Part The Last: Ripples
Part The Last: Ripples
“We do have a few loose ends,” said Cookie.
“Some unfinished business,” said Pansy.
“And I suppose we can cover this, if for no better reason than to keep these two from twisting my foreleg.” Clover indicated her companions with her chin. “There’s no reason to leave you hanging and ruin your holiday, not over minor spoilers. A few day’s advance notice shouldn't cause too much damage.”
“On Hearth’s Warming Morn you will get a big basket delivered,” said Pansy. “It’s from Spike. He really wants you to know that he’s not mad, and there are no hard feelings. The basket is full of his Hearth’s Warming cookies, and they’re the way you like them, unfrosted.”
All three mares made faces at this.
“Oh, and Twilight Sparkle did not make him do it,” added Clover. “This is all Spike’s idea.”
“You aren’t going loose your teaching certificate,” said Cookie. She grinned at Quiz. “I hope you weren’t counting on using that as an excuse to get out of teaching. You get a mark on your record, and you’re on probation. Cheerilee will be reviewing your lesson plans very carefully.”
“That seems unusually generous,” said Quiz. She blushed. “I am, after all, a… pornographer.”
“Accidental pornographer,” corrected Pansy. “This is just a suggestion, but I think maybe you should read more poetry.”
“The Ponyville Board of Education had a simple choice," said Cookie. "Deal with angry parents who will eventually calm down, or deal with an angry Princess Luna, who won’t. I suspect it helps that the offending poem happens to be Miss Pince Nez’s favorite.”
“And Diamond Tiara?” asked Quiz.
“She gets to think about what she did to you,” said Cookie. “While one holiday vacation with her parents. At least I’m sure she’ll think about it, at least a bit, as she enjoys herself at the beach. She might not even laugh.”
“Not all our stories have happy endings,” said Clover.
“Finally, you will find something in your bag that you overlooked,” said Pansy.
“And with that, I believe our work here is done,” said Clover. “If you haven’t learned what we’ve tried to teach you, then we just can’t help you, Quizzical.”
“At the very least, I do feel better,” said Quiz. “I take back what I said about the world being better off without me. It seems that I have done good after all, and it feels good to know it. The feeling is difficult to explain…”
“It’s called pride, Quiz,” said Cookie. “You should cultivate it. You’re entitled.”
“I shall trust you on that,” said Quiz.
There was a long silence, as the three mares stared at each other. Finally, Cookie asked, “Is that a victory? Do we get to count that as a victory?”
“Oh, let’s,” answered Pansy. “This is Quiz we’re working with, after all. Good going US!!!”
At that, the three mares rose and did a three-way high hoof. “Founders of Equestria, Self-Worth Advisors! Yay!!!”
“But I still do not understand,” said Quiz. “You made it all sound so extraordinary. I do not feel extraordinary. Nothing I did felt extraordinary at the time.”
“It’s all about ripples, Quizzical,” said Clover.
“Ripples?”
“Ripples,” said Clover. “Everything we do and say in this world creates ripples. They flow and reverberate through all of creation. What we do to or for one pony effects the next pony they meet, and so on.”
“And you are just getting started, Little One,” said Cookie. “It isn’t much of a spoiler to say, we expect much more from you in the future.”
“The best that we can hope for in this world, is that we create good ripples,” said Clover.
“And you, Quizzical Greystone, create ripples that are wonderful!” said Pansy.
“I think that I understand that,” said Quiz. “What do I do now?”
“Now you go to sleep,” said Clover.
“Sleep? But I do not feel…”
And Quiz fell asleep.
#
Quiz slowly opened her eyes.
“Oh, good. She’s awake.”
Quiz was on the train. Across from her sat Sunflower and Marigold. Quiz sat up carefully when she realized her head was resting against Weaver Bird.
“How do you feel, Quiz?” asked Weaver. “You really scared us for a while there.”
“I am well. There is not even a headache,” said Quiz. “What are you all doing here?”
“We all just happened to be in the station when you had your accident,” said Marigold. “You staggered onto the train, then fell over onto the seat. You’ve been out ever since.”
“We were chatting, and discovered how we all know you,” said Weaver. “We’ve been kind of watching over you ever since.”
“Crazy coincidence, huh?” said Sunflower. “Hay, why are you looking at me like that?”
“Oh, no reason,” said Quiz.
“Well, stop it, it’s creepy!”
“Sorry. What are you all doing here, anyway?”
Sunflower pointed to a box under her seat. “I was picking up samples. They’re from the Everfree Forest; very rare and very valuable. We couldn’t send them through the mail. So, naturally, Professor Seedling sent her intern to personally carry them.”
“I’m heading home from a sales trip to Manehattan,” said Weaver. “Rarity actually recommended me to Coco Pommel! I have a whole bag full of orders. I can’t wait to tell Persimmon all about it.”
“That is great news, Mrs. Bird. Please tell your daughter that Miss Fancy Graphs said hello.”
“I’m on holiday leave,” said Marigold. Quiz noted, quite happily, that there was not paint hiding the bright yellow mark on her forehead. Quiz also saw that Marigold sported brand new corporal’s chevrons.
“Then you are doing well at your new post, Miss Marigold?”
“Oh, sure. I really like Eutaw County. It’s… interesting. And some of the egg heads at the base need keepers even more than you did, Quiz. I got passed over by the honor guard again, but I didn’t do that badly trying out. Maybe next year. Until then, I’m happy where I am.”
“That is very good news,” said Quiz.
“Um… are you looking at me funny now? What gives, Quiz?” asked Marigold.
“Never mind, it is nothing.” Quiz’s brow furrowed in deep thought. “I might have heard their voices, in my sleep... could my mind have inserted them into my dream... was it all a dream after all?”
“What was that, Quiz?” asked Weaver.
“Oh, I was formulating a hypothesis. But it is not important. It is most likely wrong.”
“Are you sure you’re okay, Quiz?”
“Oh, yes. I have never felt better.”
The train pulled into the Canterlot station. Through the window Quiz could see her parents and her older brother. They waited on the platform, standing with dignified good cheer. Beside them was Quiz’s little sister Delight, bouncing up and down without restraint, in completely unashamed excitement.
Quiz was on her hooves, and went to the door before the aisle could fill with passengers.
“Quiz!” called Weaver. “Slow down. You’ve been out of it all the way from Ponyville!”
“But I feel wonderful,” Quiz answered. “I cannot be held back.”
Quiz was out the door while it was still opening.
“Quiz!” cried Delight. She dashed towards her sister. “Quizguizquizquizquiz!!!”
Quiz made the mistake of trying to catch her. When the sisters were finally untangled, and the rest of the family had helped them up, there were hugs all around.
“I will have us all home soon,” said Chisel Greystone VII. “It will only take a moment to get our carriage. But I must first go to the cafe across the street, where I sent our draft stallions to stay warm while we waited.”
While they waited for her father and the carriage Quiz went to a troupe of Celestial Army volunteers, who were ringing bells in front of the station, dressed as the Founders of Equestria. As she stood by the bright yellow kettle, Quiz looked in her bag for some loose change. The moment she opened the bag, she remembered that she didn’t have any change. Then she found three one bit coins, which appeared to have been caught in the pages of her notebook. Quiz used her magic to drop the coins in the kettle.
“Thank you, young filly,” said the mare dressed as Clover the Clever. “Your contribution is appreciated.”
“Yes, Ma’am, I know,” said Quiz. “Merry Hearth’s Warming to you.”
The volunteers rang their bells with vigor, and cried, “Merry Hearth’s Warming!”
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In any case, a most enjoyable story for the season. Thank you for it.
Oh, man, I am so betting that Luna had a part in this!
Or... Future Quiz made a dream message to send to the past!??
Bet: CMC insert into dream!
Grand Chessmaster
CelestiaLUNA!Or... REAL Spirits... .... mmm....
Typo: “I hope weren’t" a 'you' needs
Formatting Error: "Celestial Army"
Perhaps a comma?: "the bag ',' she"
This was a really good story that is sweet and provides some (character development?) for Quiz! YAY!
Ghosts!
5410716 Interesting speculations, but there are really only 2 explanations. Either it was all a dream or it really happened. I like ambiguous endings, so I'm not saying what happened.
5411276
Considering the nature of this world, those two possibilities are not necessarily mutually exclusive.
5411532
I like that. I like that very much.
Even though this story is inspired by other fiction, I think it will win for sure at the Poniverse "Hearth's Warming Eve" contest. It's really the one most worth reading. 8/10 Good work. Please continue writing.
5411685 Yeah, I do too.
5412924 Why, thank you, thank you very much. But let's not rush to judgement. Submissions haven't closed yet.
I hope you had a happy Solstice/Hearth's Warming, and I wish you a Merry Christmas.
As the title says, that was wonderful.
5425216
Wait. Was that comment for me or was it for Flame486?
I'm not sure because it seems a bit out in the left field for my comment... which you already commented on in short.
Dragon san
5425243 Ooops! You are quit correct. I beg you pardon, I have no idea how I did that.
5425167 There are some call backs to other stories, but it won't ruin it for your if you read Wonderful first. There is nothing here that will spoil earlier stories.
5425280
Nah. No need for that. Was just a bit puzzled myself how that worked out.
#alert!!! alert!!! Bug in the system!!!#
Chrissy? Are you playing with the site again?
No I'm not! How dare you even think I would ever stoop so low as to sabotage those peasants who are ignoring my beauty completely?
It was you.
Okay okay it was me. But I'm a queen and as they say; All hail the queen.
Bad Chrissy bad.
I'm sorry.
You better be young lady.
Do continue my friend.
Dragon san
5425322
Do you think she's offended because I've never included a changeling in a story?
5425328
That wouldn't matter as much to her. But the fact that she, the changeling queen, was not in there might has her a bit upset.
A little? A little!!! I'm livid!!!
Yep. She's pissed.
Dragon san
5454998
I have an excuse. I'm from Germany.
Dragon san
5458189 I'm not even from a first world country. Excuses, excuses!
5469063
But that's just the thing. I'm from a first world country. Shit comes from here, not the other way round. That's why we know jack shit outside of our own countries and sometimes even states.
Dragon san
5469620 The thing is, here in the USA we've been accused of exporting our media so much it's as if we're trying to assimilate everyone's cultures. That may be an exaggeration.
At any rate, "It's A Wonderful Life" is such an icon here (some TV stations run it all day on a continuously on Christmas Day) that it's difficult to believe anyone doesn't recognize it.
5469673
Well. The thing we get mostly is pop music from Jay-Z, Eminem, Kayne West and the like. So yeah. Not really much aside from the ordinary.
Dragon san
Its always nice to read a good, simple heartwarming story.
It truly id fascinating how much of an impact one person can have on the world.
Well here is to many more Quiz adventures to come!
"Accidental pornographer"
Eh, not the worst title you could get by mistake.
5494667 Thank you. It's good to see anyone who appreciates the "Capra-corn" I write (though, if I am being completely honest, as much as I love Frank Capra, I'm more of a "Miracle On 34th Street" guy myself).
5494667 Oh, and
was absolutely the last crime I thought anyone would expect from Quiz, and I'm surprised you're the first person to comment on this.
I guess "tricked into distributing smut by Diamond Tiara" is something readers aren't surprised about.
Excellently written, compelling characters who are also very fine OCs, a nice adaptation of "It's a Wonderful Life", good holiday cheer; all in all, this was a lovely and delightful story. Thanks for your contribution to our contest!!!
Very nicely done.
I think I finally understand why I like your writing so much. It is, in a word warm. Heartwarming in spots, funny in others, but standing back and looking at the stories as a whole, they are simply warm, the way a bed piled high with covers is when you wake up on a cold winter's morning.
It's very much what MLP should be, and so often is in cannon. And happily for me, you seem to be a very prolific author.
5570222 Why thank you, what an awesome compliment! Seriously, that's a 'put it on the back of your book jacket' level testimonial.
It's amazing, no matter how many times you see/read 'It's a Wonderful Life' it never gets old.
I see a scene with Donut Joe's new waiter, Jimmies Stew:
It involves him galloping down Mane Street, Canterlot.
"Merry Hearth's Warming Cinemare House!"
"Merry Hearth's Warming Neighporium!"
I'm just glad Quiz didn't get into a carriage accident or jump into a river.
I liked this story, very feel good material.
6200003 This chapter's opening scene is lifted directly from "I'll Take That One."
5412924
You might even say it is ...
dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/Emoticons/misc_Lyra_dealwithit.png?wrap=true
fanfiction.
Very heartwarming
6973782 I imagine Sun Butte must be a lot like the Soviet's Baikonkur Cosmodrome back in the '60's (but as if Tinker Gnomes were the engineers and Disc World wizards were the experimenters).
No, Sunflower got her orchid several years before Basements occurs. And I never once thought of shipping Quiz with Sunflower (but then, I just don't think in terms of ships most of the time). Curiously (to me) no one has ever suggested shipping Quiz and Shadow.
7146643 Oh, and "when is this" is a very good question. Does Wonderful happen right after Cake SItting? Or does it happen the following winter? I'm not sure. There's continuity problems with both options.
An interesting take on a Christmas Carol, one I don't think I've seen before. Fits perfectly for Quiz though. Her constant refusal to acknowledge that her actions had positive outcomes is very irritating, but I suppose that's kinda the point, isn't it? The stories of Sunflower, Weaver, and Marigold all enraptured me, however I can't say the same for the ghost trio. Outside from the funny cmc joke at the end, they didn't really stand out at all to me, I don't think I could even tell them apart now that it's over.
7146992
Oh! You're responding to this! 7146643 ... Link from the post so it makes more sense?
Personally, I'd never mention it 'cause it's seemed a bit too obvious to be worth mentioning?
Hmm... With the emotional link magics from Quizzical (The first story), and the CMC's trio cutie marks, presuming those are in canon for this series, and the the trio who meet Quiz when she wakes... The 'dream' could be some magic thing with trios of fillies resonating across time and stuff.
7146999
Could make this story an AU, or just a slightly different version happened in the main Quizzical continuity... ... Wondering what a EQG!Quizzie would be like...
Typo:
going to lose
7780215 The idea of trios of ponies magically linked through all of time is interesting, but it's over thinking this a bit. That's just deeper and more complicated than I ever write.
An EQG Quiz would look like Wednesday Addams, only shorter.
Oh, and Wonderful is the 77th highest rated Heart's Warming story on FIMFic!
7780968
Yep. Nice catch.
Christ, those three somehow are the ancestors of the CMC.
This was all kinds of fun to read, especially so close to the holidays. Quiz always has stellar antics and it's rare that I see time travel about characters that were brought to the future instead of characters going to the past.