The Stallion in the Library

by leonidas701

Getting Help

“...”

“...”

“...We don’t sell pie here, I’m afraid.” Mr. Cake said, hoping that he’d misunderstood what the strange stallion wanted.

“Oh, no I’m talking about,” -Card let out a sigh and placed his hoof to his forehead- “Pinkie. I would like to talk to you about her.”

“Why?” Mr. Cake said as he went outside, closing the door behind him. “What do you want from her?”

“I want to help her.”

“With what, exactly?” Mr. Cake said, now taking on a suspicious face.

“I’d be happy to tell you, but I don’t feel like doing it outside. May I come in?”

Mr. Cake felt conflicted. On the one hoof, this was the stallion who sent the mare who was all but his daughter into a massive depression, but on the other hoof Carrot was always told not to judge ponies just off first impressions. Mr. Cake sighed and decided that he should at least hear this stallion out, especially if it has to do with Pinkie. “Come in,” He said as he opened the door. “We can talk in the kitchen.”

“Thank you,” Card replied.

“Just wait here for a moment.” With that Mr. Cake went off to speak with his wife, but first, “Pinkie.” He said as he walked in, “We can handle the rest. Why don’t you go to sleep?” His wife looked at him like he was insane, a sentiment that Pinkie seemed to share.

“But there’s still so much, and I couldn’t just leave you both to do it all alone!” Pinkie said, “Especially since it’s all my mess!” Mrs. Cake opened her mouth to voice her agreement, but Mr. Cake silenced her with his, ‘There is a reason, I’m not insane yet,’ look.

“Look Pinkie, if you feel so guilty about it then how about you man the store in the morning, as a way of repaying us for this,” Mr. Cake said. “Now go, you look tired.”

“But I-” Pinkie tried to say, only to be interrupted by Mrs. Cake

“Dearie, go to sleep. Carrot and I will be fine”

“Okay, if you’re sure.” Pinkie then bounded up to her room and started her preparations for the night, tossing back a “Nighty-night night!” towards the Cakes.

“Goodnight!” Mr. and Mrs. Cake said together, before Ms. Cake rounded on her husband and asked him, “What is it that’s so important that Pinkie had to leave?”

“We have a visitor.” Mr. Cake then went back to anterior and fetched Card, telling him to follow. When Card reached the kitchen and Mrs. Cake saw him, she had a reaction similar to husbands.

“What are you doing here?” she said with a very fake looking smile on her face as she sat down at the table, her husband following suit.

“May I sit down?” Card asked, and received a nod in the affirmative. “Thank you. Now then I would like to talk to you about your daughter Pinkie Pie.”

“Yes, what about?” Mr. Cake asked.

“It is my opinion that your daughter has some fairly severe social problems, and I believe that I can help her work them out,” Card said hesitantly, as though he were expecting a severe reprisal. He was not disappointed.

“And what, pray tell, do you mean by that?” Mr. Card said as he leaned across the table looking like he was about to start throwing blows at any moment, only to be calmed down by his wife’s hoof on his shoulder.

“Well...” Card said uncertainly, “I believe that Pie has a few... quirks.”

“And what does that mean?” Mr. Cake demanded. “Spit it out already.”

Card sighed and said, “Look, Pie has trouble keeping focus, a lack resistance to criticism, and absolutely no social grace. She, in short, acts like a hyperactive child.”

Mr. Cake took on an absolutely furious expression and said, “Look, if you just came here to insult my-”

“I did not,” Card said. “I came here because I believe that I can help Pie out.”

“Help her out with what? She’s perfectly fine. So what if she’s a little forward? She’s still a good mare.”

“Her decency is not in question here,” Card said firmly. “The problem is that there is a difference between ‘a little forward’ and chasing a stranger around the town, trying to shoot a cannon at him!”

Mr. Cake had had just about enough of this stranger insulting his daughter by this point and was about to get up and show him the door, only to be interrupted by his wife.

“Let’s say that everything you said is true,” Mrs. Cake said, speaking for the first time since they sat down. “How would you be able to help her?”

Card took on a look of relief, and said, “I am a psychiatrist, and I believe that I can help Pie by having sessions with her. Find out why she is how she is and help her get past that.”

“And what if you’re wrong,” Mrs. Cake said. “What if there is nothing wrong with her?”

“If I am wrong, then I will be able to tell fairly quickly. All that I need to do is speak to Pie, and see if she wants my help.”

“You want us to let you be alone with her?” Mr. Cake asked through gritted teeth, having gotten his anger back under control.

“Not necessarily.” Card said, “If you wish, then you could sit in on our first few sessions.”

“Even if we do let you do this, how do we know that you’re any good at what you do?” Mr. Cake said, “For all we know you could be a complete fraud.”

“My medical license is right here,” Card said as he took it out of his jacket.

“That doesn’t prove anything, you could be horrible at your job.” Mr. Cake said with an air of desperation, trying to keep this stallion away from Pinkie but sensing his wife getting suckered into his manipulations. “And you could still be wrong about Pinkie. You’ve only spoken to her twice, and both times she barely said a thing.”

“I am very good at getting impressions of ponies from brief conversations,” Card said with a look of pride, “I take what ponies do, not just what they say, and build my impression off of that. Subject to change, of course.”

Gotcha! Mr. Cake thought, and then said, “Fine, if you can tell me a few things about us Mr...”

“Card. Dr. Card, if you wish to be formal.”

“Card, I will let you go talk to Pinkie.”

“Well...” Card said as he took a thorough glance around the room, “I can’t tell much...”

I knew it, he’s all-

“But” Card said, interrupting Mr. Cake’s thoughts, “I can tell that you inherited this place, and she got it by marriage. Also that she worked here before you started dating and she asked you out on your first date, though you proposed to her.” Card looked over at Mr. Cake whose jaw was about to hit the floor. “The last thing I was able to tell is that you two are thinking about having a baby, but are not completely sure about it yet.”

“Wha- how-” Mr. Cake stammered out.

“Tricks of the trade, ” Card said dismissively, “Now, given your expression I assume I was right, so would one of you please point me to Pie’s room?”

Ms. Cake gave him the directions, and then focused on helping her husband not fall over in shock. Card thanked her and then headed up to Pinkie’s room.

“Cup, what are you thinking?” Mr. Cake said to his wife, aghast at her taking a side against him.

“I was th-” her rebuttal however was interrupted by the sound of hoofbeats rushing down the stairs.

“Wait,” Card said as he rushed back into the kitchen, “Three pages of desserts, and you don’t have any pie?”

“Don’t you have a thing to do?” Mr. Cake said with a glare.

“Oh, yeah.” Card rushed back up the stairs to Pinkies room.

Mr. Cake sighed and said, “Interruption aside, Cup what are you thinking? You know how fragile Pinkie is, and you’ve just sent the stallion who sent her into a 3-day long depression alone into her room.”

“He’s also the one who got her out of it, when neither of us could.” Ms. Cake said.

“So he fixes his own mistakes, big whoop. We don’t know anything about this Card fellow, he could be planning anything. How could you trust him like that?”

“Did you get a good look at his eyes?” Ms. Cake said.

“Huh?” Mr. Cake responded, “What does that have to do with anything?”

“Those eyes he had were not the eyes of cruelty. The whole time he was talking to us, his eyes kept on flicking up to Pinkie’s room, like he was concerned about her.” Ms. Cake said in an attempt to calm her husband down, “I really think that his intentions are good. Please just trust me on this one, I have a good feeling about him.”

“But-” Mr. Cake let out another sigh, “Fine I’ll give him a chance. But if I hear a single noise from Pinkie’s room while he’s up there, I’m going to give him what for!”

“That’s all I ask Carrot.” Ms. Cake, “Thank you.”

-----Meanwhile up in Pinkie’s room-----

I Wonder Why Mr. and Mrs. Cake wanted me to leave so badly? They looked like they really needed to talk to each other. Pinkie Pie was thinking to herself as she got herself ready for bed, Maybe they finally wanted to get started on that baby. THAT WOULD BE AWESOME!!! I could get to throw a baby shower, and I would get to be the big sister for once! I wonder what I would need to throw a baby shower? Probably s- Her thoughts were broken by the knocking at her door. I bet that’s Mrs. Cake coming up to tuck me in again. I wish she would stop doing that. “Come in!” Pinkie shouted at her door.

As the door opened, she saw him. Quickly as she could, she backed away to the far side of her room, and her perpetual smile became hollow. “Wh- what do you want?” Pinkie asked nervously.

“I would like to speak to you.” Card replied as he attempted to close the distance between them. Pinkie recoiled, trying to press herself against the wall. Upon seeing her reaction, Card backed away from her until he was all but standing back out in the hallway. “I don’t want to hurt you,” he said in a soothing tone. “I just want to talk to you for a little bit. I promise I won’t insult you either.”

“Pr- promise?” Pinkie said, “Do you Pinkie Pie promise?”

“Yeah sure,” Card said, “Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye. That work for you?”

“That doesn’t sound right.”

“It’s just how I’m used to doing it. Now, may I come closer?” Card asked. “It’ll be easier for me to talk to you.”

“Okay. I’ll believe you.” Pinkie hesitantly peeled herself off the wall and motioned for the stallion to come to her.

“Thank you.” Card said as drew near and looked Pinkie in the eyes, “Now then, my name i-” Only to be interrupted by Pinkie shuddering and looking away. “What’s wrong now?” Card asked with an annoyed sigh in his voice.

“Those eyes...” Pinkie muttered to herself. They’re just like my nightmares Card rolled the objects in question, and then looked around her room. Upon finding a scarf, he wrapped it around his eyes.

“Better?” he asked. Pinkie made a noise that sounded like an affirmation, so he decided to take it as one. “Good. As I was saying, my name is Card.”

“I’m Pinkie Pie!!!” Pinkie said as she bounced around the stallion. “So Card, what did you want to talk to me about? Did you want to ask me how I made all those delicious cakes? Or what about how I set up all those parties for you? That’s what ponies usually ask me about!”

“I wanted to ask if you had noticed anything about how ponies react to you.” At this Pinkie stopped bouncing around, and her hair deflated just a bit.

“Wh- what do you mean?” She said, feigning ignorance.

“Come on Pie, don’t insult my intelligence. If you hadn’t noticed anything, you would have told me and started to bug me about the party I promised you.” Pinkie took on a severely downcast look, and her hair completely flattened out. Card noticed the sudden lack of bouncy noise. “Please tell me, Pie. Whatever it is, I can help you with it. I swear it on my jacket!” Card said as he took on a dramatic pose. A moment passed, then...

“Ha... ha.. ha-ha-ha!” Pinkie laughed.

“Hey, what’s so funny?” Card asked.

“You’re posing at a wall,” Pinkie said in-between giggles as her hair re-inflated a bit.

“Well, nevertheless,” Card said with an embarrassed look as he turned to face... another wall, “The point still stands. I can help you, but you have to tell what you noticed first.” Pinkie became nervous again but finally decided to tell him.

“Well,” said Pinkie “There’s what happened today.”

“The thing with Rainy and her friend right?” Card said,

“Yeah.” Pinkie confirmed, “She kept on running away from me, and then even when she agreed to prank everypony with me she kept on looking ready to fly away at any moment. Then Gilda...”

“Yes? Come on Pie, you were doing so well.” Card encouraged. “Don’t worry, I met her. I know how rude she is.”

“She called me a dweeb, and said that Dashie didn’t need friends as un-cool as me.”

“That can’t be it, you’re stronger than that.”

“No, it was what happened at a party I tried to throw for her. Dashie set up all of these great pranks for Gilda to try to loosen her up. When they all went off, everypony just looked at me. When Gilda started to yell at me they didn’t even try to defend me, and they all just looked at me like it was what I deserved for setting up all of those pranks. Not one pony even tried to see if it was anypony other than me who did it.” as she was talking, Pinkie’s coat faded more and more.

“It was just today?” Card asked

“No, it’s like this every day” Pinkie admitted, “They smile at me, but there’s always fear behind it. They- they all look at me like I’m about to explode at any minute. It’s a horrible feeling, and I don’t like it, and I want it to go away!” She said with a sudden burst of passion.

“And I can help you with that, I can help you change,” Card said, “but you will have to trust me.”

“But- but I don’t want to stop being me!” Pinkie said. “I’ve been me all my life!”

“You don’t have to stop being you, you just have to change how you act a little.” Card looked at the night sky, and then said, “Look, I need to get home. If you want me to help you, come to Twinkly’s library. If I’m not there, then she can tell me what your answer is. Good-bye Pie.” Card left, throwing the scarf behind him as he did so.

I wonder if he can really do what he says he can? Pinkie thought as she closed her bedroom door. Then she remembered that silly pose he had and, because it looked fun, decided to try it. When she put on the scarf however, she noticed something strange. Hey, I can see through this thing just fine!

When Card got back to the kitchen, he saw Mr. and Mrs. Cake finishing up the dishes.

“Hey,” Card said, “I don’t suppose you know who I can talk to about getting an office in the village do you?”

“That would be Mayor Mare, dearie.”

“Thanks.”

-----So, here we end for th- What? What do you mean, there’s still one more thing to show? Not you, I’m talking to my boss. Where? Why do they ne- Oh. Well okay then, to the castle it is! TELEPORT!!!-----

At Castle Canterlot, Celestia and Luna were enjoying a late dinner. Luna noticed something off about her sister, and so decided to voice her opinion.

“Sister, is there something wrong with thou?” Luna said, “Thou keep on sighing.”

“Oh, it’s nothing Luna.” Celestia then sighed again.

“Really, sister?”

“Really. It’s just that Twilight’s most recent letter has me feeling nostalgic.”

“Why?”

“A certain question she asked.”

“What question?” Luna asked.

“See if this sounds at all familiar,” Celestia said, “‘Is it right to treat ponies differently just due to circumstances out of their control, specifically gender?’”

“I don’t...” Suddenly comprehension dawned on Luna’s face. “Ah, yes. That was one of his old favorites right?”

“Yeah.”

“Well I canst see how that lead thou to canter down memory lane.” Luna then realized that she needed to get to work with the moon, and after making her goodbyes, left Celestia alone.

Celestia teleported to her quarters, and before she fell asleep, pulled out an old photo album and turned to one page in particular. On that page was a photo of one white alicorn filly with rainbow hair, who was arguing with a slightly smaller blue alicorn filly. Standing over both of them however, was an alicorn colt with a yellow coat and hair that was red, but turned yellow at the tips, with a look on his face that said he was goading them on, but a posture that suggested he was willing to break it up the moment it got too serious.

Celestia chuckled and slid the album back into place as she fell asleep and dreamt of the past.All done!

This will be done by the end of today!

What do you think of Card's and Pinkie's Convo so far. along with the talk he had with Mr. And Mrs. Cake

Alrighty, I am here.

Thinking of doing a liitle thing for dragonshy.

Author's Note:

What ever you think is the new Ailcorn's story, you are wrong! please keep that in mind.

Comments

[Sky Hooves]

When Card meet Celestia will it be sure Interesting^^

[leonidas701]

2270656 oh you have no idea.

[Sky Hooves]

2270783

No, I have not. But I hope to read it^^