The sun set on a day of soaring, napping, and practicing my new Wonderbolts moves. Orange and purple bathed Twilight's castle as I landed on the cool crystal balcony with a clatter. The arched green stained-glass doors swung open and hit the balcony railing with a bang. Probably a cross-wind.
I peered into the dusky room past the purple drapes. "Twi?"
I perked an ear.
The breeze whistled. I heard nothing more.
I shouted, "Fluttershy sent me." Yeah, I thought, anything to avoid thinking about the Wonderbolt promotion exams on Monday.
All I heard was the faint echo of my last word, "Me... me."
Of course Twilight would earn herself a castle... for only two—now three ponies. I trotted in, looked both ways into a really big room as my eyes adjusted. My skin tingled for a moment and I heard a faint whir-whir-whir.
"Sheesh, Twilight. Enough room for books?" Her library was ginormous, books stacked neatly on shelf upon shelf, towering up into the gloom, requiring a pegasus like me to grab them, or Spike on that five-story ladder that seemed to jump out at me when I noticed it. Bits of dust swirled in the air disturbed by the open door—and brought that annoying, unsettling smell of yellowed old paper that reminded me of teachers banging rulers and telling me to pay attention. The orange, pink, and purple glow in the skylight barely lit the top shelf full of books, each large enough to use for weight-lifting. Shadows gathered around them.
I shivered, then smiled. I liked spooky. "Hey, Twilight?"
The balcony door slammed behind me.
I jumped into the air, the fur rising on my spine as I hovered, staring at the arched double-doors. I kept smiling; nopony had seen me act uncool, so... that was cool.
I fluttered left toward an open door to the hallway, itself also unoccupied and moodily lit by a dim skylight. I shuddered. The castle’s deep crystally colors and reflective sparkle was nothing like my cloud condo, and by that I mean the opposite of comforting or fluffy. Seeing my reflection now and again wasn't bad, but a bit distracting. I flew to the bend in the corridor, then landed, hoping to find stairs. The clop-clop of my horseshoes echoed until I peered around the corner. This was beginning to feel like Granny Smith's Nightmare Nights funhouse, only a bit too real. I shuddered again, then slapped my side with a wing at my silliness. I liked spooky!
Directly behind me, I heard the pop you'd hear opening a thermos. Yes, I cringed, but just for an instant, then squared my stance. My shadow appeared before me. My ears swiveled back before I turned and—
A brown door finished opening. I gasped, shielded my eyes with a wing, looking through feathers at—
"Another secret room! Like Starlight found!" Not that that had gone well at first for the rest of us ponies, with it helping her cast crazy speed-up and slow-down spells that affected all of Ponyville, well... crazily, but the room had shown Twilight's castle had a personality, which made it a lot less namby-pamby and a whole lot more cool. I glanced furtively around, swishing my tail. I saw no other ponies.
And... I smelled apples. "Awesooome."
I crept forward, stuck my muzzle into a tiny purple and blue crystal room maybe made just for me.
Books. Shelves of books. "Another library? Really? Boooooo."
But… nice and warm. I stepped further in. A fire (wood not magic) crackled fragrantly in a cozy fireplace. Next to it stood an amazing sight.
Was it?
Could it be?
It was!
Not just any piece of furniture, it was woven of fine cirrus to mold to the body of the most demanding of pegasai, which, of course, would be me. Next to the fireplace stood an actual Char and Ray Aims Cloud® chair. I trotted over, admiring the grey and white curving chillaxing cushions in the firelight. I inhaled the patented lightening storm smell infused by the craftspony who built it and sighed.
I glanced at the bookshelf behind.
I blinked and tilted my head. Wonderbolt History of— Aeronautical Principles— Flying books!? My head jerked right and left as I looked. Dozens of pegasus self-help titles. Ones on speed and stunt flying. My eyes began to widen.
Apples. I smelled apples.
Slam!
Again midair, my heart pumping double-time, I looked and gulped. The door had vanished.
I darted to the blank wall, the corners of the ceiling, and each bookcase. The room, lit only by the fire, was sealed but for hoof-sized vents. "Really really spooky, Twilight," I said.
But then again, it probably wasn't Twilight.
The castle had made a secret room for Starlight. Had it made one for me? I nodded. Of course it had, I thought as I landed, because—I was awesome. And I liked spooky. And it was a "friendship" castle so how dangerous could it be?
I mean, really?
"Heh-heh," I said, voice quavering. I put a hoof to my mouth though nopony was there.
And looked at the knotty pine table before me. On it sat a ginormous stein of—yes! It was hot cider! Beside it sat a white china plate stacked with double fudge chocolate chocolate-chip cookies. And at the table's edge lay a yellow and black book.
The title read Aeronautics for Dummies.
"Thank you, Twilight." I growled at the crystal-walled room. The firelight flickered from a thousand facets back at me.
Actually, I felt oddly okay with it. I looked at the fire, the awesome chair, the crunchy (Oh. So. Wonderful.) cookies, and the cider that steamed and smelled oh so good. Even the book looked— Maybe a little awesome, because, well… I was a bit of a dummy.
Don't tell anypony! You tell anypony, I'll deny it.
I pushed the table close to the cloud chair. I sipped the cider, closing my eyes in pure unadulterated completely involuntary joy! It wasn't a Daring Doo, but— I wriggled myself into the snuggly grip of the chair, felt the fire warm my wings, and cracked open the book.
Spike said, "Rainbow Dash reading, check!"
Cozy, laying on my back, legs crossed, I looked at the little green dragon in the doorway through narrowed eyes. He checked a parchment with a yellow pencil.
Twilight, wings flared, asked, "What's the coefficient of drag?"
I— I knew that! "The resistance of a pegasus through a fluid environment… like air! C sub d equals—"
Starlight stepped forward. "My new Twilight Zone study spell?"
Spike said, "Check and check."
I laughed. "Getting me to study? Awesome!"
