Spike actually forgot about the party cannons. Which was why he charged through the castle like a dragon possessed. He exhaled in relief when he found Twilight covered in confetti but by and large unharmed.
Twilight took one look at him and started laughing.
'You look how I felt Spike.'
Spike walked into the empty room and gave her an annoyed look. The vault ceiling was only slightly lower than the rest of the castle. But the room had a set stairs hinting at a second floor.
'Huh, I didn't think there was a second floor.'
Twilight got off the ground and shook of the confetti. Spike was walking to the stairs but not before pointing at his head. Twilight ruffled her mane before letting her magic float the remaining mess out of her hair.
'I remember spotting a balcony when I flew around the castle a few days ago. When I landed on the balcony to the second floor the doors were locked and I could not spell them to unlock. I've been hunting for this room ever since.'
Spike started going up the stairs. At once he avoided a second party canon.
'Why did Pinkie think to put cannons up here? There is nothing else up here. It's just an empty room with the doors I think you were talking about.' Spike announced as he went to the crystal clear doors that led out side. A crystal latch was unlocked with a single clawed finger. Out side he could see most of Ponyville below him. He could even see parts of the Everfree Forest. Twilight walked next to him and looked around.
'I'm not sure. Pinkie likely thought the more cannons the better. Well that is one mystery solved. Let's get back in side Spike. It is still cold.' The sun was just barely clearing the horizon and the cool air would not last long. Spike decided to close the door in case an opened door would heat up the castle.
'I never did ask you how the search at the Castle of the Two Sisters went. I assumed you found something since you brought so many books.'
Twilight thought about the thick tomes and sighed. 'Nothing concrete. I had an idea of what I was looking for but I did not find anything about runes. I did manage to salvage some tomes in decent condition from under some rotting shelves. The magic to sustain them was fading so I brought them first. I think we should go back for the rest tomorrow. There are plenty of things that can still be salvaged. It's amazing what Celestia and Luna did to protect the castle from the elements, even after all this time.'
'I can see if we can get the wagon for tomorrow.' Spike offered eagerly.
Twilight laughed to herself.
'You and that wagon. But it might be a good idea. If we really wanted to start salvaging we would need a few days and some hands to get it done.' Twilight thought about it before shaking her head. 'Actually for that level of excavation I will need to consult Celestia first. It is her property. Never mind that it has been sitting there for centuries.'
'Well if that is the case, I suppose I can finish up the library. It's not done yet but we already have people coming in.' Spike informed her.
'That is good to hear. Did anyone who had a book when our tree-' Twilight's voice hitched a moment, 'was destroyed return them?'
Spike nodded as he patted her shoulder for support. He guided her to the library and went to the opened ledger at the door. 'A few people did already. Its a good thing, but there were not that many books out when it- happened.'
Spike gave her an apologetic look before Twilight shook her head. 'It is fine Spike. There are just some moments where it hits me unexpectedly.'
A gentle knock on the door frame made them both look to the entrance. Applejack stood there shyly with her hat off her head and in front of her chest. 'Pardon the intrusion Twilight, but I couldn't help hearing. Are you alright?'
Spike answered for her. 'She will be now that you are here, was there anything we can do for you Applejack?'
Applejack saw the distraction for what it was and played along.
'I wanted to invite you both out for a lunch. I'm in town dropping my sister off and have not made the trip to spend time with you both outside of meetings.'
The by-play was long enough for Twilight to regain her composure. Spike looked at her and smiled. 'Twilight is free, go have fun girls. I still have work to do.'
Spike jumped off the stool and went deeper into the library. Before he left he turned to them while waving. 'She needs to be back before dark. Don't let her talk to too many colts, or they will get the wrong idea. And make sure she eats something.'
Spike and Applejack traded grins before Twilight was pulled out of the castle in mid-protest.
Spike looked back to all the books he still had to sort. A large contingent of the library had not been organized from Celestia's library and he knew of half a dozen books were only for Twilights eyes only. Spike looked at the ladder and the one floor in the library that had no steps leading to it. It was only accessible through flight.
'Looks like I got my hands full figuring out how to get up there.'
Several hours later the library had turn into a maze of tables turned ramps and chairs turned steps. Spike left the mess as is, as he kept finding more and more books that would need to go to Twilights personal library.
'Hiya Spike! Watcha doin?'
Spike looked up from the book he was reading. And waved at the three girls below him. He had taken a break on top of one of the book shelves near the top of the maze, just three table turned ramps below Twilights designated library. Too lazy to get down to get food, Spike had chosen to simply open a book and read for a break.
'Hello crusaders, I am just up here sorting books for Twilight. What brings you all in?'
Spike got up and started making his way down the ramps with the book still in hand. It would not do to leave it on top of the shelves and forget where he put it among the other stacks of books.
'We were actually looking for a book on the seasons. We were just assigned a report!' Scootaloo answered for the group. Spike ran through the list of books and sighed. The section on the weather was on a high shelf near the back.
'I'll get it. It is pretty high and I wouldn't want any of you to get hurt if you fell. The ladders we have are not really good.'
Spike looked at the group and repressed a grin. Their faces were mutinous. Spike led the girls to the back and pointed to the shelf. The books related to the seasons were near the top on some very old bookshelves that were at least 6 ponies high.
'See what I mean? Give me a second I'll get a ladder and get them for you. Anything specific you need?'
The girls were craning their heads back but it was Applebloom who answered. 'We are doing a report on the summer rains.'
Spike scaled the ladder and found himself in front of several books and picked one that had larger print and was geared towards school foals. He waved the book at the group and had started to make his way down when Sweetie Belle announced. 'I can get it! I have practiced what you showed me Spike!'
Spike had experienced this moment enough time to know how this would play out, even as he let go he felt the book come alive and pull him towards the ground. Half a second later he realized the ladder flung backwards into the adjacent bookshelf. The girls screamed as both book shelves started to rock. In mid-fall Spike shouted, 'Sweetie Belle push them.' as he was looking towards Applebloom and Scootaloo. Obediently Sweetie Belle used her magic to push her friends out of the collapsing book shelves. Spike landed next to her on shaky legs and looked up. He pulled Sweetie Belle closer to him before he felt his chest bubble with fire. Spike spat a glob of magic that hit the books above the pair. Spike kept breathing fire as more and more books began to fall on them. With each book that entered his fire they turned into fine smoke. When there were not more books directly falling on them, Spike looked to see a shaken Sweetie Belle in his arms. He sighed in relief when he saw she wasn't hit by anything. He looked to his right and saw the two other girls both shaken but relieved that they and their friend was safe.
Spike patted Sweetie Belle gently. 'That was a great job Sweetie Belle, you were quick on your hooves and saved your friends. I wouldn't have been able to protect all of you if you didn't save them.'
Sweetie Belle felt her self tear up slightly. 'But your books!'
Spike smiled reassuringly. 'Thanks for reminding me Sweetie Belle. Excuse crusaders, this is not going to be pleasant for me.'
Spike went over to an open spot beyond the aisles and belched. Green fire reformed into books and with each belch more and more books appeared. Spike coughed when the last book left his breathe. 'I'm going to need to drink a lot of water, that was gross. What?'
Spike looked at the girls in confusion. Sweetie Belle looked horrified. Scootaloo looked fascinated. Applebloom answered for them in shock and confusion. 'What?'
'I can breathe letters into smoke and send them. I thought you know that already.'
The girls sighed and slumped together. Scootaloo looked at the books that Spike had belched out. 'No spit, or singe marks, or nothing.'
Spike looked annoyed at the comment. 'I'll have you know my fire is the fastest mode to send letters. Granted I never really thought to send anything else that way. But books are paper so I figured it would work.'
Applebloom looked indignant for Sweetie Belle who thought of the books falling on them. 'Wat if it didn't?' Applebloom cried at him.
Spike looked at the girls non-pulsed. 'I would have burned them. I wasn't going to let anything hurt you girls. The books are important, but never as important as you three.'
Spike turned back to the books and already thought it would be better to get the shelves looked at before putting anything back on them. He was confident he heard a crack during that fall. He felt the girls following him as he worked out a plan. Finally after a few moments of them not moving he figured that everything was safe enough for now.
'Girls, lets go get some cocoa. You look like you all have something you want to say.' The girls nodded while still unsure what to say to Spikes' declaration. At the library doors, Spike locked the doors and flipped a hanging sign next to the door to closed.
Cocoa was served minutes later. Spike sat on his stool and watched all three girls patiently. Whatever was bothering them, they would need to work it out on their own. Rushing them to ask something they did not know how to articulate would do no one any favors.
The girls had shared glances at each other and looked to be having a silent conversation and obviously arguing by the looks of their eyes as all three of them took turns going wide eyed. It was eventually broken when Scootaloo realized she finished her drink. She looked at the girls and noticed they had nearly finish theirs too. All three girls noticed Spike had not touched his. He just sat there patiently waiting for them.
Finally Scootaloo asked, 'Is it really O.K. to just... What I mean- Why are we so important?'
Spike smiled slightly. 'Why do you place more value on anything else?'
'But those look really old. And Princess Twilight said that most of those books were given to her by Princess Celestia!' Sweetie Belle added. Applebloom nodded her agreement.
Spike pursed his lips while looking at them. 'Scootaloo, there is nothing more important than any foal in Equestria.' Spike leaned back and looked at the ceiling. 'You girls are the future. It doesn't matter what we loose so long as you all remain safe. And yes Sweetie Belle it was an accident, you didn't loose control. I knew what was about happen because Twilight does it often enough with out thinking, we were just unfortunate we were in the middle of an aisle when it happened.'
Applebloom sipped the last of her cup and looked longingly at the black powder. Spike laughed as he offered the girls more. They nodded but the break didn't seem to alleviate their apprehension. While his back was to the stove where he magically heated the water faster than the stove could he heard an intake of breath and a pause before Applebloom asked, 'Why do you need to be the one that protects us, I mean there are three of us, why couldn't we have protected you from the fall or the books. You asked Sweetie Belle and she reacted, but me and Scoots could only get pushed around.'
Spike humm'ed to himself as he mixed the powder into the heated water. The girls added their own marshmallows and it gave Spike to sort out what they were really asking. They had asked why he had to protect them, why they were so important, were they concerned that he placed his self in danger?
Finally it hit him.
'How old do you girls think I am?'
The girls all looked up caught in their own mid thoughts. 'I don't know Spike, I always thought you were pretty close to how old we are.' Sweetie Belle answered. It apparently was an approximation the group agreed on since they all nodded their heads.
'So I guess it would be a shock to say I am just a couple of years younger than Twilight.'
Spike scratched his cheek and finally sipped his cold cup of cocoa. Judging by their looks it did.
'For a test to enter the academy, Twilight was asked to test her magic against an object that had an incredible resistance to magic. It was a dragon egg. Her magic was so strong she hatched my egg. She was very young, far younger than you three are right now when I was born. Her ability allowed her to be apprenticed to Princess Celestia. I know some people still call me a "baby dragon" but really that is more a remark about my size not my age.'
The girls mulled over the facts while Spike excused himself. He walked to the library while thinking of the group. The girls were young and naïve. Very much like he was at times but clearing the air about those misconceptions will hopefully get them to understand why he thought he would put himself before them. He may be a "baby" but they were young. Spike found a different season book than the one they picked and pulled it out of the pile. He had lost track of their first pick and it would take too long to find it now. He spotted his own book and tucked them both under his arm as he left the library. When he went back into the kitchen he found Twilight, Apple Jack and Rarity with the crusaders. Twilight turned to him but was relieved to see he was alright.
'Spike! The girls said the bookshelf collapsed?'
Spike nodded and handed her a book he was going to read himself. 'Yeah but there was no lasting damage Twilight. I was more worried the girls were hurt than anything. Here, this might help you out with that project.'
Spike continued to talk to Twilight and the crusaders watched him. It never occurred to them that Spike talked to Twilight as an equal. They had assumed that he just worked for her, or maybe they thought themselves as brother and sister. But the two stood there and talked about something related to runes and other words they did not recognize. It really sank in.
Spike was an adult.
Huh.
Rarity interrupted the groups' thoughts. 'Well darlings, it is time to go home. It will be getting dark soon and I know Apple Jack and Apple Bloom will have a ways to go before going home. Will you need someone to escort you home Scootaloo?'
Scootaloo watched the sisters pair off and her wings pulled themselves closer to her body and she felt her self shrink slightly. She started to reply with a, 'No-'
'I'll walk her home Rarity. We need to go over some things about the season book for their report. The book they chose is a little higher reading level than they are used to.' Spike nodded to the rest of the girls and grabbed the book before standing next to Scootaloo. 'Shall we?'
Scootaloo nodded mouth too dry to say anything.
The sun was setting. The sky turned into several shades of orange and red. Scootaloo had always like this time of day that blend into the same color as her coat. But at the moment she could not bring her self to enjoy it. It never felt good to be escorted by one of her friends sisters. She was grateful to Spike for volunteering to walk her home.
Spike guided Scootaloo to her home, a small wooden cabin that was donated to the girl when her parents passed away. Several families took turns watching over her, but she had refused adoption. Most understood and watched her as they were able. The home itself was a small building near a large tree that offered additional protection from the elements. The home was made of steady wood and painted an array of colors thanks to Scootaloo's artistic talents when she was smaller.
'Are you listening Scootaloo?' Spike asked easily. Held the book opened to the back index and had circled three entries for her and her friends to look at when they do their report.
'I am now. I am sorry Spike. I've just been thinking about. Well what you said. It doesn't feel like you are really old. Ya know?'
Spike smiled at her. The look made Scootaloo feel really young. Spike ruffled the mane on the top of her head. 'Its normal. And I'm not really surprised you did not know. I am positive most of the girls have never made the connection.' He looked away wistfully and Scootaloo just had another epiphany.
Rarity.... She does not know. Scootaloo remained silent the rest of the way while Spike showed her a few parts in the back of the book where they can start their research for their report.