"Alright, what else do I need?" Twilight asked herself as she packed saddlebags with books. "What else...?" She pondered.

"Twilight," Spike said giving her a flat stare. "Were going to Equestria's largest library and your taking books that won't likely be of any use. Tsk, tsk Twilight." He shook his head.

She stared at the books before deciding on the two she had.

'The work of shakesteer and the life story of Beethooven. Good.'

She closed her saddle bags and picked up her coin purse.

Before she went downstairs, she cast a small glare at the hole in the ceiling. She gave a huff, knowing eventually that Pinkie, or somepony, likely herself, will fix it.

When she went down, she saw Spike at the front door talking to somepony.

"Do you want to tell her or should I?" Spike asked.

"Ah'll do it, ah suppose." Replied Big Macintosh as he stepped in.

Twilight stopped as she was at the last step. He saw her staring and gave a small smile.

"Ah hope ah'm not interruptin'?" He asked, motioning to her and Spike.

"No, you’re not interrupting anything." Twilight said. "Is there something I can help you find?"

"Actually, ah just found who ah was looking for. Twilight, ah was wonderin'..."

'Oh please tell me he's not asking to go out today! Why did I listen to Rarity!' She thought. 'Next time, tune out Rarity.'

"If ya would like to go out for dinner tonight? Maybe round' ten?" He gave a hopeful smile, it was small, but for him it was big.

"Ten? I think I can make that actually. The trip to Canterlot is only an hour."

"Canterlot?" His ears perked up. "The princess did want to talk with me. Mind if ah join yall?"

"The princess asked to talk with you?" Twilight asked. "Wait, that sounded slightly offensive. What does she want to talk about?"

"How ah beat her and her sister's guards. Ah could run back to the farm and get a few bits for the ride. It'll only take a second."

"It’s alright, I could get a ticket. Besides, the train is leaving in a few minutes anyway. Why don't we go and talk along the way?"

"Ah guess; ah don't usually get to talk with other townsfolk that often."

Spike was making gagging motions behind them; Twilight saw it out of the corner of her eye and snapped her head towards him when he was blinked. He looked up and saw both Twilight and Big Macintosh glaring, he gave a light chuckle.

"I swear, some boys just can’t take a little emotion. Can they?" Twilight said walking out.

"I can too!" Spike said running after her. "I would just like it to stay inside either a bedroom or a motel."

"Spike! Not in public!" Twilight whispered.

"Ah think he should speak a little louder, ah can’t quite hear him." Chuckled Big Macintosh.

"Don't encourage him!"

"Ah'm serious, ah can barely hear him." He leaned down towards Spike to let him repeat his earlier statement. "Uh... Ah'm only gonna do that when ah can get a ring on her horn. Ah'm a stallion of principle." Big Mac defended himself.

"You'd better be." Spike warned. "I'll flambé you if you hurt her."

"If'n ah do, could ah be served in a sweet and sour sauce?" Big Mac joked, wiping Spike's threat away.

Spike smirked before jumping onto Twilight's back. Holding onto the straps as he was bounced around slightly.

"So," Twilight began. "What have you been up to lately?"

"Nothin' much." He said. "Ah plowed the western fields, cleared a few fruit bats out of the barn, got bit by a swarm of fruit bats in the barn, got rabies shots and help set up the crusher for cider season. What've yall done?"

"I... Was unconscious most of the time." Twilight said. "I met a nice stallion in the hospital, he even knew the princess's. Unfortunately, he also placed an ancient artifact in their presence making them go into an early heat. What about you Spike?"

"Pinkie's parents and sisters came over the other day, I helped the crusaders, I went to the hospital for a day because of helping the crusaders, I re-re-rearranged the books when Rainbow Dash crashed through the window, I had her sweep up the glass and I made Twilight a card."

"Seems yall have been busy. And uh, Twilight?"

"Yes Big Mac?"

"Ah don't mean to ask too much but, do ya think yall could keep your brother away? He might not wanna’ see me. Specially' after ah kicked his flank."

"Oh yeah... You did beat up my brother!" She said, voice rising.

Twilight formed a scowl and turned away.

"To be fair, ah went easy on him and the guards." Big Mac defended himself with a pointless, point.

"And I'm sure he thanks you for that. Unfortunately, I do not. Come on you two, well talk on the train."

Mac gave a huff but still went on, silent as usual. Spike was riding on Twilight's back, looking around in mild interest.

They occasionally got a few glances as they went. Especially when Twilight had decided that Big Mac's silent treatment was over, she trotted up to his side. He looked down at her in suspicion but relaxed when she nuzzled him on the neck.

The train station was in view now. The crowds of ponies and others were easily seen against the brick walls. Smoke rose into the sky as shovels of coal were put into the engines fires.

"All aboard! All aboard to Canterlot!" Called a greying stallion.

Twilight quickly got Mac his ticket and they hurried on.

The train gave a lurch as it began its trek upwards. Twilight had set her saddle bags above her, as it seemed you couldn't have luggage out. Spike was already asleep next to her in his own seat, snoring lightly on his own pillow. Big Macintosh was having trouble even fitting in his seat, when the train lurched, he went forward and right into Twilight.

She gave a surprised yelp when he fell into her; he quickly tried to get off but only managed to get his legs crossed with hers.

Her horn lit up in and instant and he floated off, she placed him in his seat and put on the seat belts.

"Ah swear, ah did not mean to do that." He said, noticing he was completely restrained by the belts.

"I know, but you make it sound like you did it on purpose." She giggled awkwardly. Her cheeks were already flushed from embarrassment, but she tried to cool them off by looking out the window.

"Sorry bout' not bein' able to read on here." Big Mac said looking out too. "Shakesteer was a fine writer."

"Oh? You read some of his work?" Twilight asked.

"Ah wouldn't say a little. Ah have all his works. And others too... Why?"

"I would have thought you were into other kinds of books. Like adventure or mystery."

"Really? What gave ya that idea bout' me?"

"You seem like an adventures type, like you have that adventures side in your eyes... But there's also a sharp piece of intelligence."

"Sounds like a mare ah know." He chuckled.

"I'm not that adventures though..."

"Ah wasn't thinking bout' you. Ah was thinking bout' your friend, Rarity. "

"Rarity? Really? I know she’s smart, but... Adventures? You know that would involve her touching dirt, right? She hates dirt."

"So ah've been told." He smiled.

With the small joke out of the way, the both sat in silence. Aside from the occasional bump the train hit or the occasional bird flying by, it was all quiet.

A loud gurgle resonated throughout the train, all the passengers and the lone ticket collector looked around.

"Did you hear something?" Twilight asked looking around.

"Eenope." Replied Big Mac, looking out the window.

Twilight relaxed in her seat again and was starting to drift off into her thoughts when another gurgle was heard.

"There it was again!" She said bolting up. "You had to hear it that time, right?"

He gave her a sidewards glance, shook his head and returned to looking out the window.

The ticket collector came over. He was a lanky yellow stallion, a red mane stuffed under his small hat.

"Excuse me, miss?" He said.

"Oh, yes? Is there something I can help you with?" Twilight asked pleasantly.

"You’re aware of the noise in the train, correct?"

"It was kind of hard to miss." She replied smartly.

"Right. I've gotten a few complaints already; I'd like to ask that you keep the noise down."

"What? I haven't been making any noise. I was trying to figure out where it-"

Another gurgle cut her off. Spike awoke and threw his pillow at Big Mac.

"Could you keep it down?" He asked, drowsily. "I'm not fully grown yet, but I still need a good few hours of sleep. And your stomach isn't helping." Spike chastised the stallion. "Are we there yet?" He yawned.

"Macintosh, were you making the sounds?" Twilight asked.

"Ah had a light breakfast." He admitted. "Ma'h stomach felt like ah swallowed Pinkie on one of her good days. Felt like a bunch'a knot's were inside. Couldn't eat right if ah tried."

"That's all?" The orange stallion said. "Stay there, we have some complementary peanuts aboard. Or would you prefer something else? Water, fruit, pastry?"

"Just some water, sir." Macintosh nodded.

As the stallion left, Big Mac picked up Spike's pillow and tossed it on the small drake. He waved a claw at him before disappearing from sight underneath it.

"So," Twilight began with a small smile. "A light breakfast?"

"It's the truth." He said. "Can ya help me with these?" He tugged at some of the belts wrapping around his frame. "Its kind a hard to breath."

Her horn lit up and some of the belts around his chest disappeared, he let out a breath of air before taking another deep one in.

"Hey," Twilight's ears went up. "I just noticed you don't have your yoke on."

He cast a glance and saw the flattened fur around his neck, out in the open air.

"Ah thought AJ said ya were the observin' type?" He teased.

"And I thought only your sister would tease me about my occasional slip-up."

"She does, ah just feel more comfortable round' ya is all. Somepony who ah can relate to. Book wise."

"Here you are sir." The stallion from before, trotted up quietly, gave Big Mac a bottle of water. Big Mac gave a quick thanks and took the cap off.

"Hey twilight," Big Mac said. "Ah don't mean to hassle ya but, what are yall goin' to Canterlot for?"

"Answers." She replied simply.

"Right." He took a swig of the water, the cool liquid settling his stomach. "So, when are ya goin' to tell the rest of the town?"

"Tell the town about what?" She asked.

He made a whooshing sound and motioned to her. Her eyes widened and her ears flattened.

"I-I don't know..." She admitted.

"If ya like, ah would gladly go up with ya. They'll be afraid, but they trust ma as much as they trust the princess." He said. "Ya know, it's funny."

"How is that funny?" She asked, casting a glance at the floor.

"Nopony, not even ma'h sister, has gotten me to talk so much." He smiled. "Feel's a bit strange. Ah'm not used to talkin' to another pony other than her."

"So I've been told." She smirked. It fell before she looked at him, a pleading look in her eyes. "Were you serious about going up with me? If I tell the town?"

"Eeyup." He said. "If ya like, ah could round up your friends? Might' even get your parents down here." He mused.

"Really? My parents?" She said in disbelief. "How? You've never met my parents... Atleast not that I know of."

"Ah know a few ponies." He winked. "Ah may be a farm hoof, but ah like to get round' outside the orchard."

Twilight smiled and soon rested her chin on her chest; soon she was asleep, the seat belts holding her upright even as she leaned forward slightly.

He smiled a little before following suit; the seat belts holding him back slightly as he lurched forward. His upper frame leaning over the belts and made both of their heads connect.

They sat like that, asleep for the rest of the trip. Their fore-heads pushed together.

Twilight and Big Macintosh awoke with a start, both of them opening their eyes slowly. They both looked up and saw each other’s eyes before both parties went into an upright position.

"Sorry, ah fell asleep and guess ah leaned forward a little too far." Big Mac replied sheepishly.

"Don't worry about it." Twilight said quickly, undoing his and her own buckles. "Were here. Did you inform the princess your coming?"

He stopped, his eyes wide as he slowly studied the ground.

"Eenope."

Twilight face-hoofed.

"Spike, take a quick letter." Twilight said.

He groggily lifted the pillow up, his head spines drooping.

"Here," she handed him a scroll, prewritten. "Just send that off."

He stared at the scroll a second, scrunched his eyes shut and sneezed. The scroll was incinerated, the green cloud of smoke drifting out through the doors.

"Now we just wait for a-"

Twilight was cut off as him and Big Macintosh were surrounded in a flash of light.

They disappeared and found themselves in the throne room, Spike still on the train.

Celestia was sitting at the end of a long table, only used rarely for whatever guests she received.

"Hello Twilight, sir Macintosh." She said.

They both bowed before taking seats by her.

"So, I understand you had fought a number of my guards, sir Macintosh?" She asked.

"Ah did." He replied.

"Do you have any training? Any spells on you?"

"Eenope. Ah got ma'h muscles from workin' on the farm ma'h whole life."

"Ah, your Applejack's brother? She's told me quite a bit about you."

His face fell slightly.

"She did now, did she?" he asked through a false smile. 'Ah swear, if she said a word of wrong bout’ me!' He thought.

"She said how much of good worker you are, how you always help your sister with her homework when she can't do it herself or my personal favorite, getting in trouble together."

"That sounds bout' right." He nodded.

"So, enlighten me on you two. I'm curious." She smiled.

"Well, me and ma'h sister get along fine, but-"

"I'm afraid you misunderstood. I meant," she nodded towards Twilight. "You two. All of Canterlot is talking about it."

Both of their jaws fell, Big Macintosh's usually stoic face was an expression of shock. Twilight had gotten used to the feeling.

"Why would all of them be interested in me and twilight?" Big Macintosh asked. "Specially' me. Ah just work on a farm, the most attention ah get from them is when they turn their noses up at me."

"As it would seem," Celestia said. "The element of magic, hero of Equestria by atleast two times, four argumentatively, finally getting a colt friend. And, most of the mares, by what I've heard from the guards, are slightly jealous you got him."

Big Macintosh's face was burning like the sun in the sky. Twilight felt the heat come off him and put a hoof to his head.

"Ow!" She pulled back, rubbing her hoof slightly. "Big Macintosh, you’re burning up."

"Ah'm not used to complements like that. A whole city wanten' me." He smiled at her. "Ah'd hate to tell them ah found ma'h special somepony. And ah'm sticken' to her like honey to a bee-hive."

"He certainly is a modest one, isn't he?" Celestia smiled. She leaned down to Twilight. "Keep an eye on him, he's a keeper." She sat back up and gave a wink.

"He is." Twilight smiled, at Macintosh's confused expression.

"Twilight!" A voice called out from behind the doors.

"Spike?" Twilight stared at the doors before realization hit her. "We left Spike on the train!"

"Hey! Careful!" He yelled. "Let me though! Do you know who I am!? I said let go!"

The sound of a number of guards was heard, one of them yelping, after that, a thunder of hooves was heard and Spike came through the doors. He had sweat sizzling off his scales as he panted for breath.

A number of guards came in and surrounded him. He raised Twilight's saddle bags in defense.

"You are under arrest!" One of them barked, his armor slightly blackened. "For trespassing, assault, disturbance of peace, concealing contr-"

"Let him go! He's with me!" Twilight said as she tried to reach him, but was blocked by countless spears and wings.

"Ma'am, were going to have to ask you to back away." A Lunar guard said. "For your own safety."

Twilight stopped and stared at him, face red in fury before she was enveloped in lavender flames.

The guards was stunned and backed away.

He's with me. We just forgot to get him at the train station." She said, baring her fangs.

"S-Sorry, No can do ma'am."

While Twilight chewed out the poor guard, Big Macintosh was watching with growing irritation. When he saw a spear raised at her, he grit his teeth. Something he didn't do often.

"Excuse me princess." He said pushing his chair out. "This'll only take a second."

She nodded and watched as he started to walk up next to Twilight.

"For the last time! No means no!" The guard said.

"And I said, he's with me! We forgot to get him at the station!" She stomped a hoof.

By now, the other guards had forgotten Spike and were now watching as Big Macintosh walked up next to her. The Lunar guard's eyes turned to pin pricks at the sight of the red behemoth.

"Ah believe yall have a friend of mine." He said. He leaned down, his muzzle inches away from the guards. "And we forgot him at the station. Now, if yall don't hand im' over..." He narrowed his eyes. "Then ah'll go through every one of yall to get im'."

"You don't want to upset him, do you?" Twilight batted her eyes. "He is my coltfriend after all, and a personal friend to Spike."

The guards were trembling now, all of them either remembering the pain he had caused or had heard the stories and saw the injuries to their comrades. In a swift movement, Spike was sent rolling to Big Macintosh's hooves and the guards filed out quickly.

All except one.

"C-Colt friend...?" Shinning asked. "H-Him...?" His left eye was twitching while he foamed at the mouth slightly.

"Oh, hey Shiny!" Twilight greeted, nervously. "You've heard? Well, Big Macintosh, Shining Armor. Shining Armor, Big Macintosh."

"Howdy, nice to meet ya... Under different condition's that is." Big Mac said extending a hoof.

Shining Armor gave a snort before dragging his sister past the doors. He shut them with a thud.

"Twilight! How could you!? He nearly killed my squad!" Her brother hissed.

"After you wouldn't let him see me." She pouted.

"After a number of other attacks that-"

"Could have been prevented if you had just let my friends see me. You couldn't even send in some guards with them?"

"I had just gotten there and had to fight a group of deranged Pinkie Pie copies! I was nearly killed by them!"

"And you didn't have the decency to atleast let him put the gifts on my bedside?"

He slammed an armored hoof into his muzzle before exhaling a heavy breath.

"You know what; I had this coming for not telling you immediately about Sombra. Now it's come back to bite me in the flank."

"Could you atleast give him a chance? He did go easy on you."

"Easy!? He crushed, literally, crushed the air out of my lungs! And then knocked me out! How was that easy?" He glowered.

"And what did he do to the other guards?"

"He sent them to critical care..." He sighed. "Alright. Fine. I'll atleast try and get to know him. Is there anything else I should know about him?"

"He's a farmer at Sweetapple Acres, and Applejack's brother." She lit up her horn and pulled the door's back open. "Now behave or I'll magnetize your armor to the ceiling. I know the spell."

"I'm sure you do." He rolled his eyes as he saw Big Mac sitting with the Princess's. "Oh, Princess Luna's here."

They both bowed respectfully before Twilight took her seat next to Big Macintosh again.

"I saw how bad my guards were." Luna smiled. "In my time, if you were to defeat me in combat, I would have to give myself to you for the rest of your life."

"That's not a very good offer, and ah'm sure ya would beat me to a pulp, but... Ah just wouldn't accept it, even if ah did win. Just ain't right ownin' another pony."

"I see our young Twilight has found a gentlecolt." Luna said. "I'd like to thank you again for telling what actually happened. They all had said a group of stallion's came in and they were overwhelmed."

"It's not their fault, probably just young is all." He said. "If ya like, they could stop by the farm and pull ma'h plow around a few times to build some more strength."

"That's a wonderful idea." Luna nodded. "So, what was the bit my sister left out?" She gave a small, toothy grin.

Big Macintosh gave a sideward glance towards the solar princess; she rolled her eyes and nodded. Excused herself from the table and left, on "Important business."

"Ah had to fight her too." Big Mac said, Luna leaned closer, her eyes widened in excitement. "Ah charged, she put up a shield, ah broke it. Jumped on her back and put her in a strangle hold. She just dropped on the floor and ah went into Twilight's room. When she came back, ah had to help her fit through the door."

Luna was biting her hoof, trying to control a fit of laughter.

"Go on, there was more. I know it." She said.

"Ah pulled her out and she landed on me in a..." He tapped a large hoof on his chin in thought. "Compromisin' position. And what made it worse was when a maid came by and saw it."

Luna was teary eyed as she fanned herself with a wing.

"I am certainly not going to let Tia live this down. Not for a few thousand years." She wiped away a tear and smiled at him. "Thank you for coming. We haven't gotten a single visitor since the... Incident involving Chrysalis."

Twilight's eye twitched at that name.

"Uh, princess." Big Mac said. "Ah don't mean to be rude, but, could ya not say that name round' Twilight." He nodded at her, as her eye twitched again.

"Yes. Of course. If you ever need a favor, I would be delighted to lend a hoof." She said.

"Actually," he said, a wide grin forming. "Ah was wondering bout' somethin'." He looked over at Twilight and Shining Armor. "Didn't ya have something to go do Twilight? Somethin' ya came here to do?" He nudged her in the side.

She snapped out of her thoughts and nodded, took Spike and started towards the Archives.

"What is it you wanted to know about?" Luna asked.

"Bout' that Royal Canterlot voice. Can ya teach it to me?" He asked. 'Let's see how AJ like's dumpin' cold water on me in the mornin' now.' He thought.

"Oh?" She smiled deviously. "A very good choice. Let us begin in my chambers. We may have a complete silence there to work."

He nodded and got up.

Twilight was still staring at the floor. Spike casting occasional glances at her.

"Chrysalis..." She mumbled. "Do you think the archives have anything on her?" Twilight asked.

"I'm not sure." Spike admitted. "But where's the fun in knowing? It would be better to look, even if they said there wasn't anything, they could have missed something."

"I know. But we won't. There’s not a book I've ever not been able to find."

"Except the one that told us about that magic pool where Pinkie made copies of herself."

"Hidden books do not count." She said. "Now, it's just around this corner."

They turned the corner and a pair of Solar guards were standing at the doors.

"Halt. These are-" The one on the left was saying.

"Save the theatrics Cotton Puff." Twilight said. "Here's my permit. And don't start with the questions; I'm anything but, in the mood to joke around."

He looked at the scroll embarrassed, he handed it back and opened the doors.

The inside of the archives was massive. Shelves lined with numerous dust covered and cleaned tomes shown as far as the eye could see. Small, thick, old, new and even scrolls were there. Some in piles on the floor while others were neatly arranged on their respective shelves.

"Here we are." Twilight took in a deep breath. "Now, where to start?"

"We could start over in the C's." Spike pointed up at the large sign, one of many, positioned above each row.

"No, she would probably be in the Q's. She puts a lot of emphasis on the, queen title."

"Fine," he rolled his eyes. "You look in the Q's and I'll look over here. I'll come get you if I find something."

She nodded and quickly hurried past the other rows, careful not to rip or trip on a tome or scroll lying on the ground.

As she went further in, the scrolls lessened and were replaced with thick, dusty, time-worn tomes. She saw the yellowed sign over the Q's.

"Let's see..."

She put a hoof to the first tome. Quantum physics, by Discord, the draconequus.

She restarted her brain from the large head ache that had made itself present.

"Questionable ethics of rulers... Quant-no, I'm not looking at that one again." She shook her head. "Queen of the Crystal Empire... Queen of the Diamond dog's... Queen Chrysalis! Yes!"

She grabbed the large tome in her hooves and pulled. It didn't budge; she narrowed her eyes before lifting it with magic.

She even strained under the weight, it wasn't the largest tome she had to lift but it made up for size in weight.

"Spike!" She called out as she trudged down the path. "Spike! I found... Something..." She trailed off as she saw him.

He was sitting at a table, a small pair of reading glasses on his scaled head. A quill in claw while he looked over a tome he was staring at intently. He stopped staring and went back to writing; he'd stop and stare before writing more.

"Spike!" She called out again.

He jumped slightly before running to her side. She handed him the tome and he carried it back over to his desk.

"Wow... Spike. I'm impressed." Twilight said, looking at the notes he had already. "Four full papers already? And the amount of books you managed to find." She skimmed over them, nodding in approval.

"Five papers, actually." He said placing a paper on the stack. "Sorry about not getting you, I just found some interesting topics on changelings."

"Anything useful?" She asked, looking through her own tome.

"What you just looked through." He said. "So far I've found a few things on their anatomy, intelligence, hive-like personalities, and," he Looked up. "A few rumors about experiments."

"Uh-huh." She said, staring at the worn pages.

'I know all of this already!' She thought. 'King and queen ruled happily, king was killed, death in the land... Wait, what's this?'

She traced the line with a hoof, her eyes narrowing at the new information.

"Spike, do you have any spare parchment and ink?"

He slid her a few papers, two ink wells and a quill.

"I only need one paper. But, thanks."

She copied every word down, even the picture drawn in. It was hard to trace it because of how old the paper was.

"Twilight, why don't you try a pencil?" Spike said taking the quill from her. "Here, look."

He copied down what she had, word wise, and set the paper on top of the page. He tilted the pencil and smeared the lead across.

"Why didn't I think of that...?" Twilight said as she saw the picture form. "Well, I think I may have enough. What about you?"

He finished a sentence and closed the tome he was reading, nodded and gathered the materials.

"Huh, that's odd." Twilight said.

"What, what is it?" Spike asked.

"The librarian isn't here. She’s usually here."

She shrugged and exited the room.

Canterlot castle entrance.

Big Macintosh gave Luna a quick thank you and waited by the throne room doors for Twilight, Shining armor by his side.

"So, you’re dating my sister?" Shinning said.

"Eeyup."

"How well does your job pay?"

"Ah help feed the town and help run the only farm, side's some others small gardens. And ah do the taxes so, ah make bout' fifty bits a month."

"That's good. Good." He nodded.

They sat there in silence, occasionally saying a greeting to a staff member passing by.

"Listen," Big Mac started. "Ah'm sorry bout' calling yall a bunch of over pampered soup cans."

"It’s... alright." Shining said. “I’m over it.”

"So, what is yall do here? Stand at a doorway or go round' the place a few times?"

"Well, we train in the morning; the Solar guards take their posts during the day until sunset. The Lunar guards take over at sunset."

They sat in another bout of awkward silence, Big Macintosh finally speaking up.

"Yall okay with me datin' your sister and all?"

"Now that I've gotten to know you better, yes. I'm a bit more comfortable with it, but not entirely."

"Big Mac!" Twilight called.

"Speak of the nerd." Shinning snickered.

"I hope you two got along, me and Spike got what we came for. So, how are you two getting along?"

"Fine." Shinning said.

"Better than before." Big Mac said. "Well," he offered his hoof. "It was nice meetin' ya and all."

"Same here." Shinning shook his hoof.

They departed and the two lovebirds exited the castle. This time with Spike.

"So, what did you ask the Princess for?"

Big Mac smirked and made a zipper motion with his hoof.

"You’re not going to tell me?"

"Eenope."

"Is that a no to a no, or a yes that sounded like a no?"

"Eeyup."

"What's that supposed to mean?" She asked, frustrated. ‘I feel like Spike arguing with Owlowiscious.’

"It means he's not going to talk." Spike said. "Oh, and thanks for asking how I got from the train station to the castle."

"Well alright, how did you get here so quickly?" She rolled her eyes. She looked at her horn and disguised herself as unicorn again.

"I knew a guard that owed me a favor. He stuck me in a mailmare's bag and sent me off. And they obviously haven't heard of taking care of fragile cargo." He rubbed his tail where a few scales had fallen off.

"Sorry for ya." Big Mac said. "Ah once fell in a rain barrel and AJ thought it would be funny to buck it down a hill."

"That's horrible!" Twilight said.

"Eenope. What was horrible, was when ah threw up on her after ah stopped. That wasn't a pretty sight, or something to hear. Granny made her put the barrel back and ah had to clean her up. We laugh bout' it now."

"Really? Before dinner?" Twilight said. "Or did you forget?"

"Eenope. Ah remembered."

"While were going home, this time on the train, I'd like to get a ride of uninterrupted sleep." Spike said.

Twilight and Big Mac shared a look.

"You probably won't." She said.

"Eenope." He said.

He sighed and slumped against Twilight's neck.

Author's Notes:

I did add a few comedy bits. But most of the parts were needed, foreshadowing and such.
God, this was just tiresome to write. Six thousand and some words... Someone reading this, remind me never to do this much again. Ever.