//------------------------------// // The Claw Before the Pony, Part 2 // Story: Twilight Gets a Puppy, Season 6 // by TDR //------------------------------// Twilight Gets a Puppy Season 6 By TDR The Claw Before the Pony, Part 2 [Ponyville, Seshat] “So you are going to ask your brother?” Ember questioned with a flick of her tail as Spike looked over the block of apple wood that had been delivered as well as the paperwork for the rules. “Why, did you want to help me?” Spike asked. “Not particularly, but why him and not your sister?” “Because despite his apparent laziness, Rahs is actually a pretty good choice for this with his stage experience, carpentry, and design skills he has from all the times he's been dumped in the stage crew.” Spike explained frowning as he tapped a big knothole in the wood with a frown. ”Twilight's about as creative as a brick when it comes to anything non-spell related. Last time she tried painting she accidentally opened a portal into a fish hatchery outside of Moscow. Nothing like getting hit in the face with 400 gallons of freezing cold water and fish at high pressure to make you give up on painting” “ Alright... though, isn't it against the rules for a god to participate in this though?” Ember asked tilting her head wishing she understood the pony language better, half the words on the page she was looking at over Spike's shoulder appeared to be made up word jumbles or just plain scribbles. While Ember was new to learn about the other adopted Sparkle's deity status, mostly due to the Great and powerful Dragon Lord Trixie letting it slip in the hour long rant of what she would do if Ember decided she liked Trixie's Fuzzy, it wasn't something she was bothered by. After all watching Rahs and Twilight destroy a good chunk of the Cauldron showed her something was up with those two any way. Watching Spike take them both down after the Tourney when another argument started made her rather suspicious of him too despite Bleu saying he was only a demigod. “You would think that. And after all the times Celestia and Luna crashed the Sister Hooves social... literally that one year, you'd think there would be a clause in the rules, but nope .” Spike shrugged.” We only have one day and while it would be nice to try and win all the categories, with my painting skills and his crafting prop skills our best bet is to focus on the most creative trophy and make something so over the top we can't help but win.” “Well at least you have a focus.” Ember nodded. “The hardest part about this will be getting him away from Trixie in enough time to actually work on this thing.” Spike grumbled. [Ponyville] “Wait you want me to help you?” “Yup.” Scootaloo nodded, flitting back and forth in the air by flicking one wing then the other performing moves that would make a normal pegasus wince just watching the fuzzy orange pinball go. Physics evidently had taken one look at the filly and given up trying to exert itself on her.” Mom and Dad would help if I asked but neither of them have any kind of wood working skills or anything that could really be helpful.” “I'm surprised you're not asking Rainbow Dash.” “Dash is cool , and she's a lot of things. A planner and a builder are not those things however.” Scootaloo offered doing a barrel roll from a hover.” You however are both a planner and I've seen the designs you've made for Sulky carts.” “I suppose, though those are at best hobbyist designs, I might not be a fan of flying, but I do enjoy the races. Alright. I'm game to help. What sort of design did you want?” “Something FAST!” Scootaloo chimed in flying back and forth in the tight space of the room while upside down. “Of course” Fireball sighed her eyes following her niece as she flipped around the room. “ I shouldn't have bothered to ask.” “Really, you want me to help you? Why not your mom and dad? Your dad's an engineer.” “Yeah a structural engineer, if we were building a tower that had to resist a bowling ball being dropped on it again I'd be going to him in a heart beat, but I need some one who has a bunch of experience in a bunch of things. ” Firefly offered as he sat back in the chair at the kitchen table in another part of the Ponyville Hive. ”Given the sorts of awards being given out I want to try and qualify for as many of those as I can. Pharynx is out because he's a warrior and I need a generalist, and right now it's either you, Thorax, or Bees.” The two of them both looked to the left to the other side of the kitchen where Bees was covered in flower with a cardboard paper towel roll on his head. “I'm the prettiest unicorn!” Bees chimed as he bounced around.. “Stop playing in the flour I need that for the cake!” Thorax yelled at him. Pharynx who was sitting in a chair away from the counter in the corner, took another sip from a mug that had a generous amount of coffee in it and a load of chocolate, continuing to ignore everything else thou the thousand yard stare he possessed made it clear he was very much aware of the others antics. “Yeah. I see your point.” Kevin hummed. ”Alright, I'm in.” “So I'm your third choice?” “Well, yeah.” Sweetiebelle squeaked. “I mean first choice is big sister Luna, but she's got to deal with the fallout of the Sparkle Prank war and Queen Chrysalis restarting the conflict with Celestia with gusto, plus all the normal duties. Celestia is pretty much ignoring all her usual duties while plotting. Meanwhile Rarity is off doing something with her shop in Manehatten. You're here and you build stuff. Usually Rarity would have drug you off as well.” “I work metal, not wood.” “Yeah, but I looked over the rules and there's nothing saying you cant use metal so long as at least 40% of the cart is made of the apple wood block. The added weight alone would pull the cart faster down the hill than something made of just the block of wood.” Sweetiebelle offered. ”Plus, we can make it spiky and spikes are cool.” “If you say so.” Sombra grumbled, though he already had a few ideas in mind. “Right, I'm still not sure I follow this logic of yours kid.” “Mai logic is perfectly reasonable and makes sense.” Applebloom retorted. “Maybe to you, but first off I'm not even related to you.” “Ah'm pretty sure ah ken trace an Apple back to somewhere in yer family line, but that's not even a requirement all ah need tah do is make sure yah ride along too.” “Pretty sure you can't when it comes to my parents, but any way. Why not ask your actual sister?” “Cause she'd make a big deal out of it and if Scootaloo gits Rainbow Dash or Sweetiebelle gits Rarity those three will blow it out of proportion like they do at tha Sister Hooves Social. Mai sister can get reaaaaaal competitive like.” Applebloom let out a snort. “An tha less said about what'll happen if one of tha class gits some one who's chasing Rahs tha better.” “You do know I'm chasing Rahs right?” “Yeah, but yer sensible about it.” “Sunset is after Rahs too you know.” Applebloom narrowed her eyes.” Ah said sensible not whatever Sunset is. And Seriously? Yah want me, tah go ask that mare tah go anywhere near something as flammable as an apple wood block?“ “Yeah, okay you win that round.” “So whata yah say? Wanna help me build something that'll make ponies put on socks just tah have um knocked off?” Applebloom questioned. “You know what. Sure. This could be fun and if not, at least dad will get a kick out of it.” Aria shrugged.