Happy Adventuring, Twilight!

by Pennington Inkwell

Revelations

Sorry to have missed you, but adventure's calling!

Happy Adventuring!

Pennington Inkwell

The sign in the window was like a slap in the face for Twilight, who's temper had been festering all night. "What?" She gave the doors a strong tug, making sure that the shop was, indeed, closed. She groaned in frustration and stomped her hoof on the ground. "I bet he's home, too! He's just locked away in his study." She looked up to the roof, an idea quickly forming in her mind. She closed her eyes, picturing the place that she wanted to be. Energy crackled outward from her horn, surrounding her body in a bubble of light. From Twilight's perspective, she didn't really move, she just felt a strong tingling sensation all over her body. As she light surrounding her faded, she was on top of the roof, having brought herself there with magic. She looked around, and it was only a matter of moments before she found the skylight that Pinkie Pie had told her about. Confidently, she strode over to he mirror and rested her two front hooves on it.

"Pennington! I know that you're in there!" She shouted, knocking with one of her hooves. "And I know that you don't want anypony to know what's in there! So help me, if you don't open up to let me come in, I'll teleport past this glass and find out what's in there myself!"

There was only silence, and Twilight began to wonder if he really WAS gone. To her surprise, after a couple minutes, she heard a door opening. She rushed to the edge of the roof, and watched as a Pennington emerged from the back door. He didn't seem to notice her as he pulled out a small key ring and locked the door behind him.

"Hey! Pennington!" Twilight teleported herself down next to him. "I want to talk to you!"

"Augh!" The pony nearly jumped out of his skin as he suddenly found himself to no longer be alone. "Twilight! Oh, you scared me!"

"Well, I want to talk to you about how you treated Pinkie Pie yesterday!" Twilight huffed, thoroughly ready to chew the pony out.

"It was terrible, I know." The pony hung his head. "I was just on my way to apologize. Actually..." His face lit up as an idea crossed his mind. "Do you think that you could give something to her for me? It's an apology gift, but I don't have time to make the delivery myself!" He looked down at a watch on his right hoof. "Augh! I'm later than I thought!"

"Well, I- No! When you make an apology, you have to do it yourself!" Twilight argued. Pennington groaned and took off running, forcing Twilight to run to keep up with him. "Hey, wait up!"

"Well, if I have to rush, I can't wait for anything!" Pennington was surprisingly fast, and made it to Sugarcube Corner in a matter of minutes, leaving his lavender companion in the dust. As Twilight walked in through the doors to the bakery, she found Pennington and Pinkie Pie standing in the corner.

"So, anyway, I just wanted to apologize, Pinkie. I overreacted." Pennington shook her hoof.

"That's okay! Besides, this is a great gift!" She held up a copy of the book that Twilight had seen Rainbow Dash buying. "An autographed copy of the newest Daring Do book! But... How did you get a hold of the author? Nopony can ever find Scorching Quill!"

"He and I have done some work together..." He shrugged. "So I can send him a quick letter now and then. Writers have a certain brotherhood and mutual respect in our profession."

"That's so COOL!" Pinkie shouted as Pennington turned to leave. "Thank you! See ya later?"

"If you feel like swinging by the store when I get back!" He shouted as he shot past Twilight. Twilight didn't even try to ask Pinkie for a closer look at the book, instead running after Pennington.

"Wait, where are you going?" She shouted, trying to keep up again.

"I have an appointment!" He shouted, turning towards the train station and once again rushing ahead of Twilight. "In Canterlot!"

Twilight refused to give up, using her horn to teleport and catch up to him. "Wait up, I can come, too!" The stallion finally slowed down, matching her stride.

The two continued to run abreast the rest of the way to the train station, where they both joined the line waiting to buy tickets. "Look, I apologized, okay? Didn't you see? You don't have to follow me anymore!" He was obviously becoming agitated.

"Yes, I was just wondering where you were going!" Twilight smiled. Well, the one thing that I've learned from Pinkie Pie, it's to be persistent!

"I'm taking a trip to Canterlot..." He grudgingly muttered. "I'm going to go and do research on changelings for your commission! So, you don't have to come! Very boring."

"I don't think so!" Twilight grinned. "I love doing research! Maybe I could help you!" She checked her saddlebag to find her train pass to Canterlot. "I'm pretty sure that I could help you get into the Royal Archives, if you needed-"

"I don't need help!" He groaned, trying to plead with her as he stepped forward in line. "Look, I appreciate the help, especially from so prodigious a student as yourself! But you can trust me, I have it covered!"

Twilight didn't let his flattery distract her, and she quickly thought up another reason. "Well... You said that I can come and see your progress on my commission any time. So, I want to watch you work!" She proudly stepped forward, feeling her victory in the argument to be assured.

"I said that you could come by the shop and check up on my progress, not stalk me to Canterlot." Pennington replied flatly as he turned around to buy his ticket.

"Well- But- I-" Twilight rolled her eyes in frustration and stamped her hoof. "UGH! Quit being so difficult! If it bothers you that much, then I won't follow you, okay?"

"Thank you!" Pennington grumbled, walking away from the ticket stand. Twilight stepped up to the booth and showed the ticket vendor her pass. "One ticket to Canterlot, please! Both ways."

The pony scratched his head in confusion. "But, I thought that you said that you weren't going to follow him..."

"I'm not!" A devious grin spread across her face. "I just have a sudden urge to do some research in Canterlot... On changelings, to be exact!"

After boarding the train, Twilight decided to lay low and stay away from Pennington for a while. I may have pushed him a bit too much... As she looked around at the other ponies in the train with her, and noticed that several of them were reading "Daring Do and the Dangerous Descent Into the Dragon's Den." Sheesh, Scorching Quill certainly seems to have mastered alliteration...

"Excuse me, that's the new 'Daring Do' book, isn't it?" Twilight asked the reader nearest her. "Would you mind if I took a quick look at it?"

The green pony grinned and marked her page before letting Twilight examine the book. She quickly followed her normal habit of reading a fiction book: flipping to the back of the cover and reading the "About the Author" section.

Scorching Quill, though elusive to his fans, is no stranger to the dangerous expeditions of Daring Do! Some of his notable adventures include climbing Mount Neverrest, going deep-sea diving in the mareiana trench, and spearheading several expeditions into the Everfree forest, including the group responsible for discovering a changeling outpost that had been used to smuggle their operatives into Equestria.

Despite all of his achievements, however, Scorching can rarely be found until only HE chooses to appear to the press, and refuses to give an address for his fan mail. When asked why, he replied, "I want my fans to show their love by pushing themselves to greater heights, not sitting around and writing letters. They need to push the envelope, not seal it and send it away."

While the personal life of this author may be a mystery, his actions speak for themselves. Scorching Quill is nothing less than the flesh-and-blood manifestation of Daring Do, the adventurer extraordinaire. As for his fans, he gives two words of advice.

"Happy adventuring!"

Well, that explains Pennington's sign. He said himself that most of his revenue comes from selling Scorching Quill's books, and quoting somepony as famous as that can grab attention! Twilight shrugged as her eyes moved down to the author's portrait photograph. Scorching Quill, a bright red and orange stallion, was posing with a sword in his mouth and several quills hovering in the air around him. Twilight had never understood the picture, thinking that the two different types of objects contradicted one another in an awkward way. She shrugged and returned the book to its owner, who was immersed in the story again in a matter of seconds.

"Attention all passengers, we will be arriving in Canterlot in about one hour." A voice sounded over the intercom. Twilight smiled, enjoying the familiar landscape rolling by. Trees and hills passed by in a constantly moving and growing landscape that climbed higher and higher into the mountains until it reached the city built on the cliff face: Canterlot. It will be nice to visit my old home. Maybe I'll have a chance to visit Shining Armor and Cadence! As comforting thoughts and emotions rolled over her like grass rolled over the hills, Twilight's eyes began to droop, and she silently nodded off to sleep.

"Hey, wake up!" Twilight's eyes snapped open as somepony shook her shoulder. "We're in Canterlot, if that's your stop." She didn't even have time to thank the other pony before the crowd of passengers hurried past her, all apparently late for something. I wonder where Pennington is... Her tired mind didn't even comprehend the importance of the question for a moment, still wading through the complacency of sleepiness. Wait... Where did he go? Twilight jumped to her hooves, looking all over for the familiar blue and violet streaks of his mane. Her eyes quickly turned to the window, looking out to the platform, and barely caught a glimpse of his dark blue coat disappearing into the crowd. She closed her eyes, focusing on an empty bench near where she had last seen him and quickly teleported over. Ignoring the shriek from the pony who had been about to sit down, she jumped off of the bench and dove into the crowd, weaving her way through as quickly as she could.

Well, it's not likely that I'm going to find him in this heaving mess of ponies, but I can spot him outside of the station!

As she finally broke free from the throng and bolted for the doors, Twilight scanned the street outside. Finally, she could see Pennington clearly. He was walking with purpose, sure of his destination. Twilight was just about to shout out to get his attention, when she saw him take an unexpected turn: straight into a small boutique called "The Color and Curl."

"What?" Twilight shook her head, no longer sure if she had been looking at the right pony. He arrives in Canterlot to do research, and the first thing he does is have his mane catered to? I would expect this kind of thing from Rarity... Refusing to entirely believe it, she trotted to look through the window.

"Hello?" Pennington called out as he walked into the store. "Lily? Callalily Curl?" He looked around to a couple of the other ponies who were working at the moment. They both nodded their heads towards the back of the room, where a violet-and-pink unicorn was sorting bottles of dye and placing them on a shelf according to their color.

"Lavender... Mossy Green... Robin's-Egg Blue..." She needed only to look at a bottle for a second or two to know its proper place, and she could have it on the shelf in only a second more with practiced ease. She was so involved in her work, she didn't even notice Pennington walking up behind her until he was close enough to whisper in her ear.

"I hope that you're stocked up on my colors!" He whispered, leaning in close to her ear. As the unicorn jumped about a foot into the air, and her hoof flew to her chest when she returned to the ground. "Pennington Inkwell! Don't DO THAT! And quit laughing at me, or I'll turn you pink!"

Pennington, who had only moments before been rolling on the floor in laughter, immediately became silent and still. "Aw, you wouldn't do that to your best customer, would you?" He winked up at her from his vantage point on the floor. His chuckles were cut short as she placed a firm off on his chest.

"Try me..."

"As much as I would love to..." He wheezed. "I'm on my way to another adventure, and don't want to start it off with fresh injuries..." Pennington took in a large gulp of air as the pink pony lifted her other hoof from his diaphragm.

"Another one, Penny? You've got to be kidding me!" She groaned as she pulled down several large bottles of dye.

"Don't call me 'Penny!'" Pennington interjected as he rose back to his hooves.

Lily didn't even notice, continuing with her sarcasm. "What kind of suicide are you committing this time? Perhaps testing yourself in the acid caves of Katamandu? Or, maybe you're going to go upset a drug cartel south of the Equestrian border? Oh, why not jump headfirst off of a cliff again, or nearly freeze to death on Mount Neverrest?" She rolled her eyes. "And to think, I'm just encouraging your reckless streak..."

"No, you're not. And the sarcasm isn't appreciated." Pennington rolled his eyes as their normal banter began once again. "If you must know, I've been asked for a commission involving sunshine and rainbows, and a giant pink butterfly! Not dangerous at all!" He helped his patronizer lift up several panels in the floor, revealing a full-coat dying vat.

"Yeah, and I'm the new princess..." She muttered as she tipped a gallon a blood-colored dye into the water that was pouring inside. "Seriously, though! What kind of crazy quest are you imposing on yourself this time?"

"If I told you... You would kill me." Pennington laughed. "Probably just to save time." Without warning, a light pink aura surrounded his body, lifting him up into the air and over the boiling vat.

"Tell me, or I'll turn you pink." Lily blew a strand of lavender hair out of her face, and her expression was one of extreme exasperation. "I put just the right amount of red dye in there..."

"H-Hey! Let me down, you turncoat!" Pennington began running in the air, trying to push off of a floor that was no longer there.

"Tell me, you pink-coat!" She slowly lowered him towards the bath of color.

"Geez, has business been bad lately or something?" Pennington groaned. "Fine! But only you!" He pointed to the other two workers. Lily gave him a smug smile of victory and pulled him back out of the air. When Pennington whispered his plan in her ear, her jaw dropped, and so did the gallon of dye that she was holding above the giant tub of warm water.

"Y-You can't! That's suicide, for real this time!"

"That..." Pennington muttered as she stepped down into the dye, "is for Scorching Quill to decide!"

B-B-B-But... When Twilight saw Pennington step out from behind the curtain that Lily had pulled over the last few steps of his transformation, she felt as if a trap door under her brain had opened, leaving her power to process what she was seeing completely useless. Pennington is... Scorching Quill?

His usually disheveled and low-hanging mane had been pulled and tugged into a completely new style, rising up and over his ears in a spiky field of yellow and orange flames. His night-sky coat had completely changed, metamorphosing into a bright orange.

It was still Pennington, of course. It had to be... His cutie mark would never change. Two scrolls, each on either side of a compass. The same compass that had so very often been described in detail as Daring Do's cutie mark. As his head turned out towards the large window, Twilight dropped to the ground, barely avoiding being seen. "I can't believe it..." She whispered to herself. "All of this time, Scorching Quill was hiding in Ponyville! That's why he stays at home, he doesn't want to be recognized!"

"Well, Lily, what do I owe you this time?" "Scorching Quill" reached in to his bag to find his money.

"You don't owe me anything, Pennington!" She rolled her eyes in a huff. "You've already paid in advance for your next dozen visits!"

"I don't remember that..." He gave her a mischievous grin. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, so go on! Leave!" Lily turned to go, but was stopped as Pennington grabbed her should and turned her back around.

Pennington's expression became serious, and he looked her straight in the eyes. "You've been coming up short lately, haven't you? You're grouchy because you're worried. Can you even pay the rent this month?" When Lily silently looked to the ground, Pennington reached into his bag and pulled out a sack of bits, which he placed on the counter next to the register. "Don't you dare say it's too much. You're my dearest friend, Lily. You struck out to Canterlot on your own to prove that you could survive in the big city. To prove that you could make it out of Ponyville."

"And you refuse to leave Ponyville!" Lily sighed. She wanted to push the bag back towards Pennington, but she knew that she needed it. "You could be living the high life here in Canterlot! Heck, you make more at one book signing than I make in a month!"

"Which is why I'm supporting my childhood friend!" He smiled and turned back towards the door. "I always said that I wanted to go on adventures, not that I wanted to escape Ponyville. Consider this a donation to my favorite business in Canterlot!"

As he walked out of the doors, Pennington's mind wasn't his usual topic: bracing himself for going into public as Scorching Quill. She didn't even try to fight to give it back... She must be desperate. Maybe I could figure out who her landlord is when I-

"Pennington!" Twilight jumped out from her hiding spot, catching the stallion off-guard. "You're Scorching Quill?" Her eyes glimmered with a mix of shock and awe.

"Ummm... Pennington? Where?" Looking around for his alter ego, "Scorching Quill" shrugged. "I don't see him. Too bad, I'd like to see my old friend again..."

"I saw it all, Pennington." Twilight glared. "I know everything."

Oh, great...

Comments

[Neon Icy Wings]

Let this be a lesson: Always close the blinds when you know you're getting stalked!

[Pennington Inkwell]

903468

Dear Princess Celestia,

Today I learned... that Twilight Sparkle is stalking me. HELP!

Your faithful subject,

Pennington Inkwell.

[Neon Icy Wings]

903749 Typo: Is suppose to be 'Dear Princess Luna'. Keep up yo canon boy!

[Pennington Inkwell]

903788

Lol I just figured he would write to Celestia about a problem with Twilight.

And he hasn't actually met Luna yet... These are comments on Chapter 3! Anachronisms FTW!!!

Dear Pennington Inkwell,
You're on your own.
Sincerely,
Princess Celestia.

[Neon Icy Wings]

903810 True, true. And also I'd think Celestia would do this too.

Dear my faithful student

You are learning the arts of trolling well.

Your teacher
Celestia

[thewaffler]

Dear Princess Celestia

I learned that it's perfectly okay to interfere with someone's personal life and stalk them in order sate my own curiosity.

Your faithful student,
Twilight Sparkle

Hmmm...given Twilight's track record on keeping secrets, Pennington is screwed. dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/sillyfilly_Twilight_Sparkle.png

[-Brutus]

oooo, reading on!

[StarShine739]

[Midnitemist]

908697 True... I wonder how long it will be before Dashie kidnaps him?

[Beware The Carpenter]

Lily turned to go, but was stopped as Pennington grabbed her should and turned her back around.

Shoulder

Twilight acts very out of character in this chapter.