A Moment with Dr Wolf Goes Wrong

by Light Heart101

Setting the Stage

“... and then it’s just a simple bow and bravo!!! The best play our theater has ever seen!” Light Heart said as he was sitting in the office of the Equestrian wolf who was holding a large script with his name on the title. “Dr. Wolf, a helping paw.” Dr Wolf didn’t know how to react to the eager alicorn who was showing him this new play that he had written.

He was trying to be kind as he expressed his opinions to the teddy bear alicorn. “Well… I think it builds me up quite a bit, but at least you understood the part of me talking to ponies in a friendly manner. I do express my doubts about depicting the main six like this, let alone some of the others.”

“Oh, I got permission from Twilight and her friends for this. You’ve helped them out so much that they wanted to show you some gratitude.” He explained with a hopeful look on his face.

“Well, I appreciate that, but I feel like this is over exaggerating my actions.”

“Nononononono. This is showing ponies how even the best of us can feel pressure and how to cope with it. It’s also a thank you to you from the town in a sense.” He tried to explain to him. “Just think about how many ponies can learn to open up with this play.”

“I don’t know… it seems like a lot of work…”

He quickly cut off the doctor as he held up the script. “I can handle it. Set designing, casting, directing, everything!” He offered eagerly.

“You?!? A whole play?” The doctor asked in shock before he saw Light wincing at his reaction. He cleared his throat as he tried to regain his composure. “I mean… it’s a rather daunting task, and I am concerned that you may find it overwhelming.”

“Well, I wrote the play, and I have acted in a couple others, so I’m sure that I can work out as a director. My little brother can help me make the stage and props, and we already have the scripts. It’ll be easy.” He said, being dismissive of any problems that could happen.

“B...but it’d be a lot of pressure on your part, and I have heard that you… tend to get stressed under pressure.” Doc tried to reason with him, knowing that this pony was autistic and had heard about a few breakdowns he’s had.

However, he just gave him a pleading look as he continued. “It’s a small play in a small town. Listen, you have helped so many ponies in Equestria. This is just a small token of our gratitude. I can handle this project. I’ve even gotten a head start on it. May you please let me do this? I promise I’ll make you proud.” He begged, looking rather nervous about Doc’s response.

Doc didn’t feel good about this, but he started to see how eager Light was to do this play. If he was begging any more then he’d be on his knees. It felt like a way to lift him up, but he was a little scared of turning down a project that this teddy-bear alicorn and the main six had worked on. “Well, if you believe you can handle this…”

The alicorn shot up like a light as he shook the doctor's paw eagerly. “Thank you, Doc! I promise you that in three months this will be the best play you have ever seen.”

He was caught off guard by the excited alicorn, but he smiled as he tried to reclaim his paw. “I… I’m flattered. Is there anything you want from me?”

“Well, we need somebody for the leading role, and you do fit the bill. Celestia even tried filling in for her own role in a play once.”

He looked curious about this new fact. “Really? I hadn’t heard of it.”

“Well, last year’s production was rather rocky… and involved a hole in the floor… some light bruising, and Celestia being a rather poor actor. But as this year’s director, I assure you that I will make this our best production yet.” He promised before looking a little nervous. “You can act, right?”

Doc gave an assuring smile as he nodded to the alicorn. “I’ve done a few radio dramas for experience, so it’s just the physical acting element that I’ll need to handle. By the way, you said that the play is in three months, right?”

Light nodded. “That’s when the fall play usually happens, and with that kind of prep time I can assure that everything will be set up perfectly. Twilight and her friends are even playing their own parts.”

“Um… haven’t you heard?”

Light looked a little confused as he tried to understand his concern. “Um… what?”

“Mayor Mare announced that the town passed a bill to fix the old theater up. It has started to look a little worn out. Construction starts in three weeks, so you may not be able to use the theater.” He explained, trying to let Light down slowly.

It didn’t help. His eyes widened as he looked like he was going to panic. “That’s… okay… um… let me talk to Twi about this… and we’ll… work from there… just… meet me at the theater tomorrow so we can start working on the play.”

He simply gulped as he adjusted his glasses. “Well, I had dinner plans with my lady for tomorrow and I…”

“Did I say tomorrow? I meant the day after tomorrow. I have to work out the details for the date of the play and beg… I mean.. Ask my little brother to help me with building the set. Just leave it to me. I’ll fix this.” He nervously assured the wolf as he started walking towards the door. “I’ll see you at the theater.”

“Oh… okay… and thank you for talking to me Mr He…” Doc was cut off as Light walked out the door and started running to Twilight’s castle. He sighed as he started to clean his glasses. “Oh dear.” He mumbled, hoping that this toymaker knew what he was doing.

---

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN THEY CAN’T HELP?!?” Light screamed in fear as Twilight was trying to calm him down.

Spike merely rolled his eyes as he got to witness another alicorn having a panic attack. He wanted to ask if all alicorns freaked out like this, but he figured it was best to stay quiet as he brought them some hot cocoa.

Twilight looked rather sympathetic at Light as he was freaking out. He was a good friend of hers since she started buying toys for Flurry through him. He brought the idea of this play about Dr. Wolf to her a while ago, and she liked it. She knew that it brought up the pressure she had with Celestia, but it was no small secret. Even then, everybody felt pressure when talking to the princesses. She really liked the script he came up with, and the rest of her friends agreed to it too. However, she didn’t know about the renovation plans until he came in saying that they had a major problem. Now their plan was starting to fall apart due to this schedule change.

She could only give a soft sigh as she tried to explain his new problems to him. “I’m sorry. Two weeks from now was the only available time the mayor could give us. Next week is too soon in my opinion, and Octavia has a concert in three right before the renovations. None of my friends will be able to fit this into their schedule. Applejack has to finish harvesting the east orchards, and she won’t be able to study her parts in time.”

“Like any of you do.” Spike said with a chuckle, earning a disapproving glance from the princess.

“Sigh. As for the others, Dash has a show in Canterlot with the Wonderbolts on that day, and will also have training the next couple weeks. Rarity and Pinkie have to attend a peace summit in Yakyakistan the day before the show, and you never know how long that will take. As for Fluttershy, she has a date night scheduled that night, and I’m not going to debate with Discord over that.”

Light groaned as he started pacing around the room. “Great! Most of my cast is gone and I only have two weeks to fix this.”

“And you still don’t have your background characters.” Spike pointed out, earning another glare from Twilight.

“What about you Spike, or maybe the students?” Light suggested, looking for a glimmer of hope.

“I don’t think the students are up to it after the mess of a play last year, and I already promised to help Rarity with her bags when she leaves for the trip.” Spike explained, not feeling confident about this guy leading a play. He had a good heart, but he was no leader.

He started breathing heavily as he started pacing faster. Twilight felt a little comfort knowing that she wasn’t the only alicorn with anxiety, but she knew that it didn’t comfort him. “Listen, why don’t we call off the play and try for next year?”

He started shaking his head. “No! I was put in charge of the play this year and I promised I’d make this work. I… I just need to…” He suddenly paused as his face lit up with excitement. “That’s it! What do normal theaters do?”

“Use plays that ponies have seen instead of writing one?” Spike asked.

“No! They have casting calls! They find their cast members. I can even get some volunteers from the school to help!” He explained as his fears were replaced by a large smile. “Tomorrow I can get a cast and have them rehearsing when Doc shows up the next day. Brilliant!”

Twilight looked concerned at his last minute plan as she quickly started seeing flaws in this idea. “Um, are you sure that you can get a last minute cast ready in time?”

“Of course! How hard can it be? Meet up at the theater in two days! The show must go on!” He exclaimed as he ran outside, leaving her with a sense of uneasiness.

Spike chuckled as he turned to his caretaker. “You know, he reminds me of you when you are freaking out.”

She gave a soft groan as she turned to the young dragon. “Why are you giving him a rough time?”

“For three lines in a play? Any actor would give him a hard time.” He said kiddingly.

She rolled her eyes as she sat down to her cup of cocoa. “I’m just afraid that this play will bring out the part of me that Celestia saw in last year’s play. The only change is that it will be Light who shows it this time.”

“Don’t worry. He’s a teddy bear alicorn. He can handle it.” Spike tried to assure her. “I’d be more worried about your part. You are one of the main actors. Shall I get your sparkling iced tea for you with no preservatives or sugar? Maybe a hayburger from the crystal empire with boneless buns? Our diva must have the best.” He offered in a joking manner.

She giggled as she gave him a playful shove. “Very funny, but if I am going to be helping Light, I will try to ease his stress, so let’s practice my parts while you make that tea. And it had better still be cold by the time I’m done with my cocoa.” She quipped as they started going over her copy of the script again.