Chapter 5: Background Check
"Twilight!" A little purple dragon who answered the door yelled. "Rainbow and somepony else here to see you!"
"Somepony else?" A sweet medium pitched voice came back as hooves could be heard clopping inside, coming towards the door. Soon, a purple unicorn with a pink and purple mane emerged, and examined Dan up and down. "Oh, you're Blue Bass, the new pony Celestia said was coming from Cloudsdale, right?"
"Right, and you must be Twilight Sparkle. Nice to meet you." He winked. "But my friends call me Ace."
"Okay, Ace. Rainbow Dash, Why don't you both come in?"
"Sure." Dan said as he entered. Dash blushed. "A-actually, I've got clouds to clear before sundown in an hour... Hehe, so I'll just be going..."
Twilight frowned, "There's no clouds Dash."
"Clear clouds?" Dan leaned out to see what was the matter. "She's right, Dash. Come on in, I want to learn more about you." "Seriously...what's this about clearing clouds?"
Dash was struggling to find an excuse as she floated there, wings flapping. Twilight started to notice Dash was acting different than usual. "What's going on with her?" she thought. "O-okay...I'm coming in..." Dash said as she floated inside.
Dan smiled and walked in behind her and Twilight shut the door.
"Have a seat, everypony." Twilight said as she gestured toward some chairs in the library. "I'll go get some refreshments...it must've been a long journey for you, Ace."
"It was..." Dan said as he sat down. "Well, with this gimpy wing and all..."
"Oh, it's hurt?" Twilight asked, eyeing it, and reaching out a hoof. "I can use some magic to-"
"Crap..." "No no, nooo...just don't touch it..." Dan said, smacking away her hoof. "I'd prefer to let it heal naturally."
"Okay then..." Twilight looked at him suspiciously. "Stop pacing, Rainbow, and sit down, you silly." Dash was floating back and forth in the air in front of the front door. Twilight giggled as she entered the kitchen with the little dragon.
"Ah..." Dan put 2 hooves behind his head and leaned back. "This is just what I needed...time away from it all... I wouldn't expect time away to be like...well, this, but it's better than I thought."
"So Rainbow Dash, tell me about yourself. Applejack interrupted you in the town." Dan said, patting the chair next to him.
Dash floated over and plopped down in the seat, "Well, I control the weather here."
"Say what now?!" "Really? How does that work?" Dan said, crossing his other two hooves like feet.
Dash cocked an eye. "You should know, Ace. Didn't you learn that in flight school?"
"Mother of crap!" "Uhh..." Dan hesitated. "Well, yeah, I did, I just didn't go into it like you did."
"You went into music..." Dash said, leaning forward.
"Well yeah I did, but don't change the subject back to me..." Dan said, irritated. "So does controlling the weather pay well?"
Raised her hoof and had a so-so gesture. "Not too much, not too little. Pays the bills, right?" She smiled at him.
"I wouldn't know. You should show me how it works sometime." Dan said, smiling at her.
Dash blushed and said, "I'll include it in your flying lesson. What are you lookin' to do Ace? Coming here to Ponyville?"
Dan leaned back, thinking of a good cover story. "Well, I hope to improve my piano under Frederic Horseshoepin, and learn more about pop and dub-step from your DJ."
"PON-3?" Dash said, fluttering her wings excitedly. "She could make a party out of a bingo game at the retirement center!"
"So I've heard..." Twilight said, walking back and levitating in front of her a plate with two flower sandwiches on them.
"Here's that horse diet talking again... Plants actually look delicious." Dan leaned down and took a bite. "Delicious, Twilight." "Tastes like chicken..."
"No problem." Twilight grinned, waiting for Rainbow to take a bite of her sandwich. Rainbow slowly leaned forward, careful not to get too close to Dan, and took a bite and nervously smiled. "Yeah Twilight, good sandwiches."
Twilight's horn started glowing and a notepad floated up. A pen followed suit and she started writing something down. "So, Ace...tell me about yourself... Why have you decided to move to Ponyville?"
"Well..." Dan said, glad that he now had his cover story. "I'm a native from Cloudsdale; lived there all my life until recently. Flight school was difficult there, so I dropped out. Racing or the weather just didn't fly with me." "Smooth...you're learning quick, Dan."
"Oh..." Twilight said, the quill moving some more. She then noticed Dan's cutie mark. "A bass clef! So your special talent is music?"
"Bingo..." Dan said, pointing a hoof at her. "I was always good at singing since I was young, and my parents signed me up for piano and guitar lessons. I learned the sax on my own time."
"Why the sax?"
Dan shrugged, "I like jazz."
Dash giggled and Twilight nodded in agreement, "Good a reason as any..." She scribbled down a few more notes. "So, why did Celestia inform me of your coming to Ponyville?"
Dash spit out the bite of her sandwich that she just took. "Princess Celestia sent you a froward notice about this guy, Twilight?"
"She sure did..." The little dragon returned carrying a letter.
"So it was transported here..." Dan thought, eyeing the note. "Why does the dragon have it?"
"Spike, read it please." Twilight said, studying Dan some more.
"My dearest student, Twilight Sparkle..." The dragon now known as Spike began. "I am writing this letter to inform you that a new pony will be coming to Ponyville. His name is Blue Bass and I'm sure he'll fit right in. Make sure to find somewhere for him to stay for awhile while he gets settled in. Yours truly, Princess Celestia."
Dan gulped, "Crap..."
"Well, Ace?" Twilight said, looking at him. "Why did she feel the need to warn me?"
"Uhm..." Dan thought for a moment. "I was her...music student when I left Cloudsdale. She said she thought it was time I got out and learned more about music for myself."
"Like you and making friends, Twilight!" Spike said, pointing at the unicorn.
She smiled, "Celestia sent me here for a similar reason, Ace. I made five of the best friends in Equestria because of it, and I'm sure they'll like you, too. Right Rainbow?"
"Haha...well, I think he's pretty cool..." Dash blushed as she finished off the sandwich.
Dan smiled, "Wow Dash, you sure can eat."
Twilight giggled, "She's fast at everything, Ace."
"So I've been told..." Dan said, gazing over at Dash.
Dash smiled nervously and floated up into the air. "Well, thanks for the sandwich Twilight. I think I'd better go clear those clouds now."
"There's no clouds, Rainbo-" The door slammed shut before she could say anything else.
"I like her." Dan said, taking another bite. "Who're your other friends?"
"Well, there's the owner of the apple orchard Sweet Apple Acres, AppleJack."
"Her?" Dan said, smiling. "She gave me a free sample on my way into town! It was awesome!"
"Really? How was she?"
Dan chuckled, "I found her Southern drawl very amusing..."
"What?"
"Oh, her accent, Twilight." "Good save, Dan."
"Oh, yes!" Twilight said. "I agree. Now, as for where you'll be staying..."