Twilight Gets a Puppy
Season 4
By TDR
Plecostomus Twilight Sparkle,
Episode 2, Part 1
[ Canterlot throne room. ]
“Whoa. What happened here?” Rainbow Dash questioned as she glided into the room from the main doors. Behind her a particular pony was flailing around with his tie pulled up over his head. The two guard on either side of the door snickered to themselves and closed the double doors behind her.
“Rainbow Dash? What are you doing here?” Twilight demanded looking away from her brothers. Their explanation of things helped Twilight figure out what may have happened to the Princesses, but the 'how' and 'why' or even the possible 'who' eluded her still.
Sombra and Sunset sat off to the side of the dais clearly annoyed that Twilight had pulled them both back in by their tails the moment they tried to leave. Trixie was trying to flirt with Rahs, poorly, and he was completely oblivious to it.
At least he seemed oblivious to it , the moon dog looked more confused and out of sorts by Trixie than anything else. Perhaps he wasn't oblivious, just unsure what to do particularly with three others who seemed interested in him, whether Applejack would admit it directly or not.
“We got trouble back in Ponyville I came up here to tell the Princesses since we couldn't find you, but here you are so, two birds and all that.” Rainbow Dash shrugged. “Anyway some weird vines are growing out of the Everfree and are eating the town. They're even infecting the clouds, my house looks like an exploded rose bush and the weights dragged it down to the ground. Applejack's going nuts trying to protect the farm, and don't get me started on Fluttershy trying to deal with her animals.”
“Out of the Everfree?” Twilight considered.
“The source is all the way out there? That doesn't make any sense, You two were in Ponyville why did the roots come here first to snag Celestia and Luna” Sunset questioned.
“Given how Golden Oaks library is the only place in town untouched by the vines, probably all the spells Twi has on the tree.” Rainbow Dash shrugged.
“You warded a library?”Sombra raised a brow.
“I live there.” Twilight huffed.
“I am unsurprised.” Sombra frowned.
“Who lives in a library inside a tree... Twi~light ~Spar~kle. A purple and nerdy and Princess is she....” Sunset muttered to herself with a snort of amusement that no one else understood.
“Alright we have a possible source for the roots that seem to have taken the Princesses. We need to head to Ponyville. Raven we need a couple of flying chariots and some pegasi guards. Heck just mobilize the Guards period to head to the towns around the Everfree and try and drive back the roots.” Twilight ordered.
Raven shrugged realizing there wasn't going to be any more court today anyway and went off to summon the Guard.
“Why do I get the feeling you are including us in this trip?” Sombra growled.
“Because I am.” Twilight explained.
“Yeah I'd rather pass. Luna's okay, but mom can go star in a La Blue Girl film with these things for all I care.” Sunset snorted.
“I have no idea what you said, but it sounded insulting, so I will agree, with the names reversed.” Sombra muttered.
“Trixie will not need convincing to try and help.” Trixie offered nobly as she inched closer to Rahs.
“Woof. Ruff.” Rahs ticked off on his claws.
“Right. One, you coming along will keep the Guard off your back because I'll be there watching you. Two, both of you are going to be living in Ponyville shortly I figure you might want to at least attempt to make good with the town by helping to try and save it. Ponyville tends to follow more what they've seen versus what they've heard... most of the time.” Twilight explained, her expression darkening. “ And three, because I'm your parole office in Ponyville, and I said so.”
The air of menace Twilight was projecting with that statement came to an abrupt end as Rahs cuffed her in the back of the head with a paw.
“Bork!” Rahs snapped.
“I am not letting the power go to my head! I am asserting dominance over a thief and a tyrant.” Twilight frowned.
“Gee thanks.” Sunset huffed. “Glad to know where we stand.”
“Nah, that sounded like power tripping.” Spike added.
“Don't you start.” Twilight frowned.
“Of course not Princess, hey haul me a couch from the library to use as my throne.” Spike snarked.
“Well I wasn't sitting in either Celestia or Luna's thrones.” Twilight fussed.
“Can we go? Those things are wrecking Ponyville.” Dash huffed.
[Ponyville, early afternoon]
“Wow. You weren't kidding. This place is a bigger mess than when Discord first got out.”Twilight frowned looking over the edge of the chariot at Ponyville. The whole town and the surrounding area was covered in black vines that were wrapped around and through nearly all buildings. Twilight was willing to put bits on Applejack having lost another barn, but there were no takers.
“Yeah this got way worse in an hour.”Rainbow Dash grumbled flying along side Twilight and Spike's chariot. Trixie and a ill looking Rahs were in another with Sunset and Sombra in the last. “ The girls are scouring the library for anything of use.”
“Weird weather, creepy vines, half day half night, missing Princesses.” Spike frowned. “ Seriously doesn't this seem like Discord?”
“That would mean he violated his agreement and we can blast him again.” Twilight stated.
“Woof.” Rahs pointed out as the group of chariots landed, the Guard unhitching and flying off towards the next town with the rest of the squad.
“He has a point.” Spike frowned.
“What did he even say?” Sunset grumbled.
“Discord is more theatrical, this is chaotic, but there's no gloating or riddles or any sort of thing that would pin it soly on him.”Twilight sighed.”Still we should ask Pinkie and Fluttershy, they were the last ones to see him.”
“They should be in the library.” Rainbow Dash pointed out. “We already grabbed our Elements as well just in case.”
“Bark.” Rahs offered tossing the crown to Twilight as he pulled it out of his light blue coat.
“I've been wanting to know this, why the heck is you brother carrying the Element of Magic?”
“Do my wings look like they come with pockets?” Twilight snarked as she put on the crown with a sigh and walked into the library with Dash.
“Bork.” Rahs huffed turning a bit red as he glared at Sunset..
“Translation, no one expects it and he looks way more intimidating than Twilight does.”Spike sighed .
“Is she always like this?” Sombra grumbled.
“She's got worse and then she got the wings.” Spike sighed.
“Worse?” Sunset frowned.”What did mom do?”
“Quite a bit, don't worry she'll calm down once this issue is over.” Spike frowned. “Mostly.”
“... And most of the critters from the woods are all in my house now and there's no room for me or any one else.” Fluttershy muttered.” The whole forest is being attacked by these things.”
“Farm's overrun too. Vines ain't damaged tha trees too badly, yet, but if it continues we're gonna be more vines than apples. Axes only do so much and they grow faster'n anything else ah've seen before cept Zap apples.” Applejack explained.” Wrecked the new barn already too.”
“You've seen the town darling. While my shop is fine as the wards you helped me set up there have kept the vines away thus far, the rest of the town is not as lucky.” Rarity frowned.
“Those stupid clouds, have actually started chasing anything that flies and they're charged with something too. It's not lightning either, that would barely bother the weather team.” Rainbow Dash protested.” But even Thunderlane is getting shocked and that idiot is practically immune to lightning.”
“I can't find my purple crayon.” Pinkie Pie exclaimed and was mostly ignored.
Twilight let out a sigh as she thought. “Pinkie, Fluttershy, have either of you seen Discord?”
“Nopers.” Pinkie shook her head dislodging the purple crayon from her mane. “There it is!” she cheered scooping it up.
“Discord talked to us after the trip to the Crystal Empire for that gods council meeting and said that he would be gone for a few weeks dealing with some family business.” Fluttershy explained.” He seemed rather happy about it.”
“That explains why he has not been around to bother Luna and Celestia since the ducks.” Sombra added with a hum.
“ Applejack, you were trying to get rid of the vines on your farm right?” Twilight asked.
“Of course. They cut like normal roots or vines but they keep coming.” Applejack snorted.
“And you didn't change form by being near them?” Twilight asked.
“Nah.... thinking on it, gitting near them seems tah make it easier tah deal with all tha ambient magic. Didn't even change with a host of tha local unicorns blasting at um. Course tha spells didn't do much to the vines neither.” Applejack explained.
“They're resistant to magic and seem to drain spell energy from what we saw in Canterlot.” Sunset added.
Pinkie Pie shot up right to her hooves from a prone position and started bouncing around the room with out moving.” OOH, OOH, quakey hooves, quakey hooves, you're gonna get a unexpected visitor bearing gifts” “ What?” Sombra scowled.
“It's Pinkie Pie. Don't question it.” Spike added heading to the door as the first knock on the wood was heard.
Spike pulled the door open to reveal a gray and white striped zebra mare, loaded down with saddle bags and with a cart full of things parked behind her.
“Twilight might ah speak with you ah bit, before the whole town goes completely to shit?” Zecora asked.
“Did she just rhyme in a Baystonionion accent?” Sunset blinked.
“Second thing to not question.” Rainbow Dash chimed in.
Twilight blinked looking at the heavy saddlebags and the cart parked outside behind the zebra mare loaded down with furniture and things she had seen in the zebra's hut. There were also a number of bandages wrapped around her legs and chest with a few visible scratches.”Are you alright Zecora?”
Zecora shook her head. “ My home is a totahl loss, the vines destroyed it to the lahst strahnd of moss.
“I salvahged whaht I could from there, thahnkfully my mahre friend hahs ah room she cahn share.”
“Oh no.” Fluttershy whimpered.” You've been hurt too.”
“Zecora waved her hoof.” It's not the first time I've needed to rebuild a home, this time at leahst I don't plahn to say buck it and continue to roahm.”
“That's good, we're trying to figure out what this is to stop it. Hopefully it won't be long before you can go back.” Twilight sighed.”I don't suppose you have any insight, because thus far aside from rushing into the forest to see where they are coming from, I don't have any ideas.”
“Trahveling into the forest with no goahl I cahnnot recommend, unless of course your plahn is to meet your end.” Zecora snorted holding up a bandaged limb.”But there is good news thaht I bring too, Velkorn mixed up some potions for you.”
“What? The goddess who gave us the prophecy?” Spike questioned.
“Oh stars, what sort of headache did she drop on us?” Twilight sighed.
“Surprisingly a light one this time, besides, being cryptic is hahrdly ah crime.” Zecora frowned. “Despite what you claim her to be, she is still considered a god to me.”
“Right, the zebra god, sorry. As usual I have a lot going on. So what sort of potions did she want you to give me?” Twilight asked.
“Don't worry too much ahbout it, despite her stahtus I know she's ah twit.” Zecora shook her head.”If she knew ahll there is to be, ahbout this crap she could have wahrned me.”
Zecora pulled three flasks out of her saddle bag, each filled with a thick white liquid and set them down on the table the girls had set up to read on. “To stahrt with she hahd four, but I tested one myself before bringing it to your door.”
“So what do they do? They're radiating strong divination magic.” Twilight frowned as Sunset and Sombra looked them over curiously.
“From the one I tested on me, it allows visions of history. While I sahw the vision of my tribes exodus from the plahins, I was told you would see the source of the vines that give us such pains.”Zecora pointed at the flasks her eyes darting to Rahs and Applejack as she shifted a little keeping Twilight between them and her.
“So which one will show that?” Twilight asked.
“Given from whaht Velkorn sahid to me, to see whaht you wahnt, you hahve to drink ahll three.” Zecora nodded.
“I don't like this.”
Sunset and Sombra blinked looking at Rahs in confusion.
“Neither do I. I know Zecora tested it, but we've never even met this Velkorn and all this prophecy hooey is just headache inducing, now we have another problem instead of just telling us, she goes , 'here drink this.' “ Spike fussed.
“Need I remind you Spike you used to do this sort of prophecy and riddle stuff all the time in O&O?” Twilight grumbled looking at the potions.
“Yeah, I do, but that's a game and not exactly a life or death situation. Not a REAL one any way. No offense to Zecora, but that could be some sort of poison that doesn't work on zebra's, only on alicorns.”
“It is nearly impossible to kill a god. And I don't see magic or books vanishing any time soon.” Trixie pointed out.
“Yeah well if it kills me I'll have something else to have words with her about. And by words I mean turning her inside out a few times until a get a straight answer. But I don't think it will come to that.” Twilight sighed. “ Celestia seems to trust her for some reason, despite being annoyed by her.”
“Right, well, here goes nothing.” Twilight frowned popping, the cork and downing the white liquid.