Twilight awoke to musky scent of old paper and binding glue. Jerking awake, she discovered that she had fallen asleep in the royal library. She looked all around her for any signs of the ponies who ran the library only to realize that it was late in the evening!
“In Celestia’s name!” Twilight yelped. “I must have fallen asleep!” She grabbed the books he had apparently been reading (although she could have sworn to have read it once before), stuffed it into her saddle bag and made her way out of the library as quickly as her hooves could carry her. She was about to leave the castle grounds when a familiar figure stepped out from around the corner. “Twlight Sparkle!” Princess Celestia exclaimed happily. “What are you doing here so late?”
Twilight flushed. “I am so sorry, Princess! I must have fallen asleep in the library again.” She offered the Princess a corny smile. “I guess I just have been too busy studying that I have been neglecting my sleep.”
Celestia rolled her eyes. “Oh Twilight Sparkle. How many times must I remind you to get enough sleep? You’ll be no use to us if you cannot keep your eyes open.” She chuckled and nudged Twlight’s flank. “Go on home. Get your rest.”
Twilight smiled. “Yes Ma’am!” she ran on home. Celestia watched as Twilight left the castle grounds. It wasn’t until the younger pony vanished from sight that Celestia allowed herself to relax. The memory spell seemed to have worked just fine; Twilight would have no memory of the books. Celestia wasn’t proud of herself for casting such a spell on her prized pupil but she knew that she had no other choice…
No other choice…
“Hm,” Twilight Sparkle dumped her saddle bag upon her table. The sound of books striking the wooden surface was enough to wake her baby dragon companion, Spike.
“Huh?” he whined. “What’s going on?”
“I’m so sorry, Spike!” Twilight exclaimed. “I fell asleep in the library again.”
“Hm. What else is new?” he grumbled while rolling over in his basket. He yanked his blanket over his body. “What were you doing there so late anyways?”
“I must have been working on a report for the Princess,” Twilight tapped her hoof against her jaw in thought. She nosed through the pile of books from her bag until she came across the one she had fallen asleep against. It was titled The Mare in the Moon. “Huh,” she bit her lower lip. “I thought I read this one before. I wonder why the Princess would want me to read this again.” Her eyes grew wide. “Oh my Celestia! What if she wanted me to summarize the story? What if she wanted me to write a report about it?” her eyes grew even wider. “What if it is due tomorrow?” She grabbed a hold of Spike’s basket. “Spike, wake up! We need to write a report about this book before the sun rises!”
“Huh? Why?”
“Because if I don’t, I’ll be tardy!” She whined. “I have never been tardy before in my entire life, and do you know what happens to ponies who don’t fulfill their duties to Celestia on time?”
He covered his head with his pillow.
“She banishes them to the deepest darkest dungeons!” She screamed.
Spike sat up in his basket to glare at Twilight. “What?”
“She is going to keep me locked up until I finish the report! She will have her guards watch me all day and all night until I finish the report, in triplicate! I cannot work while other ponies watch me! Whatever will I do?”
Spike gave her a dubious look. “And what makes you think the Princess will ever do something as crazy as that?”
Twilight blinked then tapped her hoof against her jaw. “I actually have no idea, Spike, but trust me,” she tapped her hoof against his nose. “If I am tardy, the Princess will do punish me!” she used her magic to fetch a quill from her desk. “So let’s get this report started!” she exclaimed while opening her book.