story about what happens when you overeat."

"That's just a wee pony's opinion," Rockhoof replied. "There is nothing wrong with me."

"I disagree with you on that, Rockhoof," Flash Magnus protested. "We're here because we care about you. Perhaps after visiting with this doctor, you can start to change your ways before it's too late."

Still, Rockhoof was in denial about it as a nurse pony came out into the waiting room. 

"Rockhoof?" She called and the pillar rose confidently to his feet. "Follow me."

With his chin up high, Rockhoof followed the nurse accompanied by Starswirl and Flash Magnus. The other pillars remained in the waiting room.

"Do you think he'll change his ways?" Somanmbula whispered to Mistmane.

"None of us can tell him what to do, Somanmbula," The Pillar of Beauty replied. "He and he alone can make his decisions. Still, that doesn't excuse all of the marble nut cookies I made with Pinkie Pie last week being eaten by him."

This made Mage and Somnambula widen their eyes in surprise.

"Since when did you bake cookies?" Somanmbula nearly gasped in surprise, jumping into the air. "I thought Pinkie Pie and I were the closest!"

"Well, when it comes to foals, Somanmbula," Mistmane chuckled. "I am the best at giving them treats!"

Pouting, Somanmbula landed back on the seat she was sitting in. "You have all the fun." She muttered, her forelegs crossed and her body turned away from Mistmane.

"Now remember we're supposed to be here for Rockhoof," Mage Meadowbrook advised as they all continued to wait. "If you have any disagreements, they'll just have to wait."

…
…

Being led into the examination room, Rockhoof stripped himself of his outer garments and sat on the table as the nurse took his vital signs. 

"Hmm, can't seem to get this thing on your foreleg," She grunted trying to wrap Rockhoof's foreleg in a band to take his blood pressure. "Seriously, how much weight do you have?"

"It's just muscle, dear nurse," Rockhoof replied. "I…oof!"

Finally tightening the band, the nurse pressed on the device and measured Rockhoof's blood pressure. 

"Blood pressure is a little high," She remarked, looking at the device's indicator. "Step on the scale, please."

Both Starswirl and Flash watched as their counterpart stepped on the scale, pulling all four of his legs together. But, as he stepped on it, the weight of his body began to dig into the scale, nearly breaking it.

"Step down," The nurse ordered with a distressed look on her face. "362 pounds?!"

"That must be a mistake," Rockhoof chuckled, stamping his foot down. "I don't weigh that much!" 

But the scale said otherwise as it collapsed from Rockhoof's excessive weight.

"Um, let's just wait for the doctor, Mr. Rockhoof." The nurse replied before stepping out of the room.

"Well, I think we're done here, laddies," Rockhoof declared as he went to put his garments on. "Perhaps now we should…hey!"

Using his magic, Starswirl forced Rockhoof to sit on the table. 

"Don't you see what the matter is with you?!" Starswirl cried. "You're overweight. And I won't stand it!"

"It's just muscle!" Rockhoof protested. "Really, it is, Starswirl! Have I ever been a glutton to you?"

"You're being a glutton now, Rockhoof," Flash Magnus dryly remarked. "You've been stuffing your face every chance you get. I don't eat anywhere near as much as you despite working out just as much."

"Oh, really, Flash Magnus? How many times have I gone into battle looking like this? Why when Lord Tirek drained me of my strength, it didn't bother me in the slightest." Rockhoof protested.

"You still had your weight issues, even then." Flash Magnus commented.

"Are you calling me a liar, Flash?!" Rockhoof snorted as he jumped off of the table. "I'll have you know…"

…

Just then, they heard a knock at the door and in stepped Doctor Stable, who quickly used his magic to force Rockhoof back onto the table. 

"If you have any grievances with your friend," He protested. "Save it for after you leave here. Now, what seems to be the problem?"

"Nothing." Rockhoof protested, but Starswirl said otherwise.

"He's been eating all of our food lately, Doctor," Starswirl explained. "And it's causing concern amongst the rest of us regarding his weight."

"I see," The doctor replied, turning to Rockhoof and looking him over quite thoroughly. "Mr. Rockhoof, how much have you been eating?"

Rockhoof grumbled. 

"Not very much."

The doctor said nothing as he ordered Rockhoof to lie down on his back so he could feel the pillar's stomach. Starswirl and Flash Magnus watched as the examination unfolded before their eyes. 

"I would have to disagree with you on that," The doctor declared and then instructed. "Sit up, please."

Doing as he was told, Rockhoof sat up.

"Step down," Stepping down, Rockhoof stood as Doctor Stable turned his eyes to Rockhoof's stomach. 

"Now, Rockhoof," The doctor replied, reaching into his coat and pulling out a pocket watch. "This is a new body fat analysis test. I'll start you jiggling and measure how long it takes to stop."

"What?!" Rockhoof let out a gasp.

Without warning, Doctor Stable tapped on Rockhoof's stomach and looked at the watch while he listened to said stomach jiggle noisily away.

"Whoo hoo! Look at that blubber fly!" Rockhoof said in delight, but Doctor Stable wasn't impressed by what he saw.

"Nurse," Doctor Stable called. "Cancel my one o'clock, please," And he sighed. "This is gonna be a long one."

…
…

A little while later, all of the pillars gathered in Doctor Stable's office. 

"Rockhoof, I'm going to go straight to the point here," He declared with his front hooves folded on the desk. "You have so much body mass in your system that the risk of a heart attack is high."

"A heart attack? What, am I going to get attacked by me own heart?" Rockhoof grumbled and then laughed.

"No, it would mean that your heart would stop working," Doctor Stable sighed while using a tissue to clean his glasses as the other pillars gasped!

"Ahh, my heart is fine," Rockhoof replied while looking around. "As long as it doesn't attack me…"

"But it will attack you, Mr. Rockhoof," Doctor Stable shook his head. "Just not in the way you're thinking about. Do you realize how many ponies and creatures die every year because of obesity related heart attacks?"

"Well, we were in limbo for a thousand years, so…" Rockhoof began.

"Doctor, we'll do whatever it takes to get Rockhoof well," Mage Meadowbrook pleaded. "I'm a healer, sir. So I understand the pain you sometimes go through."

Nodding in reply, Doctor Stable put on his glasses and laid back in his chair.

"Yes, well sometimes we all have to make sacrifices in order to stay healthy and safe," He sighed. "Tell me, what kind of food do you eat, Mr. Rockhoof?"

"Why all kinds of food, Doctor," Rockhoof answered. "Hay, carrots, oats…"

"Do you measure your portions?" Doctor Stable asked.

Rockhoof developed a blank stare upon hearing those words. "What portions?"

"I mean, the portions of food that you're eating. Most of the patients I see develop obesity because of a lack of portion control." Doctor Stable explained.

"I don't see the problem with it, Doctor," Rockhoof retorted even as Doctor Stable directed the Pillars to a chart about obesity in ponies. "It's not like I have to give up doin' what I'm meant to be doin', saving Equestria."

"Of course you can't give up saving Equestria, especially in this war against Emperor Grogar," Doctor Stable cautioned. "But as we speak, you're fighting your own war against your obesity, Rockhoof. Do you see this here?" 

Rockhoof watched as the doctor pointed towards a spot on the chart in the direction of the chest. 

"That is your heart," He explained, pointing towards several lines surrounding the heart. "If you keep eating the way you have been, then these lines will be affected, thus…" Rolling it up loudly, he returned to his desk and sat down. "You will have a heart attack, possibly fatal, among other things."

Rockhoof gulped. "What other things?"

"Well, let's see. There is diabetes, increased risk for cancer and other dangerous health ailments. Honestly, if you keep this regiment up…you may not be able to live in say…ten to twenty years from now." Doctor Stable warned.

The other pillars were stunned to hear such a prediction! Even Rockhoof was starting to get slightly nervous. He wanted to be alive, but at the same time, he wanted to have his vices.

"So, when all is said and done, will you continue your rampage of destruction or will you do something about it?" Doctor Stable questioned.

"All right, if it's really going to affect my health," Rockhoof sighed. "I'll do it."

"Good," Doctor Stable replied. "I'll expect you back here in two weeks for a weigh in. If I were you, I would get started on your new life changes right away."

Leaving the doctor's office, Rockhoof had to seriously accept the fact that he was now on a crash diet. With the rest of the pillars seemingly against him in his mind, Rockhoof turned to the one pony who'd be willing to listen to him.

…

"Rockhoof, I think going on a diet is a good idea," Twilight replied as she rummaged through a shelf of books in her library at the Castle of Friendship. "The other pillars care about you as does the rest of Equestria. I mean, this is a book that some of the students in Spitfire's gym class are reading."

Handing the book to him, Twilight watched as Rockhoof studied the cover: "How To Maintain A Healthy Lifestyle of Eating:" He read, opening the book up. "This book will show you how to maintain a healthy diet of balanced portions of your favorite foods."

Taking his eyes off of the book, Rockhoof looked back to Twilight, groaning slightly. 

"Sorry lass, I just can't help it," He winced, looking away from her. "I've always been a big eater, it's always my vice."

"Being healthy is just as important as enjoying your favorite foods, Rockhoof," Twilight replied while walking over to the pillar. "Now that we're at war everypony needs to stay healthy, including yourself," Then Twilight got another thought. "As a matter of fact, Rockhoof," She asked. "Have you been feeling…stressed lately?"

Looking back at Twilight, Rockhoof sighed deeply again and sat down on the floor of the library. "Didn't wanna say anything, it's just that…" He reluctantly confessed. "Being able to eat…it's a stress reliever. Getting used to a new way of life that we didn't have in the old days, it's all too much to take in."

"Don't forget these things take time, Rockhoof," Twilight reassured him. "Heck, I'm still dealing with my own health issues, albeit mental."

"How could I forget that, lass? It was in all the papers despite your best efforts to keep it private." Rockhoof nearly gasped in remembrance.

"But thanks to Gentle Gust and Gentle Breeze," Twilight continued with a small smile. "I'm being taught new ways and methods on how to deal with my stress. Ways that are healthy and beneficial. Your way of dealing with stress is unhealthy and the other pillars have a right to be worried for your health. None of them want to see you put yourself into an early grave over your eating habits."

Just then, they heard a knock at the door and the door opened to reveal Spike on the other side. 

"Uh, Twilight?" He called. "Dinner's ready now."

"What's Grubber cooking tonight?" Twilight questioned.

Spike smiled. "Veggie Stew!"

"Care to join us?" Twilight offered to Rockhoof, who begrudgingly accepted.

…

Walking into the dining room, Rockhoof was stunned to see all of the other pillars sitting at the table, much to the shock and amazement of Rockhoof.

"Didn't expect the rest of ye to join us," Rockhoof remarked as he felt a hint of suspicion, causing him to look over at Twilight with a raised eyebrow. "What's going on here?"

"Listen, we're all worried about you, Rockhoof. We mean it," Mage Meadowbrook spoke up in a concerned voice as she watched Rockhoof sit down next to Starswirl. "So Twilight decided that we should hold a…a…oh, what's it called again?"

"-Intervention." Twilight corrected.

"Right, an intervention," Meadowbrokk nodded and then continued. "Some of us feel like you didn't take today's visit to the doctors seriously."

"Of course I took things seriously, lass!" Rockhoof protested. "You're all just worrying over me for nothing!"

"Rockhoof, please listen," Somnambula protested. "Your diet is completely out of control. I mean…you look horrible."

Looking down at his stomach Rockhoof could hear and see it grumble. "When's dinner going to get here?" He muttered to Twilight. "I'm going to eat and then leave!"

"You will stay where you are!" Starswirl commanded while casting a spell to keep Rockhoof from moving. "Because you're going to try to eat smaller portions right here and right now in front of all of us!"

Just then, Twilight and Spike's personal cook walked into the kitchen, pushing a cart with a large serving bowl containing the stew he and his fellow cook, Hannibal, had made. 

"Dinner's ready!" Grubber announced. "I hope you like veggie stew!"

Watching carefully, Starswirl and the pillars saw Rockhoof being served a small portion of stew and then saw him glug down the soup in one gulp, much to Grubber's shock. 

"Gosh, nobody's ever eaten my food so quickly!" He remarked, standing there bug eyed at what just happened. "Care for another?"

"That won't be necessary, little one," Starswirl said to the hedgehog. "He's already had his one helping for today."

But Rockhoof thought otherwise. Watching Grubber serve the rest of the pillars, his lack of willpower was too much and once all the other pillars had been served, he snatched the bowl and began to eat out of it, much to Twilight's embarrassment. 

"Oh, thank Celestia!" He gasped, sticking his head into the bowl. "That's so good!"

"Ahem!" Starswirl loudly coughed with one eye wide open right at Rockhoof. "AHEM!"

This made Rockhoof stop what he was doing and look at Starswirl. 

"It's clear to me you can't even consider having any form of table manners," He cried out. "I must say, Rockhoof, not only do you have an eating problem, but you also have a very bad set of table manners!"

"Come on, Starswirl, I can't help it!" Rockhoof protested. "You know how it is! Being at war and dealing with a changing world!" Then he slammed his hoof on the table in a fit of anger, causing some of the dishes to fall onto the floor and break.

"ROCKHOOF!" Starswirl cried, the force of the hit nearly knocking him onto the floor. "Do you mind?!"

"Yes, I do mind!" Rockhoof angrily snorted. "I can't believe you're doing this to me! I mean, what is it about something I love that you don't like? You drag me to a supposed medical healer when we have one in our ranks!"

"I only specialize in various outward ailments, Rockhoof," Mage Meadowbrook protested. "Not stuff like weight loss."

"Seriously, Rockhoof, don't you see why we want you to lose weight?" Flash Magnus complained. "I know I could beat you in a race if you keep eating the way you have. We want you to be healthy and prepare yourself for the war against Grogar! We want you to have muscle, not fat!"

"I thought you all loved me for what I am." Rockhoof whispered, a small tear trickling down his face.

….
….

Following Rockhoof's outburst, Twilight and the others were left to clean up the mess and absorb that perhaps Equestria's Pillar of Strength was too set in his ways.

"Perhaps Rockhoof is just too far gone," Starswirl sighed, using his magic to clean veggie stew off the walls. "There really is no getting through to him, Twilight."

"Yeah, why can't he see that we care about him and want him to be healthy?" Flash Magnus added as he cleaned up the ceiling. "I mean, if he could just exercise once, only once, perhaps we could get through to him."

"So much for the idea of an intervention," Mage Meadowbrook glumly added. "Anypony else have any ideas?"

"There might be one more way," Twilight declared to the other pillars. "It might be extreme, but it's the only way I can think of."

Huddling the other pillars together, Twilight whispered her plan to them.

…
…

Later that night, Rockhoof was fast asleep when he suddenly was awakened by the sounds of a loud whistle ringing in his ear. Opening his eyes quickly, he looked around and found himself in the middle of the School of Friendship's track and field. 

"ON YOUR HOOVES, FATTY!" A rough and loud voice shouted out! Rockhoof turned to look at none other than Spitfire, dressed completely in her Wonderbolts Academy outfit. "DO YOU HEAR ME OR ARE YOU DEAF?! ON YOUR HOOVES, NOW!"

"Wha…what's going on here?!" Rockhoof questioned.

"Welcome to the biggest workout you'll ever go through in your life!" Spitfire shouted in explanation. "Your friends are worried about you, and now I'm going to make sure that you see sense! I'm here to help whip you into shape!"

Rockhoof then saw what appeared to be an obstacle course set up in front of him. At the end, he heard what appeared to be a loud series of roars and there, inside a silver cage was a brown bear. 

"What's with that beast?!" He cried.

"That bear symbolizes what will happen to you if you don't change your ways, Rockhoof!" A voice cried out. Just then, a bright flash of light revealed Celestia in front of Rockhoof, dressed in workout attire.

"Celestia?" He asked as Celestia blew a whistle in Rockhoof's face. "What are you doing, lass?"

"Helping to save your life!" Celestia cried out in her royal Canterlot voice. "Now, drop and give us twenty, on the double!"

For a moment, Rockhoof stood in confusion at what the two ponies were ordering him to do.

"NOW!" They both shouted and Rockhoof did as he was told and began giving them pushups.

"COME ON, FASTER!" Spitfire shouted! "FASTER! FASTER, FATSO! I DO NOT HAVE ALL NIGHT!"

…

Watching from the stands, Twilight and the other pillars were taking in what was happening.

"Who ever thought that your pupil would be so aggressive?" Mistmane remarked to Starswirl.

"She had a great teacher, Misty." Starswirl replied.

"But why the bear in the cage?" Mage Meadowbrook wondered.

"To symbolize what will happen to Rockhoof if he doesn't change his ways," Twilight explained. "Don't worry, that's not really a bear. But don't tell Rockhoof that, we need to be as motivated as possible."

…

"Twenty has... been given to you!" Rockhoof panted as he finished his pull-ups.

"All right, Rockhoof!" Celestia cried. "Now you will complete this obstacle course we've created for you. First, you'll step through the barrels while avoiding the biting jaws!"

Looking towards several small barrels, Rockhoof heard the sounds of clacking coming from inside the barrels.

"Next," Spitfire explained, directing Rockhoof's attention towards a treadmill with a hayburger hanging from it. "You shall be taking part in the treadmill of false promises for sixth seconds!"

"Finally," Celestia added. "You shall have to survive fifteen seconds in the CAGE OF DOOM!"

Looking towards the cage, Rockhoof heard the sounds of the bear growling and roaring wildly inside the cage, making him nervous.

"Are you ready?!" Spitfire shouted.

"Um, um…" Rockhoof stammered.

"GO!" Spitfire shouted at the top of her lungs and Celestia and Rockhoof began the obstacle course, starting at the barrels and stepping into them only to feel crunching sounds on the inside.

"OW! OW! OW!" Rockhoof cried as false moving teeth were biting on his hooves.

"PICK UP THE PACE, FATSO!" Spitfire bellowed. "COME ON, MOVE IT!"

Although hesitant, Rockhoof did as he was told and moved onto the treadmill where he began running for the hayburger that was hung out in front of him. 

"Come on, come on!" He cried out, trying to bite the hayburger. "Come to Rockhoof, laddie!"

Seeing Rockhoof attempt to reach the hayburger was somewhat of an amusement to both Spitfire and Celestia as well as to Twilight and the Pillars.

"He'll never get to it," Starswirl remarked. "No matter how hard he shall try."

Growling, Rockhoof ran faster and faster towards the hayburger, but he couldn't reach it. Finally, he ran so fast that the treadmill pushed him off.

"GET UP, GET UP!" Spitfire shouted, flying to Rockhoof and urging him on. "Go to the cage of doom for fifteen seconds! That's an order!"

Running to the cage, the bear opened the cage and pulled Rockhoof inside, engulfing him inside and messing him up. Fifteen seconds went by, and Rockhoof tried to escape, only to be denied.

"Do you know why you are doing this exercise?" Celestia asked Rockhoof.

"Let me out of here, Celestia!" Rockhoof cried as the bear continued to hold him tightly. "Please, let me out of here! I can't take it anymore!"

"Your fellow pillars are worried for you and thus this was the only way to make you see sense!" Celestia cried. "The bear represents the gluttony that has consumed you, Rockhoof!"

Clutching tightly, the bear further tightened the grip around Rockhoof, nearly choking him. "Let me out!" He gasped and pleaded.

"Only if you promise to take better care of yourself," Spitfire warned. "The more you refuse, the tighter the bear's grip on you becomes!"

"Everything we have put you through," Celestia added. "Is because we all care for you, Rockhoof. We need you to be healthy, we want you to be happy. Will you do that for us?"

More and more the bear's grip tightened until finally Rockhoof could take no more. Everything that he had thrown at him was beginning to catch up to him. 

"Yes! Yes! I will!" He cried, trying to grab the bars of the cage. "I promise to be more mindful of my health! Just let me out of here, please!"

Giving the bear a command, Celestia ordered it to release Rockhoof and opened the cage door, freeing Rockhoof from inside.

Twilight and the other pillars raced down to the field to join him.

"I promise…" Rockhoof gasped, trying to catch his breath. "To take care of myself! Just don't make me…go through this again."

"And you won't," Spitfire replied, raising an eyebrow at him. "As long as you change your unhealthy ways forever."

Looking up at Spitfire, Rockhoof embraced what he needed to do. 

"I promise…" He whispered, bowing himself in front of Spitfire and Celestia. "I promise…"

He then turned to his fellow pillars and to Twilight. 

"I'm sorry for the way I've been acting," He pleaded. "I ask ye to have mercy on me, please."

Approaching Rockhoof, Starswirl placed a hoof on his sweaty shoulder. 

"And you shall have mercy," He said in a gentle voice, much to Rockhoof's relief.

As they watched Rockhoof repent in front of Equestria's supreme ruler and the pillars, Celestia and Spitfire turned their attention back to the cage and activating a spell, Celestia turned the bear inside into Luna.

"I hope you got through to him, Celestia," Luna said as she stepped out of the cage. "Honestly, it felt so awkward roughing him up like that."

"Well, it's over now, Luna," Celestia chuckled. "We got the message across and hopefully, Rockhoof will take better care of himself."

"But if he screws up," Luna remarked while looking back at her older sister. "Why don't you be the bear next time?"

"Deal!" Celestia chuckled as Spitfire took to the air.

"All right, might as well get back to Wonderbolt HQ," Spitfire called. "See you Monday?"

"See you Monday." Celestia replied as she hoof bumped Spitfire before the Wonderbolt captain left.

…

A few days later, Rockhoof was back at the doctor's office being weighed, hoping this time for better results.

"Three hundred and forty nine pounds, Rockhoof," Doctor Stable observed. "You've still got a ways to go but at least it's a start. That's thirteen pounds down from your last visit here."

"Yeah, doc," Rockhoof sighed. "But at least now I understand the importance of being healthy. My health is what's more important. And those vices I have, I need to change them…for the better."

"And we'll work through it together, Rockhoof," Starswirl agreed. "You've won the battle, but the war is far from over."

Sighing, Rockhoof leaned back on the table and looked up at the ceiling. "You are so right, Starswirl. You are so right. But it's going to take wee little baby steps to win, don't you think?"

Chuckling, Starswirl just smiled at the small personal victory his friend had just won.

…
…