//------------------------------//
// Chapter Four: Library 
// Story: Battle Ready 
// by D101 Reviews 
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Chapter Four: Library

Battle didn't entirely know what to expect when it came to the library's interior. The outside of the building had thrown his expectations out of the window. Never had he encountered such childish, architectural madness. Not in his brief visit to Canterlot and certainly not in his homeland. When he stepped across the threshold into the library he had no idea what to expect.

So it came as an infuriating shock to him to discover it was built like a regular library on the inside.

Battle ground his teeth against one another. This was getting ridiculous. It also didn't help that there was a dragon working as the library assistant.

He was extremely small for a dragon. Clearly young or perhaps infantile, with purple scales and green spines. At the moment he was halfway up a ladder, organising some books. He looked over, acid green eyes glowing at the sight of Twilight.

"Twilight!" he exclaimed, setting the books down and dropping to the ground. "How was Canterlot? What did the Princess want?"

Then he spotted Battle.

"New friend?"

"This is Battle," Twilight said. "He's new to Equestria, he's going to be staying here for a while until he gets his own place here in Ponyville."

"Wait, where's he going to sleep? On a shelf?" Spike chuckled to himself. Battle smirked, warming to the young dragon.

"You know that spare room we never quite found a use for?" Twilight said. "He's going to be sleeping there."

"Okay but just let him know, I snore," Spike said.

"Him standing right here," Battle reminded them.

"Spike the spare room is in the basement," Twilight said, rolling her eyes.

"I know," Spike said. "But you're not exactly the lightest of sleepers are you?"

Battle smirked.

"Anyway, I'm Spike," the dragon held out his clawed hand for Battle to shake. Battle to the hand and shook it.

"Battle Ready."

"Bit of a proactive name?"

"Yeah my father was paranoid of bullies," Battle lied easily.

Spike sniggered before turning back to Twilight.

"You never said what Celestia wanted," Spike said.

"Oh some issues with an ambassador from one of Equestria's allies," Twilight said, walking over to the desk. "Apparently he's disappeared."

"Is that a problem?" Spike asked.

"Well it depends," Twilight said. "I was getting along pretty well with the stallion I was ambassador to. If they send somepony else who I don't get along with it could ruin all relations Equestria has with Warhorse."

Battle bit his lip.

"Uh, Warhorse?"

Twilight massaged her shoulder blades.

"Yeah," she said. "The nation of Warhorse is a powerful ally for Equestria to have. They're an honourable race of warriors who have been in some of the most important battles in history."

"Pretty hardcore," Battle said. "What happens if Equestria falls out with them?"

"I don't think anything too bad will come of it," Twilight replied, flicking through a book on her desk. "It depends on whether or not I insult there honour badly enough."

She turned to face Battle.

"I think now's not the time to talk about that," she said. "Let me show you where you'll be staying."

Moments later...

The spare room was, like Twilight said, in the basement. It was a small room, big enough for a single chest of drawers and a bed and nothing else. Still, Battle could live with it. In fact compared to other sleeping arrangements he had previously found himself in, this was actually quite lavish. Battle slung his coat lazily onto the bed and dropped his satchel beside it.

"You like it?" Twilight asked. "I know it's not the best place but-"

"It's perfect," Battle said, smiling.

"Great," Twilight sighed, beaming. "I'll let you get settled in while I prep the library."

"For what?" Battle asked, confused.

"For Pinkie, what else?" Twilight joked.

"Oh god she was serious," Battle realized, his face falling.

Twilight's only response was to chuckle as she left the room. Battle sighed and closed the door behind her. He grabbed his satchel and opened it, tipping out the contents onto the bed. A half eaten loaf of bread, a bottle of wine, a large water flask, a few books and another handful of drachma. There was also a dagger. Battle made sure to swiftly put the dagger in the bottom drawer of his chest. Following that he hung his coat up on a hanger in the wardrobe. He stacked the few books on top of the chest of drawers and leapt onto his bed. Smiling to himself, he tore a chunk off of the bread and began to chew slowly. He swallowed and grimaced, only just realising how stale the bread really was. He washed it down with a swig of wine. He lay there for a few more minutes before he became bored.

"Maybe a party isn't such a bad idea," he said thoughtfully to himself.

Elsewhere...

"Balloons? Check! Streamers? Check! Gummy?.... Gummy?"

Pinkie looked up from her various party essentials and glanced around her room, looking for her pet alligator. She spotted him, nose first in a bowl of his favourite punch, purple eyes blinking at her stupidly.

"Gummy, check!" Pinkie cried, beaming. She began to walk around her room. "Okay let's see, Vinyl's brining the music, Applejack's brining the cider... I'm sure there was something else..."

She paused, resting her hand on her chin thoughtfully. She snapped her fingers in clarity.

"Snacks!" she cried in realisation. "Can't have a party without cake!"

Instantly Pinkie was downstairs in the kitchen, a blur of pink intent of baking devastation.