//------------------------------// // Howl of the Cutie, part 3 // Story: Twilight gets a Puppy // by TDR //------------------------------// Twilight Gets a Puppy By TDR Howl of the Cutie, part 3 [After School] Spike pondered as Applebloom and her friend Twist walked ahead of him. This had been an interesting first day “Seriously can't she come up with somethin else tah pick on instead of our not having a cutie mark?” Applebloom grumbled. “Low hanging fruit.” Spike offered, Twist looked confused though Applebloom nodded. “Means easy target.” Applebloom sighed.”Doesn't mean ah like it.” “She always goes phor what we're sensitive about.” Twist added. “Yeah I saw with that note. Not very imaginative is she?” Spike shrugged. “She gets worse.” Applebloom sighed. Spike shrugged wondering about how he could deal with this. He didn't want anything to say to any pony. If Twilight heard about it she would have a fit if she found there was a bully in school. If Rahs found out they would probably find Diamond Tiara buried in a dumpster somewhere. He was curious why Cheerilee didn't do anything at first, though with who Diamond Tiara's father was it was understandable the teacher might be leery about making the foal mad. Nothing might happen, or Filthy Rich might make her life more difficult. Spike had never met him so he didn't know if he was a Prince type noble, or a Jet Set type noble. In any case he felt bad for Applebloom and Twist who seemed to be the primary target of the annoying filly simply for not having cutie marks yet. Despite the lesson Spike didn't really see the big deal. Sure it was neat that a cutie mark could tell you what you were good at, but at the same time you could tell that yourself just by what you liked doing or were practiced at. He was actually rather glad Dragons didn't get cutie marks, being tied to a single destiny sounded dull. Though Twilight seemed to make it work for herself, and he wasn't sure what Rarity's mark had to do with dresses. Heck even Cheerilee's mark could be looked at a bunch of different ways. It was clear to any one not obsessing over their marks that the mark didn't make the pony. Of course Applebloom and Twist were in the former category of obsessing, more Applebloom than Twist, but still. He doubted telling them not to worry about it would do anything. The filly was usually pretty level headed unless it came to cutie marks. “I don't even know why we had to sit through that boring lesson about getting a cutie mark. I mean waiting for your cutie mark is so last week.” Diamond Tiara stated rather loudly as she and her friend Silver Spoon zeroed in on Twist, Spike, and Applebloom as they walked away from the school house.” I mean you got yours I’ve got mine...everypony has them... oh wait... almost all of us have them already.” Spike rolled his eyes as Twist looked annoyed and Applebloom looked even more depressed at the pink filly’s words. “Seriously why are you even bragging about having a comb as a cutie mark?” Spike questioned, just deciding to let his mouth go and see what happened. At the very least it would bring the bullies attention to him and off his new friends. “It's not a comb it's crown!” Diamond Tiara snapped. “ Yeah I can see that it's not a comb. Maybe a bunch of bouncing super balls, but not a comb.” “Crown!” “I don't see a crown. Crowns are round and spiky or look like the things on checkers. The Royal crowns are only three points one tall and a couple shorter. I ate one of them when I was younger so I know.” Spike shrugged.” At best that's a fancy headband. What does it even mean any way. Are you a jeweler?” “IT'S A CROWN!!” Diamond Tiara screamed out.” And it means that I’m destined to be royalty!” “Yeah I don't think Princess Celestia or Princess Luna are gonna need any more royals around. Princess Luna wants to whittle down the houses last I heard. Probably better to just be a jeweler, like your mark says.” Spike offered. “Oh what would you know about the Princesses!” Diamond Tiara snorted.” You're just a Dragon...” “Princess Cadence was my foal sitter, Princess Celestia was one of my tutors back in Canterlot, and Princess Luna still owes me ten bits for a bet she lost.” Spike responded. “A bet?” Applebloom asked. “Yeah she came by after that thing with the bugs to talk to Rahs though he was out hunting and Twilight was asleep at her desk. I bet her that I could stack twenty books on Twilight's head before she woke up. Joke was on her, my record is forty two.” “That is completely absurd!” Diamond Tiara. “ Are you calling me a liar?” Spike asked raising an eyebrow. “Well, you're not big enough to be a harp.” Pinkie Pie stated suddenly popping up behind the group. “GAH!!!!” the collected foals cried out at the mares sudden appearance and Spike fell over onto his tail trying to whip around, though Pinkie Pie didn't seem to notice. “ Hi hi hi!!” Pinkie Pie continued, looming over Diamond Tiara. “Just the filly I was looking for.” “ Umm okay...” Diamond Tiara blinked...” Why?” “Cause I was supposed to let you know that everything’s set up for your super duper cutie cena party . It's gonna be awesome!” Pinkie Pie bounced about, pausing only to look at Diamond Tiara's cutie mark. “ What is your cutie mark any way ? Looks like one of those pictures in the scinecey books showing half of a elliptical orbit graph.” “It's a crown!” Diamond Tiara shouted. “Okie Doki Loki if you say so. See you Saturday DT!” Pinkie chimed up and pronked off leaving the fillies and Spike more than a little confused. “Does any one get used to that?” Spike asked pointing at Pinkie as Applebloom and Twist shook their heads. “Any way before I was so rudely interrupted.” Diamond Tiara started again. “You were trying to defend how yer cutie mark isn't a super ball?” Spike asked. “Yes... I mean no... IT'S A CROWN!!!” Diamond Tiara shouted again before snorting and storming off. “What she means is that despite not having your cutie marks you are still invited to her cutie cena.” Silver Spoon added before running off with her friend. “Cool a party.” Spike smirked. “Seriously yer gonna go?” Applebloom asked in shock. “Why not, free food is free food.” Spike shrugged heading off for home himself. “I'll see you guys tomorrow then.” Applebloom tilted her head trying to understand how free food won out over getting picked on. “Boys...” Twist sighed. [ a day later] “ Soo let me get this straight.” Spike stated from where he lounged flipping through a comic book. “ Applejack banned you from selling apples in the market...” “Pretty much....she said ah made a grown stallion cry...” “Twist got her cutie mark.” Spike continued. “Yeah it's a candy cane heart thing. Shoulda figured she'd git something in candy making. She loves doing that.” Applebloom sighed rocking herself on the bean bag chair in the foals section of the library. Spike sat at the small table on a chair having ruptured one of the bags with his spines he was now banned from sitting on them though he was kicked back with his feet on the small table. “So your next big idea was to have Rainbow Dash train a cutie mark into you?” Spike questioned. “Yeah , ah musta done a hundred things in an hour.....” Applebloom muttered. “ Ah'm still bruised.” “Then you were convinced by Pinkie Pie to make cupcakes?” Spike asked. “Yep she had a song an everything.” “How did that go?” “Well... least ah didn't burn tha place down......” Applebloom bemoaned. “Then you had Twilight try to magic you a cutie mark?” Spike blinked looking at his friend. “Yeah..... she couldn't do it.” “So then you came here why?” “Tah see if there was a book that might have somethin... but then ah figured Twilight woulda read it by now so ah got no clue what to do now.” Applebloom whined. “Simple, we go to the party, eat free food and go home.” Spike stated standing up. “It's time to head over there you know.” “What nao?!” Applebloom yelped. “Yep “Spike stated, wondering if he was going to have to drag his friend along. [Many hours later ] Twilight sat at the kitchen table with Rahs standing next to her, both of them were looking over at the soot covered, tree sap soaked mess that was their younger brother. “So let me get this straight....” Twilight stated. “You went to the party with Applebloom.” “Yes, you were there.”Spike commented. “I was trying not to freak out at a party. With Pinkie as my friend I am trying to get used to it.” Twilight sighed. “You did pretty well.” Spike claimed. “Woof.” Rahs asked. “Right Applebloom spent the whole party trying to escape once Diamond Tiara got there.” Spike shrugged.” I also found out that Silver Spoon's heir to a tea leaf empire. Her cutie mark has to do with some fancy tea ceremony. It's kinda neat that her family supplies most of Celestia's teas.” “While that is interesting, you're getting off topic.” Twilight stopped him. “Right, anyway Diamond Tiara decided to try and tease Applebloom for being a blank flank after she got caught trying to escape. After which two other fillies without cutie marks showed up and and argued in Applebloom's favor before all three of them ran out to try and get their cutie marks. Rahs' ears perked up as Spike sighed. “Yes, Applebloom drug me along too. No, I don't know how they made the duck pond explode. Yes, I am certain we did not go near any trees, and no I am not sure where Bon Bon's left eyebrow went.” “Answered that one a few times already huh?” Twilight smirked. “Why were they at the duck pond any way?” “Paddle boat cutie marks.” Spike offered. “Can i go clean up now?” “Sure.” Twilight offered ,” Just try to be more careful when you're hanging out with those three next time.” Spike wobbled in the chair a bit not able to get up. Rahs reached over and tilted the chair forward to that Spike could get his feet under himself before he waddled off to take a shower, the seat still stuck to his rear. “ How bad was it?” “Bark.” “Just the pond and one paddle boat. Well that's a better record than Snips and Snails had with him, the tree sap is new though.” Twilight shrugged. “Rarity's sister, Applejack's sister and Fireball's niece. Interesting group.” “Bork?” “Nah I’m not worried about it. Spike'll be fine. One accident isn't bad, ”Twilight sighed.”Besides they're only three little fillies, how much damage could they conceivably do?