I think ponies mistake my role in this whole fiasco. The princess asked me to work alongside the mayor, and act as her advisor in regard to the human. Seeing how the mayor kept on deferring our meetings about the subject, I had to act alone at some points.
You have to understand, I didn't have a lot of concrete information to rely upon. All I knew for certain was that there was some odd creature who came out of the Everfree Forest and killed Fluttershy's animal friends. Next, this creature decides that it wants to live in our town and eat cows. What am I supposed to think? I was told by our princess to handle the situation in her absence, and I did what I thought was cautious and prudent. I'm sure if I had actually known a little more initially, I could have found an adequate solution.
My scarce information was not for lack of trying. I was compiling a report about the human, just like you are. Would you like to see it? It’s only incomplete because I never had a chance to speak with him personally… Okay, well that’s not exactly true. I had a preliminary interview, but that was brief. I was only seeing if he could fit in with another species. I had another interview planned with him, but that one was, um... postponed.
I actually did speak with him briefly. He sort of dropped by one day. It was rather fitting, because at the moment I was trying to compile my notes on the human into a half way decent essay. This was very difficult to accomplish since I had no concrete data to rely upon.
The bell above the door jingled. “Twilight?”
I looked up from my research. He was peaking from the door “Yes, Spike?”
He scratched the spines on the top of his head. “Um, we have somebody that wants to get some books.”
I shot him a look. “You mean somepony.”
He hesitantly slid back, and the door opened fully.
A non pony visiting the library was a rare sight. I had a inkling that whoever this visitor was was part of Spike's silliness. Nevertheless, it was my job to be amiable to all who were using the library. I turned to greet the mule, or donkey, or whatever waited beyond the door frame. “Hello! Is there anything—” I gulped as the creature stepped in. “I can help you with?”
The human ducked inside and stood towering over me. Gone were his ratty pink clothes, and in their place, a soft blue sweater, and tan pants. He looked down at me in only the way an angry carnivore wearing corduroy could. I knew in my heart of hearts, if there was anypony he was going to kill, it was going to be me. I was the one who had ordered him relocated. I was the one who held his fate in my hooves, and I had turned that against him.
I swallowed a knot in my throat. He might have been big, but I had magic on my side. It looked like I was going to have to take responsibility for my decisions. I wasn't about to let him just eat me and Spike. I took a battle stance. Haunches lowered, horn directly forward. I was careful to not break eye contact. Instead of charging at me, or taking out his knife, he squatted down, until he was eye level with me. “Easy there. I’m here to get a library card,” he said.
I grimaced. “I’m sorry, but only residents of Ponyville are allowed to obtain library cards. If you would be so kind as to leave” I took a step backwards and then scolded myself. I didn't know how humans reacted to body language. That could have been perceived as an invitation to attack.
He reached into his pocket, and I tensed further into my battle stance. Instead of the knife, he pulled out a plastic card. “Actually, I just so happen to have a two year non-equine work visa, and I am entitled access to the public library for the duration of my stay.” He spoke the words as if learned in rote.
“He's right you know,” I heard Spike say, as the pitter patter of little feet marked his re-entrance.
I frowned once more. I slowly backed up until I was next to Spike. Not once did I break eye contact. If I turned around, or looked down, or even hesitated, it could mean our deaths. The human fidgeted uncomfortably under my gaze. “Spike,” I whispered harshly. “What in all of Equestria is the human doing in our house?”
“He said he wanted a library card,” he replied bluntly. Much to my surprise, the human actually broke eye contact, and started examining the book shelves. What would an animal possibly want to do with books and library cards?
I turned to Spike, keeping the gangly beast in my peripheral vision. “Is this part of your little survey thing? I don't see how letting this rabid human into our home does anything except put the two of us in danger!”
Spike rolled his eyes. “What you have is someone looking for a library card. Because our house just so happens to be a giant tree library.”
“He's not supposed to even live in Ponyville! He's not entitled to a library card.”
“Twilight, he has a work visa. He can get a library card. If you don't give him one, you could be in danger of losing your position as town librarian.”
The human must have overheard us. He turned around, and offered the card from across the room. Hesitantly, I levitated it over, and examined it. I couldn't figure out for the life of me how he managed to secure a steady job, let alone the right to live here. I made a mental note to investigate the matter later.
I grumbled, and floated the visa back to him. I wasn't going to risk my position as librarian just because somepony else goofed up and gave a chicken murderer the right to live in town (even when I advised against it, but I digress). I supposed I'd just have to humor the human, Spike and their little political stint. “Is there anything in the librarian's guidebook about work visas?”
Spike presented a tome to me, pulling out the bookmark ribbon, and opening the to the appropriate page. “There's a mention of it in the law book,” he said.
“Let me see.” I levitated the book over and parsed through the legalese.
Spike relinquished his grip, and looked at me smugly. “I believe you'll find it in the fifth paragraph.”
I traced my hoof back, and sure enough there the passage was. Griffons with a non-equine work visa are permitted access to all public services outside the field of medical care and public education.
I squinted up at Spike, wondering what he was so satisfied about. I turned back to the human, and bristled. His gaze had wandered toward my desk. I eeped as I realized every note I had on my human report was scattered everywhere. He picked up one of the sketches, and furrowed his brow.
I levitated the paper out of his hands with a nervous chuckle, and quickly stacked all the papers, face down. For good measure, I threw a large tome on top of it. “Heh, just a little project of mine.”
“Huh.”
He didn't seem ready to attack, so I cleared my throat and continued. “Well Mr. Human, technically you're not a griffin, but I think that it is within the spirit of the law to allow you access to a library card. I can't imagine why you would need one, though.”
“To read books?”
I paused to look at him. “You can read Equish?”
“Yes, I can read.” He took a moment to roll his eyes. “It’s a little hard with pony writing because all the letters are squished together, but I can still read.”
“Where did you learn how to do that?”
He shrugged. “Parents taught me, and I learned more in school.”
I blinked. “Excuse me, it’s just that I never conceived that you would possibly had an education.”
“Fourteen years of it.”
My jaw nearly dropped. He’d been studying almost as long as I've been alive. Did that mean, he had done more research than I did? But how could that even be possible, unless... “What else do humans have?”
“Like schools?”
“Anything.” I pulled my notes out from the under the book, and levitated over a quill. I quickly began sketching down my findings.
He shrugged again. “Hospitals, grocery stores, libraries…” he paused to take a look around. “Town stuff, really.”
I nearly squeed with delight. It looked like I just might be able to give a thorough report to Celestia after all. I wouldn't want to dishonor her with incomplete research. I was going to have to redraft the conclusion though.
The human's voice interrupted my train of thought. “Are you taking notes?”
“Umm... yes?”
“Why?”
I swallowed nervously. “You see, since you're the first human we've encountered in recent history, I was tasked with studying you.”
“If you were studying me, why did you try to kick me out of Ponyville?”
I sighed. “Between the chicken, the cow, and all the stories I heard about you, I had a...”
“Fear?” Spike offered.
I shot the baby dragon a harsh glance. “...A reasonable apprehension about having you so close to civilization. I have qualms against letting wild carnivores living amongst my loved ones,” I said.
“So you're solution was to throw me into the woods to die,” the human said with a scowl.
“I tried to find another social species for you to live with, but they would be more dangerous than any forest I could put you in. I was hoping if we put you back in the forest, you would find your pack of humans again.”
“Do you think I would even be here if it was possible for me to go home? I can't because, despite all the freaking magic in all of you, you can't find a way to get me back where I belong. I barely survived that death trap you call woods.”
“I don't think you understand. Would a human have reacted any differently if a manticore had wondered into their home from out of nowhere, and wanted to live in their town? My first duty in is to ponies. I have to consider their safety before yours.” The human had no response. Spike gave an angry snort as I continued. “But it seems that you're slightly more civil than I originally thought. As long as you're not making trouble, and you're contributing to our community by working, I suppose I can give you a library card.”
“Gee, thanks,” the human said.
“Spike, would you get the blank cards?”
Without comment, Spike handed us a card. The human scribbled out the proper information on a separate form. Within minutes, I hoofed over the card to him. He took it between his fingers, unsure of what to do. He cast an uncertain glance at Spike.
I wasn't entirely sure what he was doing. He seemed uncertain himself. “Well, would you like to check out a book now?” I asked hesitantly.
“Sure...” He scratched the back of his head. “Do you have a King James Bible?” he asked after a moment of deliberation.
I leafed through the catalog. “I'm sorry, I don't think we have that book in this branch of the library. I do believe I saw a book like that in the Canterlot archives. I can root through their collection if you're really pining after it.” I tapped my hoof to my chin. I went out on a limb, and guessed that the book might be lost in the woodwork in our own library. I made a mental note to look for the book next time I have Spike spruce up the place. Maybe it was thrown into the trunk of older books. I would have to see the librarian's log to be certain. The puzzle certainly had me stumped.
“I'll just do without it,” he said.
He stood there silently for another awkward moment, looking at Spike. I cleared my throat. “Well, if you're not going to be checking out any books, I have quite a bit of research to be doing, so—”
“Hey Twilight,” Spike yelped. “Why don't you ask Walker some questions for your report?”
I grimaced. The last thing I wanted to was tempt fate by letting into my home a second time “Spike, I'm not sure that's such a good idea.”
“What would Celestia think if her faithful student gave her a poorly researched report?”
I began nibbling my hoof. I kept glancing back at my desk, and back at the human. “I guess it would fill in some gaps in my body paragraphs.”
The human shot a quizzical glance at Spike. “I didn't think this is what you had in mind.”
Spike motioned with his claws. “Just go with it,” he whispered across the room.
I cocked an eyebrow. “Pardon?”
The human swiveled back towards me. “Sorry, what were you saying about research?”
“Since you already have a job, and a work visa, there's not much else to be done about your present situation. I suppose there wouldn't be any harm in asking you a few questions.”
“Right now?” he asked. He didn't seem especially eager to have another research interview.
“Now is a good a time as any. I don't want to have Princess Celestia wait on my report.” The human cast a glance at the door, biting his lip. “Or, we could schedule a time.”
“Rescheduling?” The human sent another questioning look to Spike. Spike replied with a firm nod. “I guess I can do that,” he said with a sigh.
We made plans to have an interview at the library over some tea for the next Saturday.
We never had that interview though. The day he came to the library was three days before Nightmare Night.