//------------------------------// // Friendship is Puppies, episode 2 Part 7 // Story: Twilight gets a Puppy // by TDR //------------------------------// Twilight Gets a Puppy By TDR Friendship is Puppies, episode 2 Part 7 [ The castle of the two sisters, Whinnysor Castle ruins] Twilight winced as Rahs got closer to Nightmare Moon. The Moon Dog simply walked up to her like it was nothing as the black alicorn cackled. She shuddered as she looked up at them, her brother was moving to the nightmare's side. Comfortable around the monster that had beaten her teacher. Had Applejack been right? Wait Applejack? Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity! Of course that had to be it! If only she had more time...... Nightmare Moon continued to laugh, her mane and tail swirling into a vortex as she did so. This was what true victory felt like. To crush your enemies to see them driven before you and hear the lamentations of their stallions...... She had a big speech prepared for this too, when the last of Celestia's resistance had failed. Though seriously was this the last of it? A couple of mares? I mean sure the one knew about the Element's of Harmony and was brave enough to challenge her directly. The six of them also beat her conjured avatars, but after the fight with Celestia she didn't have much energy to spare in their creation any way. Still they should have been enough, but not one had returned. There was still the Dragon too, had he come with them? She recalled the initial scout saying seven had come into the forest. He must be with the others. Still she could practice her victory speech on this one and if she was not properly cowed then a rewrite might be in order. Perhaps she could even convince this mare to do it for her, it would help to have some one familiar with the local dialect and she was impressed with the mares gall. With the Element's destroyed a 'join or die' speech might not be out of the question. The Guards who she had thrashed earlier were enough to read mentally that she was a bit more familiar with the local language than she had been when she woke, but a translation spell was no substitute for an actual teacher. Nightmare Moon's thoughts trailed off as she felt something pulling on her tail. Her laughter died a moment later as she turned her head to look at the source of the tugging. Sitting on its haunches behind her was a Moon Dog. One in a slightly ripped up maroon long coat and tan pants covered in pockets at that. It's entire focus was on her tail and the swirling points of light that made up the stars within the darkness. The lights were even reflected in his amber eyes. He was also currently batting at it like a cat batted at a dangling string, completely oblivious to anything else. “What?!” Nightmare Moon questioned, more than a little confused. From across the room came another yell from the mare she had just defeated. “RAHS YOU IDIOT!” Twilight screamed out, slapping her face with a hoof. The scream brought Rahs out of his fascination, his ears perked up as she looked around noticing Twilight first across the room, then what he had been doing, and then the snake like eyes of the mare that the sparkling tail had been attached to. Rahs blinked once, twice, and then a third time as he met Nightmare Moon's gaze. He smiled slightly, patting her tail lightly and pulling his claw out of the strands before very very quickly.... trying to haul tail away from the black alicorn as fast as he could go. He made it as far as the edge of the dais. Nightmare Moon however did not let him go, and her magic quickly enveloped the Moon Dog and pulled him back over to her with a sigh. “Of course it was too good to be true.” The dark alicorn sighed deflating a little as she sat down.” I should have known Celestia wouldn't go down so easily, she's had a thousand years to prepare after all.” Nightmare Moon spared a last glance at Twilight and the proceeded to ignore the purple mare, her attention focused on the Moon Dog. One wing fanned out as she drew him closer, a few stiff feathers touching at his ears and scritching lightly behind them. “I have not seen you before, I suppose you are new to this then. Is Sheeba finally having her puppies? Is that why you are here tonight?” Nightmare Moon considered as she continued to scritch behind Rahs' ear. “ Oh don't be upset, Sheeba couldn't keep herself away from my tail at first either. Besides I thought I saw you back in town any way. It's harder to hide in plain sight than it seems. I'm sure you will get it though eventually. You made it through most of this unnoticed after all.” Rahs, having no idea what was going on, simply sat there and listened, granted he did like that part where he was being petted rather than beheaded, but this was a little weird. Twilight was standing alone with her head tilted slightly, watching the exchange between Rahs and Nightmare Moon. This was kinda weird. As distracted as she was she barely noticed as the others ran up to her , at least until they started asking her things. “Twilight is that Rahs up there?” Rarity asked. “Yes.” Twilight stated. “Is he working fer her” Applejack asked. “No.” Twilight countered. “Is she scritching his ears?” Fluttershy asked. “Yes.” Twilight answered. “Did you call her Black Snooty like I said?” Pinkie questioned. “No.” Twilight frowned. “Is he enthrelled, enscrollred, whatever, hypnotized?” Rainbow Dash mangled. “No, the idiot just saw something shiny and went after it like a cat.” Twilight grumbled. “I should have figured that it was something stupid like this, he did the same thing with Princess Celestia's tail when he was a puppy, he got over it, but for a while any time he saw it moving he had to play with it. And her tail NEVER stops moving” Twilight blinked suddenly and whirled on the other mares. “No wait, that's not important, he's keeping her busy. She thought she could destroy the Element's of Harmony, but the spirits of the Elements are still here.” Twilight stated excitedly, behind her the broken shards of the stones trembled on the dais. “Applejack, you said you knew the way to the castle and you did, you also didn't hide from the ugly truth that Rahs might be working for Nightmare. You represent the spirit of Honesty” Twilight explained. “Wut?” Applejack questioned. The shards from the dais rose and started swirling around the farm pony. “Fluttershy who tamed the manticore with her compassion and has been taking care of all of us the entire trip is the spirit of Kindness!” Twilight continued. Fluttershy meeped flying back into the air as the shards approached her and started floating around her form. “Pinkie Pie who banished fear by giggling at it and has done her best to keep everyone's spirits up on this trek represents the spirit of Laughter.” Twilight stated. The pink mare smiled wide and hopped up and down as the shards circled around her. Rahs blinked noting the oddities going on with the others, Nightmare Moon simply sighed. “I assume you've never seen this before. It gets old after years of it. It's either a selection of Ponies, or Celestia herself who rally the Elements and beat me back into darkness again. It's not even impressive any more and barely entertaining. Well there was that time that the bearers were seaponies and the whole encounter was a long musical number. That one was weird, but this is how it always ends. Don't worry I'll tell Sheeba you did alright when I see her.” Nightmare Moon sighed. “Woof?”Rahs questioned. “Of course I'm not hostile to you. You've been trying to help me. Even I acknowledge that level of devotion and loyalty. It's been a thousand years with only your........... wait a moment, did you just bark?” Nightmare Moon blinked. “You just barked, why did you bark? The dark alicorn shot up right suddenly sending Rahs tumbling away. “No..... nononononononono!” Nightmare Moon screamed out.” WHAT TRICKERY IS THIS CELESTIA!!?!?!?” Rahs decided then, that he needed to make himself scarce. Whatever his sister was doing it seemed to be freaking Nightmare Moon out considerably. “Rarity who calmed a sorrowful serpent with a meaningful gift represents the spirit of Generosity.”Twilight continued ignoring the outburst. Rarity blinked looking at the glowing shards floating around her. “And Rainbow Dash, who could not abandon her friends for her own hearts desire, represents the spirit of Loyalty.” Twilight finished. Rainbow Dash blinked as the shards started circling around her. “The spirits of these five ponies got us through every challenge you threw at us.” Twilight snapped. “You still don't have the sixth Element! The spark never came” Nightmare Moon snapped.” And it NEVER WILL!” The dark alicorn's horn glowed brightly as she charged a massive spell to unleash at the mares, to end this once and for all. The spell was never cast, as something suddenly yanked hard on her tail distracting her. The black alicorn whipped her head around again, seeing the Moon Dog had grabbed a hold of her tail and was holding it tight on it. “What!?” Nightmare Moon stammered the spell fizzling as she stared at the Moon Dog. “This is real......How is it even possible for you to be......” “It did, the spark ignited inside me when I heard their voices again....i realized that you all... are my friends...” Twilight finished. She turned from the other five to glare back at Nightmare Moon. A massive flare of light appeared over Twilight, the brightness forced Nightmare Moon to flinch from it. “The final Element is Magic. The spark was brought about because of the friends I made. “Twilight flattened her ears wondering why she was explaining this. “And Friendship is Magic.” “She said it, she said it, she said the thing!” Pinkie Pie beamed. “Talk about corny.” Dash snorted with a smirk. “Really I think it is perfectly fitting, very dramatic.” Rarity chimed. “It was a nice speech.” Fluttershy muttered. “Ehh, so long as it works.” Applejack shrugged. The broken shards swirled around the mares, forming together around their necks to create ornate pendants and chains, large gems shaped like their cutiemarks dominated the center of the jewelry. The glowing orb of light settled down atop of Twilight's head as she was lifted into the air, a crown with her cutiemark forming as all of the floating mares began to glow. “GET OFF OF ME!” Nightmare Moon roared, lashing out with her tail and sending Rahs flying to crash into a suit of armor, the rusted suit collapsing on top of the flailing Moon Dog. The black alicorn spared a worried glance at the canine before her horn flared again and she turned to face the ponies only for twin beams of rainbow colored light to erupt from the glowing ponies and rush towards the screaming Nightmare Moon The light swirled around her, enveloping the screaming mare in a whirlwind of brightly colored lights. As her screaming grew fainter Rahs looked on, peering out from the knight helmet that had fallen over his head. The light from his sister and her friends got even brighter, the brilliant white light bathing everything and forcing him to flip the helmets visor back down to avoid the being blinded as the whole world seemed to go white. Twilight woke with a groan with something shaking her lightly. Opening one eye she looked up to see the navy blue fur of her brother crouched next to her a worried expression on his face. “Woof?” He sighed with relief. “I feel like I've been up for three days, but I'm okay.... how are the others?” Twilight groaned. “Ah'm alive. Feel like tha end of apple buck season though. “Applejack stated. “Oh wow... everything hurts. Wow am I tried.” Rainbow Dash winced. “Do it again, do it again!” Pinkie Pie chimed. “Under no circumstances are we to do that again anytime soon. “ Rarity snapped.” I think even my teeth feel tired.” Fluttershy simply meeped. “Bark.” Rahs pointed out. “Her tail?” Twilight blinked lifting her head more looking back to see the others sprawled on the floor . Rarity's tail had regrown and was back to it's former state. “Oh my goodness!” Rarity gasped. Dash reached up undoing the bandages around her ear flicking it with no pain.”How's it look” “Like it was never cut!” Pinkie Pie pointed out. “It looks lovely.” Fluttershy stated to Rarity. “Yes, I know, it was gone only a short time and I missed it terribly.” Rarity grinned, flicking her tail. “No, your necklace. It looks like your cutie mark.” Fluttershy corrected. There was a general muttering as the girls noticed each others necklaces and looked them over. When Rahs thought no one was looking, he gave Twilight's crown a quick lick, only to frown at the lack of taste, he was considering trying the others when Twilight slapped him with Applejack's hat. “Hey stop that!” Applejack protested as Twilight continued to smack her brother. “What the heck was that!?!? You had me freaking out so you could play with her tail! What is wrong with you!?!” Twilight ranted as Applejack managed to save her head wear. “Woof!” Rahs defended. “So you did take care of the last one. Well that was good, though I seriously doubt you got lost that easily.” Twilight grumbled.” You can smell treats through three rooms, masked by four spells, and a scented candle! I find it hard to believe you couldn't find us.” “Bork!” Rahs snapped and pointed at his nose which had been on the receiving end of a good bit of abuse that night. “So.... we really do represent the Elements of Friendship.” Applejack stated loudly, to cut off any spat between the two siblings.”That sounded kinda made up at tha time.” “Indeed you do.” stated a serene sounding voice. Looking for the source of the voice, the group could see the first rays of sunlight rising above the forest as it shone on the old castle. The sun quickly rose into the sky casting a beam through the broken window. Out of the pillar of light stepped a large white alicorn decorated with golden accessories. She had flowing sunrise colored mane and tail, and large wings folded over her back, a tall spiraled horn rose up from before her crown. “Princess Celestia!” Twilight shouted as the others bowed before the appearance of the Princess. Rahs offered a nod of his head as Twilight ran up to her, the pair of them, and Spike, had long ago been told not to bow to her unless it was a formal occasion, and in the middle of ruins in the woods was hardly formal. Rahs rolled his eyes as the pair of them hugged though his attention was soon drawn to something moving on the other side of the room, still in the shadows cast by the ruins. “Twilight, my faithful student.”I knew you could do it.” Twilight's eye twitched as she took a step back.” You told me that it was an old pony tale!” “I told you that you needed to make some friends.....” “I HAVE friends, Moon Dancer, Lyra, and all the other students at your school!” Twilight protested. “Yet, you didn't have the right friends for this. Had they been the ones who would become the Bearers they would have been drawn here.” Celestia explained. “Lyra lives in Ponyville.” Twilight responded. “I wasn't even drawn here, I was sent here by you!” “Lyra did not willingly follow you into the Everfree forest at night, nor did she aid you in any way on this journey as these five have.” Princess Celestia continued with the same calmness. “ I gave those books to all my students and you were the one who made the connection, you were the first to bring it to my attention and thus I sent you here where I knew the other future Element bearers would be gathered. To be honest Twilight I expected to return months or years from now, freed only after one of my many contingencies finally bore fruit. But you and your friends, finding and becoming the Bearer's of the Elements of Harmony, well that was my best case scenario. There was no need for a rebellion or any one to die in conflicts for freedom. Including Nightmare Moon.” “What!? Nightmare Moon?!” Twilight blinked looking at the dais and seeing Rahs already crouched over a form laying there. The group of mares quickly rose and moved around the dais. Laying atop it amid shards of smoking metallic blue armor was a purplish gray mare with a silver blue mane and tail. Her cutie mare was a purple patch of night with a crescent moon in the center. The most striking features of the mare however were the wings and horn she bore. Rahs moved away from her as Celestia approached looking down at the mare as she stirred. “You could not release the magic unless you allowed true friendship into your heart Twilight.” Celestia offered. “ Now let us hope that another will as well. Isn't that right Princess Luna?” There was a collective gasp as the mare on the ground was named and a visible flinch from the second alicorn as she opened her eyes and looked up at the approaching white alicorn. “It has been a thousand years since I have seen you like this.” Celestia stated standing over the smaller alicorn. “ It is time to........” The Princess of the Sun likely had a bit more to say, though a sudden upper cut to the chin delivered by a silver clad hoof silenced her completely. Her head was rocked back, her body lifted up onto her back hooves before the Princess of the Sun sat down hard. “Uh oh.” Applejack muttered as every one else winced. “Shoryuken!” Pinkie Pie giggled. The smaller alicorn took that moment to get in Celestia's face, fury in her eyes. “WE TOLD THEE THAT IT WAS A HORRID IDEA TO TRUST THAT KNAVE!!!” Princess Luna screamed in Celestia's face as the white mare still reeled from the blow, her ears flattening to her head. “ But nay, thine had to ignore us and try to win him back. He might be evil, thee stated, but I can change him, thee stated. FIE ON THAT TIA!!” “Umm do we need to blast her again?” Rainbow Dash asked curiously as the smaller mare shouted at the princess. “I don't know.” Twilight muttered. “We spent a thousand years in a dreamlike state with the worst roommate that ever existed.” Luna ranted. “All because thee liked bad colts and ignored our warnings. Do thee know how loudly that Nightmare SNORED!?! AND IT WAS POSSESSING US!! WE COULDN'T EVEN DROWN OUT THE NOISE! Thee gets antsy in thine loins and we are the ones stuck paying for thine discretions...... AGAIN!!! At least thine should have stayed with the other one, he was at least funny!” Celestia rolled her eyes. “ A thousand years trapped in the moon and the first thing you do is start a massive 'I told you so 'rant?” “BECAUSE WE TOLD YOU SO!!!” Luna shouted suddenly grabbing Celestia around the neck and hugging her tightly as she started crying. “What......” Rarity tried to formulate the question. “Ladies allow me to introduce my sister. Princess Luna Nocturnus.” Princess Celestia sighed hugging her sister back. “And I say again.... What?” Rarity stammered. “So the old pony tale was about you two.” Twilight pondered.” This..... actually makes a little more sense now.” “Yes, but in any event we should leave this place. I am sure there are many who are worried about us.” Princess Celestia smiled. “Oh hey! You know what this all calls for!!!???” Pinkie Pie shouted hopping up and down. “Woof?” Rahs asked. “No silly, an epilogue chapter. THEN A PARTY!” Pinkie Pie explained to the confused Moon Dog.