The Days We Spent Together
Twilight crept into her home and closed the door gently behind her. It was pitch black and she could barely see beyond her nose, save for the window at the top of the house where her bed was situated. Her horn glowed and some small embers of light flickered into life in random places, illuminating a quaint library with fiery orange light. She looked around the room wearily, seeing that some books were missing. She looked at the checking out book on the table to see what had been taken and by whom, and when they intended to bring them back. She nodded, satisfied that the books that were missing matched the ones on the notes, and made a mental note to rearrange the shelves in the morning to tidy up the appearance of the library.
Twilight yawned, her knees ached, she was weary from a days hard work and she very much wished for sleep. She used her magic to pour a glass of water in the kitchen behind her while she wrote down a few things on a scroll, her multi-tasking abilities were second to none, and using magic, even to do things in different rooms and out of sight was above compare.
She brought the glass towards her, using her magic almost like an arm. She could extend the feel of touch through this magical arm, almost as if the glass was in her hoof itself. She felt the glass snag on something, and without thinking or looking to see what it could be caught on, she nonchalantly yanked the glass towards her with, frowning at the slight irritation of having to. A gigantic crash made her jump right out of her hair and she wailed at the disturbance.
Twilight closed her eyes and turned herself around, worried at what she might see. She risked opening an eye and saw a shelf has fallen to the floor, some books wet from the spilled water. Twilight tutted to herself for her clumsiness and decided to put the books away before going to bed.
Each book was neatly placed into it's original spot, Twilight did so almost on autopilot, though she was more thorough now, not wanting to risk another mishap. Her eyes fixed on a tatty yellow book that she had never seen before.
"Huh?" she said to herself as she looked at it. She brought it closer to her face and twirled it around in the air. It was not a book she had seen in her library before, and she had a very good memory. Twilight walked back to her desk and set it down gently on it's dusty surface. The front cover had frayed and torn edges and the word "Diary" in embossed curvy letters across the top, and each page behind the cover looked screwed up and poorly kept. Probably a pony with sweaty hooves not taking them off the pages, Twilight tutted to herself. She hated pages getting damaged from sweaty hooves. She read the title again. "Hmm... wonder where this came from?" she asked herself qiuetly as she opened the first page.
The writing was written in a deep blue ink, it was curvy, and looked like it belonged to someone young and perhaps still in the process of learning to write, for there were lots of letters written the wrong way around, some words not spelled correctly, and there were lots of mistakes and ink blots everywhere. Twilight recognised the writing instantly, and she gasped quietly. The date across the first page was a date she remembered well, it was an important date in her life. She read the first paragraph, a small pang of nostalgia crept over her.
"Deer diary! It is the 23rd 24th of Manetember, and I am very exited.
Today is Twilites big exam day, butt she wont wake up. Iv tryed to shak her up but she keps hitting my nose and snoaring. I hoape hope she wakes up soon, or she will fail the exam. I hope all the studeeing she did will be enuf as she keps cryng at me that she will fail and I get sad"
Twilight stopped reading for a moment. She felt herself smiling at the words, they were adorable in their own way. She laughed as well as memories began to surface at the back of her mind, and she found herself transported back to the most important day of her young life. She read on while she reminisced, wondering what experiences her best friend wrote down in this diary , as her own memories surfaced at the same time.
"Wake up Twilight!" echoed a voice in her ears. It almost sounded like it was part of her dream, but when it repeated itself and got louder every time she found herself being rudely dragged out of it and into wakefulness.
Twilight Sparkle woke slowly and wearily, her deep purple eyes bleary and glassy and she tried to collect herself. She was unsure if she was still dreaming, as she was in her bedroom. She was dreaming about studying and she saw books lying on the floor just as they had been in her dream, in the exact same places.
"Wake up!" a voice stressed again, the same voice that echoed in her sleep a few moments ago. She rolled over onto her back with a yawn and sunlight blazed in her eyes. She blinked several times trying to get used to the bright light that assaulted her vision. Had she overslept? The light was too bright for early morning. She yawned again and glanced over to her left and saw her assistant, a little purple baby dragon called Spike, and the owner of the voice which woke her up. His face looked panicked and he motioned desperately at her to get out of bed. A horrifying thought flashed across Twilight's conscious when she realised why Spike was trying so hard to wake her up. She blinked in disbelief, and Spike saw she had realised now why he was panicking so much.
"Oh no! Not today no!" she screeched and leaped from her bed in a flash, now fully awake and alert. The curtains were drawn neatly across the window to her room, but sunlight pierced through the crack and made a neat line across the pillow where her face was just seconds ago and she opened them tentatively, and took careful steps out onto the balcony. Sure enough, the sun blazed high in the sky, confirming her worst fears that he had indeed overslept on perhaps the most important day off her life. She saw masses of ponies milling around in the courtyard her balcony overlooked and every single one of them were wearing the same hats and cloaks as each all headed in the same direction, towards a large golden tower that was dwarfed only by Celestia's castle itself.
"I'm going to be late for the exam!" she shrieked with terror and worry.
She rushed back to her room trawled through the pile of books strewn carelessly across her floor, looking for a particular one. Her horn glowed as she magically raised each book to eye level and tutted with each incorrect book, and casually threw it aside to pick up the next one.
"It's right here Twi." Spike said. She glanced over and saw her assistant holding up a tatty and dusty red leather book and waving it around in circles. She sighed with relief and plucked it out of his hand with her magic and brought it to her face.
"Thanks Spike, what would I do without you?" she smiled at him gratefully, and he gave a proud and smug smile in return.
"Probably miss the exam and have to move back in with your parents." he chuckled at her expense. She frowned playfully at him and a thought crept across her mind and the colour rushed from her hair. Spike had just realised what he said and he covered his mouth with his hands in shock.
"I'm sorry Twi." he reassured her as she sunk to the floor in despair. "You'll do fine, trust me!" Twilight didn't move save for the heavy heaving of her chest, her eyes glistened and shook and her body trembled. She looked into Spike's eyes and suddenly burst into tears in front of the little dragon. He sped over to her and tried to offer a reassuring pat on the shoulder, but he was awful at comforting the emotionally sensitive and nervous purple pony.
"I am going to fail!" she sobbed. "Celestia will be so disappointed!" Spike shrugged to himself uncomfortably as the pony continued her loud bawling and he felt a wetness seep into his toes. He took a prompt and slightly disgusted step back when he saw it was a puddle of Twilight Sparkle's tears.
"Don't be silly." he reassured her in the best way he could after deciding reassuring his best friend was more important than dry feet. "But you gotta go or you'll be late." Twilight's sobbing died down a little and she pulled herself sluggishly to her feet with Spike's help. He grinned at her and she sheepishly returned a smile of her own, and she breathed in heavily.
"I can do this." she sighed. Spike nodded and playfully punched her.
"You sure can, you worrywart." he laughed. "You are Celestia's star student! You can do anything!" he cheered her on.
Twilight caught sight of herself in a huge arching mirror and saw she was a sight for sore eyes. Her mane was matted and unkempt, certainly not the look of a pony at the most prestigious school of magic in Equestria, and her bloodshot eyes made her look like she had been awake all night studying without so much as blinking. In fact, she probably had been, which would explain her sleeping in on this day of all days. She gulped and put her appearance at the back of her mind, she didn't have time to spruce herself up. The exam was starting soon and anypony who was late would automatically be failed.
Twilight nodded and made her way to an ornate oak and marble staircase that snaked downwards. She turned back to him and whimpered to him for one final bit of reassurance, which Spike offered in the way of a big grin and two thumbs up. Twilight gave a sheepish smile and walked down the stairs out of Spike's view. Moments later he heard a large wooden door creak and slam shut behind him. Spike turned around and surveyed the mess of books on the floor and gave a warm tut. "Oh Twi, I hope you aren't this messy all of the time." he said as he grabbed two books and read their titles. "A.. and V." he muttered and headed to their respective shelves and placed them neatly where they should go. It was lucky Twilight had a library for a bedroom in Canterlot or it would take him forever to return each one.
Spike yawned and set about cleaning the rest of the books up from the floor. It was Twilight's 14th birthday after all, and a clean house would make for a welcoming present, he supposed. There wasn't really much else he could think of doing, buying gifts for a teenage mare was a nightmare. Did she want makeup? A mane brush? Some fancy hooves that were all the rage? What books could a baby dragon buy a pony who had a veritable cornucopia of books lining the walls of her bedroom? He shuddered at the thought of thinking of one object then fine tuning it down to colour, size, how many jewels were encrusted on it, what kind of jewels it would have, and settled for a nice clean home instead.
Spike put on his trust and custom made apron that Celestia had affectionately (and perhaps with some playful mockery as was her way) made for him given his "official" position as Twilight's assistant and set to work. Unfortunately his cleaning would be cut short, as he spotted the hat and cloak uniform the students of Celestia's school hung up on a hook by the stairs. He slapped his face in disbelief and huffed.
Spike grabbed the cloak and hat, darted out of the door and headed headed after Twilight.
Twilight found herself, despite walking around in a crowd of similarly aged ponies, decidedly isolated. It wasn't that she didn't have social skills and hated crowds, it was nerves. Each step that took her closer to the school tower that loomed ominously over her increased her heart rate, made her sweat more, and made it even more difficult to breathe that it already was.
"It's okay, Twi. You can do this." she said heavily to herself, almost as if she didn't really believe it. A whole assortment of coloured hairs and manes and voices and conversations bombarded her vision and hearing, it was in this moment Twilight was aware of how brightly coloured other ponies could be; and how loud they were too. Twilight Sparkle, with her purple coat and even darker mane, found it easy to slink through crowds without being noticed too much, especially if you compared her to the fluorescent green Pony walking next to her. Today that trait was perfect for her, as she wanted to be alone to her thoughts so she could go over spells in her mind without interruption.
The mood in the crowd was at odds completely with Twilight's mood, and she found it made it hard for her to concentrate. Overall, the feeling in the crowd was upbeat and optimistic, completely polarised to the nervous and doleful "I'm going to fail miserably and get banished forever!" thoughts she was having. Twilight willed some ihe good spirits to rub off on her at least.
However, it didn't, in fact it made it worse for her. Much worse. It only make her more aware of how scared she was. She tried to empty her mind instead, deciding not to think about the happiness of the crowd or studying to herself; she made up her mind to distract herself with the city's beautiful architecture instead. Every building was a pale and glowing white marble, each roof was gilded with the finest gold Equestria's earth ponies could find, and each Sun Sisters emblem flag that flapped on the spire of every government building was fashioned from the finest fabrics of Equestria's renowned artisans. She took in each detail with awe and pride, for her fellow ponies could make such beautiful works of art or architecture with their magic or even simply their hooves. It inspired Twilight to do well in the exam, because if she could become better at magic perhaps she could make things like these that could rival the beauty that surrounded her.
Twilight didn't have long to enjoy the sights, however, for she found herself suddenly looking right up at the giant tower of the school of magic which had rudely barged into her vision without warning. She gulped deeply; all of her panicked thoughts flooded through her mind in the same instant. Her knees quivered and threatened to give up the task of holding her upright, but she willfully forced them to stay firm and shook with the strain.
The throng of ponies began to funnel into the stairway leading up to the tower and the volume died down to hushed whispers. It didn't seem any quieter to Twilight, for her heightened senses as a result of fear would have amplified even a pin drop in this cacophony. The clip-clop of the crowds hooves on the beautiful dark concrete floor drowned out the quiet voices as they entered the great hall, and Twilight felt even more isolated. Nopony acknowledged her on her way there thankfully, and luckily they would not dare to in here. Twilight looked up as the arched of the hall loomed over her and glanced back at the entranceway as it gorged on the mass of ponies filing inside. The ceiling of the school was much higher than Twilight had ever realised. She had been going to this school for 6 years now, and never had she taken in such unnecessary details about the place. Usually she was in an oblivious rush to make it to classes or avoid being spoken to (so she could head straight for the library and study more) which meant she had no chance to marvel the place.
The crowd came to an a abrupt stop and she bumped into the pony opposite her. The stallion yelped and turned his head rapidly to look at the offending pony. He locked eyes with the embarrassed Twilight, and gave her an irritated and haughty look. Twilight offered a sheepish smile as an apology which was not accepted, he merely looked away with a posh humph.
Twilight frowned at his own rudeness and ignored him. She could hear voices voices next to her whispering about the exam, and she secretly leaned in to eavesdrop.
"I heard the exam has like, 100 questions!" A pink and orange mare said with hushed despair.
"I heard Celestia herself is going to mark them, and one question wrong means banishment!" a green and blue one retorted as if 100 questions wasn't bad enough.
"No way! That's nothing! I heard we have to fight a hydra and turn it onto a cupcake." one young stallion laughed, perhaps mocking the other two and their rumour filled exchange. "No way dude, I heard we have to eat cockroaches, then turn the poop-"
"Ew shut up Fire Rush!" a female pony interrupted the so called Fire Rush with a disgusted but affectionate jab to his chest. He laughed and parried her next playful punch.
A few other ponies caught wind of the conversation next to Twilight and the conspiracies and horror stories from previous exam takers or parents of the current students (who had also attended the school) spread like Parasprites in a field of Apples, and she shook her head with a sigh. Celestia had explained all about the exam to her and it was not as bad as the ponies were making out. It was just five questions. But as much as Twilight begged her mentor, she would not divulge hints or tips on passing. Celestia would just chuckle and ruffle the young mares mane playfully and offer words of wisdom about education or figuring things out for herself.
Just as Twilight found herself smiling at the memories of being under Celestia's tutelage, the Royal Princess herself stepped out onto a balcony that soared above waiting students to begin the ceremony of the "First Exam of Magic".
Spike rushed through the streets, looking for Twilight. He was breathless and tired, his little legs could only carry him so far and so fast, and the tower was still some distance away. He hoped he would spot a mill of ponies making their way there and he could spot Twilight in the crowd, but he couldn't. The streets were empty apart from an occasional pony going somewhere else. It was getting on a bit now, and he hoped that the ceremony had not begun yet as that would mean the door would be locked and he would not be able to get to the school, even if the guards knew who he was. He was the assistant of Celestia's own protege, but that would not mean the rules could be bent in her favour. She would be denied entry to the exam and failed for not wearing the ceremonial hat and cloak. Spike chewed on his little claws nervously as he pressed on down the quiet streets towards the school.
He eventually reached it, but was met with a horrible sight. The large and imposing doors gold and mahogany were closed, and were barricaded with an ornately carved block of of wood. Unmoving and stern looking Royal Guard stallions stood by the hinged of each door and silently kept guard. Not that there was any danger of attack, by the way, it was a ceremonious tradition to have guards by the school, a tradition that want back long before the Sky Sisters had ruled Equestria.
Spike sighed and kicked a half eaten apple that was left abandoned near the steps next to him, and he sat down desolately and began to think over ways to apologise to Twilight that he had failed her as an assistant and a friend by not getting there in time.
So he waited and waited for hours to greet his friend outside. The sun crept its way west and began to sink below the castle. The sky yellowed and the streets grew busier with ponies leaving from work to go back to their homes and families. Spike watched silently from the steps, watched the ponies chat to coworkers and friends as they made their way out of the buildings around him buildings, he watched them buy things from shops that were just closing up, and he watched the sky darken ever more.
After another indeterminate amount of time, Spike wondered why Twilight was taking so long, especially as the doors to the school opened and hundreds of teenage ponies poured out of the entrance. He half expected her to have left before the other students, seeing as she wouldn't have actually taken the exam. Some of the ponies looked elated and carried golden certificates, probably earning top marks and honours. Others looked satisfied and happy enough, others still looked upset and dispassionate, and many looked indifferent. Twilight was nowhere to be seen among them. Spike assumed he was probably being disciplined by the head-mare for forgetting her attire and expelled. Perhaps she was too grief stricken to leave the school with the other ponies, so she was probably waiting quietly until she could leave on her own. Spike comforted himself that at least he could offer her some support and company on the long walk back to pack their things and leave Canterlot. He promised himself he would leave with her, and be her friend forever.
He heard a voice behind him which echoed because of the large stone halls and corridors. He knew the pony perfectly well even with a slightly distorted voice. It was wizened and friendly and warm beyond compare, a voice that belonged to none other than Celestia. He saw her flowing green and purple mane before he saw her welcoming face. "Celestia!" he bellowed before running up the stairs to her. Celestia looked over towards the stairs as he ran up them, and he saw, as he reached the top, a beaming purple mare. His best friend Twilight was standing next to her mentor in a purple hat and cloak, looking the happiest he had ever seen her. Celestia smiled too, more at Spike's look of confusion than anything else.
"Huh?" Spike choked. Twilight looked over at him and her grin widened. She trotted over to him and gave him a huge hug with her front legs. "Oh Spike my little friend!" she said with glee, happy to see him.
"But..." Spike began, lost for words. "Why are you so happy? Aren't you expelled? You failed the exam!" he stressed, trying to understand why Twilight was so happy. She eyed him for a second with bewilderment.
"What are you talking about?" Twilight asked him, slightly taken aback. Celestia watched the scene with a smile.
"You forgot your hat and cloak, they fail you if you forget them! Remember?" he held up the aforementioned items and waved them about, trying to stress the seriousness of the situation to his friend. Twilight shook her head at him, a smile crept across her face. Spike looked over at Celestia whose smile of amusement mirrored Twi's perfectly.
"Oh Spike, you silly dragon." Twilight laughed with a casual wave of her hoof. "Celestia spotted me without them just as I realised I forgot them, so she waited for me and gave me a spare set. I passed with flying colours." Twilight explained proudly, puncuated with nods of agreement from Celestia.
"Although I gotta say this newer uniform is much, much easier on the hair than the others." Twilight noted, shuffling the cloak on her back and humming with comfort.
"Consider it a birthday gift, my faithful student." Celestia smiled warmly. Twilight looked at her with momentary shock, then gratitude.
"Oh thank you Celestia! Thank you so much!" Twilight thanked her mentor, and they nuzzled each other.
"Wait wait..." Spike interrupted. The two ponies looked at him. "So you mean I sat outside for hours and hours worrying to death that she was being expelled and we'd have to go back to Manechester, when Twilight was fine all along?" Spike's mouth was wide open with shock and his face was aghast. Celestia and Twilight laughed.
"Yes." They both answered.
"Great..." he sighed, his eyes half closed with annoyance. He rubbed him bottom soothingly as the circulation gradually returned to it after having sat on stone stairs for hours.
Celestia and Twilight chatted for a few more minutes while Spike tried to put on Twilight's old cloak to test its fit on himself. When Celestia and Twilight said a warm goodbye until next week when the new semester started, Spike began to walk down the steps ahead of her.
"Hey, wait up Mr Huffy Scales." Twilight laughed as she chased after him. She caught up with him and they walked back towards her home together. Twilight talked about the exam and how easy the questions were while Spike listened quietly. Spike cut in after a particularly smug "I got all of the questions right and only five other ponies got 100%" comment and mentioned she was the smartest and most magically gifted pony next to Celestia so they should have been easy for her, and she playfully shoved him aside.
"Ugh, I can't wait to get back and sleep." Twilight yawned. The streets were growing darker now the sun had begun its rapid descent towards the western horizon. Spike looked at it happily, it would close the page on today's events and would kick start a happy day tomorrow. Spike looked up in sudden horror and he froze on the spot as a thought crossed his mind.
"What?" Twilight asked carefully upon seeing him freeze.
"Your birthday present!" Spike gasped, angry at himself for forgetting. He ran ahead and left Twilight to walk up to her room on her own. "Hey wait!" Twilight called after him. He looked back and shouted something she couldn't make out. Twilight shook her head at him endearingly as he vanished up the winding streets.
"I wonder if I'll ever understand Dragons." Twilight pondered to herself. She thought at that moment that perhaps there was a book about them she could read, or if not she could write a book about them instead for other ponies to enjoy.
Moments later Twilight paused outside the oak door to her room and she heard heard scrambling inside. A rushed voice complained angrily and hurriedly that he didn't have enough time left. She raised her eyebrow at this and put her hoof to the door and pushed it open. The door creaked and she heard a panicked whelp come from upstairs.
"Just two more minutes Twi!" Spike shouted down to her. She heard whispers upstairs. Two distinct voices, one was obviously spikes but the other she couldn't make out.
"Why?" She asked incredulously. More whispers.
"Just don't come up the stairs till I say so!" he answered. EVen more whsipers. Twilight could hear the little dragon dashing about making huge amounts of noise, and she wondered just what on Equestria he could be doing. She decided to take a peek, worried he might have made an awful mess he was trying to hide by cleaning it up before she could see. She noticed several little flashes of light which made her worry that he was trying to use magic to clean up the mess.
That was the last straw she thought, and she clambered up the spiral staircase in a hurry to uncover his deeds and stop him before he blew something up. She reached the top and saw Spike arranging a little circular table in the middle of her room, and Celestia putting books back on their shelves. Both had their backs to her.
"Celestia? Spike?" she asked quietly. They turned to face her they glanced back at each other, both looking a little guilty, as if they were both children caught doing something they should have. Celestia quickly replaced each remaining book and finished arranging the table with her magic while they both stood there, frozen on the spot holding a silver tray above his head.
"What's this?" Twilight asked, her chest a little heavy. She had grown to realise what they were doing. The table was surrounded with cushions and a single small chair for Spike to sit on. The table itself had lots of tasty desserts and treats surrounding a positively delicious looking cake in the center. Underneath the table were a few parcels wrapped neatly in shiny foiled paper of various colours, each one topped with an affectionately tied bow. Tussles of floied paper hung little tags on them, no doubt written to her. Spike and Celestia exchanged another glance before noticing Twilight's eyes begin to glisten in the remaining rays of sunlight that shone through the balcony door behind them. The moon hung in the sky just to the left of the windows, its glow steadily brightening as the sun was nearly swallowed up by the horizon.
"Oh... uhh... happy birthday!" Spike said tentatively, her face still an expression of disbelief. Small tears fell down his friend's cheek, and Spike wondered if he had did something wrong.
"Yes, happy birthday my faithful student." Celestia said warmly.
Twilight found herself unable to contain herself any more, and her eyes began to flood with tears, and she wept. Spike gasped, wondering why she was so upset, and he cringed as the purple pony ran over to him and tackled him to the ground. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to upset you!" he shrieked, but he realised she was muzzling him and sobbing with joy. He smiled and gave her a hug.
"This *sniff*... was the best birthday... present ever *sniff*... Spike." she thanked him. His face was wet with teenage mare tears. He chuckled to himself. They really were emotional creatures. He was a baby and he never cried half as much as she did, but then again he wasn't under the pressures of being the top student at the most prestigious school in Equestria, so he could forgive her the constant tears of frustration.
Twilight began to relax and collect herself and Spike dried his face off. Twilight laughed at his pained expression of having his face smothered with tears and... he shuddered, snot.
Celestia smiled warmly to Twilight as she looked up at her mentor questioningly as Spike ushered her to the table, knowing full well the baby dragon would not have been able to do all of this himself. "When I realised Spike couldn't do your birthday present because of the confusion at the exam I came here and tried to help." she said kindly. Spike nodded at Twilight as he began to grab some presents. The three of them sat down together in the room, candles lit and and the moon shining behind them in the sky, and they celebrated Twilight's 14th birthday together.
Twilight opened each present ravenously and found trinkets from her parents and notes of encouragement from other family members. Another present was from Celestia, an ink quill pen adorned with a beautiful Phoenix feather from one of Philomena's tail feathers. Finally, Twilight reached the last box. It was a small box, crudely wrapped but Twilight could see the affection that went into it nonetheless.
She opened it with her horn magic and a small piece of paper was inside. Frantically scribbled ink was scrawled across it and Twilight read with a smile.
"I cleened up your room for you.
Luv, Spike."
Twilight smiled happily at Spike she pecked her friend in the cheek in gratitude. His cheeks went red from embarrassment and both the ponies had a good laugh at his expense, resulting in a momentary sulk from the baby dragon.
Twilight finished reading the little diary entry for that day and read some more from following days. Most entries mentioned little details of that day that Twilight remembered with a light giggle or a sigh of nostalgia. She read some more pages then noticed there was a gap of about two years between following entries. She took note of the vast improvement in the neatness of his handwriting although Spike's grammar and spelling still left something to be desired, Twilight laughed. Twilight turned the page and saw the little note he had left in the gift box attached to be page with some glue. Twilight cracked up to herself at his spelling, it was terrible and often resulted in some laughs between her and Celestia whenever they met up and read through his notes.
Twilight blinked wearily and decided to read the next entry of the diary tomorrow, for it was late and she no doubt had a busy day tomorrow like she had done today, and she wasn't up to the task of staying awake all night like she used to.
End of Chapter 1
This fan-fiction was written for fun only, all characters and locations mentioned therein are property of Hasbro Inc and Lauren Faust.
I must apologise for my awful and embarrassing spelling to start off with! I will 100% go over the next chapters with comb that has teeth so fine I'll be splitting atoms with it ^_^ . Ignore the "flying colours" bits, I am very embarrassed about that part! Whoops! Just to clarify though, the words in bold have deliberate mistakes as they were written by Spike in his diary. Bold lettering is excerpts from his diary. I've added in a small self deprecating joke at the end of the chapter, aimed at myself and the first couple of reviews I got. Again, apologies. I'm never usually that bad at spelling, I'll blame it on tiredness and typing too fast!