“Hey, Spike, could you take some time today and find all the pantries and storerooms in the castle? We can’t just keep piling up supplies in the front hall. Oh, and while you’re at it, make a list of what supplies we already have.”

It was not the first time Twilight had casually doubled Spike’s workload for the day with a single offhoof comment. Nor would it be the last, he knew, for such is an assistant’s lot. The fact that Twilight didn’t think about how much work she had just handed him was not a flaw in their relationship, or a failing on her part. His job was to make sure she didn’t have to think about the little things, and thereby to leave her free to attend to her more important work. If she ever handed him an impossible task he would let her know. This task however was merely onerous, and so all he said was: “Sure thing, Twilight.”

Then, when she was out of sight, he let out a long sigh and dragged his claws down his face. He shook his head, and then trudged to the front hall, where the supplies were stacked. Though the castle was Twilight’s home, she was not quite moved in, and so the vast majority of her things were stacked like cargo just inside the castle doors. There was a pile of books that had survived the destruction of the library, and beside it, a basket of fresh grass, apples, and alfalfa that Applejack had brought. There were gifts from the townsfolk, some as small as wall decorations, some as large as furniture.

Spike’s claw-tips produced a distinctive clicking as he made the long walk from the grand stair to the center of the room. The front hall was an entrance fit for a Princess, two stories high in its own right, with an arched ceiling supported by two fluted crystal columns. Banners with Twilight’s cutie mark hung from the eaves, each subtly different from the one before it. The whole castle was like that, covered in subtle swirls of color that never quite repeated themselves.

Spike spent a while looking at the swirls as he walked, idly wondering if there was a pattern. There didn’t seem to be one. He also wondered if they were purely decorative or if they served a practical purpose. Certainly, they did nothing to muffle the distinctive clicking of his claws, or the thump of ponies’ hooves.

It didn’t take him long to reach the pile, just to the left of the golden double doors that were the castle’s front entrance. Spike already knew the order of the pile, and so he proceeded directly to the large, red couch that defined its door-facing edge. The couch was a gift from Davenport, along with the crate that rested on top of it. Using his claws as an impromptu wedge, he pried the top of the crate off and tossed it to the floor.

Inside the crate was a collection of quills, parchment, and bottles of ink. Some distant part of Spike’s mind noted that he would have to prepare a list of ponies for Twilight to thank once the gift sorting was done, but that task would wait for another day. Instead retrieved a quill, a bottle of ink, and one of the larger rolls of parchment. He then replaced the top of the crate, put the bottle of ink upon it, and wetted the tip of the quill. He unrolled the parchment, and using the top of the crate as a writing desk, he wrote.

AUDIT OF FRIENDSHIP CASTLE STORAGE SPACE AND SUPPLIES
14-5-1004

Spike paused his writing as he considered how best to format the report. Given the size of the castle, a simple list would quickly become unwieldy, and Spike knew that Twilight was very particular about how her information was organized. He considered creating a separate page for every room with a summary at the front, but quickly rejected the notion—such a report would quickly grow thick as a book, and more importantly, the summary would rely on his judgement as to what was and wasn’t important in the new crystal palace. He wasn’t ready to make that sort of assessment.

After a few long seconds of thought, he decided that his best option was a sorted list by categories: Floor, Room, Storage Container/Spaces, Supplies Present. He ticked the four categories off on his fingers, and then elected to add a fifth: Supplies Required. That would do as a summary for Twilight to read quickly if they had to put together a shopping list later.

He lifted the quill to the paper, paused a moment more, and then started his first entry.

FLOOR: 1 (Ground)
ROOM: Entrance Hall
SPACE: Temporary Pile

He paused in his writing to hop down from the couch, circling the pile as he carefully noted its contents. Most of what he found was already known to him, but he knew Twilight would want him to be thorough. Between counting the numerous boxes and prying open the sealed crates, it took him nearly half an hour to finish the entry.

SUPPLIES PRESENT: x1 Red Couch, x20 Ink Bottles, x100 Parchment Scrolls, x20 Quills, x1 Basket of Assorted Food, x1 Box of Soap, x5 Bundles of Hay, x4 kg Food Quality Sapphires, x1 Telescope, x1 Box of Assorted Decorations, x3 Crates of Surviving Library Items (Unsorted), x56 Damaged Books (Unsorted), x1 Chest of Drawers, x1 Hoof Carved Statue of Twilight (Dubious Quality), x100 Blank Books, x1 Beautification Kit, x1 Jewelry Care Kit, x1 Wing Care Kit, x5 Bottles of Wing Oil, x10 Cutlery Plate and Bowl Set, x102 Unsorted Letters, x55 Unopened Gift Boxes
SUPPLIES REQUIRED:

After one more check of the pile to make sure he hadn’t missed anything, he started a careful circuit of the entrance hall. The sorting system he was using required him to go in order—all the supplies in each space, then all the spaces in each room, then all the rooms on each floor. If he missed one, he’d have to start that part of the list over, and he didn’t want to think about how much rewriting that would involve.

It wasn’t long before he located a small, discreet door behind the main stairwell. Opening it, he found that the space under the steps was hollow, allowing room for a supply closet. It was cramped and full of shelving, and though the shelves were mostly empty, it did contain a few notable items: A lensegrinders wheel, a box of jewelers tools, and some sort of wire tangle on the end of a long crystal pole. After a few long seconds of consideration, Spike decided it was a mop, or possibly a brush. He picked up his quill, and made an addition to his original entry.

SPACE: Temporary Pile, Storage Closet

He then appended the wheel, box, and brush onto the end of the list of supplies, and added “Glass Cleaner (?), Note: Find out about this,” to the formally blank list of supplies needed. That satisfied his curiosity for the moment, and he returned to his task.

Spike searched for another ten minutes more before he decided he really had found everything there was to find in the entrance hall. During that time, he found several decorative chests of drawers, several candleholders, and nearly a dozen pots he suspected were meant to contain houseplants. He dutifully added the drawers to the list of storage spaces, and the wood varnish, candles, and plants to the list of supplies needed.

As Spike scribbled away, he could faintly hear the thump of pony hooves coming from upstairs, along with muffled conversation. Briefly, he chuckled at the thought that the crystal castle carried more sounds than just his claws. The crystal empire was that way too, but the crystal ponies seemed to be able to move quietly when they wanted to. Spike hoped there was a trick to it that he and Twilight could learn, otherwise they wouldn’t have much privacy from each other at all.

After a moment, Spike shoved such thoughts aside, and shook his head. He had work enough today without getting distracted. Lifting the scroll to his face, he reviewed his work so far.

FLOOR: 1 (Ground)
ROOM: Entrance Hall
SPACE: Temporary Pile, Storage Closet, Chest of Drawers (x4)
SUPPLIES PRESENT: x1 Red Couch, x20 Ink Bottles, x100 Parchment Scrolls, x20 Quills, x1 Basket of Assorted Food, x1 Box of Soap, x5 Bundles of Hay, x4 kg Food Quality Sapphires, x1 Telescope, x1 Box of Assorted Decorations, x3 Crates of Surviving Library Items (Unsorted), x56 Damaged Books (Unsorted), x1 Chest of Drawers, x1 Hoof Carved Statue of Twilight (Dubious Quality), x100 Blank Books, x1 Beautification Kit, x1 Jewelry Care Kit, x1 Wing Care Kit, x5 Bottles of Wing Oil, x10 Cutlery Plate and Bowl Set, x102 Unsorted Letters, x55 Unopened Gift Boxes
SUPPLIES REQUIRED: Glass Cleaner (?) Note: Find out about this, Wood Varnish, Candles, Potted Plants

It seemed so little for nearly an hours labor, but Spike had been Twilight’s assistant long enough to know that it represented a substantive amount of progress. His work in the entrance hall done, he turned towards the sapphire-blue door to the left of the main stair, headed deeper into the first floor.

FLOOR: 1 (Ground)
ROOM: Vestibule
SPACE: Small Closet
SUPPLIES PRESENT: None
SUPPLIES REQUIRED: None

FLOOR: 1 (Ground)
ROOM: Toilet
SPACE: Space Under Sink
SUPPLIES PRESENT: None
SUPPLIES REQUIRED: Toiletries

FLOOR: 1 (Ground)
ROOM: Formal Reception
SPACE: Small Closet, Chest of Drawers (x2)
SUPPLIES PRESENT: None
SUPPLIES REQUIRED: Wood Varnish

FLOOR: 1 (Ground)
ROOM: Small Library
SPACE: Shelves, Desk, Plant Pot
SUPPLIES PRESENT: None
SUPPLIES REQUIRED: Wood Varnish, Paper, Parchment, Quills, Ink, Wax, Books, Plant

FLOOR: 1 (Ground)
ROOM: Chandelier Reception Room
SPACE: Small Closet
SUPPLIES PRESENT: None
SUPPLIES REQUIRED: Unsure, Note: Check with Rarity what this room is for. It seems fancy.

FLOOR: 1 (Ground)
ROOM: Wind Chime Reception Room
SPACE: Closet
SUPPLIES PRESENT: Spare Chimes, Chime Cleaning Rod (?)
SUPPLIES REQUIRED: Unsure, Note: There seem to be vents to disturb the chimes and make them play but I’m not sure how to turn them on. No levers or switches or anything.

FLOOR: 1 (Ground)
ROOM: Small Study
SPACE: Desk, Shelf, Map Case, Scroll Rack
SUPPLIES PRESENT: None
SUPPLIES REQUIRED: Wood Varnish, Paper, Parchment, Quills, Ink, Wax, Books, Map/Poster, Scrolls

FLOOR: 1 (Ground)
ROOM: Dressing Room
SPACE: Closet, Chest of Drawers, Cabinet, Vanity, Armoire
SUPPLIES PRESENT: None
SUPPLIES REQUIRED: Wood Varnish, Makeup (?), Clothes (?)

FLOOR: 1 (Ground)
ROOM: Small Bedroom
SPACE: Cabinet, Small Trunk
SUPPLIES PRESENT: None
SUPPLIES REQUIRED: None until a pony moves in? Not sure who this bedroom is for. Connects directly to dressing room so I guess they go together.

FLOOR: 1 (Ground)
ROOM: Attached Bathroom
SPACE: Cabinet Behind Mirror, Space Under Sink
SUPPLIES PRESENT: None
SUPPLIES REQUIRED: Toiletries

FLOOR: 1 (Ground)
ROOM: Very Small Bedroom
SPACE: Trunk
SUPPLIES PRESENT: None
SUPPLIES REQUIRED: None. Not sure who this bedroom is for either. Smaller than most closets. Connects directly to dressing room.

Spike was still struggling to figure out why there would be two bedrooms on the first floor when he realized he was finished with the east wing of the building. He walked back the way he’d came, through the strange bedrooms and the funny reception halls, wondering all the while what they were for. He couldn't imagine Twilight ever using them—while they hadn’t stayed the night in the castle yet, her bedroom was on the top floor and it was beautiful. He couldn't imagine they were guest rooms either, or if they were they were uncomfortably small and oddly placed.

He crossed the wide hall to the west side of the building, turning down the first hallway he saw. He expected it to immediately terminate in a room, but instead found it stretching a long way in front of him, all the way towards what must have been the front face of the building. Puzzled, he hurried down it, and soon found himself facing a small door. He pushed it open, and stepped through into the room on the other side.

There was not much to the room—it was perhaps the size of a large walk-in closet, perfectly square, and undecorated. A rack of some kind adorned one of the walls, though Spike had no idea what it was meant to hold. Spike would have considered it nothing more than an unremarkable storeroom were it not for the windows adorning the east and south facing walls. To the east, the room had an excellent view of the entrance hall, while the south facing window looked out directly over the castle steps. Spike could recall no such windows on the outside of the building, and certainly none in the entrance hall.

Wondering if the windows opened, Spike reached out to touch the east-facing window, but his claws passed right through without resistance. Startled, he lept back as though stung, but when nothing stranger happened, his courage recovered. He advanced on the window, and carefully lifted one foot, pressing it forward through the crystal. The next followed, and Spike stepped out into the entrance hall, emerging next to the pile. He turned back to the wall, but when he attempted to pass through it, he found it to be as solid as it looked.

“A one way door? Why would there be a one-way door in... oh.” Realization came to him. “I get it.”

FLOOR: 1 (Ground)
ROOM: Guard Post
SPACE: Spear Rack
SUPPLIES PRESENT: None
SUPPLIES REQUIRED:

Spike hesitated a moment as his quill hovered over the last line. Then he finished the entry.

SUPPLIES REQUIRED: Spears

That room finished, Spike didn’t see much point in walking the long way around to reenter it. Instead, he headed back into the west hall, to take stock of the other rooms there.

FLOOR: 1 (Ground)
ROOM: Receptionists’ Area
SPACE: x6 Crystal Desks, Large Scroll Rack
SUPPLIES PRESENT: None
SUPPLIES REQUIRED: Paper, Parchment, Quills, Ink, Wax

FLOOR: 1 (Ground)
ROOM: White Hall
SPACE: Decorative Nooks x10, Plant Pots x10
SUPPLIES PRESENT: None
SUPPLIES REQUIRED: Plants

FLOOR: 1 (Ground)
ROOM: Back Entrance
SPACE: Trunk
SUPPLIES PRESENT: None
SUPPLIES REQUIRED: Gardening Stuff (?), Overlooks Lake Behind Castle + Garden

FLOOR: 1 (Ground)
ROOM: Garden Terrace
SPACE: Lots of Plant Boxes
SUPPLIES PRESENT: None
SUPPLIES REQUIRED: Gardener, definitely. Maybe that’s what the extra bedroom is for?

FLOOR: 1 (Ground)
ROOM: Semi-Circular Hall
SPACE: Glass Display Cabinet, Bookshelves
SUPPLIES PRESENT: None
SUPPLIES REQUIRED: Books, Awards (?), Trophies (?). Not sure if this is a fancy place space or a private space for Twilight to relax.

FLOOR: 1 (Ground)
ROOM: Ruby Reception Room
SPACE: Small Closet
SUPPLIES PRESENT: None
SUPPLIES REQUIRED: None

FLOOR: 1 (Ground)
ROOM: Bathroom
SPACE: Cabinet Behind Mirror, Space Under Sink
SUPPLIES PRESENT: None
SUPPLIES REQUIRED: Toiletries

FLOOR: 1 (Ground)
ROOM: Cargo Room + Side Entrance
SPACE: Lots of Open Floor
SUPPLIES PRESENT: None
SUPPLIES REQUIRED: None (?), there’s a dumbwaiter and an extra stairwell here, so I think this is just a place for taking supplies in.

“Would have been nice to know about this place before we started stacking stuff up in the front hall,” Spike grumbled as he finished the entry. The oversight wasn’t really anypony’s fault though. Between returning Tirek to Tartarus, collecting Twilight’s things from the remains of the library, time with Princess Celestia, and ponies celebrating the return of their magic, even Twilight had barely spent any time in her new palace. It was entirely possible there were whole wings of the palace Twilight had yet to put her hoof in, though that would probably change soon.

Having reached the far western side of the building, Spike tilted his head up towards the second floor. He did one last circuit of the first floor to make sure he hadn’t missed anything, and then returned to the cargo room, taking the stairwell there instead of the grand central entrance. That way, he reasoned, he would start on the west side of the building and could proceed steadily east, instead of all this back-and-forth nonsense.

The stairwell took him up one floor and then deposited him in one of the largest kitchens he’d ever seen. It was a box of refrigerators, cabinets, stoves, ovens, and more, all centered around three long crystalline countertops that stretched for a good ten paces each. Hundreds of pots and pants hung from the ceiling, utterly still and silent.

“Heh,” Spike said, just to break the silence of the dim space. He licked his lips. Then he spoke again, “Well, Twilight won’t go hungry at least.” After a moment more, he lifted the scroll to his quill.

FLOOR: 2
ROOM: Kitchen
SPACE: Cabinets (x80), Refrigerators (x10), Baskets (x10), Drawers (x40)
SUPPLIES PRESENT: Numerous pots, pans, cutlery, etc. No food or consumables.
SUPPLIES REQUIRED: Food

Spike looked at that last word for a moment, and wondered if he’d made a mistake. The entry seemed trite—obviously, food went in the kitchen—and he wondered if he shouldn't do a proper survey and count all the pots and pans. As his entry stood, it was only telling Twilight what she already knew.

Eventually though, he decided against it. It could take hours to take inventory of this one room, and he doubted Twilight would do anything with the information. For that matter, he doubted this kitchen would get that much use. It was impressive, but it was two floors down from the bedroom—very inconvenient. It was probably just for having guests over or preparing food for parties and the like.

Three doors lead out of the kitchen, plus the stair spike had come from. He picked one of the doors at random, and pushed out into a large dining hall, with a single massive table and space for perhaps fifty ponies at a time. He hesitated at the sight, freezing and then taking a step backwards. His claws curled to find purchase on the hard floor, producing a shrill scraping sound as they dug into the crystal.

The shriek of dragon’s claws on crystal snapped Spike out of his thoughts, and he jumped as though stung. Looking down, he could see that his claws had dug a deep furrow in the previously flawless floor. The crystal palace, it seemed, was no more resistant to dragon magic than any of the gemstones he ate.

Spike swallowed as he looked at the scratch. Then he looked at the dining hall before him. It was cruder than the other rooms—not ugly, but unfurnished, with no decorations and a plain table without space at its head. Lighting came from the windows and three crystal globes embedded in the ceiling, lacking any shade or cover.

Gradually, Spike raised his quill to the page.

FLOOR: 2
ROOM:

Again, he hesitated, a full count of three passing before he wrote again.

ROOM: Servants’ Dining Hall
SPACE: Central Table
SUPPLIES PRESENT: None
SUPPLIES REQUIRED: None

He concluded the entry with a sharp motion of the quill, and quickly moved to the next room, picking a door at random.

FLOOR: 2
ROOM: Suite of Servants’ Quarters
SPACE: x20 Tiny Bedrooms, Bathroom at End of Hall
SUPPLIES PRESENT: None
SUPPLIES REQUIRED: Mattresses, Sheets, Pillows, Toiletries

FLOOR: 2
ROOM: Scribes’ Offices
SPACE: x10 Desks, x5 Bookshelves, x10 Map Cases, Large Scroll Rack
SUPPLIES PRESENT: None
SUPPLIES REQUIRED: Paper, Parchment, Quills, Ink, Wax, Seals, Maps/Posters, Scrolls

FLOOR: 2
ROOM: Bathroom
SPACE: Cabinet Behind Mirror, Space Under Sink
SUPPLIES PRESENT: None
SUPPLIES REQUIRED: Toiletries

FLOOR: 2
ROOM: Small Library
SPACE: Bookshelves
SUPPLIES PRESENT: None
SUPPLIES REQUIRED: Books

FLOOR: 2
ROOM: Armory
SPACE: Spear Rack, Sword Rack, Crossbow Rack, Quiver Rack
SUPPLIES PRESENT: None
SUPPLIES REQUIRED: Spears, Swords, Crossbows, Arrows/Bolts

FLOOR: 2
ROOM: Barracks
SPACE: x20 Trunks
SUPPLIES PRESENT: None
SUPPLIES REQUIRED: Mattresses, Sheets, Pillows

FLOOR: 2
ROOM: Bathroom
SPACE: Cabinet Behind Mirror, Space Under Sink
SUPPLIES PRESENT: None
SUPPLIES REQUIRED: Toiletries

FLOOR: 2
ROOM: Diamond Reception Room
SPACE: Small Cabinet
SUPPLIES PRESENT: None
SUPPLIES REQUIRED: Candles (?), Room is transparent. Bright during the day but I don’t see any light source for at night.

Spike’s roundabout circuit of the second floor finally took him back towards the center. Facing west again, he emerged out onto the top of the central stair, entering what Twilight had called the rotunda. It was a large, cylindrical room with doors that connected it to the scribes’ offices and the diamond room. A winding stair lead up to the third floor, wrapped around the south facing wall. The north wall faced the rear of the castle with six huge windows. The windows were smoked however, and so offered no view of the lake behind the castle. When he had first seen the room right after Tirek’s defeat, Spike had thought that somewhat strange.

FLOOR: 2
ROOM: Stained Glass Room
SPACE: None
SUPPLIES PRESENT: None
SUPPLIES REQUIRED: None

Finished with the second floor, Spike proceeded directly to the third, emerging in the main library. This was the floor he already knew fairly well, as Twilight had spend the most time here since her arrival. It was also the most open floor, and when Spike reached it, he could hear Twilight and her friends not far away. Their conversations were still not quite legible, but he gathered that they were exploring. Probably somewhere up on the fourth floor.

Spike found himself rushing as he moved from room to room. Great Library, Diamond Ballroom, Reading Room, Working Study, Map Room, Hall of Records, Billiard Hall, Balcony, Court. His detailed and well written entries from the first floor soon degraded into a collection of scrawl and slash marks, ending with the final room off the main stair.

FLOOR: 3
ROOM: Bathroom
SAME AS THE OTHERS

Ending the entry with a dot, Spike rushed up the steps to the fourth floor. They hadn’t explored this floor much, except to note that it was mostly luxury accommodations and that the stairs opened into a beautiful indoor garden space, full of statues and empty plant boxes. Spike could make out pony voices, and heard Twilight’s voice as she giggled at some joke—but the crystal played tricks on his ears, and the sound seemed to come from all directions at once.

“Twilight?” he called out, running to the first door he saw. Pulling it open, he found himself looking in on a lavish dressing room, ringed by crystal mirrors on all sides. Two doors connected to it, one breaking left, and one breaking right. Spike pulled open the door on the left first, revealing a spacious set of quarters, centered around a crystalline four-posted bed. The room was gorgeous, but the bed was bare, lacking a mattress.

“Twilight?” Spike called again, hurrying to the door on the right. That door also opened to a bedroom though—a dark, cramped space, linked to a tiny bathroom. “Twilight!?”

“In here, Spike!” Twilight called back to him. He broke into a sprint at the sound of her voice, rushing out of the dressing room and back into the indoor garden. He sped across the way, throwing open a set of doors. This room was an elegant dining hall, with a throne at one end of the table fit for a princess, but Twilight was not here either. She was closer though—and he picked up his pace.

“Twilight!?” he called. Portrait room. Stone Hall. And then he threw open one more door.

“Spike!” Twilight said, as he burst into the room. “What’s wrong?”

Spike slid a stop on smooth crystal, blinking his slitted eyes at the sight in front of him. The entire room was devoted to a bath—or a series of baths. Numerous hot tubs and communal spaces were fed by a large central pool which was in turn fed by a fountain in the shape of six noble ponies, one of each gender and race. Transparent crystal barriers let through light where it was welcome, while smoked barriers gave privacy where it was desirable. It took Spike awhile to find Twilight in it all, but he eventually spotted her on the rooms far side. She was with the others, all six of the former Elements of Harmony relaxing together in the water.

“Spike?” Twilight repeated, waving him over with a hoof. All six of the girls were staring at him. “Is something wrong?”

“Huh?” Spike lifted his head suddenly, and then picked up his feet to move over her way. “Oh, no,” he said as he moved their way, his scroll tucked under his arm. “No. Nothing is wrong. I just wasn’t sure where you were. Are you uh... having fun exploring?”

“Oh, absolutely!” Rarity said. She was resting with her head on the edge of the pool, her body submerged beneath the water of one of the hotter tubs. “This place is simply divine. It’s like all the best parts of Canterlot and the Crystal Empire combined.”

“Eh, it’s okay I guess,” Rainbow Dash offered another opinion, swimming in one of the deeper pools nearby. “You know. I could hang out here if Twilight wants to or whatever.”

Twilight laughed gently and glanced at Rainbow Dash, shaking her head. “We got a little sidetracked,” she admitted to Spike, turning back to face him. “Is that the list of supplies?”

“Uh... it’s not done yet.” Spike glanced down at the scroll. “I still have to finish this floor and do the top floor.”

“Okay,” Twilight said, nodding to the corner of the bath house. “When you do this room, don’t forget to note that we’ll need actual cleaning supplies. There are racks for soap and stuff but they’re empty.”

“Right. Got it,” Spike nodded. “And you’ll be here when I’m done?”

“Yup. We’re just having fun talking,” Twilight nodded back to Spike. After a few moments of silence, she added, “Was... there anything else?”

“Uh, nope. That was it. Enjoy the uh... pool!” Spike turned and hurried away, back into the rest of the floor.

FLOOR: 4
ROOM: Crystal Bath
SPACE: Shower Rooms, Changing Rooms, Soap/Supply Racks
SUPPLIES PRESENT: None
SUPPLIES REQUIRED: Soap, Shower Supplies, Spa Stuff (Talk to Aloe About This)

FLOOR: 4
ROOM: Formal Dining Hall
SPACE: Cabinets
SUPPLIES PRESENT: Formal Cutlery
SUPPLIES REQUIRED: None

FLOOR: 4
ROOM: Winter Garden
SPACE: Plant Boxes
SUPPLIES PRESENT: None
SUPPLIES REQUIRED: Plants

FLOOR: 4
ROOM: Balcony
SPACE: None
SUPPLIES PRESENT: None
SUPPLIES REQUIRED: None

FLOOR: 4
ROOM: Grand Dressing Room (x5)
SPACE: Vanity, Cabinet, Closet, Chest of Drawers, Trunk
SUPPLIES PRESENT: None
SUPPLIES REQUIRED: None

FLOOR: 4
ROOM: Grand Bedroom (x5)
SPACE: Cabinet, Closet, Desk, Attached Bathroom
SUPPLIES PRESENT: None
SUPPLIES REQUIRED: Mattress, Sheets, Pillows, Parchment, Ink, Wax, Quills, Toiletries

FLOOR: 4
ROOM: Servant’s Quarters (x6)
SPACE: Trunk
SUPPLIES PRESENT: None
SUPPLIES REQUIRED: Mattress, Sheets, Pillows, Toiletries

Spike emerged from the last of the fourth floor servant’s quarters, and found himself facing a small stairwell headed up. It wasn’t the main stair to the fifth floor that he and Twilight had used during the first visit, but he took it anyway, slowly trudging up the stairs. He emerged into a small but well equipped kitchen, with a dumbwaiter that went down. Probably to the main kitchen below. He looked around and took stock, and lifted the scroll to his quill. He did not write anything however, and after a moment, he put the scroll back down.

Picking a door at random, he found himself in Twilight’s bedroom. It occupied most of the fifth and final floor, with a grand four-poster bed raised on a dias that swept into a recessed area below. That area was filled with desks, spaces for charts, and a small library all its own. The bed itself was big enough to accommodate a dozen ponies if they squeezed—or perhaps, big enough to accommodate two ponies the size of Princess Celestia with room to spare.

It didn’t have a mattress yet. Spike lifted the scroll to his quill, but again wrote nothing down.

There were four doors exiting the room, not counting the main stair back down or the door he’d just come through. The first of those, near the kitchen, lead to another bedroom. Spike wasn’t sure what this space was for. It looked too nice to be servant’s quarters, with its own window, a wide bed, and reasonably spacious accommodations. After a few long second of fruitless thought, he left it alone.

The second door by the shelves, lead to a yet another bedroom. This one was as cramped as a servant’s, but not as small. Instead, the space was taken up by a broad desk, chart racks on the wall, a bookshelf, and a scribe’s desk. All the racks were empty, and there was nothing on the desk. Spike left this room alone as well.

The third door, opposite the kitchen, lead to a private bathroom. This one was not at all like the others, circular in design and ringed with regularly spaced mirrors so an occupant could see themselves from any angle just by turning their head. The shower was a crystalline box just smaller than a double bed, filled with jets, nozzles, and showerheads controlled by a small array of switches on the inner wall. Spike left that room alone as well.

The last door, directly next to the bed, lead to a small square room with brightly colored walls. It was empty, save for a single wardrobe, lacking any other fixtures or furniture. Puzzled, Spike stepped up to the wardrobe and pulled it open. Inside, he found a series of what looked like fence sections. Each was a rectangle of crystal, perhaps three fourths the height of a pony, with bars running between the edges like a fence or a jail cell. There were five of them, and each was jointed at the edges, clearly designed to fit together.

“Why would there be... oh.” Realization came to him. “I get it.”

Spike lifted the scroll, and this time, he wrote.

FLOOR: 5
ROOM: Nursery
SPACE: Wardrobe
SUPPLIES PRESENT: Foal Pen
SUPPLIES REQUIRED: Nothing yet.