//------------------------------// // Legacies // Story: The Librarian's Torch // by Amber Spark //------------------------------// The tree sitting before them still seemed small even now. She’d been assured within a few months it would begin to soar skyward, the product of ancient magics of several races with an additional boon from both Princess Celestia and the Tree of Harmony itself. The earth around it was green with thick grass and the occasional flower. At the moment, it seemed nothing special. Just a sapling planted at an oddly empty area on the outskirts of Ponyville. And considering how many trees Ponyville had in it, most ponies—ponies who didn’t know—wouldn’t think twice about yet another tree. In fact, newcomers to the town often had to be explained why this particular plot of land hadn’t been used for a house or some other building. The ponies of Ponyville tended to be a little subtle when talking to ponies like that, usually with a hoof pointed at the innocuous sign posted nearby. Future Site of Shining Oaks Library. “They went all over Equestria for this?” Moondancer asked, tears running down her cheeks. She made no move to wipe them away. “You just… woke up a few weeks after they’d installed the roots over the Map and… they never said a word?” Twilight shook her head, her own teardrops spilling into the soft grass at their hooves. A few droplets landed on Moondancer, but she didn’t say anything. “They never needed to,” Moondancer whispered, her voice cracking again. “I… a special dispensation from Princess Celestia? Fireflies? S’mores? Even a new Smarty-Pants?” “My old Smarty-Pants was fine. It was… well, that’s another story.” Twilight shrugged, still staring at the tiny tree. “I have the new one in my study, still unopened. He’ll go to the new librarian of the Shining Oaks library… him and a really long story on why, probably.” She giggled softly, the sound laced with quiet sobs. For a time, there was only silence between them, interrupted by birdsong and the strangely distant sounds of Ponyville. Even the chaos in Twilight’s mind had finally settled, likely buried from so much emotional shock. Or… soothed by her friends, both in memory and the one present right now. She remembered what the girls had done for her that day… they’d contacted so many, just… well, as the Princess’s letter that had accompanied the dispensation had said… they’d done all that just to make her smile. And she had smiled. It hadn’t been big or flashy or anything like that. But had been genuine. As genuine as a pony could smile while she sobbed her eyes out. Partially from the pain of loss, but mostly for the love of her friends. “This is why you’ve been so…” Moondancer broke off, obviously unsure how to fill that particular gap. “You’re… giving it up again.” Twilight ran a hoof along the grass. Despite it being years ago, she could feel where the major southwestern root had once been. Another few tears fell in remembrance of that root… and what it represented. “Despite this… despite the beautiful chandelier hanging over the map…” Twilight whispered as she traced the minute variations in the grass with a hoof. “There are days where I would give almost anything to be back here, in my tiny tree.” Only now did Twilight wipe her eyes, though the tears continued all the same. “Moondancer, I’m so—” She was cut off by Moondancer’s gentle but insistent hoof on her side. It was enough to make her look at her friend for the first time since they’d sat down. Moondancer was a mess, her eyes red with tears, her glasses streaked with water and even her mane and coat looking a little disheveled. Moondancer swallowed hard, as if searching for her voice, then opened her mouth to speak. She still had to try a few times before words would come out. “No, Twilight,” Moondancer said, her voice thick. “If anypony gets it other than your closest friends, I do. I know how important books are to you. We’re practically the same pony when it comes to obsessing about books.” She smiled thinly and Twilight did her best to match it, though she was pretty sure it was a miserable attempt. Even though Twilight knew Moondancer was right. “You know it’s different this time, right?” Moondancer asked, gently pulling her hoof back. Then, she softly stroked Twilight’s cheek.  The touch surprised Twilight a little, but she found needed the physical contact. She knew she could have her friends here in an instant. They understood what the Golden Oaks Library had meant to her. It had been her home. They’d had thousands of memories there. But… Moondancer understood it on a different level. A level that she’d… she’d avoided facing until she had to. The books had been her friends, too. They’d watched over them. They’d been there on Spike’s birthday when they’d all learned about dragon greed. They’d been there when they’d struggled to find answers to Poison Joke. They’d even been there when she’d… when she’d ascended. And they’d been there for the citizens of Ponyville time and time again. A library wasn’t just a building or a place. It was a home to knowledge, wisdom and intelligence. A place to brighten a pony’s mind and spirit. There was something indefinable about a large repository of knowledge. And Twilight had lived in one. They’d spent six months researching to create the manual for the Castle of Friendship’s Library. In that time, she—and Moondancer—had done field research in every major Equestrian town or city. In all of those, Twilight had only met a hoofful who knew what it was like to live in a library. None had lost their home, but she could always tell when another pony knew what it was like. Who had lived it. Who had known that sort of life. When Twilight looked behind Moondancer’s tear-stained glasses, she saw another pony who understood it, too. What made her special was that she hadn’t truly lived in a library, and she still understood. It took a very special kind of pony to understand that bond without having lived it herself. So, she finally nodded in answer to Moondancer’s question. “Yes. I know it’s different. The Castle’s library will still be there. I can still go whenever I want or need to. And one of my best friends will be running it for me.” “That… sounds rehearsed.” “Three months.” “Then there’s…” Moondancer’s eyes went wide. “It’s… not just that. You’re…” When she burst into giggles, Twilight felt annoyance creeping over the rest of the heavy weights in her chest. “I’m so sorry, I just got the title, ‘The Librarian of Friendship’ stuck in my head,” she giggled again, but this time, Twilight couldn’t help but join her. Still, the giggles didn’t last very long. “You can always—” Moondancer began. Twilight shook her head slowly. “There always needs to be somepony in charge, deciding on the catalog organization, the on-the-spot rules, the due dates… either I’m going to be in charge or you are.” “And you really think I can replace you as a librarian?” Moondancer asked incredulously. Twilight flinched at the word ‘replace,’ but she nodded anyway. “Sometimes, a pony needs to decide what has to come first. And when something… when you can’t give something the love it deserves, sometimes, you need to give it to somepony who can give it that love.” Moondancer just stared at her, her mouth slightly open. “I… I don’t know what to say…” “You already said yes. That’s all I ever wanted,” she mumbled and turned her attention back to the tiny tree. “It’ll be a beautiful library someday. Maybe you’ll take over here.” “I doubt it,” Moondancer whispered. “Why not?” Twilight asked, still staring at the growing replacement to the Golden Oaks Library. She caught a hint of movement beside her. Close movement. But why…? Then… something very strange happened. Something… not entirely unexpected, while also being completely unexpected. An inevitability, really, at least if she was truthful with herself. She hadn’t been doing a very good job at that lately. Maybe it was about time that changed. Twilight’s hoof went up to the spot where Moondancer had just kissed her cheek. Then she turned to stare at the unicorn, who was blushing so bright Twilight was somewhat concerned she might catch fire. She was also staring at the Future Site of the Shining Oaks Library. “I… just wanted you to know,” Moondancer whispered. “I mean… it’s… well, I’ve… I’ve thought about it since before you left for Ponyville and all this time over the last few years, it’s the one act of confidence I couldn’t do until now and just so you know, I’m not expecting any reciprocation or equal reply but now… I… just had to show you because I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t tell you after you trusted me with all this and Celestia, now I’m rambling and you’ll—” It was Twilight’s turn to press a hoof against Moondancer’s side, silencing her. “I… figured it out a few months ago,” Twilight mumbled, unable to look at Moondancer’s face, though she wasn’t entirely sure why. “But it was the third reason I’ve been… a bit… erratic. I might be Princess of Friendship, but when it comes to stuff beyond that… I don’t exactly know what I’m doing. That’s one of the areas where I think books… aren’t going to help.” She snorted. “Friendship’s like that, too…” She lowered her hoof and Moondancer laughed softly. “I know, right? We have access to every subject of knowledge known to ponykind… and almost every trustworthy book on the subject recommends practical experience! You’d think something that happens every day around the world would be better researched!” When they both laughed again, it was one of relieved tension, though from the sound of it, Moondancer’s relief was far greater than Twilight’s. They both knew there were plenty of books on subjects these days… and not a single one would ever be the same as experiencing it first-hoof. “I understand if this isn’t the time or place…” Moondancer began, but Twilight cut her off in a very effective manner. She wrapped her wing around the unicorn and pulled her close. “Why don’t we just sit here for a little while?” Twilight asked. “If… if that’s okay?” Moondancer nodded and shifted so she could press herself again Twilight. Twilight found herself rather surprised as to the softness of Moondancer’s fur. They’d hugged before. She knew empirically how soft Moondancer could be… but the sheer potential swirling around them seemed to distort the senses. She found she rather liked the sensation. So, Twilight decided to return the favor, and came in for a tiny kiss on the cheek to Moondancer. Moondancer didn’t try to go for anything more. Nor did Twilight. Moondancer let out a tiny little sigh and Twilight gave her a tiny little smile. That was it. It seemed… so simple. Twilight had been a fool to miss it for so long. But between her ever-increasing responsibilities in Equestria and the management of the School of Friendship, she’d been forced to figure out what was really important beyond her duties to those around her. Of course, her family and best friends were at the very top of that list. Before this day, Twilight would have classified Moondancer as a close friend, one which she strongly suspected had harbored stronger feelings for her for a very long time. Only recently did she realize that she might actually reciprocate those feelings. That seemed pretty important, too. She might be giving up some times today, but she might just be getting something even better in return. Only now did it seem like a fair trade. Twilight snuggled Moondancer a little closer, and they sat and watched the former site of the Golden Oaks Library… and the future site of the Shining Oaks Library. And neither needed to say a single word.