//------------------------------// // Chapter Three // Story: The Fantastic Adventures of Dr. Whooves: The Planet Eaters // by The-Pony-Librarian //------------------------------// Chapter Three In which a highly tactless party is thrown, and Spy Dash discovers the wonders of literature When they walked into the Books and Branches library, Twilight instantly knew something was wrong. For one, all the lights were out, Spike was supposed to have opened the library today. A dark library usually wasn't an open one. Secondly, the library didn't have the usual spell of books and old pages and lavender scented potpourri. It smelled like food, more specifically, cake. Oh, no. "SURPRISE!!!" All the lights flicked on, and Twilight and the Doctor found themselves surrounded by at least fifty ponies. Front and center most were Twilight's five closest friends, all beaming. Rarity looked like she was about to explode with excitement, and began talking almost at the rate of Pinkie Pie "When I realized how shy you were about you and Timeturner, I was so heartbroken! But then I ran into Pinkie Pie, who said that she was planning for a party....And I had the perfect idea! If you were to shy to admit it to me, then why not throw you a party and invite everyone in Ponyville!" Twilight thought that was an absolutely terrible idea, and opened her mouth, presumably to tell Rarity exactly how terrible it was, but only incoherent squawks came out. Apparently was too utterly mortified to verbally communicate. Wonderful. Way to go Rarity. A party for a relationship that didn't exist. Just fabulous. Could this get any worse? "Whaaaaatt?" Twilight's face turned an interesting color as she remembered that the Doctor was there too. She had been wrong....it could get worse. She caught herself halfway through an involuntary teleportation spell, and suppressed the instinct to get as far away from the situation as physically possible. She needed the book. Equestria was at stake. "Could somebody tell me what's going on?" The Doctor asked again. Rarity looked aghast "Don't tell me you're all shy about this too!" "Shy...about what exactly?" "You and Twilight being in love of course!" The white unicorn gushed in reply, as if it were obvious. There was a long pause. "What" "Ah! Ah! Ah!" Rarity scolded "I know it's true so there's no use denying it!" "What" The Doctor's eyes flicked to Twilight, who simply tried to convey telepathically how very sorry she was for the whole thing. "Rarity!" Twilight began "Don't want to hear it!" Rarity sang "Rarity there's something really important going-" The unicorn's sapphire eyes narrowed "Oh no. You're not going anywhere! You are going to enjoy this party!" It was at this moment that Spike chose to walk in, crunching a handful of jewels and looking at Rarity as if she were the most beautiful thing in Equestria "So Rarity" he said "Not that I mind you using the library and all...like, seriously. You can use it for anything. Anytime. You're always welcome here..... But what is all this for?" "Oh!" Rarity perked up, "I didn't tell you did I? Twilight and Timeturner are dating!" The baby dragon's pupils shrank as his eyes flicked from Twilight, to the Doctor, back to Twilight. "AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!" He ran out of the room, screaming. "Spike, wait, this is all a misunderstand-" A door slammed upstairs, and Twilight cut herself off with a huff. Now Rarity had probably scarred her baby dragon for life. After all, Spike hadn't even been able to handle Twilight getting Owloysius......She started to follow him. "Ah! Ah! Ah!" Rarity chided "Spikey-Wikey probably just needs to be alone for a while" She forcibly steered Twilight and the Doctor toward the crowd. "Now there are lots of other ponies who want to congratulate you!" Rarity squealed and trotted off "I need to go get something, I'll be right back!" "What" The Doctor appeared to be in shock.... Twilight winced sympathetically. During the next few minutes they were jostled around by ponies of all colors, all offering cheery felicitations and brushing off any protests. Apparently Rarity had warned them. Finally they came to Pinkie Pie, who was standing in a corner of the room bouncing up and down happily with her mouth full of cake. "Hey Twilight, Hey Doctor, isn't this fun?" Twilight growled, her mane had begun to stick out in an errant fashion and her ears were pressed flat against her head "No Pinkie. No this isn't fun! Why would you throw this party for Rarity? You know the Doctor and I are friends!" "weeeeellllll" The pink party pony said "I thought you were just friends. But then Rarity told me you weren't, and I was like...I'm pretty sure they're just friends, but she said she was absolutely tootly positive you were together, and then I started thinking I could have missed something. What if you actually were together and I didn't throw you a party? Then you never would have gotten a Pinkie party! And that would be horrible! So I had to throw it!" Twilight face hoofed "Look Pinkie, it's fine" she sighed "But the Doctor and I really need to get out of here! There are dangerous bug creatures on the loose and every minute we stay here is another minute they have to grow and multiply! Can you make a distraction?" "Sure thing, I-" "Twilight, darling, there you are!" A cultured voice said. Twilight cursed her luck as the white unicorn sailed over, beaming and carrying two little packages in her magic "I have gifts!" "Rarity" Twilight said "You really don't need to-" "OPEN IT!" The tastefully wrapped packages were shoved forcefully at the Doctor and Twilight, who wisely began to open them, not wanting to risk Rarity's wrath. Twilight, who was both better with her hooves and had the aid of her magic got her's open first, levitating out a small, plush, brown object. Further inspection revealed it was a small doll of the Doctor, covered in soft fabric and carefully made. It would have been rather impressive if it weren't so wonderfully creepy. The Doctor had opened his package as well, and appeared to have also received a doll, only in Twilight's likeness. He looked at it with a bewildered expression. "Aren't they lovely!" Rarity cooed "I hoof stitched them myself! It took nearly a week, but I think the result turned out fabulous! Now you can always hold each other!" She squealed, clearly very pleased with herself. "Gee, Rarity" Twilight said "It's....wonderful... I, um....Really like it's mane?" "Oh, um yes" The Doctor joined in "They're...Um...Great!" "I'm so glad you like them!" Rarity gushed, trotting back into the party, and leaving the two ponies staring awkwardly at the plush dolls in their hooves. "I'm guessing now would be a good time for the distraction?" Pinkie said "Wonderful" Both Twilight and the Doctor said in unison "Here's that book you needed!" Pinkie chirped, suddenly holding a tome in her mouth. "I- what...how? I didn't even tell you I needed a....oh never mind" Twilight took the book in her magic, while Pinkie examined the doll that was also in her magical grip "You know" the pink pony said "He makes a pretty cute plushie!" Twilight rolled her eyes, setting both items inside her saddlebags before, sidling slowly over to the back door, closely followed by the Doctor. As they made their way slowly towards the exit, Pinkie Pie jumped up, pointing over to an empty spot on the wall opposite from that shouting "QUICK, LOOK OVER THERE!" Everyponies head turned, and Twilight and the Doctor ran out the Library door like Discord himself were on their tails. They galloped at least a block away before slowing down, resting against a shop wall. "I am so, so sorry!" Twilight said "Rarity...I tried to tell her..but-Hey! it's not that funny!" The Doctor had almost fallen to the ground laughing, and he slowly got up, still chuckling. "Honestly, I'm used to it" The Doctor said, shaking his head "...I cannot tell you how many times I was called Mr.Noble. Though I've never been thrown a party before....or given a plush version of the person....that was a little weird." "Yeahhhh...." Twilight said "You have the book?" Twilight nodded "Alright...Let's find us some scarisprites then!" High above, a pegasus watched from a cloud. Beating her wings slowly, she propelled the cloud forward, talking to herself as she did so. "Spy Dash log, day umm...one. Time is exactly..ummm....nevermind....Followed subjects after they slipped away from party....Motives unknown....Behavior is suspicious....." The pegasus moved forward, peering over the edge of the cloud while singing her own spy music under her breath. "Boo, do dum......Doo do dum.....boo do dum.....Doo do dum" Something green and whirring bumped into her, cutting off her awesome theme music "Tank!" the pegasus hissed "Get outta here! I'm doing something important!" The turtle continued to bump into her side, propeller whizzing. "ugh, fine....but stay low" The pegasus shoved her pet lower into the cloud and continued to use her wing beats to scoot her cloud....or as she liked to think of it, her super top secret spy vehicle, forward. She started to sing under her breath again "Ba da dum, do do do...... Bah da da, do do do.....Ba da da, do do do.....BA DA BE DUM!" Below her, a lavender unicorn looked up quizzically, and the pegasus quickly hid above her cloud....maybe she should tone the dramatic background music down a bit. The pegasus continued to propel herself forward after her two targets, Rarity might be quick to write it off as the being 'in love' and all that gunk, but she knew something else was going on. Something fishy. Really fishy. Maybe Turner was a Maressian spy, and using Twilight to get close to the princess! Or maybe he wanted to use her magic in some sinister ritual to bring Nightmare Moon back! Or maybe he was a time traveling alien who...no, that was silly. But whatever was going on, she didn't like it one bit. What kind of element of loyalty would she be if she didn't investigate? The pegasus smiled, Spy Dash was going to figure this out. Even if she had to tail them all day. She watched as the two ponies stopped just outside the Everfree forest, and leaned forward in anticipation as Twilight drew something from her saddlebag...the pegasus bet it was going to be something super cool and top secret, like a laser gun, or a secret necklace that turns you into an Alicorn....Slowly, Twilight turned to her earth pony friend, revealing it to be...... A book?! A stupid, plain, ordinary book? "OH COME ON!" Down below, the Doctor looked up to see a familiar Rainbow maned pony kicking at cloud above and a little to the left of them, cursing vividly about the stupidity of books "Sparkle? I think we have a problem"