Lessons in quirks

by Mike84

Chapter X

As they plodded on into Ponyville, Twilight got ever more confused about the absence of anypony else on the road. As they reached the quills and sofas shop it turned out the door was shut and the store was closed same as every place they had passed on the way.
"What's going on?" she was wondering aloud. "Where is everypony?"
Last time she had seen the streets of Ponyville so abandoned had been when Zecora had been in town and everpony had been thinking of her as some kind of evil enchantress. As she was turning towards Frank, she saw a movement from the corner of her eye and looking again she spotted a well known light blue pegasus with a rainbow colored mane and tail turning just around the next corner. Her face brightened up.
"Hello Rainbow... Dash?"

As the pegasus spotted them she whirled around and dashed back around the corner from where she had just appeared. Twilight was staring at the corner utterly puzzled.
"Is she shy?" Frank asked as he stepped beside her.
Twilight snorted at the ridiculousness of this notion. "Shy? We are talking about Rainbow Dash here!"

She rushed towards the corner with Frank following right behind her. Beyond the corner was Ponyville town square with the large round town hall towering in its center. Just as Twilight turned round the corner she saw Rainbow Dash disappear through the door of the town hall. Twilight noticed a number of tables and benches set up around as she made for the town hall and suddenly she thought she had a good idea of what was going on. Smiling to herself she decided not to be a killjoy but be utterly surprised by what she was expecting to find in the town hall. She slowed down a little to allow for Frank to catch up and walk beside her as she opened the door and entered.

"Surprise!" a chorus of voices greeted them, Pinkie Pie's voice standing out among the voices of pretty much every pony Twilight had been missing on the street and who were assembled here in the large hall that had undergone decorations that had Pinkie Pie's name written all over them. Rainbow Dash was grinning satisfied with having accomplished her obvious job to lure Twilight and Frank on the last stretch. Applejack hadn't been able to join the chorus and just gave a wave with one hoof since she held a color-dripping brush between her teeth while clinging to the top of a ladder. The banner she had obviously just finished modifying now read:

"Welcome to Ponyville, Bbreathe Pplease!
and join the party Frank Blanket!"

Though, knowing Pinkie Pie and remembering that she and Applejack had mentioned a party, Twilight had expected the surprise party before entering the town hall she had not been prepared for the presence of pretty much everypony. Applejack and Rarity whom she had visited not so much earlier had appeared to be oblivious of any details about any party.

Frank looked utterly overwhelmed and his jaw dropped. Pinkie however didn't permit him to remain stunned but hustled him in with her broadest smile.
"Pinkie...", asked Twilight, "...how did you manage to organize all that in a few hours?"
All her checklists, coordination and planning would not have enabled Twilight to do that in so short a time.
"I did not!" said Pinkie happily. "I prepared one party before as I told you."
"As you told me...?" Twilight asked.
"And we must have a party! Another party to the one we will be having already!" Frank quoted from his memory to Pinkie's entrance in the morning. It seemed to come almost by instinct from him. His wide eyes were wandering around as if all the decorations and ponies and everything were a little more than they could take in.

"That's right" chirped Pinkie while bouncing up and down as she often did when she was happy, which meant almost all the time. "I had this one big party prepared. Then I invited you and I saw your new guest, Breathe Please..."
"Frank Blanket", Twilight and several of the closest bystanders who hadn't missed the correction which Applejack had applied to the banner corrected.

"Yes, Frankie..." Pinkie continued happily. "So I had to throw a party, but I had a big party already. So it had to be another party. But it had to be now because Frankie is new here and tomorrow not so new here. So I made the big party biggerer and this is to be two parties in one! Best party ever!"
She cheered and seemingly out of nowhere produced hooves full of confetti and streamers to hurl into the air. As if it had been a signal music was starting to play.
"Thank you!" said Frank who still didn't seem to have gotten over the shock. Pinkie gave him a very broad toothy grin.

"But how did you tell every pony in Ponyville without anypony spilling the beans?" Twilight demanded to know.
"Told them just now", Pinkie said all glee. "Invited them less than an hour ago."
"How...?"
"My number one assistant helped a lot", Pinkie said nodding towards a corner.
"Spike!" Twilight called out in surprise and then started laughing.
The little dragon was standing there on top of a little box beside a bistro table, a cup in one hand and a half-eaten gemstone in the other. He gave Twilight a sheepish smile.
"Pinkie's number one assistant?" she asked with a tone of playful indignation. "Did she entice you away from me now?"
"She can be very convincing", Spike quipped taking another nibble from the gemstone. "You are not angry, are you?" he asked a little unsure.
"Of course not Spike. But just how many letters did you have to send out?"
"So many that I was very much hoping they wouldn't be answered." He seemed to get a little nauseous at the mere idea of belching up such an amount of letters.
Twilight let her gaze wander through the hall. It really seemed like Pinkie and Spike had managed to assemble most ponies of Ponyville on short notice and Pinkie seemed to have made it her first task to introduce 'Frankie' to each and everyone of them. The colt seemed to have recovered from his surprise and had put on his friendliest smile again as Pinkie introduced him to mint colored Lyra Heartstring and her beige colored and blue and pink maned friend Bon Bon.

"So who exactly is this colt-friend of yours Twilight?" asked Rainbow Dash as she was landing beside her. She had flown over so she could use her forehooves to hold a mug of cider she had obtained from a makeshift counter where Applejack's brother Big McIntosh was serving drinks from a barrel that was undoubtedly a long stored contribution of the Apple-family to this party.
"Applejack and Rarity didn't seem to quite agree on that."

"He is not a colt-friend", Twilight set the record straight not willing to allow Rainbow Dash to mock her into any annoyance or embarrassment. "I only got a note from Celestia yesterday evening asking whether I would be okay if he came for a visit and I wrote that it was fine. I didn't expect him to be here on such short notice or else I would have told you all beforehoof."
"And why does Princess Celestia send you colts?" Rainbow Dash asked with a smug grin.
"She does not send me colts", Twilight said rolling her eyes feeling that there was no better way to get Rainbow Dash to stop than by remaining unimpressed thereby making her banters lame.

"Frank is a student studying cutie marks and Princess Celestia thought that he might be interested in asking us about the time when your cutie marks were switched..."
Rainbow Dash's eyes widened a little. "When our cutie marks were switched? Applejack said something about him being into cutie marks, but not that it was ours he was after."
"He is not after our cutie marks. He is just studying everything about cutie marks..."
"So he actually is an egghead like you?" Rainbow Dash asked, her tone not suggesting that she meant for the term 'egghead' to come across as an insult. "Applejack and Rarity were a bit unclear about that too."

Twilight wasn't really in a mood to lay out the details about Frank to Rainbow Dash, the much the more as she was a bit uncertain about some things herself.
"Why don't you go and talk to him yourself?"
Rainbow Dash cast a look over to Frank who was still chatting with Pinkie, Lyra and Bon Bon.
"Did you already tell him about how our cutie marks were switched?" Rainbow Dash asked sounding unusually cautious.
Twilight nodded. "Yes. I think he is interested in the cutie marks' effect on—"
"And did you tell him...", Rainbow Dash cast a look around to make sure that nobody else was listening but not minding Spike who was munching on his gemstone taking no notable interest in their talk, "...about... the pot and the critters?" Rainbow Dash had lowered her voice almost to a whisper.

Twilight smiled in a fair imitation of the smug grin that Rainbow had given her before. Seeing a look of horror forming on the pegasus' face Twilight quickly abandoned the petty payback. Apparently this bothered Rainbow more than she had expected it would.
"Come on now, Rainbow. Would I?"
The pegasus breathed a sigh of relief and took a large swig from her cider mug.
"And what is he like?" Rainbow Dash asked after she put down the mug.
"What did Applejack and Rarity tell you?" Twilight countered the question.
Rainbow Dash shrugged. "Applejack seemed fine with him while Rarity didn't really seem to know. She was kind of... cryptic." Rainbow Dash emptied the mug looking quite satisfied.
Twilight was quite sure Rainbow had picked up the word 'cryptic' from the most recent Daring Do novel and enjoyed the chance to use such an 'egghead term'.

"Why don't you go and find out yourself, Rainbow?" Suddenly Twilight knew just how to make sure Rainbow Dash would overcome whatever kind of unusual shyness the idea of being asked about the switching of the cutie marks had given her. "What are you scared of?"
"Scared? Me? I'll show you who's scared!" Dash whirled around and dashed towards Frank and Pinkie who was just introducing him to Derpy Hooves who gave her friendliest, unfocused smile. On her way Rainbow Dash almost ran into Applejack and Rarity who approached Twilight's table; Rarity levitating three mugs of cider.

"What's with her?" Applejack asked pointing with her head into Rainbow Dash's direction.
"Just interested to get to know Frank, I suppose", Twilight said grinning causing Applejack and Rarity to exchange a confused look.
Rarity placed the mugs on the table and Twilight picked up hers gratefully. She hadn't even noticed until now just how thirsty she had become through all the talking and the hot weather.

"So how have things gone so far, Twilight?" Applejack asked when Twilight put down the mug. "Rarity here has told some things about Frank being— what was it you said, Rarity? Precariously unclear status?"
Rarity was looking a bit unhappy, but she didn't deny having said what would have sounded a lot more natural out of her mouth than out of Applejack's.
"Now look Dear, I did not mean any harm", she said with an apologetic voice. "I am just a little confused about..."

Twilight silenced her by just shaking her head. She cast a look over to Frank who seemed to be almost a little intimidated by Rainbow Dash's making an introduction which Twilight was certain to be so emphatically not-scared that it might be a little scary for Frank. In any case Frank was distracted and moreover didn't wear his hat and the music was playing loud enough so there was not much of a chance of him hearing anything they were talking about over here.
"It's okay Rarity", Twilight sighed. "To be honest I am a little confused myself."
"Why is that, sugarcube?" Applejack asked surprised but caring.
"Well... I am not really quite certain what to make of Frank. I mean he is totally friendly, amicable, smart..."
"Are you havin' a crush?" Applejack asked bluntly.

Spike almost spat the swig he had just taken from his cup onto the table his interest in the pony talk suddenly ignited.
"Do you?" Rarity immediately asked her expression the oddest mixture of fascination and shock imaginable.
"What? No! I totally don't!" This at least Twilight was absolutely certain about, but the question had come so unexpected that it had gotten her on the wrong hoof so she had responded a little louder than she had meant to.

"Just wondering for all the nice things you're saying about him", Applejack shrugged.
"What I was going to say...", Twilight continued, deciding not to pay any attention to the ridiculous notion, "...is that in spite of all this he appears a bit...", she hesitated before saying the word she had been worrying about before and that she hadn't dared to say into Frank's face, "...manipulative."
Spike swallowed having apparently decided that nothing would be said worth spitting all over the table and Rarity's expression changed from one odd mixture to another, this time one of relief, disappointment and concern.
"Darling, what makes you say so?"
Twilight raised an eyebrow at her and turning to Applejack she asked: "Did Rarity tell you about what happened at her place?"
"What she did say is that the poor fellow doesn't seem to have a home, but that he knows how to— what did you say? ...express himself elegantly?"
Rarity blushed a little. "I did say that and he did express himself elegantly."
"Did he?" Spike asked and with a slight sneer he added: "Maybe you are just worried because he is just as quirky as you, Twilight."

It was the first time anyone else was using the word that had been haunting her since she had read Celestia's comment about 'quirks often associated with scholarly ponies'. Maybe this was why the stern look she meant to give Spike turned out so insecure that the little dragon's look became sheepish, almost guiltily, as if he had said something much more offensive. He was mumbling an apology while Applejack and Rarity exchanged a confused look.
"Let me explain." Twilight began.

She told the others about all the types of different attitude she had confronted Frank with earlier. In between she was making sure that Frank was not overhearing them, but the colt seemed to be totally preoccupied by Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie and occasionally other ponies he was getting introduced to. While she didn't mention the terms 'fop-ponies' and 'dandy-ponies', Twilight also referred to Frank's speech at Applejack's place and to his encounter with Discord. She also told about her asking Frank about all this and about his own response. She did not however mention his cutie mark. Twilight felt that telling about this rather than let Frank decide when to bring it up would have been a breach of trust. Moreover it didn't really have anything to do with what she was talking about, or did it?

When she had finished she was looking at Applejack expectantly.
"What do you think, Applejack? You are the most honest pony I know. Is he being dishonest?"
Applejack took a draft from the mug and pondered about what Twilight had told before she said:
"Ah don't really think so, Twilight. I mean he doesn't speak to Rarity the way he speaks to me, but he doesn't say anything untrue. He did tell y'all himself 'bout being a hobo, didn't he?"
Rarity nodded before Twilight could respond.
"Ya don't hold that one against him, do you?"

Twilight shook her head a little more fiercely than necessary. "Of course not. I was just surprised."
"Well, from what I've seen from him he seems like a nice fellow and what he said about showing the hoof that somepony else likes best also kind a' makes sense. Ah mean I'd talk different to Princess Celestia than to you two."
"Sure you would", Rarity said with a tone of sarcasm. Applejack ignored her.
"Mah point is, Twilight, what exactly are you worried about? He didn't lie, he is trying to be nice and you know him for just a few hours. He is perhaps a bit quirky, but you are too sometimes and that ain't nothing we hold against you, sugarcube."
Twilight smiled. Hearing this out of Applejack's mouth was rather reassuring. AJ had a way to break down matters to raw facts in a way that Twilight sometimes didn't manage.
"You're right, Applejack", Twilight said and Rarity nodded in silent agreement.
"And besides...", Applejack laughed, "...Ah sure would have liked to see Frank lecture Discord. I wonder why Fluttershy didn't tell us about this."
"Fluttershy?" Twilight looked up surprised. "Why, did you see her?"
"Yes." Applejack nodded, looking surprised about Twilight's surprise.
"She arrived here not long before you. But I do wonder, where is she now? Shy as she may be, it is not like her to just disappear like that." Rarity added scanning the room. "I was glad when she arrived here. I feared that Discord would make it all impossible for her to join us."
"So did I", thought Twilight and her eyes narrowed a little as she scanned the room for any sign of Fluttershy. She and Frank had headed here right from Fluttershy's place and they would have certainly seen her had she come the same way. Even if she had flown, something Fluttershy rarely did, they would have seen her. Twilight had a suspicion which she wanted to verify.
"Oh, there she is", Applejack pointed to a corner blocked from Twilight's field of vision by the podium from which some of Ponyville's musicians were providing the music for the party.

Twilight craned her neck and sure enough she spotted Fluttershy who seemed to retreat further back as she noticed that Twilight had seen her. If Fluttershy was trying not to attract her attention, she did so in a way to make absolutely sure Twilight would get attentive.
"Wait a moment. I'll be right back", Twilight said and was gone before either Applejack or Rarity could stop or join her. The two exchanged confused looks before Applejack just shrugged and took another swig from her cider mug.

Author's Note:

Last edited on December 7th 2015.