When the Bearers go forth on missions, somepony has to cover for their day jobs. In Twilight's case, this means the palace assigns a temporary to the tree, and that pony keeps the library running to government standards. The usual problems come in when Twilight gets back and finds the results aren't up to hers.
The disaster starts when she learns the latest hire has Standards of her own.
There's nothing a compulsive reorganizer hates so much as being compulsively reorganized.
(A stand-alone, no-prior-reading necessary part of the Triptych Continuum, which has its own TVTropes page and FIMFiction group. New members and trope edits welcome.)
Now with author Patreon and Ko-Fi pages.
Chapters (1)
One auto-like, because I have yet to run i to anything you do that I don’t enjoy at least 75%.
9017708
I am trying very hard not to connect the sentence previous to this one and the unfortubate fate of so many newspapers that found their way into outhouses.
"Things happened when Twilight wasn't happy."
Yeah, and they happen to *anypony* in the vicinity, not just the one who needs it most.
got an extra [
Also 'harras' is an interesting word choice.
and also also, loved the story.
Twilight's response there at the end was glorious.
Petty revenge Twilight is best Twilight.
Also
again
Now there's a set of initials to give one goosebumps.
"as well as somepony who would understood that"
"as well as somepony who would understand that" or "as well as somepony who understood that"?
"something less much than"
"something much less than"?
""...Spike," she distantly said, "do you see my bed anywhere?"
"I..." She heard him swallow. "...see where it used to be...""
Isn't Twilight's bed('s usual location) in a separate room?
"Spike's hands were coming up against."
"Spike's hands were coming up again."?
"for this is no way your building"
"for this is in no way your building"?
"She didn't spent many hours in that house"
"She didn't spend many hours in that house"?
9017874
Fixed the others (and thankee), but...
If you're looking up from the entrance, the bedroom area is visible.
Honestly, this is one of your meanest stories over the last few months.
It's not the whole pettiness of the librarians that took over for Twilight Sparkle.
Or how everything seems to be designed to hit that button on Twilight Sparkle marked "I AM A HORRIBLE, INCOMPETENT PONY" and all of her imposter syndrome issues.
Or how how Twilight Sparkle is being driven daft by this.
It's just that the shadows aren't a bit deeper in your Equestria, they seem to be made out of an existential lobster pot.
9017887
"and thankee"
You're welcome!
"If you're looking up from the entrance, the bedroom area is visible."
Really? Huh. Does it at least have a heavy curtain that can be drawn over it, or something? Now that you mention it, I don't recall whether we ever saw all the walls, but at least in this image from the first episode, the light of the party only seems to be coming through the bed area's entrance. Or do you mean looking up through that entrance, a narrow sight cone that still happens to intersect the bed?
edit:
9017902
Really, considering the buttons pushed and the circumstances, I was surprised just how well Twilight took it.
I wonder, how did Twilight managed plumbing and foundation?
Ooh. I learned a new word. Surprisingly, I can't remember ever running into harras before. You'd think it'd be more common here of all places, but perhaps not. 'Tis rather esoteric, I suppose.
So, does R.L. stand for anything other than "Real Librarian"?
I like to think that Twilight’s experience with the other Bearers and the CMC has led to a lightning apology tour, and getting the help of every archivist she ever annoyed. It’s my head canon that every senior member of the archives turned out to reorganise R. L.’s house...
Okay, I got halfway through, haven't read anything else, Twilight just got her letter back from Celestia—
I'm really hoping that Celestia is the pony that's taking care of the library, to teach Twilight a lesson. It probably isn't, but Twilight's face...
Too bad Applejack always misses them!
9017791
That only applies if you’re in an actual house.
That tree is very clearly a government facility, which is not a house and never will be. Therefore, it can be rearranged in any way, and there is no practical reason why it should be considered rude to optimize the interior.
9017902
The hell do Lobster have to do with anything?
9018102
It's another term for Tall Poppy Syndrome-if you can't be better, drag down people that are better to your level.
And there we see the triptych continuum take a further step into AU territory as Celestia crowns Twilight the Princess Of Being An Absolute Savage.
First we get Rarity at full snippy, now Twilight.
Estee, I love it. Cathartic?
Friendship problem solved.
But Twil-
Solved!
You know, I was actually siding with RL at the beginning of this. He was making clear improvements to the library (a public service) and helping the patrons immensely. I was kinda hoping that at the end of this, Twilight would at least have taken a few notes from this guy and improved herself as a librarian.
But then his "corrections" turned actively hostile. Altering a government building he may be, but you don't alter the residential part of it! And then he put all of her belongings in the bathroom, and given the note that came with it, that sends a very blatantly hostile message.
I think Twilight should've sent his letter onto Celestia. See what she has to say about his word choice.
this reminded me of a gag in a book, (i think it was a Diskworld book): someone reads a fortune cookie, and it says, "help! i've fallen in the fortune cookie machine and i can't keep running much longer!"
and Twilight's little revenge was VERY clever!
You know, for a moment I wondered if it was Moondancer, but of course the initials are all wrong. What does R.L. stand for?
I'm not sure what a strinkii is, but I'm guessing I wouldn't want to meet one in a dark alley. Assuming it would fit in one.
At least it isn't peaches?
In any case, a darkly hilarious bit of karma in action for both compulsive reorganizers. I can only hope Twilight sent some apology letters to the Archives after this. And that she learned a few things about listening to her patrons a bit more on literary matters.
Still, now I wonder what qualifies as a Bearer-grade emergency rather than more conventional forces. I doubt they're expected to fire off the Elements every time—they certainly didn't with the dragon—so what necessitates bringing in the exemplars of pony virtue?
9018752
If I had to guess, Real Librarian. I wouldn't be surprised if she told Roseluck her name was literally just "R. L." As far as she's concerned, she may not think she needs any other identity.
You know... I actually sympathize with Twilight on this, given I have pretty much the same problem on the job (and not because I stay away but because some of my coworkers tend to dismantle my workstation whenever they need something and I've not arrived there to have them take it where the boss say they're supposed to take it).
That doesn't make it any less funny.
I might have missed this, if I didn't check Featured Stories!
... How many missions do the Bearers go on, that we don't know about?
It's cool though, that we don't know everything!
That short description!
And here I thought she'd be physically picked up and stuck in a shelf!
...
If R.L actually is for "Real Librarian"... And that's actually her name... ... Is that the most phrase-y, prophetic pony name that we've ever seen??
Yeah, that "Real Librarian" jab totally made me flashback to "The Remainders Of The Day"! Awesome!
And that chapter title! Nice!
What makes me angry is that while RL's letter to twilight was too mean/strong/you know what I mean, what Twilight did with RL's house was straight petty and what's worse, RL has a point. Twilight is not treating the library as it should. Rather than a public library, she's treating it as her own private library. She only orders things SHE wants to read, rather than suggest or help ponies find a book she chats them up, as if to avoid lending them books, she has her own rules...
Twilight is a terrible librarian and it even seems her being a librarian is what keeps ponyville residents away from library
9018621
Yes. I actually did side with RL too but it seems that after her revenge Twilight reverted any and all changes to library, not just residential part, thus making it again more difficult for people going to library
9019701 Twilight refused to even consider the changes that weren't hers, even if they were vast improvements to her own system, but RL's gestures basically told Twilight he thought of her as something to flush down the toilet and that he had every intention of driving her out and replacing her. Twilight's being a bad librarian, and the librarian's being a bad pony. Neither party is in the right, here.
Careful what you wish, you may regret it
Careful what you wish, you just might get it!
Shots fired.
RL really should not start what he cannot finish... He got off lightly I suppose; one or two strapping Earth pony stallions would make short work of the foundation shift and he can go about his life. If Twilight really wanted to kerb stomp him, she could have alphabetised all the constituent components of his flat (and all his belongings). Using the ancient Mazein runic script
So I'm still trying to figure this out, but I'm guessing this story is another Sandalous? It's part of the Continuum, but the author is leaving out references to that continuity to avoid scaring off readers?
9017902
Agreed, but a lot of it is fantastically written though, isn't it?
That's the most frustrating bit.
This story was downright cheerful, in a weird way.
I want to know how RL collected the late fees. Did she go medieval, or suavely persuasive, or was it mark-induced mind control?
Sometimes, I forget to appreciate the fun and relaxation that comes with a self-contained story. 7/10 rating; semicolons are underrated (yeah, that was a weak place to put one. While we're doing this, you seem to share with me the parentheses virus).
I'm sure someone's brought it up in another comment, but I don't have the time to sift through all of them, so...
Is this an alternate universe where Twi and Spike are related? It's just a bit jarring, not necessarily a bad thing. It is a bit strange how motherly Bookhorse is when you consider their small age gap.
But yeah, I give it a twitch of the eyebrow
Before the replies begin:
It's been previously noted that a few things have consistently come up in my interpretation of Twilight. In particular, when it comes to this story:
* She's not a natural librarian -- in the sense that it's not her mark talent and therefore, the best she can hope for is second place. She's still essentially learning on the job.
* She does, as noted above, have some problems with Imposter Syndrome: the background hum that she hasn't earned all this, doesn't deserve it, and as soon as she's caught out, it's all over.
* While she's fighting against her OCD, it still gives her bad days. It helps to have something she can truly control, because it's both a home base (and place of safety) and lets her get some of the compulsions out of her system. If she can straighten the library, she probably won't rearrange the contents in the local shops.
* Somewhere under the uncertain smile is a buffalo-sized territorial streak. She defends what's hers. My friends, my library, my town. This has its positive aspects -- but Sun help you if you cross what she's determined as her line.
These things have combined to bite her in the tail before this. For this story, it's a somewhat lesser clamp -- added to the frustration of essentially being told to deal with her pre-Bearer self. A pony she doesn't exactly like very much.
Resorting ensues.
9020309
Some have said so. One of the other constants there is the idea that Twilight's parents adopted Spike, and so he's her little brother -- legally and emotionally. I find writing them with a sibling relationship to be personally better than 'magician/familiar'.
The adoption means he also has to be recognized in peerage books as being part of that House (which really throws some ponies off), and he's been given full Equestrian citizenship.
9020303
The librarian mark magic talent suite may include a lesser category of Stare...
9019700
9019735
It's been previously noted that putting a book hoarder in charge of a library may not have been a particularly good idea -- but she's not a bad librarian. She just isn't a natural one.
Part of the reason Twilight keeps changing things back is that territorial streak/OCD combination: somepony's altering her setup. But if a pony had just come up to her with a list of ideas and suggestions for many of the changes R.L. made, she would have read it, thought them over, and then instituted everything she liked. She's open to new ideas: it's the fact that somepony's going behind her tail and claiming the tree as their own which produces the reversions.
9019038
9017791
This one was pretty much dedicated to every former kid who ever got home from school and discovered their parents had 'straightened' their room.
9018126
9017761
*orders red & black fur dyes*
Even in canon, she's had a few moments of 'Congratulations. You actually pissed her off.' They tend to produce area effect damage.
9018018
9017791
You are obviously part of the fortunate minority here.
You know... The lucky few of this largely socially inept fandom... who have an actual understanding of social behaviour which is accepted by the larger population (and most importantly - their own families).
Others, such as myself, do what we think is right and should-be-so and because it is right, then others will be grateful and accepting of our work.
May your words and the words of this story be a lesson to "the rest of us" - the woefully socially inept.
9020347
Did Twilight after the story at least keep some changes? Did she at least try to get books others might like instead of just what she likes after all this or is it back to what it was completely?
Heh, I really enjoyed this. Hard for me to watch someone be nasty and vindictive, but that was great buildup to an excellent punch line.
One of the things (I imagine) about Twilight's talent is that it probably took her more time to write the final note than to adjust the actual house. Would have been nice to see RL realize that even briefly before banking her leg (just another knife twist), but either way that was a hilarious scene.
And... the stand-in's name was an amusing choice.
I really hope, out of all the things that happened in the story, this is one that Twilight will take to heart, even if it's just a little bit (and it has nothing to do with the fact I like those same books... ). Still, another interesting story and character piece from you. You put so much thought into your settings and back story while making it usually fit in with show.
Hooooolllly crap, Estee. This is amazing. So totally absolutely amazing. Thank you... just... thank you.
*wanders off to reorganize my books
9020893
That's not particularly vindictive considering, especially if all she did was move the house. Granted that Twilight has a point about government actions and the unfortunate party probably can't move the house back herself for all she's worth. Unless I miss the mark, haha, she probably has a cutie mark in organization/sorting/library managment/etc not one for being stellar at magic or one for OP telekinesis.
I don't think I'm OCD but in Twilight's position I might have had a personal word with Celestia and done worse before or after. Actions that might require at least a partial apology later... You know like pondering bodily harm, booby trapping "my" own library so as to cause trouble (see the self-rearranging library in https://www.fimfiction.net/story/240255/the-enchanted-library) , having the pony in question fired from the archives by edict, teleporting them some where else every time they arrive through the door. I mean with her position and magical prowess there are many horrible and demented ways to show someone how you feel. Messing with Twilight's private living space is just wrong on so many levels...
Fiction level hilarious would be something like arranging for a permanent enchantment that randomly reorders/changes their home on occasion -- putting the entrance on different sides, moving furniture around, changing it out for other furniture (or different styles), changing the wallpaper/paint, moving the rooms to different spots, changing which ones are attached and where, etc or asking Discord for a favor.
9020906
Same. I mean part of the librarian's job is getting books that the patrons might want to/enjoy reading. Only ordering the books I liked or thought were useful would be an abuse of power in that position...
Obviously. She'd put it in this order (greatest to least important): injury, library card catalog out of date, diplomatic incidents, and magical mishaps.
dun dun DUNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
oh great Celestia that's a lot
KNEW IT!
I think...
this 'Roseluck' just HAS to be R.L.
9021800 By mean-spirited / vindictive, I meant the other unicorn, not Twilight. While Twilight was frustrated, whiny, petulant, and incensed to the point of almost not seeing straight, she wasn't a mean-spirited pony. But she did have a satisfying solution to her problem (as you might expect from a very smart pony who's used to solving problems of all kinds, including threatening situations) that didn't involve actually hurting somepony.
The librarian was a sanctimonious, spiteful bully, and Twilight put her in her place. I'm good with that.
9021920
If you say so. Twilight's not completely in the clear here. Half the reason that pony's there in the first place is Twilight's likely thoughtless complaints and ingratitude for someone else doing her job as librarian while she's gone. Heck Twilight wrote a seven page letter to Celestia complaining about RL as well despite the fact that she did a better job than the rest aside from royally screwing with Twilight by being so OCD. And it's understandable that Twilight's upset by things getting moved around, but she's got issues if she has to spend five hours straight immediately after getting back return the library to the way it used to be.
Even so, Twilight "putting her in her place" is hardly the act of a gracious party and rather spiteful on it's own. Also that's going to be a long-lasting hurt to the other pony, because her home will be out of place for the foreseeable future.