It was just a book!
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Why Twilight should not sleep in books

It was just a book!

"Thanks for letting me crash for the night Twilight!" Rainbow called to the passed out mare as she left the Golden Oaks Library, the door slamming shut in her wake as she took off in her typical high-speed fashion.

Twilight groggily woke up from the noise of her front door slamming closed. Pulling her head out of the book it had been resting (muzzle down) on, Twilight looked over her shoulder in the direction of her door. "Spike?" She weakly muttered before remembering that her dragon was away in Canterlot this week, and Owilicoius had gone to Fluttershy's to get a cleaning. Twilight plodded to her door and opened it, closing the book with her magic, before looking around outside. "Oh, good morning Rarity!" She said to the town's premier fashion pony, seeing her trotting in her direction.

Rarity had just finished dropping her cat at Fluttershy's to get Opalescence's weekly pampering in, and was on her way to the spa when she thought about asking Twilight if her friend wanted to join her. She knew a certain stallion was interested in Twilight, so she thought about maybe playing matchmaker for the librarian. Having seen Rainbow Dash leaving the Library in a happy mood made Rarity think the pegasus must have just gotten a hold of a new Daring Do novel. Hearing Twilight greet her, Rarity was about to greet her when she saw something that threw a couple of kinks into her plans. "Why good morning Twiiiihiiihiii.....umm, Twilight, yes....so I can't chat, awfully busy....." Rarity stumbled over her words as she abruptly changed course, cantering in the direction of her boutique for a couple of house lengths before breaking into a full gallop. How could I not have known? Where the signs all there? I'll ask Applejack!! Changing her course for Sweet Apple Acres Rarity picked up her pace a little more, her trip to the spa no longer on her mind. She should really get that checked though, how undignified.

Puzzled by Rarity's actions but seeing no answer in the near future, Twilight turned back to her library home and wondered on the night before.

*********************

Rainbow Dash had stopped in yesterday afternoon worn out from doing speed-laps around the outskirts of Ponyville, and had wanted to rest her wings by sitting down and reading a Daring Do book. Twilight had been fixing some of the books in the library, pegasi crashes and wild study weekends could take their tole on the precious tomes. At some point Rainbow has actually drifted off to sleep, so Twilight had gently levitated and tucked her into the bed upstairs. Twilight had then returned to her work where, she surmised, that she herself had passed out.

*********************

Remembering her work from last night made Twilight approached her workbench, where she spotted a bottle of sealer knocked on it's side and an open glue bottle beside it. A small clear stain was visible from an angle, running from the sealer bottle to the book from earlier. Twilight let out a sigh of disappointment at the loss of the sealing liquid and the hardend mush of the glue. As she was about to inspect the book for damages (she remembered having to re-glue a couple of pages) her wall clock chimed noon, causing her eyes to dart first to the clock and then to the calendar at her desk. She let out a gasp of shock as she realized she was late with an agreement to help Pinkie Pie run the counter at Sugarcube Corner, then galloped out the door leaving the book where it was.

*********************

Bursting in the front door of Sugarcube Corner Twilight called out, "Sorry I'm late, Pinkie!" The pink pony in question popped up from behind the counter,

"Oh, hey Twilight...*overly dramatic gasp*" Twilight then found herself tackled, then locked into a fierce death-hug by her pink friend.

"Oh Twilight, I'm so happy for you! Wow, I didn't know you had it in you! I mean I would not have had the courage to go out in public like that!"

"Um, Pinkie?" Twilight tried to interject as the pink pony rambled on.

"Was it good? Did you like it? Who was it? Ooooo...I should throw you a party!! A welcome to adulthood party! Or maybe a coming out party! Or we could throw the party in a closet if you want to keep it a secret, though I think we both know it's to late for that!" Pinkie led them from the front door through to the kitchen with Twilight unable to get a word in edgewise or even know what the pink earth pony was talking about.

As Pinkie opened a door and motioned Twilight through she continued, "Seriously though Twilight I can't have you helping out at the shop today with you looking like that. So we'll just make it a rain-check and do this again next month, okay! Besides, the editors would NEVER let something like this get in the show!" Leaning in she whispered loudly pointing at Twilight's muzzle, "Oh and I would get that checked soon before it gets infected."

As Pinkie closed the door; Twilight, still trying to process what Pinkie had said, realized she was now standing the the ally behind the shop. A sour expression on her face, Twilight remembered Pinkie saying something about an infection and decided she had better go to Ponyville Hospital.

*********************

"I'm just telling you what I saw, Applejack" protested Rarity as she and the farm-pony exited the barn.

"Ah'm just sayin' ah can't believe Twilight and Rainbow would do something like that." Applejack responded.

"That Twilight and me would do what?" queried the cyan pegasus in question as she alighted on the ground next to the other two mares.

"Rainbow, did or did you not spend the night with Twilight?" interrogated Applejack.

"Um, yes?" responded Rainbow quizzically.

"In her bed!?" accused Rarity.

Pawing the ground with her hoof, Rainbow responded, "Umm...well yes... What's this about AJ?"

The mare responded by grabbing a nearby lasso and throwing it around Rainbow's hoofs, before yanking on it and causing the pegasus to fall over. With speed and dexterity gained from years of practicing for the Equestrian Rodeo, Applejack had Rainbow's wings and legs firmly bound. "We're gonna get you tested, Rainbow!" informed the earth pony before she grabbed a trailing length of the rope and started dragging her toward the hospital. Rainbows whines and pleas came to a short end as Rarity wrapped another length of rope around Rainbow's muzzle with her magic, tying it off in a dainty bow.

*********************

Nurse Redheart tried not to look at the mare sitting at the edge of the examination bed. Of all the mares in Ponyville this one was the last one she would expect to show up looking like this. Redheart had cleaned the gunk off the unicorn's horn and was slathering some pink colored anti-inflammation, anti-bacterial cream on the end of the mare's muzzle. The affected area was thankfully not infected but it was better to take precaution. "And remember, to be careful while eating or drinking. And don't lick your lips....Or any lips, while using this. It should be fine after a week."

Twilight grimaced at the nurse's words, her explanation of her state of being going ignored by the attending nurse. Twilight couldn't believe that she had gone this far without realizing the spilt sealer had coated her horn or the oval-shaped portion of bare skin covering her upper and lower muzzle from where she had apparently face-planted into the glue. Taking the proffered jar of cream from the nurse in her aura, Twilight proceeded to exit the hospital only to come up short in the lobby. In front of her were her friends all staring at her.

Rainbow Dash, with a couple of band-aids on her rump and tail between her legs protectively, had apparently been arguing with Applejack and Rarity. Applejack had been arguing stubbornly back, while Rarity had been offering apologies. Pinkie Pie had been telling Fluttershy something awful, to which Twilight could hazard a guess, as the yellow pegasus's eyes were contracted to pinpricks and she was curling into the smallest ball she could. Frustrated at the silence permeating the hospital lobby upon her arrival Twilight screamed, "IT WAS JUST A BOOK!!" She the stomped out of the hospital towards her home.

Watching Twilight leave, Fluttershy uncurled a little and spoke outloud, "I guess Twilight really DOES love her books."

At those words five friends remembered all the times they helped Twilight Sparkle read a book or re-shelve the Library, and collectively went, "Eeww!!"

Author's Note

Just a little burst of inspiration that came to me late/early one morning (with little sleep).
Also my fist attempt at color dialogue. (Apparently didn't go over so well)

Note: Vegetable glues are easily and cheaply made, and get their adhesive qualities from the natural polymer chains of organic molecules found in plant starches. The starch comes from vegetables, plant roots, tubers and seeds. (No ponies were harmed in the making of this glue.)

Mental reference to this.