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// Chapter 2: The Replacement 
// Story: My Cutie Mark Got It Wrong 
// by Ink Spill 
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	Finding a replacement for yourself is always difficult, especially if you’re pressed for time. You have this urge to hire the first pony who shows up because you can get out of there faster if you do, but at the same time many (including me) still feel they have the obligation to hire somepony who is up to the job.
A surprising amount of ponies showed up to try and get the job of head librarian, most of them were book fanatics who only wanted the job because they liked the idea of getting paid for sitting around reading all day. Apparently they were unaware that sorting all of the library’s books can take multiple days and usually by the time you get through sorting all of them half of it has already gotten messed up again.
The more ponies came in trying the get the job the more I just wanted to give it to them and the less and less I felt an obligation to find a good librarian. But in the end I still couldn’t just give the job away, and after a week and a half I still hadn’t hired anypony.
I wasn’t sure what to do; I still believed that if I couldn’t find a replacement before the end of the month the best thing for me would be to just leave, I was sure if I wasn’t around the princesses would get someone else to find a new librarian, but until I left it was still my job to find the replacement. Why did I feel so obligated to this finding a suitable replacement? I still don’t know, maybe it was as simple as just not wanting to bother anyone.
I had just finished interviewing somepony when Lilly came in to return The Canterlot Caverns Adventure.
“Hello Lilly.”
“Hi Tailor,” Lilly gave me the book.
“So what did you think of the novel?”
“It was okay…” Lilly sounded a bit disappointed.
“Not what you expected it to be?”
“Yeah, I guess my expectations were a little too high after reading some of her other books.”
“That’s too bad.”
I was about to go shelve the book when Lilly spoke again.
“So you’re leaving the library?”
“Hmm? Oh yeah, I am,” I nodded, “Hey, is there any chance you know anypony who would make a good librarian?”
Lilly was quiet for a moment, “Honestly, I’d be interested in the job.”
“Really?” I was a little surprised; I had no idea that Lilly would want to be a librarian, but when I thought about it she did seem like a good fit.
“Yeah,” Lilly answered, “but I’m not sure I’m really qualified…”
Then I had an idea; I realized Lilly would be a great librarian, she seemed to have a good knowledge of books and she did know her way around most of the library.
“Lilly, if you really want the job I could train you, I mean if you-”
“You would do that?” Lilly seemed to get really excited, “that’s great!”
“Yeah, I’m a little busy today but if you come in tomorrow I’ll show you what the job entails.”
“That would be great,” Lilly smiled, “I’ll see you tomorrow then.”
***
Lilly showed up at the library early the next day, I began to train her. That first day we went over the Library’s filing system; the Canterlot Library had its own unique filing system. The whole day we only talked about filing, I was a little bored but she seemed to find it interesting, which helped to convince me that I’d picked the right pony for the job.
At the end of the day, before Lilly left, she asked me something not related to filing.
“Tailor?”
“Hmm?”
“Why are you leaving the library? This is a great job.”
“Well, honestly, I don’t feel like it’s what I’m meant to do.”
“What? But you have a book genre cutie mark, isn’t your talent helping people find books they like?”
“Yeah…”
“Well then how can working in a library not be what you’re meant to do?”
“I don’t know… but, ugh, it’s hard to explain, it just feels wrong, this job doesn’t fit who I am.”
“I see…”
“You do?”
“Well, I guess, everypony should feel comfortable doing what they’re meant to do, if you feel like your job doesn’t fit you then I guess you must be in the wrong place.”
“So, do you feel comfortable in the library?”
“Yeah I do, my talent is sorting actually… a bit of a dumb talent eh?”
“Not really… so I guess organizing books is a good fit for you.”
“Yeah, I always feel at ease here.”
“That’s nice for you.”
“So, what are you going to do after you leave this job?”
“What?”
“Where are you going to go? What are you going to do?”
It was at that moment that I realized my plan to leave had a major flaw: I had nowhere to leave to.
***
It had been ten days since Lilly first came in for training and I felt certain that she was ready to be the head Librarian. And while Lilly seemed to know exactly what she was doing I was still completely unsure of what to do.
Once I left the Library I’d have no income, I did have a bit saved up; I got paid surprisingly well for a librarian.
That morning I told Lilly that I knew she was ready to run the library, and that starting immediately she would be head librarian, she told me she was honoured and we said goodbye.
I went back to my apartment and packed, I didn’t know where I was going but I felt in my heart that I couldn’t stay in Canterlot.
I counted my money; I had enough bits to last me maybe two months if I were to live the minimalist lifestyle.
I left, I began walking in no particular direction, I planned to just go wherever the world decided to take me.
As I walked forward I reached a dirt road with a sign that read Ponyville Ahead. 
I decided to take that road, and it has made all the difference.