Canterlot was becoming more and more complete by the hour... the buildings nowhere near as toppled, and the skies no longer smoked with ash. The sun was just reaching it's highest point, and thank Celestia, it had at least been made presentable that night of the true wedding. Most of the ponies just went about their daily business... back to their normal lives.
The only real thing left laying about was probably the obscene number of unfilled craters, left by the changelings prior to their exodus at the hand of Cadence, and Shining Armor's love for one another. As numerous ponies ran about, helter scelter, in order to fill them in before any real cargo arrived to travel the roads... couldn't have say, a wagon tipping over, and spilling it's contents while on the simplest of strolls up the road.
Almost into the afternoon, the market places have reopened for business, being as Canterlot was nearly back to it's usual working capacity.
"Uhhmm...", came a familiar voice, "Perfect!", it sounded happy... well why wouldn't Twilight Sparkle be, when she is more than ahead of schedule, "With B Team complete filling in the upper part of Canterlot, you can begin filling in the craters in the lower part of Canterlot.", she smiled.
"You got it miss Sparkle... we'll be done by dinnah time.", a rugged, tough-looking construction worker answer, quite confident when he broke away from her, rejoining his own work force.
"Ha, can you believe how fast all the repairs are going around here?", Spike asked, walking on her other side, "Its a good thing the Princess made you head of scheduling.", he pointed the quill pen to her, and winked.
The purple Unicorn blushed a bit, looking away, "Oh Spike, I'm sure anypony could lay out a well organized work plan, just as god as I can.", she smiled, her eyes closed, and very happy.
"Well I doubt it... no pony's as organized as you... no pony could even come CLOSE.", he smiled, however rolling his eyes. Spike knew better than to question Twilight, and her odd desire to be completely organized... bottom line, it wasn't good for his health.
It wasn'y long until their stroll led them back onto the main road toward the palace, the Broadway of Canterlot one might say. And while Twilight was busy looking about, seeing all the reparations being made far ahead of schedule... Spike was a tad bit quiet.
"... Hey Twilight... you get the feeling... Uh, I don't know... that something bad might come of what happened... yesterday?", he scratched the top of his head with the sharp end of the quill, brushing back his frills, and tingling his scales uneasily.
"Hm?", she looked down to him, "What'ya mean?", her question seemed unconcerned, "Oh.", she smiled, rolling her eyes, "I'm sure it was just Somepony trying to take advantage of the averted crisis.", she stopped at a major intersection, her eyes low with confidence... seeing as the world around them was straight peaceful, "I mean come on...", she looked both ways, before they both crossed... well... Spike was lagging behind her a little, "What could possibly be worse than the Changeling Queen?"
"Woah!", Spike dodged a wagon wheel that had passed by rather closely... as the streets were nearly packed like they normally should be, "Well!... It's just... you're not the least bit worried? I mean... that guy didn't look like he was joking around..."
However, Twilight merely chuckled, "That guy also happened to be an esteemed criminal, who happened to be more focused on Rainbow Dash, than the Princess' crown.", her eyes were low, her smile... quite amused. Twilight seemed to still be so happy after the wedding.
Spike stopped at yet another green light on the main road, "Uh, really?... I thought he was looking at you more?...", he scratched his forehead again, but then perked, "Maybe he thought you were something else?"
Her eyes perked wide open, a sudden blush heating up on her cheeks... why was it so embarrassing... she highly doubted it anyway. So she just laughed nervously, "Oh Spike... you know I don't have time for that kind of thing.", she soon raised her head high, "Aaand-besides... he wasn't really my type.", she entered a trot, her dragon following as close as he could, "A little too loose canon for me.", she rolled her eyes... she was being a bit too kind.
"But what about Celestia doubling the guard?", this did make the mare stop mid stride, and look back at him.
She tilted her head, one eye narrowing, looking up at the sky, "I'm sure Celestia's just a little overwhelmed is all.", and they continued.
"But who's They?", he followed up, "And why does he want the crown?", he had to run to catch up at some points of their short little journey.
But Twilight merely sighed, looking aside, "I don't know the answer to all your questions, Spike...", before she huffed, "Nor do I think we should all barricade the streets because of some optimistic Colt, trying to make a quick bit off the Princess' crown.", it wasn't like Twilight was being unreasonable, her belief was very level-headed... nothing out of the ordinary to explain something that's received too much hype.
Spike however, panting, and sputtering as he caught up with her, "Well... I guess... you could be... right...", he sucked in a large gulp of air, before slouching against a roadside lamp, "Why are we in such a hurry?...", he asked.
"Huh?", Twilight looked back, still her smile quite enlightened, "Ohh that's right...", she rolled he eyes upon herself, before letting Spike hop up onto her back, "I forgot to tell you..."
"Tell me... what?", he asked, leaning forward, rubbing his head... Twilight sure trotted fast... she nearly K. him.
"My brother's coming home in a few days!", she announced excitedly... but then blushed rather sheepishly, as she drew attention... "Well... for another celebration."
"A bachelor party?", he perked up... but then he too smiled sheepishly.
"Ugh, noo...", she rolled her eyes with a soft smile, "Three days from now is Shining Armor's fifth anniversary as captain of the royal guard!", this time she wasn't as loud, just peppy about it, "And since he's gotten married, it makes it all the more special.", she crossed another intersection, approaching the palace.
"Sooo... why didn't we just have the wedding, and the party on the same day?", Spike asked when the doors opened for them, royal guards raising their spears, low smiles on their calm faced as Twilight, and Spike entered.
"Oh... well... I don know.", she answered passively, "Must be something to do with the type of ceremony. Liiike... a medal ceremony.", Twilight smiled widely, entering the stairwell.
"Heh... actually, that's exactly what it is.", she added after a moments walk up the winding steps, "The Silver Stallion.", she proudly put a hoof to her chest, "And Princess Celestia has asked me to look after it up until the ceremony begins.", she was more calm by now, more respectful, and polite... and quite... as she did not want to disturb any who may be on the other sides of the walls.
"So it's a high honor to get a Silver Stallion?", Spike asked, sitting up, touching his toes with a curious stare.
"Very high honor... it's not often someone's just given the highest Medal of Honor... they've had to have done numerous great deeds in their service to not only Princess Celestia... but Equestria as a whole.", she entered the main library, her view becoming that of one gigantic place... a good way to spend some of her own time, as something she usually did anyway.
After all, Twilight loved her books.
And it was quite the library indeed, a place she'd come many times before she moved to Ponyville. The last time she'd come here was quite a long time ago... at least by her memory. The day she learned Nightmare Moon was rising once again... which turned into one big adventure... one with which she met each and every one of her closest friends. Almost like a twist of fates. Well... perhaps to her it might have been.
"What are some of the things you're brother's done?", Spike asked, hopping off her back, taking a seat at one of the lounge areas, kicking back and resting the back of his head on his claws.
Twilight had already collected a few temporary reads... looking for a few she wanted to check out before they left for the rest of the afternoon. Flipping through the book at a rapid pace... picking certain chapters, and pages to sample... before she put them in one of two piles; The smaller Take-home pile... or the stack of put-backs. She stopped upon his asking.
"Well, lots of things... already you've seen how he and Cadence saved all of Canterlot from the changelings.", she smiled proudly of her brother.
"Yeah but... didn't YOU help with that one?", Spike asked, giving her a nonchalant look.
Twilight smiled softly, "But even I probably couldn't have pulled off something like that... the way my brother did.", she looked off to other parts of Library, "I mean... didn't you see how their magic together sent an entire Changeling army running with their thorax' between their legs?", Twilight was practicaly a pile of admiration by now.
Spike looked aside, "Right...", before he sat up, eyes perking up a little, "So what exactly are you looking for?", he gestured to her books.
Twilight set another two back onto a nearby shelf, "Well, Seeing as we'll be here til next week, seems like the best time to learn a few new spells or two."
There was a sudden rustle in the rear end of the library. Followed by a soft grumble, and grating... someone was instantly upset.
Spike perked, "You hear that?"
"I... think it came from the back of the room.", Twilight tilted her head, a brow raised, before they both approached, without much caution, but plenty of curiosity. They both stopped when they looked down at an old Unicorn.
"Ehh...", he stumbled about, before picking up one of the books of a fallen stack, "WEEllll them blasted'n... unsturdily... books!", he was quite aged, a senior one could say. He had a short beard across his face, and dark brown fur... a soft red cap atop his head, and oc course, dressed in very fine clothing.
Twilight gasped, "Dexter!", she hopped forward.
"Mmmm?", the old horse looked up, eyes squinty, "Is it...", he adjusted his glasses, "Ohhh... ahhh, the young... eh-Twilight Sparkle... has returned to my... eh library.", he could only smile so shortly, "Found what you're looking for?..."
When he reached down for another book, it levetated away from him, "Let us help you.", she smiled, "It's the least we could do.", Twilight knew him well, he was the only Pony in Canterlot who worked the palace Library for Princess Celestia... he'd worked here since he was a mere youngling. The dark red book, and candlelight on his flank marked him as an old timer... as both objects were a little old, and tattered.
"Ohhh thank you, little one...", he sighed softly, getting to his hooves rather slowly, "I'm afraid as I get older...", he raised one hoof to his eyes, "It becomes harder to... eh-manage a number of things...", he looked to them both, then to Spike, who ultimately followed through by re-stacking certain novels.
Twilight merely laughed softly to him, "You look tired, Dex...", she let her eyes close as she kept stacking books for the much older Unicorn... before she stopped, and took a little more time to look at them, "Um... all spell books?", but not just spells... specifically enchantment spells, "What are you looking for?"
Dexter, being so very slow, sat beside one of the big, articulate windows, overlooking Canterlot... he looked back to her.
"Ohhh the Princess asked for my... more... specialized knowledge...", he was a bit shaky, "Just had be work around... and look for a book... an enchantment that causes the... item to attack whoever isn't worthy to hold it...", he licked his dry lips, "However...", he began, "I've not found anything pertaining to it just yet..."
"An item that attacks somepony?", she cocked a brow.
As Spike was still piling up, and putting the books back into place, he looked back at them, "Who would make something like that?", he frowned, wobbling about a little on the stool, before putting another book away.
"Eh'well... the Princess told me... while she was in... the lady Cadenza's room... that she found an old ruby-stone, she did... had a message on it... but it only played... after she broke it apart...", he opened another book, his horn glowing, flipping the pages for him, "So far... all I've found are a few clues as to... who, or... what... even how such a thing could be created...", he swallowed very idly, before turning back to the book, his soft purple eyes scanning the page, "Yet... all I've found is... well... something Celestia would not enjoy...", he cleared his throat.
Twilight walked up beside him, "Well... what have you found?", she asked, looking over the same page with him.
"Well... contrary to what we've seen in theh past...", he squinted, pointed his hoof very slowly to several footnotes he had made in this one particular novel, "An enchantment... that lashes out at any unworthy adversary... eh'has been tampered with by dark magic... very powerful dark magic..."
"Well... Chrysalis could have enchanted it, couldn't she?"
However, the elder merely cleared his throat, his beard swaying in the rather quick movement of his head, "I'm afraid not...", he began, "While the Changeling Queen is strong... It is very unlikely she would have such knowledge... as to weaponize a small object... already containing a eh'message... is far easier said, than it is done..."
Twilight looked over a bit of texting, "So the object Celestia destroyed had a double enchantment?"
"Fairly so...", he nodded, "For one to keep the magic tuned to the finest mark, enough to fit another onto such a small object... eh'would take many years of training... and even so... one would require the most complex of spell books at their side... a resource... even the most wise of ponies would doubt Chrysalis would have in her possession...", he flipped the page, "Whoever gave her such an object... must be more attuned to the dark arts than she herself was..."
Twilight reared her head back a little, her ears falling a bit, questioningly reading off more of the inscriptions, "So... someone created it for her?... what did it have inside?"
Dexter looked away, "Princess Celestia has asked me to keep it a secret... but... as her apprentice...", he looked both left and right, "Perhaps I can give you a tip...", he chuckled, smiling softly, weakly getting to his feet.
Twilight looked up to him again as the book remained open to them both... her eyes narrowed in when the old Unicorn put a small, red shard up to her face.
"This is a piece of the ruby...", he told her, and leaned forward, "It contained a short message... to which Celestia believes someone had hinted off of your brother's wedding...", he swallowed again, before turning around, "She has become quite worried in the most recent of days, she has...", the small shard was set down onto the nearest table, beside a flower vase.
Twilight frowned, looking over the shard, before following the elder, the book in tow... and soon Spike, as he scrambled to finish reorganizing the shelves, "Wait up!"
"So if Chrysalis didn't know about the wedding... what pony would GIVE her that kind of information?", she asked... she began to ramble a tad bit. However... what she expected Dexter to know was a bit much... as the elder merely cleared his throat.
"Young one I wish I could give you that answer...", he dusted off one of the emptier shelves... before reeling back, and sneezing, "Oh!", he rubbed, and twitched his nose, "... If I knew the answer... you'd not have any worry of looking now... would you?", he gently re-adjusted a book that was just a little TOO slanted.
The mare lowered her head back agaisnt her, "Right...", she looked down to Spike, "Dex... if I asked nicely... would you mind me borrowing that book?", she gestured to the large floating novel they'd just gone through, "A lot of the text is in an older language... maybe I could translate it for you?", she smiled softly, "That way I'll have some way to help, and you can work on your library.", she flipped another page.
Dexter slowly began to stop his cleaning, perking a brow, before stroking his whitening beard, "Mmm... perhaps...", he mumbled, and then she mentioned his library... "Well... in that case, I do encourage.", he chuckled, turning to face her, smiling, "Be my guest, dear Twilight...", he nodded slowly... a gentle smile crossing his old, very aged face.
The mare giggled, before she herself took a levitational hold of the book, "Hold this for me Spike.", it drifting quickly, hovering over the smaller dragon.
"Whoa wait-WHAT?", it fell on top of him, a groan escaping from underneath.
"Dex, I'll let you know the second I find something useful!", she announced, her horn ceasing a magical flow, before she turned aside, trotting away. Behind her, the book was barely being lifted, as Spike scrambled to hoist it atop his shoulders.
"Come on Spike!", her voice shouted encouragingly.
"Almost!... There!", he grunted, breathing heavy as he waddled after her.
The older librarian chuckled, tipping his horn as they both left, "And feel free... eh'to visit any time now, darling.", he called, as loud as he possibly could at his age, "Anytime...", he turned away... to continue dusting the many shelves... for his age... he was highly considered a work-a-holic.
"Twilight!", Spike called out, barely getting through the double doors, "Wait up!", he huffed, and sputtered, breathing heavily to catch up to his marefriend.