//------------------------------// // The Conjuration Map, Episode One, Part Two // Story: Twilight Gets a Puppy, Season 5 // by TDR //------------------------------// Twilight Gets a Puppy Season 5 By TDR The Conjuration Map, Episode One, Part Two [Edge of Equestria. Three days later. ] The train ride out towards the village was uneventful, save a few small arguments breaking out between Twilight and Rahs. Most of which Pinkie Pie solved with a spray bottle and rolled up newspaper. One was solved by the conductor coming in and telling them to sit down, shut up, or get off his train. The stallion was neither cowed, nor impressed by the Guards, or the alicorn and her brother. Evidently he used to be on a route that regularly transported Yaks. Guard Captain Comet Trail had assigned eight guards to accompany them, three of them pegasi and one thestril, the other four were; two earth ponies, a unicorn, and a kirin. By the time they got to the town however there would only be two with them, as the rest would hang back in pairs at three strategic points along the path to the town with one flier per group. The final two would set up with Rahs outside of town and keep an eye on things while the six mares went into the town. The relay was set up in case Twilight's ability to send things through magic was blocked or removed. The Guard Captain was not happy with Twilight's insistence that the other Princesses not be informed. Twilight was not happy that the Guard Captain informed them anyway. Ditsy was not happy that Twilight was yelling at her colt friend. Dinky and Mr. Tiny Sniffles were not happy that Ditzy was arguing. Twilight could not contend with cute of the magnitude that Dinky possessed and apologized reluctantly. Rahs and Spike were amused. Surprisingly the only response back from Canterlot was a message to keep them informed of what was happening. For a copy of any notes taken while studying the castle tree, and a small packet of information on the towns founding. There was little information in truth in what was sent from Canterlot. There was the initial well worded request to set up the town in a location near the edge of Equestria, and the forms filled out to process the request. The only relevant information was that the place was called, 'Our Town' and was founded by a one Starlight Glimmer only a few years ago. The last census listed it as having a fairly sizable population of a little over three score of ponies, though there were no major imports or exports and it was rated as a self sufficient location that paid it's taxes on time. The hike through the hills and up into the mountain range wasn't that hard, as a worn, if not well used, path ran straight to the village where it lay nestled in a peaceful looking valley between a series of peaks in the range. Rahs had already talked to the moon dogs that guarded the dreams of those in Our Town. He took note they were a little thin, but other wise healthy. Their reports on the townsfolk dreams had most of them overwhelmingly being about cutie-marks, as if the whole town were foals that were still waiting to get theirs, and were dreaming about them. This group was some what isolated from the main packs in the Oneiroi. With all the empty land between the next closest city and Our Town, there was a lot of dream wilds to be crossed to get here. This meant that it might take Rahs a few days to get back to Ponyville if he tried to travel through the Oneiroi. Rahs also couldn't find the moon dog who watched Starlight Glimmer's dreams. Twilight and the others made a note of that and Twilight pointed out there was a rather impressive Ley Line network set up under the town, one that could easily power a location twice the size of what they saw. Clearly the founder was thinking to expand. The Guards set up their final camp off the side of the path where it crested a rise. This allowed them to stay out of sight of the town, yet still look down over it. The girls and Rahs stood at the ridge staring down at the odd layout of the town. The completely even two rows of homes and businesses on each side, with only one home sitting at the end of the straight path running between the other buildings seeming off. “Well. That is some rather exacting city planning.” Rarity hummed. “Neat and organized. I kinda like it.” Twilight offered. “Now remember fur ball, you're gonna park your butt here and not go anywhere near this place. We already don't have any idea how any of them are going to react to six random ponies trotting up. And you tend to unnerve ponies at the best of times.” Rahs growled. “Hey I wanted you to stay home, but Spike made me agree to this part, now you stick with yours.” Twilight demanded. Rahs said nothing, but his ears flicked a little in a quick pattern and one of the Guards let out a short bark of laughter before silencing it when Twilight glared at him. “One of these days I'm going to learn guard cant and then I'll know exactly why you'll be sorry for that.” Twilight growled before looking to the other girls. “Come on. Lets go.” Rahs watched the small group head down the path towards the town. He had a bad feeling about this. [ Ponyville] The Crystal Castle was not fully unoccupied. Spike was in his new room trying to put together the broken models, and Sunset was in the map room. Sunset was still evidently not far enough away to avoid hearing the creative swear words Spike came up with while trying to fix a particularly annoying figure. “Sunset's log, star date, no one will get this joke but me any way.” Sunset began, the crystal tablet Rahs got her for Hearths Warming a bit back floating in her magic, recording what she said. “I've run every scan on the table I know, and some I stole from Sombra. Something about this place shows up as both magic and not magic at the same time. Interestingly enough I have traced the power source of this place to the Breezy gate itself. Seems the Tir Na Nog itself is the source of power. I'm not sure this is a good idea after the realm was split apart by Tirek draining power, but there doesn't seem to be any issues. I've opened the gate once to check on everything and got a update from Seabreeze that everything was fine on their side of things. Though Seabreeze was a little weirded out that Teacup was mellow. Not sure if the Breezy is still a god, but Seabreeze said Breezies lived practically forever in the Tir Na Nog so it would be rather hard to tell if Teacup was mortal again. Seabreeze also said Teacup was avoiding the gate but going everywhere else in his homeland.” Sunset frowned poking the rocks under the desk again still wondering where the idea of a little dog came from. She sighed shaking her head. “With a little fiddling I have figured out how to zoom the map in and out as well as adjust the location tracker to show the current location of the others rather than just where they are going, so I suppose that is progress. There's still nothing on why it's sending them there however” Sunset huffed. “Twilight said the tree of Harmony could talk, but would it's off spring have that ability?” Sunset pondered. “And. If so, how would one go around talking to it?” “Well you could ask.” A female voice chimed up from the table making Sunset shriek. “You have to be doing that intentionally.” The table stated. [?] Discord looked up from a newspaper. “Move along, I'm not in this episode. Go on, shoo.” [Our Town.] “This. Is. Really. Creepy.” Rainbow Dash muttered from her place behind a rock. “It's just a town....” Applejack whispered. “ Look there's some sort of crops growing off to the side of it, though they don't look real healthy.” “I don't know darling, they are giving me the willies.” Rarity grumbled. “Is any one else worried that Rarity is creeped out?” Fluttershy muttered. ”I mean with the night mare and all..... just me? Okay.” “Those smiles are wrong. Trust me I know smiles and those are not the right kinda smiles.” Pinkie Pie growled. “Forget the smiles, look at the cutie-marks.” Twilight pointed out, her eyes narrowing. The group had decided to sneak closer, with Twilight casting an alicorn level notice me not spell so the towns folk didn't notice them. Despite that, the group still ducked behind a large rock just to be safe. “I bet there's some sort of horrific monster behind it all.” Rainbow Dash muttered. “Why do you say that?” Fluttershy asked. “I think the town looks lovely.” “Look at our track record.” Rainbow Dash pointed out. “I hate to say it, but we are not going to find out anything else without actually going in a talking to some of them.” Twilight muttered.” Not sure I want to now though.” “Twilight, yer a god, I'm a magic eating wolf, Shy's a bat, Rarity's part nightmare, and Pinkie is Pinkie. “Applejack offered.” Ah'm pretty sure we ken deal with whatever is wrong in this town, and if not we got yer brother fer back up and a couple of trained guard. If anything is wrong with this town, it should be worried about us.” “What am I chopped liver?” Rainbow Dash huffed. “Is that a thing you can become? Is it like a zombie or a golem?” Pinkie Pie questioned. “You know what, never mind.” Rainbow Dash sighed. “I agree with Twilight in this case, we cannot learn why we were sent here if we hide behind a rock the whole time.” Rarity sighed. “Plus Twilight will be annoyed if we leave without finding anything.” “I'm not annoyed at being cautious I'm annoyed at being told what to do by my brother, who is the same age as me, if not technically younger, and thinks he knows better despite the fact he can't even decide on a mare friend. Right, whatever. Let's go.” Twilight offered as she stepped out from behind the rock and dropped the spell as the others joined her approach. “Welcome...” one of the ponies stated as she noticed the group. “Those smiles are wrong.....” Pinkie growled.