//------------------------------// // For Whom The Sweetie Betta Toils, Prologue // Story: Twilight Gets a Puppy, Season 4 // by TDR //------------------------------// Twilight Gets a Puppy Season 4 By TDR For Whom The Sweetie Betta Toils, Prologue [ Friendship Express, En-route to Canterlot, early Winter] The train clicked and clacked along the tracks as it made the rather slow ascent up the mountain. Despite the trip only taking an hour at most, to the three sitting in the train car, under the careful watch of at least three plain clothes Guards and two obvious guard, it was highly dull. Granted the guard was not there to protect the three normal looking ponies, they were there to protect everything else from the three normal looking ponies. The Decaff Brigade, the Cake Hunters, and the few Heart Guard that remained in Canterlot as some sort of embassy guard, had come together to assign guards to make a fifth specific guard unit. There was a fourth guard unit of course, but the 'Sparkle Squad' was not spoken of often by the other guard units. Simply put, because anyone willing to join that unit was either a glutton for punishment, or clinically insane, and they scared the normal guard. Even the Six Sixty Sixth was wary of any Guards in purple and navy blue armor trimmed with green. Thankfully the score or so guards in that particular unit stayed in Ponyville for the most part, under the lead of a former Captain of the Decaff Brigade, Comet Trail. The stallion had managed to bring another nox-cal in from the Decaff Brigade to be his second. Lodestone was a massive mountain of a pony and had taken to living in Ponyville surprisingly well, most likely due to the three mares that 'welcomed him'. The fact that the Sparkle Squad also tended to the near weekly disasters that plagued the town made a number of of insurance providers, who were tricked into covering the town by Princess Celestia, a great deal happier. But the fifth squad in the making was one that some considered a joke. But the order had come from both the Lunar Princess AND the Sparkle Squad commander that it was a needed thing if these three ponies left the confines of Ponyville. That one of them was the adopted younger sister of Princess Luna only added to the urgency. At the moment the few guards assigned to watch over the 'Cutie Mark Crusaders' didn't have an official name. They were composed of a number of new guards and a few who had signed up willingly for what was considered an easy job in foal sitting. The unofficial name of this unit by those in the know however was,' Suckers'. Sweetiebelle huffed as she looked out the window and watched the trees go past. Luckily for the guards the three were pensive, half asleep, and reading a book at the moment. The five guards present last time they had come up to Canterlot had either retired , transferred, or were still in therapy from the 'Engineering cutie mark' incident. Two engines and four miles of track also had to be replaced. Neither of the damaged engines had been the one they were on. “Ah figured you'd be more excited than this Sweetiebelle.”Applebloom offered looking up from her book at the noise Sweetie made. “Been a while since we got tah go stay with Princess Luna.” “I know. She owes me a rematch in Road Kombat.” Scootaloo grinned opening her eyes the rumble of the train lulling her to doze. ”I've been practicing.” “I am excited, it's just mom and dad dumped me on Rarity again and then she had to run off to deal with an order from Sapphire Shores and drug Sombra off to help her so we couldn't stay there.” Sweetiebelle sighed. “Well Aunt Fireball had to head to Cloudsdale for the meeting about this years snow schedule, so staying there was out. Fluttershy was too busy with getting all the animals hibernating properly to watch us.”Scootaloo added. “Big Mac, Granny, and Applejack are off to help with a bumper crop of them weird Crystal Apples with a cousin of ours up in tha Empire.” Applebloom offered.” They'll be gone all weekend and maybe a bit more, which is why ah was staying with Sweetie and Rarity so ah didn't miss any school.” “What about Spike and Twilight?” Scootaloo asked. “Already told yah. Twilight and Sunset are doing some sort of experiments this weekend. He's gotta keep an eye on them so they don't blow up tha town, and Rahs' winter coat is coming in and you know how he gets when he's itchy.” Applebloom offered. “Spike said it's way too dangerous for any pony tah be around for it when those two start on somethin.” [ Ponyville, Golden Oaks library.] “PULL THE LEVER KRONK!!” Sunset shouted from behind a magically reinforced slab of wood and lead shielding. “Who's Kronk?” Twilight asked as she pulled the lever from behind another such shield. The sound of two billion volts arcing through the air from some strange apparatus that seemed to hover over the basement floor filled the air as a bolt of lightning slammed into the top of the odd box left by the Tree of Harmony. The energy arched over the box for a little while scorching the stone table it was on before everything exploded, sending the entire lab flying around with a roar of noise. The room was filled with smoke the scent of ozone and a hint of roasted pecans. “Wrong lever.” Sunset coughed casting a spell to disperse the smoke so she could look over the damage. The box sat on the remains of the table looking completely undamaged from the wash of energy that destroyed everything else in the room and melted the barricade shields. “Well crap.” Twilight huffed. Upstairs, Rahs sat on the couch blinking. A large circle of fur lay around him covering the couch and the floor and much of the room. Spike who had been nearby eating ice cream now had a full navy blue beard, though his ice cream cone was also covered in fur. There had been shouting from the basement, a dimming of the lights across town, then his winter coat had suddenly exploded into existence puffing him up like a large cotton ball of fluff. Then there was an explosion down stairs and more yelling. “The Buck was that!?” At least his fur wasn't itchy any more. Spike just wandered upstairs to admire his new beard. “Besides I thought ya liked hanging out with Princess Luna?”Applebloom continued. “I do, it's just I still kinda feel like I'm getting pushed off on other ponies sometimes.”Sweetiebelle sighed. “I know that feeling, “ Scootaloo huffed.”But I also know they have jobs and things they have to do sometimes. I mean heck, I can fly now, but I'm still staying in Ponyville because I want to. I could head off and travel with my parents now, but I got used to it here and then I'd miss you guys.” “Yeah, but your parents have tah work, Sweetiebelle's just go on a ton of vacations and business trips.” Applebloom offered. “Oh yeah, them... I'm starting to think Sombra might be onto something with them.”Scootaloo nodded. “You know what, you're right.” Sweetiebelle stated suddenly. “About your parents?” Scootaloo questioned. “No, about enjoying this trip. I get to stay with the best big sister ever.” Sweetiebelle grinned and bounced off the seat down to her bag pulling it open and drawing out a book. Scootaloo and Applebloom's eyes widened in fear at the sight of it. The guards around them looked confused at the fear they showed of the book. “I can try out some new recipes I read about and she can tell me what she thinks.”Sweetiebelle beamed waving the cook book around. “Are we about to be charged with regicide?” Applebloom muttered to Scootaloo. “I think it would have been safer to stay at Twilight's.” Scootaloo agreed.