More than a Storybook

by balletdivagirl

Mostly A Normal Day

Twilight sat in the Library of her new castle. It was a little strange, it seemed so empty, even though some the books from the Castle of the Two Sisters had been moved in. She missed her old books. Some she had been able to repair, and they were here now too. Still, some of her most precious books had been reduced to ashes.

“Aww, Twilight. You still pining for all those books?” Spike waddled in eating a gem. “You’ve memorized all the stuff in them.”

“I know Spike, but books are more than just what is in them.” Twilight pulled a repaired copy of Elements of Harmony: A Guide off the shelf. “This not only has the information about the elements of Harmony in it, but it reminds me of how I met all my friends.”

“Whatever.” Spike shrugged. “I came to give you this letter from Princess Celestia” Spike handed her the scroll. Twilight unrolled it.

Dear Twilight,
I know I’ve thanked you for defeating Tyrek, but I have one more thing to give you to show my appreciation. I’m sending you some of the books from the Royal Library to store in your new home. They are coming in the care of my Head Librarian, Storybook. She has even managed to find copies of a few of your books that were destroyed. She will be arriving by train on the fourth day of summer. She is eager to meet you and your friends. I’m sure you two will have a lot to talk about.
Princess Celestia.

The fourth day of summer? That was tomorrow! Twilight looked at Spike. “How long have you had this letter?” She asked.

“Well, I found it under my blanket this morning, so I’m not sure.” Spike looked at her with his usual innocence.

“Spi-ike!”

***

Storybook checked the luggage cart once more to make sure all the books were safely stored in the train’s baggage car. True, they weren’t breakable, but some of them were very old. Storybook reminded herself again that they were fine and went to find a seat on the train. Once in the passenger car she looked around and noticed that the car was getting full. Not her favorite situation, but she’d known she’d have to do things that made her uncomfortable once she became head librarian. Still, sitting next to a stranger the whole way to Ponyville didn’t sound appealing. Looking for a place with two vacant seats next to one another was her goal, and she stopped looking where she was going to look for a seat.

Storybook ran head long into something big and blue. “I’m so sorry!” She began to apologize. “I wasn’t looking.”

“That’s pretty much the norm for you.” Feeling insulted, even if it was true, Story looked up at the stallion she’d run into. The very tall dark blue Pegasus smiled slyly down at her.

“Blaze!?” Story recognized her old friend, “Did you stand in my way on purpose?” That was usually how he got her attention. He was just too tall to miss.

“Yes.” He laughed and started walking with her, “You walked right past me earlier, even after I said your name. I do try the normal approaches.” They sat down in the two empty spots Story had seen. Blaze was probably Story’s oldest friend, and even though they didn’t see each other often, every time they did it was like no time had passed.

“I’m sorry, you know how I get.” Story put her saddle bags under the seat and without thinking put Blaze’s there too. “Why are you headed to Ponyville?”

“Family.” Blaze shifted in his seat. He was just so big. Story remembered how much he hated travelling by train. He preferred to fly himself when he could. “Why are you going?”

“I’m delivering books for Princess Twilight’s library.” Story thought to the two crates of books in the luggage car. She shook them out of her head, and shook her blue main out of its tie. Using her magic, she put it back in place, out of the way.

“That’s right, you’re now Princess Celestia’s personal head librarian, youngest ever.” Blaze gave lightly thumped her shoulder with his elbow. Story blushed. She still wasn’t used to her new title.

“Yes, it’s a very big honor.” Story couldn’t help but feel a little overwhelmed by the responsibilities. But she would do her best. Princess Celestia wouldn’t have chosen her if she weren’t ready.

“Well, everypony who knows you is proud of you.” This was Blaze’s way of saying he was proud of her, without actually admitting that out loud.

“What have you been up to?” Story asked, trying to keep the topic off of her new title. Blaze loved talking about his job, and his successes.

“Not much actually. I’m still working, but it’s just been small stuff lately.” The blue Pegasus worked for a private detective firm in Canterlot, unless someone needed his real talent.

“So no wild tales of adventure today?” Story reached under the seat for the book she was reading. It was a collection of fairytales from all over Equestria, and even some of the other kingdoms. Story had had trouble putting it down.

“No. Just lost cats and a few pieces of dropped jewelry.” He laughed pleasantly. Story knew he was finished so she levitated her book and started reading. Blaze reached for his saddle bags and pulled out a newspaper. Story knew he’d be looking for something he could find.

***

Blaze looked over at the golden-yellow unicorn sitting next to him. He hated lying to Storybook. He’d never actually had to do it before, but the latest job he’d worked was confidential. Even if he and Story had the same employer temporarily, she wasn’t on the need to know list. Blaze hated that he couldn’t even tell her why he was really coming to Ponyville, especially since she would probably stay with Princess Twilight.

He did have family in town, and he was going to help his aunt out while her wing recovered from her accident with the mailpony. But the real reason he was headed there was currently in the luggage car. Story sounded like she would only be in Ponyville a couple of days, so Blaze could get his real work done after she left.

Blaze had hoped she’d be helping with this project, given that she worked in a library. It’d been so long since they’d spent time together, and Blaze didn’t know why that bothered him so much. Seeing her on the train actually made him miss her more. The temptation to pull her over so she was leaning on him was almost too much to resist. They’d often sat like that as foals and until they were a little older. Blaze had usually fallen asleep.

He thought back to the artifact in the luggage car. He’d searched for months, and found nothing until he came across it, and it wasn’t what he had been looking for in the first place. Now he only had more questions. The one looming in his mind was: what did he do when he found something Princess Celestia couldn’t identify?

Something heavy leaning on his side drew him out of his thoughts. Story had taken up their old habit of her own accord. She paused her reading just long enough to push her glasses up. Blaze looked down at his newspaper. There was nothing he could do about any of this until they got to Ponyville.

Twilight waited at the train station with Applejack, Rarity and Pinkie Pie. Fluttershy was helping Pipsqueak find a pet, and Rainbow Dash was somewhere. Twilight hadn’t seen her all day. The four friends were chatting, about their visitor of course.

“Did you know Storybook while you lived in Canterlot?” Rarity asked, “We haven’t run into her any time we’ve been.”

“I’m not sure.” Twilight thought for a moment. “I might have met her, but I don’t remember. I know she wasn’t Princess Celestia’s Head Librarian while I was in school.”

“Well, I’m sure we’ll all be friends in no time.” Applejack crossed her front hooves. “The train should be here any minute.”

“I can’t wait!” Pinkie Pie bounced happily, like always. “I just love, love, love meeting new ponies! I’m sure she’ll be super fantastic and will want to meet everypony and then we’ll all be really sad when she has to go back to Canterlot but then maybe we can be penpals! I’ve always wanted a penpal. We can send each other new pens!”

“Pinkie, that’s not-“ The train pulling into the station stopped and cut Twilight off. A few seconds later, ponies came pouring out. Twilight was getting used to bigger and bigger crowds at the Ponyville train station, but she was at a loss as how to find Storybook.

“Ooo! Which one is Storybook?” Pinkie jumped, and spoke, even faster, “Is she that one, or that one, no wait, that’s a stallion, or is she that one, does she have pink hair, or maybe green, or is she that one, who has a big fluffy tail?”

“That’s a squirrel, Pinkie.” Applejack shook her head. “I’ll bet she’s the golden-yellow mare trying to read and walk at the same time.” She pointed to a pony exiting a few cars over, who was indeed reading and walking. The mare in question headed to the luggage car.

“I have a hunch you’re right. Princess Celestia did say she and I would have a lot to talk about.” Twilight started following the mare. Despite the crowd, Twilight had no trouble catching up to the mare. She then realized that was because everypony had moved out of the way. While she didn’t mind curtsey, she wished ponies would treat each other the way they treated her. The mare Twilight was trying to talk to however, didn’t seem to notice her. “Hello, I’m Twilight Sparkle, I was wondering…” Twilight stopped when the mare still didn’t notice her, “Hello? Ah… Storybook?” Now it was difficult to keep up with her. Twilight wasn’t sure how to get her attention. Was she like this while she was reading? “Pardon me but- OOF!” Twilight ran into another pony. “I’m sorry! I-“

The mare Twilight was following had also run into the same pony. He was tall. And blue. Very tall. Very blue. The stallion looked down at the other mare. “Story, look next to you.” The mare’s gaze now left her book and focused on Twilight.

“Princess Twilight!” Her cheeks sprouted little red roses of blush, “I’m sorry, I was reading.”

“I understand that completely.” Twilight smiled back at her. “And, it’s just Twilight.” Celestia was right, they did have a lot in common. “And I think your, friend stole his method from my brother.”

“I did not!” The big stallion now turned ret, but for a different reason. “I’ve been getting in her way since way before I met Shining Armor!”

“You know my Brother?” Twilight asked, raising one eyebrow. “You don’t look like one of the guard.”

“I’m not, and I’ve only met him once, but he did notice there’s only one way to get Story’s attention.” He looked at the floor and make little circles with his hoof. “I’ll get our boxes,” he mumbled at turned around.

“Ok, now I have to know, What happened?” Twilight looked at Story. She smiled.

“Shining Armor was in the Library, and Blaze had come to try to surprise me, but he couldn’t get my attention” Story laughed a little, “Shining Armor had just proposed to Princess Cadence, and was assuming Blaze was trying to do the same thing. I’m sorry I missed it, or didn’t notice it.”

That sounded like Shining Armor alright. As Story finished, Blaze came back with a cart full of boxes and luggage. Twilight wondered about the two ponies she had just met. They acted like they had been together forever, but something seemed off. She shrugged and the three of them headed back to Rarity, Applejack and Pinkie Pie. Twilight knew she would learn all about them soon enough.

***

Far from the peaceful day in Ponyville, a unicorn sat shrouded in darkness, except the light of his own magic. To his eyes, however the world was still dark, but yet he could see the happy friends greeting one another a thousand miles away. His old withered frame shook when he chuckled. The lost one thought she was who everyone said she was. But taken from her people, how could she know otherwise? The time was coming for her to return, to take her rightful place. She would return and she would follow the true path once more.

Comments

[Professor Tacitus]

You definitely have me intrigued. I already like the characters and it seems like this is going to be one heck of an adventure. Also, I had to look up what "emeritus" means, but now that I know, it's brilliant. Good name choice!

[HardRockLlama]

Excellent. It's not perfect, but the characterizations and easy flow made this a good read.

One note, is Spike an asshole or something? Twilight tells him why she liked the Elements of Harmony book and he simply says, "Whatever." I was like damn! What a dick!

Anywho, please continue.

[balletdivagirl]

5004634 Thank you! I thought at least a few people would be amused.
(PS, I finally figured out where the reply button is, so I did respond to your comment on my blog post It's just not a reply)

[balletdivagirl]

5005385
Thanks! The flow may change in later chapters but let me know if it doesn't work.
And Spike sometimes is a jerk, like most of the Winter Wrap Up episode, for example. I think overall it makes him feel younger that the rest of the characters.