Chapter 19

     Fluttershy and Applejack had been trapped in the library for what seemed like months. The dusty wooden table next to the window and bookshelves at the far corner had become a second home for them.

Fluttershy and Applejack rested their heads on the wooden table. Twilight was gone, swapping out their old stack of books for a new one. 

     "I'm just gonna rest my eyes here," Applejack yawned, her face on top of the table. "Tell me if Twilight's comin'..."

"Sure..." Fluttershy groaned, trying to get some sleep herself.

"What are you two doing?"

Fluttershy and Applejack sat up quickly.

"We weren't sleeping!" Applejack shouted. "We were just..."

"Meditating!" Fluttershy finished.

Applejack nodded in agreement.

Twilight pushed a whole new stack of books onto the table with her magic.

"Well we don't have time for that," Twilight snapped. "Hearth's Warming is in two weeks. I'll be leaving to visit home soon, and so will you Applejack."

     Fluttershy gazed out the window to her right. Lyra was building a snowpony in the snow, and Scootaloo was having a snowball fight with some Hufflepuff students. Fluttershy had been looking forward to her first winter away from home, since Mr. Tiara always made her stand still while Diamond Tiara threw snowballs at her.

"Can't we just take a ten minute break?" Fluttershy begged.

     Twilight shook her head. "We've searched every book in this library at least twice. I'm sure there's something on Combover Liverspot in one of these books!"

"No there ain't," Applejack said. "And I don't see why we should waste our winter in here searching for a pony that doesn't exist!"

"He does though!" Twilight insisted. "I know I've read that name before. I'll... I'll keep looking. You two go out and enjoy yourselves."

"But Twilight," Fluttershy said. "You don't have to do that."

"Yes I do," Twilight insisted. "Now go."

     Twilight practically pushed Applejack and Fluttershy out of the library.

"What's her problem?" Applejack asked as they hiked up to the Gryffindor common room to grab their coats.

Fluttershy shrugged. Twilight had been certain that Combover Liverspot was in one of the books. She had been insisting for nearly a week that she had read that book somewhere.

"Let's let her look," Applejack said. "If she wants to waste her time in the library, let her."

     They walked into the dormitory and Fluttershy began digging through her trunk to find her scarf. She reached further into the sea of folded clothes and lost homework assignments until she felt a thick piece of paper. Curious, she pulled it out.

"I remember this!" Fluttershy exclaimed. "This is the newspaper I borrowed during the very first week!"

Fluttershy looked down sadly. "Sorry I never gave it back."

Applejack laughed. "Don't worry 'bout it Sugarcube! I only get the papers for the funnies!"

     Fluttershy looked at the front page. She saw that same moving picture of the baby dragons puzzling over the empty vault.

"Wait a second," Fluttershy said. "Rarity said that the small package she picked up was a secret. What if-"

"What if that's what Fluffy's guarding!" Applejack finished.

Both young fillies were beaming as they galloped joyously around the room.

"Now we just need to figure out what was in that package," Fluttershy said. "Then we'll know why Trixie wants to steal it."

*********************

     Fluttershy and Applejack sat in the great hall enjoying breakfast.

"This is much better than regular breakfast," Applejack said, sipping some hot cocoa.

Fluttershy nodded in agreement nibbling on some toast. 

     The Great Hall was almost completely empty. Everypony was already packed up and ready to leave for Hearth's Warming break.

     Twilight dragged a huge purple duffle bag along the floor.

"I see you've packed," Applejack said.

"I see you haven't," Twilight replied.

"Change of plans," Applejack explained. "My parents decided to visit my brother Yellow Burst in Romania. They can't afford to take all of us, so they're leaving Dashie, Pinkie, Big Mac, and I here for Christmas."

"While I'm gone, you two need to check the library again for Combover Liverspot," Twilight said. "He's got to be the key to figuring out what was in that vault."

"We've looked a thousand times!" Applejack whined.

     Twilight leaned in really close. "Not in the restricted section," she whispered.

Fluttershy and Applejack glanced at each other nervously.

Twilight turned and left, dragging her duffle bag along.

"I think we've had a bad influence on her," Applejack said.