Aug 8 Friday.

I open another book and start reading through it to find any reference to what I'm looking for, I've probably looked through over one hundred books in my search for the second illusion rune and I'm still missing three small pieces of it.

I'm still not done but I'm very close and should be able to find the rest in a few weeks, and really need to find it soon, at this point Entropy can't leave the apartment as her feathers have gotten too dark, I hoped I'd have more time but it seems I don't.

Entropy's not holding up the best right now, she hasn't left the apartment in three days and is starting to get restless, I've been trying to play with her more and make sure she always has something to do, but I can't be there always and I don't think she'll last more than a week or two before trying to leave.

Not that I blame her, she just wants to go flying again and go outside, I push those thoughts away and focus on the book in front of me, after a while I find another part of the runes context and add it to what I know, I only need two other parts and then I'm done.

I find another missing piece in the next book but even with all my searching I can't find the final piece I'm looking for, as I move a book to the side I start putting all the books away on their shelves, when I'm done I look for something not research related to read, and after moving through a few shelves I find a griffin history book

After I grab the book I turn my head and see a pony I know looking through some bookshelves, It's Twilight with Spike on her back and her dam, I haven't seen either of them in a while now, although I did meet Spike who seems a little bigger now, they have several books with them and seem to be searching for another.

I decide to talk to them, I haven't in a while and I should at least try to get to know them so I walk over to them, while hoping this goes well, "Hello, it's been a while since we last met."

Both startle a little and turn around and see me, and after a moment Twilight Velvet is the first to speak, "Hello Shade?" I nod "Yes it has been quite a while now, how have you been?"

"I've been doing well thank you for asking," I look over to Spike and stare at him for a moment, "I'd ask where you found a dragon hatchling, but I'll settle for asking their name,"

Twilight looks a little embarrassed but answers me, "His name is Spike,"

Twilight Velvet buts in, "She hatched him" she says with pride in her voice.

"DAM!"

"She's a little embarrassed, but I keep telling her it's fine and something to be proud of."

I wave a hoof, "It's fine I guess I now know that rumor I heard has some truth to it, and if it makes you feel better it's not the oddest thing I've heard before."

"A rumor? Well regardless you're an apprentice here right? Maybe you could help us find a book we're looking for, If you're not busy working?"

"I'm not working today and am only here to read, so sure, what are you looking for?"

"Here, and thank you for the help," Twilight says while passing me a page that has a list written on it, each has the books name and the subject it covers along with most having a checkmark next to them, I recognize several books on the list, there is only one book not checked off the list, I read through it's information.

I don't know this book but I can guess where it will be for the subject, "Follow me please," both nod at me and I start leading them through the library and find the right shelve, after a moment I see the book several feet above us and reach out with my field and bring it down to us.

"Here, anything else you're trying to find?"

"Nope that's the last one, thank you," Twilight says to me as she holds the book.

"If you don't mind me asking why do you need to find so many books?"

Twilight looks a little nervous before answering me, "I need to study for a test, what are you reading?" She's a terrible liar but I'll give her points for trying to change the subject.

"Ah that makes sense, and I'm reading this," I show the book cover to them, but after a moment of both of them looking at it confused I realized the cover is written in griffin, "Oh sorry, it's a griffin history book," I say a little embarrassed at not realizing sooner.

"You know the language?" Twilight asks me.

"Enough to read, but I'm still learning it," my eyes wander to Spike as I think about dragons in general, so I decide to take a risk and try asking them, "This might come off as a little rude and you have every right to say no, but would you mind if I ask some questions about Spike?"

Hearing my question Twilight Velvet steps in taking control of the conversation, "What type of questions?"

Seeing her wariness I try and phrase this well, "Nothing personal or out of line, honestly I'm mostly curious about things like how he's aged and what he eats."

She stares at me for a few moments seemingly judging me, I make sure not to break eye contact and try to keep myself calm, "That's fine but I'll be answering the questions."

"That's completely fine with me mam, would you like to sit at a table for this?"

She nods, "Yes I would, please lead the way," it doesn't take us long to find an empty table and get comfortable, me and Twilight Velvet sit opposite of each other at a table while Twilight is reading some books at one end.

I take out a quill, some ink, and a piece of paper, and place them on the table between us, "Before I start I'd like to say I'm going to be writing notes, if that's fine with you?" She nods "And you can ask to look at them any time if you want," She seems pleased with my statement showing me a small smile, and waits for me to begin.

She seems like a protective dam and I would rather not get on her bad side, so I'll have to be careful not to say anything out of line, I spend a moment collecting my thoughts before asking my first question, "So what does Spike eat?"

"A few things, when he was first hatched we fed him nonsolid things before moving on to gems and normal foods."

"Does he eat meat?" I ask this with a straight face.

She looks at me with focused eyes for a moment before answering, "We haven't tried yet but we assume he will need some at some point."

I write that down and then rip a small piece of paper off before writing a street name on it I then pass it to her, "There is a fish market on that street all week long, most batponies go there for what they need."

She looks a little surprised but quickly shifts her face back into the calm but stern look she's had for this conversation, she takes the piece of paper from me after a moment, "Thank you, but if you don't mind me asking why do you know about a fish market so well you know the street it's on and when It's open?"

I smile at her, "I don't mind at all, it's not something I hide but I also don't make it well known, but I happen to like fish so I buy some to eat pretty regularly."

That gets an odd look from her, "Is that healthy?"

"Yes and no, ponies can eat meat just fine, you just don't want to eat too much, I limit myself to one or two meals with meat in them a week, I can also give you some recipes if you need them?"

"I think we are fine, you have other questions?" She didn't seem to be judgmental just grossed out a little by our subject, not an uncommon response, and hearing her request and wanting to move onto a new subject I move on to the next question.

"I don't know how big he was when he hatched but how much do you think he's grown since then?"

"He grew some after he first hatched but soon slowed down, we know he's still growing just not very quickly."

I nod while taking notes, "That seems about right."

"What makes you say that?"

I finish my notes and look back at her, "Well a few things, most animals that hatch from eggs tend to grow very fast for a short amount of time before slowing down, and he's a dragon so I expect it could take several up to a few decades for him to reach the size of a pony."

"Really you think so? We thought he'd grow slower than a pony but that seems a little too slow."

I think about her words for a moment before answering, "Maybe, but we know little about dragons, and they could be like ponies with several different subspecies."

"Subspecies?" she seemed a little offended at my words, seems I hit a nerve, some could take me saying someone is a subspecies as an insult, especially if they don't know the words meaning as not many know or use this word outside of researches.

"Sorry if that came out wrong, subspecies isn't an insult, the word is used for different types of living things that come from a common ancestor."

Hearing me she looks a bit less offended but still looking at me with hard eyes, "Can you give an example?" it seems she wants me to prove it.

I think for a moment before finding something that would work well, "You know how there are many different types of apples?" she nods, "Well all those apples came from a tree somepony decided to start growing," her eyes haven't left me so I assume she's following along.

"So who do we have so many different types today? Well, some ponies took the apples that had traits they wanted and only planted those ones."

She cuts me off, "You are talking about selective breeding?"

I nod, "Yes exactly, with selective breeding ponies created many types of apple, but some of them have changed so much over time they barely resemble apples anymore, so we gave them new names and called them different species, so all species that come from another species that are still around are called a subspecies"

"Again sorry if that came out as an insult, the term is mostly used by those who study plants and I can understand how it can be misinterpreted."

Her face relaxes and she gains a small smile, "It's fine I should also apologize I've just had some bad experiences in the past, so I'm sorry if I overreacted some, and thank you for the explanation," Her face has relaxed more then ever and it seems she holds no grudge.

"No problem mam."

She cuts me off again, "It's Velvet."

I nod, "No problem Miss Velvet, I think it's best I end the questions here, sorry again about that and thank you for being patient with me, and just to say it aloud I don't have a problem with others that are different, I work with many different ponies here and several are good friends."

"That's fine we all make mistakes, and that's good to hear" She seems to think about something for a moment, "Can you please tell me the time."

I may not be the most social but I know a polite excuse to leave, so I just nod and draw out the spell matrix with practiced ease, "Looks like we need to go, thank you again for helping us find the book, and I hope you have a good day."

Twilight who's been silent this whole time speaks up, "Thank you, and have a good day" She mimics her dam,

"No problem it's nothing, and same to you have a good day," I watch as all three leave my line of sight after a moment, :Well that could have gone better, at least I was able to clear up the misunderstanding: I decide to leave too, Entropy needs me and I don't want to leave her unsupervised for longer then I have to,

Author's Note

This is mostly filler, and me trying to get better at dialogue.

Thanks for reading and have a good day. :D