Twelve

Leo yawned, sleep clearly floating around her head.

Twilight was still talking.

She had been talking for three hours.

How could she say so little in so much words?

It was past four in the morning in the morning by now. The dragon had long since gone to bed. Leo wanted to follow his example. Twilight's rambling had become a monotonous sound that she was doing her best to block. It was working. Partially at least. How could a simple scholar stay awake for so long?! Trying to be polite, she closed her for a few seconds. Just  few seconds.

"So astrology was made an official duty for the royals in the year 500 and...Leo?"

Leo had fallen to the side, profoundly asleep. She was as quiet as a mouse. Twilight stared for a fews seconds before smiling. Carrying her with magic, she gently placed her on the spare bed that Spike had set up in their room, covering her with the blanket. Now that she looked closer at the sleeping mare, she realized she was visibly younger than her. Heck she probably was the same age as Amethyst Star! Between all the excitement and questions, she had let that fact go past her.

"How come I didn't notice that before?"

She yawned. The clock on the wall signaled that it was four thirty in the morning. Had they really been awake for that long? No wonder Leo fell asleep. She should probably go to bed soon and get some rest. Today was probably going to be a long day too.

Four hours later, green eyes opened. Spike yawned. To her surprise, the library was not a mess after the night. That was a new one. Twilight slept soundly on her bed, snoring too. Peering over the edge of the room, he could see Leo sleeping on the spare bed, purring softly. It was downright adorable.

"Okay, what now?" he asked himself as he laid back on his basket. Twilight was fast asleep, so there wasn't any actual need to get up. He could just kick back and relax for once. And Twilight would wear a vest made with his scales when she discovered he had ignored his duties. He could already see the letter .

Dear Princess Celestia

Today Spike proved himself to be a spoiled, lazy-tailed, incompetent lizard, so I had Rarity skin him alive with a door knob. Would you like the tail as a tea spoon? It can also work as a fork and a knife!

Your faithful student Twilight Sparkle.

"Where did I put the milk?" he murmured as he seemingly teleported from his bed to the kitchen. He set the table for three. Twilight and Leo wouldn't be up for hours probably, if the snores coming from above were any indication. Still, he could have breakfast himself. Pouring milk on a bowl, he started putting gem cereal on it.

But not even a few shiny crumbs fell out. Spike groaned.

The storage room was filled to the brim. Not surprising, given how many times Twilight brought everypony to the library. However, he could not see any of his Captain DD's crunchy gem cereal. He was about to slam the door when he heard a soft lapping sound coming from the table. Peering over the door of the kitchen, he nearly dropped the empty box of cereal from the surprise.

Leo was inclined over the table, licking the milk from the bowl with her eyes closed. Was she sleepwalking?

"You gotta be kidding me..." Spike murmured. After having her drink, Leo dragged herself back to her bed, where she simply plopped on top if it. Spike grinned evilly. This little piece of information could prove useful in the future. A soft grumble brought him back to reality and to the problem at hand.

"Guess I gotta go buy some..."

Being summer, the sun was out already, it's warm rays bathing the land. Spike enjoyed the warmth as he walked through town, a bag of small crystals on his claw. A few ponies waved their hooves as they saw him walk. Spike smiled. He loved this town. Finally arriving at the market, he passed in front of many tents, most of them barely opening for the day. His target however, was at the end of the market zone. In a separate dark tent, was a heavily covered stallion. All of his features were covered in dirty blankets and rugs, his green eyes being the only exception. The ten was as dirty as the rugs he wore, ragged at many spots.

"Good morning good sir!" Spike greeted.

"Good morning yes. Come to buy yes?" the pony asked in a surprisingly raspy voice. Spike couldn't help but feel like he knew that voice, but cast it aside as too much trouble.

"I would like a box of Captain DD's crunchy gem cereal please." Spike asked. A box was shoved in his claws.

"Payment of crystals yes? Crystals..." the stallion demnanded, greed dripping from his mouth.

"Sure! Here you go." Spike said as he placed the bag on the counter. The stallion waited until the young dragon left before grabbing the bag with a paw, dirty claws opening the bag. A canine grin spread under the covers.

Back at the library, Spike hummed contently as he ate his cereal. It was quiet, peaceful and tasty. Just perfect. His mind wandered to the day before. All but Rarity and Pinkie Pie had met Leo, with mixed results. Rarity would probably call her rude, thoughshe could understand her on that one. Pinkie would throw a party like always.

"Hi Spike!"

Speak of the devil.

Spike didn't even blink as Pinkie burst out of the cereal bowl, splattering milk and jewels all over him.

"You look like a snowman with cupcakes on it! It must be a tasty snowman. Like chocolate. I love chocolate! Do you love chocolate? I know I do! Specially with milk. Its great that way! Speaking of milk why are you covered in milk? You're supposed to drink it, not bathe in it."

If there was a way to kill with a look, Spike would have discovered it at the moment. Pinkie had began rambling again, sputing nonsense about predictions and future telling. Using his rather long tongue, all the milk and gems were quickly swallowed.

"Oh I love when you do that! Its so cool! Wonder what else can you do with your tongue..." Pinkie said, giving Spike wink.

"As funny as you can be Pinkie, you can be really loud, and as you can see, some ponies are trying to sleep." Spike, pointing a finger at the sleeping Leo, who was hugging her pillow.

"You're trying to be quiet so you don't bother the alien pony? That's so nice of you!" Pinkie said. Spike grinned, keeping to himself that he stayed quiet so that Twilight wouldn't wake up and give him work. Why ruin Pinkie's illusion?

"So, what's going on?" Pinkie asked. Spike told her of yesterdays events, adding a remark or a sarcastic quip when necessary. Of course, Pinkie's attention quickly got destroyed whenever a sound came, forcing Spike to began again and again, turning a five minute talk into a half hour long story.

"...and that's about it."

"That's it?"

"You expected more?"

"Well, duh, yeah, you know, cause she's an alien from outer space from who knows where. She probably has a gazillion stories to tell! Maybe we can make a small party for story tellers! She would beat them all I bet! We should-" Spike closed her mouth with  claw. At this rate, silence wouldn't be an option. A knock on the door got his attention. He had to open the door, but that would mean releasing Pinkie, which meant more noise. The door knocked again, this time with more insistence. Spike was still debating then the door opened by itself.

"Excuse me Twilight, but I need to speak with you about...oh, hello Spike." Rarity said with her angelic voice. Spike released Pinkie Pie, planting himself in front of his crush.

"My dear Rarity. What can I possibly do to please you in this beautiful morning?" Spike said, bowing down in front of her.

"Hey Rarity!" Pinkie shouted.

"Why good morning Spikey, Pinkie Pie. I need to speak with Twilight about our... visitor." Rarity answered. Spike froze. Twilight was sleeping. He could say the truth and prepare for a day of work. Or he could tell Rarity she was busy, Rarity would go away for a while hopefully taking Pinkie Pie with her, and he could relax some more.

Had Rarity skin him alive...the tail as a tea spoon?

"She's sleeping upstairs. Leo too." he said hastily.

"They are both sleeping upstairs?" Rarity asked warily, not liking where this was going.

"Yes. No. They are both asleep. Twilight is upstairs, Leo is-"

"Here."

Three heads snapped at the guest bed where Leo was sitting. Her mane was messy and ruffled. Stains of milk were still on her muzzle. Rarity gasped in horror while Pinkie Pie stifled a laugh.

"There is more of you?" Leo asked, a slight tone of annoyance.

"Oh. My. Heavens. What is thing on your head?!" Rarity shrieked. Spike could swear he heard a grumble coming from upstairs.

"My head?" Leo asked patting her mane.

"It looks like a silver spider! I bet its part of her alien powers! Pinkie exclaimed.

"I cannot let this aberration exist! Come on dear! We are going to get you all cleaned up. Bein a foreginer is no excuse for being messy." Rarity said as she lifted a struggling Leo with magic, leaving the library in a huff.

"Yay! Bath party!" Pinkie Pie shouted as she hopped behind Rarity, slamming the door behind her.

Spike was left alone, trying to process what the hay had happened. His breakfast laid a mess, milk dripping from the table. Leo's bed was a mess too from the struggling when Rarity lifted her. He could probably clean it up before Twilight woke up. He could probably even make up an excuse about the now missing Leo! He just had to-

"Spike? What happened here?"

He froze again. Painfully slowly, he looked up, finding a rather irritated Twilight staring him from above.

"Oh, eh, hey Twilight, uhm, good...morning?"

"What. Happened?" Twilight asked again. Spike gulped.

"Well, ah, you see..."

"And where is Leo?"

Here came the skinning. If he had known this would happen, he would like to have a first kiss at least. With Rarity preferably, though Sweetie Belle wasn't a bad option. Maybe a little young though.

"She...left...with Rarity?" he answered.

Twilight's horn began glowing. Ponyville's inhabitants knew how a dragon could roar like a monster.

Now they knew they could scream like a little girl.