//------------------------------// // (5) Out On The Town // Story: Of Dragons and Maternity // by SymphonicSync //------------------------------// Twilight examined the papers on the library table, carefully reading the paragraphs until they were obscured by the mug she drank from. Aside from the occasional signature or personal detail the forms were entirely filled out, but she had to be thorough. She flipped the page over and read the backside, mumbling to herself, “Maintain a steady hours of operation posted a week prior, ensure a record of inventory, ahem, assign fines as necessary…” It was a quite lenient offer. The work didn’t seem too difficult, especially for the number of bits on the table. Of course, Twilight couldn’t refuse even if it were terrible. The position of librarian came with free use of the Golden Oaks’ living areas and it would be impossible to find a decent rental home in the middle of Ponyville. It would hardly be a trip to carry groceries and Spike could just walk to… Twilight leaned back in her chair. She didn’t really know where Spike could walk to. The boutique was a few blocks away, but there would need to be more than sewing lessons for a young dragon if they moved to town. There was the orchard, sure, but what would he do there? She needed to learn more about the town than what had been necessary for the Summer Sun Celebration. She took a quill to hoof and carried on filling in blanks. After dropping off the papers, she could go for a walk with Spike. See the sights, meet the ponies. She wondered if they had a Hayburger's this far from Manehattan. The lanky teenage fIlly laid a tray down on the counter and called out a number, looking past the unicorn standing in front of her. Twilight thanked her, balanced the tray on a hoof and made her way back to one of the round tables. A groggy dragon whelp sat in the booth, spinning a crayon that he'd taking out of a cup by the napkins. It'd been a tiring day for the both of them yesterday, she'd waiting until he'd crept out of his room to go on their little excursion. That was how she found herself ordering breakfast at half past noon by measure of Celestia's flank. When her stomach gargled, she'd doubled her order. In doing so, she'd earned a few looks from the other adults in the line. Or at least, she thought that was when they started looking at her. She could swear that some were still looking their way. It was only naturally that the pair would draw some attention though. "And there's your haycakes." She exclaimed, laying a plate in front of Spike. He absentmindedly picked up a fork and started poking at them, cutting off sections to dip in the syrup. After a few bites, he looked up and asked "So when are we headed back?" "Well, I need to drop off some paperwork but after that I was thinking that we could visit a few..." she paused, seeing the confused look on his face. "I meant back to Canterlot." "Oh." she said. "Well, I couldn't-" Spike dropped his fork and leaned back in his chair. "I knew it." he interjected. "-find Rarity last night, but this mare, the mayor actually, Mayor Mare, offered me a job." "What?" "It seems like Ponyville is in need of a librarian." Twilight beamed a smile across the table. "So we actually are staying?" Spike returned his own. Twilight nodded. "There's just a few more things to take care of, but yes." "What about your studies?" Her mind recalled her conversation with the princess the night prior. "Celestia's okay with my lessons being more of a 'play-by-post' format." "Really?" Spike asked, a hint of surprise and doubt mixed into his voice. Her smile widened, egged on by her relief that Celestia was so welcoming to the arrangement. "Of course!" she chirped, the corners of her mouth turning down ever so slightly. Her mind had thought of what she may have done if Celestia had declined. To the letter she'd written her dearest mentor. That didn't matter now, Spike and her were here now. The drake sat up and began scarfing down bits of haycake. "Hey, mind your manners," Twilight reprimanded the whelp as she picked up her burger, "Ponies are watching." "I learned it by watching you." The unicorn paused, finding herself muzzle deep and a mouthful into her burger. She chewed, swallowed and meekly let out half a chuckle. "Let's both not, then." They ate in silence for a time, with the occasional number being called out over the counter or laughter breaking out at a nearby table. What they couldn't hear was the occasional whisper following a glance in their direction. Taking a drink from his cup, Spike looked up and asked "So what will I be doing?" "Pardon?" "At the library," he explained, "If you're the librarian, what's my job." Twilight chomped on another prench fry and thought over the question. "I don't think you need to do anything." She waved a hoof as a frown came to his face. "Of course I want you around," Twilight assured him, "It's just, Ponyville's a small town. There's probably fewer books in Golden Oaks than back ho- in Canterlot. And less ponies interested in them, too." Spike donned a dejected look and mellow voice as he spoke. "I don't want to be doing nothing." "You can always help around the library, I just don't want you to be there all day." "I don't mind being there all day." "I mind it, Spike. Do you remember the building we passed on the way here?" "The schoolhouse?" "Yes. I was thinki-" "No." A muffled grating sound accompanied the word as Spike's claws tucked into his paws. "Hey, hey," Twilight lulled as she reached a hoof across the table and laid it over his hand, "Just try it, for me. A week or two, tops." He didn't answer. "If someone is mean to you," she joked, lowering her voice so that only he could reasonably hear it, "I can try out those incineration spells you found last week." She could see his cheeks lift as he suppressed a laugh. His eyes betrayed him. "I'm here for you, no matter what." He smiled and said "Okay." She wiped off her other hoof on a napkin and placed it on his other hand. "So you're alright with me talking to the teacher and finding you a class or two?" The whelp nodded, his claws opening under her grasp. "Thank you, Spike," she chimed, "I'm proud of you." "Should we go drop off those papers then?" Spike asked, rising out of his seat as he gathered up his trash. "Let's." She responded, mirroring his actions. The pair walked past the wastebins, set down their tray, and left the store after he hopped onto her back. The activity inside continued mostly unaltered. Some of the chatter perked up in their wake. The speakers became less concerned that the unicorn and her young drake might overhear them. As soon as the door swung shut, one mare across the partition from where they'd sat finished her meal and stood up. She'd tried her best not to listen in, but it was a difficult habit to break in such a small town. As she walked towards the exit, the filly behind the counter perked up and called out "Have a nice day, Miss Cheerilee!" Cheerilee looked over her shoulder and flashed a courteous smile back their way. Facing forward again, the back of her head masked the frown that replaced it. This was supposed to be her day off.