Chapter 22

     A week after Hearth's Warming, Applejack and Fluttershy once again found themselves in the library.

Twilight marches in, dragging a book the size of a small filly. "How could I be so stupid?" Twilight asked. "I checked this out weeks ago for a bit of light reading!"

     She dropped the book on the table. The wood creaked under the weight, and Fluttershy thought it might actually break.

Twilight opened the book to page 4,347. 

     "Combover Liverspot," she read aloud. "Is known for creating the Stallion's Stone. The stone is the mane ingredient in the elixir of life which can make somepony immortal. Liverspot owns the only known stone in existence, and recently celebrated his hundred and fiftieth birthday alongside his wife."

Twilight looked up from the book.

     "That's what Trixie wants. The Stallion's Stone!

"So Trixie wants to become immortal?" Applejack asked.

"No," Fluttershy said. "She doesn't want the stone for herself. She wants to use it for Ponymort!"

Applejack's eyes went wide and Twilight bit her lip.

"For gosh sakes Sugarcube!" Applejack cried. "Ya can't just go tossin' that name out left and right!"

"Sorry," Fluttershy apologized. "I meant You-Know-Who."

     "Good afternoon," said a voice from behind. The three fillies turned to see Trixie standing behind them.

"What exactly are three fillies like yourselves doing inside on a day like this?" Trixie asked. "Somepony might start to think your up to something."

Trixie walked away.

     "Does she get off on bein' creepy?" Applejack cried.

"She might be right though," Twilight said. "It's not normal for us to be spending this much time in the library. I mean, for me it is, but not for you two. You go, and I'll read up more on the Stallion's Stone."

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

     Fluttershy and Applejack were sitting on the courtyard bench when Rarity walked by.

"Oh," Rarity said. "Fluttershy, darling. What a pleasure running into you!"

"How are you today Rarity?" Fluttershy asked politely.

Rarity bit her lip. "Actually, I'd love to have tea with you and your friends today!"

"What time?" Applejack asked.

     "One in the morning seems good," Rarity said.

"One in the morning?" Fluttershy echoed. "We can't sneak out at one in the morning to go have tea with you!"

Rarity chuckled nervously. "It's of utmost importance that you come have tea at one in the morning!"

Applejack shrugged. "Whatever ya say Rarity."

Rarity breathed a sigh of relief. "You girls are the best!"

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

     The invisibility cloak wasn't big enough for Twilight, Applejack, and Fluttershy, so the very bottom of their hooves were still visible. Thankfully, the corridors were empty. Even Hayseed had gone to sleep.

They finally worked their way to Rarity's cottage. "Thank you girls for coming," Rarity said. "I don't know what I would have done with out you!"

"What is it Rarity?" Twilight asked.

Rarity motioned towards her kitchen table. Sitting in the center, rather than a pot of tea and a plate of scones sat a shining blue egg.

"A dragons egg!" Fluttershy cooed. "However did you find it Rarity?"

"A hooded unicorn I met at a fabric store gave it to me," Rarity explained. "It's almost ready!"

     Suddenly, there was a snapping noise. A large crack formed alongside the egg. Then another crack formed on the opposite side. Soon, a small red claw slid through the crack and pulled the egg apart. The shining blue shell collapsed on the table revealing a small, wet, red baby dragon.

"I'm so excited!" Rarity squealed.

     "I never knew you were so enthusiastic about animals, Rarity," Fluttershy said.

Rarity frowned. "I'm not enthusiastic about animals. Dragon egg shell makes the perfect glitter for my designs!"

     Rarity gathered up all the egg shell fragments with her magic and placed them in a large bowl. Then she picked up a rock with her magic and began grinding up the egg shells into a fine sparkling powder.

The dragon began crawling around the table, whimpering softly.

     Fluttershy was appauled. "What do you plan to do with the baby dragon?"

"Oh, that thing," Rarity said, her face contorted with disgust. "I'll just let him loose in the Everfree Forest."

"You can't just let a baby dragon loose in the Everfree Forest!" Fluttershy cried. "I've read all about them! They can't survive in this environment!"

     "You're startin' to sound like Twilight," Applejack mumbled.

Fluttershy picked up the dragon in her arms and began stroking the dragon's spines. "There, there Norbert," Fluttershy said.

"Norbert?" Twilight echoed. 

     "Well we have to call him something," Fluttershy said.

Norbert hiccuped and green flames shot out of his nostrils. 

"You have to keep him Rarity!" Fluttershy insisted. "I'll... I'll come by and take care of him every day! I'll train him! I'll sing to him! I'll even chew his food for him while he's a hatchling."

     "That sounds like an awful lotta work Sugarcube," Applejack said. 

"I agree with Applejack," Rarity said. "What am I supposed to do with him while your in class? And besides, you already have a pet."

     "I know," Fluttershy said. "But Angel is a good rabbit. He won't mind sharing the attention for a while. And when I'm in class, you'll just have to deal with him."

"Alright," Rarity groaned. "Curse my overwhelming generosity."

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

     Taking care of an untrained baby dragon in a small cottage full of flammable fabrics was like trying to catch a manticore with a butterfly net. Needless to say, it was very difficult. Even with Fluttershy skipping her assignments and showing up immediately after her classes, the dragon had to suffer through eight hours of neglect. Rarity was afraid to make eye contact with Norbert, let alone take care of him. 

     Norbert was growing too. He had nearly doubled in size and strength in one week.

True to her word, Fluttershy had even chewed up the dragons food until he had grown his own teeth. 

"You can't keep going like this," Twilight said while Fluttershy was chewing up an apple for Norbert to eat.

"Twilight's right!" Applejack agreed. "You're getting more and more tired, you've been neglectin' your own pet, and your grades are worse than mine!"

     Fluttershy spat the cream colored mush into a bowl and set it in front of Norbert. 

Twilight's face contorted with disgust as the small red dragon began scooping the semisolid into his mouth with his long red claws.

"I'm fine," Fluttershy insisted. "And so is Norbert."

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

     Gilda paced the Slytherin common room while Snips and Snails sat and watched her.

"Those three are up to something!" Gilda shouted. "They're spending all day at that brat Rarity's house. They must be plotting against me!"

     "Everypony is plotting against you," Snips said.

Snails nodded in agreement.

"Shut up!" Gilda snapped. "I'm the brains here! I've got to find out what their up to..."