"Actually Spike, can you get me an extra stack of papers? This may take more than I initially thought."
Spike looked in disbelief at the large pile of papers currently occupying the table in front of Twilight. There was easily three hundred leafs of paper in that stack, but when he looked back at the purple unicorn, no hint of jest was to be found in her eyes.
"Seriously?"
"Well it's not like I can tell how much it's going to take to finish this up, but it's better to be safe then sorry, right?"
"Twilight, when Mayor Mare asked for your help with the report on Ponyville's annual budget, I don't think she meant for you to write the ENTIRE thing!"
Not that even all of that should need this much paper work either. He thought to himself.
Twilight rolled her eyes at this, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "I'm not going to write it all out myself, Spike. Just some of the basic stuff. I'll probably compile some previous reports to send up to Canterlot to support it as well. Oh that reminds me! We could also add a projection in there for the next few years as well! Even if they don't end up being one hundred percent accurate, they would still give us a good head start! Not to mention-"
Spike stopped listening as it became painfully clear Twilight had missed the point. She didn't even notice as her assistant left the room to collect her desired parchment, too caught up in talking to herself.
Taking his leave of the study, Spike made his way downstairs to the library actual, and opened the drawer labeled 'parchments'. Pushing aside note-cards and scrolls, he stared for a moment at the two stacks of leafed paper that made up the bottom of the drawer, he shrugged before taking both stacks of six hundred and piling one on top of the other. Turning and kicking the drawer closed, he smiled to himself. Better to just bring her all the paper and not have to worry about coming back for more later. No chance of any more hassle, and he could get back to his comics, without distractions.
'WHAM!'
The front door was very nearly thrown of its hinges and an unfamiliar stallion galloped in, nearly running headfirst into the central table in his hurry. Planting his hind legs, the pony practically sat down in his rush to stop forward momentum. The sudden, and very loud nature of his appearance hardly went unnoticed by the small purple drake, who jumped out of his scales, scattering the carefully balanced papers he carried with a yell. The stranger hardly seemed to notice however, or perhaps didn't care, as he looked about the room in a panic, breathing heavily.
"MISS -huff- MISS SPARKLE!"
A familiar yellow filly dismounted from the strangers back, stumbling briefly and looking around before she saw him. Her eyes widened and she ran up to him through the rain of papers still falling around them. Grabbing him by the shoulders, she began shaking him lightly as she spoke.
"Spike! Is Twilight here? We need Twilight, where is she?!"
Still in a daze over the sudden burst of activity, Spike simply looked at her for a moment, shock etched onto his face.
"A-Apple Bloom? Whats going on? I thought you and the others where going to Fluttershy's for the day. And what is it you need Twi-"
Apple Bloom interrupted him with a much more violent series of shakes, panic in her eyes. "There's no TIME for explainin' Spike! WHERE'S TWILIGHT?!"
"Spike? What in the world is all the commotion down here? What's happening?"
All three heads turned to the top of the stairs, where a very confused looking Twilight Sparkle was making her way down to them. Seeing Apple Bloom, he head cocked lightly to the side.
"Apple Bloom? Whats going on here?"
The filly in question dropped Spike, who quickly fell amidst the settling paper pile, and ran up to the purple librarian next.
"Twilight! Twilight we need your help! T-there's a monster, an-an-and Sky's house and the others and I think its chasin'-me-and-we-need-you-to-help-us-get-them-before-it-"
Twilight stepped back and ears folded under the verbal assault, having a hard time keeping up with what was being said. Looking past the small Apple in front of her to the other two, Spike simply shrugged while the other pony took a moment to catch his breath.
Putting a hoof on Apple Blooms shoulder, Twilight looked her in the eyes, trying to calm her.
"Slow down Apple Bloom! Take a breath and tell me whats happened. What monster, who did it take? Who is this you brought with you?"
"T-That's Mister Sky! He brought me here after the dragon thing found his house! We need your help!"
"Dragon? Don't tell me you and the Crusaders went and..." Suddenly, there was silence, and Twilight's eyes widened in realization, and she looked down at the filly in front of her with a look of dread.
"WHERE is Nyx?"
Sky took on last deep breath before he spoke up.
"I... I believe I can help clarify, Miss Sparkle."
Twilight looked up at the newcomer pleadingly. He took another breath before he began to talk again.
"From what Apple Bloom here told me this morning, she and her friends where going over to Miss Fluttershy's house to 'crusade' for their cutie marks. When they got there, she was already gone, and they found signs that she had gone into the forest." He paused a moment to think before continuing.
"I don't know if it's clear why she went into the Everfree alone, but from what Apple Bloom here has told me, it appears she was caught by the same creature that attacked her group. She and the other crusaders apparently went in after Rainbow Dash to look for Fluttershy, and where waylaid while searching for her by a drakon."
Sky looked down to the yellow filly who had made her way to his side, and put a hoof on her shoulder when he saw the slight shiver still running through her body. With the adrenaline leaving her system, she was likely starting to feel shock of what had happened back at the observatory before they escaped the drakon's attack. He would be lying if he said we wasn't feeling some anxiety as well. Thoughts of his new home being torn apart like it was thin paper came to mind and Sky felt his heart sink.
'And I left Selene alone to fend for herself...'
Banishing that thought, Sky looked back to the scholar who he could see was dealing with an internal conflict of her own.
"I was told that you where the pony to talk to for something like this and, knowing your background of dealing with crises like this, I'm hoping that's true."
The librarian's eyes darted back and forth between her guests, with Spike standing to the side looking between them with concern. Sky began to grow nervous that she may NOT have an answer, but then something changed.
Twilight's eyes sharpened and posture straightened as fear gave way to determination. She needed to focus right now. Some...THING, had taken her best friends and her daughter hostage. Determination became a righteous anger at the thought, and her eyes narrowed dangerously.
Unfortunately, all these emotions played out as she stared intensely at Sky. Unknowing of goings on inside the purple mare's head, the stallion in question took a step back with some trepidation as a the pony known for being the protegee magical student of Princess Celestia looked at him coldly. Her horn ignited, and he felt his legs lock in panic not for the first time today.
His fears proved unfounded as two drawers near the back of the room opened with a violet glow. A scroll and writing material floated out of them came to rest in front of Spike, who quickly grabbed them. Twilight did not look at any of this as she made her way past Sky and Apple Bloom to the front door, where she then turned around.
"Spike, send a letter to the princess telling her what we know right now. After that I want you to find every bestiary we have and look up any reference to 'drakon'. I'll be back with the others." She looked back to the visitors and leveled a look at Apple Bloom.
"Apple Bloom? I need you go get your sister from the market and bring her here. Tell her I said it's an emergency."
The filly nodded quickly and ran out the door past Twilight, who looked back at her other visitor; and saw the fear in Sky's eyes. Realizing that she was still glaring, Twilight softened her gazed slightly, though it lost none of its serious nature.
"Thank you for your help. Apple Bloom said your name was Sky?"
Sky blinked and nodded in response. "Y-yes Miss Sparkle. My name is Night Sky."
"Twilight is fine. It sounded like you already knew about drakons when you where telling me what happened. Are you familiar with them?"
He shook his head. "Only what I remember from reading about them a while back. I-I really only skimmed over them in a book I was reading for fun at the time."
"That's more than anypony else in town knows. I only know them by name. If you wouldn't mind staying here and explaining a bit to me and my friends, I would appreciate the help."
Sky didn't need to think on a response. Not only was he personally invested in this already, but he had nowhere to go even if he wanted to leave this to her and her friends anyways. "Of course. I will stay here and, uh... Help your assistant look for reference material in the meantime. Good luck."
"Thanks, you too," Twilight said, allowing herself a small grin in response. Turning around, she ran out the door, closing it behind her with her magic.