Tales from the Golden Oak Library

by Grenazers

Ch1-Introduction

It was mid-afternoon on a Friday. All the little colorful colts and fillies were sitting patiently on their chairs, slouching forward on their desk. Standing in front of all the little foals, is a magenta mare with a pink mane that has a lighter pink strand in it.

The mare is their teacher, Miss Cheeriless and she was lecturing her students about the history of the Wonderbolts. Unbeknownst to her, only half of her students were actually paying attention. The other half were staring at the ticking clock.

It was almost three o'clock, the time the school ends and they can all enjoy the weekend. They watched as the thin black line continued to count down the seconds before the school day ends.

A little orange pegasus filly name Scootaloo, stared at the clock intensively, hoping that by sheer willpower she can force the seconds to go faster. Sitting in front of her was her friend Applebloom, unlike her orange companion this yellow earth filly was actually paying attention to Cheerilee's lecture.

Sitting behind the orange filly was another friend of her and Applebloom. Her name was Sweetie Belle and she is unicorn. While Scootaloo stared at the clock and Applebloom was listening, the little white filly was daydreaming. Sweetie was in her own little world as she gaze at nothing, only seeing the mental images in her mind.

With only ten seconds left on the clock, Scootaloo counted down the seconds in her head. She simultaneously counted down with the clock.

'10'

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'1'

The school bell rang and everypony packed their bags. They were about to leave when Cheerliee stopped them.

“Hold on everypony!” She shouted, gaining all their attention. “Before you all go, I want to assign you homework for the weekend.”

Almost all the ponies gave a collective groan upon hearing this.

“Now I want you all to find a short story and write me a one page review about it. This includes the summary, what you like or dislike about it and a overall score out of ten.”

After she was done informing her students of their assignments she dismisses them and told everyone to have a good weekend.

While everypony was galloping out of the schoolhouse, only three were trotting out the door. “Man, leave it Miss Cheerilee to give us homework for the weekend.” Scootaloo complained.

“Oh come on, Scootaloo it can't be that hard.”

“Easy for you to say, Sweetie Belle.” The orange filly responded. “I can never really pay attention any stories, whenever I read something, my mind just wonders off somewhere.”

“Jeez Scootaloo, do you have ADD or what?”

“No, I just find most stories boring.”

As the two fillies converse with each other, an idea pop inside Applebloom's head. “Hey girls, how about we go Twilight's place?”

“Huh, why?” Scootaloo questioned.

“To do our homework of course.” She answered.

“What, you mean like now?”

“yeah, why you ask?”

“Well I though I could do mine later.”

“You mean at the last second.” Sweetie added.

“Shut up, Sweetie Belle.” Scootaloo said as she glared at the unicorn filly, Sweetie responded by glaring back her orange friend.

Deciding to end this before it escalate, Applebloom budded in. “Look Scootaloo if we do our homework now, then we can enjoy the rest of weekend.”

Scootaloo though about for a second before finally agreeing with it. “Well alright Applebloom, you do make a good point.”

Nodding to her friend's approval, the three crusaders headed towards the Golden Oak Library, home to the lavender alicorn, Princess Twilight Sparkle.

It took them a couple of minutes to reach her home. When they came into view of the large tree house, the three galloped towards it. Scootaloo reach the door first and knocked on it a couple of times.
They waited for a couple of seconds until the door opened, on the other side was familiar purple dragon.

“Oh hey girls.” Spike greeted them. “What are you doing here?”

“We're just here to take out a book.” Applebloom said.

Spike move aside and allow the three fillies in. Once they were inside, the three looking around the line of bookcases. Their search got them the attention of the alicorn studying upstairs. Looking down from the ledge, she saw the three crusaders searching through her books.

Raising her wings up, she flew down and landed perfectly on the wooden floor. “Hey girls, what are you doing here?” Twilight asked. “Are you here for Twilight Time?”

“Not today Twilight.” Applebloom answered, while still doing her search.

“Yeah we're here to take out a book.” Scootaloo said next.

“It's for our homework Miss Cheerilee assign us.” Sweetie explained.

Seeing how the three were having a hard time looking for this certain book, Twilight decided to lend her assistance in their search.

“Well how about you tell what the book and I can take it out for you.”

“Well the thing is Twilight, is that I don't remember the book's title. “Applebloom said. “All I know is that book had a collection of all these short stories. Stories I've never heard of.”

Listening to her description, Twilight mentally match it with any books that fit that description. Finally out of all the books one stood out from the rest.

“Are you looking the 101 Tales from Equestria?” She questioned,

“Yeah! That's the one!” Applebloom exclaim and turn to face her. But, when she did she saw a frown on the alicorn's face.

“I'm sorry girls, but somepony has already took that book out.” Twilight explained, earning her a surprise shock from the crusaders.

“What!”

“Are you kidding me?”

“Now what do we do?”

Seeing the disappointed looks n their faces, Twilight suddenly came up with a new idea on how to help them out.

“Girls listen, the book may be gone, but I read and memorized all the stories in it.”
“Wait, does that mean you tell us any of the 101 stories from the book?” Sweetie questioned.

“That's right!” Twilight answered.

“Alright!”

“Way to go, Twilight!”

The lavender alicorn blush from the praises she was getting. The crusaders then took a seat right in front of her. Twilight cleared her throat and ask Spike to get some refreshments.

“Now what do you want for your stories?”

“Anything would do Twilight.” Applebloom suggested.

“Well then let me tell you of a tale about a certain pony. He was a unique pony, strange, unusual, but still unique. Instead of being made of flesh and bones, this pony was made of sticks and leaves. This is the tale of...

The Timberpony.