//------------------------------// // Awkwardness Is in the Eye of the Awkwarder // Story: Shellstrings // by shortskirtsandexplosions //------------------------------// Castle of Friendship - Library The doors closed behind Lyra, and the unicorn found herself in a dim place with dusty walls looming around her. "Uhhhh... Sunstar Glammer?" Lyra spoke over her shoulder, brow furrowed. "I think you just escorted me into a really really tall broom closet—" Right as she said this, she tilted her head towards the ceiling. It was then that she noticed that the walls in front of her didn't reach all the way to the lofty ceiling—for they weren't walls at all. Instead, she was standing in front of several imposing stacks of books, placed on top of one another. "Hmmmm..." The mare blinked. "Well, okay then." "Starlight?" a chirpy voice echoed from somewhere beyond the labyrinthine forest of tomes. "Starlight, is that you?" "Uhhhhh... no. It's..." Lyra cleared her throat. "Lyra. Lyra Heartstrings? I was summoned by the Princess to—" "Oh! Lyra! Oh my goodness! I-I lost track of time! Just... uh... just one moment!" Lyra squinted. "Twilight?" Her murmuring voice carried her forward. Soon, she was navigating her way around a mountainous collection of hardbacks. At last—rounding a final stack—she found a lavender shape huddled in the middle of the room and bathed in manalight. The pony busied herself with arranging several sheets of partially scribbled research material. "If... if this is a bad time...?" "Not at all!" A bright grin flickered from afar. Only once Lyra had cleared the first layer of books did she realize just how spacious the royal library was. "Please forgive me. I d-didn't mean to be so rude. I woke up a few hours ago and couldn't get back to sleep, so I wandered in here and spotted an outdated volume of Dr. Farrierstone's Treatise on Dragon Culture. And considering my recent experience in observing the transfer of the title of Dragon Lord to Princess Ember—well—I thought I might work on crafting an addendum to Dr. Farrierstone's work for submission to the Canterlot Cultural Society with the express purpose of bringing an updated sociological observation to Princess Celestia's attention." The mare managed a nervous giggle. "You know how it is." "Oh. Sure." Lyra smiled crookedly. "You bet!" "Here. Make yourself comfortable." Twilight stood up, her horn glowing. "I'll fix this place up all nice and orderly." "That's fine." Lyra cleared her throat. "Would you like some assistance with th—?" FW-FW-FW-FW-FW-FWOOOOSH! Every single book lifted up into the air, propelled by violet telekinesis. They spun a paper cyclone around the two mares. Then—within the span of ten dazzling seconds—the tomes darted off like comets, neatly arranging themselves across countless book shelves. Within a breath, the library was orderly enough for a castle catalogue photo. "... ... ..." Lyra blinked. "Orrrrrrrr you can just be a goddess librarian. I mean, that's cool as well—" "Lyra!" Twilight pivoted to face her, beaming. "Gah!" Lyra winced... but soon slumped back onto calm limbs. "Uhm... hello yourself, Twilight!" She smiled as evenly as she could. "You're as... uh... lavender as ever!" Twilight giggled, raising a forelimb with eyes closed. "Good to know you're just as quirky as ever!" "Uhhhhh..." Lyra raised an eyebrow. "I was quirky?" A pair of wings fluffed out, and she flinched again. "Whoahhhh-hohohokaaaaaaaaaay..." A nervous cough. "Yup. Those are new." "Oh... erm... s-sorry... eheh..." Twilight held her breath and tucked the wings away. "That tends to happen when I get really excited." She rolled her eyes, smirking. "I've been an alicorn for months and months, and still I have trouble getting used to the most basic of things." "Oh. That's quite alright." Lyra nodded. "I've been a unicorn all my life and I'm still having to deal with the fact that I'm not allowed to headbutt anypony." Twilight Sparkle giggled. Lyra exhaled, relaxing slightly. "So... uhm... a princess! Who'd a thunk it." She waved a hoof. "I figured you'd at least be wearing a tiara or something." "Oh. That." Twilight shook her head. She lifted her research materials and placed them on a study desk. "Truth is, tiaras aren't required with the job description." Lyra's ears instantly drooped. "Oh." "You sound disappointed...?" "Eh... not that it'll ever matter." Lyra cleared her throat. "Well, at least you got a whole lot of books out of the deal!" "Oh, I've got a lot more than that!" Twilight said, straightening the desk before turning around. "From a survey Spike and I made of the place, it looks like I've also got several balconies, an armory, two kitchens, an infirmary, and a dungeon!" Twilight blinked, her tail flicking nervously. "That... last detail worries me a bit." She chewed her bottom lip. "Considering that this castle literally sprung up from the ground after being summoned by a rainbow..." "Uhhhhh—" "But none to worry! I'll be using the subterranean space to load up on all of the magical relics that my friends and I are just bound to discover during our travels." She smirked. "I've already stored the portal to the human world there!" "The portal to..." Lyra grimaced. "...the what world?" "Long story." Twilight waved a hoof. "I could go on and on about myself for forever. But that's not what this is about!" She leaned forward with a brilliant grin. "Tell me how you're doing, Lyra!" "How I'm doing..." "Yes!" Twilight trotted over and stood close to her, smiling. "It's been so... so long since we last sat down and chatted! I feel like I've been... well... I've b-been very neglectful!" She took a deep breath. "After all, you've lived in Ponyville about as long as I have." "Uh... longer, actually—" "You see what I mean!" Twilight's eyes glistened. "And to think—we used to hang out all the time!" "Well..." Lyra rubbed the back of her head. "If I recall correctly, you and I went to the same elementary school. I goofed around while you sorta just... sat in the corner and read books a lot." She gulped, her brow furrowing. "I mean a lot a lot." "Oh come now, Lyra..." Twilight chuckled. "Surely we hung out more than that..." Her smile twitched slightly, and Lyra spotted a slight droop to her ears. "...r-right?" "Well... uhm..." Lyra cleared her throat. "I know that you were pretty chummy with Minuette, Twinkleshine, Lemon Hearts, and... and..." "Moondancer!" Lyra's eyes jolted, as if a lightning bulb went on in her skull. "Oh! Right! Moondancer! Somehow... I just knew I was forgetting somepony. Uhm..." She rubbed her head, squinting. "... ... ...one of you used to wear glasses and was... super 'meh' all the time. Like... kinda of freakily antisocial and sullen." "Uhmmmm..." Twilight blinked. She peered around the room absent-mindedly, then discovered a few books leaning off the edge of a shelf. "Well, Moondancer's the one who used to wear glasses." She wandered over and fixed the books so that they were angled evenly. "Still does, to tell the truth. Believe it or not, I've reconnected with the mare over the past few months. She's living up in Canterlot, working on new history research programs! I'm really excited for her!" "Wow, really?" Lyra cocked her head to the side. "She hasn't killed herself by now?" Twilight looked back. "Hmmm? What was that?" "Uhhhhhh—uhmmmm..." Lyra fidgeted hard. She gulped. "She's gotta be thrilled! Herself!" She waved a hoof. "To m-meet up with you again, I mean! Heheh..." "Heh... it was an eye-opening experience," Twilight said. "And heart-opening... so to speak." She brushed her bangs aside, smiling softly. "It... uh... it meant a lot to me... y'know... to be on speaking terms with the mare again. Especially considering that... well... I was so apathetic and unfriendly to all of you girls for so many years." "I... don't hold any grudges, Twilight," Lyra said. "You're a-okay in my book. Wings or no wings." "But maybe you'll understand now why I wanted to see you again," Twilight said, trotting closer once again. "I've learned so much about friendship over the past year and a half. And although I've learned these lessons with such wonderful friends... I care about my old friends as well." She gulped. "And I don't want any of us to miss out, y'know?" "Hey..." Lyra shrugged, chuckling slightly. "It's a big world out there, Twilight. You can't be expected to become friends with everypony." "Yes, but that doesn't mean I can't try." Lyra blinked at that. Twilight sighed... then smiled again. "How about a tour of the Castle? I can give you a first-hoof preview of where all of Equestria's Forthcoming Ambassadorial Conventions will be held!" "Okay..." "And in the meantime..." Twilight giggled, leading Lyra towards the nearest door and opening it. "...you can tell me all about yourself these past few years! How does that sound?" "I... uh..." Lyra gulped. "I think a tour of the castle would be gr-great!"