Study Break
Sunlight poured through the window, filling the room with the golden glow of a summer afternoon, making the pale marble walls and floor shimmer softly. It played across dark wooden bookcases, a bed filled with rumpled blankets, and a figure who ignored the gentle warmth.
A wide table sat pushed up against the wall, its surface covered in a mountain of books, the volumes stacked in haphazard layers. Each tome bristled with ribbons, scraps of paper, the occasional feather and, in one case, a thinner book marking a spot between the pages. A drift of loose parchment and quills covered most of the remaining space, threatening at any moment to slide to the floor. A lexicon lay open on the edge, propped up by a sheaf of paper and held in place by the hoof of a purple unicorn.
Twilight Sparkle sat on a cushion before the low table, reading intently, eyes darting over the spidery writing. She turned the page with a light flicker of magic, and came to the end of the chapter on transmutation magic that had been the focus of her attention. She gently closed the book and shoved it back onto the table, ignoring the waterfall of loose vellum that slowly slid to the floor in a whisper of sound.
She sighed, leaning back slightly on the cushion, then hissed as a muscle between her shoulder blades spasmed. Getting to her hooves, she rolled her shoulders in circles to work out the kink and rubbed her bleary eyes with a foreleg.
“Ugh, how long have I been sitting there?” she mumbled to herself, glancing up at the open window. By the angle of the sun, it’s early afternoon, Twilight thought. Hours, then. She yawned widely, and glanced around the room that served as both her study and home.
Like most chambers at the School for Gifted Unicorns, it was cozy but airy, a high ceiling adorned with whorls of plaster and muted swirls of color. The sturdy furniture was covered with the detritus of her studies, books piled everywhere and spilling out of stuffed shelves. A wide spot of sunlight below the window glowed incandescently, a green and purple bump positioned squarely in the center. Twilight stepped over and nudged it gently with a hoof.
“Grntxl.” The bump moved slightly, the young dragon lifting his head and blinking sleepy green eyes up at her. “What, Twilight?” He yawned and stretched.
“Spike, I’m going to take a break from my reading. It looks like I missed lunch again.” Her stomach grumbled in agreement. “I’ll just go get something to eat and I’ll be back before Princess Celestia gets out of her meetings.”
Spike flopped his head back down against the warm stone and waved a claw idly. “Okay, I’ll be here.”
Twilight sighed in annoyance. “See if you can do something with all this mess, would you? I’d like it to be a little neater when the Princess arrives for this evening’s lesson.”
Spike rolled over and pushed himself into a sitting position as Twilight turned and began threading through the bibliophile’s nightmare that filled the room towards the door. “It wouldn’t be such a mess if you were a little more careful.” He grumbled under his breath as he stood and stretched. He looked around and shook his head as the door thudded closed behind the unicorn. “Where do I even start with this?”
***
Twilight paced through the wide hallways of the school that nestled around the foundations of the Canterlot palace. Sunlight streamed through numerous windows that looked out at the towering spires that filled the sky, her shadow dancing on the marble as she paced through the warmth. Her mind swirled with contemplations of her studies, her steps absentminded and directed by habit more than purpose. Chattering ponies crossed her path occasionally, singly or in small groups, and she nodded to them without slowing. She took no notice of their smirks at her behavior as she moved on in a thoughtful haze.
The soft texture of grass beneath her hooves gently pulled her out of her own thoughts. She looked around vaguely, gathering her wits. “Huh, this isn’t the mess hall,” she said to herself. She stood on the edge of an open park surrounded by stone walls and covered walkways that lead deeper back into the complex. Wide flower beds contained a riot of colorful blossoms, releasing perfume into the air. In the center of the clearing stood a tall tree, its leaves casting a wide circle of shade around its roots.
Twilight glanced into the hallway behind her as her stomach grumbled again. “Have I ever been here before? I wonder where I took a wrong turn...” She broke off as a light breeze swirled around her. Her nostrils flared as the scent of apples tantalized her senses. She breathed deeply, eyes half-closed, trying to find the source. She stepped further out into the grassy space.
Looking up, she realized that the branches of the tree were laden with apples, shining brightly against the dark green canopy. She moved underneath the boughs, blinking as she stepped into the shadow. Looking up at the fruit hanging so temptingly above, she bit her lip in contemplation.
“I wonder if it’d be okay if I had just one. It’s here on the grounds, surely they’re for anyone to enjoy.” She glanced around, but the clearing was empty of anyone but herself. No signs or markings declared ownership, no warnings or alerts proclaimed the tree as off-limits. Looking back up at the fruit, she nodded to herself. “Surely.”
A glow of violet gently wrapped itself around the nearest apple, and gently tugged it from its stem with a slight shaking of leaves. Lowering it to before her eyes, she studied it contemplatively. Its golden skin was shinier than any apple Twilight had seen before, reflective enough to throw back a warped image of her own face. She turned her head from side to side, marveling at how clear the reflection was and giggling softly at how silly it made her look.
The heavenly scent of the ripe apple tickled her nose as she hesitantly brought it to her lips. It smells so good. I bet it tastes... She opened her mouth and bit deeply into the crisp flesh. Sweet juice trickled down her chin as she chewed, closing her eyes in pleasure at the exquisite flavor and texture. This is the best apple I’ve ever had.
Twilight laid down on the plush grass and devoted herself to the apple, wholly absorbed in pleasure. A dozen small bites reduced the fruit to a bare core, as she carefully nibbled off every bit she could, not wanting to spill even a single drop of the sweet nectar. She carefully laid the core down between her hooves and sighed in happiness.
“I have never had an apple that delicious before,” she murmured to herself. “I should tell Spike about these; I’m sure he’d love...” She paused as she wrinkled her nose. She rubbed at her muzzle with a foreleg, sniffling. “Ah...” She shook her head. “Ah...!” She scrambled to her hooves and took a deep breath, clamping her eyes shut.
“AH-CHOO!” An almighty sneeze tore its way out of her throat.
White light seared her eyes, even through her eyelids. Twilight felt her mind swirl with vertigo as she felt a powerful magic field envelop her body.
***
Twilight staggered, her vision filled with spots and ears full of a dull roar. She stumbled to a halt and braced herself with a wide-legged stance, hanging her head and blinking furiously as her hearing slowly returned. Wobbling slightly, she rubbed her eyes with a foreleg and looked around. What was that light? And the magic pulse? What just... Her eyes grew wide as she caught her breath.
Blades of grass surrounded her, as tall as her shoulder and wide as her hoof. The trunk of the tree reared up above her, spearing towards the leaves that covered the sky. Twilight’s head swam with dizziness as she gaped upwards at the monolithic expanse of craggy bark and distant foliage. Shaking her head slightly in bewilderment, her gaze landed on the gnawed apple core that rested before her, now as large as her entire body.
Something’s strange about it. It must have caused this. Pacing forward, she examined its pale shape, looking more with her mind’s eye than her physical ones. A wisp of magic? There! The slight remnants of magic tickled her senses, dissipating slowly from the center of the core. It’s so faint, but... I’m guessing that the entire fruit had inherent magic?
Twilight stood back, thinking frantically. “All right. The apples have some kind of magic in them. And I ate one, and the magic is being released. So that means...” She broke off and felt her heart drop in her chest, gazing at the expanse of huge grass blades surrounding her.
“Oh dear.”
A scrabbling sound behind her caused her to look back over her shoulder. She shrieked in surprise, jumping away and tripping over her own hooves as she backed away from the base of the huge tree.
Clinging to the bark, claws digging in as it balanced, head towards the ground, a squirrel regarded the small unicorn cringing away from it. Its thickly furred body was many times larger than the pony, the fluffy tail alone longer than Twilight was from tip to nose. It sniffed the air curiously.
Twilight crouched down, ears laid back against her neck. “Good squirrel... Niiiiice squirrel.” It’s huge. No, I’m tiny. “Please don’t come any closer.” She swallowed nervously. Its teeth are so long.
The squirrel gazed at her a moment longer, then turned to sniff the apple core inquisitively. Snorting as if in disgust, it hopped over Twilight’s head, who ducked with a squeak. She followed its bouncing, bounding path with her gaze as it zipped over to the tall wall in moments. Claws finding hold, it scaled the rough stonework and disappeared over the top with a wave of its bushy tail.
Twilight plopped onto her haunches and sighed in relief. “Well, that could have gone much worse.” She levered herself back up and peered toward the distant walkway that surrounded the clearing, and the hallway that led back into the buildings. “I have got to get out of here, or I'm in big trouble. Big. Hah.” She bit her lip nervously. “It’s going to take a long time, though, with me at this size. And someone might spot me and start asking questions. Or NOT spot me and...” She shivered, then shook her head. “No time for that, though. It’s not getting any closer just standing here.” She began trotting, pushing through the grass.
It took several long minutes to slowly work her way back to the stone-paved walkway. She scrambled up the smooth curb with a complete lack of grace, hooves scrabbling against the stone as she hauled herself over the edge. Panting, she sprawled out for a moment. This is going to take forever!
The sound of hooves on stone echoed towards her, and she snapped her head up in shock. Jumping to her feet, she pressed herself against the nearby railing support, peering carefully around its base towards the source of the sound.
A pegasus stallion, dressed in the golden armor of the palace guards, paced down the center of the walkway, casually glancing around. From Twilight’s perspective, he was incredibly tall, her head barely reaching the level of the top of his hooves. She ducked back out of sight as he approached closer.
Oh dear. This place WAS guarded, but I somehow walked right past his patrol. She craned her neck to look up at the guard as he walked past, not seeing her small shape against the railing. The vibration from his hoofsteps made her vision dance as he progressed down the walkway. I’ve got to get past him.
She peered after him as he passed the entrance to the hallway that led into the building complex. Once he turns that corner ahead, I think I should be able to make it. I hope he doesn’t hear me. She readied herself. Okay, a little more...and...
“Ah...” Her nose tickled. Oh no, not now. “AH...” She covered her muzzle in vain with a foreleg, squeezing her eyes shut.
“AH-CHOO!”
***
The guard snapped his head up as a sneeze echoed down the roofed walkway, and a bright flash temporarily overwhelmed the warm sunlight pouring down from the sky. “Who goes there?!” he shouted in an authoritative voice. Spinning, he looked in all directions, seeing only empty hallways and sun-bathed grass. “Is someone there?”
He paced forward, eyes narrowed, and gazed down the hallway into the school, seeing no one. He continued moving around the walkway, stopping by the space in the marble railing to peer at the flower beds, in case someone was somehow hiding among the the lilies and marigolds. “You might as well come out.” Glancing around, his vision was once again met with a spectacular lack of anything, just empty space.
He stepped out onto the grass, blinking in the sunlight. He had the peculiar feeling that someone had walked past him, a subtle tingling on his neck, perhaps a light swirl of air. Looking around again, he frowned. “Maybe I should stop taking swing shifts. I must be getting tired.” He turned and paced back onto the shady walkway, pausing for a moment to cock an ear up. Silence filled the air.
“Gotta trade shifts with someone,” he grumbled. Turning, he resumed his patrol, muttering to himself under his breath. The tapping of his hooves and his voice as he talked to himself echoed softly from the floor and walls. As he moved beyond the hallway, he failed to notice the sound of hurrying hooves on stone coming from the empty corridor.
***
Twilight ran on, insubstantial as a shadow. That was pure luck. Invisibility! I don’t even know how to cast this spell. What a range of effects the magic in that apple seems to cause! Though it's completely uncontrolled, I'll take being invisible over being tiny. She moved through the hallways, finding herself just slightly off from the paths she knew well. Occasionally she slowed, walking lightly and silently as other ponies moved past. Some of them seemed to sense her presence, lifting their heads up and glancing around. She held her breath at those times, pressing against the wall and willing her pounding heart to slow down. Eventually they would move on, looking disturbed or distracted.
Oh, I hope this spell sticks around; I’ll be back at my room in no time. She paced down a wide hallway bracketed with tall narrow windows, light white curtains blocking some sunlight. I don’t even cast a shadow like this, she thought, pausing in one of the pools of light on the floor. I wish I had time to experiment a little.
Ahead, a pair of wooden double doors stood open, a wide chamber visible beyond. Chattering voices, occasionally raised in laughter, echoed towards Twilight. The common room, and of course it’s full of the other students. I should be able to slip past them easily, as long as I don’t bump into anypony. She quietly paced forward to the doorway, leaning out to peek around the jamb.
The room was filled with an assortment of furniture covered in papers, loose journals and quills. A small herd of unicorns, stallions and mares, was scattered around, some talking animatedly to one another while others read or experimented with small spells. The air was filled with noise, and Twilight crinkled her nose. How can any of them study with all that racket? I’d much rather have my quiet room-
A tickle in her nostrils bit into her thoughts. Snorting, she shook her head and backed away from the doorway. Oh no, please. The stabbing sensation intensified as she retreated down the hallway, panic rising. “Ah...” She looked around frantically, but there was nowhere to hide in the long, empty corridor. “Ahhh...” Catching her breath, her gaze fell on the ceiling-to-floor length curtains hanging beside one of the windows. Diving between them, she pressed herself against the hot glass and buried her face in the fabric.
“AH-CHOO!”
***
Magic swirled around her once more, and her vision was filled with sparkles and sunspots as a flash slightly brightened the sunny hall. Reeling with dizziness, she released the curtain and desperately turned her ears towards the doorway. The chatter continued unabated. They must not have heard me.
Sighing in relief, Twilight rubbed her eyes, then stopped. Gazing down at her leg, her eyes widened as she realized that her purple coat now seemed to be a brilliant crimson. Looking back at herself, she saw her entire body was now red, her tail also the hue of ripe cherries. Her star-shaped mark stood out vividly, purple and white against her hip. This is … interesting. With a flicker of magic, she touched her horn against the glass window, causing that pane to become as reflective as a mirror.
Twilight stared at herself, violet eyes now as red as the rest of herself, the whites of her eyes standing out starkly. “Well I can’t say that this is really my color,” she muttered to herself. Shaking her head, she looked out around the curtain towards the common room doorway.
“I can’t go in there like this. ‘Oh, Twilight Sparkle, what happened to you? You’re looking a little red!’” She mocked herself quietly in a sing-song voice. “Then I’d have to explain, and I really don’t want to do that. I could go see Princess Celestia, but she’s in the middle of Court.” She pictured walking into the crowded audience hall and making a public spectacle of herself. A shudder rippled up her spine. “Scratch that. I need to get to my room to find more information about this.” She rubbed her left hoof on her right leg, thinking nervously.
“Okay, Twilight. You’re not going to be able to sneak past. They’ll see you immediately. So how do you make them NOT see you?” She scraped a hoof against the curtain idly, eyes unfocused. “What you do is...” She paused, gazing again at the length of white fabric, holding it up to the light with a leg. “... make sure they see someone else.”
With a couple of quick swipes of magic, Twilight tore off two lengths of the cloth, one large square and a narrow strip. Wrapping the curtain around her middle and tucking the end behind itself, she arranged it so it draped down across her flank, covering her cutie marks. The smaller was threaded through her mane and tied into a bow, pulling it back into a short ponytail.
Regarding her handiwork in the mirrored window, Twilight turned her head from side to side. Well, I can’t say it’s perfect, but more importantly I don’t look like myself anymore. Holding her head up, she glanced at her reflection out of the corner of her eye. Cinnamon Sparkle. She grinned and tapped the window with her horn again, and the glass faded back to transparency. Hopefully no one notices the half-length curtain for a while.
Moving down the hallway towards the open door, she took a deep breath. Okay, Twilight. Calm, collected, don’t make eye contact, just move on through and you’ll be at your room in no time. I hope I don’t sneeze. She stepped through the archway.
Silence fell as she entered the common room, multiple sets of curious eyes focused on this strange red pony. Twilight kept her eyes focused on the oaken portal that led towards her tower study, not daring to even glance at any of the other unicorns. Her stomach fluttered with nerves, but she felt a bit of confidence return when she reached the center of the room and no one had said anything. It’s working. You don’t know who I am; I’m almost there.
“Twilight, what happened to-”
Twilight dropped all pretense of acting as she bolted for her door, the white cloth around her middle slipping free and fluttering to the ground in her panicked wake. Flinging open the door, she burst through onto the stairs beyond, ignoring the babble of surprised voices behind her. Cheeks burning with embarrassment, she charged up the curving flight towards her room. So much for a career on the stage.
***
Spike moved around Twilight’s room, making neat piles of books against the walls. The bookcases groaned, every shelf stuffed with as many volumes as possible. Parchment was tidily stacked with books holding them down against the light breeze that blew through the open window. He looked around the chamber with a sense of satisfaction.
“Looking good, Spike. And in such a short time, too!” He nodded to himself. “Now if only it’d stay neat. It’ll probably back to normal before this time tomorrow, though. That pony cannot seem to study without making a mess.”
He cocked his head to the side, listening. Hooves pounded on the stone staircase outside, rapidly approaching. “Good, she’s back just in time to see my handiwork.” He walked towards the door, and heard someone sneeze just outside on the doorstep. “Hey, Twilight, come in and see what a great job your assistant did!” He called, reaching up a claw towards the handle.
The door burst inwards with a flash of light that made Spike cry out in surprise, falling back and narrowly missing getting smacked by the swinging lumber. As his back hit the stone floor, a bright figure vaulted over his flailing legs and arms, shining like a sun. It vanished into the room beyond as Spike coughed and hacked, trying to catch his breath.
Rolling over and pushing himself onto his feet, he worriedly glanced around the room. “Twilight! Is that you? Are you all right?!” Kicking the door shut behind him, he hurried back towards the far corner.
Twilight’s bed, having once been neatly made, now sported a large lump underneath the thin coverlet. Even in the bright sunlight, Spike could see incandescence leaking through the fabric along its seams and around the edges. He trotted up to the foot of the bed. “Twilight, what happened? You okay?”
“Oh yes, Spike, I’m juuuust peachy. I think I’ll stay under here for a little, though, if you don’t mind, though.” Twilight’s voice was muffled and dripping with sarcasm.
Spike lifted up the corner of the blanket and began to peek underneath. “You just came rushing in and glowing and- AAGH!” He dropped the blanked and reeled backwards, blinking away spots dancing in his vision. Knuckling his eyes, he looked up at the lump in the bed. “What happened to you?”
“I’ll have an answer in a little bit, Spike, but I’d like to wait until this goes away. In the meantime, could you please put my copy of Thaumaturgic Flora on my table?” The mound moved a little bit. “I’m not exactly sure where it is, and I can’t see very well right now.”
Spike glanced around and trotted over to a pyramid of books, deftly slipping the volume from its height without toppling the rest. He placed it on the clean desk and looked back at the blanket-covered Twilight. “Okay, it’s there. Um, by the way, did you happen to get me anything to eat while you were out?” His stomach grumbled.
A snort came from the bed. “I’m afraid not, Spike. I had a bit on my mind at the time. Why not go see what you can find while I... wait a bit?”
Spike rolled his eyes and moved to the door, pulling it open. As he stepped outside and it began to close behind his tail, a flare of light came from the room behind him, throwing his shadow ahead of him.
“And don’t say anything to those ponies downstairs!”
The door closed, cutting off the light and other shouted comments Twilight might have made.
***
Well, this isn’t the answer I was hoping to find, that’s for sure. Twilight sat at her table, flipping through the pages of the tome glumly. At least I’m not lighting up the room like a wildfire any more. She rubbed her eyes with a foreleg. I wish this pain would go away. Note to self: having your entire body glow, including your eyes, tends to give you a headache. I hope that effect doesn’t trigger again.
She twitched an ear towards the door as she heard it gently click open. “Spike, come and see.” She picked up the book with her magic, and flipping back to the pages she had been studying, moved towards the entrance. “I found some information.” She turned the book to show the young dragon, looking up. “Unfortu-” She broke off abruptly, eyes widening.
Princess Celestia stood in the doorway, her wings almost brushing the frame on either side of her. Eyes dancing with gentle humor, she smiled at her stunned student. “Good afternoon, Twilight.”
Spike stood to one side of the door, chewing on a mouthful of the loaf of bread he held clutched in his claws. He shrugged with an apologetic smile. “When I got back downstairs from the kitchens, she was in the common room, talking to the others.”
The princess took a few graceful strides into the room to stand before Twilight. She arched a single eyebrow in amusement at the tongue-tied unicorn, and glanced at the book still held in Twilight’s levitation spell. The open pages held a detailed woodcut drawing of an apple tree and a cross-section of its fruit, and Celestia carefully studied them for a moment. She looked up to meet Twilight’s eyes. “Have you been enjoying your day thus far, my faithful student? I must compliment you on your new hairstyle.”
Twilight twitched in shock, dropping the book to the floor with a thud. Spike, moving into the room, paused by her side and reached up, pulling a scrap of white cloth out of her mane. The released hair sprang back into place, each follicle standing straight out from Twilight’s head. An occasional crackle of static electricity zapped and zinged over the spiky mass. Spike chuckled and hopped over Twilight’s bottle-brush tail. “Looks good, Twi.”
Twilight abruptly sat down, looking away from her teacher in embarrassment. “Princess, I’m so sorry. I ate one of your golden apples. I was hoping to find a remedy to its effects, but...”
Princess Celestia chuckled and with a flicker of golden magic, picked up the fallen book and returned it to the table, once again open to its place. “Well, it seems as though you have become encouraged to further your knowledge in magical plants. Since there is no such thing as wasted education, why not tell me what you’ve learned today?” Pacing forward, the princess settled herself on the warm stone under the open window, regarding her pupil with amused interest.
Twilight sighed, reluctantly taking her seat on the cushion by the table. She idly rubbed a hoof over her stiff mane, tiny bolts of static popping. “Malus domestica aurum. The golden apple tree, an extremely rare variety. It only grows in regions with a very high level of background magic.” She grimaced. “Like a magic academy in the middle of a city of unicorns. It blooms only once every few years, growing apples with an almost metallic luster. Its fruit is saturated with magical energy, and eating them can cause completely unpredictable effects.”
“Unless properly prepared,” Celestia interrupted gently, grinning slightly at Twilight. “They make an absolutely divine pie. Remind me to share a slice with you the next time the chefs bake some.”
Twilight cleared her throat self-consciously, glancing at Spike who leaned against the wall, green eyes cracked open and a smile on his face, evidently enjoying the scene quite a bit. “In my case, the... effects are triggered by sneezing and included being shrunk, turning invisible, glowing like a lantern, and...” She ran a hoof over the stiff hair of her tail. “Making me look like a badly used paintbrush. According to the book, the cure for these random effects is...” She paused and looked at Celestia, who raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Twilight sighed. “Time. I suppose it depends on how much was eaten, but I’m guessing I have at least two days, maybe three, of these random effects.”
Celestia chuckled as Twilight drooped her head, ears laid back. “I have a guard assigned to patrol around the tree to, hopefully, prevent hungry students from eating any of the apples, as delicious as they may be.” She reached out a hoof and gently touched the spiky purple hair on her protégé’s head, smiling. “Since the fruit has bloomed and ripened this year, as you discovered, I think I shall instruct the cooks to make up some pies and distribute them to the students and faculty.”
Twilight looked up, meeting Celestia’s eyes as she continued. “I believe that you should pen a short letter, describing the appearance of the tree, its fruit, and its effects.” Twilight blushed and looked away. “There is already quite a bit of conversation about a certain red unicorn that rushed through the common room earlier.”
The princess began laughing as Twilight dropped to the stone floor and buried her muzzle between her legs. She tapped her hoof against Twilight’s and softened her tone with sympathy. “That, however, can wait until later. In the meantime, we can continue with your studies.”
Twilight pushed herself back into a sitting position and nodded, her blush fading. “Yes, Princess.” Celestia adjusted her resting position, flicking her wings slightly as she waited for Twilight to regain her composure. Twilight took a couple deep breaths and smiled bashfully. “Well, I was working on the problems you assigned and I fou-ahhh-”
Twilight’s eyes filled with panic as she desperately covered her nose with a foreleg, gasping. “Not agai-CHOO!” A flash filled the room as Celestia flung up a wing to shield her eyes and Spike toppled over with a cry.
Blinking away the spots in her vision, Celestia lowered her wing and glanced around the room. Not seeing her student, she cocked her head upwards. “Well, Twilight, at least your mane is back to normal,” she said dryly. Spike followed her gaze and gaped in surprise.
Twilight floated through the air a short distance below the arched ceiling. Opening her eyes and looking around, then down, she groaned. “With all due respect, Princess, that’s small comfort.” Flailing her legs frantically, she tried to move herself towards the walls to no avail, turning in slow circles. “Erm, a little help, please?”
Celestia chuckled softly. “This promises to be an interesting teaching session.” A tap of golden magic, and Twilight gently spun towards a tall bookcase nearby. Scattering volumes everywhere, she gratefully clung to the upper shelf and cast a dejected glance down at her teacher. “Do not worry, my faithful student; I will be here to assist with any... problematic effects,” she continued, amusement weighing every word. She smiled up at the unicorn. “Now, shall we return to your studies?”
Twilight clambered onto the top of the case and curled up, back pressed against the wall. "I hope you'll forgive me when we're interrupted again," she said unhappily.
Celestia shook her head gently. "Do not fret; I shall be quite lenient on you today. Unless, of course, you've neglected your learning." She smiled up at Twilight as Spike curled up in the sunlight at her side. "Just let me know if you need a break."
Twilight sighed, laying her ears back as she tried to find a more comfortable position. "Yes, Princess."
