Twilight paced by the fireplace in her treehouse library, a piece of parchment hung in her magic before her as she read it over and over again.
“My Dearest Twilight,
You must come to Canterlot on the morning train. I have an important test for you. This will greatly determine how our studies will continue in the future.
~Princess Celestia”
“Oh, what could she mean?” Twilight groaned as she placed the letter on a table. She stepped away from the fireplace and levitated half a dozen books off the shelves, scanning through them as if they held the answer. “What if I fail? Does that mean I won’t be her student anymore? Or…” she gasped and her eyes went wide as she plopped her flank down on the ground, her forehooves held to each cheek, the books falling to the ground. “Will she send me back to magic kindergarten?”
“Relax Twi, it’s just a test,” Spike murmured from his seat in a plush purple chair near the fireplace. He turned the page of his newest Power Ponies comic and looked over at her. “You’ll do just fine!”
“Just a test?” Twilight yelled as she stood on only her forelegs for a moment and sent a glare his way. “Just a test? Spike, this could determine my entire future!”
Spike put down his comic at her yell and grabbed some pillows, rope, and a hard hat. He wrapped the pillows and rope around him and placed the hat on his head. “Um, yes?” He mumbled.
He cringed as Twilight let out another scream and her horn flared with magic. The entire treehouse exploded upward into the air, then came crashing back down, books scattered everywhere but their shelves.
“Quick, Spike, I need quills, scrolls, and the Magical Compendium volumes 1 through 36!” She yelled and reached to an upper shelf, where a huge book bigger than Spike had somehow managed to not fall with the rest.
Spike stood under the book, ready to catch as Twilight dropped it. He let out a grunt as the book squashed him upon landing. “Ugh, Twi, stay still for two minutes,” he groaned as he wiggled out from under the beastly book.
“I can’t, Spike. I need to prepare! Oh, notecards too,” she mumbled, pulled out a huge stack, and deposited them in Spike’s arms. “Hmm think I’ll need more than that.”
“Enough Twilight!” Spike sighed, putting the notecards to the side, and grabbed Twilight’s face in his claws. “Now, take a deep breath.” He paused as she did so. “Now, let it out slowly.” Spike let go of her face as she breathed out and plopped onto the floor.
Twilight looked around the room, books scattered everywhere, and groaned. “Now I need to clean this up too.”
“Twilight, do you remember that last big test you took when we still lived in Canterlot?” Spike asked as he bent to pick up a book closest to him.
“Of course, it was on the magical differences between Eastern and Western Unicorns!” Twilight said and levitated a few books of her own.
“Do you remember how stressed you were about the test?” He continued as he placed the books in an orderly stack. Twilight nodded, distracted as she gathered more. “Then come here, please, Twi.” He gently nudged her away from the books and over to a comfy pillow near the fire.
“I don’t see how this is going to help Spike,” she murmured as she plopped down on the pillow. Her tail flicked back and forth anxiously.
“I’m going to tell you a story,” Spike grinned and sat down next to her. Twilight started to speak, but Spike put a claw to her muzzle. “Yes, we do have time for a story. I promise it will help!”
At Twilight’s silence, he began. “Now, it all started as the moon set…
Twilight’s hooves clicked loudly on the marble floors of Canterlot Castle, each step a little more hurried than the last. “Where are we going, Spike?” she asked. The small dragon walked in front of her, a claw on her shoulder as he led the way. A white cloth was tied around her eyes and her ears twitched with each sound of the castle around her.
“It’s a surprise,” Spike said and patted her neck.
“Can’t it wait until morning? I really need to work on my study of the Gallupa Empire. Why they had to write in Hoofdi rather than Equestrian I have no idea.” She shook her head and sighed. “I need to read through it at least 3 more times to make sure I have the syntax correct for proper Eastern Gallupa royal dignitary delegations and magic traditions.”
“You’ll be fine, Twi. You’ve read that book at least two dozen times cover to cover. Besides, we’re here.” Spike paused Twilight in her hoofsteps and looked around the corner. Ahead of them were the doors to the Canterlot Archives. Spike stopped Twilight for a moment and looked around the corner, then let out a sigh of relief as he came back to her. Presently, the guards were elsewhere on their rounds, thank Celestia, and the doors stood unguarded.
“Very well Spike,” Twilight groaned and put a hoof to her blindfold. “Can I take this off then?”
“No! No,” Spike lowered Twilight’s hoof from the blindfold and shook his head. “Not yet, just a few more minutes.” He put a claw to her shoulder once more and led her toward the doors, then opened them with his free claw.
They both took in a deep breath as they entered the archives, and Spike felt Twilight almost wiggle behind him. “I know where we are,” she sighed happily, a big grin on her face. The grin quickly turned into a frown though. “We shouldn’t be in here this late, Spike.”
“Shhhh, it’s fine. After all, you’ve spent plenty of nights in here, studying until the sun came up What’s different about tonight?”
“Well, I doubt you brought me here to study, that’s what’s different,” Twilight pointed out. “Princess Celestia is fine with it if I’m studying but-”
“But nothing,” Spike said as he put a single claw to her lips. “I’m sure she would make an exception for what I have planned. Please just go with it, Twi?” He whined and hugged her close. Even though she couldn’t see it, Twilight was sure he gave her his best puppy dog eyes as well.
“Okay, but then we need to go back.” She chuckled as she felt him let go and jump into the air with a cry of joy.
“Thank you Twi, now follow me!” he beamed and put a claw to her neck once again as he led her deeper into the archives.
After a few minutes, he finally brought Twilight to a halt, took in a deep breath, and let it out slowly. “Okay, now just have you face this way,” he murmured and adjusted her slightly to the left. “There! Now, remove the blindfold!”
Twilight did so, and let out a gasp of delight at what was before her. A book fort, taller than she was and covered with a light blanket. The inner layer left just enough room to be perfectly cozy for a unicorn and baby dragon. A soft, purple blanket was folded neatly inside, along with the newest Daring Do novel and a tall thermos with two coffee cups.
“Oh, Spike!” she gasped and wrapped the baby dragon in a tight hug. “This is just perfect! We haven’t made a book fort since well, I think since you were barely big enough to lift a book, let alone make a fort all on your own.”
“I-I learned from the best!” he gasped and took in a few deep breaths when she finally let go. “You’ve been studying too much lately, Twilight, and stressing out more than usual,” he explained as he twirled two claws together and blushed. “So, um… I figured if I made you a comfy place to read, it could help you destress?”
“Yes! Yes, Spike, it is perfect, thank you!” She beamed, lifted him up in her magic, along with the novel and blanket, snuggled them all inside as she opened the book to the first page.
“I’m glad you like it,” he said with a grin. Spike picked up the thermos and opened it to reveal hot chocolate, still steamy as he poured it into the coffee cup and gave one to Twilight. “Coco?”
“Don’t mind if I do,” she giggled as she took the cup from him and had a sip. “Mmm, even better!” With that, they settled in to read, the test momentarily forgotten.”
“... and then the next day, you passed the test with flying colors!” Spike finished as he placed the last book on top of a new book fort. Twilight tossed a blanket over it as she lifted him back down and into the inner chamber of the book fort. “So, what do you think? Shall we do it again?” he grinned and wiggled a new, newest Daring Do novel in his claws.
“Of course, Spike!” she giggled and joined him in the inner chambers. Twilight wrapped a blanket around them and stared into the fireplace. It warmed her fur just as Spike’s story had warmed her heart.
“Coco?” he asked and held out a coffee cup to her.
“Of course, my best, little assistant!” she grinned and took the cup as she opened the book. Time passed as they read, coco cups soon emptied and set aside. As the fire crackled and spread its warmth around the room, the two fell into slumber, nestled against each other, another test forgotten as the stress melted away. Whatever Celestia wanted her to do, Twilight was sure she would be ready, thanks to her best little assistant, friend, and brother, Spike.