“Luna, pass the rolls, would you?”

“Of course dear sister.”

Luna lifted the red cane basket with her blue magic, passing it over the table to Celestia who was sitting next to her student, Sunny Sparkle. Sunny looked uneasy next to the huge white alicorn, as she had only been taken on a few days before. Feather smiled at Sunny reassuringly as Celestia offered her a tart. Sunny blushed and her yellow face grew orange. She smiled back at Feather, who winked.

“So, sister, I have something to propose to you. I’m sure you will be interested.”

“Ask away, Luna.”

Luna took a large scroll from Feather’s saddlebag which was hanging on the back of his chair. The scroll unravelled across the table to Celestia.

“Luna… what is this?”

“I have been contemplating… nopony is awake during my beautiful night. Nopony appreciates my stars, my moon. I was thinking… we could swap duties.”

“Luna! Ponies love your night! What about the astronomy guild or the fireworks club...or… or...”

“Sister! You do not know what it is like! Foals are afraid of my darkness. Monsters come out in the night; the very word ‘lunacy’ is used to describe something mad! You do not know what it is like.”

Feather looked to the night princess with concern. He saw a red flash in her eyes as she stared at her sister with hatred.

Celestia ushered Sunny out of the room with one wing.

“Luna. May we talk this through in private?” Celestia motioned toward the private room off to the side of the large dining hall.

“It would only be for a while, Celestia.”

Celestia motioned toward the door again, a cold stare on her regal face. The two alicorn sisters rose, and walked through the mahogany. The door slammed shut with golden magic.

Feather flipped through the pages of his sketch book as the conversation next door grew louder and more heated. Luna yelled something about a ‘festival proclaiming the horrors of night’, then Celestia screaming at her ‘to take up her fathers’ duty’. All was quiet for a few seconds. Feather knew something was wrong. He stared to walk toward the mahogany door.

--------

Spike awoke, sweat pouring down his face. A fire was roaring in the grate, and night twinkled out from behind drawn curtains. It was hot and stuffy inside. Spike checked himself over. He was boiling! Dressed warmly in a gown and slippers, the heat had snuck its way in and stayed there. He ripped the clothes off and jumped out of the rocking chair. It creaked once. Spike sighed and went to open the door to let some fresh air in.

As Spike sat outside and stared into the endless array of the heavens, he thought about the drama that was playing about in his head. Night after night, the dreams had plagued his subconscious. And every time he woke up, a strange feeling of déjà vu overtook him. At the start they had been nothing more than snippets of life in Canterlot. Nowadays, they were vivid, almost real. Spike wanted answers. Now.

He crept upstairs to the bedroom. Twilight Sparkle was snoring softly, a large green book resting on her face. Spike read the battered cover as he went past: Daring Do and the Chamber of Truth.Spike moved the book off of Twilight’s face with care. Not enough care to stop Twilight waking up, though.

“Spike, what are you doing up at this time of night? It’s”- Twilight checked the alarm clock beside her bed- “five in the morning!? Get to bed.”

“I- I can’t sleep.”

“The dreams? Again, Spike? I thought I fixed those with the Quiet Sleep spell?”

“Didn’t work.”

“Obviously. Seeing as its a few hours until we need to get up anyway, why don’t we start our day. Then you and I won’t have to fall asleep all over again.”

Spike nodded- anything to avoid the dreams.

Later that day, once the sun had risen, the morning commuters dropped off their books, Twilight had her coffee, Twilight sat down to do some studying.

“Spike, could you get me all the books on dragonlore that we have in my private section? Thanks.”

Spike walked upstairs to Twilight’s private library was kept. After being sent to Ponyville, Celestia had sent along a large shipment of books that she thought would be useful to Twilight, much to the surprise of the local blonde mailmare, who had to make several trips to and from the post office to deliver them.

The little dragon soon found three very old and dusty books on dragonlore. He brought them downstairs to twilightlooked at the next book on the shelf, a small black volume that was dark with age. Twilight won't be needing this one, will she? Spike asked himself. He decided that Twilight had enough reading material for the moment and carried his load downstairs.

"Twilight, I got them."

"Thank you Spike. Wait- I have more books on dragons than this! Nevermind, I'll go do it myself."

The unicorn trotted up the stairs and came back wth several books following her with magic. She sat down and began to read.

"So.. want any lunch?"

"No thanks."

"Tea?"

"No."

"Coffee?"

"No."

"A sandw-"

"Spike! I am trying to read. Just go visit Rarity or somepony else."

Spike shut the door on Twilight, who was now attempting a complex transformation spell. He sighed and started to walk down the street to the botique... but before he could take another step he was knocked over by three fillies. They stopped and looked back at him.

"Sorry, Spike. Din' see ya there on the ground."

"Yeah. Wer're sorry Spike. Are you going to see my sister?"

"Spike. Hey.. what's up?"

"Aw, that's okay guys. I was just going to see if I could help Rarity with anything."

"Hey, A've got ahn idea! Spike should help us get our baking cutie marks at Sugarcube Corner!"

"Well, I am a pretty good baker. I make Twi's bread every Sunday." Spike looked with pride at the the Crusaders.

A collective "COOOOL!" went up from the three fillies as they walked with Spike to see if they could find Pinkie Pie, Master Baker and Party Maker.