Two months, ten days later:

"I'm home!" Twilight called as she pushed open her small front door.

Spike guiltily sprang to his feet, spreading his arms, as if that could hide the pile of empty sweet wrappers lying messily beside the sofa. "Twilight! Hi! I, er, didn't expect you back yet!"

Twilight giggled, shaking her head as she closed the door behind her. "I can see that, Spike. Did you spend all your pay at Sugarcube Corner? Again?"

"No, of course not!" Spike protested.

"Oh, of course." Twilight set down her travelling bag and ruffled the spikes atop the young dragon's head, still soft and flexible at his age. "You had to save some of them for your mail-order comics."

Spike shrugged, nodding. "Pinkie gave me bonus cupcakes, too. It's bonus cupcake day."

Twilight blinked. "It is?"

"I wasn't going to argue! Want one?" He dug out a lone survivor from the pile of discarded cupcake wrappers and held the treat up in sticky claws.

"No thank you, Spike. You have it," Twilight replied, shaking her head with a smile.

"Don't mind if I do!" he declared happily, peeling the wrapping and devouring the cupcake in one bite. "Mmm, sugary."

Twilight flumped into a chair a safe distance from the rising tide of sticky wrappers and gazed at Spike fondly. In the couple of weeks after he'd returned from his quest, he'd taken pains to seem as adult as possible. He'd strutted about the place, commenting in a serious tone of voice about how the Mayor needed to fund a replacement of the town's streetlamps, and asked for a wage as her assistant rather than pocket money, even if it came out to a pretty similar amount.

Twilight had been slightly shamed by the request, and had upped his allowance - his pay - accordingly. Still, it had been a relief when he'd dropped his excessively adult pose, and let himself do the things he enjoyed. He'd grown up a bit in his adventure out in the wilds, and she was very proud, but he didn't need to grow up all at once.

"So how was Canterlot? What did the Princess want this time? That's what, the third time this month, the fourth?" Spike asked, dropping the empty wrapper onto the pile.

Twilight's expression softened, a gentle smile on her lips. "I don't think she wanted to talk about anything in particular. We just spent a day together, sitting on the balcony and talking." She hugged herself in delight. "It's been so wonderful to spend more time with her, Spike! I hadn't realised how much I'd missed talking with her, she's so calm, and wise, and warm, and when we get talking the time just flies by! I'm really happy."

"Sounds like Applejack has got some real competition," Spike smirked playfully, then ducked a thrown cushion. "Ha!" he declared, pointing a victorious claw at her. The cushion turned around in midair and hit him squarely in the side of the head, knocking him into the sticky pile on the floor.

"No fair using magic!" he grumbled as he clambered out of the heap, tugging wrappers off his face.

"If you hadn't left all that rubbish lying around, I couldn't knock you into it," Twilight pointed out. She shook her head. "The last thing I want to be reminded of are all those rumours again. The whole town went crazy while you were gone. Whatever gave anypony the idea that we were dating, for Equestria's sake? Applejack doesn't even like mares!"

She certainly wasn't going to admit the sporadic dreams that the rumours seemed to have inspired. Applejack featured heavily, but all her friends had turned up at one time or another. The dreams were... were lewd. Still, she was sure her occasional restless nights would settle down soon enough.

She and Applejack were just friends, would always be just friends, and it was a source of constant bewildered irritation that somehow the rest of Ponyville couldn't see that obvious truth. Even Big Mac had seemed pretty frosty towards her lately, no doubt because he didn't appreciate all the gossip about his sister. He'd always been protective of her, in his quiet way, even though Applejack didn't need anyone to stand up for her.

She really was a wonderful pony. Twilight was so glad they were friends.

Spike sighed, and went to fetch a dust pan and sweeping brush to clean up the mess. "So what's next?" he asked as he clattered back into the room with a broom that was taller than he was.

Twilight smiled fondly at the rows of bookshelves. "Well, I promised Cheerilee that I'd do some research for her on great ponies from this region of Equestria. She thinks that the fillies and colts might find it easier to take in the history if they can feel more connected to the ponies involved."

Spike leapt onto a chair and brandished the broom handle like a sword. "Don't forget the brave and gallant young dragon, Sir Eirehart! He scared away bandits for hundreds of miles with his sword, his bravery, his chivalry and his super hot fire breath. He's awesome."

"That's a really good idea, Spike! You're right, this shouldn't just be about ponies. Maybe there are stories of travelling gryphons, and other creatures that are just as worthy." She'd gently nudged Spike into finding the stories of Sir Eirehart some time ago, then listened with sincere pleasure as Spike told her all about him. There were too many legends of big, greedy dragons that burnt down villages and hoarded gold. He needed some positive role models of his own species in his life, even if they came from books.

"Can you help me?" she asked with a smile.

Spike saluted with the broom. "Just leave it to me, your daring, handsome, number one assistant!" Abandoning the dustpan, he began pulling books off the bookshelves with practised ease, going straight for his favourite legends and tales.

She really was so lucky to have him. Setting out a long roll of parchment to take notes on and an inked quill, Twilight settled down with a few open books and began cross-checking for mentions of the Ponyville region.

"Twilight, Twilight! Look! I think this is the same pony, do you see? In Biographies of Little Known Ponies, Volume XVIII? The description of the cutie mark matches!" Spike held up the elderly book in question for Twilight's inspection in one hand, balancing an open book of tales in the other.

Twilight compared the cutie mark drawn onto the grey pony's flank in the book of tales to the description in the registry, with surprise and growing delight. "Yes! I think you're right, Spike!"

Pulling the roll of parchment back over to her, she scribbled notes. "So this means that Longshanks the Wanderer was actually born less than fifteen miles from here! They've recorded him as Leaf Turner, but that's definitely him.. you're brilliant, Spike!"

Spike's purple cheeks flushed, and he grinned abashedly. "Aw, stop it."

"No, really, this is wonderful! Now I can search for Leaf Turner, and see what other information there is on his life. Why, we could know much more about Longshanks than we ever knew, because it was hidden under a false name!" Twilight set down her quill and ducked around the desk to hug Spike, nearly making him drop both books.

Spike patted her on the shoulder. "Don't worry, Twilight. I'm sure one day, you'll grow up to be as good a researcher as I am."

Twilight burst into laughter. "I'll work really hard," she promised, straightening up with a huge, irrepressible smile. It was turning out to be a wonderful day.

A knock sounded on the door.

Spike groaned, sliding the books onto the table. "Oh come on! Not Zecora again."

Twilight glanced towards the door. "Did she come by again while I was away?"

"She did. Again. Still acting weird," Spike groused, crossing towards the door.

Zecora had been acting strangely lately. Once or twice a week, she'd arrive in Ponyville and whatever her apparent purpose, she always paused at Twilight's home to see her. Each visit was short, however, and she always seemed to leave disappointed and unhappy.

At first, Twilight had wondered if she'd done something to upset her, and had obsessively scoured her home and reviewed her own behaviour to try to figure out what it was that was displeasing the zebra. Eventually, though, she'd begun to wonder if there was just something the matter with Zecora.

She could do with some advice, really. She should probably ask Celestia about it.

Spike opened the door with a grumpy expression, and blinked as a letter was thrust under his nose.

"Letter for Twilight Sparkle!" announced the post pony cheerily, tipping his little peaked cap to Spike.

Spike wiped a hand across his forehead theatrically. "Whew. Am I ever glad to see you. Thanks." Accepting the letter, he waved the lanky pony farewell and shut the door, trooping back inside.

"Who is it from, Spike?" Twilight asked curiously.

Spike turned the letter over, and a grin spread across his face. "It says, 'to Twilight Sparkle, for her personal attention only, from an admirer'. Sounds promising!" He flicked out a long green claw and drew it smoothly across the top of the letter, slitting it open. Tugging out the contents, he remarked "Okay, we've got a piece of parchment bound up with a red ribbon, and a letter. Let's see. 'Dear Twilight, my heart trembles as I write these words for your eyes alone-' hey!"

Twilight had levitated the bundle out of his hands, with a rich blush on her cheeks. "I think that I had better read this one myself, Spike. Thank you."

"Aww, Twilight! It was getting good!"

Twilight coughed. "I'll read this upstairs. I won't be long."

Spike gave her another fanged grin. "So should I send a thank you basket of apples to-"

"It's not from Applejack!"

Twilight huffed as she trooped up the stairs with the letter and red ribboned parchment. If she couldn't get Spike to stop talking about it, how was she ever going to make the whole town get over it...

Her small bed creaked under her as she sat down. A love letter? She'd never received anything like that before. She had to admit, it was kind of... exciting.

She lifted the letter, holding it as though it were precious, and read. 'Dear Twilight, my heart trembles as I write these words for your eyes alone, and I beg you to read all that I have to say before you set this message - and myself - aside.' She didn't recognise the handwriting. It seemed feminine, perhaps? She felt a blush rising on her cheeks.

'You might have forgotten me, but to me, you are the most important pony in the world. Please, make sure that you're alone, and only then undo the red ribbon.' Twilight lowered the letter, and stared into space.

Oh, stars above. A secret something that Twilight should only look at alone? It couldn't be. No one would do such a thing. No one would ever send her... some sort of intimate portrait. Would they? No. But if they did? She couldn't possibly open it.

But... the letter writer, whoever it was, had begged for her not to ignore the letter. If she put it away now, she'd never know who it was. Of course, she didn't intend to go out and suddenly start dating somepony because they'd sent her a letter and a self portrait! But still, it was... flattering.

And she was alone. Who would know?

Cheeks crimson, Twilight lifted the roll of parchment, and untied the ribbon. Braced for anything, she carefully unrolled it.

It was covered in handwriting, a different style to the outer letter.

The handwriting was her own.

What?

Reflexively, she began to read, her brow furrowed with puzzlement and confusion.

'Dear Twilight. I know you don't remember writing this. If you are reading it, not knowing what it is, then we've failed. We've probably lost everything, and you don't even realise it. It's okay. Stay calm. Read this carefully, and to the end, before you make up your mind.'

The colour drained from Twilight's face. The fluttering happiness that a moment before had been dancing in her chest had vanished, leaving a hole behind. Was this a joke? What was this?

Unwillingly, she looked back at the parchment.

'I'd better begin by proving it's really you. Here's the recognition secret, the one in case of time travel. You remember when we were eight. When Cadence had sent you to bed, but you weren't sleepy, so you came back downstairs, and she was lying on the sofa. She was panting, and you thought she was in trouble for a moment, but then you realised she wasn't. So you hid behind the door, and listened to her, and when she'd stopped panting, you sneaked upstairs and never told anyone. But you dreamed about it.'

Twilight's hand had crept up to cover her mouth. Her heart beat quickly. She'd never told anypony that. This wasn't a joke. She should have picked a passcode secret that wasn't so, so embarrassing, but it had fulfilled its purpose. She had written this.

Twilight glanced towards the door. No sign of anypony. An unpleasant nervous tension hunched her shoulders.

She took a deep breath to steel herself, and continued reading.

'When you wrote this letter, you were about to confront a very powerful person. One with the power to alter minds and memories. You sent this letter, delayed post, to be delivered seventy-one days after the confrontation, in case the worst happened.

'Well, the worst did happen. I'm really sorry. But it's okay. You have to believe that. Even though you lost, and your memory has been wiped of everything that happened, it doesn't mean this is over. You can still win.

'These are your disaster recovery procedures.'

Author's Notes:

Oh, we are nowhere near being done.

Here begins part two: Under New Management.

Proofing and suggestions by Setokaiva