Lessons in quirks

by Mike84


Chapter XV

Pinkie Pie had really pulled all the stops for this party and everyone else assisting her in her efforts one way or another had certainly been caught by her enthusiasm. In best Pinkie manner it sometimes seemed like she was in more than one place at a time, a bundle of almost alarming energy. Rarity heard her earlier wish fulfilled when Octavia and other members of Ponyville's Musicians' Guild performed some classical tunes that would have been worthy of a ball in the Royal Gardens of Canterlot. Their performance sparked a little discussion about classical music between Frank and Rarity which further decreased the ice which Twilight felt had already gotten some deep crack through the earlier exchange of literature quotes. Apparently classics of both literature and music were part of the basic education at Fillydelphia's academy and more likely than not Frank's demonstrated memory for anything he had heard had been helping in memorizing long passages. For several semesters, he recounted, he had been active in the academy's drama club.
"Perhaps one way...", Twilight mused to herself, "...to learn how to show the one hoof somepony else liked best like right now he does to Rarity."
After a while Frank took his leave to make some more acquaintances and possibly also to look after Applejack and Rainbow Dash who had withdrawn inconspicuously when the talk had turned towards 'egghead subjects'. The Cutie Mark Crusaders too had vanished among the crowd long ago. Frank had put off his saddle-bags and placed them next to the town hall's entrance since they would have been clumsy to wear while making his way through the crowd of celebrating ponies.
"I do have to say he is a pony of some culture", Rarity admitted when he was out of earshot. "What do you think, Fluttershy?"
The pegasus was looking a bit helpless. She had been listening the whole time but never said anything herself. She was never outspoken with her opinions and being asked for her opinion about somepony else was probably particularly unpleasant for her. Twilight knew Fluttershy well enough however to understand that she would have been more ready to share her thoughts if they had been untarnished kindness only.
"If you say so", was all Fluttershy said. She suddenly seemed to be so interested in a muffin she took from a nearby platter that further questions would have seemed like an unkind intrusion.
Rarity shrugged and walked some steps towards the town hall. Out of the corner of her eyes Twilight saw that Rarity was surreptitiously taking measures of the saddle-bags which Frank had left there.
"You know, when Frank arrived at my place this morning while I wasn't even up, he just started talking to Owlowiscious", Twilight told to give Fluttershy something to like about the colt she seemed to be so uncertain about. Unlike in case of Rarity however Fluttershy's reserve could just as well be the result of her generally cautious nature rather than any actual misgivings.
"How very interesting!" Discord's voice said from Fluttershy's mane.
"Be quiet Discord!" Twilight whispered sharply. "You promised!"
Discord snorted. "Alright, I will not be one to inconvenience you or anypony else on this party... Does that go for anypony who happens not to be a pony too?"
"Of course!" Twilight whispered sharply wondering whether Zecora or any of the mules living in Ponyville were around, not to even think about what Discord might have in mind for any animals that might happen to be within range.
Looking at Fluttershy's face again, rather than at her mane Twilight continued: "And when he first saw Spike, his reaction reminded me a lot of you Fluttershy. He was really enthusiastic to see him."
"Yeah, I do have that effect on some ponies."
Twilight hadn't seen Spike approaching, but there he stood right behind her somehow managing to balance no less than four sundae's in his paws which he held up for offering. Twilight couldn't help noticing the half yearning half sarcastic glance he cast to Rarity who was returning from the hall entrance. Whatever mournful thoughts might have crossed Spike's mind, Rarity's reaction at the sight of the sundaes in his paws dispelled them.
"Oh Spikey-wikey, you're such a darling to bring ice cream along for all of us!" Rarity levitated one of the sundaes on a nearby table and ruffled the scales on Spike's head with a hoof much like she would have ruffled the mane of a foal.
It was only due to Twilight's quick reaction that the three other sundaes were caught in another levitation spell while Spike appeared perfectly oblivious to having dropped them at Rarity's caressing.
"Thank you Spike", Twilight said with a smile as she arranged the sundaes on a large empty barrel serving as a makeshift table and levitating a smaller keg alongside it for Spike to stand on, so he too could reach the barrel's top.
Having just finished the muffin that had served as her excuse to dodge further questions from Rarity, Fluttershy gave her sundae a slightly desperate look as she too offered her thanks to Spike. Fluttershy was not a very hearty eater yet at the same time too polite to refuse anything offered to her. Looking closely, Twilight noticed the ice cream in her sundae was diminishing at a much faster rate than Fluttershy's intake warranted. But while technically Discord was probably violating his promise against the use of magic, Twilight decided to ignore it, seeing that it provided some relief for Fluttershy. She was wondering if this kind of sharing the sundae was more based on any greed of Discord for ice cream or if it was him being sensitive to help Fluttershy out of an unpleasant situation. Twilight shook off the question to which she wouldn't get any answer anyway and instead just enjoyed her own sundae.
Picking up her previous topic with Fluttershy, Twilight said: "I'm not sure how much you heard of it, but Frank didn't enjoy putting his hooves down on those fillies Fluttershy."
"Uhm...", Spike hastily swallowed a mouthful of ice cream, "...so he actually did?"
Twilight gave the little dragon a look of surprise. "What's that, Spike?"
"Earlier I overheard Diamond Tiara talking to her father. It sounded like Frank attacked her and Silver Spoon or something to that effect."
Twilight gave a sigh of frustration: "So Mr. Rich is here?"
Spike nodded. "Only just arrived. I overheard Diamond Tiara as I was picking up the sundaes. I thought it was just silly filly talk."
"Which is what it is!" Rarity said firmly. "He did not 'attack' the fillies."
"Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were giving Scootaloo a hard time and Frank intervened on her behalf. A bit harsh perhaps, but certainly not attacking them! I better go right away to set the record straight..."
"Relax Twilight", Spike said. "I don't think Filthy thought of it as anything more than silly filly talk either."
"He did not?" Fluttershy asked surprised.
"I think he prefers to be called Mr. Rich, Spikey", Rarity pointed out with a tone of mild admonishment.
Spike shrugged. "Well, he just nodded when Diamond Tiara finished and walked on to talk to somepony else. He didn't seem to mind much. And he didn't seem to mind being called 'Filthy' either", Spike added with a look to Rarity. "He didn't say or do anything when Mr. Cake called him Filthy."
"That's weird", Twilight said. "I don't know him much, but I think somepony mentioned he was a rather protective father."
Rarity nodded firmly. "The Richs are customers of my boutique and for all I know Mr. Rich has always considered it a faux pas to address him by his first name."
"Big surprise", Spike laughed. "But is it not a faux pas to call your kid 'Filthy'? I mean, who does that?"
"Now, now Spike!" Rarity rebuked him without really contradicting his words.
"I don't think Mr. Rich usually goes to public parties either", Fluttershy said. "Perhaps he is a bit shy."
While Twilight doubted that shyness was the reason, Fluttershy did have a point. Mr. Rich did attend certain public events, but he had never struck out as mingling with the crowd. Not utterly aloof and sending his daughter to the local school, rather than to some elite private school, Mr. Rich still was the closest equivalent to Canterlot's detached elite that could be found in fairly provincial Ponyville.
"There he is", Spike pointed with his ice spoon to a place not far from the stage on which Octavia and the other musicians had by now switched to a somewhat more easier style of dancing music. Filthy Rich was talking to Mayor Mare. Twilight felt a little uneasy and for a moment she wished Frank's ugly hat onto her head, but even if she had had it right now, it might have been of little use to understand one conversation among dozens of others. The next moment Twilight became ashamed for even thinking about it. Had she not held the thought against Frank that he might use his hat to eavesdrop on others? And here she was, wishing to do just that! Annoyed at herself and having finished her sundae, Twilight mumbled a hasty apology to the others, turned around and headed for Mayor Mare. By the time she reached her, Mr. Rich had already left.
"Hello Mayor Mare", she called over the sound of the music. The already pleased expression on the face of Ponyville's main administrator further brightened as she beheld Twilight.
She took a bow and with a funny mixture of formal etiquette and heartfelt familiarity she said: "Your Highness! It's great to see you! I hope you are well and royal business is all in good order?"
Given her own official rank being part of Mayor Mare's name and aware of the importance she attributed to titles, Twilight accepted the address as 'Highness' from her.
"Yes, thank you, Miss Mayor. And so I trust is all Ponyville business?"
"Oh yes, indeed. We sure owe Miss Pie for all the work she always does to make delightful events such as this one possible on such short notice... though perhaps it would sometimes be good to know more than one or two hours in advance to which purpose my workplace is to be put."
She smiled a little helpless. Suddenly her face brightened up again.
"Oh look there, Your Highness! It is the kid from the school's paper... Featherweight I think his name is... and he has his camera along. Let us give him something for the title page!"
Before Twilight knew it, she had somehow been turned around and stood beside the mayor feeling a little like she was posing for an election campaign photo. Taken by surprise like that, Twilight couldn't help but feeling a little malicious joy over the fact that little Featherweight didn't heed Mayor Mare and herself at all, no matter how broad Mayor Mare's smile became. Featherweight seemed to take more interest in the other guests.
"Oh well…", Mayor Mare said sounding a little crestfallen. "Maybe we should have a little ceremony and a medal for Miss Pie for her continued services on behalf of public spirit of the citizens of Ponyville."
Twilight was laughing. "Well deserved it would be Miss Mayor, but I don't think you want to plan for any ceremony in which dear Pinkie needs to stand still for more than a minute."
The mayor nodded and looked like she was trying to figure out how to reconcile that necessity with the requirements for dignity of a public honoring ceremony.
"Miss Mayor, I just saw Mr. Rich here…", Twilight began.
"Oh yes", Mayor Mare confirmed cheerfully. "He doesn't often do such larger events the honor of his presence. A delight to see him join us, isn't it?"
Twilight nodded but asked carefully: "Did he have any grievances?"
"What? Why? No. Why should he?" Mayor Mare looked so thoroughly perplexed at the mere idea that Twilight was certain Spike had been right and that Mr. Rich's talk to Mayor Mare hadn't had anything to do with Frank's lecturing of his daughter.
"Never mind", Twilight said with a smile.
"He just asked about how everything was going, if there were any difficulties in Ponyville or any other news worth of notice."
Twilight tilted her head slightly and Mayor Mare shrugged.
"Not much to tell him there, but of course a business colt like him would want to know of anything that might be important for his business."
"Of course", Twilight nodded. "If you will excuse me, I'm going to take a look for Mr. Blanket, the guest whom Princess Celestia sent us."
"Oh, she did?" Mayor Mare asked surprised. "Miss Pie introduced me to Mr. Blanket earlier. An eloquent gentle-colt I say, but he didn't mention being here by royal decree."
"Oh no, not by royal decree. Princess Celestia just suggested for him to come here. He is a student focused on the study of cutie marks and the princess thought that a visit of Ponyville might be illuminating for his studies."
"I see. Well, let's make it so. Does that mean that he will be dwelling in Golden Oak Library for the time of his stay?"
The question caught Twilight off guard. Somehow the thought had been at the back of her mind for a while already but not actually manifesting into the question. Moreover, there had never ever been any mention of how long Frank was going to stay in Ponyville at all. Simply not knowing the answer, Twilight just made a noncommittal gesture, a kind of a mixture between a shrug and the waving of a hoof that could be be interpreted as anything and quickly made off before Mayor Mare could ask anything more.