//------------------------------// // Ch. 36 - Saying Goodbye // Story: The Traveling Tutor and the Librarian // by Georg //------------------------------// The Traveling Tutor and the Librarian Saying Goodbye Two young lovers sat next to each other on the morning train to Ponyville, sitting almost silently in their seats. For the past several days, they had been nearly inseparable⁽*⁾, traveling the streets of Canterlot day and night as if they were afraid of missing some experience to share, or some restaurant they had overlooked. (*) Except for the bathroom. There are limits. — They hardly noticed as the reporters took to new subjects and left them alone, which was probably a good thing since the snowdrift at the castle had been cleared to make way for some sort of Royal announcement in the near future. Other ponies talked to them with all the impact of shadows or simple daydreams, for the young ponies had eyes only for each other. Time was their enemy, rolling onward without regard for their feelings. And time had caught them. The clatter of the train across the tracks was as rhythmic as the tick of a clock, and just as inevitable. The end of their time together was near. There were certain moments of their time in Canterlot that would stay with them for the rest of their lives. Their memorable evening at the ice skating pond and the subsequent tour of Canterlot General’s Radiology Department⁽¹⁾. Their discovery of a late-night bistro with a telescope on the roof. A midnight carriage ride through the Canterlot sky and subsequent visit to the Canterlot police department on littering charges. (1) Just a sprain. — There was just one time they wished they both could forget. At dinner one night with the family, Night Light had asked about his new conditioning regime. Twilight Sparkle had gone on and on about how his physical stamina was up and how much farther he could go before collapsing into an exhausted heap. Then her mother had said, “That’s wonderful dear. How is his jogging coming along?” It would not have been as bad if both he and Night Light had not just taken a large bite of mashed potatoes. The train drew nearer to Ponyville. Their days and their dreams had been quite princess-free, as if the rulers of the land had much better things to do. Or perhaps they simply did not believe they would be able to get through to them without a rather large hammer. Even the aristocracy seemed to give them wide berth, which bothered neither of them one whit. They did not notice how the ponies in Canterlot were quick to open doors and provide service at the stores and restaurants. The two of them fairly glowed with contagious happiness as if normal happiness were a fire being forced with bellows to burn faster and faster. The train began to slow at the Ponyville station. There was so much that still needed said, even though both of their voices were hoarse with talking. The flood of words had dwindled to a trickle as they boarded the train, then a driblet, and finally not even a drop. They basked in each other’s presence, trying to absorb the experience as if it would never happen again. “Ponyville Station. Ten minute stop.” The world seemed to pour back into their vacuum with a rush, the baggage to be collected, the two of them struggling through the crush of passengers embarking and disembarking. Words returned, although few and mostly ‘excuse me’ and ‘no, go ahead.’ All of her friends including Spike were waiting for them on the wooden platform, with a luggage cart and a ‘Welcome Back Twilight’ banner. It was like a wave of multicolored happiness that was held back until their arrival, and then broke across both of them. It also lasted far too short a time, as the conductor announced the train’s imminent departure. Green Grass took the time for one last kiss, which was remarkably remark-free, despite the close proximity of all their friends. Strange how he had thought of Pinkie and Applejack as ‘his’ friends last year, then ‘her’ friends, then the whole bunch of them lumped them all together into ‘their’ friends now. It would have embarrassed him beyond measure to have exchanged a kiss in public a few weeks ago. Now, not so much. “Letter for you! Oops!” Both of them dodged to one side as Ditzy crashed into the platform, two letters held in her mouth. “Sorry about that,” she mumbled, hoofing over the letters, one to each of them. “Thank you, Ditzy.” Twilight Sparkle ripped open her letter and began to read it through. “Pokey wants me to tutor Sun Glimmer for the next couple of months on alternate weekends. It’s a paying job with mileage. That’s funny.” “This is weird,” said Green Grass, scratching his head. “The Hoofington library wants me to help rebuild their index across the whole library on alternate weekends too. I don’t know anything about library indexes.” The two of them simultaneously looked at the addresses of the letters, and traded. “That’s better. Seems to be quite a coincidence,” said Twilight with a straight face⁽²⁾. (2) As stated before, Twilight Sparkle had amazing self-control. — “As somepony I know once said, I don’t believe in coincidences when Princesses are involved.” He flipped through the letter, trying not to grin. “You know, I think Pokey’s letter is legit.” “Um-hum,” she replied, tucking her letter away. “Are you sure you want to leave your wagon parked under my library tree until spring?” “So it’s ‘your’ library tree?” asked Spike as he dragged some of Twilight’s luggage over to the cart. Twilight rolled her eyes. “For the last time, Spike. The library is not a ‘Starter Hoard’ or an ‘Organic Cave.’ It belongs to the town, and we’re just renting it.” “Speaking of which.” Green Grass fished out a small bag of bits and dropped it into the little dragon’s outstretched claw. “Wagonsitting fee, as requested, in advance. I’ll need it back after I move out of the teacher’s apartment in Hoofington, so no capturing any fair damsels and imprisoning them inside please.” “Awww.” The little dragon looked heartbroken. “And no renting Dad’s books out, or charging Twilight to borrow them, or subleasing my perfectly good unburnt and unexploded wagon to the Cutie Mark Crusaders.” “Does that mean I have to return their deposit? Yeah, I suppose.” Chuckling, Green Grass made sure to give each one of their friends a good hug⁽³⁾ before returning to the burdensome task he was trying to avoid. Saying goodbye. (3) The hug rated at 3.7 out of 5.0 on the Twilight Velvet scale. He was improving with practice. — “I had so many things to say, but my mind is a blank. I’ll see you in a week, so I guess I’ll think of something by then. Can you please wait to read this after I’m on the train?” He pressed a letter into her hoof and turned to go, stopping at a familiar magical tug on his tail. “It’s not a breaking-up letter, I promise.” “It better not be, mister. I’ll track you down.” She kissed him gently on the lips and gave him a swat across the rump with the rolled up letter. “How long have you been keeping this from me?” “A day or two.” Her eyes narrowed. “You wrote it in the bathroom, didn’t you?” “Well. Yes.” Green Grass glanced at the conductor, who was still had not gotten on the train. There was still a minute or two. “How romantic. You wrote me a love letter in the bathroom.” “It’s a place of deep thought and quiet contemplation. All the best books⁽⁴⁾ wind up there, right?” (4) Twilight knew the rumour was true, having reviewed the contents of Princess Celestia’s Smallest Library⁽⁵⁾ extensively during her time as a student, and bringing her own selection to the Ponyville library. It was strictly reference, with no loans, and lots of bookmarks. (5) Celestia’s Smallest Library was located inside her personal bathroom, within easy reach of the ‘facilities.’ It included five history books, three biographies, a current copy of Twerp’s Peerage, and one of only two known surviving copies of the romantic fiction Rodrigo Hardflanks, Stallion of the Sun. — “Well... That’s beside the point.” They hesitated, each waiting for the other to speak until the conductor walked by. “We’ve stalled as much as we can, ma’am.” Green Grass blushed and gave Twilight a quick kiss. “See you in a week.” He trotted into the train just as it began moving, vanishing from her sight as if he had never been. She waited for a moment before looking at the letter he had left behind. Written across the front in simple legible letters was ‘Twilight Sparkle’ and below that ‘First and Only Draft.’ Dear Twilight Sparkle, I have this terrible feeling as if my affection for you will just vanish into thin air some night unless I write my thoughts down and give them to you. That is, after all, what a library is for. It collects the thoughts and emotions of others and holds them in a form that can be remembered even after the thinker has gone to dust. In a way, this letter will be my own small library for you. Even if I were snatched away this very night and taken as far from you as could be imagined, it would still feel as if you were right beside me. Once when I was younger, so many weeks ago, I felt that giving away one’s heart was a fool’s game. Little did I know that the gift would be returned in kind a thousand fold. The heart that beats in my chest can no longer be called my own. Well, figuratively. I know I cannot be positive if I am the right stallion for you, or if you are the right mare for me, for ‘right’ is subject to so many interpretations. I feel in some way as if I stand at the bottom of an unscalable cliff, looking up at perfection, but I know how false that perception is now. I have seen your few flaws, as you have seen many of mine. Although neither of us is perfect, you have helped me see the flaws in my own soul are not as deep nor as insurmountable as I once thought, and I sincerely hope I have done the same for you. It is my most sincere hope that we will continue to see each other and grow in our relationship oh that sounds so trite. I wish I could stand by your side forever, and I mean that from the bottom of my heart and that sounds trite too. Let me say on paper what I could not speak out loud. I can’t write it. I (*****). If I say it, I’m afraid it will make you feel guilty, or manipulate you into responding in kind even if you really only want to be friends. Those words chill me; we’ve scarcely known each other for a few weeks and yet I cannot imagine a time without you at my side. The thought of leaving you even for a few weeks fills me with a boundless terror, but I know if I clutch myself to you in the way I want, I will not be giving you the freedom that I so admire when I see it in your soul. You confuse me. And this is a good thing. I wish only to be confused by you forever. Love, Green Grass. Twilight clutched the letter in a magic that suddenly seemed weak. It seemed to take forever to fumble in her bag for paper and quill, and scratch frantically on a letter of her own. Dear Princess Celestia, You cheater! I recognized your Day Steward’s writing on that letter from Hoofington. Thank you from the both of us. I’ll send you a longer report tomorrow. Your faithful student Twilight Sparkle She rolled the scroll up and shoved it into the little dragon’s claws while concentrating on the departing train. “Spike, send that to the Princess right away, and take this other letter and stick it in my hope chest under the bed. Hold down the fort, and I’ll be back on the next train this evening.” Magic coiled around Twilight and with a sharp implosion of air, she vanished. * * * Green Grass looked up from the floor of the train where he lay uncomfortably, with an embarrassed purple unicorn sprawled across him in full view of the other dozen or so travelers in the car. “Conservation of momentum⁽⁶⁾?” he offered cautiously. (6) Proving he either had been paying attention in Physics class, or had been reading his sweater recently. — “Yes, did you miss me?” she asked, with a kiss to his forehead. “I forgot to compensate when teleporting into a moving train car.” She gave his forehead another kiss. “I decided to make sure you found your way to Hoofington. There’s another train headed back this evening, so that gives us a couple more hours together. * * * Spike chuckled as he held the abbreviated friendship letter up and sent it on the way to Princess Celestia with a sharply regulated breath. “This day is going in the diary, no doubt about it. Looks like it’s just me in the library again tonight. Would any of you like to come over this evening to keep me and Owlowiscious company? How about you, Rainbow? Care to defend your title at Battleclouds?” “What? Didn’t you hear our favorite egghead? She’ll be back on the evening train.” The chuckle turned into a full-blown laugh as the dragon made sure all of the luggage was properly loaded on the cart. “Would you care to put money on it? Ten bits says she’s not back before tomorrow’s train.” “You’re on!” As Spike began to push the cart with Twilight’s luggage back to the Golden Oak Library, he was stopped by Rarity, along with the rest of the group. “Oh, Spiky,” she whispered softly. “Would you mind terribly if we took just a tiny little peek at that letter she wanted you to hide away?” “Rares!” Applejack tried her best to look annoyed instead of curious. “That’s private.” “Oh, don’t be silly. The two of them have been egging us all on like fools for simply weeks! Of course, if little Spikey-Wikey doesn’t want to let us have a look…” She reached out with a hoof and tickled the purple dragon under the chin. Moments later, Rarity opened up the letter and began to read. “Dear Princess Celestia, You cheater!...” * * * Far away in Canterlot, Princess Celestia trotted down a castle corridor with a skip in her step and a precious letter in her magical grip. Twilight would want the original back, as she had for the Permission Letter, but a copy was getting framed for her private study wall as a moment of happiness she would be able to treasure for the next thousand years. The Princess of the Sun began to whistle as she trotted, thinking of Foal’s Shower presents...