//------------------------------//
// Chapter XVI 
// Story: Lessons in quirks 
// by Mike84 
//------------------------------//

	The next hours just spun away as Pinkie's party continued as a series of chats and activities. It was reassuring for Twilight that in spite of occasional addressing as Highness, Princess or even Majesty the attitudes of the citizens of Ponyville towards her really hadn't changed much because of her recent coronation. While Pinkie was the mind behind the event, it was clear that many ponies were contributing spontaneous ideas for activities or deliveries of foodstuff or beverage which they happened to have around or which they could prepare and provide on short notice. This allowed for a great variety of treats to pick from. However catching Pinkie's own party spirit and enthusiasm for it was, Twilight was still wondering if even Pinkie would have been able to inspire such an event at so short a notice at a place other than Ponyville. It was a thought that came with great affection for Ponyville and all its citizens. Just what would things be like if it hadn't been for Princess Celestia's order to oversee preparations for the summer sun celebration many moons ago?
Somepony had called out for a dancing competition. Twilight wasn't sure if Frank had been dragged into it by Applejack, somepony else, or if some quirky sense of daring had brought him into it. In any case the outcome reminded of Frank's blundered bow in the morning, only this time without any levitation spell to keep him up. No doubt, dances hadn't ever been on his curriculum, but he put on a brave face and shared in the laughter as he got back onto his hooves. Lyra Heartstring took the cake with a dance performance just on her rear hooves which Twilight would have considered impossible without the use of magic but for the fact that she saw it for herself. 

Even though some ponies had left, the party still continued after the sun had set, giving way to a gloriously clear starry sky. At this point however, Twilight saw Frank trudging towards her. He had put on his saddle-bags and his hat rested slightly askew on his head, further adding to the odd picture which the hat constituted by itself. He looked rather exhausted and Twilight remembered he had been up much earlier. He probably hadn't had any sleep since he had left Canterlot hours before sunrise. Applejack had called him an 'early riser' in the morning, but by his looks he too needed his shut-eye. He took a little bow, a lot more casual than the one he had performed and blundered in the morning, and said: 
"What a day it has been! Princesses, a dragon, Discord the spirit of chaos, the wielders of the Elements of Harmony, so many new cutie mark stories and so many ponies to get to know, this awesomest of parties, performances and slapstick moments, the music and..." he brushed over his face as if to sweep away a non-existing wisp of hair. "...I think I almost forgot it is even possible to see and hear and learn so much in a single day!" 
Twilight smiled about his enthusiasm and at the same time it occurred to her that she hadn't gotten around to talk to him about his accommodation since Mayor Mare had brought up the question. The failure to have done so put Twilight in a somewhat uneasy spot. Princess Celestia had sent him to her which somehow made him her guest. At the same time she knew him for just a few hours and had absolutely no idea how long he intended to stay in Ponyville at all. Still, the way things looked she probably would have to offer him some improvised lair in the library hall and find a better solution tomorrow unless she wanted to shut the door into his face.
"So you want to head back for the library now?" she asked a little uncertain. 
"What? Oh no, excuse me Princess, but I'm really kind of tired and it wouldn't do any good to do any reading anymore today. Moreover with all I've seen and heard today I'm not sure how much more marvel my mind could take in from the books, even if I were more awake. I'm just taking my leave for today, but am looking forward to tomorrow."
Twilight gave him a blank look.
"Taking your leave...? I didn't mean to suggest for you to go reading in the library."
Frank now gave her a blank look in turn but then it seemed to dawn on him. 
"Oh, thank you very much. This is really very kind and hospitable of you, but I wouldn't want to inconvenience you any further."
"I'm sure Spike can set up some bedding for you in the hall. It wouldn't be an inconvenience", Twilight lied.
Frank gave her a smile that was thankful but at the same time looked like he had recognized the polite lie for what it was. 
"Thank you very much. You really are too kind. But I wouldn't want to exploit that kindness. Also...", he looked a little embarrassed, "...some ponies would probably start gossiping, more than already they do...", Frank tipped his hat slightly with one hoof suggesting to Twilight that he had caught some gossiping with his hat, "...if suddenly a hobo moved into a princess' palace."
"It's a library, not a palace!" Twilight contradicted feeling almost a little offended.
"A library...", Frank nodded, "...not an inn. Princess Celestia certainly didn't want to send you a stranger as a house guest. A palace is more fitted to accommodate unexpected guests."
Obviously Frank was serious about declining the offer. Twilight was relieved but concerned at the same time. 
"Then where are you going to sleep?" 
Frank made a motion with his head towards his saddle-bags. "Foldable home, remember? I'm going to set up my tent somewhere on the green at the outskirts."
Without meaning to, Twilight's look had apparently turned rather pitying. Frank smiled as he assured: 
"It is really not so bad at all. Least of all in such warm summer nights. And the star sky...", Frank's voice suddenly became as enthusiastic again as it had when he had listed all that he had seen during the day, "...one doesn't see much of it if one has to walk to a window to see it. But in nights such as this I can somewhat relate to the grief of a princess whose marvelous work was so rarely seen and so rarely appreciated by her subjects. Had more ponies given the night the credit that Pony Shakes gave her before Princess Luna was even in charge of the moon, she never might have fallen to Nightmare Moon's allurement."
Frank cleared his throat and putting on his theatric voice again he recited: "All the world will be in love with night and pay no worship to the garish sun." 
He chuckled. 
"Thank you for the beauty of the night, Princess Luna, and I meant no disrespect or ingratitude towards you, Princess Celestia, when quoting one who wrote before he could see either of you two at work."
Twilight wasn't really sure what to make of this and just smiled at it. It sounded like Frank thought the princesses could actually hear him. Or was it some kind of joke? Or... some kind of prayer?
"Good night to you, Twilight."
"Good night to you too. See you tomorrow, Frank."
Frank walked past her for one of the alleys leading away from the town square. 
All of a sudden Twilight remembered one more question she had meant to ask Frank. It was in fact the first question of which she had taken a mental note today in order to ask Frank later. When in the morning they had been talking about her own cutie mark Frank had mentioned a 'random theory' about her mark which he had declared partly disproved by his untimely arrival. It had seemed to Twilight that he hadn't been eager for the topic at the time and therefore hadn't inquired any further. More likely than not, there would be time to ask him about it when he in turn would be asking her and the others, if they agreed, his questions about their cutie marks. 

As Twilight was looking for the others, a rather drowsy looking Spike joined her and, giving the baby dragon a ride on her back, Twilight decided that she wouldn't stay much longer either. She found Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Fluttershy standing together near the fountain on the town square. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were with them and as Twilight approached, she saw Pinkie Pie heading for them from the opposite direction.
"Hi Twilight", Applejack called as she saw her. "Did ya see Frank? Ah think he was lookin' for ya." 
Twilight nodded. "Yes, he took his leave."
"Took his leave?" Rarity asked surprised. "I mean he told he was going to leave and said goodbye to all of us..." 
"To me too!" Pinkie Pie interjected as she arrived.
"...but I was under the impression that he would be your guest in the library?" Rarity finished her sentence. 
Twilight shrugged. "To be honest, I hadn't thought much about it. But when I offered him to stay in the library hall for the night he refused."
"How come?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Doesn't he like books? I thought he was an egghead too."
"Well, it may have to do with somepony...", Twilight shot a glance at Rainbow Dash, "...spreading bridle gossip bringing up rumors calling him my colt-friend or something like that."
Rainbow Dash chuckled not the least bit abashed. 
"Oh Rainbow, you're such a dweeb!" Applejack said frowning. 
"Hey it's not like I was the only one", Rainbow Dash said defensively, looking at Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Applejack in turn. 
"The difference bein' that unlike y'all Ah just asked Twilight, who told me it's nonsense an' I am takin' her word for it."
Twilight facehooved and took a deep breath. She was really in no mood for that kind of nonsense. 
"Now look, to make that absolutely clear once again. I only heard of him in the letter I got yesterday evening from Celestia. I've never seen him before he was at my door this morning. I find his studies quite interesting and I'll say that he has been good for quite a couple of surprises today. I think he is a gentle-colt and I am going to help him with his studies. But he is not— and I want you to get this —he is not my colt-friend! Got it?"
There was a moment of silence. Rainbow Dash rubbed her neck. 
"You know, Twilight... you sounded almost like Princess Luna there. You really can do the princess thing if you want to make a point." 
Twilight was frowning, but it appeared that Rainbow wasn't taunting her as she quickly added.
"And I got the point, Twilight."
"I never thought he was your colt-friend", Fluttershy said, sounding very intimidated. 
"I know", Twilight gave her a reassuring smile. At the same time however she noticed a motion in Fluttershy's mane and remembered that Discord was probably still hidden there, presumably having hexed his mouth away to keep himself from bursting with laughter. This talk wasn't meant for his ears and she secretly wished the dragonequus to the darkest corner of Tartarus. 
"In any case Frank didn't seem to want to fuel any such bridle gossip", Twilight said. 
"Acting like a true gentle-colt", Rarity said approvingly. 
"Better watch out so ya don't give Rainbow any fuel for other gossippin' oh Rarity comely to behold", Applejack said the last words being a fair imitation of Frank's voice that sent Rainbow Dash rolling on the floor with laughter. 
"Don't even think about it, Rainbow!" Rarity threatened. She had blushed a little. 
Twilight rolled her eyes. "You're such scandalmongers. Was there anything in your cider, AJ?"
"Mah cider was just fine", Applejack said as if Twilight's last words had been serious. 
"But where did Frank go then, Twilight? Where will he sleep?" Applejack asked. 
"Tenting", Twilight said. "He told he was going to put up a tent."
"Ya know, Ah could have offered him to sleep in our barn if Ah had known..." 
Twilight nodded. "That's very kind of you. But honestly I don't even know how long he is going to stay here in Ponyville. I don't even think that he knows himself. Also, he didn't seem to mind tenting much." Twilight shrugged. "He is a bit quirky."
Nobody said anything for a moment. 
"So what about all of you? Do you want to talk to him about cutie marks?"
"Absolutely!" the response came from three voices as one, but not from the ones Twilight had in mind when she had said 'all of you'. During the whole talk Twilight had almost forgotten about the Cutie Mark Crusaders. 
"Oh, and you three, this whole talk here is not for the ears of anypony working for your school magazine. You don't want me to go Princess Luna on you, do you?" 
The last remark had been in jest, but all three of the Cutie Mark Crusaders kept straight faces while silently performing the gestures of a Pinkie Promise, much to the approval of Pinkie Pie. 
"I want to talk to him too", she proclaimed cheerfully. "Frankie has so many questions I can answer for him! And maybe he can answer me when I ask him why we call icing icing, I mean there is no ice in it and it is not even cold! And why would you put anything icy on a cake?"
There was a moment of silence. Nopony had any response for Pinkie's randomness, but Twilight thought that it would be interesting to see her randomness pitted against Frank's quirks. 
"Discord thinks that Frank's studies may be interesting", Fluttershy said after some moments. 
"And... that's a good thing?" Applejack asked sounding rather uncertain. 
Fluttershy didn't answer but said: "If all of you talk to Mr. Blanket about cutie marks, I may too... if he wants to ask me any questions."
"I'm fine with him askin' me cutie mark questions. Quirky or not, he seems a fine fellow and if he asks anythin' I don't want him to ask me I can still say so", Applejack said. "Same goes for you of course, Apple Bloom."
Apple Bloom was beaming at her elder sister. 
"Well", said Rarity. "I did have my reservations against him. And as you say he is a bit... unusual at times. But he has also acted like a gentle-colt and seems to be well educated and—"
"If you go on like that, nothing I may say is gossip anymore, Rarity!" Rainbow Dash taunted.
"Well, I'm going to talk with him", Rarity snorted annoyed. "And if it all sounds okay to me, then you may too, Sweetie Belle."
For a moment it looked like the filly meant to protest against the precondition, but then she just nodded. 
"I'm fine talking to Frankie about my cutie mark", said Rainbow Dash. "It's the coolest cutie mark there is after all and I'm sure he'll want to know all about it."
"Like what happens to its wearer when the mark is switched?" Rarity asked casually.
The color seemed to leave Rainbow Dash's face. 
"Oh no! Nopony say anything about—", she broke off glancing at the Cutie Mark Crusaders and Scootaloo in particular. 
"I mean. I mean it! Don't!"
While Rainbow Dash certainly couldn't do the 'princess thing' the way she credited Twilight with, the sense of urgency hadn't been any less. Even Rarity took pity on Rainbow's struggle to bring that point across while saving face in front of Scootaloo and the other fillies. Performing the gesture of a pinkie promise she said: 
"But you too be a little more considerate with what kind of stories you are spreading."
Rainbow Dash nodded in agreement.
"Very well", said Twilight smiling. "Looks like Frank won't have come to Ponyville in vain. You know, I think this may be really interesting."
"So you're agreeing with Discord?" Applejack asked, but muttered an apology when Twilight gave her a rather irritated look. 
"Maybe we should all meet for a picnic on the green tomorrow?" Rarity suggested. "Frank could join us if he wants to and maybe we all get a chance then to ask him whatever questions we may have?" 
The suggestion was well received by everypony and made a plan.
"Well, I think I should head home to the library." Twilight said finally. She heard a loud snore from her back and with a grin she added: "Spike agrees, I think."
With a goodbye to everypony Twilight turned away. She spotted Filthy Rich who was talking to Miss Cheerilee, the teacher. For a moment Twilight was wondering if maybe this talk had anything to do with Diamond Tiara's complaint to her father, but it didn't look like anything but a casual talk. She passed by them and made for the alley that lead towards the library.