//------------------------------// // Chapter LXIV // Story: Lessons in quirks // by Mike84 //------------------------------// Whenever in later times Frank Blanket thought of the time from the arrival of Princess Celestia to their return to Ponyville, it too reminded him of a dream, not as elusive as what he had been trying to cling to after the disappearance of the attacker, but not as clear and memorable to every syllable as the world often appeared to him. Maybe he was just worn out by a long day and had taken in and lost again, taken up and taken off too much in too short a time to remain as receptive for experience and knowledge as he usually was. Perhaps it was just the sense of security after the perils of this night that put him in a comfortable state of drowsiness after Twilight had answered the first questions about everybody's well being and the most important facts of recent events. He and the others had given some short complements about details that Twilight herself hadn't been aware of, like the arrival of Princess Luna and her intention to stem the tide of forest inhabitants. It appeared that Princess Celestia was aware of her sister's whereabouts, but once the short report was finished, she urged to quickly return to Ponyville. Several pegasi of her royal guard had landed a large chariot beside the chasm to carry everyone back to the town, except for Rainbow Dash, who insisted to assist the Wonderbolts in putting out the forest fire. By the time the chariot, crammed with five ponies and a dragon, approached the edge of Everfree Forest, Rainbow Dash rejoined them in the company of Captain Spitfire of the Wonderbolts. Spitfire gave a quick in-flight report to Celestia, announcing that the fires were under control and being extinguished for good. The princess nodded, thanked for the report and descended towards the narrow stripe between the brook and the treeline. Large parts of the former treeline were a mess of fallen trunks and broken stumps, testifying to grand things that had happened here. Most of the citizens of Ponyville were assembled on the green beyond the brook while a large number of very diverse and rather intimidated looking creatures was huddled on this side. And there was Luna who counted those on the descending chariot and then gave Celestia a roguish, grim smile. "Great to see that you could join us after all, oh sister mine...", she called mockingly, "...but I'm afraid you brought poor weather along." Indeed the clouds accumulated over Everfree where feathering out by now and with the arrival of Celestia, the rain arrived also. "I had no idea my fearless sister is afraid of some raindrops", Celestia taunted back as she landed and gave Luna a hug. She then turned quite serious as she eyed her sister and her look came to rest on Luna's cheek. "Luna, you are injured!" Luna shook her head, less ready to cope with an overly concerned and overprotective big sister than with a playfully taunting one. "It is nothing, Tia. Just a scratch. There was a formidable beast among those stirred up by the fire tonight. A dragon of the elder days. It returned to the forest where I hope for it to relapse into its long sleep." Celestia nodded and tried not to show her worries about Luna too much. "Some smaller wild beasts ran off when the dragon appeared and may be roaming some distance up- and downstream." "I will send for more guards from Canterlot to round them up and drive them back to the forest", Celestia said. She nodded to one of the pegasi who had drawn the chariot. The seasoned guard knew his Princess well enough so no further instructions were necessary. He untangled from the harness, gave a quick salute and dashed off in direction of Canterlot as fast as he could. Fluttershy ran up to the chariot, the relief in her face beyond description when she saw that all of her friends were back safe and sound, if a little bruised, soiled and sooted. Meanwhile, Princess Luna let her stern look wander along the various creatures still assembled, a rather humbled hydra among them, and gave a dismissive wave towards the forest whereupon the creatures set in motion and scattered between the trees. "A guard may know my will through a look and a nod, Luna, but someday you must show me how whole flocks of wild animals will submit to you at the wave of a hoof." Celestia's words had been meant half in jest and in recognition of her younger sister's mastering of the whole situation, but Luna's look remained serious and she shook her head very slightly. "It is not that simple." "Princess Celestia!" Mayor Mare came galloping across the bridge and took a deep bow, almost sliding as the soil was getting muddy under the rain that came pattering down. "Your Highness!" She was looking up at Princess Luna also and corrected herself while she made every impression of trying to frantically think of the right words: "Your Highnesses! A great honor to have both of you here. And Princess Luna, that dragon... that was... But we got nothing prepared at all. Just what is happening tonight? Ponies say that smoke has been billowing from the town hall and it seems like the detainee Mr. Blanket broke out and... but that's him over there and—" Princess Celestia put a hoof on Mayor Mare's shoulder, a hoof to which mud or soil apparently wouldn't stick, and gave a soothing sound as if to calm down an upset filly. "It is alright, Miss Mayor", Celestia said. "The fires in Everfree are under control now and your town is safe. As for what happened tonight, I do not have the overall picture myself yet, but I think these ponies hold the pieces of it, Mr. Blanket not the fewest or the least among them. Let us therefore head to the town hall to put these pieces together!" Celestia had raised her voice enough so the ponies on and around the chariot could understand her. "Go and tell the good ponies of Ponyville that the threat is gone and that they should try to get some rest! Then join us in the town hall! I expect us to gain a clearer understanding there of what has been happening so you will be able to answer the questions of the citizens in the morning." Mayor Mare nodded, took another bow and hurried back over the bridge as fast as decorum permitted. Twilight and her friends, Spike, Frank Blanket, Spitfire and the remaining guards of Celestia and Luna were approaching. Princess Celestia turned towards the bridge, but then stopped and looked at her sister. "Lead the way! The night is yours, Luna, and you saved Ponyville tonight while I have done little. Let this be your procession." Princess Luna gave Celestia an almost fillial smile and took the lead. Spitfire gave a quiet snort, provoking a questioning raised eyebrow from Rainbow Dash who was walking beside her. "She only single-hoofedly folded fifteen cloud brewing kettles of tempered steel today, you know, so we have some spare ones in case a dozen of them blow up again. She put them all in operation and somehow accelerated the brewing process to the point that those kettles produced two weeks' worth of clouds in a matter of hours. While she did, she was also corresponding with, I can't even count how many very important and very common ponies about their concerns. Moreover, she has been questioning like a dozen of workers in the weather factory about the accident there and examined the remnants of the burst kettles. I think she read a book or two sometime in between and ordered the priorities and preparations for the rainfalls in the upcoming days. And of course she took the reins immediately when reports of the fire in Everfree arrived. Seems like a lazy holiday by her Highness' standards!" The group heading for the town hall was looking rather worn and rugged and yet in spite of the weariness of many of them there was an air of triumph when they were passing through the aisle formed by the citizens of Ponyville on the green. No royal decorum allowed for Princess Luna to conceal her satisfaction about the cheers she got along with the bows as she pranced ahead, wearing the scratch on her cheek like a crown. Least battered looking among the royalty present, Princess Celestia made every effort to avoid drawing attention while she was walking beside the slightly limping Princess Twilight, who of all royalty looked by far most battered. On the way, Princess Celestia took every effort to magically ease the injuries and pains of everypony else. She also expanded the magical field that protected her from the pouring rain to the others, except for a gentle and purifying drizzle which she permitted to fall on Rarity, because she was the one most appalled by the filth caught during the night's endeavors and on Rainbow Dash, because the amount of soot caught by her looked the most appalling to everypony else. Frank appeared to be the most weary of the group. This and the fact that Applejack and Fluttershy were walking on both sides of him gave quick rise to the rumor among the crowd that the recapturing of the escapee Frank Blanket had been a crucial point of these night's mysterious events. Quite contrary to Frank, Pinkie Pie was a bundle of energy, bouncing rather than walking along and as she caught some of the rumors, she took it upon herself to give a few corrections to the crowd. Whether her words about 'meany smokey stuff' attacking Frank and Twilight were doing a lot of good to containing the spread of rumors was a different story altogether. On their way they were joined by Zecora. Her quick versed report that Scootaloo's message had reached her, that she had managed to reawaken Featherscribe and that he was now with Inkhorn at their home was a relief for Rainbow Dash in particular. Feeling that Zecora too might have some of the pieces of the overall picture, Twilight invited her to come along to the town hall. Zecora accepted the invitation once Twilight had reassured her that, from what she had seen, the part of Everfree in which Zecora's cabin was located had not been reached by the fire. Somehow, Mayor Mare had managed to organize some preparations of town hall for the honored, unexpected guests. When they arrived there, the rows of chairs from the hearing had been removed and instead a large round table stood in the center of the hall, surrounded by chairs three of which were clearly designated for the royalty by some special carvings and cushions. Twilight sighed silently. Princess or not, it didn't feel right for her to settle down on a chair in any way superior to that of anyone of her friends who had risked no less tonight than she had. Mayor Mare had also managed to have some cups and drinks prepared and Twilight made a point of assuming the role of the cupbearer by magically pouring a drink for everyone, including every guard, some of whom looked somewhat helpless at this violation of protocol which coaxed a little chuckle out of Princess Celestia. Twilight's friends were so used to this kind of acting that if at all, only Rarity was aware of the undermining of courtly etiquette and she certainly didn't care at this time but happily accepted the cup Twilight offered her. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna exchanged some looks and their nonverbal exchange resulted in Luna's opening the nightly convention. "My sister and I scheduled sundown a little earlier today to offer some relief to the subjects' suffering from the lasting heat and drought occasioned by the improbable accident that destroyed a dozen cloud brewing kettles in Cloudsdale. My sister had gone to Cloudsdale to examine this strange case. Shortly before sundown, letters from the Ponyville town offices and from Princess Twilight... certainly written by her secretary Spike...", Luna added with a nod in Spike's direction, "...arrived, informing me about the hearing and requesting that an escort be sent tomorrow to bring Mr. Blanket to Canterlot for an actual trial to be held there." Frank was looking rather gloomy. "Princess Twilight's letter made clear that she was presuming innocence of Mr. Blanket in the crimes the hearing had been and the trial was to be about and it also told about the testimony of a servant of one of the victims which further increased her suspicions that the real attacker was still at large. The testimony according to which the servant was under the impression that he had not been talking to his master in the night of the crime, in spite of talking to someone who in every appearance was his master, concerned me very much. Already I was concerned because last night I had perceived a rather sudden and uncommon interruption in the dreams of Mr. Blanket." Frank looked as if he wanted to say something, but then remained silent, looking weary and about as cheerful as someone who was about to have his teeth pulled. "Shortly after sundown another letter arrived", Luna continued. "It was an urgent call for help from Spike who wrote that somepony wanted to kill Mr. Blanket and that Twilight was after that somepony. I immediately set out with Captain Crescent and the guards present at the time the letter arrived. We spotted lights over Everfree as we set out and as we descended, we recognized the fires. Then I saw you making for the forest." Princess Luna let her look wander past everyone whom she had spotted there. "We landed and Captain Crescent was immediately assaulted by Rainbow Dash." "Yes, but only because I thought he was that attacker", Rainbow Dash interrupted. "He—" Princess Luna just raised a hoof and Rainbow Dash fell silent. "I had a short exchange with Mr. Blanket who appeared to be aware of the nature of the enemy at hoof and pressed to pursue this attacker further. Because of the fires I had the fillies Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, who were also present, raise the alarm in Ponyville. I requested for those capable of assisting in extinguishing the fire and keeping forest creatures from stampeding into town to assemble on the green and everypony else to take refuge on the far side of the river." Luna sighed. "It seemeth everypony is deemed capable these days. I intended to keep whatever was to come from the forest away from Ponyville and from the green on which the whole citizenry was now assembled. Luckily, I asked for Fluttershy to stay with me rather than go into the forest. Her abilities have proven invaluable tonight." Fluttershy blushed and cowered a bit lower. She had been hanging on Princess Luna's lips. Previous events had left little time or possibility for explanations and of everyone present, she had been thrown into the events of this night perhaps with the least preparation or previous knowledge of what was happening. "All of the others headed for the forest and I only saw them again when they returned in your company, Tia", Luna concluded the summary of her perspective on tonight's events. "Twilight Sparkle, pray tell us what happened here and how you ended up in Everfree Forest tonight." "Of course. Shortly after I sent you the letter about the hearing and the testimony of Mr. Swallowtail, a pony who appeared to be a unicorn lunatic showed up at my home." One of Princess Luna's eyebrows was sliding upwards and there was a strange scraping sound from Captain Crescent's direction. "Talking in a rather crazy manner, I mean", Twilight hastily tried to gloss over her faux pas and struggled hard not to blush. "Also, he was wearing the outfit of your royal guard, though it did look somewhat unusual. In any case, he didn't say his name, but claimed to be here on your personal orders, Luna. He asked about the whereabouts of Frank and I told him. But when then I wanted to accompany him to the town hall, he firmly insisted on seeing Frank on his own, again claiming for this to be your personal order. It felt rather strange and I was about to dictate a letter to Spike to ask you about this. Just then Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie appeared. I had asked them to talk to Inkhorn. But Pinkie's Pinkie Sense was telling her that something bad was going on and before they could even tell about their visit to Inkhorn, it told her—" "That it was going to kill Frankie!" Pinkie Pie blurted out. "It was really uncanny! I have never had so much pinchy pinch in my knees. Normal pinching knees mean scary things, but this was so much pinching it was really terrifying and when Twilight told he wanted to see Frank, I knew he wanted to kill him! Twilight and Dashie dashed off and I ran to get Applejack and Rarity to the town hall as Twilight had said." "At the town hall Twilight told me to use the lower entrance while she landed on the cupola", Rainbow took over. "On the way up, I found Featherscribe lying on the ground. Zecora, he is alright, isn't he? He will be okay, won't he?" "He wasn't feeling well tonight if tomorrow he will be alright I cannot yet decide." There were some moments of uneasy silence before Princess Luna gave Twilight a look that unmistakably requested her to continue the report. Twilight shuddered a little at the memory: "When I came down from the cupola, the attacker was about to kill Frank, just like Pinkie Pie had said. The entire room was in shambles, but the attacker had cast a sound barrier. This is why you didn't hear anything below, Rainbow." Rainbow Dash just nodded, remembering that Frank had already mentioned this on the way to Everfree Forest. "We were fighting for some moments, but then the attacker charged at Frank and after missing him, charged right on out of the window and flew away." "Flew?" Princess Celestia asked. "Do you mean that unicorn levitated himself away?" "No, he actually had wings at that time. I think the idea that this attacker actually appeared to be an alicorn upset me very much. I rushed right after him, tried to catch up, battled with him and finally crashed in the forest." "You should definitely visit the hospital!" Rarity insisted. "Your wings look really awful!" Twilight nodded. "I don't think I broke anything, but I will have them checked", she promised. "I was making for the castle ruins when suddenly it seemed like you were appearing, Rainbow. This attacker can shift his appearance like a changeling. But he or she was perfectly clean while I knew that you were all sooty." Rainbow Dash gave Rarity a wry grin, caressing a speck of soot which the rainfall had not washed from her coat: "See what use some dirt can be?" Before the two had a chance to start bickering at each other, Twilight continued: "We fought, but my magic didn't seem to harm him... or her much. I actually cast some magic there I don't even know. It punched... a hole into the attacker, but she didn't seem to mind much. We were guarding against one another and then we talked." "You spoke to that thing?" Applejack asked aghast. Twilight nodded. "I was distracted for just a moment and she attacked, but just at that moment Frank showed up and attacked the attacker." Twilight was looking at Frank: "What exactly was going on there, Frank?" The colt didn't react. His eyes were only half closed, but still he looked like he was dozing off. "Frank?" Rainbow Dash who was sitting beside him, jabbed Frank. He startled with a little yelp, looking spacy for a moment before blushing and ducking his head. "I'm very, very sorry! What did you say?" "Perhaps you want to tell us what you saw, Twilight", Princess Celestia suggested. "And Mr. Blanket can answer our questions then." Twilight gave Frank a disapproving look. She wasn't huffy on her own behalf, but falling asleep in the presence of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna seemed rather disrespectful to her. She continued: "While Frank and the attacker where fighting, she suddenly dissolved into something dark and hazy. It is difficult to describe and it looked like it was trying to somehow take over Frank. It grew paler and more transparent and alternately seemed to decrease and increase while Frank's eyes turned green and then black. At that time, I cast a shield spell like those of my brother. It pushed that thing away and I think it dissolved as the shield expanded. When he got up again, Frank was very eager to write something down, but of course we didn't have much time to stay as the fire was getting closer. So we headed for the castle where you picked us up." Celestia nodded slowly. Luna cleared her throat: "Well, it appears to me that Mr. Blanket may have some of the answers to tonight's mysteries. Tell us what you want to tell us!" "Why did smokey stuff want to kill you?" Pinkie Pie asked. Frank shook off the drowsiness. "That was because I found what the attacker was and she wanted to get rid of me so I wouldn't tell." "She? Who is she?" Rainbow Dash asked. "And how did you find that out?" Twilight demanded to know. "And what exactly is that attacker? You said something about an alicorn kind of changeling, didn't ya?" Applejack inquired. Frank opened his mouth, seemed uncertain which question to answer first, closed his mouth again and then said: "After the hearing I was reading through the books stored upstairs in... whatever I am to call the room I was in." He gave Mayor Mare a short look. "And there was one book that had it all in it." "A book?" Twilight asked, her interest further increasing if this was at all possible. "A very old one by the look and tone of it, written by one Dr. Adus Noceo Quircs." "Quircs?" Pinkie Pie asked incredulously. "Do you know him?" Frank asked and looked at Twilight and the others too, but none of them seemed to be familiar with the name. "Neither do I", Frank said. "I never heard of him, but the book was mostly about changelings and he described some things that made me certain that the mysterious attacker behind all this had to be what Dr. Quircs in his book refers to as a switchling." "A switchling?" Twilight repeated the odd term. "Your Highness...", Frank was looking up to Princess Celestia, "...are you aware of these beings?" "I cannot say that I have heard of the term 'switchling' before or that I knew what kind of creature it describes." Princess Luna didn't say anything confirming or denying familiarity with the term or subject. "Maybe I should just get the book and show it to you. It must still be upstairs." Quite contrary to his previous drowsiness and for the surprise of everyone, Frank jumped up quite nimbly and before anyone could say anything, he was running up the stairs. "Uhm... shouldn't somepony go with him?" Mayor Mare asked. "He is still a detainee, or isn't he?" As she said it, Rainbow Dash suddenly slapped her forehead: "I almost forgot to tell you. When I was at the castle to look for you, Twilight, I found the rest of Mr. Rich's money!" "What? Rainbow, are you sure?" Twilight asked surprised. "Of course it could be just somepony else randomly left five bags full of bits standing in the castle library, but yeah, I'm pretty sure." "The old castle ruins...", Mayor Mare said, "...that makes sense as a hiding place. Nopony who isn't utterly crazy would ever get there voluntarily." Twilight and her friends exchanged a meaningful look and Rainbow Dash managed to suppress a laugh only by biting her lips.