//------------------------------// // A pup named Rahs Sparkle, part 2 // Story: Twilight gets a Puppy // by TDR //------------------------------// Twilight Gets a Puppy Nightmare Night special By TDR A pup named Rahs Sparkle, part 2 [ Canterlot 7 years left] A trio crept along the edge of the hall. A small Unicorn dressed as Princess Celestia, a Moon Dog dressed as a Sphinx and a baby Dragon dressed as a Viking. They wandered seemingly aimlessly, though two of them were just waiting for the brain of the group to figure out the next step. “So shouldn't we just go to see Princess Celestia?” Spike asked. “No, not until I solve this mystery, then I'll have the new spell and the mystery solved for her to be proud of.” Twilight answered. “Woof.” Rahs stated with a snort. He paused as he sniffed the air again shaking his head. “Nothing? I would think a nightmare monster would have a scent that sticks out.” Twilight considered. The unearthly moan sounded in the halls again causing the trio to shudder. “Okay we need to find the source of that too.” Twilight muttered. Rahs considered a moment before offering his suggestion.” Bark.” Twilight's eyes narrow.” Seriously?” “I agree, the kitchen seems the perfect place to start” Spike chimed up rubbing his belly. “Why would a ghost be in the kitchen?” Twilight questioned. “Woof?” Rahs asked. Twilight sighed rolling her eyes. “No, I don't have any other ideas.....” And thus out voted, the pouty purple pretend princess, plodded on in pursuit of the pup and his pudgy partner. Canterlot Castle kitchen was a massive affair. Taking up the majority of the west wing, they were loaded with the worlds most modern convinces and cooking implements. There were at least thirty ovens and four times as many stove tops. Doors to the royal wine cellar, a out door herb garden, and the refrigerated and dry good storage rooms, that took up the rest of the west wing, lead off the kitchens like hub. Countless servant's tunnels ran out of the kitchen as well, branching out like a spider web going to every part of the castle. In truth this was probably a good place to start looking, everything in the castle usually came through the kitchens at some point, be it supplies or information. Granted Rahs, Spike and Twilight didn't know that. The former were looking to raid a fridge and the latter was just annoyed to be there. The trio paused as another scream filled the air, though this one tapered off into giggling laughter, so likely someone simply got scared at something and it wasn't worth considering no matter how close it sounded. The kitchen wasn't decorated like the rest of the castle aside from a few Nightmare Night shaped cookie cutters left in a drying rack, again with no Nightmare Moon cutter in sight. As Twilight pondered that missing piece, Rahs and Spike opened up a fridge and basked in the glory they had revealed. “Woof.....”Rahs drooled. “I've never seen anything more beautiful in my life.” Spike said in awe. “What are you....? Twilight demanded, her jaw dropping as she turned her eyes to what they saw and gazed at the magnificence inside of the fridge that the pair had opened. “Is that.....ice cream cake?” “Lots of ice cream cake.” Spike stared. The fridge was packed top to bottom with ice cream cakes of various flavors and sizes. Cool mist billowed out of the frozen icebox creating a billowing fog on the floor. “It's sooo beautiful.” Twilight stated tearing up. “It's the mother load.....”Spike stated. “Woof.” Rahs agreed. “It's Princess Celestia's.” stated another voice. The trio all shrieked and lept into the air whirling around to see a bright red furred Pegasus Pony standing behind them. She had her white and dark caramel colored hair in a tight bun with a pair of pumpkin hair clips holding it in place. A clipboard and quill marked her flank and her green eyes looked down at the trio with a bit of annoyance. “Miss Flowery Text, what are you doing here?” Twilight asked. “I work here Miss Sparkle, and you are far outside of bounds for the event in the main hall.” The aide sighed. “Let me guess Rahs and Spike wanted to raid the kitchen again?” “Yep.” Spike admitted. “Well there's plenty of food over in the throne room, no Pony, or dog, or Dragon gets to touch the Princess's cakes.” Flowery replied. “They don't look like any one's touched them.” Twilight pointed out. “Yes..... well...... the Princess must be saving them for later, come on, out with you, back to the main hall.” The Princess's aside pushed them out the door with her wings pointing them back down the hall towards the throne room. Once in the main hall, Flowery Text headed off to take care of something, leaving them at the entrance of the throne room. Twilight wandered off to a corner with the other two following her placing themselves between their sister and the party going on behind them. “Woof.” Rahs asked. “I'm fine. Don't worry.” Twilight pouted shifting in the corner behind her brothers. She could tell Spike wanted to go play, but he was hesitant, both about leaving her, and the usual reactions parents had when he got close to their foals. Rahs as usual was more focused on her. Though at the moment he seemed to be focused more on her back side. “What?” Twilight asked as Rahs pointed at her white felt wing. Twilight turned her head to look at it and the black splotch covering it “GAH! Nooooo!!! Princess Celestia hasn't seen it yet and it's already ruined!!!!” Twilight wailed. “Woof.” Rahs stated. “Huh? You're right. That wasn't there a minute ago.” I'll go see if I can find something to wash it off and hit the food table while I'm at it.” Spike commented waddling off. “Bark!” Rahs called. “I doubt they'll have any pepperoni but I'll look.” Spike called back. “Where did this come from?” Twilight grumbled reaching a hoof up to prod the black paint, blinking as she pulled away her hoof and saw the paint sparkling in the light.”Glitter paint? Ugh, I'm ruined, glitter's like the craft store version of cooties. I'll never get rid of it.” Rahs looked at the spot sniffing it and snorting in annoyance as he whipped his head. “Bark!” Rahs pointed out. “It smells like Flowery Text?” Twilight blinked. ”But she didn't have a costume on. She must have found some other foals in the kitchens before us and got paint on her wing guiding them back.” “Hey guys look what I got!” Spike chimed up walking over to the group with a large bowl being carried over his head. The siblings looked at the youngest and the massive bowl of candy he was bringing over curiously. “Spike you can't take the whole bowl of candy, what about everypony else.” Twilight chided. “It's okay, no one else was even getting anywhere near it and the Guard over there said I could have it.” Spike danced about dropping candy from the overfull bowl every where. “ I found another motherlode!!” Rahs picked up a piece looking at it. He tilted his head a little and sniffed it before sticking out his tongue .”Bark!” “What?” Spike paused in his dance as Twilight picked up a fallen piece as well. “I agree, blegh.” Twilight stuck out her tongue.” It's that sugar free stuff the dentists give you. You have a whole bowl of candy no one in their right mind would touch.” “Awwww.” Spike pouted. “Why would Princess Celestia give this stuff out?” Twilight pondered. “Sugar free candy, black paint, Princess Celestia missing, Nightmare Moon, horrid moaning, random laughter. Something's not adding up.”Twilight muttered. “We need to go back out there and find more clues....... Rahs what are you doing?” “Woof.” Rahs stated flatly as he unwrapped another of the sugar free gummi candies and ate it. “That's disgusting, and I've seen you eat a live mouse before.” Twilight gagged. Rahs shrugged dumping the bowl of candy into his bag, he didn't care about there not being sugar any way, but gummi's were loaded with tasty fats. “Alright let's go find out what's going on!”Twilight stated. “This was a terrible idea and I am ashamed I thought of it!” Twilight screamed as she galloped down the hall with Rahs and Spike right behind her. Right behind them was the hissing form of Nightmare Moon, the towering mare thundered down the hall after them, her wings fanning the air keeping her semi aloft as she rushed after them. The group hadn't even made it back to the kitchen when the ghost found them, stepping out of a wall behind them in the hall. Seeing them she immediately gave chase. Spike had brandished his toy ax ready to fight the monster only for Rahs to grab him by his beard and toss him onto his back before taking off running after Twilight. The baby Dragon was currently sitting backwards on Rahs' back taking swings at the air as if trying to fight off Nightmare Moon. The trio rushed into a room and slammed the door. Nightmare Moon hissed and opened the door with a wing looking inside only for the trio to open a door further down the hall and peer out. Nightmare Moon saw that and rushed down the hall to that door as it slammed shut, opening it. Looking inside she noted that a door behind her on the other side of the hall opened and the trio's faces peered out. Whirling around Nightmare Moon threw open that door only for a door a little further down the hall to open and Twilight peered out. Rushing towards that door as it closed, a door behind her opened and Rahs looked out. The ghost jumped at that door flinging it open only for Spike to poke his head out of potted plant at the far end of the hall. The mare rushed down there flinging the plant out of the pot and looked inside. While she was distracted the three opened the door and the furthest end of the hall behind her and darted off deeper into the castle as Nightmare Moon cried out in frustration. The trio took shelter in a broom closet to catch their breath. “That was too close.” twilight stammered. “Pfft I could have taken her.” Spike pouted. Rahs blows a raspberry at Spike who tried to take a swing at the canine with his ax. Rahs leaned back further into the closet to dodge it and knocked over a box onto the three of them. “Dang it Rahs, watch what you're ….... doing....” Twilight stated looking at the box curiously. “Seriously.” Spike grumbled. “Jinkies.” Twilight exclaimed as she looked at the box. “What is it, a clue?” Spike asked. “It's a set of four painting stilts. Jinkies brand painting stilts, in fact.” Twilight explained “ Why would any pony here need painting stilts? There's plenty of Unicorn's and Pegasi on staff to put up decorations.” Rahs and Spike shrugged as the door suddenly opened causing the three to shriek, though Spike and Rahs would deny that they did forever. “Found them.” Shining Armor smirked looking down at the three trying to use a stilt box to protect themselves. “So sugar free candy, stilts, and black paint? You think all that is connected to Nightmare Moon?” Shining Armor asked “It has to be, because none of it makes sense, and if a bunch of things don't make sense by probability they make perfect sense when put together.” Twilight explained “ Did you two find any clues?” Twilight looked up at her big brother and Cadence, the pair of them looked like they had been jogging or something, their costumes were a bit disheveled as well. If Twilight had to guess, they had been running from Nightmare Moon as well. Though Twilight wasn't sure why one of Cadence's socks was wrapped around her brothers neck, nor why Cadence had her brothers vampire fangs in her mouth. Maybe she just wanted to try them? “Well I did find a rather big clue.” Cadence stated tapping her chin with a hoof.” But I don't think it has anything to do with this case.” Shining Armor flattened his ears to his head turning bright red, though the eleven year olds and the five year old remained oblivious. “So umm, what's the plan now?” Shining quickly changed the subject. “Easy.” Twilight stated.” Now we capture her and find out who Nightmare Moon really is!” “I should have known.” Cadence sighed. The loud groan filled the air as Twilight stopped at the end of the massive trap she had laid out in the west hall way. “ …........... And this is where the alicorn sized crate comes down, trapping Nightmare Moon.” Twilight pointed out showing the end of the trap which stopped right in front of the kitchen door. “ Any questions?” Twilight frowned as everyone raised a hoof, claw, or paw. “Big brother?” Twilight sighed. “Where did you even get roller skates?” Shining asked looking further back at the other end of the trap. “All of this and that's what's important?.” Twilight demanded. “Did we have to use lemon soap, it's making my nose itch.” Spike complained. “It's all I could find.” Twilight sighed. “I helped set this up and I still don't know what the flux capacitor is for.” “It's complicated, but it shouldn't matter unless Nightmare Moon goes over 88 miles and hour.” Twilight rolled her eyes. “So what do you do if Nightmare Moon didn't come down from the other end of the hall and is instead right behind you?” Cadence asked calmly. “Well in that unlikely event........” Twilight blinked noting no one was looking at her any more.” Pony feathers,....... RUN!!” “LANGUAGE!” Cadence called as Rahs, Spike, and Twilight took off down the hall screaming. Nightmare Moon looked at Cadence and Shining Armor with a raised eyebrow as neither of them were looking to start running. “I'm only afraid of three things and you're not my mom or either one of my Drill Sergeants.” Shining stated flatly. ”You have no power over me.” “Yeah I don't feel like running, but those three are getting away.” Cadence shrugged. Nightmare Moon sighed and galloped after Twilight and the others. Cadence and Shining watched her run off before Cadence looked at the mess around them. “Well the closets empty now at least... shame to let that go to waste.” Shining raised an eyebrow. “Seriously?” “Well I do have to give you back your teeth.” Cadence grinned showing the fangs she stole from him. “Woof.” Shining uttered as he was pushed back into the closet, his mare friend joining him and shutting the door behind her. “AHHHHHHHH!” Twilight screamed as she ran down the hall. Rahs bounded after her Spike sitting on his back. Nightmare Moon flew after the trio cackling madly. Spike was clinging to his brothers back swishing his ax at the charging mare behind them. Twilight and Rahs yelped as they hit the patch of lemon soap skidding over it while Nightmare Moon simply flew over the trap. The scent of the lemon made Spike sneeze, a gout of flame bursting from his mouth, forcing Nightmare Moon dodge and singing Rahs' tail. “YIPE!!” Rahs cried out leaping into the air and landing on top of Twilight, the white colored filly flagged under the weight of her brothers, but ran on. The trio rounded a corner into a dead end with nothing but a massive curtained window. As Nightmare Moon bore down on them, Rahs grabbed Twilight's wings in his teeth and quickly started scaling the tall curtain to get away from the ghost, carrying his siblings along with him. Fortunately he was strong enough to do so. Unfortunately the curtain was not designed to hold that much weight and popped loose as he was half way up, the trio screamed as they fell through the air landing on Nightmare Moon with a thud the thick curtain falling over them all. The curtain quickly became tangled though Spike managed to wiggle free of it, leaving Rahs, Twilight, and Nightmare Moon struggling under the heavy cloth. Spike's nose twitched and he turned his head quickly as another lemon triggered sneeze filled the area with fire, “Scuse me.” Spike snorted noting something was on fire near him now. Looking over he took note that his last sneeze had set his wooden ax on fire. “AHHH, ME AX!” Spike hollered tossing the burning kindling into the air away from him. Spike blinked a moment and slapped his forehead with a claw.” Wait I'm fire proof....” The curtain where the burning ax landed however was not. There was another scream and the tangled mess of Pony, ghost and Moon Dog all took off back down the hall with Spike waddling after them as quickly as he could. The bundled, burning curtain rushed down the hall turning into the main area and attracting more than a few Guards as it tore headlong into the throne room, crashing into a table and upending the fruit punch bowl all over the curtain, dousing the fire and collapsing the drink table atop of the trio. The crash brought in nearly every Guard in the palace as well as pulling Shining and Cadence from their activities. Shining had evidently not gotten his teeth back, at least not for long, but he was wearing Cadence's witch hat now. Twilight wiggled free of the curtain with Rahs tearing a hole in it to get out. The hole was big enough for the pup to get free, but Nightmare Moon only managed to get her head out. A number of the other foals in the room gasped at the sight of Nightmare Moon , a few of them having been driven out of other corridors by the ghost earlier. “AH HAH!” Twilight proclaimed.” We got you now lets see who you really are!!” Her horn glowed a moment with a simple cleaning spell and the black painted fur around Nightmare Moon's face seem to melt away, along with her bent papermache horn and part of her wavy mane. All that remained was a green eyed mare with a red fur coat and a deep caramel and white highlighted mane. “Miss Flowery Text?!” Twilight gasped. “Who did you expect Princess Celestia?” The Princess's aside stated. “Actually yeah.” Shining shrugged.” I lost three bits on that one.” Cadence grinned.” Pay up.” “Okay... sooo that explains the black glitter paint and the stilts. And you just could pop up any where cause you know where all the servants passages are.” Twilight listed.” Doesn't explain why or how you changed so fast. We just saw you as well you.” “To keep the foals out of the other areas of the palace, we're short staffed tonight, it's easier to make them too afraid to go into the other halls than to put someone to patrol there.” The mare rolled her eyes “As for the fast change.” Flowery Text turned a bit redder.” Well I had help getting in and out of costume.” Shining ears perked up as he hears a Guard near him trying to hum innocently. Glancing over at the Unicorn, Shining smirked offering the other stallion a hoof bump, which he sheepishly accepted. “Right we caught you red hoofed. Guard arrest her!”Twilight demanded. “On what grounds? She was making our job easier.” One of the Guards asked. “Pretending to be Nightmare Moon!” Twilight answered. “ While Princess Celestia is not fond of the costume, there is no law against it.” Flower Text added. “Woof?” Rahs suggested. “I don't think bad acting is against the law either Rahs.” Twilight sighed as Flowery Text looked indigent and Rahs pouted. “Trying to poison everyone with sugar free candy!” Spike shouted with a loud cry coming up from the other foals present in agreement. “Okay, yeah that one was me.” Flower Text admitted with a shrug. “ Sorry if I didn't want my sister to be burdened with cavity filled foals teeth at her practice for the next few months.” “Well this has been silly. Where's Princess Celestia been in all this?” Cadence asked. “Well to make a long story short, we have two supplies of candy in great big bowls. One for the foals and one for the Princess, so that the foals wind up with at least some candy to take. Well when I swapped everything for the sugar free I had to put the other candy somewhere so I dumped it in her bowl..... I honestly didn't think she would eat all of it so quickly....” Flower Text sighed. “So the groans we heard.....” Shining Armor considered. “Are Princess Celestia with a tummy ache, she has difficulty controlling the Royal Canterlot voice when she's sick.” Flowery Text explained. “ See that's something else I wanted to spare every pony, horrid tummy aches from eating too many sweets.” “ Actually the sugar free sweets are a bad idea unless you happen to be diabetic. I mean the caloric intake is pretty much negligible with only a one to ten point difference and in some cases the lab designed chemical in it tricks the body into reacting as if the caloric intake is much higher. They often have laxative effects too, which no one wants from a candy and just like regular candy they still promote tooth decay as the chemical makeup is just as attractive to the bacteria as normal sugar.” Twilight lectured. Every Pony stared at Twilight who turned red from the attention.”Ummm So I've read... But yeah take her away!” Again there was loud agreement from the foals who didn't get their real candy and it left a few of the Guards wondering what to do. Cadence however moved back to the Guard who had been humming earlier and nudged his side. “You heard them, go ahead and take the bad girl away....” Cadence nearly purred. The Guard blinked and showed he was quick on the uptake as he pressed forward past the other Guards.” I got this guys. Alright Flower Text, you're coming with me to pay for your crimes.” he stated loud enough for everyone to hear noting the foals cheering and the sudden blush around the face of the painted Pegasus as she realized who was carting her off. Once those two were out the door Shining leaned over to one of the other Guards there with a smirk.” Think there will be a problem covering his part of the shift?” “Night's almost over, should be fine.” The other Guard chuckled. “Steel Tail could use a bit of a break any way.” “Okay.“ Cadence said. “I know there's another bag of candy in the pantry So I'll go get that and we can wrap up Nightmare Night with the tribute to the 'REAL' Nightmare Moon.” This brought a round of cheering from the foals. Hours later Shining Armor and Cadence trotted back towards the Sparkle household. Spike was passed out on Cadence's back and Twilight was barely holding onto wakefulness on her brothers back. Rahs was happily plodding along still a bundle of energy, even after having ditched all the sugar free candy he took once he heard about the laxative nature of it. “Well that was an eventful night. I'm surprised Twily was willing to hang around so many others in the party for so long.” Shining Armor chimed up. “Well she, Rahs and , Spike were the heroes of the hour. She caught Nightmare Moon, brought back the real candy and made a huge mess. “Cadence chuckled.”Foals love that sort of thing.” “True. Still something's nagging me. Not sure what it is, but didn't we forget something?” Shining considered. “Really like what? We've got all three of your siblings and they have a ton of candy. The only thing we missed was Princess Celestia seeing Twilight's costume. “Cadence smiled.” And I'm pretty sure Twilight is going to wear it to her class tomorrow any way.” “Yeah, I guess you're right. It can't be that important.” Shining shrugged. In the dark corridors of the castle, approximately in front of the kitchen, a very large crate sat on the floor rattling occasionally as something inside of it moved. “Hello? Is any pony there?” a voice called from inside the crate. “ Sick Princess in here.... I just wanted some water.... and maybe a bit of cake....... Hello?” The crate rattled again. “Is anyone there? Guards? Flowery? Flowery if this was set up to keep me from my cake we will have words...... hello? Any pony?” Celestia called. After a few more moments of no response there was a deep sigh from inside the crate. “Where did they even get the roller skates?”