Changling story excerpt 3

I think that this is the last bit of the story I have written that I'm willing to spoil.

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Princess Twilight Sparkle set comfortably upon an overly large pillow in her study. She chose that place, not just because it was closer to her new collection of books, but because it was far more comfortable than the Crystal throne that grew along with the castle. Once she figured out a way to safely remove the gigantic crystal pillar that served as a throne, she would gladly read in the throne room.

She idly flip through her new copy of "This, That, and the Other Thing". Even though it was one of her least favorite types of book, poetry, she felt compelled to return the state of her personal archive to its former glory. As far as poetry went, this specific book was one of the worst examples of its craft.

Twilight contemplated returning the book to the shop where she bought it. She also briefly contemplated hurling it and all surviving copies into the vast reaches of space, doing the mathmagical calculations in her head while she floated the book back to its space on the shelf. The thought brought a grim smile to her face, but quickly disregarded it as it would bring destruction to a book. Knowledge was meant to be shared and preserved for future generations, not destroyed. It would also leave an empty checkbox on her list of books, which would be totally out of character. As much as things had changed, both mental and physical, lists still held a special place in her heart alongside reading and Spike.

Twilight was about to pull another book from a box when a familiar pastel blue pegasus hurled herself through an open window.

'Always one for the dramatic entrances' she thought idily. "Rainbow Dash, nice of you to drop in!"

"Har har, Twilight" replied the rainbow maned pegasus as she picked herself up off the floor . "I'll have you know I was in a hurry to see you."

"Well, now that you're here, maybe you can lend a hoof? I still have several crates and boxes of books left to unpack "

The prismatic pegasus trotter closer. "I'm not sure this can wait. Your Changling is in the middle of town."

Twilight pulled open one of the smaller boxes and started to levitate its contents out.

"Twilight, what are you going to do about your Changling?" Dash asked with a huff.

"Mmm? Oh, has it hurt somepony?"

"Well, no but..."

"Has it burned or destroyed anything?" She asked well still levitating books onto shelves.

"No, but it..."

"What has it done, exactly, that we have to use force to stop it?"

"Well, It sort of...hasn't done much of anything. Just walking around and ... it's looking with those totally creepy EYES. " Dash cleared her throat, "But it totally could do something and you should be there to stop it!"

Twilight shot Dash a frown, but still kept sorting books. "Right, so you expect me to just drop everything so we can go out and Rainbow-Power the friendly Changling, who has done nothing wrong, out of Ponyville?"

"Please?"

"No!" Twilight barked.