//------------------------------// // Nothing (Slice of Life) // Story: Equestria's Tales // by DouglasTrotter //------------------------------// The guttural tone echoed down the hallway after the two sturdy doors closed. A minute passed, and the same sound resounded throughout the crystal castle's hallways. "Yesh, Twilight. If you ask me, it's kinda nice there's nothing going on. No monsters. No big Fights. No imminent 'world on the verge of destruction' problem coming our way. Relax. Wanna watch the hoof ball game with me? The Manehatten Stallions are playing the Las Pegasus Colts." Spike said. "Bored..." Twilight said before she let out another groan. Her eyes glanced around the castle before she entered the library. "I've read all these books. All. Of. Them. When is that map going to call for me. I'm the blasted friendship princess here." "Uhh..." Spike said. "Sorry. It's just so infuriating to sit here doing nothing. I wonder how Princess Celestia didn't lose her mind doing these things. Hey, maybe I could --" Twilight said. Spike shook he head, "Can't, remember. She's off on a diplomatic mission to Saddle Arabia. Princess Luna is in the Griffon Kingdom, and Princess Cadence is in Yak Yakistan." Twilight rolled her eyes. "BORED!" Spike scratched his head. The little dragon moved further into the library, and then tapped a gentle claw against the glass case. "Do not get me started on that... 'thing.'" Twilight said before she buried her head into her hooves. She moved her head to one side, a lone eye glaring at the strange rock with the three crystals protruding from it. "I've tried to analyze the rock from top to bottom. Every test I've run comes back inconclusive. Not to mention the fact I've exhausted every piece of literature here and half the Canterlot Library. Moon Dancer tried too. She gave me some info with Azeroth's memory transference spell, but I got nothing." "We could --" Spike said. "No. I'm not watching hoofball. Go call up my brother and Big Macintosh if you want to watch that ridiculous sport." Twilight said. "Hey, it's not ridiculous. Besides, I was gonna say we could nab a snack and hit up the bookstore." Spike said. Twilight sighed once more. Her head flopped onto the table where she then buried her face back into her hooves. Spike shrugged at his friend. The door to the library opened and closed, soon followed by the castle's front door. Nine books floated by, and then twenty more. Twilight's head rose up and looked at the books floating above. Their covers reflected off her eyes. Several books continued to float by until they stopped. On the thirtieth book, the pony's magical grasp loosened. The book fell. Twilight darted towards the glass case, catching the stone before it fell to the ground. "..." Twilight's right eye crept open. She squinted at the rock. "O for Celestia's sake --" Twilight ended with a slight sigh before levitating the rock back onto the pedestal, "--well, that's what I get for thinking like a filly. Dumb rock." With the rock placed back on the pedestal, the glass case back over it, Twilight's ears perked up. She darted down the hallway and towards the front door "Yes?!" Twilight said, ending with a large smile as the large crystalline doors were flung open. "Sorry, Princess Twilight." Derpy said with a sheepish grin. She pulled a small parcel out of her bag. "I meant to deliver this to you. It's from the Doctor." "Please, please, come in." Twilight said, tugging on Derpy's front hooves. "I can't. I really have to get going. The boss didn't receive my note to requisition some time off. I'm way behind on my deliveries." Derpy said. "It's alright. I'm sure he'll be happy to let you stay for a bit." Twilight said, smiling with her eyes closed. The weight in her hooves vanished. Her right eye twitched when she opened it, her ears lowering. She slammed the castle door shut then looked at the small parcel. "At least I got something to read." Twilight smiled as she trotted towards library with the small parcel levitated in front of her. The thin twine knot undid itself. The brown wrapping paper came off. Unwrapped, the thirty-two page paper reflected off of the pony's eyes. "This is rather interesting. Applejack did say The Doctor analyzed the rock during the bugbear attack. His dissertation at the Canterlot University of Magical Study on conversion theories through resonance fields pertaining to ethereal wave patterns was rather interesting. Yay... science." Twilight said in a quiet giddy tone, a smile to match. She floated to her couch. The thick stack of papers floated in front of Twilight, her eyes carefully looking at each word that followed. "Princess Twilight Sparkle. I am terribly sorry at the negligent manner in which I conducted my experiment on specimen A00253, which has been rightfully turned over to you. It was through the course of the experiment that an unforeseen consequence caused a cascade of catastrophic calamities. If you would find it in your heart to... well, not have me disbarred from the scientific community, it would be greatly appreciated. My experiments were of the utmost importance on the 'rock' in question from your acquaintance, Ms. Applejack. I found her saddle bag...." In the library's corner, a clock's pendulum swung back and forth. Each tick from the time piece became less and less audible to Twilight's ears. The words reflected off her stalwart eyes. The pony let out a deep yawn. She continued to read then dropped the paper on the table in front of her, the second to last page causing a nervous twitch to come to her right eye. "A thirty-page apology?!" Twilight said. Her manicured hooves slid down her face. She groaned. "Well, that's thirty pages down and -- for Celestia's sake! A one and a half page summary of materials destroyed in the process." The stack of papers sailed through the air before landing on a nearby desk. Twilight's heavy hoof steps echoed inside the library as she marched towards the stone on the pedestal. Her bloodshot eyes glared at the object. "Dumb. Rock." She said under a heavy, heated breath. Twilight's ears perked up. She smiled. She darted towards the door after the heavy knock and flung open the doors. Her smile faded. "Sorry," Derpy said while she held out a clip board, "you forgot to sign for your package." "Uggg..." Twilight said, taking the pen in her magical grasp. "Umm, Princess Twilight Sparkle?" Derpy said. Twilight turned around, faced the grey mare and raised an eyebrow. "You can call me Twilight." "Sorry, Twilight. The Doctor wanted to know if you found his notes helpful." Derpy said. "Helpful? How in Equestria can I find that stack of papers helpful? It's nothing but a long winded apology. Where did that stallion even receive his degree?" Twilight said. Derpy's ears lowered, "I'm sorry. The Doctor hoped you would find his notes interesting and asked me to deliver that parcel to you." "No, I should be the one apologizing. I'm just so bored -- wait, what notes are you talking about?" Twilight said. "The notes he gave to Applejack. Didn't she give them to you." Derpy said. Twilight froze. Small embers emerged from her tail. Derpy's eyes widened before she reared back, galloping away. In a thunderous, bellowing voice, Twillight cried out, "APPLEJACK!"