Green fumes of flame floated in the air, slowly materializing into a single blue cursed flower. Still sparkling from the green fumes, the flower slowly descended to a waiting transparent jar that was placed right under it. The flower settled inside, and a purple claw puts a lid on top of the jar, and twisted it close.
“Here Twilight,” Spike said as he grabbed the jar and placed it inside the purple unicorn mare's saddlebag. He smiled sadly at her.
Twilight returned the smile with her own, and wrapped a hoof around the purple dragon, pulling him into a hug. “T-thanks Spike.”
“Do you really have to go?” Spike asked after they broke their hug.
Twilight nodded slowly. “I'm afraid so Spike.” She then stared towards the door of the castle's library, where her brother-turned-female was talking to a few pegasi ponies. “They have found the zebra named Zecora, and she is more than willing to create a cure if she can get her hooves on a sample of the flower.” She then turned back to Spike, who was listening to every word. She smiled as she mentally took note of this. “Unfortunately, she is also the leader of their small village, and she can't leave her people.” She nodded. “That is why we are going there again to bring the flower.”
“I get it...” Spike's features drooped. “I am just...worried...”
Twilight smiled as she brought a hoof to his shoulder. “There's nothing to worry about, Spike.”
“Twily?” a feminine voice called out from the door. Twilight and Spike looked at the owner of the voice, and saw Shining Armor clearing his-her throat. He-She then spoke in a more lower and darker tone, imitating that of a male's voice. “Ahem... Uh, the air-carriage is ready.”
Shining then looked back at the pegasi ponies, who smiled sweetly at him, while one left with a wink before they walked down the stairs.
Twilight giggled while Shining Armor groaned from annoyance. Spike then chuckled, making the stallion-turned-mare blush even more.
“Oh, will you two quit it!” Shining whined as he spun to face them. “It's already embarrassing as it is!”
“I know, I know,” Twilight chuckled. She then took a breath and hugged Spike. “Now,” she said as their hug broke, “Shining will take over my place while I'm in Zebrica. Assist him...or her...” she glanced at her groaning brother, “...in any way that you can.”
Spike chuckled and nodded. He hugged her again, and soon, he, Twilight and Shining Armor walked down to the castle's ground, where a big golden-plated air-carriage, fit for ten ponies, was waiting for them. Ten pegasi ponies were to lift the carriage.
Twilight walked on the carriage, followed by other unicorns to join her. She waved goodbye to her brother and Spike, and soon, the pegasi ponies took flight, swiftly lifting the carriage with ease, heading towards the direction of the tropical land of Zebrica.
---
Spike was quietly staring at the books on a shelf. He was humming to himself while looking for a book that might catch his attention. He has been feeling tired of worrying about Jay, Twilight, and the portal here in the library, so maybe reading a good book might take his worry off of his head. Reading wasn't really to his liking, but it has been years since he's done so. He felt like he'd almost forgot what it feels like to read a book.
Adventure-themed books seemed to be the greatest books that'd take his worry away, and he settled on finding such a book, or books. He turned to search for the next shelf, and his eyes instantly found a book he was looking for. Pulling it out of the shelf, he held it on his claws and read the title out loud.
“Huh, ‘Daring Do And The Quest For The Sapphire Statue.’” He smiled as he walked towards Twilight's table.
Reaching the chair, he bowed before Princess Celestia before hopping on the chair, and brought the book down on the table. He was about to open the book, but the door opened instead. Blinking, he saw three young mares entering the library, seemingly arguing with each other, judging from their angry faces and loud voices.
“I told you! Reading is just plain boring!” Whined Scootaloo, and she finished it with sticking her tongue, emphasizing her disgust.
Apple Bloom faced her, and annoyingly rolled her eyes. “Readin' ain't really that bad, Scoots. Besides,” she turned, eyeing Sweetie Belle who decided to ignore them and began searching for a book to read. “Ah'm mighty tired from our self-tour of the castle! I feel like reading 'til I get into dreamland.”
Scootaloo groaned in annoyance, but said nothing. She was already tired of arguing about reading some stupid book. She might as well — since they're already here — let her friends read some boring old book and she could just use one as a makeshift pillow.
Spike shook his head in slight annoyance. He was expecting to read in silence, but he's thankful that the three are quietly—
“Hey look!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed, making her two friends and Spike jump. She flared her horn and magically pulled a rather thick book and proudly presented the cover to her two glaring friends.
“‘Advance Magic: Mastering The Elements Of Nature’?” Apple Bloom and Scootaloo read in unison, arching an eyebrow to their unicorn friend after they finished reading it.
“Gee,” Scotaloo said with a huge smile, “that is a good book to read!” Her features then dropped to a bored one. “For a unicorn, maybe.”
Sweetie Belle's huge grin went up-side-down. “You don't have to be a jerk about it, y'know.” She said while Apple Bloom pulled a book with a hoof.
“Hey Scoots, check this out.” Apple Bloom said as she hoofed the book to the doubting pegasus. “Maybe that'd be a helpful book for ya.”
“‘The Art Of The Wing’?” Scootaloo shrugged. “Meh, maybe...” she reluctantly opened the book while Apple Bloom began searching for a book to read.
Apple Bloom was about to turn to the next shelf, but instead, she noticed an annoyed-looking dragon standing on a chair with his claws crossed on his chest.
“O-oh,” Apple Bloom smiled awkwardly, making her two friends stare at the direction of where she was facing, “h-howdy Spike! Didn't see you there.”
Spike glared at them for a while before opening his mouth to speak. “You guys do realize that you are inside a li—” he suddenly stopped himself as he sensed a pretty familiar sense of magic that reached him.
Realizing who it was from, his frown quickly turned into an excited smile, as he burped out green fumes of fire in the air, materializing into a scroll. Shining Armor was about to pass by the library's open door as the scroll landed on the wooden table. Wondering what it was, he walked inside as Spike quickly grabbed the scroll and unrolled it to read the contents.
“Is that how he sends messages from far away places?” Scootaloo asked nopony in particular. Her two friends simply shrugged, having no idea of the matter.
“As a matter of fact,” Shining spoke, making the three mares turn to him, “yes. And from the looks of it,” he stopped for a moment, studying Spike's expression shifting from excitement to worry, “it's from a very close pony of Spike's...”