//------------------------------//
// The last pages. 
// Story: Twilight's book 
// by Bronyofcuba 
//------------------------------//

Twilight spent the whole morning and afternoon comparing both books. The first time she saw that the other book seemed indeed more interesting, but she didn't accept defeat yet. She read it again and again, always with the same outcome.

Later in the evening she finally stopped. It was true, that book was better than hers, indeed she never got bored every time she read it even though she did it dozens of times. This Bright Ink mare was truly an amazing writer.

Twilight almost surrendered when and idea suddenly bumped into her head.

I could ask Celestia to check the books. She has read lots of them throughout her life. Perhaps she knows of other kinds of mistakes unknown to me.

With a new plan on mind she took a quill and some ink and started writing once again. This time wasn't a book though, but a letter to her teacher.

It took her little more than two minutes to finish it.

"And done. Spike!"

The dragon came walking wearing a pajamas, half asleep. 

"Yea Twilight?" Said Spike followed by a yawn.

"Please deliver this letter to Celestia."

"Send a letter to her this late?" And he pointed to an open window, showing the moon, high up in the sky.

"Oh, I never realized it was night time already. I was too distracted with my..." 

She looked at the winning book and frowned.

"...Reading"

"Well, if you don't mind, Im headed to bed."

"Sure. Im going to sleep too."

Before she laid on her bed, she took the letter and placed it on the bedside table.

Twilight couldn't sleep well that night, she constantly rolled in her bed from one side to the other. When she woke up the next morning she felt really tired, as she did not managed to get some needed rest the previous night.

She slowly rose from her bed, picked the letter and walked to the kitchen where she found Spike making breakfast.

"Spike?"

"Mhm?"

"Remember the letter?"

"Oh, yes. Want me to send it?"

"Please."

Twilight approached Spike with the letter and the dragon did his part. He set it ablaze, sending it to Celestia.

"Done."

"How long until breakfast?"

"Its almost ready."

"Great."

Some hours later the purple alicorn was in her bed, trying to get some rest. She was about to fall asleep when Spike bolted inside, making a lot of noise.

"Ah!"

"Twilight! Celestia answered."

She took some time to calm herself before speaking.

"Thanks, but did you really needed to make so much noise to get inside?"

"Sorry, I just came as fast as I could."

"Ok, don't worry. Just hand me over the letter, please."

Spike did as asked and handed it over. Twilight read it quickly and then said with joy.

"Yes! She can compare the books herself!"

She then turned to Spike.

"Spike, I now you haven't done this yet but, could you try sending this books with your breath?" Said Twilight with a smile while levitating both books at each side of her head.

"I guess I could..."

Spike took both of them, inhaled for some seconds and then exhaled the fire. It enveloped the books completely, even reached Twilight's bed, but it wasn't too damaged. The books, however, disappeared completely.

"Yes! It worked!" Yelled Twilight while jumping out of joy.

"Now we will just have to wait for her answer. Im sure she will find mistakes I could have never guessed they existed!"

Meanwhile, in Canterlot castle:

Celestia was calmly sitting in her throne room, with an almost expressionless face. A smile soon formed on it when she remembered what time was it though, a quarter to twelve in the morning. 

She always loved to have lunch and that love was even greater ever since Luna was there to enjoy it with her. But her plans would be disturbed by a certain green fire.

As usual, it approached her until it was just in front of her, but instead of transforming into a scroll, two books replaced it. The white alicorn soon recognized them

"This must be Twilight's book. Guess I will read it soon, after lunch of course."

A day later:

The purple mare was standing right beside her front door. Princess Celestia had contacted her earlier and told her that she would be there herself to return the books, since there was some business she had to attend to in Ponyville.

Half an hour passed, and Twilight was still standing in front of the entrance, her smile never faded, and then, somepony knocked the door.

Twilight swiftly opened the door with excitement, but instead of Celestia, there was another white pony standing.

"Oh, Rarity. Its you."

She had her saddlebags on and seemed like she was in a rush.

"Well, of course its me darling." She then chuckled before continuing.

"Or were you expecting somepony else?"

"Well, yes actually. I was expecting princess Celestia."

"Princess Celestia is coming?! What for?"

"She says that she has some buisness to attend to in Ponyville but she is stopping by my castle to return me some books."

"Thank goodness. I thought there was a festivity I had missed or something."

Rarity then took a big pouch from her left saddlebag and offered it to Twilight.

"Here are the gems you wanted this Monday."

Twilight took the pouch with her magic and called Spike.

"Spike! Your gems are here! Thanks a lot Rarity."

"Please, you know you don't have to thank me. We are friends after all."

The dragon then arrived, attracted by the mention of his favourite food.

"Gems?! Where?!"

"Right here." Said Twilight, showing him the bag.

"Can I have them now?"

"Of course, you won the bet after all."

"Awesome!" Was all that Spike answered. He then took the bag and started to mounch some of them while returning to the kitchen."

"Well Twilight, I have some chores to do back at home. Goodbye."

"Bye."

Twilight closed the door and kept waiting.

Another half an hour passed until somepony else knocked the door again. Just like the last time, Twilight opend it quickly. Celestia was waiting outside this time, two royal guards were at her sides and the royal carriage was right behind her, with the usual two pegasi guards, ready to take off at any given moment.

Celestia then levitated Twilight's book over to her.

"Here is your book, Twilight."

"Thanks princess Celestia. But what about the other one? And is my book better?"

"I will hand over the other book for you, if you don't mind. As for the reviewing you asked me to do..."

Celestia couldn't find the proper words to say to her, she finally just decided to tell the truth.

"What is it? Isn't my book the winner?"

"Im sorry Twilight. But this other is... Better, to say the least."

The princess of friendship was disappointed, if Celestia said so then it was true. She had gotten second place without tricks nor corruption after all.

She had to look at the bright side though, she had gotten second place in a writing contest after all.

"Oh well, don't worry about it, I still got second place." Said Twilight with a smile across her face. 

"That's true." Said Celestia while smiling herself.

The white alicorn then remembered her other reason for visiting Ponyville.

"If you excuse me Twilight, I have to go."

"Of course! Goodbye princess!"

"Goodbye."

After that Celestia walked away and Twilight closed the door of her castle. 

The tall pony walked with her guards by her side until she reached a very particular white house.

She knocked the door twice and Safe opened the door.

"Oh, its you princess. Please, come in."

"Thank you Safe Grammar."

Celestia then turned to her guards. 

"You will make sure nopony comes in alright?"

"Yes, princess Celestia!" They shouted in unison.

Already inside the house, the sun monarch took seat in the couch.

"It was a good idea to exchange the books. Your student surely is smart."

"I know Twilight better than anypony else. She wouldn't rest until she discovered the truth. Which she already has."

"So, how much bits for me?"

"You will take ten thousands. The rest is for the Equestrian treasury."

"Fine by me."

Safe walked to the kitchen, moved the table aside and opened a secret door that was on the floor, from where she started to retrieve bags of bits.

"I still don't understand why that mare would want to pay so much to win this kind of contest though."

"Because she will be the next greatest writer."

Safe was puzzled, but let it slide. Not that she cared that much.

"Also, wouldn't have Twilight recognised the book? She read everything that Starswirl has ever written right?"

"Except for that and a few other books, which he never released to the public. They are all hidden in the Canterlot library inside the forbidden section, for situations like this one. Equestria could use some money."

"Fine. Here they are, all the bags with bits..."