The Lost Lesson

by PFT

Thanksgiving in Ponyville

The Summer had flown by faster than she’d realized, and she’d still not talked to Frank.

“Darling, it’s been 6 years since you last talked to him.”

“Honey, he’s gone. This ain’t Baseball, no 3 strikes an’ yer out. If yer lucky, ya get 2. An’ you’re already there.”

“You let them laugh him out of Cloudsdale. I mean, no proper mare gives him a tour of a school! The thing to do would have been to give him a small kiss on the cheek.”

“Rarity, she was 3. Ya wouldn’t have done that till ya was 8.”

“Well, I WOULD have done that at that age, if the need had ever arisen!”

Fluttershy instinctively covered her ears, but then quickly realized that, since they were in her head, doing that actually made them louder.

She trotted over to the window, where she saw the animals laying out a feast for themselves. Any pony who was served what the animals had laid out would inwardly chuckle at how quaint it was. It was touching to Fluttershy, however, and for many, it was going to be their last meal before hibernation.

Oh, how she wished to be there, and not going to Pinkie Pie’s Thanksgiving party. She didn’t exactly want to see Rarity and Applejack at the moment. They already are inside my head, so they’re still with me, right? She knew, though, that it wasn’t a good enough excuse.

---

Frank wrapped the scarf around his neck again as he trudged through the breezy square. The first snow of the season had come already, and though it was only an inch deep, it had made the country roads muddy and the town icy. Only one other pony dared venture out, and she was pink and (Frank expected) sugar-powered. She was dealing with the square in front of Sugarcube Corner. A messy combination of salt and shoveling, and though the area in front of her looked impeccable, her mane, though usually messy, was another story. But she ran inside just as quickly as she had come out.
Frank chuckled, then resolved to fly carefully over the roads.

---

“But, Granny Smith… he’s not family.” Applejack was in the kitchen, pleading with Granny Smith to not let Frank spend Thanksgiving Day at Sweet Apple Acres.

“Applejack, yer not even goin’ to be here for half of it.”

“And how does this relate to Frank, exactly?”

“Applejack, Ah’ve told ya several times, we don’t take back invitations, save fer illness.”

“Perfect. Then we’re all sick!”

“Applejack Apple, I thought I raised ya better than that. We don’t lie. It just ain’t in our blood, honey.”

“Why can’t he spend it with his parents?”

“His dad’s currently travelling to the big Hoofball game in Canterlot, his mom’s currently off with the Princess, helping feed folks in Appleoosa. Apparently someone underpacked and the group ain’t on good terms with the buffalo.”

Applejack, knowing that she wasn’t going to sway Granny Smith, stormed up to her room.

“Um… hi.”

Applejack turned around to see Frank walking out from the house. Not the pony that she wanted to see now. “Howdy.”
“How’s the season going?”

“Terrific.” The lone word of that reply was laced with bitter sarcasm. Applejack’s tactic for dealing with Frank was to try to speak with him as little as possible. It had worked only to stop him from talking to her much, but it hadn’t stopped him from coming back each summer since they were 5.

Applebloom bounded out of the house. Still as energetic as ever. “Hey Applejack! Frank an’ I are goin’ to see if we can find my cutie mark! You wanna come along?”

Applejack scoffed at the then 3 year-old. “I have better things to do than spend the day with the two of you!”

“Okay then!” Applebloom seemed unfazed by her sister’s lack of interest in what they were doing.

---

Frank felt out of place walking up to the Sweet Apple Acres Farmhouse. Sure, Big Macintosh and Applebloom were his friends, but he’d never spent Thanksgiving with anyone other than his parents and family friends. There’s always going to be firsts, I guess.

He was beaten to the door by Applebloom, who was ecstatic to see him. Shortly after came Big Macintosh and Applejack. Big Macintosh was nearly as happy as Applebloom, but Applejack was clearly forcing a smile. Frank ignored this and continued on, following Applebloom and Big Macintosh in.

---

Dinner had been quite an event. Nearly any item that could be made using apples was there, as was a good number of the extended Apple Family.

But that hadn’t been the highlight of Frank’s day. Not content to just watch the Hoofball game in Canterlot, the stallions and colts went out for their own game, which Applejack took as an opportunity to slip out for Pinkie Pie’s party. Normally the captains had been Braeburn and Red Delicious, but Braeburn was currently in Appleoosa, so Big Macintosh stepped in for him. Big Macintosh selected him with his 1st pick of the new players, much to the surprise of most watching. Braeburn/Big Macintosh’s team hadn’t won since Christmas 1997, when Big Macintosh had intercepted a pass from Red Delicious and ran it back up the field for a touchdown.

Frank started off poorly, dropping 2 of his 3 passes and missing a pair of easy tackles. In fact, nopony on the team was doing well, and they were down 14-0 entering the second quarter. Frank would finally start to perform, and prevented a Red Delicious touchdown with an interception to end the half. They were still down 21-10 at the end of the first half, but Frank’s interception had added a spark of life to the team.

They started the 3rd quarter off with the ball, but they couldn’t quite reach the end zone. 21-13. Neither could Red Delicious, and it was 24-13 late in the 3rd quarter. Just before the 3rd quarter was over, Big Macintosh sent a pass into what looked like open field. But out of nowhere came Frank, who was sprinting. He caught it and easily outran the defenders. 24-20.

Leading by only 4, Red Delicious led his team close to the end zone early in the 4th quarter, but was stopped not 2 feet from the goal line. They took the field goal. Big Macintosh had similar problems at their end of the field, and also settled for a field goal. 27-23. With 15 seconds left, Red Delicious held the ball on the midfield line. It was 4th down, and they needed to move the ball only 4 yards for the first down.

---

The ball was snapped, and Red Delicious took a few steps back. From the sides came Big Macintosh and Frank. 14.13.12.
Red Delicious chuckled to himself. There would be no problem avoiding Frank… 11… But he had missed Big Macintosh coming from the opposite side, which he would find out shortly. 10.

Big Macintosh made contact with Red Delicious, knocking the ball out of his hooves. Fumble! 9.
The ball bounced quietly in front of Red Delicious, just as the first receiver turned around. “Fumble!” Red Delicious’s team tried to turn around, but the stallions closest to the fumble did not hear. 8. 7.

Frank picked up the ball as Red Delicious hit the ground. 6. And they began to run. 5… 4… 3… 2… 1… 0. Frank crossed the goal line for the Touchdown. Shortly after, he found himself on the shoulders of several of his teammates, who were celebrating. They had won for the first time in nearly 6 years. 30-27.

---

Frank was flying home, the game having been over for several hours. As he flew, his thoughts kept going back to the game, and especially the last 15 seconds. It’s a shame Applejack missed it, He couldn’t help but think. Big Mac led them to the victory. She should have been there, celebrating with him.

As he flew through Ponyville Square, he passed by Sugarcube Corner, and noticed the party on the second floor. He flew over to the center window and watched. Several fillies and colts were in there, and he peered on in. Yes, the Apples were friendly, and he honestly loved being with them, but… few were his age, and those few weren’t there. Applebloom was still too young to know what being that age was, and Big Macintosh had passed that age a while ago.

As he watched, he noticed Fluttershy walk by while looking that way. She continued on momentarily, and he ducked his head below the window. For a minute, Frank stayed like this, then he poked his head above the ledge again… right into Fluttershy’s view. Embarrassed, the 2 just stood there, until it looked like Fluttershy was going to tell someone else that he was there.

Then, panicking, Frank leapt off the roof and flew away as quickly as he could.

---

Fluttershy wasn’t about to get someone, she was about to go to the door and join him, but she was shocked when he left. Suddenly, a bright flash of light filled the room as several of the windows in the room seemed to explode. The Unicorns in the room quickly shielded the rest of the room from the shards, casting a spell to turn them into sand.

They all looked at Rainbow Dash, searching for an explanation. She herself was lost for words, knowing what it was, but not who or what.

Watching the Rainboom spread over the countryside, Fluttershy looked on, a mixture of shock and happiness washing over her.

Author's Note: Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Comments

[AliCentaur Brony]

Thanks. Happy Thanksgiving to you too!

ooooh! he did a rainboom! intersting chapter ending. Hope the next one comes soon!

[Aenbr]

Happy Thanksgiving. Nice chapter, and good story overall. I can see why you want more response-- there's an abundance of lack thereof.