-----------Six Years Later-----------
Twilight nibbled on the end of her pencil as she looked over her notes on the formulas for transmutation, "X-squared times the cosign over four-point-seven-three-eight divided..."
*Clunk...clunk...clunk*
She was brought out of her review by the approaching sound of hoofsteps coming up the library stairs. Judging from the slow, heavy rhythm, it was safe to assume that the pony was tired.
She was proven right when an exhausted Spike came into view, arms hanging limply at his sides and face shrouded by his mane, "Spike?"
A groan was the reply, "I dunno what's more mind-numbing; politics, or the politicians."
"What happened? Or do I want to know?" Twilight watched as he trudged over to the couch, dropping into it with a muffled 'flumpff'.
Spike chuckled weakly, "Depends. You interested in knowing about how one of the nobles-and I use that term REEEEEALLY loosely- spent almost an hour yakking away at how apples gave her -and I quote- 'tremendous gastric distress', AKA: they make her blow like a foghorn." He smirked a bit at the gigglefit Twilight fought to subdue, "And therefore should be banned or at least heavily taxed to discourage their presence in Canterlot."
"Y-You're joking.." She said, a look of abject disbelief plastered on her face.
"That's the same expression Mom gave her when she was done. She even flat out asked her if she really was joking; right before shooting her 'request' down." He sighed and leaned back into the cushions , unknowingly slumping up against Twilight. Missing the squeak of surprise when he did, he continued, "After that it was having to listen to them nitpick over piddly stuff like if the new property tax should be two-point-one-three or two-point-one-four percent, what shades of blue and green should be allowed as house paint, one even wanted to make it fine-able to do a raspberry. " His head lolled onto her shoulder with an exhausted sigh, unknowingly causing her to blush brightly. After a moment he turned to look at her, "Twilight?'
"Y-yes, Spike?" She stammered.
He sat back up, still facing her "Waddayasay we take a break from all of this?"
"A day off? F-From what?"
"We've been studying for the last six years, right?" At her nod he continued, "In all that time, not once have we just taken a day or two off from these lessons. Don't tell me you haven't at spent at least a couple of hours going over at things while you're home."
"Well..y-yeah, but I want to make sure I understand it all.."
"And there's nothing wrong with that, Twi." He replied, using the nickname he had come up for her during their time together, "But every day can't be healthy, for either of us. Heck, even on days you aren't here, the teachers Mom hired have me practicing on stuff or going over laws and treaties when she's not. I mean, it wouldn't hurt to skip it all for one day and just be a couple of kids, wouldn't it?"
Twilight bit her lip in thought, in a way he did have a point; she hadn't really taken a break from the books even if it was just an hour or so. In hindsight, she was kinda surprised neither of them had succumbed to burnout yet. Maybe taking a day off wouldn't be TOO bad...would it? "What...what'd you have in mind?'
Spike scratched his chin for a second, "I got it! The Nightmare Night Carnival'll be in Canterlot tomorrow. We can get there early and spend the whole day checking it out. Mom'll be on that walk she takes every year and I'm sure your parents'll let you go to it with me if you ask."
Twilight's eyes widened for a second, "Is..is he asking me..?" She quickly banished the notion from her head and chided herself, "Don't be stupid, Sparkle! There's no way...he's just suggesting something we can do to unwind from all the studying we've been doing, that's all...that's all... Ok, Spike. I'll...I'll see if they're ok with it when I get home today."
"All right! The carnival's supposed to start up around Ten in the morning and Mom'll be heading out before then. So, I'll meet up with you after she leaves? We can snag some breakfast on the way."
"Ok, sure." She nodded, a little more eagerly than she had intended. This was going to be the first time she'd ever gone to anything like a fair or festival with somepony besides her parents; provided they gave the ok, at least, "We should probably go ahead and get a something done while we can."
"Well...what were you working on when I came up?" Spike asked, looking at the papers still in her lap as their talk slowly moved to the new subject .
-----------Next Morning-----------
"Ohh, my baby's growing up!" Velvet squealed as she watched Twilight brush her mane in the bathroom mirror, "Her first date!"
"M-MOM!" Came the startled reply, accompanied by the clatter of the dropped brush, "It-it's not a date! I told you and Dad last night; Spike and I are just going to the carnival to unwind some from all the lessons and studying. It's just something between two friends, that's all..."
Velvet simply chuckled, "Pull the other one, honey. A mother knows these things."
"Well, currently MY mother is reading way too much into it!" She gave the older mare an exasperated look before retrieving the brush.
"Twilight! Spike's here!" Night Light's voice called out from downstairs.
"What!? He's early!" She yelped, rushing to get her teeth done, causing Velvet to shake her head in amusement.
"A mother knows these things." She repeated, watching her daughter finish and barrel past, almost bowing over a half-asleep Shining Armor in her mad dash.