Hey Twi,

Haven't heard from you in a few weeks, and I know we didn't part on the best terms, but…I have a few things I need.

I’ve managed to acquire a book that has some details on possible magical manifestations in the human world, and I was hoping to compare it to some of the oldest knowledge we have on some of the other species. I've got a book on zebra shamanism, but I was hoping for some of the older books on the minotaur and on the deer-folk.

I was also hoping for a translated version of the minotaur fortitude treatise, because it turns out that my ancient Minoan is super rusty and I don't have time to translate it.

We’ve had some interesting developments on this end I thought you’d want to know about. For starters, the girls are developing magic of their own and have had magic surges of their own. So far, each of them seem to be different…well…’powers’…for lack of better phrasing. Applejack is strong, but Rainbow is fast, and Fluttershy…Fluttershy seems to be able to shapeshift. That was…not great to learn. She almost turned into a bear because she wanted to maul her brother.

For the time being, I’ve started them on trying to do some of Princess Celestia’s meditations and sensing techniques so they can learn what their magic—and each other’s—feels like. Mixed success on that--how do you explain what knowing your magic is like to a species that was born with none, for whom possessing magic is completely foreign? It's not exactly a picnic in the Memorial Park, that’s for sure, and I’m...mostly having to feel my way through it. I know some magi would be ecstatic to found a new branch of magical study, or to be the first to document a new type of magic use...This is technically the first one since Nebula Scroll’s study of Cervine Treeshapers twenty five hundred years ago, and I suddenly have amazing respect for her. This kind of thing would be boggling to just write down, and here I am trying to not only study it but teach it to the wielders fast enough to avoid them accidentally causing destruction or injury.

Truth is, I wish there was literally anypony else available to do it, but…there’s not, and nopony else is quite equipped to deal with the human world like me other than maybe you, and I’ve got about four and a half years on you with that.

There was also a massive surge for me a few weeks ago, and it…it triggered the girls into releasing the Rainbow of Light again, but with no real target. It caused a bunch of strange transmutations and enchantments that don't make sense by any rules of magic I know of…which is exceptionally concerning, because transmutation is my primary specialty, what I got my magus certifications in. I’ll draw in and write down all I can about them at the end here, maybe you can find something about the Elements being able to permanently transmute things?

Speaking of, have you found anything more about the Elements in general? Or on their history? The more I look at the magic here, the more I research it, the more the girls use it, the more I’m convinced this has to be tied into some lost knowledge on the Elements themselves…but all I have is this crazy text that triggered my original idea to steal your Crown in the first place… Which is less helpful than you might think, because it's mostly written in Old Ponish and another dialect I can’t translate because I’ve never seen script like this before. It does not match any language I ever came across in my studies in Equestria, suggesting that its one of the lost languages. It suggests there’s more to the Elements than our current knowledge tells us, but the details are missing…or hidden behind a writing style that looks like someone had an obsession with triangles.

Sorry for being a bit all over the place…I’m a bit stressed out right now. Every time I turn around, I’ve got to add something else to the list of things I’m the only one able to deal with, and some days I feel like I’m drowning. I can only imagine how you feel with this on top of all your other responsibilities.

Sunset Shimmer

Hey again, Twi,

Haven't heard back from you yet, so I was wondering if my messages got through? The book seems to still be functioning on this end. Kinda hoping you're just busy…

Sunset

Princess Twilight?

Look, I’m sorry if I offended you or said something wrong last time we talked. I understand if you don’t want to talk much to me anymore on a personal or social level, but I’m asking that you don’t cut off contact entirely. If not for me, than for the girls--I can’t help them without your help. You have access to the libraries, and frankly, you’ve got a way better grasp of Arcane Theory than I do, which means you can make more sense of my notes than I can.

I’ve included copies of those, by the way. Sorry about the mess on the next twenty pages. I was trying to write as tiny as I could.

Sunset Shimmer

Sunset,

Hey, it's Spike. Sorry about it taking so long. Twilight is actually out of town right now—the castle has this magic map that's been sending ponies places, and she also needed to go talk to Princess Luna about some stuff, so she’s been gone for a while.

If you wanted, I can send her a copy of your letter by Dragonfire.

Oh that makes sense. I was worried she was mad at me. If you could, that’d be great. Its not an emergency but it is kinda time sensitive, I guess?

Took care of it. I’ll let you know when I hear back.

Thanks, Spike. Hope everything is going okay in Equestria.

Hey, Sunset!

Just heard back from Twi, and she gave me a list of books to get you. I found most of them. Did you want me to bring them by like…tomorrow afternoon? I can just pop through the portal real quick to deliver them to you guys.

Would you? That would be great, Spike. I can pick them up during my study hall just before lunch or even after school.

It's cool. I can bring them through…maybe I can talk you into getting me like some human comic books or something, sometime?

I’ll see what I can do. I know where the comic shop is. See you tomorrow.

Time to check in on what's happening in Equestria. Turns out Princess Twilight is...away. Busy.

Just a reminder, there's going to be one or two more updates before the hiatus. Then I'll see everyone again after the first of the year.