Twitanic

by AdrianJNovelle

All Aboard the Airborne Express!

"Rainbow Dash!" Ditzy Doo began, flying chaotically to her friend, for it was difficult for her to fly straight.

"Heya, squirt," Rainbow Dash said, as if Ditzy were Scootaloo, her arms crossed as she remained suspended in the air. "What's the word?"

"All..." Ditzy panted. "All clear from here to Baltimare to Las Pegasus, as you requested." She saluted, bringing her hand to her forehead.

"Excellent, private. We move out in the morning. In the meantime, I want the skies under constant moderation until the Airborne Express is off the ground."

"Yes, ma'am," Ditzy said, saluting once again. She took off, almost losing a shoe in the process.

Rainbow Dash flew upwards for a moment to gain momentum from her previously stationary position in the sky, and then took a nosedive down to the earth, landing her sky-blue sneakers on the ground softly, as to not injure herself with her powerful flight abilities. She hurried to the Library, where she would rendezvous with her friends as instructed.

Adrian J. Novelle Presents...

"I'm your number-one assistant!" Spike whined to an irritated Twilight, who was in a face-palming trance. "I clean the Library for you," he counted his fingers as he listed the items in his argument. "I raised Peewee, I fetch you books, I bake cakes, I write every word of your letters to the Princess for you - I feed Owlicious half the time because you forget to!"

"Who?" asked Owlicious, perched on a branch of wood nearby.

"You!" Spike exclaimed exasperatedly to the bird.

"Whoo!"

Spike turned back to his foster-mother. "C'mon, Twilight-"

"Err!" Twilight groaned, almost red in the face. "Fine, Spike, you can come along. Go pack your bags."

Spike's eyes widened with glee as he pranced upstairs to pack a few clothes for the trip.

"Why is it exactly you didn't initially invite Spike along, darling?" Rarity asked as she approached Twilight, now standing abreast to her. "I doubt my Spikey Wikey would be of any trouble while we're aboard."

"It's not that," Twilight remarked. "It's not so much Spike's presence as much as it is his absence. If we're both gone, who's gonna take care of Owlicious? And the books?"

Rarity glanced around the spick-and-span shelves of books Twilight had. Then to the bird, who did nothing more than blink in total silence. Then back to Twilight.

"Darling, you're fretting over nothing. We're not moving from Equestria: we're just taking a trip. You bought Owlicious enough food to last the journey, and we know he won't run away if you left the windows open so he could carouse the town while you're away."

"Whoo!" said Owlicious.

"And that's only because they don't allow birds or other flying animals aboard."

Twilight sighed. "Rainbow Dash was so upset until she realized she could just remove Tank's gear. Turtles can't fly."

"Actually, Tank's a tor-"

"I DON'T CARE WHAT HE IS!" Twilight screamed to Rarity's face, scaring her, nonetheless. She immediately calmed down, sighing. "I guess he'll be fine, as will the Library."

"We just won't let him use his flame breath for anything but emergencies," Rarity suggested.

"Emergencies? Like what?"

"Like if, uh...I don't know."

Twilight rolled her eyes.

"Twilight!" Rainbow Dash hollered, arriving at the Library, mildly panting.

Twilight cheered up. "Ah, Rainbow Dash! How's the weather?"

"Nothing but sky from here to every corner of Equestria," she reported. "I told Ditzy Doo to keep her crew on the watch for any extraneous cloud production until the Airborne Express has taken off."

"Good work. And are you packed up?"

Rainbow Dash shook her head. "No. Tank's ready, but I'm not."

"Go pack up. I want everyone to be ready by tonight. That way tomorrow we can just wake up, get dressed, and go."

"Understood," Rainbow Dash replied, taking off in a hurry to her house in the clouds...or so to speak.

"Rarity," Twilight began turning to face her other friend. "How about you and Opalescence?"

"Ready as we'll ever be," Rarity grinned.

"And Sweetie Belle?"

"Also ready."

"Great! You can stay here for when Spike comes back downstairs. I'll see if Applejack, Flutershy, and Pinkie Pie are ready to go in the meantime."

Twilight walked all the way over to Sweet Apple Acres, where the most number of ponies boarding the Airborne Express under one surname were residing.

"Twilight!" Applejack exclaimed gaily. "I trust we're ahl good t' go."

"Dat we are, Applejack. "How's the family?"

"We're, uh, getting there..." Applejack did not sound too sure of herself.

"What's the holdup?"

"Well, we were packing up - me, Big Macintosh, Apple Bloom and Granny Smith - and suddenly Granny Smith realized dat if we leave, nopony will be here t' water duh apple trees while we're gone. And, well, Granny Smith and Big Macintosh have been havin' a debate 'bout it since. They're in duh home still. Apple Bloom and me, on duh other hand, are ready."

"I'll be right back."

Twilight headed into the Apple Family cottage, where Big Macintosh and Granny Smith were butting heads over the matter: the tall, musclar strong adult versus the old, wrinkly elder who shook standing upright.

"Granny Smith, Big Macintosh!"

"Twilight?" Granny Smith inquired, turning around to face the newcomer of the conversation. "What're you doin' here?"

"Applejack told me about your problem, and I think I have a solution to your predicament."

"Er...what was dat, sunny?" Granny Smith asked, looking up to Big Macintosh who towered over her.

"She said she believes she has a solution t' our problem," repeated the musclar man.

"Oh...well, don't jus' stand dere in yer high-tops, girly: spill dem beans!"

"Your apple orchard and your garden will be fine. Just because we require clear weather for takeoff doesn't mean we'll need clear skies for the whole trip. Once we're afloat, I don't see why we can't just call in the weather patrol and have it rain around Sweet Apple Acres every day we're gone."

"Hmm...Big Mac, I'm sorry for startin' an argument wit' ya."

"As am I wit' you, Granny," said Big Macintosh. "Eeyup. Terribly sorry."

"Your orders now are to pack. I want everypony ready by tonight so we may leave first-thing in the morning. Is that clear?"

"Eeyup."

"Darn tootin'!"

"Great. Now if you'll excuse me, I still have to make sure the rest of my friends are ready to go."

Twilight exited Sweet Apple Acres, not before giving Applejack and Apple Bloom, who appeared on the scene at the moment, a hug goodbye. Next stop was Sugarcube Corner.

She knocked on the front door, where a familiar face answered.

"Twilight!" greeted Pinkie Pie, a gay look on her face. "Come on in!" She unlocked the door and let her friend in.

"Thanks, Pinkie Pie." She surveyed the room. "So, how are Mr. and Mrs. Cake? Have we decided on their admission yet? Princess Celestia expects a head count, and I need a definite number when we board."

"We have," Pinkie Pie answered, closing the door behind Twilight.

"And?"

"They decided to stay here. They're afraid of all the destruction Pound Cake and Pumpkin Cake would cause if they came, so it's just Gummy and me."

"Are you packed?"

"Well...yes and no..." Pinkie Pie rubbed her hand against her arm in shame and embarassment as she stared at her feet.

"What's the matter?"

"Follow me."

Pinkie Pie led Twilight upstairs to the loft where she lived with the Cakes. There was Gummy, wildly bouncing on a small rubber ball around the room while lazily slumped on it, looking dayzed and absentminded.

"Gummy can't pack his things because he's too distracted playing with that ball!"

"You've got to be kidding me," mumbled Twilight. She took a few steps forward and outstretched her foot, which served as an obstacle which caused the ball to lose momentum upon physical contact. Gummy fell off the ball, and landed upright on the floor. He blinked twice.

"There. Now can Gummy pack his things?"

Pinkie Pie giggled. "Gummy doesn't have anything to pack, silly!"

Twilight glared at her friend. "I'm going to Fluttershy's. Let me know if you need anything else."

"Okay!" Pinkie Pie giggled.

The last stop on Twilight's tour around Ponyville to make sure everything was going as planned - as Princess Celestia ordered prior - was Fluttershy's quiet cottage on the outskirts of Ponyville, near the entrance of the Everfree Forest.

Twilight knocked on her door.

"Oh, Twilight: nice to see you," Fluttershy mumbled, quietly opening her door.

"Nice to see you too, Fluttershy...Is everything going ok? Will you be ready to go in the morning? How's Angel?"

"He's fine...I'm fine...we're both fine, and we're just about ready - clothes and supplies and everything."

"Great!" Twilight grinned. "One last chance to tell me if there's anything you need."

"Nope. We're fine. We'll be up first thing in the morning."

"Alright. Take care, Fluttershy!"

"Y-you too, Twilight."

Fluttershy quietly closed her door as Twilight made her egress from the premises.

Twitanic

The glaring morning sun which shined through Twilight's window normally would be her alarm clock. But, today, she used a real alarm clock to beat the sun at its own game, and be up in the shower before it would even hit her covers. Her bare, wet feet hit the cold, white tile beneath her, a towel loosely wrapped around her, being held together only by her grasp. She dried herself off, dismissed the towel, and proceeded to dress herself in a somewhat casual attire: a purple vest with her cutie mark over a white blouse, a short, lavender skirt, and tall, matching leggings which almost reached her kneecaps. On her feet she wore a pair of dark-violet shoes.

She headed to her bedroom, put on a backpack, and used all of her available arm and leg room for her bags and suitcases. She and Spike both left the Library, Twilight waving goodbye to Owlicious as she made her way out of the Library with all the freedom of her hand she still had to wave.

They walked all the way over to the Town Hall, where Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were waiting patiently for their arrival.

"Man, they must've gotten up early to be us here," Spike yawned, dragging his bags along the ground, too weak to carry everything in his arms.

"Twilight, my most faithful student," Princess Celestia began when the two at last arrived at the Town Hall. "Are you ready to board the Airborne Express?"

"That we are, Princess," Twilight said. "My friends should be here any moment."

Princess Celestia closed her eyes in delight. "Excellent. It seems you have done your job well: making sure everyone and everything is accounted for for this trip. While we're waiting, why don't we introduce a few other passengers to you?"

"Um...okay."

Princess Celestia whistled. And a large room lowered itself from the enormous skyship hovering overhead, shading Town Hall. A door opened, and two particularly familiar faces exited.

Twilight gasped. "Shining Armor! Princess Cadence!"

She dropped all of her luggage and raced to her brother to give him a hug.

"Hey, Twilie," Shining Armor greeted his little sister.

"I didn't know you were coming along at all."

"Well, the Princess wanted it to be a surprise. I hope that's okay that we join you guys. The Airbrone Express is big enough for all of us."

"Welcome aboard!" Twilight exclaimed, retracting her hug.

She turned to Cadence.

"Sunshine, sunshine! Ladybugs awake! Clap your hands, and do a little shake!"

They laughed and united in a friendly hug.

"I'm so glad you could make it!"

"I am too, Twilight. When Princess Celestia invited us, we just we had to tag along."

A moment of silence.

"Oh, look - it's your friends!"

Twilight ended her hug with Princess Cadence and saw all of her friends and their sisters and pets approaching the scene.

"Wow, girls, you're right on time!" she exclaimed.

"We would've been sooner," Fluttershy began.

"If you hadn't skipped out ohn breakfast, Twilight," Applejack finished.

"Breakfast, what are you-" Twilight smacked her hand against her forehead. "Oh my God - the breakfast party at Sugarcube Corner! I totally forgot! I'm so sorry!"

"It's no biggie," Rainbow Dash said, holding Tank in her arms. "When we realized you weren't coming, we figured you just altogether forgot, so we grabbed our bags and came here, since we didn't wanna be late."

"I'm sorry," Twilight repeated.

"Now that you're all here, how about we begin boarding the Airborne Express?" Princess Celestia asked, stepping towards the girls. "We have a lot of luggage to bring aboard, but, thanks to Twilight's organizational skills, that shouldn't be a problem." Princess Celestia handed Twilight a clipboard she was holding. "Take inventory, please, pets included. Just get the general luggage: we can worry about their contents when we're aboard."

"Understood."

Twilight clicked the pen and began to write down all the bags and suitcases everypony was carrying with them. Once she was done taking inventory of one person, she signaled them to begin loading her belongings into the Airborne Express cabin. Rarity went first with Sweetie Belle. Then Applejack and Apple Bloom and Big Macintosh and Granny Smith. Then Rainbow Dash.

Twilight could not help but notice Rainbow Dash spending so much energy on dragging a particular suitcase to the cabin.

"Rainbow, what's in the suitcase?" Twilight asked, pointing to it with her pen.

"Uh...nothing," Rainbow replied.

"Ah-huh," Twilight glared.

"Uh...it's just, uh, my, uh, collection of trophies. Really heavy trophies."

"Rainbow, you don't have any trophies," Twilight began approaching the struggling girl. She kneeled and began unlocking the suitcase. "Just a crown you got from the Young Flyer's Competition in Cloudsdale. And you can wear that on your-"

"Ow!"

Out from the suitcase stumbled a small child with purple hair, an orange T-shirt, purple shorts, and a pair of athletic shoes.

"Scootaloo!" Twilight exclaimed. "What in the hay are you doing here?"

Scootaloo rose to her feet. "Rainbow Dash told me all about your trip. And I thought that as her adjunct, I was able to come along. And since we weren't sure whether or not you'd like that, we shoved me into one of her suitcases."

Twilight rolled her eyes. "You're lucky I caught you here before you boarded the cabin. Celestia needs a head count, and if there's one extra head that I didn't count, she will not like that at all." She wrote something down on her clipboard.

"But-"

"As for actually going on the trip...I'm sure the Airborne Express can suit you."

Scootaloo gasped. "You mean it?"

Twilight nodded. "But only if you help Rainbow Dash with her things."

"Yes, ma'am!"

Scootaloo took the suitcase she was stashed into from Rainbow Dash, as well as a napsack and a dufflebag. She followed her idol into the cabin.

Next came Fluttershy, then Pinkie Pie, and finally Spike and Twilight.

Twilight reached out to close the door to the cabin when she noticed the two Princesses standing just ahead.

"Aren't you coming, Princess?"

Celestia shook her head. "No, Twilight: Luna and I have other responsibilities we must tend to. I'm afraid we won't be able to fly with you. We hope you have a wonderful and safe adventure. I can't wait to hear all about it when you return."

"Are you sure?"

Celestia bowed her head, her long, blue, green, pink and purple hair flowing in the gentle breeze. "We are sure, Twilight. Don't worry about us: you go have fun with your friends."

"Okay...goodbye!"

"Farewell, Twilight."

"Farewell," Luna added.

Twilight waved the two Princesses ado, and closed the cabin door. She stood by the window and watched in sadness as her dear Princess grew tinier and tinier as the cabin was lifted above the ground and higher and higher into the sky.

"All aboard the Airborne Express!" called the pilot through the intercom. "We'd like all passengers to exit the cabin at this time. If you or anyone in your party has not been assigned a suite, please report to the cockpit at this time."

Twilight followed her friends to the cockpit. Since she was the last in line, only she was aware of the rather unpleasant expression on her face.

Comments

[Mr.Market]

There's no way that things could go wrong in this story. Nope. No way at all!

[Mariacheat-Brony]

Sounds fun for the moment !
I wonder who will be shipped with who.

[Listie The Scribe Maid]

(Joke) Alt. Title: Twipanic

[Frikishzooka]

LOL. This is awesome!

[Blawkbuilder]

why the dislikes? its pretty well written, and I haven't seen a titanic parody yet, so i dont see anything to critisize! good work!