Twilights Mane Passion

by Darkonshadows

15

“Well it seems your qualifications are in order and everything checks out, though I’m not happy about it.” After a moment the mayor had to smirk. “Now if you can stop Pinkie Pie from holding anymore parties in the library, because goodness knows she’s planning one for all of you later this evening, I’ll let you stay as the librarian. Here’s a picture of your target. If you can get a picture and in writing from her that you successfully convinced her to hold that party elsewhere or even especially at a later date, I’ll even give you a bonus.”

“Challenge accepted!” The pixie pony yelled out loud as she levitated the picture to herself. She then zipped towards a suitcase to levitate a camera out and then slowly flew out of the room as the camera was a lot heavier then the picture.

“Oh you’ve done it now; she’s getting quite good at lateral thinking you know.” Twilight didn’t think Smart E. Pants understood the words failure. Smart eventually got around to succeeding depending on whether or not success was still a viable solution. She almost had Twilights intellect in there after all and she had to think laterally, she didn’t exactly have Twilight’s body or magical prowess.

“Now on to other matters if you will? Do you have the capabilities of filling any other public service related jobs and what kind of business are you planning on starting? Any other residency papers you need to sign?” The mayor had thus far sent off Fluttershy to check her space and to get settled in. Otherwise she’d be back tomorrow for the mayor to give her an idea of where to start her new job.

“I’ve taken a place near the library; I believe it’s on the corner. My friend Tress Ravel here is going to be living with me and so will my daughter Barb A. Sparkle of course, they will be there until further notice or if they buy their own places.” The right papers were found, brought out, verified and signed. It was a big house with three bedrooms and a guest room, two bathrooms and a kitchen. It had taken a lot of time for Twilight to save up enough money for that much space. They also had the use of the bedroom, bathroom, guest room, laboratory and kitchen at the library. If they had any friends that needed a place to stay and they ran out of room at the house, it would be thanks to Smart that they’d have somewhere else to go. “Sorry to disappoint you, but no more public service positions to fill from us. I do plan to start working as a freelance stylist and I’m planning on taking any odd jobs sent my way. Is there any problem with that?”

“Would you mind if I produce and sell hygiene related products? Like shampoo, body wash and other products relative to that.” Tress wanted to be involved in the discussion, now that they were talking about what they’d be doing here in Ponyville.

“I don’t have any trouble with most of that. Pencil me in so you can change my hair color when my dye completely wears off. The products you sell will depend on whether or not the ponies are willing to buy them and if they are deemed safe for commercial use. You can find a spot in the marketplace if you have a stall or you can run the shop from your home. Just make sure you read the list of illegal items that aren’t allowed in Ponyville and follow the local safety regulations.” After a moment to think it over, the mayor finally decided to address the thing she had an issue with. “The thing I want to know is what kind of odd jobs were you talking about?”

"Well, it’ll mostly be fixing problems that happen around Ponyville. If there is a pony with a problem and they think me or any of my close friends might be able to solve it, then they can post requests for help from us. The fee will be dependent on how big the problem is.” Sure Twilight might have only had two friends so far, but her friends were amazing ponies. She’d eventually find more friends to lend their aid and she felt like the mayor was already warming up to her.

“Say I give you the okay for this, what would you like to call this business of yours?” They had already solved some of the mayors’ problems. If Fluttershy was good at her job, no more animals causing havoc on Ponyville. If Smart was good at hers, the mayor would have some pony who could curve some of Pinkie’s constant partying and maybe slow that mare down a bit.

“Trims, Tresses and Trouble Takers, I hope that's not too much.” Twilight knew they were going to cause accidents or scenes. She’s dealt with enough Sparkle family 'noodle incidents' to figure out how to solve all kinds of strange problems, so why not continue dealing with them as they came. “So what do you think?”

Twilight wouldn’t ignore any problem she caused trying to solve another one. If Twilight were in Sunset Shimmers place, she’d possibly be getting away with everything short of murder as long as she said she was sorry sincerely enough.

The mayor turned the idea over in her head. Plus the young mare didn’t seem like a bad pony and was going to help her change her hair color, so why not? She wouldn’t mind sending a few jobs her way to see what she could do.

“I’ll set up the paperwork for your business then. I already have a job for you myself and require need of your services if you want. Think of it a test of how well you can handle a problem and I’ll even put a free advertisement of your design in the newspaper for you if you can handle it.” The mayor has been wondering about this small problem for a while now. She needed someone to meet with the stranger that kept spooking the ponies of her fair town, she was pretty sure it was just ponies being superstitious.

“I’m ready for whatever task you can give me. What about you Tress?” The eagerness in Twilight’s voice to get started was palpable.

“Depends, what are we doing exactly? If it’s dangerous, then I think we should drop Barb off at the house. We still have to unpack our stuff too you know.” Tress wondered what kind of task the mayor could have been stewing over for a long while before they arrived.

“It’s not dangerous per se, but have you noticed the lack of ponies around today? Well I guess not since you just arrived and wouldn’t know, but the streets are usually much busier then this. Today is the usual day that the stranger visits and I need you to go talk to him or her. The ponies here are way too easily spooked by the strangers’ general appearance because of the cloak that they wear. Many ponies are spreading some pretty nasty rumors about this figure, but I think it’s just a traveler who has very good survival skills and doesn’t mean any harm to any pony.” You’d have to be good at surviving if you live in the middle of the Ever Free Forest after all, that’s where this stranger kept coming from. The mayor always thought of how sad the stranger looked when they left staring at the ground; she wanted to set things right and stop the way the ponies were treating this visitor. “If you go right now, the stranger should be coming into town soon. I want you to talk with this pony and find out what they need if anything. It might be another job for you if they need any help. So how much will this cost me? I’m paying for this commission personally straight out of my pockets.”

“Well this job doesn’t sound too difficult, it’s just starting a conversation… maybe five bits.” It didn’t seem like much of a hassle really, to start a conversation with a complete stranger.

“I’ll give you thirty five, treat the stranger to some food and apologize for how they are being treated by the ponies that live here. Keep whatever’s left if anything for yourselves after you’re done.” Now was the moment the mayor hoped she could trust these three, plus she wanted to know about the stranger that keeps visiting. She hoofed over the money to Twilight. “Oh and come back to me to report your findings.”

“Don’t worry we’ll see to it.” Before Twilight could begin to even think of leaving, Smart flew in holding a picture with writing on it and an envelope.

“Well does this satisfy the bonus I deserve?” Smart said smugly hovering an inch from the mayors face with her hooves crossed.

The mayor looked at the picture, what was written on it and in the envelope was a party invitation to welcome the new Ponyville residents later that week. Pinkie was actually giving them time to settle in before springing a surprise party on them? Will wonders never cease?

“Fine, you get your bonus.” For the life of her, the mayor could not figure out how Smart convinced Pinkie to not party for an entire week. Much less manage to get Pinkie to change the location of said party. The mayor sighed; her new librarian had to be the shrewdest of negotiators. “Now go on, you need to finish my time sensitive job.”

“Okay mayor um… what exactly is your name again?” Not once had Twilight bothered to ask.

“Just call me mayor. I don’t use my real name much since I got this position anyway.”

“Well alright then mayor, let’s go girls!” Twilight led all of those who were with her from the room.

It wasn’t less than ten minutes later that they saw the stranger looking around the empty streets, the stranger looked lonely out here.

“So how do you think we should approach this?” Twilight couldn’t say much else as she saw her daughter already talking to the stranger, apparently the stranger was female. “Never mind, let’s go over and find out what’s going on and the mayor did say we are to treat her to some food.”

“Ah, well met young dragoness named Barb of magical strength, with hair of an immaculate length. Why young child Zecora is my name; you have just set my sad heart to a flame.” This Zecora introduced herself with a hint of appreciation to finally hear someone speak to her. “No pony here would even speak to me or even consider talking; I had wondered why I even come here anymore and admit I liked the exercise from all the walking.”

“Wow, you’re a zebra aren’t you? Sorry, I’ve never met another one like you before Zecora. Hello I’m Twilight Sparkle.” From what Twilight knew, there was no other creature that rhymed nearly as much as a zebra would, there were a few exceptions though. The zebra turned in surprise and lowered her hood revealing a Mohawk and a less scary face then what the hood presented when it was up, she had really nice eyes.

“Do my ears deceive, or do I hear more voices for my reprieve?” The zebra honestly seemed confused that a pony actually took initiative to approach her for once.

“Nope, we just came to the town ourselves. We’re too dumb to know to stay away from you like the rest of them. Personally I don’t see what they are so scared of, you seem friendly.” Shrugging Tress wondered if the ponies of this town were all a bunch of wimps, even Fluttershy can show some backbone when she wanted to. Never has such an innocent looking pegasus sounded more dangerous when in the context of chiropractic wrestling.

“To me none of you seem at all too dim, but did you seek me out on a whim?” Tilting her head, Zecora looked towards Twilight who seemed eager to make her acquaintance.

“We were sent to apologize for the behavior of the town ponies by the mayor as she wanted us to meet, she even told us to treat you to something nice to eat. Me and my friends just started a business of solving problems big and small, you’re our first case but I hope we can be friends most of all.” The smile Twilight got from the zebra was genuine; Twilight knew she had just made a new friend. “So if you’re ever in need of something don’t be afraid to ask, because as I said my name is Twilight Sparkle and I’m up for the task.”

“Please tell me you aren’t going to keep that up while she’s here, if you do I think I just might have found a new thing to fear.” Despite the sarcastic way she stated it, Tress couldn’t help but chuckle at the fact that she couldn’t help it. Her eyes narrowed a bit at a thought about this conversation. “Oh great I think it’s getting rather infectious and quite fast, please tell me there’s a cure for this and that it will not last.”

Author's Note:

Well this is a chapter posted earlier then usual and in much need of editing. No chapter tomorrow since I posted two today.

Weird Al Yankovich does a good job as a Cheese Sandwich. It made me happy enough to post this early.

I make a good point here when I mentioned Sunset getting away with stuff, how much stuff does the Mane Six usually get away with normally? A lot and without repercussions for their actions, though they learned something they usually get away with causing a huge mess other ponies have to clean up and pay for. They are always calling Discord out for being chaotic, but have they really not looked at themselves and all the hospital bills they should probably be paying by this point that would have them bankrupting immediately?

Comments

[Hokuto Ulrik]

Loved the rhymes at the end.