//------------------------------//
// Checked Out 
// Story: Appledashery 
// by Just Essay 
//------------------------------//

	"Hmmmmmmmmmm..."  Twilight Sparkle levitated several tomes across the air of Golden Oaks Library.  "What aboutttttt..."  She licked her lips, then opened one floating book in particular.  "Ah!  Here's one you're bound to like!"  She turned around and held the thing out to Rainbow Dash.  "Check this out!"

Rainbow Dash lethargically rummaged through a tower of books.  She turned to squint at Twilight's offering.  "Uhhhh..." Petite blue hooves reached out and grasped the tome.  "What's this?"

"A heroic epic!"  Twilight proudly squee'd.  "The Oatessy by the legendary Homare!  It's about a pony that goes on a longggggggg and exciting quest that takes her all the way around the world—"

"Meh."  Rainbow Dash made a gagging sound and slapped the book down onto the top of the tower.  "Sounds like a big waste of my time."

"Oh."  Twilight blinked.  "Well... uhm..."  She hoofed through a few more floating books.  "How about this one?"

"Mmmmm...?"

"It's an intricate, introspective character sketch of two genius musicians emotionally bound by their own individual frailties.  One of them's mute and is madly in love with the other—"

"Ew!  No."  Rainbow Dash winced.  Hard.  "No love.  No love whatsoever."

"Mmmmm... no love, huh?"  Twilight Sparkle stared at the floating array.  "Then... I guess that just leaves us with Stirrop Tzu's Art of Whinny or Marechiavelli's The Princess."  She waggled her eyebrows.  "Trixie's a big fan of the latter."

"What's with all the funny author names."

"Heehee... genius comes with an ounce of eccentricity, don't you think?"

"Meh."

Twilight raised an eyebrow.  "Well... you came here asking for a way to 'get distracted.'  What better way to get distracted than with a good book?"

"Eeeeugh..."  Rainbow Dash slumped to the floor, sighing.  "I... I'm sorry, Twi..."  She pushed at a few of the books with a lazy hoof.  "I know I'm being—like—super difficult."

"Nothing to apologize for!"  Twilight sing-songed as she slid several tomes back onto their shelves.  "I'm tickled pink that you'd even entertain the idea of getting into reading!"

"I'm not even sure what I want to get into anymore," Rainbow grumbled.  "I just feel... frustrated at every turn."

"Well, if reading isn't the sort of thing to relax you, then don't force it."  Twilight shuffled across the library.  "If you want my advice, I'd say do something that you feel most comfortable doing."

"Like what?"

"Something... that inspires confidence in yourself."  Twilight smiled.  "And with others."

"Like...?"

"Well..."  Twilight tapped her chin as her eyes searched the ceiling.  "...when you first dropped Trixie on my doorstep, I thought I was going to go out of my mind with anger and annoyance."

"Uh huh..."

"Instead!"  Twilight grinned.  "Turns out that having her around is must refreshing!"

"Uh huh... ... ..."

"I mean it!"  Twilight gestured.  "With Spike, I've always had the privilege of fostering a young mind.  But he's still just a lab assistant, if you think about it.  I seriously doubt that Spike is always going to be obsessed with magic as I am.  But with Trixie... I know that her career aligns with mine!  Each moment I spend with her... improving her magical pursuits... I know that I am helping her reach a goal that has always confounded her!"

"So..." Rainbow stood up, eyes narrow.  "...what are you saying?"

"Heehee... sometimes true contentment comes from bestowing upon others our greatest talents.  Think about it, Rainbow Dash."  Twilight smiled.  "Isn't there anypony in your life whom you could foster with your awesomeness?"

Rainbow's ears twitched.  She glanced aside.  "Come to think of it..."  A devilish smirk.