The Team

CHAPTER ONE

They were an odd bunch.

The leader of the pack was a young filly with wild curly red hair and big purple glasses. She adjusted her glasses and sneezed, continuing to trot cheerfully down the hall. She was off to talk to the mayor! It made her feel so important and so old! She stood tall, leading the others behind her with a stride that was meant to be official. It came across simply adorable. Twist was off to make Ponyville History.

Behind her was an old gray mule who yawned as he walked. His creaky joints were bothering him immensely and his tail twitched in irritation. He had met this young filly early on during his days in Ponyville, and he quite liked her dedicated spirit. Cranky was well respected, a senior citizen, and would make the mare listen if she didn't like what Twist had to say.

Lastly, Jeffrey Letrotski, who was simply called "the Dude", was dragging behind them. Despite it being an important date, he'd slept in. Oh well. He hadn't dressed up to see the mayor either, he hadn't combed his hair or beard or anything. He'd just thrown on a shawl and tumbled into the mare's office.

"Mith mare? We'd like to thpeak to you!" Twist called, entering the office. She was followed by her companions, and they looked like three Ponyville misfits, three equine that you would never see together. But they had a purpose. They wanted to start a Ponyville Bowling Team and compete in an Equestrian competition.

Mayor Mare smiled as she saw a trio of what could adequately be described as misfits enter her office. It was a mite unusual to see a stallion, a filly entirely unrelated to the stallion, and a donkey enter her office together. Heck, it would have been unusual for some of their type to enter her office individually. At least the first order of business for her day wouldn't be so predictable, she supposed. On the other hand, while she was open-minded and willing to help with just about anything, she hoped whatever was on their minds wasn't entirely too silly. After all, she preferred that her little ponies solve most matters on their own and came to her only when the office of the Mayor was required for whatever cause.

Despite that small worry, the smile that exploded on her face was genuine, as the filly was adorable and she had every desire to see yet another problem solved. It sure beat sitting there staring at a progress report on fundraising that was already breaking all of it's set goals into tiny little pieces, yet still required her to go over the tiny details to ensure fraud wasn't a part of the operations.

"Well, take a seat you three and tell me how I may serve you today," she said, beckoning to the chairs splayed out in front of her, "and if you'd like something to drink, we have rather average coffee..." then she remembered there was a filly present and a filly hopped up on coffee was a hard thing to deal with early in the morning, "and some delicious milk, too."

The Dude piped up a little bit. Yes! Free food!

"I'll have some of that milk, please, coffee upsets my stomach," the Dude said, realizing he hadn't grabbed breakfast that morning. Mayor Mare didn't really know Jeff, but noted that he had excellent snout-based hair features. A good drink was one way to pierce the veil of any mystery. She hadn't expected him to pipe up first, nor ask for milk, but she supposed somepony had to save her the coffee. It would be a hard day otherwise.

"Of course," Mayor Mare said as she got up, just as Cranky spoke up.

"I'll have some coffee, please Mayor," grumbled Cranky, happy to finally be offered some caffeine. He was so tired, he hadn't been up this early in a while. His bones were old and creaky, he couldn't run on nothing. His choice made sense to the mayor, he seemed the type who'd need a constant stream of stimulants to be anything other than near immobile, just like her last coltfriend. Celestia above, her choices in stallions weren't exemplary, unlike her governance. In her mind, anyways.

Twist, Cranky, and Jeff sat down, then looked at one another individually, not sure who wanted to explain why they were there first. Twist felt insecure, her lisp always seeming to make her words sound funny. Cranky knew that Twist was very inspired and assumed she would say things first. The Dude didn't care, but he didn't want to make an effort by speaking first.

"I'll have some coffee too!" Twist chirped, trying to look impressive and official. She had never had coffee before, but all the adults drank it. Maybe it was tasty. As a lover of food and confectionery, Twist figured she ought to try all the flavours available.

"Well, such a choice for a little filly!" Mayor Mare giggled as she started making three cups of coffee- average or not, she was going to have it. It wasn't wise, but then again, it wasn't her filly. Her parents should have been here if they didn't trust her and as Mayor Mare listened to her speak, she felt that the filly wouldn't be a problem. She finished the drinks and handed them out. The three visiting ponies looked at one another again, awkwardly. Twist, feeling a bit more confident, decided to speak up.

"Mitheth Mayor, we're here today to inform you of thith bowling competition that's happening thoon. Almost every city and town in Equethtria hath a team, but Ponyville hath alwayth been left out of the rothter. We haven't got a bowling team, you thee, and I think we could win for thith town! Cranky, Mithter Letrotski and I all like bowling and I think if we had the thupport of the mare we could compile a bigger team. We have our own alley, after all, and ponieth go all the time."

Twist tried to use as many big words as possible. Inform, roster, compile. Maybe the mayor would be impressed with her vocabulary if nothing else.

"Ahhh, average..." She said with a smile, eyeing them up. Their request was simple, and in all honesty she didn't know why they needed mayoral aide. They could print up flyers and build a team, but the bowling association likely needed some sort of official recognition. She should know; her last coltfriend had been a bowler. Celestia above, her choices in stallions weren't exemplary, unlike her governance.

"Well, a very interesting proposal you have there little Twist, and quite well spoken!" she winked and chuckled, before taking another sip of the average brew, "and one I see no problem with," she finished with a smile. Truth be told, the town ran a pretty nice surplus when it came to event budgets. Most events were organized without the town's funding needing to be leveraged. It may have been unwise to spend it on silly endeavors, but those were the only endeavors that came to her.

"I'll give you ten bits to make some flyers. Tell them Mayor Mare sent you and you'll get a nice discount. If you three organize a team, I'll sign any paperwork needed to get Ponyville into the competition and I'll budget some uniforms and equipment. However, if the city is involved in anything that turns the profit, I need to make sure the city receives a percentage. For something like this...twenty percent would be ideal-" truth was she should have said eighty percent but who cares if this silly group made some money while they had fun, "and with that, just direct the bowling competition's paperwork here. Here's your bits-" she dug into her own bit purse under her desk, hoofing over ten bits, "and good luck, my little ponies! Who do you have in mind to join your team?"

Twist, Cranky, and Jeff all exchanged glances, smirking knowingly. Twist was still a bit nervous, but she was pleased to have impressed the mayor. Cranky just wanted to be done in the office, and Jeff couldn't care less about talking to the mayor any longer.

"Well you thee, Mith Mare, we were hoping that maybe you could join our bowling team," Twist said, looking for confirmation from her comrades.

"It's a great activity for us senior citizens. I mean, I'm not saying you are or anything, I'm just saying that I, a senior citizen, like it." Cranky said, stumbling a little.

"It's cool, man, bowling is all...you know, great and whatnot." Jeff added, stumbling worse than Cranky. Twist's smile became a little forced.

As solid as their presentation had been, their pitch to get her out to the lanes was awful. The only one who hadn't made the Mayor groan internally was the filly, and it was only through practice with a thousand disappointments provided by running a town that she didn't break her jovial exterior or betray any negative though. Cranky had tried to cover himself well, but he did more damage by doing so than his initial words did, and Jeffrey Letrotski had basically moved the ball not an inch. Still though, she liked balling, even if not enough to immediately join their team.

"Well, I'll have to check my schedule on that. A rain check, perhaps?" She smiled, getting up out of her chair and walking towards the door. "I enjoy bowling quite a bit, actually. Did you know I was Northlands Regional runner-up in Beakbreak twenty years ago? But it may not be possible with my-" just as she was about to finish, the trio of loud and vexing stallions entered. Hairs on her coat raised, the Mayor still didn't change her expression.

"Well, I suppose other business must be attended to, I thank you for visiting me, especially with such a unique proposal!" she finished, opening the door and taking a look out.

"Rain check?" Twist asked Cranky, not knowing what the expression meant. Either way, she was ecstatic. Ponyville had just assembled it's first bowling team! She couldn't wait to get out on the lanes and try her best at it. Even though her depth perception wasn't fantastic, Twist had already proven a bit of talent while at the alley.

"It means no, basically, but whatever, man." the Dude explained to Twist, not really minding that the mare and pretty much said no to their proposal. Maybe she'd come around later, Jeff simply liked to go with the flow.

"Who knows," Cranky muttered, slightly irritable but still pleased that the mayor had given them bits for flyers and official support of the team. They certainly were going to need it if a bowling team were to assemble correctly. However, that was a job for later. Cranky intended to take the two youngins out for some ice cream.

THE TEAM

1. Cranky Doodle Donkey

2. Jeffrey Letrotski (The Dude)

3. Peppermint Twist