(Canterlot) Mending Hearts (Ended)

[Lux]

(Thanks, Phil! Walker, you're up next)

Heart took the moment after Radiant left to recollect her thoughts. Using her empath ability was emotionally taxing on her and she needed to level out her emotions and wait for the emotions she was feeling from the other pony to fade away. Finally she felt like she was ready to continue. She waited for the next pony to enter named she beliebed to be Question Mark if she remembered the list carefully.

(Anypony else wish to joing, you can certainly do so and have your character in the waiting area).

[Walker]

Question Mark had heard his names called by the pony behind the front desk, and in response he placed his book back in his saddlebags and made his way into the counseling room. He gentilly opened the door and quickly glance around the room, before his gaze stopped on the unicorn sitting in a huge chair. He nodded towards her and made his way over to the empty couch. He sat on the edge and continued his examiniation of the room. "Heart Healer right? I saw the posters around town, thought it might be interesting. Counseling is quite a noble and difficult career." He stopped for a minute, then shook his head with a forced smile on his face. "My dad insisted I should come, but I'm not quite sure why..."

[Lux]

Heart watched as the young earth pony stallion entered. Without a word from Heart, the pony immediately too a seat on the couch. It was almost as if he was accustomed to it, or maybe since the couch was the only available furniture to sit on he chose it.

Hear was puzzled by the fact that he called the session "interesting" most ponies were nervous to meet with her, but he seemed to being interested in it. The other thing was the fact that Question was referred by his father. This could indicate a potential family unrest.

"Hello Question Mark. Yes, I am Heart Healer. Thank you for having such high regard for my profession. No, how can I help you today?"

[Walker]

Question Mark smiled kindly and reached into his saddle bag, pulling out a mess of papers. Most had the words "Lost" or "Missing" at the top, one was even from the clinic here. He finally found what he was looking for, a handwritten note.

He cleared his throat and began to read from it. "Greetings Heart Healer, my name is Coffee Bean, and you are currently seeing my son Question Mark. It has come to my wife's and myself's attention that he has shown very little intrest in dealing with other ponies, of either gender. We are worried both about him and his future. You see... he's never shown any intrest in mares or stallions, and while he seem alright on the outside, we can tell he's lonely. We were hoping you could break through his shell, and help him be able to open up to others."

Question Mark looked up from the note, his eyes blinked slowly. " That's what they say, but I think I'd like to learn about how you um... profile ponies?" He struggled to find the right words. "Um... and well yeah, I'm curious."

[Lux]

Heart watched as the pony delved into his bag and pulled out a note. From what she gathered based on the stallion reading it, his parents were concerned by the fact that the stallion didn't wish to meet ponies and that he lack friends or even romantic relationships.

The stallion then asked her how she profiled ponies. She wasn't sure what she could do with this request. She didn't want to give away confidential information due to doctor/ patient confidentiality, but maybe generalities are what would work. His request, however, did provide an interesting idea.

"Well it seems that your parents have a legitimate concern which is why they wrote the note. And you seem to have an interest in my work. So, how about I make you a deal. I'll try to answer what I can about my profession, if I can ask you things about yourself. Does this sound like a plan?"

[Walker]

Question Mark stared at the unicorn with a mixture of slight concern and great enthusiasm. "Oh? Well alright, if that's what you want... Um... you go first I guess... It's mares first right?" He started gathering all of his paper back into his saddle bags. "My parent are always so concerned about me, but I'm not quite sure why, I'm a grown... just turned stallion, living on my own. Why are they still babying me? It's not like I need any help or anything."

[Lux]

"Well I find that parents will always show concern, no matter how old or young their children are. But for my first question isn't really a question, but just for you to tell me a little about yourself."

[Walker]

Question mark blinked "No question? Oh... about me huh. Well I live in Solstice Heights, in my own house, by myself. And I work at my dad's cafe here in Canterlot, and I like to read and learn new things... Oh I'm also a amature detective... I guess. I mostly work with finding lost object; necklaces, hoof braclets, horn rings, the like. Sometimes that even pays, but not often. I still like it though." He looked up at Heart Healer, blinking rapidly. "Wow, that was weird... I usually don't talk about myself as much.... um what about you? Did you go to school to learn how to do." He gestured vaguley around the room. "This? Your work and... stuff?"

[Lux]

Heart Healer saw that his being an amature detective meant he did have enough skills with other ponies.

That's nice that you're able to help others find lost things. As for my profession, yes, I did go to the Canterlot Medical College to learn how to be a psychologist. It took several years, but I was able to graduate. I have however an empath skill that allows me to read pony's emotions. Can I use this ability on you? I promise you won't feel a thing."

[Walker]

Question Mark smile whistfully at the unicorn. "Of course you can use that. Who am I to deny the right of ponies to use their special gifts?" He though about the school that she had talked about and felt slightly jealous. "Sounds like an amazing gift, is it unique to you? Could any other unicorn learn it?" He pulled out his book on unicorns and magic. "I haven't gotten very far into this book, so I wouldn't know all that much... but I think a power like that could be bad if it got into the general population."

[Lux]

Heart Healer activated her ability allowing her to read his emotions.

"Well, I haven't heard of other ponies with my ability. I know that Princess Cadence can do something similar by projecting love. I'm not sure if other unicorns can learn my ability as it's my magical talent, but maybe somepony gifted in magic can learn it."

The earth pony then produced a book about unicorns and mentioned how Heart's ability could be dangerous.

"Magic is neither good nor bad but neutral. It's up to the pony who wields it that determines how to use it. i like to think of magic as fire. Fire can be used for good like providing light and heat, but it can be used to hurt or destroy. Now I know that you have met many ponies trying to help recover their lost items. Have you made any friends with any of these ponies?"

[Walker]

Question Mark blinked at the question, his eyes going wide in confusion. "I- What? Friends with them? Oh no... no never. Why would I do that? It's a job, just like any other... um... to put it into perspective... would you consider us friends after this? Probably not, I mean, isn't that 'unproffessional'? I mean I don't make friends with the ponies at the cafe... why should being a detective magically make me friends?"

He paused to think for a moment. "Besides ponies are usually so happy to get their stuff back they probably want to go celebrate with their real friends, not with the pony that found it. I usually leave right after I give it back... or sometimes I just leave it on their front door and knock... seems easier." He grinned brokenly, though their was a slight uneasiness and longing in his heart. "The thrill of finding the item is enough for me. I'm fine with just being the unsung pony... It's who I am..."

He was stuggling to continue talking, his words seemed to escape him the longer he talked. So he stopped and stared at Heart Healer. "... If that makes any sense to you."

[Lux]

"Well," Heart Healer said seeing that he was slightly upset about mentioning it, "I know that one sometimes likes to keep friends and clients separate. Sometimes things do happen where friends are discovered. I really should be asking you if you nave any friends or like to do things beyond helping others find lost things.

[Walker]

Question Mark shrugged, "I really don't know what defines someone as a friend. I mean I've looked up the definition before." He paused for a minute and closed his eyes. "It's a pony that somepony knows and shares mutual affection with, usually outside of family. How am I supposed to know if anypony feels affection for me? It seems kinda... um... narcissistic of myself to assume the feelings of others... but I guess you wouldn't know that. Seeing as you know..."

A whitsful chuckle escaped his mouth, before he quickly regained his composure. He had worked most of his life in a place where you were required to talk to ponies on a daily basis, and yet, even with the regulars he chatted up, he still felt... foreign. He saw how everypony acted... and he felt like he couldn't relate. It wasn't for his or others lack of trying, but still... he never felt right about calling others his friends, without thier approvel. He didn't feel lonely per say. But still something in his soul tugged to be given affection, or accepted, or even...

His eyes suddenly shot up and stared at the unicorn in front of him. "Err... you... um... sense that? Is that how it works?"

[Lux]

Heart could feel it, the deep longing in Question Mark's heart. She knew this feeling all too well. Almost everypony she met whether counseling or talking in general had that part that seemed missing, like a puzzle without one or many pieces left out. This was why Heart Healer was in this profession as a way to help find those missing pieces.

"well first of all, yes, i can feel that missing part that your feeling, and I think having friends can help fill that void. It is not narcissistic to feel something for somepony you truly like. In fact you are actually being very considerate and thoughtful giving your time and energy, and feelings towards another pony. A friend I find is kind, helpful, honest, loyal, and funny. You asked about magic before. I'd like to think friendship is magic. When friends are together, it's like there's a spark between them. Now the easiest way to find a pony as a friend is to not worry about what a definition says in a dictionary but to just go out into the city or even other places and just talk to ponies. It would be like what you're doing now. You can talk about each other's likes, dislikes, dreams, and anything else. Does that sound like something you'd be interested in doing?

[Walker]

Question Mark opened his mouth, closed it, then reopened it, the cogs in his brain turning as fast as they had in a while. "Is it something I'd be interested in doing? Idle chatter really isn't something I like doing. Most conversation is brainless in nature anyways. I mean... um... like all the ponies who talk about the weather or dances or shopping... It seems kinda unimportant. I like to talk about like... the economy and such..."

Question Mark sighed, he had grown up the son of a teacher, and that had fueled his intense intelligenctual pursuits. But dispight that he had dropped out of school at first opportunity, beacuse his grades were so low due to his hesitation to speak up in class. He instead got a job through his father, and spend his free time reading on his own. His lack of social skills and general socialphobia had made him unable to make any friends during his foalhood, and that had dragged on into his older years. But he would never admit that his inability to make friends was because of that. He was an adult, not some silly foal. He wasn't afraid of other ponies anymore...

But he was, no matter how much he told himself that he wasn't, he was. Even sitting in front of this unicorn he was struggling to keep his voice level and he was losing his train of thought as he struggled to keep his fear in check, As both her eyes and her empathy skill seemed to burrow in his heart...

"Oh Celestia..." Question Mark whispered to himself as he remembered his emotions were not a secret in this unicorns presence. "Um... yeah, so the conversation thing is... um... not too... um..." He was quickly losing his composure, and his eyes had started shifting around the room, looking everywhere but at Heart Healer.

[Lux]

Heart Healer watched as Question Mark began to look around the room, practically at everything except her. She knew something was making him afraid, and most likely it dealt with her talking to him. It made sense that a pony who was already afraid of interaction combined with isolation could cause this paranoia.

"I understand that you are afraid to interact with ponies, but how about we try something. We can role play a conversation. We will introduce each other, ask and answer questions, and then end the conversation. Does this sound like something you'd like to do? It can really help you talk to other ponies."

[Walker]

Question Mark stared at the corner of the room for a solid 5 seconds before nodding his head in aggrement. "Alright Heart Healer, if you think it will help we can roleplay. Um... so how do we do that. Am I still me? Or am I someone else? What about you, are you a different pony, beacuase if you are you need to take other's speech and ideals..." Question Mark suddenly shook his head, embarressment flooding his mind and cheeks as he blushed a light red. "Sorry, I got carried away... H-hello my name is Question Mark, um... what's your's?"

He had decided to take the first sentence in continuation of his personal denile that he was afraid. Of course he was, but he hoped that this sudden burst of confidence, like him sitting down on the chair at the beginning at the interview, would fool both the ponies in the room.

[Lux]

(OOC: This is a roleplay within a roleplay. Roleplayception)

At first Question was unsure about this role playing conversation. Then he began to rattle off the rules of the conversation before realizing that he would still be acting like himself just as Heart Healer would still be her.

"Hello Question Mark. My name is Heart Healer. Do you live in Canterlot or are you just visiting?"

[Walker]

Question Mark stared for a moment, his mouth hanging open slightly in thought. He wanted to choose his words carefully. Even though this was a roleplay, he wanted to make a good impression on his conversational partner. And he guessed that ment he would have to suffer some small talk.

"Er... Well I don't live here. I work here. Um... I live in Solstice heights. So I guess I'm just visiting. Um... What about you, do you live in Canterlot?"

[Lux]

Question Mark's reply was rough but at least it was a good response. The pony didn't seem much for small talk, but this was one of the things that Heart hoped to slowly fix. She would keep asking small questions and conversations so as not to bog down the pony.

"I live and work in Canterlot actually. I heard Solstice Heights is nice but I've never been there. What's it like living there?"

[Walker]

"Oh, it's um... quiet I guess? A lot of farms, but not really to much else. It lacks the hustle and bustle and the um... insomnia of the city. But it's quiet and quite nice. Er..." Question Mark kinda trailed of as he thought of his next course of action. "Do you... like living in the city? All the noise and stuff must suit someponies, are you one of them? Oh and your job... you mentioned it... er..." It seemed odd to talk about something he already knew about, but this was pretend, and he had to keep in character. "What do you do, and um... do you like it?"

[Lux]

Heart was seeing some progress as Question was talking more about things and asking more questions.

"I like living in the city. I know is can be busy and noisy but I've become used to it. As for my job, I'm a psychologist. I help ponies with trouble in their life. And i definitely like it as I'm able to help ponies. So, Question Mark, what is your job, and do you like it?"

[Walker]

"Oh... Uh I work at my dad's cafe... It's nice I guess, kinda low end work, but I guess I was lucky to get it in the first place. It's pretty easy work, and it pays well. Most of the ponies that order are rich snobs, or dismissive self made ponies." A brief flash of disgust and jelousy ripped through the constant fear that he was feeling, and left the young stallion with gritted teeth.

He quickly recovered and spoke again. "But what can you do? Jobs like that always suck, and it's just something I'll get used to... Er, Um... Do you... or, um... like... books?" He nearly facehoofed as soon as the words left his mouth.

[Lux]

Heart could feel the resentment towards certain ponies that frequented his father's shop. That issue would have to be dealt with at a later time, but for now she wanted to focus on this exercise to boost his confidence in speaking with other ponies.

"Why yes, I do like reading, especially on psychology or magic. Sometimes I read other things like fiction and history. Do you like books as well?"