Part I: The Mysterious Caller
Through darkened woods, a red-hooded pony trod. The traveler flinched away from the cawing birds and the whispers racing through the Everfree Forest. Every snapped twig was an enemy ready to pounce. Every dark corner concealed something nasty and hungry.
At long last, the terror subsided when the pony in the red hood came to a clearing. There sat a humble zebra’s hut beside a great oak. Light and warmth radiated from within the hut, offering peace and plenty against the endless night of the woods. The desperate traveler raced to the hut and knocked on its door.
The zebra answered her door with a smile. Words passed between them. The traveler offered a handful of bits and received a small vial in return. And without another word, she fled back through the terror and the night.
---
“Spike!” Twilight cast a telekinesis spell to quickly look over her books on the lower right-hand shelf. “Did you find it yet?”
“Uh, just a second! It’s back here somewhere!”
Twilight paused in her search when she heard a distinct chewing sound from the kitchen. “Spike, are you looking for the book or making yourself a sandwich?”
The baby dragon appeared in the den, holding a gem-filled sandwich in one hand and a checklist in the other. “…Can’t I do both?”
The unicorn was about to say otherwise when her own stomach started growling. She blushed at Spike’s accusing glare and wisely decided not to press the issue. “Okay, you win. I need two minutes for lunch and then it’s back to work!”
“I don’t get it,” Spike said, his mouth stuffed with bits of precious stones. “Why do you have to run an experiment on romance? It comes from the heart, Twilight.”
“It’s for Hearts and Hooves Day.” Twilight continued to look over her books while her horn was passively casting magic to fix herself a sandwich in the other room. “Ever since Cadance’s last visit, I’ve been wanting to learn more about the chemistry behind love. How does it affect ponies? What are the health benefits? And why does it make some ponies go absolutely crazy?”
“Geez, you’re taking all the fun out of it.” Spike finished his sandwich in one gulp. After a tiny burp, he patted his stomach. “It’s nothing you can find in a textbook. You have to experience it for yourself.” He sighed and looked away. “Just like I did for my beloved Rarity…”
“See, that’s what I’m talking about!” Twilight pointed an accusing hoof at him. “The way you roll your eyes and your cheeks flush! It’s a clear metabolic reaction that needs to be studied.” She tossed back her mane proudly. “And I’m the pony to do it!”
Spike shook his head. “Whatever. I’ll keep looking for that romance novel. What was it called again? Daybreak or something?”
“No, I have that one accounted for.” Twilight summoned the checklist and pointed her hoof at the middle of the page. “We’re looking for The Illustrious Stallion Caller by Rough Draft. It’s been on the Manehattan Times Bestseller List for three weeks straight!”
“Stallion Caller, got it.” Spike shook his head as he left the room. “Honestly, what do ponies see in those awful books…?”
Twilight continued to pull out books and search through the piles she was making on the floor. Still no sign of the novel, but she knew it had to be somewhere in there. The Ponyville Library was always receiving new books from the Manehattan publishing houses; the editors were always writing to Twilight about what an honor it was to have Princess Celestia’s student reading and curating their books. She didn’t care about the accolades; she loved books and wanted to share that love with the other ponies in town.
“Did I lend this book out to somepony?” she asked herself. In a heartbeat, Twilight summoned a different checklist from her desk. This list had the name of every pony who checked out a book from the library and the checkout date.
“Here it is! Last week, Illustrious Stallion Caller was checked out by… Applejack?” Twilight frowned. She didn’t remember that visit in particular. Did Applejack come on her own and sign her name discreetly? Could she be embarrassed about being spotted with a romance novel?
There was no getting around it. She had to ask Applejack directly.
“Spike, I’m going to Sweet Apple Acres!” Twilight called out. “You can take a break now!”
“Already on it!” he answered with a snicker.
---
Applejack kicked her hooves against a tree, causing a spray of apples to fall into one of her buckets. She wiped the sweat from her brow and tilted her hat back.
“Twi, I don’t know what yer on about,” she replied, “but I ain’t got time for love stories!”
“But the list was signed with your name!” Twilight insisted. She looked over at Big Macintosh, who was bucking in his own section of the orchard. He didn’t seem to be paying any attention to their argument.
“Now, see here!” Applejack suddenly pulled her in by the shoulder and covered their faces with her hat. When she did, her eyes went soft and pleading.
“Look, ya got me,” Applejack whispered. “I didn’t want Granny Smith or Big Macintosh to fret ’bout the farm, but I do like some time fer myself, ya see? Just somethin’ to read ’fore bed. Wasn’t hurtin’ nopony.”
Twilight nodded. “I understand. That’s fine. I just need it for today and I can return it without anypony else knowing.”
“Oh, horse feathers.” Applejack looked down, slightly mortified. “Well, to tell ya the truth, Twilight, I might’ve… lent it to Fluttershy.”
“Oh!” Twilight rolled her eyes. “Don’t tell me. She’s embarrassed about being a romance novel reader, too.”
“Don’t know ’bout that, but she’s mighty shy about somethin’.” Applejack put her hat back on and gave the apple tree another kick. “Now, I’ve gotta be gettin’ back to work. You go an’ talk to Fluttershy, okay?”
“Okay. Thanks.”
“And Twi?” Applejack glanced at her brother, who hadn’t stopped working, and then over at Twilight. “Thanks fer not laughin’ at me.”
“Sure thing, AJ.”
---
Over at Fluttershy’s cottage, Twilight found the yellow pegasus sitting at a small table outside under a parasol. She had a small tea set out and was completely lost in her book. Sure enough, it was The Illustrious Stallion Caller.
“Hi, Fluttershy!” she called out.
“Meep!” went the pegasus. She leapt up, tucked the book under her chair, and sat back down with a blushing smile. “Oh, um, hello… Twilight…”
“Sorry to interrupt, but I’ve got a favor to ask.” The unicorn pointed at the book under Fluttershy’s chair. “Do you think I could borrow that book for a day? I need it for a project.”
“Wh-what book?” Fluttershy cringed when Twilight summoned the novel. “Oh, that book!”
“I don’t want you to feel embarrassed,” Twilight reassured her. “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with romance novels.”
“Oh, I’m not embarrassed at all!” Fluttershy continued to cringe as Twilight flipped through the book. “In fact, I was just reading about this one… er, saucy chapter...”
“Oooh, what happens in it?” Twilight took out a sheet of parchment and a quill right away. “And please, be specific. I need good notes for my research.”
“Well, there’s this love potion…” Fluttershy blushed and hid below her mane. “It’s a love potion that a zebra makes for the… the Stallion Caller… and then he uses it on his special somepony and they… they…”
She couldn’t finish. Her voice trailed over into a series of incomprehensible squeaks.
Twilight finished writing and put away her notes. “A love potion, huh? I wonder if Zecora knows anything about that.”
“Oh, yes, she does—” Fluttershy gasped and put her hooves over her mouth. “I mean, I-I wouldn’t know about that… but I suppose she might?”
“Good! I think I’ll pay her a visit right now.”
Fluttershy swallowed. “R-right now?”
“There’s no time like the present! Thanks for the help, Fluttershy!” And with that, Twilight ran from the cottage and straight for the woods.