//------------------------------// // 2: Of questions and answers // Story: Equestria and the Librarian of her roles namesake // by shcalda //------------------------------// Rainbow Dash awoke with a start. Her eyes were wide open and her heart was racing as she examined her surroundings. She was still in the library, but now she was in a different room. The room was much larger than the one before, with enough space to compare in size to the halls of Canterlot castle and a ceiling high enough that even a creature the size of a hydra could fit in comfortably. The back of the room had piles of books stacked and ordered into neat sections, as though ready and waiting to be put back into their shelves. Lastly, in the middle of the room was a large desk with a small desk lamp sitting proudly above a large, thick book. Rainbow Dash took a moment to breathe, remembering the pain from moments ago as her limbs were torn one by one. With clenched teeth, Rainbow looked over herself. She had expected blood-soaked fur and warped skin but was surprised to find her legs and wings intact. Tentatively raising her wings, she was awestruck to find not only did she still have her limbs, but it was also as though they had never been hurt, to begin with. Raising herself from the cold floor, her legs moved with renewed vigour as she flapped her wings, feeling the ambient air currents beneath her feathers. Had her wings always been so sensitive? “Good, you are awake,” spoke a familiar voice. The creature was back, a smile adorning its face as it looked down upon Rainbow Dash. “I have returned your limbs to you and made some readjustments to make them easier to use. Consider them an apology, despite you trespassing in my library,” it exclaimed, its smile unwavering as it considered the pegasus. Rainbow Dash growled, her body moving on instinct to raise her to the creatures eye level as she spoke. “What the hay did you do that for!” Rainbow yelled. The creature was quick to respond, as though having considered this exact question. “The Library is closed, and yet somehow you were able to enter. My immediate response was to investigate and interrogate whoever had entered. I have since looked into your species further and made a decision,” it spoke robotically. “What is your name?” Rainbow stared down at the creature. It seemed to be a girl, and while it had not attacked yet since she had entered, Rainbow Dash knew not to drop her guard. After a few silent seconds, she relented, landing on the ground with a scowl. “Rainbow Dash,” she confessed. “Welcome to The Library, I am Angela, the librarian of my roles namesake. From now on you will help me in managing the Library and receiving guests,” She explained. “Like Tartarus I’m helping you!” Rainbow Dash rebuked. “Why in Equestria should I help you?” “So this place is called Equestria? Interesting,” Angela muttered. “There are two reasons for you to help me. First, I need to analyse how you were able to enter the library uninvited. Letting you go now would be incredibly foolish and pose a threat to the library. Second, I will be collecting books about this place in search of the one absolute book. As a native, your knowledge of this world would be invaluable to me,” she answered. “It’s not as though you can leave without my permission anyway.” After a moment of thought, Rainbow Dash scoffed. “Fine, I’ll help, but you better let me go when this is all over!” “Good, then we have come to an agreement,” Angela exclaimed. “Then let me explain your work.” “Your role is to welcome the guests invited to the library. I will determine what guests to invite and send them an invitation accordingly. When they accept and arrive in the library, you will be the one to entertain them. Since you know of this world, I am sure you will do a better job receiving them than I could.” “What do you mean by entertain?” rainbow dash questioned. “Am I meant to do some stunts for them or something?” “It’s simple,” Angela exclaimed. “When they arrive, the guests will be presented with an ordeal and books will open up in the process. Should the guests overcome the ordeal, they will be deemed worthy to earn their books. Should they fail, however, they shall be transformed into books themselves which shall aid in finding the one true book.” “You may die during the ordeal,” Angela added, “but it is only temporary. You will get back up when the library closes. No one may rest here without my permission.” “What the hay!?” Rainbow exclaimed. “No way. I’m not going to kill anypony just for some random books!” “You have already agreed to help,” Angela countered. “These are not merely books, they hold untold knowledge of the people they come from and with each guest, I learn more about this world and it’s inhabitants and come ever closer to finding the perfect book that will complete me.” “I’m not going to kill them!” Rainbow argued. The room was silent as the two stared at each other, the tension in the room was palpable. Angela sighed. “You may dislike it, but you will come to see things differently in time. I will begin preparing invitations, for now, it would be best that you begin to acquaint yourself with the floor you will be managing,” Angela claimed. With a snap, Angela disappeared, leaving Rainbow Dash alone in the room. ~❇~ Twilight Sparkle paced in her study as she thought of what could have happened. The room was a mess of papers and books strewn across the room and a large set of notes had begun to pile on the unicorn's desk. She did not know what had happened but she was worried that her wariness to the feeling she had felt earlier in the week was not unfounded. Twilight had seen Rainbow Dash yesterday at midday where she explained that nothing strange had happened in Ponyville yet. Since then, Twilight had continued to look into what may have happened, studying possible reports of strange happenings across Equestria. In Baltimare, ponies had been going missing, however, this had been happening long before what she called ‘the fear event’. In Cloudsdale however, the pegasi had begun having difficulties in preparing the weather and in the Crystal Empire, the winds of the frozen north had begun to pick up. Lastly, in Canterlot, ponies had been growing restless, noting the princesses worried looks. The only thing Twilight could see that might connect these events was that they had begun within a day of the fear event, but even then, it could have come off as coincidence. She knew for sure, however, that Rainbow Dash’s disappearance was not. Rainbow Dash had been looking to see if anything strange happened and then she goes missing? Twilight was sure there was some connection, but what could have caused this? She did not know. Pinkie Pie had come over in the afternoon speaking about a doozy, so it was possible that pinkie felt when Rainbow Dash had disappeared, but there was no way of knowing where she was now. Trotting to her notes, Twilight began reanalyzing all that had happened. She was sure there had to be a clue and after some time, there was sure to be more evidence. Twilight simply hoped that her friend was okay.