//------------------------------// // ….You ain't never caught a rabbit........ // Story: Twilight gets a Puppy // by TDR //------------------------------// Twilight Gets a Puppy By TDR ….You ain't never caught a rabbit........ Cadence rubbed the back of her neck with a hoof. This had not gone the way she expected. She was dry now... finally, though that was no thanks to Twilight, not Rahs. She had expected the pup to shake himself dry, but he simply sat there and sulked until she managed to towel dry him. Twilight on the other hoof had hopped out of the tub and shook herself off like a dog spraying water on everything once more, forcing Cadence to dry herself, Rahs and Spike allover again while Twilight pointed out how it was 15% more efficient to dry that way before getting a towel. Thankfully the filly stood still long enough to be towel dried after Cadence pointed out that her method added unnecessary drying of everything else in the room, thus making it less effective. Cadence got worried a bit when Twilight simply stood there after she was dry as if recalculating the odds. She was finally snapped out of it as Cadence opened the door and Rahs rushed out of the bathroom, plowing into Twilight and dragging her out with him. Spike still found all of it funny, and he was spending almost as much time with flaming hiccups as he was laughing now. “But these are foals books!” Twilight whined. “Sorry but I wasn't told you were reading at a higher grade than other seven year olds.” Cadence sighed. At least Rahs and Spike seemed content with the little things she brought for them to play with. Sort of. The marbles she had brought for Spike were currently being batted around the floor by Rahs, who would swat one and then go thundering after it trampling or running into anything that got in his way. It was one reason Spike and Twilight were on the bed. He hadn't run into one of them yet, but Cadence didn't want to risk it. Spike on the other hoof had gotten a hold of one of the squeaky toys she had brought for Rahs and was currently gnawing on it and making the rubber goose squeak loudly clearly enjoying himself far more than Twilight was. “What's this?” Twilight asked pulling Cadence's text book out with her magic. “My algebra textbook. I don't think that's very good reading.” Cadence sighed “I know I read Shiny's copy of this. The answers given on page 42 are all wrong.” “Really now?” Cadence perked her ears. “Yep the formula is sound but who ever wrote it wasn't paying attention and forgot to carry the two on all three problems.” Twilight explained opening the book and pointing to the offending page. Cadence blinked looking over Twilight's shoulder as the filly explained the problem. Cadence at that moment felt very very dumb. As old as she was this was being explained to her by an seven year old who clearly grasped mathematics far better than she did. Cadence smirked looking down at Twilight as she realized something.”Did you help your brother with this?” “Some he's actually pretty good at math from all the games he plays. He just doesn't understand most of the formulas. He was gonna let me solve all the problems, but mom told him no.” Twilight pouted. “Clever colt.” Cadence giggled a little her ears flattening to her head as Twilight dug into bag again. “Hey! None of that now... don’t you know about personal space.” Cadence grumbled before realizing that there were locks on several doors on the house so clearly she didn't. Still as she pulled her out of the bag Twilight had latched onto the little paperback that Cadence had brought earlier and dragged it out with her reading the back cover. “Daring Doo and the lost temple of Ahuizotl?” Twilight questioned.” What is this?” “It's a book I picked up to read after you went to bed. Not sure you would be interested as it's fiction.” Cadence smirked a little. “What's it about?” Twilight questioned turning over the paperback to look at the simple cover. It was just a pyramid silhouette in dark blue with a tan pegasus silhouette in a pith hat over it. “Dunno I haven't read it yet but a few of my friends were raving about it. It's the first book by an A.K. Yearling. “ Cadence shrugged. “Rookie adventurer, Daring Doo, discovers a set of long lost ruins and accidentally frees a monster from the past? Adventure, action, mystery , and … cats?” Twilight reads off the back looking up at the last bit seemingly confused. Cadence simply shrugged again.” Guess we'll have to read it to find out.” Cadence smiled As the filly excitedly opened the book. The pair of them probably would have simply read the book for the rest of the night, though Spike was the first to grow bored of his toy and he crawled over the bed clamoring up onto Cadence's back and then into her mane as he leaned over the pair looking at the book with a little snort of boredom at the book. It was then he discovered Cadence had wings too. Cadence winced a little at the feeling of Dragon claws pulling at her wings, though Twilight didn't seem to notice. Cadence looked back at the baby dragon as he ran his hands over her wings with interest. The spell was supposed to keep make her wings to be uninteresting enough to be unnoticeable, given that Spike was tugging on the feathers, the spell either didn't work on Dragons, or those young enough to find anything interesting. Before he drew more attention to them she lifted the purple bundle of scales into the air with her magic sending him into another series of giggling fits before plopping him down between her forelegs. She smiled as she rested her chin against his forehead feeling him squirm in the hug. Twilight watched with a small smirk and even Rahs paused in his mad chase for the marbles to look at her a moment before seemingly satisfied that Cadence wasn't doing anything to Spike that was bad before he continued attacking the glass balls. Cadence considered a moment before lighting up her horn and making a few magic bubbles form in the air before Spike. It was a simple spell, one of the first she learned. Spike was delighted though Twilight took interest as well. Granted while Spike just wanted to swat at the pretty things, Twilight wanted to know who made the spell, how hard was it to cast, what school of magic was it from, what it's purpose was an a dozen other things that Cadence didn't know. Of course Twilight then seemed upset that some pony would cast a spell without knowing the history of it. Rahs also seemed interested in the bubbles as they popped into existence around Cadence's horn. He reached a paw up tentatively swatting at one, sending the fragile bubble away from his paw and into Spike's grasp were he popped it with his claws. Cadence smiled as Twilight went back to reading and Spike and Rahs continued to play with the bubbles. It was in this moment of calm that everything, of course went wrong. Rahs lept up into the air swatting at one bubble and snapping his teeth at another. As his jaws closed over one of the bubbles, Cadence felt like some one had slapped her horn and the spell faded out. As Rahs dropped back down from the jump he simply collapsed onto the floor like a furry puddle,his amber eyes wide and his ears drooping as the pup stared into space. Cadence reached up to rub her horn wondering what had happened, the effect wasn't painful, but it was more than enough to disrupt her simple spell. Spike thought it all funny, though after a few giggles he looked down at the unmoving pup with concern. Twilight scrambled off the bed rushing over to the collapsed puppy. Cadence climbed off the bed as well looking down at the pair in worry as Twilight started shaking the pup with her hooves. “Umm has he done this before?” Cadence asked. “He's not saying anything!....” Twilight cried. “I'm gonna to get the scroll to call Princess Celestia.” Cadence stated after a good five minutes of the pups unmoving vacant stare. Cadence darted down the stairs holding Spike in her magic with Twilight in hot pursuit. The pink sitter had just picked up the scroll to send a message to Celestia when Twilight spoke up. “What?!! Rahs what happened!?” Twilight demanded. Cadence looked back and the pup was sitting there, his tail whipping behind him as he stared up at Cadence, with a look that showed exactly where the term 'puppy dog eyes' came from. “Rahs!” Twilight snapped poking him in the side.” What happened!?” “Woof.” Rahs responded. “Make another bubble? What are you talking about?” Twilight whined. “Woof.” “ Ask Cadence to make another bubble?” Twilight blinked looking up at Cadence.”What did you do?” “What the cantrip?” Cadence blinked looking down at the pup. He seemed fine though the moment she asked about the cantrip he nodded. She stared at him a moment letting scroll drop back to the counter before her horn glowed again forming a multitude of bubbles that drifted around in the air. She nearly lost the spell again as Rahs bounced around snapping the bubbles out of the air with a great gnashing and snapping of teeth. Cadence wondered if this was what a sharks feeding frenzy looked like. The odd 'horn slaps returned but she kept the spell going a little longer realizing that the effect happened every time Rahs ate a bubble. She shook her head, letting the spell go after a minute watching the pup finally collapse on the floor with a small shudder, his legs splayed out and tail still whipping like mad after he had eaten the bubbles. Twilight however wasn't about to let him zone out like he was before and started shaking him with her hooves shoving against his shoulder. “Rahs come on what's going on?” “Ruuur.....” Rahs half growled. “Huh?” Twilight tilted her head looking at the pup. “What did he say? Do I still need to get Celestia?” Cadence asked more than a little concerned. “He says they taste like strawberry shortcake smells.” Twilight stated confused. “How it smells?” Cadence asked and regretted it a moment later as Twilight switched into lecture mode. “Many carnivores don't have the ability to taste sweet things. Carnivores don't need the ability to taste sweet for survival. He can taste bitter and sour flavors so as to detect spoiled meat, but not sweet. However Rahs has been able to smell sweet things even though sugar isn't something he can taste. He rather likes gummies and marshmallows because of the fat and salt. Chocolate is debatable because it causes issues for dogs, but we were never sure about him and didn't want to test it. Particularly cause that means I get his desert when mom makes brownies.” Twilight explained. “So he ate my magic?” Cadence questioned. “And it tastes like Strawberry shortcake?” “Princess Celestia said Moon Dogs eat magic, but this is the first time I’ve seen him do it.” Twilight admitted. “Woof.” “Oh... he says Princess Celestia's tastes like green tea pound cake....... I don't even know what that tastes like.” Twilight perked her ears seemingly confused.” Why haven’t you told me this before?” “Bork”Rahs responded. “Upset ? Why would I get upset?” Twilight demanded. “Merrrr...” Rahs whined and Twilight puffed out her cheeks and stomped her hooves. “What do you mean 'i don't haz a flavor?'” Twilight pouted. Rahs shrugged then looked expectantly up at Cadence. She sighed softly and shook her head. “I'm going to have to ask Princess Celestia about this, but the way I see it if my magic tastes like deserts then it's too close to bed time for you to have more of it.” Cadence stated with a small smirk getting whine from the pup. Twilight points accusingly at Rahs.” What about mom have you had her magic?” “Growf.” “Well that serves you right.” Twilight grumbled. “What did he say.” Cadence asked ushering the pair back up the steps. “He said not when she's within reach of a newspaper or book.”Twilight explained. “Mom wasn't too happy when he ate her shoes when he was younger so he wasn't willing to try her magic.” The rest of the night went off without a hitch. Spike went to sleep rather easily once he was sure Rahs was okay. An act that involved him climbing all over the pup and grabbing at his long ears and tail. Rahs whined at the tugging , but was willing to let Spike crawl all over him. Once he pawed across the navy blue canine he let Cadence pick him up and carry him to his crib. The little purple drake yawned wide showing only a few baby teeth starting to come in. He curled up in a little ball his tail being pulled into his mouth the moment he touched his mattress. Twilight lasted a little longer, sneaking the Daring Doo book from Cadence and trying to read it under the covers by the light of her horn. Cadence let it slide until she noticed the light under the blanket start to dim until it finally went out. She moved over unhiding the purple filly from under her blankets and tucking her in properly setting the book to the side placing the book mark that had been the forts flag in the pages. Rahs took a little longer to get to go to sleep as he kept circling around Cadence seemingly begging for a treat. Cadence noticed however that he was paying more attention to what she was doing with the other two than trying to get her to make more magic treats for him. Still once the others had settled in he crawled into his bed under Twilight’s and tugged a blanket over himself laying his head on his paws and watching her as she left the room. “Good night Twilight. Good night Spike. Good Night Rahs.” Cadence whispered as she started to close the door. “Good night Cady.” The pink mare froze at the sound of the voice. It was a bit raspy and sounded rather young, but she didn't recognize it. She poked her head back in the door seeing nothing changed aside from Rahs having buried his head under his blanket until only his nose poked out. She looked around the room for a moment more staring at the pup under Twilight's bed before she closed the door again and headed downstairs. Perhaps she imagined it. After the Sparkles returned and Cadence explained all that happened that night, she was surprised that they seemed more impressed than anything else. Mrs. Sparkle seemed amused by the fact she didn't have to dust behind the fridge, and Mr. Sparkle suggested bathing them in the down stairs bathroom next time as it was easier to clean with the stone floor. With a new date to return for another night Cadence left and started home. She had barely made it three blocks before she started to recall how cute the three of them had been at various points and let out a repressed squee that started dogs howling on the other side of Canterlot.