On the way to the library the ponies that didn’t run away entirely gave her an extremely wide berth, watching her warily with white-rimmed eyes and folded back ears. At least none of them got aggressive. They might have been the size of Shetland ponies but that still meant they weighed something like 400 pounds. If one of them attacked her she wouldn’t stand a chance.
She finally found the library. It had a painted sign of an open book, so Teagan was sure this was the right place.
It was much more impressive than Fluttershy’s house and that had been amazing enough. Fluttershy had been telling the truth, it really was a tree. Somehow the living tree had been made into a house, and not just a small house, but a three story giant with lots of rooms that projected off the trunk at different levels.
“It’s a tree house,” Teagan giggled in spite of herself. “There’s even a platform like my old treehouse had!”
Since the library was intended as a public building it was designed with tall (at least tall by pony standards) doors and ceilings. Teagan wouldn’t have to worry about hitting her head, which made her sigh in relief. Fluttershy’s doorways were almost too short for her. If she’d been any taller she’d have given herself a concussion by now.
She knocked on the door.
“Oh for heaven’s sake, this is a library. Come in!” Twilight’s exasperated voice came from the other side of the door. Teagan opened the door and stepped inside.
It really was a library. Books and shelves were everywhere. Looking around she couldn’t see Spike or Twilight.
“Twilight? Are you here?” The girl called out softly, not wanting to raise her voice in a library.
“Be right there!” Twilight called loudly. “Spike, I need Volume 17 of Equestria: Through the Ages.”
“Coming right up!” Spike’s cheerful shout responded. Teagan blinked. Apparently you didn’t have to be quiet in this library.
“Hi, how can I—oh, hi Teelo. Finished at Rarity’s?” Twilight said, coming down the stairs, a dozen volumes floating along behind her.
“You know, no matter how often I see that I don’t think it’s ever getting old.” Teagan commented. “Yeah, I finally escaped. That pony is relentless. Amazingly talented, but relentless.”
Twilight giggled. “She does tend to obsess when it comes to her art.”
“Hey, Twilight! Found it.” Spike came clattering down the stairs holding an enormous book in both paws. It immediately flew to join the other dozen behind Twilight, letting Spike see Teagan for the first time.
“Hey, Teelo. Did Rarity fix you up for clothes? Isn’t that pony amazing?” Spike’s face grew dreamy and he sighed.
Teagan suddenly remembered something else she’d heard on the forum. She had thought they were pulling her leg, but maybe not…
“Funny thing, Spike. When we were walking to the library Rarity happened to mention you.”
“She did? What did she say?” Spike asked with laser-like attention.
Guess it’s true then, Teagan thought, not being able to repress a smile.
“Oh, I don’t remember the subject, but I do recall she called you Dear Spikey.” She said lightly.
“Wow.” He breathed. “Dear Spikey. Yes!”
“Spike, she calls everypony ‘dear’ or ‘darling’. You know that.” Twilight said, chuckling.
“Yeah, but she doesn’t change anypony else’s name, does she?” Spike said, swelling up. “I’m Spikey to my sweet Rarity.”
Oh my. Spike has it bad, Teagan thought, briefly feeling a little guilty for teasing him.
But only a little.
“Rarity said you might have some suggestions on what I should do next. I’ve never been on a mission before, I’m completely clueless.”
“Well, let me think.” Twilight let the books settle into several neat piles, frowning in concentration.
“Rarity and I usually just carry personal supplies, but Pinkie and Applejack carry the big loads. Especially Pinkie. She’s got some kind of magic saddlebags. They’re larger on the inside that the outside—don’t ask me how. She can carry an amazing amount of stuff.”
“Saddlebags probably wouldn’t work for you, but I can let you borrow one of Spike’s backpacks. It should be big enough to carry your clothes and maybe some supplies.”
“Of course Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy don’t carry anything. For one thing pegasi aren’t as strong as unicorns or earth ponies and for another having them unencumbered for flight is way too useful to give up.”
“What about weapons?” Teagan asked.
Twilight blinked in surprise.
“We don’t carry weapons. We’re pretty good in a fight without them. Besides, anything we couldn’t handle without weapons would be too big to fight anyway.”
She looked at Teagan doubtfully. “Do you even know how to use a weapon?”
“Well—no, not really.” Teagan admitted reluctantly. “My dad did teach me how to shoot but I don’t think you’ve got guns here. I think I do need a weapon though. If Discord is as dangerous as you say he is who knows what he’ll throw at us? I’d feel safer with something, even if it was just a stick.”
“Hmm, the Princess might have something you can use.” Twilight said uncertainly. “The only weapons I know of are meant for ponies. I don’t think they’d work for a human. Besides, I told you, Discord fights inside the mind. He’s not a brawler.”
“Oh! That reminds me. I was thinking over what you told me about how your kidnapper acted. Something doesn’t feel right. Would you mind going over it again?”
Teagan shivered but started repeating the story of her abduction. Twilight listened patiently and made her go back over several details, and asked lots of questions.
Then she dug through the book Spike had found for her.
“Aha! I knew something didn’t sound right. Listen to this. Know ye Discorde be not evil incarnate, rather a being of great power and little wisdom. For this creature the normal existence we enjoy is sheerest torture, it taxes his patience most sorely. Discorde must have novelty with every breath lest he be poisoned by the mundane world around him.”
“Thus Discorde is a foe most unpredictable—he never repeats himself, ever coming forth with new stratagems most unique and unforeseen. This is his nature and it will ever be so.”
“Yet herein lays his weakness. For all that he is unpredictable and cunning, Discorde has never mastered patience. His wiles are never prolonged, all are quick and do not require the monster to delay his reward. Discorde seeks to relieve his boredom, yet in so doing he can never bear to bore himself, even in the slightest way.”
Teagan frowned.
“Don’t you see?” Twilight exclaimed. “The creature you described was cruel. You said he called your fear delicious. That’s not something Discord would say, he doesn’t want to generate fear. He wants to make chaos— in other words, constant change. When we fought him before he wasn’t cruel or evil. His plan was to remove my magic and change the other ponies’ natures into their opposites so things would change.”
“He made Fluttershy cruel—but he wasn’t cruel, he was enjoying the chaos, not our misery. He’s not evil, Teelo. The thing that took you was.”
“So it wasn’t Discord?” Teagan asked, puzzled.
Twilight slumped. “It was. It had to be. Everything else fits. But why is he acting so out of character?”
“If he’s turned evil what’s to say other things haven’t changed too?” Teagan asked. “Maybe he’s not impatient anymore. Maybe he’s over the whole instant gratification thing.”
“I hope not.” Twilight said fervently. “It was hard enough to beat him last time. If we’re facing a new evil Discord who knows how to plan ahead we could be in serious trouble.”
“You mean we aren’t already?” Teagan asked dryly.
“Now that we know what to expect Discord shouldn’t be hard to fight.” Twilight said.
“You mean you expect Discord to do the same things he did last time?” Teagan asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Good point.” Twilight admitted. “But I’m a planner too, and I’ve been doing it longer than him. I have the edge.”
“I hope you’re right.” Teagan said sincerely. The two sat in silence, contemplating the implications.