Resent.

"Basket?"

"Check."

"Sandwiches?"

"Check.

"Condiments?"

"Check."

"Blanket? Napkins?"

"Check and check." Spike marked the checklist. "Thats about it." Twilight beamed with happiness. Things in her life had been rather hectic ever since she was crowned princess. Ponies to meet, papers to sign, books to move. Her entire palace needed some work. A entire month of remodeling, fixing and settling in. But she was finally done now. Everything was ready. All she wanted right now was to meet with the most important ponies in her life.

"Okay, Spike, I'm leaving now. Remember to clean up the library okay?"

Her palace wasn't exactly a palace per say. It was more like her own private villa. Ponies lived there of course, going around with their daily business, and she planned to stay there at least week every month, and more if necessary. But for now, her palace was mostly empty, save for the few servants who kept it clean. The new princess didn't have to worry about a court, guards or anything of the like. And that suited her fine, for it meant that she could stay where her home was. With her friends.

"Can I join your girls when I'm done?" Spike placed a tome in its place.

"If your done on time. Sure." Twilight answered as she placed the basked on her back, using her wings to keep it balanced. She still had some awkward moments with them, like when she sent Spike flying by accident when he tried to wake her up one morning. They were powerful things!

"Bye Spike!"

And with that, Twilight vanished from the library. Spike glanced around the library. Piles of books where everywhere. Dirty dishes occupied the kitchen. His bed was a mess. The entire library was a mess. A mess that would take hours to clean.

"When I'm done..." his smile disappeared. "Right..."

Twilight flapped her wings, feeling the air flow below them. She was still awkward while flying, something that Dash had no shame in rubbing in, but gosh it felt good. Was this why pegasus enjoyed flying so much? It felt amazing!

"Maybe I could try doing some flips eventually..."

Ponyville soon ended, giving way to the green fields. Grass, trees and flowers. Nothing you could find in Manehatta or Fillydelphia, though maybe in Canterlot. But even then, it would lack the friendly atmosphere that covered the town and its surrounding land. Yup, Twilight had a house in Canterlot and a castle for herself.

But Ponyville was her home.

"Hey Twilight!" Pinkie bounced where she stood. All of her friends where waiting for her. Few things changed once she got her crown. Other than having to slightly decrease the time she could spent with them, Twilight's life had changed little, and even then, it wasn't that bad. It just meant that they would have to make each meeting even more special.

"You sure took your time." Dash said from the tree she was laying on.

"You're one to talk." Twilight placed the basket between them. "I had to give some instructions to Spike. Sorry for the delay."

"Its alright darling." Rarity said from her couch. "Is Spike going to join us soon?"

"If he finishes quickly, then yes." Twilight answered. But finishing soon was not something that Spike had in mind. He had been a librarians assistant for years now. And he knew when to realize that there was no way he was going to be able to meet up with the girls for a fun time.

Again.

The books were the heaviest. Piles as tall as Big Mac. Each book as heavy as it could be. Specially when you had to climb a ladder. Those were the worst. Claws or no claws.

"She could have helped here..." Spike grumbled as placed the tome back.. "One flick of her horn and all done, but no, why waste time doing that when she has me to clean up her mess!"

Fixing the library alone took him a couple of hours. He couldn't fly, he couldn't use magic and he wasn't really that strong to begin with. Weren't dragons supposed to be almighty beasts or something like that? He sure didn't feel like it. The kitchen was little better. A small pile of dirty plates was stacked. Knifes and forks were thrown in the dish cleaner. All in all, a mess.

A mess he would have to clean. Again.

"Why do I have to be left behind...." Spike grabbed a plate and began working. " Its always me."

"Yes. Why you?"

Spike dropped the plate, which smashed against the floor.

"Who's there?!" he asked loudly. But nopony answered. The library was empty, save for him. Not a soul inside.

"I-I said w-who's there!"

"Why nopony Spike. You're alone, remember?"

"Alone...wait, show yourself!"

"Left behind by your friends...."

Spike ran out of the kitchen and straight into his just arranged bed. This was not happening. This could not be happening! Ghosts don't appear in the middle of the day!

And they don't say hurtful things to you.

"They're not really your friends are they Spike? They wouldn't leave you here if they were..."

"J-just leave me alone!" Spike cried from his under the covers.

"Spike...haven't you realized?"

Spike didn't say anything.

"You're already alone."

"N-no I am not!" Spike shivered. "M-my friends will help me!"

"Your friends? How would they know? They left you here to work. How would they know if anything happened? Would they even care?"

"Of...course they would! Twilight and the others would save me without a doubt. Were family after all!" Spike started to get angry. Who did this ghost think he, er, she...it, think it was?!

"Is that why they left you behind when the Equestria Games happened?"

Spike said nothing. That one did hurt for a while.

Spike...I am not here to hurt you...you are alone here...

Spike peered out of his blanket. A white sphere had appeared in front of him. To say that it was beautiful would have been an understatement. Even Celestia's mane seemed like a dirty rag compared to it.

"You are alone...until now..."

"Who are you?" Spike asked.

"Your first true, real friend. And if you listen to me...not the last."

Silence engulfed the library for a few seconds.

"So you are my friend." Spike asked.

"Thats right Spike. I am not your enemy. You can trust me."

"Why should I? I've barely known you for ten minutes."

"I promised I wouldn't attack you." the sphere said. "Have I?"

"I...I guess not." Spike sat on his bed. "But what should I call you then?"

"You can call me whatever you want. I'm a good friend after all."

Spike hesitated before continuing. He gave the door a quick glance. He could reach it if he was quick. All he had to do would be jump down from the second floor, which wasn't that high to begin with. But the white sphere seemed to be telling the truth. At least for now.

"Are you a boy or a girl? Its kinda weird to talk to you without knowing."

"I'm a mare."

"Okay then. Can I call you snowdrop? You really look like one."

"As you wish." Snowdrop agreed before slowly circling him. "You must be lonely here. Cleaning up this library I mean."

"Its not so bad. I mean, its my job after all." Spike said proudly. "I'm Twilight's number one assistant." Snowdrop floated around the library, inspecting the different books, scrolls and quills. Spike had really outdone himself this time. Not a single thing was out of place. The kitchen was still slightly messy though, but nothing that couldn't be fixed without some quick work. Snowdrop disappeared, appearing right in front of Spike.

"You did a marvelous work here. Not a single stain or mess. And it only took you a couple of hours. A normal pony would have taken hours upon hours." Snowdrop said cheerfully. Spike gave a bitter laugh.

"Yeah. A normal pony. Twilight could have fixed this whole thing in a minute with her magic. but-"

"But she had to see her friends, leaving you to do all the work for her, eating the picnic that I assume you made. Again."

Spike said nothing. Snowdrop took this as the signal to continue.

"Do you remember the Equestrian Games?" Spike nodded. "She didn't even take you to the games, even when it had been you who saved the crystal empire! Now that doesn't seem very fair, does it? Or when Owliscious got here and it took you leaving to get Twilight to listen to you." Snowball said. "Thats just not right."

"Well...they have been a bit insensitive lately..."

"Insensitive is putting it mildly Spike! Don't you see? She's using you! They are using you. Like Rarity and the whole diamond dog issue. Besides thanking you once, as she ever rewarded you in any way?"

"But Rarity does reward me! She thanks to me, gives me gems and stuff." Spike defended his crush.

"Thats called payment Spike. A real reward is very different. A thank you isn't good enough either. Haven't you proved your worth already? Why hasn't she answered? She could at least say no to you, letting you fall gently. Instead, she keeps you hanging around, knowing that as long as you don't know the answer, you wont leave her side. The perfect dragon slave." Snowdrop spat. Spike tried to reply, but Snowdrop got ahead of him.

"Or when Pinkie Pie trapped inside the Sugarcube Corner and started interrogating you, making you say all those humiliating things. Or when Applejack rejected your help, even though you honestly wanted to repay her. Or when Fluttershy had you take care of Angel, knowing that the bunny was going to make your life miserable."

"How...how do you know all this stuff?" he shivered.

"I know because I care about you, unlike them, who only want their servant." Snowball took a friendlier tone, rubbing herself against Spike cheek. The door to the library opened and closed, the sound echoing through the library.

"Its Twilight! She's here!" Spike jumped out of bed.

"Don't tell her about me. She'll probably call you childish and immature." Snowdrop said.

"You're sure? Maybe we can talk this out with her." Spike replied.

"Like when you burned that book by accident and she didn't even hear you?"

"Spike?" Twilight called. Spike peered out from the second floor. Snowdrop had disappeared. They were alone now. Just him and her.

"Hi Twilight! Eh, how did the picnic go?" Twilight set the now empty basket on the table, giving a tired, yet happy sigh.

"It was good Spike. Tiring, but good, you should have been there." Twilight said, immediately teleporting to her bed. A quill, ink and a scroll floated next to her. Spike rolled his eyes.

"Well yes, I was bit busy..." his talk with Snowdrop floated in his head. " You know, cleaning the library."

"Yeah, sorry about that. I did kind of a mess didn't I? Thanks for cleaning it up for me." Twilight said with a sheepish smile. Spike decided to test waters.

"So...it was fun right? You think I can go next time?"

"Sure. You just gotta finish your work of the day and you can go. I promise next time will be easier."

"So you can keep me hanging around..." he muttered.

"What was that?" Twilight glanced from her scroll. Spike jumped off the bed.

"Nothing." he grumbled as he jumped off the bed. "I'll go finish with the kitchen." he said before walking down the stairs. Twilight was slightly surprised by his unfriendly tone, but decided to pay little attention to it. Spike could get grumpy when he had a lot of work. It wasn't anything unusual. he would probably be fine by night time. Meanwhile, Spike closed the door of the kitchen, grumbling all the way. He grabbed a dish, cleaning it with more force than needed. he was scratching with his scales, but didn't really care right now.

"Told you..."

"She sugarcoats it for me. I can't believe I didn't notice." Spike put the plate away. Snowdrop was floating right besides him.

"She probably thinks that you don't notice. That you're happy like this." she noted. Spike scoffed.

"Well, I'm not." he grabbed another plate.

Clearly not." Snowdrop floated in front of him. "Makes you wish that things were different."

"Sometimes..." Spike said, mostly to himself. Snowdrop giggled, making Spike blush a bit.

"What if I told you there is a way? That you can change things?" Snowdrop said. "That you can be truly happy again?"

"What do you mean? Its not like have a magic lamp or something." Spike grumbled.

"Remember what I told you before? The first thing that you actually listened to?"

"You said you were going to be my friend." Spike answered.

"Yes. That and that if you listened to me..."

"You wouldn't be the last." Spike finished for her, his voice slowly getting filled with hope. Snowdrop giggled again. It wasn't an annoying giggle, nor a girly giggle. It was a friendly giggle, the best kind of giggle there is.

"Thats right Spike. You are not the only one who suffers like this." Snowdrop explained. "There are others who understand you, who can truly relate to you. And I want you to meet them!"

"Really?!" Spike grinned. "When?!"

"Tonight."