//------------------------------//
// The Library 
// Story: Liberation 
// by SoManyPuns 
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Trixie looked down her nose at the lavender unicorn in the doorway before simply pushing past her. If the little fool wouldn't do what she asked she would go in and get the idiotic Pegasus herself. The pitiful creature cowered in her presence, just as it should. Trixie summoned a rope from thin air and lassoed the Pegasus around one wing, (she had found that if you lassoed a wing the Pegasus was less likely to pull against you). Once the Pegasus was secure, Trixie began her journey back to the door, soon they would be back in the train car and could get on the move. She would of course need to punish the troublesome Pegasus for escaping again, perhaps even look into that mind control spell she found the other day...

The Pegasus reared and shouted something in its own language, Trixie viciously yanked it down and continued on her way. The newest acquisition to her collection obviously still needed training if it was speaking its own language. All of her pegasi were trained to speak in Trixie's own civilized tongue or not at all, but this one insisted on speaking in its own wild language. The unicorn snorted in disgust, lost in her own thoughts on the uncivilized Pegasus ways. So lost in thought that she almost smacked straight into the purple unicorn who now stood between her and the door. "Watch it!" Trixie snapped her.

The unicorn's eyes narrowed, and she didn't budge, instead she used her magic to slam the door shut. "Just what do you think you're doing?" she asked in a deceptively calm voice.

"What does it look like I'm doing? Just who do you think you are?" Trixie snapped in response, attempting to use her own magic to pull open the door. It didn't budge.

"Twilight Sparkle." the unicorn answered. Trixie looked into her face, eyes widening in surprise, everyone knew the princess' star student was named Twilight, but she couldn't really be living in a tiny town like this one. "And it looks to me like you're kidnapping someone."

Trixie glared up at the other unicorn, the real Twilight or not, she would not get in the way of Trixie's business. Ponies paid good money for a Pegasus to move the clouds for them. Twilight met Trixie's glare with one of her own,  backed by the authority that only Celestia's student would have. "I cannot allow you to leave with someone clearly unwilling to go. Release her." Twilight demanded, her voice brimming with authority.

Trixie waffled for a moment, she didn't stand a chance against Celestia's student, and if the unicorn truly considered this a kidnapping then Twilight could challenge her to a duel that Trixie would lose. At the same time Pegasi were hard to catch, and as unruly as this one was she could still be trained, probably. Trixie looked into Twilight's eyes, the anger that burned in her purple irises decided the blue unicorn. "Very well,  but you haven't seen the last of me! The Great and Powerful Trixie!" With that Trixie summoned all her power and managed to teleport behind Twilight and beat a hasty retreat, leaving the Pegasus with the more powerful unicorn.

Twilight shut the door firmly after Trixie and sighed, Celestia would want to hear about this, there had been a rumor that someone was capturing pegasi and selling them and Celestia had been very invested in stamping the practice out early if it was true. She would need to write to the princess as soon as possible. Of course, she would have to talk to her guest first, the Pegasus looked ready to attack.  Despite their antisocial nature, the pegasi were usually a peaceful people if left alone, however once they were roused they were a force to be reckoned with. There were few cities that welcomed or even traded with the cloud dwelling ponies and thankfully Canterlot had been one that did both, meaning Twilight was well versed in the pegasi ways.

Twilight glanced at her guest, not staring for any longer than would be polite, but long enough to asses the Pegasus' mood. She was confused, and wary, bordering on openly hostile. Not good. Twilight ran through the information that she had on how to assure a Pegasus you meant no harm, besides a rather overt display of goodwill, there was always speaking to her... Twilight grimaced, she knew the Pegasus language, but her speech was distorted by her Canterlot accent. With a sigh, she decided to try it anyway, clearing her throat, Twilight spoke up "My name is..." she paused for a moment, trying to figure out how to translate her name "Sparkle-of-stars-in-twilight, I mean you no harm."

The Pegasus looked at her in surprise as she spoke the wild language and after a moment answered "I am The-Rainbow-Running-Free." Twilight nodded, working on translating the name, it came out roughly as Rainbow Dash, an interesting name. "Why am I here?" Rainbow Dash asked quietly.

"If you mean why you aren't with Trixie it is because she was committing a crime and it was my duty to stop her." Twilight answered, then on a hunch she asked "Can you speak the language of my people?"

Rainbow Dash hesitated for a moment, then replied "yes."

Twilight blinked in surprise, unless they traded with the ground bound races, pegasi tended to not learn the language, sticking to their own unless they had need to do otherwise. After a moment, Twilight gathered herself enough to speak again "I am sorry for what Trixie has done to you, she committed a terrible crime"

Rainbow Dash nodded silently and folded her abused wings tightly against her back, the pair sat in silence for a moment, both acclimating to the situation. The quiet was broke when Spike cleared his throat, drawing both of their attention. Now that she was outnumbered, Rainbow Dash looked wary again and she half unfolded her wings and backed up. Spike gave the pegasus a concerned look, which he turned to Twilight when Dash looked ready to run at his continued attention. The unicorn softly shook her head, it was best to not mess with the pegasus too much.

Silence draped itself over the room once again as all three beings pondered where to go from where they now stood. Twilight eventually cleared her throat and spoke up. "Would you mind if I took a look at your wings? I could try healing them with my magic." 

Rainbow Dash glared. "No. No one will touch my wings, ever." she snarled, pressing them tightly to her sides.  

Twilight immediately backed off, not wanting to break the fragile trust she had with the Pegasus. Besides the mare's obviously weakened condition that small bit of trust was all that was keeping her and Spike from having to deal with an attacking Pegasus.  "Alright, no one will touch you. Can I get you something to eat? Drink?" 
Dash seems almost surprised by how easily Twilight gives in to her demands and quietly requests both food and water.  Spike runs to fetch them and the two ponies are left with the room to themselves. 
"Why are you doing this? Helping me?" Rainbow Dash asks before the quiet can settle too deeply into the room. 
"Because it is the right thing to do." Twilight answers. 
"Most ponies think my people are barely any better than animals." Rainbow tests.
"I spent my childhood in Canterlot Castle." Twilight confesses. "I know more about Pegasi than most ponies." 
The pegasus seems surprised by this. "Why were you in the castle?" 
"I was training under Princess Celestia. She can help you, if you let her, I will be sending her a letter soon, is there anything you would like me to put in it for you?" Twilight knew that the majority of the letter would be devoted to informing her teacher about the Pegasus now in her home, but she would be more than willing to let Rainbow Dash say her own piece. Celestia would doubtlessly want to speak with the Pegasus herself, likely in person.
"No." The pegasus mare answered her question, though she looked conflicted. As though she had something to say to the princess, but didn't trust Twilight enough to reveal it. The unicorn doesn't press her though and their discussion is discontinued once Spike returns with Rainbow Dash's meal.