//------------------------------//
// Chapter 3 
// Story: Lavender Stars in a Dark Night Sky 
// by Arpeggio 
//------------------------------//

“Dear Twilight Sparkle…” The letter began, Twilight mentally deafening herself to the outside world as she read on. The Princess needed her help, and she said it was urgent. All else could wait, she could not let down her mentor; the one she considered more a mother than her own. “Twilight!” Spike finally managed to break into Twilight’s trance with his yelling. “Huh? Oh… sorry Spike. This letter from the Princess is really important.” Spike snorted and muttered, “That’s why I was asking you to let me see it.” Twilight still paid no attention.

“Spike, pack my bags please, I’m going to Canterlot.” Spike recoiled in surprise, “Canterlot? Why, what happened?” Twilight leant down and nuzzled him affectionately, “Don’t worry Spike, hopefully nothing bad. I’ll just be gone for a few days or so.” He regained his composure after partially losing himself in the warm embrace. “*Ehem*, So… you need me and Owlicious to watch over the library again, right?” She nodded with a smile “Always quick, best assistant ever.”

Spike grinned at the praise before making his way to the stairs to pack Twilight’s things “Alright, Twilight, you can count on us.” Owlicious, seemingly on command, landed on Spike’s head and chirped. “Isn’t that right, Owlicious?” Spike beamed. “Who?” came the reply. “You, you’re Owlicious”
“Who?” Twilight just laughed and began walking to the bookshelves to find any books she might need. The Princess hadn’t mentioned what was so urgent, but she did mention it involved Princess Luna and that there was trouble brewing – trouble that Equestria could do without.

Twilight refused to let anypony down as she finished putting her books into one of her saddlebags, Spike bringing down extra surprise having lost the vigor required keeping up his contradiction contest with Owlicious. “Alright, looks like I’m all set.” Twilight smiled as Spike finished putting the last ink pot in her bags.
She looked down at the young dragon and, thinking “Ah what the hay”, leant down and gave him a kiss on the forehead. “I’ll be back before you know it, sweetie.”

Spike was slightly shocked, but smiled nevertheless; unconsciously breathing the words “Love you, mom…” he then realized Owlicious was there and quickly stiffened up using aggression as a short term ally “What are you looking at?”
“Who?” The owl inquired.
“You, I’m asking – ah not this again.” Spike muttered in mild frustration as he resumed his chores, still quietly pleased with Twilight’s motherly love for him.

Twilight was in for an even bigger shock than Spike as she stepped out of the library with a still dumbfounded Spike in her wake, as she spotted a large Gold chariot lead by two of the Princesses’ fastest Pegasi guards. “Good afternoon.” She said to both of them, social niceties clearly not high on their priorities, the guards threw her a pleading look and said “Miss Sparkle, we really must get going. The Princess is awfully worried.” Any hesitation Twilight had about the trip was now gone “I understand.” She said, boarding the chariot.

Without another word the chariot went into the sky as the Pegasi towing it flapped their wings more powerfully than they had in their lifetimes. Twilight allowed herself a moment of fear before resuming her determined and fearless guise “I just hope everything’s alright…”