“Hello! Welcome to the Ponyville Library!”

A purple unicorn stands between you and the doorway. She is grinning widely and looking at you with anxious eyes. It’s obvious that the library does not get a lot of patrons, and that she is very happy to see you.

“Uh... Yeah, Hi. Are you Twilight Sparkle?”

The unicorn giggles. “Sure am! What can I do for you? Need a book?” Her eagerness is a little unsettling. If you didn’t know any better, you would swear she had anticipated your arrival. But that couldn’t have been possible.

Unless…

You think back for a moment to what Rarity had said, about how Rainbow Dash had met with her and another pony. Another pony named Twilight Sparkle. You blush when you realize why she must be so excited. Before you left (and after Rarity had finished gushing over your identity and how “fabulous” it must be to be from such wealthy stock) she briefly explained that Twilight sparkle had been very engrossed in Rainbow’s recanting of her feelings for you and how much she adored you. She also went on to explain that Twilight was a very big “Romanticist”, in that she loved the idea of romance. She and Rarity often swapped romantic novels, a guilty pleasure that they both enjoyed. This romantic side of her tended to sometimes gush over the walls of her normally studious and astute personality when she met ponies of the opposite sex, or even if she saw to ponies together. While it wasn’t a concern, she warned that Twilight may recognize you from Rainbow’s description, and also may try to pry a few more details out of you.

“Just… Only tell her what you’re comfortable with telling her, if you do tell her anything at all. She’s a sweet mare, and I love her like a sister. She’s just a little inexperienced in love and tends to… hang on… to other ponies’ relationships…”

You were sure that Twilight meant to harm in her query. Like you were until recently, she only wanted to know what a relationship was like; what being head over hooves was like. In that way you two had a shared kinship, you were sure that you would be able to relate to a little better than the other ponies you had met.

“Are you ok? Hellooooo, earth to strange, zoned out pegasus?”

You blink and shake your head a few times. “Oh, yeah sorry. I got lost in thought.”

Twilight smiles. “Don’t worry, it happens. So! What can I get you?”

“Umm… Nurse Red Heart sent me here to pick up a book for her… I forget the name; it was a big important sounding one. “Pony medical things” or something like that.”

Twilight furrows her brow and daftly bites her lip as she thinks. “Hmm… Well I don’t think I have one by that name, but I did just borrow one from here, maybe that’s it? Come on inside and I’ll get it for you.”

She smiled again as she stepped aside to let you enter.

“Oh, and I need to meet with someone named spike? Rarity said he can help sharpen this grinding stone?"

“Of course!” Twilight trots over to the landing of a large wooden stair case that extends up into the ceiling. “Spike! Rarity sent something for you!”

A sudden thumping from above catches your attention as you follow the path of the noise across the ceiling until you see a small purple and green blur race down the stairs towards twilight.

“Oh boy! Rarity sent me something? What is it? I bet it’s an invitation to dinner!”

With a quick jump that propelled him over the railing and onto you floor, spike the dragon runs up to you and looks up at your saddle bags with eager eyes. “Hi! I’m spike! Are you here to deliver Rarity’s present to me?”

You shrug a bit nervously. You don’t want to let the poor guy down, but you did come here for a reason. Maybe he won’t take it to hard? You reach behind you and open your saddle bags, letting Spike take a look inside.

“Sorry little guy. She just sent me here so you can sharpen her grinding stone for her.” Spike pulls the dull, round rock out from the bag and looks at it, then back at you before looking back at the stone again.

“You mean Rarity wants my help?” He held the stone close to his chest. “I won’t let her down!” With that, the small dragon salutes you before rushing back upstairs.

“Wow. Little guy took that better than I expected.” You turn to twilight who just gazes at you with a sly smile.

“Well, you know how it is. Being young and in love?”

You sigh in half defeat. “I guess you know who I am then?”

She nodded. “Rainbow Dash did a good job in describing you. I’d know your face anywhere!”

You blush a bit. Being recognized because of your family was one thing, one thing that usually made you feel embarrassed, but being recognized because rainbow dash was in love with you? That was a whole different scenario, one that you secretly liked.

“Well, I guess that saves on introductions then.”

Twilight nods. “Yes, I think it does. Follow me and I’ll let you see the medical book I have.”

You follow behind Twilight as she ascends the stairs up to her bedroom. Spikes sits on the edge of her bed, rubbing the stone against his tails. Small sparks fly off as he drags it against his rough scales. It had only been a few minutes since you gave him the stone, and already it was looking better than before. The dull sheen was now replaced with a smooth luster, and the baby dragon now used the smallest of his green tail spikes to etch vertical and horizontal lines in the surface. He was so busy he didn’t even notice you and Twilight walk by.

“Alright, let’s see here…. Ah! Is this it?” Twilight’s horn glowed bright as a large blue book lifted off her dresser and floated over to your face. It’s bigger then you thought, too big to fit in a saddle bag. The cover was hard and cold to the touch, bound with black leather and embossed with gold words that read “Pony Medical Remedies.”

“That’s it! That’s the title!” You’re happy to be able to check one more item off your list as Twilight sets it down on the bed. “You’re a lifesaver Twilight, and possibly in more ways than one.”

“Well, I did need it for some studying, but since Rainbow dash is sick, I’m more than happy to give it back. Besides, I can always ask to borrow it again.”

Your busy contemplating how to exactly carry the book back to nurse Red Heart when you realize that what Twilight said doesn’t make sense.

“How… did you know Rainbow Dash was sick?”

Twilight blinked a couple of times before responding with a smile. “Oh! Well, you told me, remember?”

You shake your head. “No… I didn’t say she was sick…just that I knew her… or, you knew I knew her.”

“Oh… uh… well…  I gathered that... she was with you… and the book was for her?” Twilight was blushing; beads of sweat forming on her brow as she rubbed one hoof nervously against the ankle of its mate. She was lying, and doing a very bad job of it in the process. You didn’t need the element of honesty to know that.

“I hope you don’t play poker Twilight, because if so, your one heck of a sucker.” You smile and twilight lowers her head, sighing.

“I told Rainbow that I wouldn’t be able to do this… I can’t lie to save my flank.”

The pieces are starting to fall into place for you, but you’re still unsure about a few things. You could already tell this hunt was a farce; you had your first suspicions when nurse Red Heart gave you her instructions. For one, nothing on the list sounded like medicine, and for another, why would a licensed doctor run out of medicine, and have someone like you pick it up? Shouldn’t they be stocked at all times? No, no something didn’t add up.

“Alright, the truth is, Rainbow Dash isn’t really sick.”

Your taken aback with surprise. “No, that can’t be right. I was with her all last night. She was throwing up!”

Twilight blushed and giggled a bit. “Yeah… Well… the truth is, She planned this from the start.”

Next Chapter: The Countdown Part 1 Estimated time remaining: 52 Minutes