Twilight closed a book and smacked her face against the table. Her mane was sticking out in every possible direction, and even some that shouldn’t have been possible, but it did it anyway.
“Mrf mrfer em erny mrf frm.”
“Come again?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. Twilight looked up at me.
“I said there’s nothing in any of them! I’ve been reading for days and none of these books have anything about how to turn a book back into a pony!”
“Maybe you need a break to clear your head. At least get some sleep.”
“How can I sleep when my book is a friend?”
“You can sleep because you’re so tired you can’t even talk right, let alone think clearly enough to find the right spell. Now come on upstairs. You need to go to bed.”
Too tired to argue, Twilight followed me upstairs and let me tuck her into bed. She was asleep in seconds. I breathed a sigh of relief and went back downstairs. I looked around and groaned quietly at the piles of books everywhere. There had been no point in cleaning up while Twilight was awake. On the rare occasions that she didn’t stop me from putting a book away, she would just get it right back off the shelf within minutes of me putting it there. After a few seconds of staring at the enormity of the task which lay ahead, I started to clean them up. I read the titles out loud as I put the books back on the shelves.
“Let’s see, Supernaturals, that goes over here... Modern Spellcasting, that one should have helped... Understanding Medieval Equestria? That goes over there... Daring Do and the- why is this one even out here? The Elements of Harmony: A Reference Guide... Wait a minute!” In my excitement, I dropped all but the last book. A smile spread across my face.
“The Elements of Harmony! That’s it! The Elements can- oh. Oh yeah. I guess they can’t. It’s not like I can take Rainbow Dash’s place as Loyalty. We’ve tried that before.” My smile forgotten, I dejectedly gathered up the books and continued returning them to the shelves. It was a long job, but eventually I got all the books cleaned up and I started dusting. My mind wandered as it often did when dusting. I was going over what had happened in the past few days, wondering what I could have done differently. Suddenly I realized that I'd been dusting the same shelf for several minutes, despite there not being a speck of dust on it. I felt like I didn’t want to leave that shelf, which was weird until I noticed the only book on the shelf. I carefully picked up the book. I opened it, but before I could read anything, I quickly looked away and shut it again.
“Sorry, Rainbow. It’s your life here, it’s not for me to look at.” I sighed and sat on the floor, still holding Rainbow Dash. “You looked kinda lonely on that shelf, so how about I keep you company for a while? Twilight’s been trying really hard to find a way to fix this. To bring you back. She’s asleep now. No, no, she’s not being lazy, like you’re one to talk. I made her go to bed. She’s been awake for days studying. Pinkie Pie and Rarity and Applejack and Fluttershy keep coming by. They’re worried about her. They’re worried about you too. They don’t know where you are. They all miss you. I want to tell them what’s going on, but Twilight won’t let me. Princess Celestia told her not to cast the spells from the book, but when you were about to crash, she had to cast one right away or you would’ve-”
I swallowed and looked away, fighting the tears that were starting to form. “She had to. I tell her that the Princess will understand, but she’s afraid of being turned to stone and banished to the moon and imprisoned there.”
I looked back down at Rainbow Dash and continued. “Don’t worry. She’ll find something in one of her books. She’ll find a way to fix everything. She has to, because she always does.”
I smiled at the book in my lap. Despite my reassurances, I couldn’t help but remember what Celestia had written; that these were the kinds of spells Princess Luna had used before becoming Nightmare Moon. If the Princess of the Night could fall to the influence of the dark magic, what would happen to Twilight?
Suddenly the door slammed open. I frantically put Rainbow Dash back on the shelf, standing between her and the door so she wouldn’t be seen. I wasn’t surprised to see that Applejack had just entered the library. Pinkie Pie, Rarity and Fluttershy followed her inside.
“All right, Spike. Now you tell me where Twilight is, and don’t give me none of that nonsense about her bein’ too busy studyin’ ta see us.”
“She’s asleep,” I said. “Now’s not a good time.”
“Oh, if she’s sleeping maybe we should-eep!” Fluttershy was silenced with a sharp glance from Applejack.
“C’mon, y’all. We’re goin’ up to that room and she’s gonna take a break from all this studyin’.”
“No, she needs her sleep!”
No one but Fluttershy listened to me. She apologized quietly as she followed the others to Twilight’s room. I scrambled to catch up to them to stop them, but I was too late. By the time I made it into Twilight’s room, Pinkie Pie was already standing on the bed, staring intently at Twilight’s face.
“Get out of here, let her sleep!” I whispered urgently. No one listened.
Twilight shifted and mumbled something about books. She groaned softly and opened her eyes to find Pinkie Pie only inches away.
“Hi! Did you sleep well? I was starting to think you weren’t going to wake up! But if you didn’t wake up then I’d be so sad and-”
Twilight shook herself out of her stunned silence. “Pinkie, what are you doing in my bedroom?”
“I’m talking to you, silly. Are you feeling okay? You should have known the answer to that one.”
“Okay, let me rephrase that. Why are you in my bedroom?”
“This is where you are. How could I talk to you if I was somewhere else?”
Twilight facehooved. “Pinkie...”
Rarity stepped closer to the bed. “I’ll take it from here, Pinkie.” Pinkie Pie hopped down off the bed.
“Darling, you simply must get out of the library. You have been cooped up in here for days and you haven’t talked to anypony. Any time one of us has stopped by, you’ve been too busy studying to say anything to us. You merely had Spike tell us to come back later.”
Twilight uncovered her face and looked up. Without Pinkie blocking her view, she could see Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, and me. When she looked at me, I grimaced and shrugged helplessly.
“Girls, I appreciate that you’re worried about me, but I’m fine. I just have a lot of studying to do. I’ve got a... big report for the princess.”
“C’mon Sugarcube, ya need to get outside some of the time. And uh... Now’s the time.”
“You look awful, too! Doctor Pinkie prescribes an emergency dose of fun, stat! One for you too, Spike.”
“No, no, I have to solve this problem,” Twilight said.
“What problem?” Pinkie asked. “I thought you were working on a report for the princess.”
“I... am! I just... have a problem I’m researching for her!” Twilight laughed nervously.
“What’s the problem? Maybe we can help! If we help then you’ll be done in no time and then you can get out of the library for a while. Your mane’s getting all messy like it does when you’re obsessing about something.”
“No!” Twilight shouted, earning her concerned looks from the other ponies. “I mean, no, thank you, but I need to do this myself.”
“Maybe so, but you need to take a break. We’re havin’ a picnic and you’re comin’ with us. We won’t take no for an answer.”
Twilight lowered her head in defeat. “Fine, I’ll go.”
Rarity insisted on brushing Twilight’s mane and tail first, but then we left for the park. When we got there, Pinkie Pie got a picnic basket she had stashed in a hollow tree, “in case of picnic emergency,” and with a flourish, spread the blanket and set out food without anyone seeing quite how she did it.
“Dig in!” She shouted. A platter of cupcakes disappeared in seconds. Applejack, Rarity, and Fluttershy each started to eat, though not with nearly the enthusiasm of Pinkie Pie. Twilight sighed and tried to smile as she also got some food. I didn’t eat. I was determined to direct conversation away from Rainbow Dash or what Twilight was studying.
“Twilight? Um... Have you heard from Rainbow Dash recently?” Fluttershy asked.
“And just what have you been studying that’s so important you can’t even make time to see us?” Rarity pouted.
That could have gone better.
Twilight choked on her sandwich. Coughing, she tried to reply. “R-Rainbow Dash? No, not recently.” She looked at me with a pleading expression. “Why do you ask?”
“Well, I haven’t seen her in over a week,” Fluttershy said.
“An’ she was supposed to help me on the farm, but I haven’t heard from her either. That just ain’t like her. Now, it wouldn’t surprise me if she didn’t help much, but she normally would have at least stopped by to give me an excuse why she couldn’t work.”
“Twilight, I just remembered that thing that Celestia wanted you to do today, you remember?” I asked.
“Right! The... thing,” Twilight smiled apologetically. “Sorry girls, but I need to get back to the library.”
“Ah don’t think so, sugar cube. Y’all been cooped up in the library long enough, the Princess has been waiting for days; she can wait another hour.”
“But I-”
“No.”
Twilight took another bite of her sandwich and chewed slowly, looking at the ground.
“I got the strangest combo any time I thought of Rainbow Dash this week,” Pinkie said. “I don’t know what it means, but I’m sure she’s okay, wherever she is. At least I hope that’s what it means. I don’t even know where to start looking for her!” After a brief pause, she grabbed Twilight’s shoulders and shook hard. “WE’VE GOTTA FIND HER! WHERE IS SHE?”
"Pinkie Pie, calm down! If Twilight says she doesn't know where Rainbow is, then she doesn't know. No point in shakin' her around when she can't tell ya nothin'.
Pinkie sighed and let go of Twilight. "I know," she said sadly. "I just don't know where she is or if she's even okay."
“Darling, we’re all concerned about her, but you’re, how shall I put this, taking it to the extreme. Even for you. Is there something we should know?” Rarity asked gently.
“You mean Sweetie Belle hasn’t told you already?”
Rarity’s voice lost some of its gentleness. “What? What would my sister know about it?”
“Well, I kinda scared her. Like... a lot.”
Rarity started to glare.
“I didn’t mean to!” Pinkie added hastily. “Okay, that’s not really true, I did mean to.” She took a deep breath. “They were telling scary stories and I wanted to tell one so I told one that I knew and it involved Rainbow Dash and they were really scared but now I need Dashie back so she can tell them it was all just a story because I would never do those things to anypony but now the girls are so scared of me they won’t go near Sugarcube Corner even when I’m not there and whenever they see me they just run away so I can’t tell them it was all just a story and I’m sorry for scaring them so much!”
“And jus’ what was this story you told mah lil sis that would make ‘em so scared of ya?” Applejack asked.
Pinkie stiffened and shook her head. “I’m not ever telling it again. Never ever. I just want Dashie back so she can tell them it was just a story and then I want to forget about it.”
It was at that moment I had a brilliant idea. "I just remembered, the last time I saw Rainbow she said something about having to go visit her family."
"And you didn't mention it until now? Do you see the worry lines I've developed?" I couldn't see any imperfections at all, but Rarity's anger suddenly directed at me felt like a slap in the face. I immediately regretted saying anything at all. I looked away, tears forming in my eyes.
"I-I'm sorry. I forgot?" Before I knew what was happening, I was being held. All I could see was pink and yellow.
"It's okay, Spike," Fluttershy said soothingly. "We know you didn't mean to forget, right Rarity?" With how tightly Fluttershy was holding me, I couldn't see her face, but from her tone I could imagine she was almost giving Rarity The Stare for making me cr- for being angry at me at the same time that I got dust in my eyes. I squirmed a little and Fluttershy loosened her grip enough that I could see Rarity's face. Suddenly she was the one who looked like she’d been slapped. I almost confessed right then, but I saw the hope in Twilight's eyes and remembered why I was lying in the first place. Just one more lie, then everything would be okay.
"I think she'll be back in a few days." As simple as that, everyone relaxed. Everyone except me. Twilight mouthed a thank you to me. I tried to smile back, but couldn’t quite manage it. My friends went back to eating and talking about other things. They tried to get me to join in a couple times, but when I only gave them noncommittal grunts in reply, they left me alone. Rarity didn’t say much except when she tried to apologize for yelling at me. I couldn’t look her in the eye. She had every right to yell at me. Every time they’d asked, I told them I didn’t know where Rainbow Dash was. It was my lies that had them all so worried. Not that the truth would make them any happier. I just wanted Dash back so everything could go back to normal. I didn’t want to keep lying anymore.
It was a relief when Twilight announced we were going back to the library. The others didn’t object this time. I guess Twilight had spent enough time with them that they weren’t so worried about her anymore. Rarity walked over and pulled me close with one hoof.
“I’m so sorry I yelled at you, Spikey. Can you ever forgive me?” She gave me a sad little smile. I couldn’t smile back, but I nodded, and that seemed to be enough for her. She let go and told Twilight and me that she would see us later. Applejack, Fluttershy, and Pinkie followed suit. We all went our separate ways.
If I learned anything from the picnic, it was that this whole thing had to end. When we got back to the library, I realized I had to talk to Twilight about it again.
“C’mon, Twilight, you gotta ask Princess Celestia for help!”
I was less than persuasive.
“No! I can’t, and neither can you!”
“But-”
“Spike, promise me you won’t ask the Princess for help.”
“But-”
“Pinkie swear it! You don’t want me to be banished and imprisoned on the moon, do you?”
“No,” I mumbled.
“Then Pinkie Pie promise me that you won’t tell Princess Celestia that I turned Rainbow Dash into a book.”
“YOU DID WHAT?”
Twilight and I jumped at the shout from the kitchen. I spun to see Pinkie Pie staring slack-jawed at Twilight. A cupcake lay forgotten on the floor by Pinkie’s hooves.
“Pinkie Pie! Uh... wh-what are you doing here?” Twilight stammered.
“What am I doing here? What are you doing here? More importantly, what is she doing there?” Pinkie pointed to the shelf where Rainbow Dash sat alone.
“Pinkie, this isn’t what it looks like!”
“I sure hope not! Because it looks like a prank that’s gone way too far. You should turn Rainbow Dash back into herself right now.”
“I- I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t know how.”
“Then why don’t you ask the Princess for help?”
“Because I wasn’t supposed to turn her into a book in the first place and if the Princess finds out that I did what she told me not to she’ll-” Twilight kept trying to talk, but the only sound was of her hyperventilating.
“Calm down, Twilight,” Pinkie said, walking over to her. “Just tell me what happened. We can figure this out. Spike, can you give us a few minutes?”
I nodded and left the room by way of the stairs. I was just glad for the excuse to get out of there. That was not a conversation I wanted to be a part of. I stopped just inside the bedroom and listened. I heard Pinkie Pie reassuring Twilight for a couple minutes before Twilight finally said something in response. Satisfied that the tense situation had been defused, I busied myself cleaning up the bedroom while Twilight explained to Pinkie what had happened. Twilight’s voice continued for a while, only occasionally interrupted by Pinkie’s. As I dusted, I felt more relaxed than I had since Twilight had brought Rainbow Dash to the library. I listened again, smiling slightly. What I heard made me freeze in place. The voices had turned sharp and argumentative. I crept closer to the door to hear what they were saying.
“...it’s no fun being a book! If you can’t fix her, you need to get the Princess’ help.”
“No, no, no! Even if you’re right and she won’t banish me, she’ll still think I’m not trustworthy and take me back to Canterlot away from all of you! She probably won’t even keep me as her student!”
“Don’t be silly, Twilight! I’ll just explain to her that it was an accident, she can fix everything, and-” There was a flash of light and Pinkie’s voice stopped.
“Spike?” Twilight’s voice was barely loud enough for me to hear her. “Could you come here please?” I slowly walked back downstairs, afraid of what I would find when I got there.
I found exactly what I was afraid of. Twilight was standing in the middle of the room. On the floor next to her was a book with a pink cover and a picture of three balloons. Twilight’s voice dropped to barely more than a whisper as she continued.
“Would you please put Pinkie Pie on the shelf next to Rainbow Dash? I need to get back to studying.” She slowly walked to the basement door. I walked over and carefully picked up the pink party previously-pony.
“Spike?”
I swallowed and turned around, still holding Pinkie Pie. Twilight had stopped just on the other side of the doorway and was looking back at me with an unreadable expression.
“Promise me.”
I did.