Twilight Sparkle curled up on a pile of pillows in front of the fire, sipping her tea and reading a book in her house for the first time.
Something about the idea of ‘her house’ made this day special. Twilight had spent most of her life living in places built for and owned by other ponies. First her parents, then her room in Canterlot Castle, and finally the Ponyville Library. Each of those places had been home, both in the sense that she felt welcome, and in the sense that she had ponies there who made her feel loved. But they were never hers.
This house was hers. It was not, technically, a house. When one beautiful pony she met at her library home had made her feel a deeper kind of love, her life had progressed easily and steadily over time to the wedding, and finally to the renovated barn she was laying in.
It was one of the oldest on Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack told her when they first discussed the idea, built for the first apple harvests once the trees were grown. The sense of history tickled Twilight’s imagination, as she knew it did Applejack’s. They both knew there was no other choice for them; so just after the late summer wedding the Apple family rebuilt the exterior, then Twilight spent the fall organizing workponies, plumbers, and carpenters to make the interior perfect. Twilight and Applejack stayed at the library while the work was being done, and they’d finally finished decorating and moving in just after the first snowfall of the year.
Twilight felt a draft, and looked around the large room. Most of the first floor was this front room, filled with bookshelves from floor to the exposed beams of the high ceiling where Owlowiscious roosted. They knew keeping it warm would be hard, but agreed it was worth it to make a barn fit for a princess. A certain kind of princess, at least, one who had hundreds of books it would be impossible to do without. But right now that princess needed it to be just a little bit warmer.
The glance around the room revealed that the fire in front of her was getting low, and that there was a distinct lack of logs waiting to feed it. Rolling her eyes with a sigh, Twilight rose to her hooves and walked over to the peg where her scarf and saddle hung. Wrapping herself warmly, she stepped into her boots, and made her way into the snowy yard.
It was early afternoon, and the sun was shining over fields of snow punctured by the dark trunks of leafless apple trees. It made Twilight think of the marble floors of Canterlot Castle, but the sight of her own breath and the blood she could feel gathering in her cheeks reminded her that she wasn’t out here to admire the scenery. She flew to the side of the barn where the firewood was neatly stacked.
Or where it should have been neatly stacked. There were big logs there, but the pile that Applejack split for burning was gone. Twilight gave an incredulous snort, and stomped her hoof, but there still wasn’t any cut wood. Something nagged in her mind, a memory of Spike saying something about needing to get AJ to cut more wood when he brought in an armful before going to play with Apple Bloom. Twilight personally felt there was a difference between “we need more” and “we have none left,” but that was beside the point now.
Twilight smiled. She was a competent, capable pony, and this was not an insurmountable challenge. Her magic lifted three logs and placed them on their ends. She trotted through the snow, to the small lean-to against the back of the house where she found the sharp, heavy axe that Applejack had shown her, and carried it back to the woodpile.
So far, for the week they’d spent finishing the painting, decorating, and unpacking in their barn, Applejack had taken this as one of her chores. But she’d at least had the foresight to bring Twilight out here and show her how it was done, for just this situation. So Twilight stood a ways back from the log, gripping the axe tightly in her magic, and lifted it over the wood. She brought the axe down sharply, and the head buried deep in the log.
The log didn’t split, though. Twilight let go of the axe, and it remained lodged in the wood at exactly the angle it landed. With a huff, Twilight tugged on it with her magic, only managing to lift the axe and log at the same time.
Rolling her eyes, Twilight stomped over to the log, using her magic to steady it, and gripped the handle of the axe in her teeth. She wiggled it, feeling the wind biting her lips and drying her mouth, and finally managed to free the blade, stumbling backwards as it gave way. She did manage to catch the axe in her magic as she fell back into the snow, at least.
As she stood up and shook herself off, Twilight was warmer than she had been when she left the house. But it wasn’t a good warm. This was a burning warm, especially in her cheeks and hooves. And it was in contrast to her flanks and the tip of her horn, which felt annoyingly frozen.
Still, the inside of her house wasn’t getting any warmer either, so she repositioned the axe in her magic and brought it down on the log. The log split with a loud crack, and Twilight briefly considered going inside and warming up again before attempting to cut more. She recognized the impracticality of that right away, and turned to the next log.
As if they’d received the message that Twilight Sparkle was not giving up until she had firewood, the next two logs split easily. That would give Twilight enough to last until Applejack came home. Of course, as she gathered up the wood in her magic, she realized that was simply putting the work on Applejack’s shoulders; shoulders that were currently doing even more physical labor, and that wouldn’t be home until after dark, when it would be even colder.
She sighed and stacked the cut wood neatly, then used her magic to pull out another ten logs.
By the third one, the tingling heat in her hooves had turned to numbness at the very tips. By the fifth, the strength she had to push through her magic for each swing was making her horn sore. And by the time the axe fell on the final log, the sweat on her brow was making her bangs stick to her forehead. But she had chopped a reasonable stack of wood, one that would comfortably get them through tomorrow. Twilight smiled at her work, returned the axe to its place, and carried a few of the cut pieces of wood back inside.
It was even chillier in the house than when she left, so the first thing she did was pile the wood by the fireplace. She put two logs on the embers, and a quick, simple spell made a toasty fire. For a few moments she rested there, enjoying the warmth as it melted the snow off her and dried the sweat from her brow. Then she stood, slowly. She felt a little achy, between trundling through the snow and the energy drained by repetitive magic use.
She took off her wet, snow covered winter clothes, and floated them to the pegs by the door, and was surprised to hear the door open. She glanced over to see Applejack and Winona in the doorway.
“Heya, Twi,” Applejack said with a smile, stomping the snow off her boots and removing them, along with her scarf. “I saw somepony’s been busy today.”
“Yeah. We just needed some firewood,” Twilight said, sitting on her pillows as Winona ran over to her, begging for affection. “I am beat.” She gave Winona a rub on the head, and the happy dog curled up on a rug in front of the fireplace.
Applejack trotted over and gave Twilight a nuzzle. “It’s no wonder! You chopped a whole stack out there. You didn’t have to do all that, ya’ know I woulda done it soon as I got home.”
Twilight nuzzled back, enjoying Applejack’s soft cheek and the smell of snow and sweat. “I know, but you worked all day. And… I’m happy I did it.”
“Choppin’ wood makes ya’ happy? Well, sugarcube, you’re gonna have a fun winter!” Applejack chuckled.
“Oh, don’t let me have all the fun.” Twilight giggled. “But, I will see if I can find a spell that will do this faster.” The fire was quickly warming the room, and between that and having Applejack home, Twilight was already feeling more energetic. She pulled a book from a shelf with her magic as Applejack trotted towards the kitchen.
“AJ?” Twilight said.
“Yeah, sugarcube?”
“You remember the train ride back from Appleloosa? I said how nice it would be to get home and relax, and you laughed at me. You said when you have your own home, home isn’t where you relax, it’s where you want to work.” Twilight smiled at her room full of books, her fire, and her smiling wife. “I get it now.”
“I’m glad,” Applejack said, her green eyes shining. “How ‘bout I make my hard workin’ girl some supper?”
“That would be amazing!” Twilight said, snuggling down in the pillows as AJ headed to the large kitchen at the back of the house. Twilight picked up her book, Useful Household Spells, and started leafing through as she took a sip of her mug of tea.
She immediately spit it out. “Ugh! Applejack!”
Applejack was at the door to the kitchen in a second. “Somethin’ wrong, Twilight?”
Twilight started laughing, and put her face in her hoof. “I spent all afternoon cutting wood, and now my tea is cold!”
Chuckling, Applejack shook her head. “Poor filly. I’ll put a kettle on for ya’.”
“Thank you, AJ,” Twilight said with a sweet smile as Applejack disappeared into the kitchen. Returning to her book, Twilight skimmed for a good woodcutting spell, noting spells for repairing burst pipes and warming blankets and marking the pages for quick reference. She smiled, knowing that life wasn’t perfect, but that her life was better than perfect... it was good.
Spike returned home just as Applejack was putting dinner on the table. Twilight set down her book and joined them at the cozy little table in the kitchen.
“Apple Bloom showed me cool stuff all over the farm! There’s this dead tree that hangs out over a ditch you can jump on and it bounces, and a hayloft you can jump out of onto a pile of hay, and a hill you can sled down until the sled hits this bump at the bottom and flies up, then you fall off into the snow,” Spike rambled on, his mouth occasionally full as he didn’t pause to stuff in some squash steak.
“So… you spent the whole day trying to get yourself killed?” Twilight said, raising an eyebrow and taking some salad.
“Aw, leave ‘im be, Twi. It’s what a kid does ‘round here.” Applejack grinned, filling her own plate. “I don’t even tell Apple Bloom what all I got up to. I ain’t givin’ her those ideas, but I promise these are a darn sight better.”
“Okay, well, just be careful,” Twilight said, picking at her salad with her fork. As worried as she was that Spike might get hurt, she was glad to see him this active. She’d always thought he spent too much time inside, around older ponies, but given her own foalhood she knew she wasn’t one to talk. Apple Bloom was only a few months older than he was, so even if their activities weren’t exactly Twilight’s idea of a good, or careful, time, they were probably good for a growing dragon.
“Twilight, I’m always careful. Like tomorrow, we’re going ice skating with Apple Bloom’s friends, and I’m gonna wrap a scarf over my mouth so I don’t flame through the ice if I sneeze.”
Twilight’s eyes went wide. She had her suspicions that a scarf wasn’t going to do much against dragon flame, and visions of Spike or the foals falling through the ice with nopony there to help flashed through her mind.
“Hey, Spike, I got a better idea!” Applejack said quickly. “Uh, how ‘bout if you and the girls find us some evergreens for Hearth’s Warmin’ decorations? We oughta be gettin’ those up!”
“Oh yeah, I can’t wait for Hearth’s Warming this year!”
“Me neither,” Twilight agreed. “It’s going to be so nice to have both of our families here! I can’t wait to show Mom and Cadance the house!”
“Well then, y’all go on and get the place spruced up tomorrow,” Applejack said with a smile.
“Well, I had that planned for Friday, but I could bump it up to tomorrow, as long as I get some letters written tomorrow night,” Twilight said, mentally rearranging tomorrow’s checklist. Then she smiled at Spike. “What do you say, number one assistant? Ready to decorate?”
Spike considered a moment. “Can Apple Bloom and her friends help?”
Twilight paused, then caught Applejack’s smirk before just barely rolling her eyes. “Sure. I’m sure they’ll be a huge help.”
“Great!” Spike said, shoving more food in his mouth. “Count us in!”
***
The next morning, Twilight opened her eyes to find the thought of climbing out of bed extremely uninviting. There was a chill in the air that made her muzzle and the tip of her horn numb, something that definitely shouldn’t have been happening in her own bedroom. Worse, her warm wife just climbed out of bed anyway, leaving her with nothing to snuggle up against.
“Why’s it so cold?” she murmured, pulling the whole blanket over her head.
“Dunno. It is awful nippy. I’ll get up and start a fire, then get breakfast goin’,” Applejack said from the mirror as she tied up her mane and tail.
“That’s not fair,” Twilight sighed. “You get breakfast, I’ll get the fire.”
“You’re gonna haveta get outta the blankets for that.”
Twilight thought for a moment, then rolled out of bed, lifting and folding the blanket, and wrapping it around her like a cloak with a triumphant smile.
Applejack chuckled and flipped her hat on her head. “Guess that’s why you’re the princess.”
Twilight headed downstairs, Applejack right behind. As soon as she reached the bottom, Twilight saw the reason for the freezing temperature. The front door was wide open.
She smiled and used her magic to push it shut. “Well, that was an easy fix.”
Before she went to bed, Twilight had made sure there were enough logs to build a fire this morning, so she levitated them onto the hearth and lit the fire. Deciding that it would be nicer if she was prepared for the day and could focus on decorating for the upcoming holiday, Twilight went to put on her saddle and boots, to get some wood for the fire.
That was when she noticed an important detail missing. Namely, her winter clothes. They weren’t hanging on the hook next to AJ’s. They weren’t on the floor. She glanced around frantically, but didn’t see them anywhere in the room.
“Applejack! Have you seen my saddle and boots?” Twilight called into the kitchen.
“Nope! Ya’ hung ‘em on the hook, right?”
“Yeah! But they aren’t—” Twilight’s eyes fell on the door that had been open. “—there.”
Nopony would have stolen her clothes, right? That was ridiculous, ponies in Ponyville just didn’t do that sort of thing. If she was in town, she’d think maybe somepony had borrowed them, but nopony would walk all the way out here for that.
She slowly walked over to the door and opened it anyway. The air inside was starting to warm up thanks to the fire, but the air outside was just as cold as when she woke up.
She looked around the snowy yard. There were tracks in the snow all over it; her own leading to the woodpile, Applejack’s leading home from the rest of the farm, and Spike’s coming from the direction of the filly’s clubhouse. But about twenty yards away, there was a pile of color in an otherwise undisturbed snow bank.
Twilight used her magic to carefully levitate a piece, and found it to be her boot, heavy with ice as if somepony had filled it with water before leaving it there. She brought it towards her, and just stared at it. The shoe was frozen solid.
With a frustrated grunt, she levitated the rest of the pile and brought it inside, closing the door behind her. She brought the clothes over to the fireplace and lined her boots up in front of it, hanging her saddle and scarf from the mantle to dry.
“Twi? Ya’ find your stuff?” Applejack said, sticking her head into the front room.
“Oh, I found it alright,” Twilight said bitterly. “Outside. It’s all frozen solid.”
“Outside? Who’d put all your clothes outside?” Applejack raised an eyebrow.
“I don’t know, but that explains why the door was open. Somepony was playing a joke and forgot to close it afterwards.” Twilight heard a thump from upstairs, then the sound of baby dragon feet coming down the stairs. “...Or some dragon.”
Twilight glared at Spike as he entered the room. He glanced around nervously, and his eye fell on the icy clothes. A smirk formed on his face.
“Hey Twilight, cool clothes… get it? Cool, like…” His face fell as Twilight’s look made her lack of amusement perfectly clear. “Um...”
“Spike. When I came down this morning, the door was open and my winter clothes were outside. Do you know anything about this?” Twilight narrowed her eyes.
“No! No way! I was asleep all night!” Spike backed up, his eyes wide. “Maybe it was a... ghost?”
“A ghost? Really? Because I kind of think it was a baby dragon playing a practical joke,” Twilight pressed.
“It wasn’t me! Honest! Look, there are still three gemstones in the jar in the kitchen. If I got up in the middle of the night, would those be there?” Spike pointed towards the kitchen.
“AJ?” Twilight looked to her wife.
“Still there, Twi,” Applejack confirmed. “Saw ‘em myself.”
“Hmmm.” Twilight regarded Spike suspiciously, then rolled her eyes. “I guess it must have been Pinkie and Rainbow.”
Spike raised an eyebrow. “You really think they got up in the middle of the night and came all the way over here in the snow just to play a joke on you? Then they left the door wide open?”
“That does seem like a lot to put into a prank that’s not very funny,” Twilight agreed.
“‘Sides, if they did think it was funny, they’d be here someplace laughin’,” Applejack pointed out.
“So, then, how did the clothes get outside?” Twilight just looked at the closed door and cocked her head.
“I told you it was a ghost!” Spike insisted.
“Not a ghost, Spike.” Twilight shook her head. “Ghosts aren’t real.”
“Then how do you explain it?”
“I don’t know. Maybe the latch is loose, and the clothes just blew out.”
Spike just stared at her, then walked over and picked up a boot. He let it drop with a loud thud. “Your boots blew out.”
“It ain’t a ghost, Spike. I lived on this farm my whole life, and I can promise it ain’t haunted.” Applejack said with a smile. “Besides, nopony’s even died on this part of the farm, all the folks who passed on spent their last up at the farmhouse.”
“You’re sure?”
“One hundred percent,” Applejack confirmed with a nod. “You got my word, there’s no ghosts ‘round here.”
“Applejack would know,” Twilight pointed out.
“Oookaay,” Spike said uncertainly.
Applejack motioned to the kitchen. “Now come on and eat, you two. I got pancakes, and maybe one’a them’s made with them gemstones you mentioned…”
Spike’s face lit up, thoughts of a ghost forgotten. “Will you marry me, AJ?”
“Already taken, partner. Get on in there before it gets cold.” Applejack chuckled as Spike rushed into the kitchen. Then she turned to Twilight. “Sugarcube, you okay?”
“Yeah… just, confused,” Twilight said, shaking her head as she walked to the kitchen. “And frustrated. I mean, what could’ve happened?”
“I don’t rightly know, but I’ll ask ‘round and see if anypony knows anything.” Applejack said, giving Twilight a nuzzle and then following her into the kitchen. “You just try not to worry today, and focus on gettin’ the house set up for Hearth’s Warmin’.”
“Maybe the Hearth’s Warming decorations will appease the spirits.” Twilight giggled.
***
“I think that’s ‘nough glitter, Sweetie.”
“There’s no such thing as enough glitter!”
Twilight smiled at the voices of the foals, despite the shiver up her spine as she levitated the boxes down the attic stairs behind her, then down the stairs to the main room. Spike and the foals were making decorations to hang around the place, having spent the morning gathering and putting up evergreens. A big wreath hung on the front door, another one over the fireplace mantle, and the tops of the bookshelves and ceiling beams were decked with boughs and tied with bright red and gold ribbons.
The kids had been a big help, not only gathering the greenery, but running into town for the ribbons, and making trips to the woodpile while Twilight’s boots dried. But she couldn’t just send them away now, so she set them to work on something moderately productive. She wasn’t sure she needed that many crayon pictures of candy canes and gem encrusted holiday cakes, glitter hoofprint wreaths, or pictures of Rainbow Dash battling windigos, but she was sure that the kids’ parents and siblings would take a few off her hooves.
Twilight set down the boxes and opened them. Two of the boxes were hers, and one was from Sweet Apple Acres. Inside the one from the farmhouse were a few of the decorations they’d used since Applejack could remember, which Granny and Mac had happily agreed to pass on. Twilight levitated a set of red and green apple candleholders to one side of the mantle, and potholders with snowflakes on them she put in the kitchen. Next she lifted out a very poorly embroidered plaque, showing two lopsided and unevenly placed hearts on either side of the message A circl of freinds well be to the vary end. She was about to put it in the upstairs hallway until she noticed foal’s writing on the back; To Ma, Happy Herth’s Warming. Love AJ. With a smile, and tears in the corner of her eyes, she gave it a place of honor on the other side of the mantle.
In her own box, Twilight pulled out various knicknacks that had been presents from her family and friends. A music box Princess Celestia had given her went on a partially empty bookshelf, and a ceramic snowpony Shining Armor gave her when she was just a filly went on another. Last year’s present from Cadance and Shining Armor took up most of the last box; a beautiful ice cave made of crystal, with crystal figures of the frozen founders, and ceramic figures of the three casting the spell. It was a work of art, and she set it in the center of the mantle where the crystal seemed to glow with the flickering light of the fire.
“Well now, don’t this place look a treat!” Applejack said as she stepped into the house.
“Sis! You ain’t supposed to be here yet, Twilight hasn’t even put up our decorations!” Apple Bloom said, hurrying to gather up her drawings.
“I don’t know if I have room for all of those. Why don’t you girls pick one for us, and take the rest to your families?” Twilight suggested, walking over to Applejack and giving her a welcoming nuzzle.
“Uh, I can’t,” Scootaloo said sadly. “Mom says I’m not allowed to put up any more pictures of Rainbow Dash.”
Twilight caught Applejack’s eye and both did their best to keep from giggling. “Why don’t you give them to Rainbow, Scootaloo? I’m sure she’d love them.”
“Really?” Scootaloo asked skeptically.
Applejack nodded. “Sure. I can’t think of anythin’ Dash would like better for Hearth’s Warmin’ decorations than pictures of herself.”
“Okay!”
“So, what are you doing home so early?” Twilight asked.
“Me and Mac finished up, and Granny wanted to know if we wanted to have supper up the farmhouse tonight.” Applejack nodded to Sweetie and Scootaloo “Y’all too, Mac said he’d take ya’ home after.”
“That sounds great.” Twilight grinned. One of the best things about marrying into the Apple family was the delicious, home cooked food that AJ, Mac, and especially Granny seemed to conjure up every evening.
“Cool!” Scootaloo shouted.
“Hey Spike, ya’ know how to play cards?” Apple Bloom grinned.
Spike smirked with an eyebrow raised, and tried to slick back his non-existant mane. “I might know a little bit about it…”
Apple Bloom bumped him with her flank. “We’ll see how much ya’ know after supper.”
“Come on, kids, let’s get all cleaned up before we go!” Twilight ordered.
The foals took paper and art supplies out to Scootaloo’s wagon, while Spike returned the things they’d borrowed from Twilight to their places.
“You had a good day, sugarcube?” Applejack said quietly, leaning against Twilight while they supervised.
“Perfect. The kids were actually a big help!” Twilight smiled, unfolding a wing to drape it over Applejack.
“It looks great, y’all did an amazin’ job.” Applejack smiled. “Figure anythin’ about the clothes this mornin’?”
“Nope. None of the kids know anything. It must be a joke, I’m sure somepony out there thought it would be funny. But I’m not giving them the pleasure of messing up my day. I had a house to decorate,” Twilight said, standing a little taller as she looked around the cheerful room.
“That’s my Twilight.” Applejack chuckled. “Drivin’ yourself crazy wasn’t on the schedule for the day.”
“Not over some silly prank.” Twilight’s smile turned sly, and she leaned over and kissed Applejack softly on the lips. “Maybe over my beautiful wife.”
“Mmm... I’d like to help you out with that tonight,” Applejack said quietly, returning the kiss.
“I’m penciling that in my schedule.” Twilight said as soon as their lips parted. “Right after I finish the letters I need to write.”
“You do that.” Applejack pulled away and glanced around for the kids. “Come on, y’all! Let’s move out!”
***
As they walked back to the house that evening, the moon on the snow gave them a clear view, except for the shadows cast through the branches of the trees. The path had been broken by AJ, Spike and the foals coming and going to the farmhouse, so the way was bumpy but clear.
Spike rode on Twilight’s back, slightly drowsy after a big meal and an evening losing at poker to Apple Bloom, who turned out to be quite good at cards. Twilight, AJ, Mac, and Granny had a fun evening of stories and conversation, and now a peace had settled on the three as they made their way home.
Twilight thought she was stepping carefully on the uneven snow, but her hoof caught on something hard. Pain shot through her leg as she tumbled forward into the snow, dumping Spike off her back.
“Ouch!”
“You two okay?” Applejack said, rushing to Twilight.
“Yeah… a lot more awake now.” Spike said, shivering. He hurried to Applejack and hopped on her back. “Snow baths are not fun.”
“No kidding,” Twilight said, flapping herself into the air. “And I think I twisted my hoof on a root or something. I’ll have to fly the rest of the way.”
“Good idea. I’ll take a look when we get inside. We’re almost home.”
Twilight flew next to Applejack and Spike the rest of the way to the house. As they approached, she stopped and hovered for a minute, studying the door.
“What happened to the wreath?”
“Huh. I dunno. Maybe it blew off.”
“It blew off? Like Twilight’s boots?” Spike said, nervously. “Look, I don’t know how strong you guys think the wind is around here, but I’m pretty sure it’s not that strong.”
“Oh, so now you think the ghost took our wreath?” Twilight teased.
“Yes,” Spike nodded seriously.
“Well now, I reckon ghosts gotta decorate for Hearth’s Warmin’ too,” Applejack said, chuckling as she opened the door.
They went inside, and Twilight lit the lanterns and fire with her magic. Spike hopped off AJ’s back to sit next to the fireplace, grabbing a book off the lower shelves. Twilight landed on a pillow next to him.
“Let’s get a look at that hoof, sugarcube.” Applejack trotted over to where Twilight was sitting.
Twilight extended her leg. “It looks like a sprain. I think it was cold enough out there, so just a bandage should do for now, and I’ll put some ice on it later.”
“No problem, I’ll be right back.” Applejack said, turning and heading to the kitchen.
“Luckily, I can still write those letters tonight.” Twilight levitated a scroll to herself from the desk on the other side of the room. Then her magic reached for a quill and inkpot.
It wasn’t there. She looked over at the desk, and the ink pot was on the wrong side.
“Applejack?” Twilight called.
Applejack came back into the room with a bandage in her mouth. “Mmmph?”
“Did you move my inkpot?”
Shaking her head, AJ set down the bandage and looked at the desk. “No… that’s strange.”
“Somepony moved Twilight’s ink pot?”
Twilight and Applejack looked at each other. There was no way that either of them would put it in the wrong place.
“Well… the house was full of foals all day.” Twilight said, magically lifting the bandage and wrapping it around her ankle.
“No way. I made sure your desk was set up when we were cleaning up. I know how you are about that, Twilight,” Spike insisted.
“Maybe you… didn’t notice?” Twilight suggested.
Spike shot Twilight a look. “I’ve only been your assistant my whole life.”
“Okay,” Twilight conceded. “But, it’s just an ink po—”
“It’s the ghost!” Spike shouted, suddenly under his pillow.
“There’s no ghost, Spike.” Applejack trotted over and gave him a nuzzle. “Come on now, you’re way too grown up to be believin’ somethin’ like that.”
“Then tell me who put Twilight’s clothes outside? And who took the wreath? And who moved Twilight’s ink pot AJ? WHO MOVED TWILIGHT’S INK POT?!” Spike yelled into Applejack’s befuddled face.
“I— I dunno, Spike, but it ain’t that big a problem. It’s only on the other side of the desk,” Applejack pointed out.
“Yeah, Spike,” Twilight tried to comfort from her pillow. “Something weird is going on, but it’s not like it’s hurting anypony.”
“Your ankle…” Spike pointed at Twilight. “The ghost tripped you!”
Twilight laughed and shook her head. “A tree root tripped me. That’s not weird, that’s just what happens when you don’t look where you’re going.”
“Well, I’m not sleeping by myself tonight,” Spike said, crossing his arms.
Twilight glanced at Applejack, who was cringing slightly. She remembered their plans for later, and that a baby dragon in the room was definitely going to put a stop to that tonight.
“But Spike, you’ve got a perfectly good room.”
“Yeah, a room alone. I’m, like, ghost bait there!” Spike pleaded.
“Come on now, Spike,” Applejack said, wrapping a leg around his shoulder. “You’re a big pon— er, dragon. You know better than all this.”
“Yeah, all the more tempting for the ghost to eat me!”
Twilight rolled her eyes. “Spike, ghosts do not eat baby dragons.”
“How would you know? You don’t even believe in them!”
Twilight looked at AJ, who shrugged and nodded in defeat. Twilight sighed. “Okay, Spike. Just for tonight. I’ll move your bed in there when we go up.”
Twilight levitated the incorrectly placed ink pot and quill over as Applejack sat down next to her, leaning against her and carefully avoiding Twilight’s bad leg. The press of her wife’s body felt safe and warm to Twilight, and she nuzzled AJ for a few moments, leaving the ink and quill hanging there, half forgotten.
Applejack gave Twilight a soft kiss and whispered, “Maybe you can pencil that in tomorrow night, instead?”
“Count on it,” Twilight murmured, smiling as she returned her attention to her correspondence.