Hourglass

by DuskPhoenix

2: A Horse With No Name

For Twilight, being awkward in a library space was nearly a betrayal of the library itself. She had never thought it was possible to be awkward when she was surrounded by so much knowledge, with the lives and works of so many minds that stood by her, the crisp smell of the pages, and the soft sound her hoof made when she ran it over the worn pages.

Even so, after spending half the day in the library with Nopony, she found herself incredibly awkward.

Maybe it had to do with the unnerving, uncomfortable silence that hung in the air as she and a handful of her friends watched Nopony scribble on papers and flip through tomes. Maybe it had to do with the unnatural clinking noise Nopony made every time they moved. Maybe it had to do with the whispered argument that had been going on a few meters behind Twilight for what felt like hours.

"Fluttershy, I think we just oughta agree to disagree. It's a fine name, and the thing sure don't mind it."

"I-I know, but-"

"But what? Come on! I've suggested, like, a billion names so far and you've said no to every single one of them!"

"Maybe it'd help if all your suggestions weren't insults, sugarcube."

"Oh, like yours were any better."

Yes, that argument was definitely not helping, Twilight thought with a groan. The biggest reason for the awkwardness, however, was the fact that they didn't know anything about Nopony. Every question she had tried to ask was completely ignored in favor of another tome. It was like inviting a possibly rabid dog into her home just so that it wouldn't go terrorizing the neighbors. She knew that keeping Nopony in sight and confined to the castle would make it easiest to understand what it really wanted, but that didn't make it any easier to accept the glass creature hoofing through her collection.

It took a moment for Twilight to come out of her musings enough to see Nopony staring straight at her. She stopped herself from wincing, putting on her best friendly smile.

"Sorry, did you say something?" Twilight asked politely. As Nopony stared back with mechanical deadness, Twilight pondered what would be worse, actually having to answer a question from the creature, or it continuing to emptily stare at her.

"Field Magics of Modern Equestria, Volume Two, author Crop, Fresh." Nopony intoned. Twilight blinked in confusion, scanning the titles scattered around the table and seeing no books that matched that description.

"You're asking if I have it?" Twilight ventured. "You've picked out every book in the Natural Magics section. If it's not there, somepony else probably has it checked out."

Nopony stared back as if incapable of understanding the concept of the book not being in the library. They slowly reached for their quill, flipped to a new piece of paper, and jotted more things down. Twilight took the opportunity to crane her neck and see what was being written now. Lines of letters and numbers in different cases covered the page in a nigh-incomprehensible mess. There was no pattern to them that Twilight could decipher at a glance, and occasionally Nopony would go back and cross out a line they had written and restart the entire sequence. Twilight leaned closer, her brow furrowing, as she tried to find some meaning in the strange writing.

"Oh, oh, is this a guessing game?"

Twilight jumped out of her chair, wings flaring as she whipped around to come muzzle-to-muzzle with Pinkie Pie. Pinkie smiled back, glancing between Twilight, the paper, and Nopony, who had stopped writing to turn around and stare.

"A guessing game isn't fun if you keep it to yourself, Nopony!" Pinkie said, then made a face as if she's eaten something sour. "Hmm. I think Fluttershy might be right about changing that name, "Nopony" just doesn't feel right."

"If you've got a better name, I'd be happy to hear it." Twilight sighed. "AJ and Rainbow have been discussing it, but they haven't exactly found something yet that isn't..."

"Insulting." Nopony offered.

"... Yes." Twilight conceded, looking away with an awkward half-frown.

Pinkie tapped her chin in thought, staring Nopony down. She leaned back and forth as if trying to get a better angle on the glass pony, "hmm"-ing to herself as if she was trying to solve a deep mystery hidden somewhere on Nopony's back. Finally, she grinned, sitting up straight and clapping her hooves.

"I've got it!" Pinkie cheered, "Stained Glass!"

Stained Glass simply blinked in response. Pinkie's smile faded suddenly, and she nodded.

"Hmm, no, not quite." She brightened again. "Oh, now I've got it! Glass Mane!"

Twilight raised an eyebrow at Glass Mane. "Uh, Pinkie, its mane is just about the only part of it that isn't glass."

"Darn. Oh, oh, what about Mirror Mare?"

"Hey, hold up," Rainbow interjected, flapping over with AJ and Fluttershy close behind, "you guys can't just decided on a name without me! I've been working on this all morning!"

Applejack just shook her head. "Working's a bit of a stretch." She muttered under her breath.

Pinkie shrugged. "Sure! If everypony chips in, I'm sure we'll think of something super-duper amazing! I just suggested Mirror Mare."

Dash regarded Mirror Mare as if she was seriously appraising a piece of art. "Nah, too flashy. Besides, I think Zipper Lips fits better."

"Ohh, that is good." Pinkie agreed with a nod. Zipper Lips looked up at Twilight with the expression of an old accountant being asked to work late without overtime.

"Okay, if nopony can think up a better name, we should just leave it be." Twilight interjected. She paused, her eyes suddenly crossing. "Wait, I mean... augh!"

"How about Null?"

Everypony, including Nopony, turned to look at Fluttershy, and then at the glass pony. "I-it just seems easier to say." Fluttershy added, glancing between everyone as if carefully looking for their reaction. Null seemed to ponder it for a moment, before simply returning to their tomes.

"If that is most efficient." Null droned. With that decided, the library sank back into awkward silence, interrupted only by scribbling and page flipping. Everyone stood around for a few moments as if trying to figure out what to do now.

"When the heck are Rarity and Starlight getting back here?" Rainbow asked suddenly, breaking the silence. "Shouldn't they be done talking to Mayor Mare by now?"

"The Mayor's probably got them tied up in red tape just about now." AJ said, sitting down in a chair at the table at giving the scattered papers full of jumbled characters a frown.

"Spike went with them, so I'm sure he'd have sent a letter if they needed help." Twilight said. "Besides, they only went to tell the Mayor that the city wasn't in danger." Probably. "If we're just patient, everything will make sense eventually."

Everypony present conspicuously avoided looking at Null. Twilight stifled a sigh.

"Eventually..."