Thweet Geniuth
Chapter 3 Conspiracy!
Seeing the Grand Chef exit the stage Quiz decided to try a new spell she had been practicing.
Twitcher’s Useful Amplifier creates a parabolic mirror made of invisible arcane energy behind the head of the caster, with one of the caster’s ears at its’ focus. The spell isn’t commonly used, as most ponies have difficulty imagining a parabola. Quiz, on the other hoof, was known to dream in complex geometry. Twilight had suggested the spell, thinking it would be perfect for Quiz, and Twilight had been correct. Quiz said she found just trying to cast the spell ‘delightfully entertaining.’
Twitcher had been a hard of hearing colt whose hobby was bird watching; he had originally invented the spell to enjoy bird song.
However, the spell is much more often used for eavesdropping.
Quiz summoned the spell, and concentrated on the door at the back of the stage through which the Grand Chef had exited.
And Quiz got quite an earful.
.#
Princess Luna hurried to the front of the stage. She knew the contest producers would most likely be furious with her for going off script, but Luna didn’t care. There was no way she was going to leave Twist abandoned, alone, blinking and trembling in the spot light.
The trouble was, once Luna got to the microphone she hadn’t the faintest idea what she was going to do.
Luna caught the eye of the production assistant holding the cue cards. The colt just shrugged at her. This was not helpful.
Don’t try anything fancy, the Princess told herself, just say something obvious.
Luna extended her right leg to Twist. “We are proud to be the first to congratulate you, young filly.”
“Thank you, Printheth Luna,” said Twist, as they shook hooves.
“Fillies and gentlecolts, Twist is the first contestant from Ponyville to win this prize at the Manehattan Fair,” announced Princess Luna, “And the youngest winner in the history of this contest.”
After a ragged beginning, as the audience was still puzzled by the Grand Chef’s departure, this announcement eventually produced hearty applause. Oh, good, thought Luna, this is going well. She forged on, “Twist has also won by the greatest margin ever. This should come as no surprise to anypony who tried sweet number 32, Twist’s chocolate mints.”
There was a murmur of agreement, as most of the audience remembered how good sample #32 was. Then the applause returned, much louder now.
Twist blushed, and shyly muttered, “Thank you, everypony.”
“We know Twist personally, from Our many visits to Ponyville, and We are pleased and proud to call her Our friend,” said Luna. Then she quickly placed a hoof over her heart and added, “Not that that influence the contest in any way, We promise.”
This got a smattering of polite laughter from the audience.
Oh, how nice, thought Luna. I said something amusing, and they actually laughed. I cannot wait to tell Tia about this.
.#
Bbzzzt!
After a moment, the buzzing cleared up as Quiz tweaked her spell’s focus. She heard Grand Chef Blitzen Éclair’s voice.
“Fairweather!!!” Quiz flinched, as it sounded like the Grand Chef was roaring in her ear. “Fairweather, this is unacceptable!”
“Grand Chef, you are needed on stage…” It was a female voice.
“Fairweather, this…this Twist is not what I wanted at all! How could you let this happen?!”
“Grand Chef, this is a judged competition and we are rather limited in how we can affect the outcome,” The mare speaking was clearly putting great effort into remaining calm and reasonable. “You are head judge, after all.”
“I wanted a photogenic mare. I cannot work with this funny looking child you have stuck me with, Fairweather!”
“Grand Chef, Twist won fairly and we cannot change that,” said the mare. “You even voted for her yourself.”
“And I feel I was deceived, Fairweather! When I was told she just had one name I naturally expected a model or a rock star. Twist would be an excellent name for a model or a rock star. I had no reason to expect that ridiculous little thing I now find on my stage!”
“You were introduced to all the contestants…”
“Yes, yes, I shook all their hooves,” said the Grand Chef, dismissively. “It isn’t as if I paid attention to any of them.”
“And speaking of the stage, Grand Chef, you really need to get back…”
“This is a disaster, and I need this fixed, Fairweather!” bellowed the Grand Chef. “I am forced to face the winner, on MY show, in Confectionery Coliseum! How am I going to crush this little girl in my kitchen without looking like a bully? Tell me that, Fairweather!”
“Perhaps, just this once, you might try being a gracious winner…”
“Gracious winner?!!! I don’t Do ‘gracious winner,’ Fairweather! I humiliate my opponents and break their spirits! It is my process. It is what I do. No, Fairweather, you must fix this. In order for me to look good, you must make this Twist look…”
Bzzt!
Quiz could no longer control the spell, and her normal hearing returned. As the sound faded, she thought she heard the phrase “character assassination,” but that might have just been her imagination.
“Oh, dear,” muttered Quiz.
#
Princess Luna was trying to decide what to say next when she spied the Grand Chef out of the corner of her eye. She spoke swiftly, “Fillies and gentlecolts, again, Grand Chef Blitzen Éclair!” and then got out of his way.
Again, the Grand Chef took a moment to enjoy the applause. Then he shook hooves with Twist. “My heartiest congratulations, young filly.”
“Thank you, Grand Chef,” said Twist.
“You understand, that as you are the winner, I must issue you a challenge, as per tradition,” said the Grand Chef. “Chef Twist, will you meet me, in one month’s time, in Confectionery Coliseum?”
“Wow, nopony ever called me ‘Chef’ before,” gasped Twist.
“Well, young Chef? Will you accept my challenge?”
Twist did not hesitate, “It will be my honor, Grand Chef. I acthept!”
“Then it is done!” The Grand Chef lifted Twist’s hoof high, or at least he tried to. Twist could only reach as high as his shoulder. It didn’t matter. “There shall be candy combat!”
The crowd went wild.
“I warn you young one, I won’t let your age be an advantage to you. That cannot be so, not if you wish to be called “Chef.’ Many older and perhaps wiser ponies have met me in Confectionery Coliseum before you, and the same thing has happened to all of them.”
Most of the audience, including Twist, knew how to answer this, and they shouted back in unison.
“They were thunder struck!”
At the back of the stage, Princess Luna had to force herself not to roll her eyes at this. I still don’t think that’s funny, thought Luna.
.
#
Everything after the presentation of the awards was a blur to Twist. While she was normally shy, she soon relaxed and began to enjoy everything, and began basking in the glow of all the attention.
There were photo-ops and interviews, and when that was over there were more photos and interviews.
When it grew late, the press followed Twist to the train station; and many of them joined her on the train ride back to Ponyville. There were more photos and interviews, and all of Twist’s friends and well-wishers were interviewed and photographed as well.
All but one.
Twist might have been able to adjust and enjoy the attention, but that was something Quiz could never do. Quiz hid.
It wasn’t magic, it was a skill, and it was something Quiz had been perfecting all her life. Just by being very still, Quiz could go unnoticed right under your nose. Given a deep enough shadow, Quiz could become invisible.
Since all the lights were trained on Twist, the deepest shadows were right behind the reporters. So that is where Quiz stood, overlooked by everypony, observing everything.
Twist knew her friend’s habits; so when she couldn’t see Quiz anywhere she looked into the deepest shadow in the room and gave a little wave. Quiz did not wave back.
Of course there was one pony who could and would always find Quiz.
“Penny for your thoughts,” said Pinkie Pie, whispering in Quiz’s ear.
As usual, Quiz was startled, but she didn’t jump out of her skin. Quiz had grown used to this. Pinkie was constantly playing ‘hide and seek’ with her, even though Quiz only played ‘hide.’ Quiz spoke so softly only Pinkie could hear. “This is an extraordinary moment, Miss Pinkie, and it is all Twist’s. She has done something wondrous, and I wish for her moment to be nothing less than wonderful. Also, as Twist is trying to share her moment with everypony, I will interrupt no pony’s evening with my concerns. I only answer you since you asked. I can ponder and plan privately tonight, and wait until tomorrow to share what I have learned. But know this; I will do whatever I must to protect my friend.”
“Wow!” said Pinkie. “I just expected you to tell me how you enjoyed the Fair! So, anyway, I hear you went on the Tail Twister. Isn’t that just about the greatest ride in the whole world?!”