//------------------------------//
// Chapter 3  
// Story: Make It Simple 
// by Fat1thatyoulove 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 3 – Trot the trot talk like everypony cares

Strokes's trot continues to wobble a little as the pony tries to adjust to the uneven and slightly dirt path that defines the main street the pony from the train pointed him down. In an attempt to fight the slight embarrassment the stallion feels he casually turns his head to the town around him.

In contrast to the mostly dull white stone buildings of Canterlot that rise up from the gray solid cobblestone streets of the city; Ponyville buildings hold a cheerful and welcoming feel, even if they are mostly primitively hay covered roofs. Of course though, the concept of the builds have stayed the same, Stokes turns his eyes around the buildings the innocent and unsuspecting pony trot into. The flashy colors of Canterlot and even here in Ponyville are only for one thing...To draw a pony's eye in an attempt at gaining revenue.

A few hooves behind Strokes a childish voice comes up, the stallion turns his head to the sight of a little light blue coated and striped mint and blue maned pegasus filly that happily trots towards one of the flasher stores, "Mommy mommy, can I gets a WonderBolt’s cap for the show?"

Within the moment a mare comes into sight as she torts towards the happily hopping filly, "I don't know, we have to see if there's any in the store."

A faint smile comes to Strokes's face as he shifts his eyes from the two ponies as they trot into the store. His focus now comes to the rest of the slightly decorated street as he turns his head to the wispy clouded sky that's being hidden behind the banners that hangs over the street's road.

Strokes takes a deep breath of the fresh air though as he brings his sight back to the path laid out in front of him. However, as he does this his eyes lock to the tall oak tree house looking building the pony from the train had spoke of.

With a slightly quickened pace the bright eye drawing red door comes to hoof length as the stallion opens the unlocked library's door.

The sight of the building's interior though halts the stallion's trot inside as he just looks the homey like area he's just stepped into.

"Hello?"

Feeling a little embarrassed that he may have just walked into somepony's house the earth pony brings up a friendly but questioning voice, "Um yes... Is this the PonyVille library?"

The sound of claws clanking against the floor turn the stallion's head as he watches a short purple scaly creature come into the room. For a moment the stallion just stares to him unable to speak, but a new found excited smile comes to the Strokes as he takes a step forward, "A dragon as a library?! I must say, that is most impressive." He adjust the glasses on his snout as he holds the slightly over zealous smile, "Tell me, do you think the books are your hoard? I can not imagine how you must feel when you part with one."

Spike just blinks to the comment as he lowers the two books he had in his right claw, "Um, I'm not the librarian. I'm just the assistant, Spike."

Strokes slowly takes his head back as he nods, "Oh...Well, at least I am in the right place." He turns his eyes to the two bookshelves in the room as his voice drops a little, "So, not a lot of ponies read in the town hm?"

The comment goes a little unnoticed as Spike shakes his head, "Naw, ponies love coming in here, but mostly around winter. What kind of book are you looking for?"

"Well I had been hoping to find a certain work of Harness Hoofing Way-..." He takes a step closer to the bookshelves as he continues, "But I understand if-..."

"Which one?" The boyish voice turns Strokes's head back to Spike as he watch the little dragon beckoning him to follow into the room he left.

Strokes trots after the little dragon as the smell of books starts to take on a more potent musk. The main part of the library quickly comes into view as Strokes moves past the half wall that covered the thousands of books that laid in the room.

Spike holds his claw to the shelf near the open window as he speaks up, "They're on the second self."

With a smile Strokes trots over to the shelf as he looks over the titles with a slight child like glee, "Ah here we go..." His eye immediately lock to a tan covered spine as he pulls it from the others, "Yes, Sir.BubbleGum...This one will pass the time."

A slight laugh comes up from Spike as he quickly turns tail and walks into the other room for the check out sheet. However, the light laugh has caught the stallion's ear as turns his head with a smile, "Have you read this story?"

Spike brings himself to the table in the other room as he nods, "Not by choice." He moves his claw to the paper as he points to a quill that sits next to it, "Sign here please."

The stallion brings his three hoof trot into the other room as his voice rings back out, "Then what do you think about it?"

A little shrug comes from the dragon as he answers, "It's alright, kinda feels like a foals book though don't you think?"

Stroke places the book on the table as he moves his hoof to the quill, "Nonsense, Harness Hoofing Way was one of the first ponies to ever create stories where the hero goes against the idea of a fit and handsome stallion."

Spike just nods to the comment as he taps to the paper, "Make sure you say how long you would like to check-..."

"And he was the first stallion to ever promote the ideas of real life events being something worthy of being a story." Strokes interruption pauses Spike for the moment as he continues to just tap to the paper.

Strokes quickly and neatly hoofs his name out onto the paper as he continues, "I will only need the book for a few hours, what do I put?"

Spike brings his voice back up as he nods, "Well one day rental is five bits so you would need to pay for the day."

"Okay." Strokes returns the quill as he moves to the back around him, with a quick motion he brings a little pouch out and extracts the five gold pieces that he moves to the table.
The dragon gives a little smile as he speaks up, "Well have a nice-..."

"You know if you really do think Hoofing Way's work is foalish you should read the fourth part in the series, it really was an amazing story. After all I should know, I wrote a piece about it in the Canterlot newspaper."

Spike slowly nods to the comment as Strokes puts the book to his bag, but the stallion's comments don't come to an end as he turns his head to Spike, "Have you ever been to Canterlot?"

The little dragon cocks a slight smile as he nods, "Yes I actually-..."

"Ah, you have? When was your last visit?" Strokes holds his smile as he waits for a response.

However Spike doesn't rush his voice up as he just stare to the stallion, "...Well the last time we went there was for Celestia's School when they announced-..."

"Really? Celestia's school?" Strokes nods his head as he casually taps his hoof to his chest, "I actually graduated from Manehattan, I have always wondered about Celestia's exclusively unicorn school though."

Spike's gaze slightly halfens as he speaks up, "Ya it's pretty cool there."

Strokes gives another nod as he speaks up, "Yes...Well I think I should get going. Perhaps we can chat when I drop the book off."

A slight smile comes up from Spike as he moves the bits from the table, "Ya..."

Strokes closes his bag as he turns towards the door and behinds to trot out into the bright day’s sun. As the light spring breeze starts to roll through his mane the stallion turns a slightly more cheerful smile to the roads around him as he speaks to himself, "Now was the Ponyville track..."

End of chapter 3