Amber smiled across the desk. "Ma'am."
The mare smiled at Amber, hooves together. "A few ponies have been whispering about you. You and that project you're working on."
"In good ways?" Amber forced her best smile. "Hopefully?"
"Fantastic ways." She tapped her hooves in a mild applause. "A library. Our lovely city needs those." She swept a map into view suddenly. "Which is why we have a few." She began tapping at points on the map. "Three, to be precise. Maretime Bay does not raise, or tries not to, raise illiterate ponies."
The mayor leaned in towards Amber. "We aren't Bridlewood."
"N-no." Amber glanced around with growing nervousness. "It's quite different."
"Quite different." The mayor smiled a slick smile, like a snake that had a mouse lined up for a meal. "But, here you are, assuming you know. You already built the library, I'm told. A bold step, for not reaching out to me. Did you reach out to anypony before you started this, or did you just... What did you do?"
Amber shrank back with a squeak. "I asked Sheriff Hitch!" she got out quickly. "And he pointed me forward and didn't mention you, ma'am!"
The pressure suddenly was gone. "Hitch, figures. I will roast him slowly, later." She smiled so relaxedly. "Not the first time he casually forgot the rest of the city exists. You poor thing, caught up in Hitch's flailings. Now, that actually explains things." She trailed a hoof along thin lines in the map. "Notice something? We have a library in each of these districts but that one." She tapped at it, but it was one big city that bedazzled Amber. "It happens to be the one Hitch oversees."
Amber perked. "Then--"
"--You got lucky." The mayor leaned back. "If you had put up your library in any of the other districts, I would have greeted you with an order to tear it down, and suggested you work at one of the other ones." She raised a brow. "Technically, still an option. Starting a library is no simple, or easy, feat. You could go work at one of the others." She moved her hoof to the other places libraries existed. "How would that sound? Since this was a Hitch boo boo, I'd even cover your loss in this case. We'd repurpose the property. From what I hear, it's not even furnished yet. We'll find a use for it."
Amber laughed nervously. "That would be the easy way out, ma'am. I'd rather do it right."
The mayor's smile somehow deepened. "I love hearing that. Very well." She brought over a paper and stomped it firmly with a hoof, leaving a firm mark before twirling it to face Amber. "Have a look."
Amber's horn glowed as she pulled the paper closer in her magic for a peek. The paper was an official decleration of a library, run under the auspices of the city. "Does this--" Amber swallowed, unsure how to proceed. "--What does this mean, exactly?"
The mayor sat up firmly. "It means your library belongs to the city, as all libraries do. We will take your mortgage. You will be a city employee. Your job is to operate that library to the best of your ability. You can request assistants, who will also work for the city."
Amber raised a hoof sharply. "Ma'am?"
The mayor inclined her head. "Something wrong? That was the sharpest move you've made today."
"Ma'am." Amber took a slow breath to steady herself. "I have somecreature who wants to help with the library and live there. We had an agreement. Is that still okay?"
The mayor perked a brow. "A live-in librarian? Unusual, but not unheard of. Are you both doing that? Do the plans include a dormitory area? Either way, it sounds like you've hired your first assistant. How forward-thinking of you. You'll need them, and likely more, if you want the library to operate properly. Have them visit this office, not me specifically. If they accept, they are also a city employee. Understand?"
Amber nodded slowly, comprehension dawning along with a smile. "I believe I do, ma'am. Thank you for clarifying."
She glanced down again at the official declaration, magic flaring softly around its edges. A library acknowledged and supported by the whole city - it was more than she had dared hope! Amber had to blink back the swell of emotions.
Looking back up to meet the mayor's gaze directly, Amber said "I cannot properly express how grateful I am for this chance, and for the trust placed in me. I know libraries require diligence and care. But the rewards..."
Her voice caught, imagining rows of foals discovering whole worlds within pages. With a deep breath, she continued "...Seeing young minds grow and thrive shall be the greatest reward. I intend to make this city proud, and further its noble educational mission in any way I can."
The mayor inclined her head approvingly. "Spoken like a true steward of knowledge. We shall see if you live up to those lofty words soon enough." But there was a glimmer of warmth beneath her businesslike demeanor. "Do keep me updated on your progress personally. I wish to ensure this endeavor succeeds."
Heart soaring as their meeting concluded on such an uplifting note, Amber made her farewells before trotting back out into the sunlight, official declaration floating protectively beside her. She couldn't wait to share everything with Comforting! Why, her exuberant friend would likely swoop her up and try dancing on a cloud from sheer delight.
Laughing softly to herself, Amber set off to find where her chaotic companion had wandered off to. She suspected this called for some sort of celebration!
Comforting appeared before the library, empty as it was, and darted inside. She flew around those empty large rooms and equally cavernous hallways. "So much space, but I need just a little." She paused, just in front of what could eventually become a supply closet. "Like this!"
With a great tug, she pulled her personal space over, pinching off a little bit and attaching it to the small space. "There." She opened and closed the door, testing the connection was solid. "I made myself at home."
When she walked out, clapping her hands together as if patting them dry, she saw Amber trotting along with a dazed but happy expression. "Things go well? That looks like a happy face."
Amber closed in with a little giggling squeal. "It is. You're looking--" She swept a hoof over the unfinished library. "--at the newest Maretime Bay library."
Confetti exploded around her with some fanfare with no obvious source. Comforting applauded, though it sounded like an entire audience was in on it, cheers included. "Amazing, fantastic! What does that actually mean though?"
Amber laughed, confetti drifting down to fleck her mane as the mysterious celebratory din faded out around them. "It means the city has officially endorsed my endeavor! The library shall be funded and staffed by Maretime Bay going forwards."
She did a giddy little hop, the declaration with its prominent hoofprint still trailing behind her. "Can you believe it, Comfort? We have their full support! Why, the mayor herself said she wishes to aid our success."
Amber gestured expansively around at the unfinished space, imagination painting in rows of shelving and cozy reading nooks. "Just think - soon foals from all across town shall be streaming through those doors, discovering new worlds between pages. And we'll be right here to guide them!"
Her enthusiasm dimmed only slightly as she met Comforting's gaze. "Oh, but I should warn you - as employees, we'll need to complete some administrative paperwork. Nothing too arduous," she added hastily. "But I presumed you would not object to being officially instated as my assistant?"
Amber scuffed a hoof sheepishly. "I apologize for assuming, but the mayor was quite strict that all staff must be registered with the city. It would grant you more freedoms as well, being an recognized citizen."
She peered up at Comforting curiously. "So what do you say? Ready to become an upright productive member of society?" Amber punctuated her gentle teasing with an playful elbow nudge, unable to contain her bubbling delight.
Comforting was rubbing her chin thoughtfully through most of that. "City employee? How interesting." She paced in place, as if that helped her brain chug along. "I don't need the money, you know that. But, I imagine, offering to work for free will just confuse them. No, we'll skip that part and save some arguments." She could imagine that scene already playing out. "I'll just take the bits."
"So that means--"
"--You're not my landlord." Comforting poked Amber gently on the nose. "--You're my boss, with equally terrifying powers."
Amber jumped up and the two hugged warmly a moment before she slid to the ground. "This is just too much. We need to, oh!" She pointed to the brighthouse, those lights in the short distance. "We should tell them, then, we party. We party like something happened worth partying about."
"Because something has, clearly." Comforting nodded with a smile. "You did such a good job today, Amber. I'm so proud I don't have proper words." She smiled, proud of herself for trusting her agent to handle things. Her griffon tail swayed with self-satisfaction. "Let's go see our friends."
Amber trotted eagerly along beside Comforting, their odd silhouettes dark against the setting sun. But nothing could dim her bright spirit that evening.
"I must admit, when I first arrived alone in this strange new city, success seemed a far off dream," Amber mused.
Comforting nodded sagely. "Oh yes, I remember how timid you were, my little unicorn waif wandering lost and overwhelmed."
Amber chuckled self-consciously. "More like clueless! Why, I fully expected to simply find some dusty backroom to stash my motley collection in."
"And now look at you - head librarian of the city's newest literary palace!" Comforting declared proudly.
Glancing sidelong at her exotic companion, Amber smiled softly. "But then you entered my story as the perfect supporting pillar, Comfort."
Waving off the praise, Comforting demurred "Oh pish posh, I just nudged a bit here and there. You're the real star author of this tale, my dear!"
"Maybe so." Amber nudged her friend playfully. "But every good author needs an insightful editor to tie their wild ideas together."
Laughing brightly, the odd pair crested the final hill up towards the brighthouse, hearts swelling at the new story shining before them.
Comforting knocked on the door lightly. Amber giggled. "They expect us." She went right past Comforting and opened the door to find a pony on the other side.
Izzy squeaked with a smile. "Hey there! I was gonna get the door, but you got the door. How's it going?"
Comforting hugged Izzy since she was there and liked random hugs. "We come with good news!"
"The best kind." Izzy hugged back, but only briefly. She dashed inside and soon had the others gathered in the lobby. "Hit us up with the good news, we wannt hear!"
Zipp inclined her head. "You finished the library?"
Pipp inclined her head in the other direction. "And are inviting us to the opening party?"
Hitch considered, only for Spark to slide down and start moving. "Get back here!" He dashed off to catch the dragon.
Comforting waved Amber forward. "I'm not taking this moment from you. You're on."
Amber swelled with the deep inhale she took. "As it turns out, libraries are community property, not any one pony's property. When I talked with the mayor, she filled me in. But... As luck would have it." She cast a wary glance at Comforting. "Where we built the library is where a library was needed. So... She took the library, and put me in charge of it."
All the ponies, and a little dragon, cheered for the good news. Sunny clapped her hooves with a big smile. "This sounds like a good reason to celebrate."
With no objections, things got underway to properly welcome their friends' good news.