//------------------------------// // A bird in the paw // Story: Twilight gets a Puppy // by TDR //------------------------------// Twilight Gets a Puppy By TDR A bird in the paw [One week after the talent show.] A horrendous crash echoed down the streets of Ponyville. “Where did he go?” Twilight Sparkle shouted. “Over there!” Fluttershy called as the two of them raced after something resembling a featherless chicken with Rahs hot on their hooves trying to get a paint bucket off his head. “More tea Princess Celestia?” Mrs. Cake asked looking after the chase, rather curious as to why the Princess had asked for the tea party to be moved outside with all that was going on. “Thank you Mrs. Cake that would be lovely.” Celestia nodded before glancing to the others at the table. Rarity and Applejack were watching their friends chase after Philomena with a bit of worry. Pinkie Pie seemed to be enjoying it and Rainbow Dash was too focused on all the food to notice much else. Spike and Applebloom however were both excited over the food and the Princess being there. The pair mostly ignored what Twilight, Rahs and Fluttershy were doing. “So you're saying that the pond was an accident?” Celestia frowned a little. “Yeah, Spike saw that squid and panicked burning up all tha water.” Applebloom offered.” Ah didn't even know he could do that.” “Neither did I.” Spike chuckled.”I was gonna send you an apology letter but I got so distracted by the talent show I forgot about it. Nothing bad happened did it?” “Well that depends on who you ask. I know a few nobles that would be mad at you, but a few noble foals who would love for you to do it again.” Celestia considered.” Please warn me first however.” “Can do Princess.” Spike offered, stuffing another cupcake into his mouth. “How did he get up there?” Twilight shouted from a street over. “I'm not sure, oh Rahs be careful there's a bee hive near..... oh dear.....” Fluttershy said surprisingly loudly. Rahs yelped tearing down the street with a swarm of bees chasing after him, the bucket of paint still on his head and a screaming Twilight and Fluttershy right along side of him, slowly followed by the plucked chicken wobbling after them. “Well now I’m almost sorry I set this up. I thought Twilight was playing a prank.” Princess Celestia sighed. “Prank!?” Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie both chimed up, looking over at the Princess. There was an explosion of feathers from down the street as a cart exploded some how. “Indeed, though I didn't expect Fluttershy to get involved. The plan was to entice Twilight with something she, not only didn't know about me, but had never studied before. My pet bird Philomena is a Phoenix. I kept her away from Rahs and Twilight when they were younger for various reasons, so she was perfect to help me with the prank. I expected Twilight would try to study my 'sickly' pet, or Rahs would try and eat her. I didn't expect Fluttershy to try and run off with her to play nursemaid.” “You don't know Shy.” Dash muttered. “MMMMokay, since she wasn't the target I’ll forgive it... this time.” Pinkie Pie stated with a surprisingly vicious tone of voice. “AHHHHHHHHH!” Twilight screamed out, galloping down the street with Rahs in hot pursuit followed by a swarm of snakes. The bird was chasing after the snakes with Fluttershy chasing after the bird. “Snakes. Why'd it have to be snakes!?” “So she's not sick?” Rarity piped up. “No, she's simply close to rebirth. She's also quite the prankster so the plan was much to her liking.”Celestia added taking a sip of tea. “Wait, didn't yah already prank Twilight?” Applebloom asked. “Hmmm?” Princess Celestia blinked. “Yeah, she got mailed tah my house in a big box.” Applebloom added. “No, that was me and Rahs.” Spike laughed.” We mailed her to Big Mac.” “ Ah figured it was you two... Mac's got a cold now thanks to that freezing shower he took fer a few hours right after he opened that box. Why tha heck was she dressed like a cat?” Applejack demanded. A sudden flood of water swept down the street sending Rahs and Twilight tumbling along with the current as Fluttershy softly screamed while dancing atop of the bucket on Rahs' head. The featherless chicken stood on a plank surfing along the wave as it flooded down the street. “That was Rahs' idea, he convinced her that she go try and live as a Savanna cat rather than a goat. “ Spike explained. “ I think it was a Nightmare Night costume of hers a few years ago.” “Splains why it was so tight on her I guess.” Applejack shrugged. “But don't go mailing her to my brother again. He can't do any work when he's sick.” “Don't worry I think plan delta sigma has been scrapped. It failed twice.” Spike smirked. “ That'll teach her to eat my last doughnut.” Rahs ran by carrying Twilight and Fluttershy as a herd of Buffalo stampeded behind him, Philomena riding on the back of one of them wearing a cowboy hat. “So are we just gonna watch this?” Applejack asked as another crash sounded further down the street. “Well I do have a few of my Guards making sure the damage is minimal.” Celestia explained.” And to keep the rest of the civilians out of the path.” “I think a Guard presence is just making things more hectic for them.” Rarity sighed. “ Ah HAH!” Fluttershy lunged ,catching Philomena in her hooves skidding across the ground to a stop before the tea party.” You need bed rest, not to be running around like this!” Philomena blinked as her last feather popped loose and she poofed into a pile of ash in Fluttershy's hooves with a last defeated squawk. Rahs fainted, some how landing on one of Rarity's couches while Twilight screamed, Fluttershy simply stared at the pile of ash in her hooves before started bawling. “What?!” Applejack questioned. “Oh dear. Wait, is that one of my couches?” Rarity frowned. “Not cool.” Rainbow Dash stated. “Joke. End. Now.” Pinkie Pie ordered. Princess Celestia turned to look at the others her eyes widening at the looks they were giving her. Applejack was the least annoyed looking one and even she seemed to be considering if she could get away with bucking Celestia across Ponyville. Rarity was clearly mad, though she had a cool glare directed at the Princess, one that reminded Celestia of Luna when she was pissed. Something that never turned out well for the Solar Goddess. Rainbow Dash was obviously mad and like Applejack seemed to be considering trying to play punt the Princess. And Pinkie Pie.... well there was a reason Princess Celestia quickly got up and trotted over to the crying Fluttershy as fast as she could. While she doubted even the Element of Laughter could do anything to harm her, the look Pinkie was giving spoke of being more to try everything to find out if it was possible. She doubted pointing out that Fluttershy had foal napped Philomena first would have calmed the mare down. “What is going on here?” Celestia asked the group around the pile of ash. She really hadn't expected such quick responses from them, though to have both try and accept the blame suddenly for Philomena's demise, practically pushing past each other and attempting talk over one another was almost comical. Celestia didn't think Fluttershy had it in her to tell the truth. Rahs was still pretending to be fainted and Celestia had to resist the urge to dump him in the fountain. “Twilight, Fluttershy, stop, just stop. Spike explained to me about how the pond was an accident. If you had explained it to me last week I wouldn't have felt the need to create such an elaborate counter prank, particularly if I had known it would drag Fluttershy into it as well.” Celestia explained. “Counter...prank?” Fluttershy asked as Twilight twitched. “Yes, in my rather long life I’ve developed a rather devious appetite for pranks and I will admit to indulging in them perhaps a bit more often than I should.” Celestia admitted. “But, but.. Philomena turned to ash.. how is burning your pet a prank?” Twilight stammered. “Actually I didn't do that. Philomena did and she is a skilled prankster in her own right. This particular joke is one she tends to favor........ she's done it several times since she became my pet “Celestia sighed before addressing the pile of ash. “ Philomena you can stop fooling around, they are taking the joke a little too seriously.” The pile of ash twitched and swept up into the air pulling together in a flash of brilliant light. The bird that appeared looked nothing like the half cooked goose that they had been chasing earlier. It was a hawk like avian with feathers made of fire, one that left a flickering trail of cinders after it as she soared above them all with an almost musical cry. With a last flap of her wings the massive bird flew down and landed on Celestia's outstretched foreleg. “Wha, what is that .. what happened to Philomena?” Fluttershy asked prancing around looking up at the orange and red bird that was nearly as tall as she was. “This is Philomena.” Celestia smiled. “ Quite a sight isn't she? Nothing unusual for a phoenix.” “ Rarrrrk!” Philomena warbled glaring back at the Princess. “Okay, so she's exceptionally pretty for a phoenix.” Celestia sighed as Philomena nodded at the correction. “A phoenix?” Fluttershy questioned. “Yes.” Celestia answered getting another annoyed warble from Philomena. “ You're not going to be happy until I give the whole speech are you?” Celestia rolled her eyes as her bird nodded. “A phoenix is a majestic and magical bird. While it appears healthy and happy most of the time, every so often it must renew itself by shedding all it's feathers and bursting into flames. “ Celestia rolled her eyes as Philomena took off to fly around and show off her new plumage again. “Rather melodramatic if you ask me.” The Princess sighed as she glanced to every one else. Most attention was on Philomena, though Pinkie Pie's eyes remained on the Celestia. “I do apologize for this, you were not the intended target for this joke and I didn't expect you to get involved, though you did bird nap her from the tea party.” Princess Celestia chided lifting her foreleg to let the phoenix land on it again. “ Philomena apologize to Fluttershy.” Philomena fluttered her wings a little and warbled an apology to the yellow Pegasus who had yet to take her eyes off the phoenix. “Also Twilight if another accident or something like that happens again, please send me a note about what happened. While a bit of an unpleasant surprise, I’m not going to banish you or throw you in a dungeon, or throw you in a dungeon in the place I banished you to.” Celestia raised an eyebrow as her former student flattened her ears to her head, knowing that was the exact sort of panicked conclusion Twilight would reach. “ All that said, Fluttershy you are more than welcome to come visit the Royal Gardens during the Gala. The care taker Dusty Pines has agreed to be your guide for the visit. I believe he also has expressed interest in meeting one of your animal friends after hearing about them. Angel bunny I believe.” Celestia didn't miss every one aside from Fluttershy flinch at the rabbits name, including Philomena. Perhaps she should triple the Guards for the event to be safe. “So then. I have a few more hours before I need to get back, shall we continue the tea party? I'm sure you have a number of questions about Philomena.” “Oh.. well if you don't mind.” Fluttershy muttered. “Not at all” Princess Celestia offered. Particularly if it gets Pinkie Pie to stop glaring at me Celestia thought to herself.