ബഐബഐബഐ Spike ബഐബഐബഐ
"The Element of Magic spoke Spike." Twilight insisted, tapping a hoof on one her many thaumatic equations that I never had a hope of understanding.
"It spoke to you?" I deadpanned, trying not to sigh, groan, or give away my frustration. I don't want her to start that rant again. It wouldn't bother me so much if this wasn't the seventh, or was it the eighth? (I lost count) time she had rambled about the Element of Magic 'speaking' in the past hour!
"Well, not in the traditional sense..." Came the same response that always came after my 'question.'
I suppressed a groan as, like every time before, she then went on explaining, again, what had happened, in excruciating detail. All of which I'm sure was some crap Discord came up with to drive her and thus me bonkers. I will burn that draconequus to ash the next time I see him! At least she acting more like classic Twi-I've-been-researching-for-days-and-forgot-to-get-any-sleep than I'm crazy Twi-I'm-overreacting-over-nothing-aka-you're going-to-like-my-ratty-doll!
"... and adding the negative azimuth on the fourteenth moo-" *Thunk* I nearly jumped when, in mid word, Twilight collapsed snout first onto the floor.
"Finally" I muttered as I grabbed a pillow and a blanket from where I had hidden them. I had begun to wonder if the double dose of sleeping potion I slipped into her coffee was actually going to work or not. It wouldn't be the first time that Twilight powered through exhaustion and a sleeping potion.
With practiced ease I laid the blanket over her, carefully lifted her head onto the pillow, and crept out of the basement.
"Great..." I snarked as I closed the pantry door. I was hoping to cook Twilight a full, real meal before she awoke. I really need to remind Twixt'd that he cannot hoard all of the food just so that he can play Batmare non stop. At least he was merely brooding like Batmare in the upper branches of the library and not acting out on his paranoia... yet.
It was a few mintues before dawn so if I hurry I could get to SugarCube Corner just as it was about to open. I could get at least some pastries. If I was lucky, by the time I was done it would be late enough that some of the produce stands at the market would be open. Pastries, while a good start, was not going to be enough. Twilight needed far more then just sugar.
"Wait, Spike," Silver whispered as I tip toed towards the library door. I barely managed to suppress the urge to yelp loudly from the sudden sound of his voice. How a whisper could sound so loud I don't know.
"Silver," I groaned, pinching my brow. I had hoped that Silver would still be asleep so that I could leave without being given the 'but its too dangerous' speech. "I'm just going to go to Sugarcube Corner for some pastries because somedragon has raided the pantry again!"
"You shouldn't go outside. The ponies, I can smell their fear!" Silver anxiously tittered, looking out the window, "Fear for us for dragons... and it hasn't let up since we got here! If... If they are anything like the... the feral herds of gazelles..."
"Silver, they are not feral creatures." I countered, trying not to sound too annoyed. It was bad enough to have to deal with manic Twilight but two paranoid ninnies on top of that. My bed sounds so good right about now.
"Yes, I know that, but instinctively, Spike, deep down they are herding prey animals. If they are forced into a corner like they are sooner or later..."
I sighed staring down at the door knob. Sadly, I knew deep down he was right. Heck, it had happened already once with Garble. Though that was caused more by guards who knew better and not the, minus the flower trio, townponies flying into a true panic. Not that I was going to tell him that or Twixt'd... especially not Twixt'd. If he knew he might do something stupid... Rainbow Dash stupid...
"Look, if I leave now I can run there and back before most ponies even wake up for the day."
"Please be careful." Silver finally whispered after a moment of silence.
"I will..."
"You're up a mite early there Spike." AJ commented as I walked past her stall in the market place. From the looks of it she was almost set up for the first ponies of the day. Sadly, it was still a few weeks too early for the first harvest of apples so all she had was various types of apple themed preserves which was, ironically, one of the few things that Twixt'd hadn't taken from the pantry.
"Yeah... Twi's on a research rampage... " I yawned as I came to stop. AJ gave me the 'of course she is' eye roll as she continued to set up her stall. "I had to slip a double dose of instant sleeping potion into Twi's coffee."
"That bad?" AJ winced, nearly dropping what looked to be a jar of spiced applesauce.
"Ehh." I shrugged. "It's only a bit worse then when she went back in time... Still a ways off from another Lesson Zero..."
"Yah sure yah don' need help?" AJ eyed me hard, an eyebrow slightly raised.
"Trust me, I got it." I smiled as I waved off her concern, turning away. "But I'll let you know if she needs the full friends intervention."
"Okay, Sugarcube I trust yah..." AJ relented before she called out as I walked away. "Jus' make sure yah not eatin' all the ice cream again!"
I groaned as my stomach growled from more then just hunger. Stupid Past Spike. Will I ever live that down?!
The sun was just peeking over the horizon when I walked into SugarCube Corner. The smells of freshly baked goods drifting in the morning air had begun to drive me mad with hunger. I really hope I can manage to get the pastries home without eating them all...
"Hiya Spike!"
"Gyah!" I yelped, nearly jumping out of my scales from Pinkie's sudden appearance and greeting.
"Here you go. A half dozen Sorry-I-drugged-you cupcakes, half a dozen banana nut muffins," Pinkie Pie hooved over a box with a large paper sack on top of it before I had a chance to catch my breath from my scare. First Silver and now Pinkie! "Oh and I slipped in three sapphire cupcakes..."
"Also I got you two large thermoses... Or is it thermi? Thermisses? filled with a nice hearty veggie soup my Granny Pie used to make for overwork ponies aaaand a couple of fresh loaves of bread."
I blinked once then twice, trying to process what Pinkie just said. How did she not only know that I drugged Twilight but that I was wanting to make her a meal but couldn't? You know what? No. I don't want to know.
"Thanks... Pinkie." I yawned hard and cringed when I noticed something as I yawned. "Uh, Pinkie... did you forget something in the oven again?"
"Nah!' Pinkie giggled, pulling out a ticking timer from her mane, with her mane. "The birthday cakes for a party later this morning have ten more minutes of baking. Besides, I never burn cake. Never!"
Then what...? I sniffed a bit more, noting that it wasn't really the type of smoke that came from burning food or from a campfire. It was more like... Oh, please no... not yet! It's only been a day! We aren't ready, Twilight isn't ready, we don't have a solution! The smell of smoke increased as I rushed outside. I gulped as I noticed the blood red sun rising from the horizon, a light haze of smoke hugging the ground. I could only think of one thing: the dragons must have begun their attack.