//------------------------------// // The Contest Begins // Story: Sssh! // by Caniville //------------------------------// "Aargh!" Twilight's frustrated growl erupted from her study, door slamming open with a very frazzled looking alicorn on the other side. Her horn buzzed as she threw papers out into the hall, messily trying to straighten the crown on her head. "Spike!" She howled, stomping her hoof agitatedly. The little purple dragon came running, one claw clutching a broom and the other clutching his stomach as he struggled to regain his breath. "Yeah, Twilight?" He panted, straightening up. Spike glanced at the papers on the ground, confused. "What's all this?" "This is my torture, that's what! How does Celestia expect me to fill out all this paperwork by tomorrow? It's already nine and I haven't even finished the first part!" Twilight heaved furiously, glaring over her shoulder at the stacks of paper by her desk. "How many parts are there?" The princess's assistant asked nervously, stooping down to pick up the crumpled sheets. "Eleven!" She screamed, sending another burst of magic into the study as she pitched a stack of paper onto the ground again. The sheets flew into the air, gliding slowly down as Spike struggled to catch them. After about thirty seconds of grabbing at the air, he gave up and walked to Twilight. "You need to take a break," He said in a soothing tone, resting a claw on her shoulders. The princess growled and turned to him, eyes blazing. "I don't have time for a break!" She hissed, ears drooping. Spike looked at her dubiously. She glared back, then caved. "Fine," She sighed, lowering her head and allowing the dragon to lead her to the kitchens. "But only for a bit." "Atta girl. Why don't you cool down on the couch and I'll brew you some tea." The castle was very large, with a complex layout and many floors. There were rooms inside of rooms, and rooms inside of those rooms. Twilight's bedroom was at the top, with four rooms. The first one, upon entrance, had the style of a classic living room. There was a long couch along the wall and two round tables in the middle, each with two comfortable chairs. The second room was more of a small hallway, with two doors on either side of the ends. There were basic chairs along the wall, in case somepony felt like hanging out in a tiny room too small to do anything but sit. The room on the left was a bathroom, with a toilet on one side and a shower on the other. In the middle of the room was an indoors hot tub. Twilight's bed area, on the other side of the hall, could only be described as vast. It was a large round room with a bed right in the middle, on top of a blue shag rug. Tables and chairs lined the walls, with a snug little reading nook on the far side of the door. Spike's room was two stories below. It was a third the size of Twilight's bedroom, with the main part and a private bathroom. The bathroom was just a toilet, and the main room had a bunk bed and desk. The bottom part of the bunk bed was always in chaos, with torn sheets scattered over it and onto the floor, a product of the dragon's occasional nightmares. The top was Spike's hoard. He collected small things, such as bottlecaps and pennies, so he could grow. As he discussed with Twilight the day he decided to start this side task, he would stop hoarding the moment he sprouted proper wings, so to prevent a greedy, catastrophic rampage like the last time he collected too much stuff. The kitchen, close to the castle entrance, was five times the size of the old treehouse's, with ten huge ovens and stoves. In the middle of the room was multiple counters and drawers, where most of the cooking took place. Along the walls opposite to the ovens were multiple tables and chairs with a long couch in the corner. Twilight flopped down on this couch, sighing as she stared up at the chrystal ceiling. The sounds of metal clinking softly together sounded behind her, Spike pulling out the things to brew his mentor's tea. "Spike," The princess asked, shoving her face in a pillow. "Do you think that --" "Watch out!" A familiar voice screeched, followed by a whistling sound. Suddenly, there was a huge bang by the entrance, then furious knocking. Twilight jerked her head up, twisting in the couch to face the door to the entrance hall. "What was --" "Twilight!" The knocking increased, followed by a constant ringing of the doorbell. "Ugh." Twilight struggled out of the couch, glancing ruefully at Spike picking up the dishes he dropped. She stumbled to the wide door, groping for the knob. She pulled it open, blinking emptily at the pegasus before her. "What in Tartarus do you want, Rainbow Dash?" The mare grinned back at her, unfazed by her friend's crude language. "Pinkie's having a night party," Dash said, beaming. "Wanna come?" This was met by a fierce scowl. "No, Rainbow Dash, I'm busy." The pegasus rolled her eyes. "Oh yeah right, Twilight Sparkle," She drawled, flexing her wings. "You're a princess. You just lounge about all day, drinking tea on the couch." "Excuse me?" The alicorn barked angrily. "Do you really think I have nothing to do now that I'm one of the most important ponies in Equestria?" Rainbow glanced over her shoulder. "What were you doing when I got here?" She asked, smirking. Twi glared at her and looked down sheepishly. "I was on the couch while Spike made me tea," She mumbled. "So come to Pinkie's party!" Twilight jutted out her jaw and turned to the kitchen. "Spike?" She called. The sound of plates crashing came as a response. "I need all eleven parts finished in nine hours. After three hours, I've finished half of one part. How many parts can I finish?" "You can't figure that out yourself?" Dash asked, confused. "I think I could do that math." "I'm tired, okay?" Twi snapped. "How's that math, Spike?" "Three parts!" The little dragon yelled back. The princess groaned, turning back to Rainbow. "Fine," She sighed. "I'll go to Pinkie's night party." *** "Twilight dear, you really need to relax," Rarity drawled, spinning the glass in her magic slowly. "A good way to reduce stress is to do your mane up all nice and relax your facial muscles. Also, success is nice." "What?" Twilight stared glumly at the juice in her glass. "Focus on what you've achieved! I'd wear a wonderful dress I made, maybe you could read a book you wrote?" Twilight sighed and turned away. "Uhm... Thanks Rarity. I'll get some... Yeah." She stumbled to the food table, lazily picking up an apple fritter and shoving it in her mouth. She turned around and met the concerned faces of her friends. Confused, she eyed each one individually. "What's going on?" She asked skeptically. The five glanced at each other, then Applejack stepped forward. "Well, y'see sugarcube, we think yer gettin' stress problems." "What." Twilight scowled, glaring at the country pony. Jack glanced at the others, moving backwards slightly. "Um... You've been looking... Unhappy, Twilight," Fluttershy mumbled, cowering under the fierce stare of the princess. Rainbow slammed down in front of her, spreading her wings assertively. "You're taking this princess thing too seriously, Twilight!" Dash barked. "You got wings and now you're all crabby." Twilight gaped her mouth, staring at the pegasus with astonishment. She stared at the others, shocked. "Do all of you think this?" She demanded. They scrunched up their noses and looked away, save Rainbow Dash who just nodded. Twi laughed nervously, eyes darting around. "You've got to be kidding me! Don't you realize how stressful my job is?" Dash snorted and Twi snorted right back. "Like you could handle it." "Oh I could handle it any day!" Rainbow boasted, puffing out her chest. "T'be honest, Twi, I don't think it'd be so hard," Applejack agreed, ignoring the furious glare of the princess. "I agree," Rarity put in, flicking her mane back. "Being royalty must be an absolute charm!" All the others nodded in return. Twi leaned back, clapping a hoof to her forehead. "What if I gave you my duties for a week?" She cried, exasperated. "What if I did that? How would that be? Huh?" "Okay!" All the ponies said at once. Twi sighed violently and threw her wings wide is surrender. "Fine." She shook her head and drooped her ears, sighing again. "But I can only give one of you princess duties by order of royal court." "Wha-- Really?" Applejack widened her eyes in surprise. "Ya serious?" "Yes! If only for you to see how hard it is!" The princess sat down hard on the floor, looking at the five. "So which one of you will be a princess for a week?" They looked at each other uncertainly. "How about a competition?" Rainbow suggested. "Ugh, sports aren't my thing." Rarity raised her nose in disapproval, looking down on Dash. "What about --- " "I get to choose!" Twilight snapped furiously, glaring at them. "You all to shut up. That's my choice." She met five confused faces and sighed. "If you beat me in the silent game, you get princess duties for a week. I can't talk until all of you do, because I'm casting the spell and that's how it works. Got it?" "So last one to talk wins?" Pinkie asked, frowning. "That sounds super duper hard!" "Yeah well, you want to be a princess don't you?" Twilight snapped, firing up her horn. "I'm going to cast a spell on you. If you speak, I'll know. Then you lose. Got it?" The five nodded and she shot a beam of light into their faces. She aimed a beam at her self, beginning the countdown. "Ready... Set... Be quiet!"