Twilight Discovers Comics

by nyycuh

Chapter 1 - Spike's Hoard

“Spike, can you give me a hand in cleaning the library?” Twilight Sparkle impatiently implored Spike.

“In a minute, let me finish this book first,” Spike said, his little head buried behind a flashy comic book.

Twilight Sparkle rolled her eyes. Lately, Spike had been spending an inordinate amount of time buying and reading comics. He had been reading comic books at the dining table, when he should be doing his share of housework around the tree house, and even after bedtime. During that week alone, she had already caught him secretly reading comics after bedtime four times.

Once a week, when he was not doing errands or reading comics, he would be hanging out at Ponyville's local comic book store. After every trip, Spike would come back with yet another stack of comic books. She had no idea where he stored them. Twilight Sparkle hoped this was not his dragon greed rearing its ugly head again. It was difficult enough convincing Mayor Mare that he was safe after that first fiasco.

“Well you better put down that book, or you're not getting sapphire dessert for dinner tonight,” Twilight Sparkle warned him.

“Oh, fine.” Spike threw his comic book aside and started sweeping the floor with a sour look on his face.

“Works every time,” Twilight thought with a smirk.

The doorbell rang. A little grey Pegasus foal stepped into the library and asked Twilight, “Excuse me Twilight, but can I ask you something?”

“Hey Rumble! Sure, ask away. Are you looking for something?” Despite holding the title of princess, Twilight always insisted that everyone in Ponyville addressed her on first-name basis.

“Yeah, I'm looking for books about Star Storm. Do you happen to have any?” Rumble asked eagerly.

“Certainly!” Twilight levitated a very large book from the top of a bookshelf down to the foal. “I've many books on Star Swirl the Bearded. This introductory book is a good start.”

Rumble stared at the green cover of the book, unsure. “Does it have pictures?”

“Why, yes! This book has the best illustrations of any Star Swirl books.” With her magic, Twilight flipped open the book to a page with full-page illustrations of Star Swirl's tools of trade.

“This is my very first book on Star Swirl the Bearded, and I loved it so much I read it ten times over! I highly recommend it to any fillies and foals who want to learn more about him!” Twilight said excitedly. “So, do you want to borrow it?”

Rumble skimmed through the book for a while. “Yeah, thanks Twilight. But-”

“Don't worry, I have plenty more books on the subject!” Twilight levitated even more books from the shelves. “Star Swirl the autobiography? Star Swirl beginner spell book? How about the foal version of his autobiography? It comes with nice artwork!”

“But Twilight, I'm looking for Star Storm, not Star Swirl,” Rumble explained.

“Star Storm?” Twilight asked, surprised. “Who is Star Storm? I don't like to brag, but I've studied the magic of every magicians and witches in the recorded history of Equestria, and I've never heard of anyone called Star Storm. Who is he anyway?”

“Well, she's this really cool unicorn mare who mastered this really awesome kind of magic that gave her lightning bolts and stuff, and she could fly with pure magic and fight monsters and evil magicians from the four corners of Equestria!” Rumble ran around excitedly as he said.

“Hey, did some pony here mention Star Storm?” Spike chimed in.

“I did!” Rumble leap in the air with his wings fluttering when Spike mentioned Star Storm. “Isn't she the coolest?”

“You got that right buddy! Have you read the story of her facing the Order of the Chimera? She’s so awesome!”

“She fought the Order of the Chimera already?! When did that happen?”

“Well it all happened when-”

“Wait a minute, I'm confused now,” Twilight interrupted them. “Who is Star Storm? What is this Order of the Chimera? How come I've never heard of them from Princess Celestia? Spike, did you miss a letter from her?”

Spike and Rumble gave her the same funny look. “Twilight, Star Storm is a comic book character,” Spike explained slowly.

“Oh! Now that makes a lot of sense,” Twilight said, exasperated.

“So, do you have any comics here I can borrow?” Rumble asked brightly.

“I'm sorry Rumble, but I don't have comic books here. I don't have any book on Star Storm,” Twilight said apologetically.

Rumble's face drooped. “Oh. Well, it's a long shot anyway. I guess I've to save up my allowance like everybody else. Thanks for the help anyway, Twilight.”

Rumble was about to turn and leave, when Spike approached him, “Hey, you want to know the story? You can read issue twenty-one to twenty-five just for the good parts. In fact, I can-”

Twilight plugged one of her hooves into Spike's mouth. “May I interest you in some Daring Do books instead?”

“Daring Do huh? She does sound kind of interesting,” Rumble pondered.

Spike removed Twilight's hoof from his mouth. “Twilight, what are you doing? I was about to offer to lend him my comics!” Spike whispered angrily.

“No, we've talked about this before. You can buy comics for yourself, but we're not lending it to other ponies. Otherwise they'll get the wrong idea that the library carries comic books!” Twilight whispered back.

Spike sighed. “Okay, whatever.”

Twilight turned back to Rumble. “Well, where were we? Ah yes, Daring Do!” She levitated all the copies of Daring Do she had in the library to Rumble. “You can borrow three of them, so just pick volume one to three!”

“Are those comics?” Rumble asked.

“No, they're novels. But don't worry; they're fine for all ages.”

Rumble pondered for a few seconds. “Well, okay. I'll take the first book. At least mummy will stop pestering me to read a book.”

“Enjoy your books!” Twilight Sparkle waved Rumble goodbye as he towed the heavy book away with a miniature wagon she had loaned to him.

“At least Rumble can still be saved,” Twilight said to herself, relieved.

Twilight did not think very highly of comics. In her mind, comic books were nothing more than mediocre pulp fiction devoid of any literary or educational value. Twilight had planned for a long time to make Spike read more proper books and wean him off his addiction to comics.

Speaking of books, Twilight remembered she needed to reorganize the library back room where she did all of her administrative work. She had not entered the rooms for the past few days, as she had been so busy running errands that she had to put off most of her library administrative work till that day. She wanted the room to be organized before she could tackle them.

Twilight opened the door to the back room. The sight that greeted her made her scream, “Spike, get over here!”

“What? You don't have to shout,” Spike responded, running over to her.

“Can you explain this?” Twilight angrily jabbed a hoof into the room. Stacks of comic books had filled the entire room, taking up all available floor space.

“They're just comic books, what's the fuss?”

“This is madness! When have you started hoarding all the comic books from all over Equestria? And why did you put them all in the back room without my permission?”

“Twilight, I've always kept my comic book collection here. You never complained.”

“I didn't complain when you used up an entire shelf without my permission, but this, this is ridiculous! How much money have you spent on them?”

“Oh, I got them really cheap just two days ago at the comic store's clearance sale. One bit for five books! Can you believe it? How can I pass over such a great deal?”

“Oh no, his greedy dragon nature is coming back again!” Twilight realized in horror. If she didn't do something soon, it'll be monster-dragon Spike all over again!

“Spike, I'm sorry, but I think you've went too far. I'm banning you from buying or reading any more comics," she said sternly.

Spike's jaw slackened. “But, they're mine!”

Twilight telepathically closed the door and locked it with a key. “It's for your own good.”

Desperate, Spike knelt before Twilight, pleading, “No Twilight, please don't throw them away! I've worked so hard to collect them!”

Twilight's heart softened. She couldn't bear seeing Spike being sad. “I won't, you have my words. But you're not reading any more comics until I say so.”

“But, what can I read when I'm bored? I'll go mad!”

“Well lucky for you, we happen to live in a library.” Twilight strolled over to a shelf and retrieved a medium-sized book titled Around Equestria in Seventy Days. “Here, this should keep you occupied for a while.”

“This book? Nobody ever loaned this book, Twilight. Nobody ever reads it,” Spike said, perplexed.

“Well I do, and it's one of my favorite books. This is your reading assignment. Write a two-page book report based on this book, and I'll let you read your comics again. No negotiation.” Twilight said.

Spike grumbled. “But Twilight, this book is boring. It doesn't even have any picture on the cover!”

“Then use your imagination. Take your time, this book is meant to be read slowly.”

Sulking, Spike left with the book under his arm.

“In the meantime, I better tidy up that mess in the back room,” Twilight decided aloud. “Comic books or not, they're long overdue for reorganizing.”

Comments

[ramseymac]

Nice work, spot on characterization!

[MythrilMoth]

Twilight seems a bit too quick to jump to the "clearance sale on comic books = greed = hoarding" train of logic. Also, I'm not sure I think very highly of the setup for this premise...I can't see Twilight being this judgmental about comics.

[SudokuBrony]

In her mind, comic books were nothing more than mediocre pulp fiction devoid of any literary or educational value.

(gun shot) "Oh I'm sorry, did I break your concentration?"

[StrigidaeFan]

I'm sorry, but being both female, and a proud owner of the Blackest Night graphic novel, as well as Superman: Red Sun and Captain America: Winter Soldier (both the graphic novel and Movie, I might add), my respect for Twilight has dropped by a point or two.

Twilight, I am ashamed.

[BurningBright]

Yeah I've never ever EVER met a librarian with this mindset. Libraries go by volumes issued, ya don't get more funding if somebody reads milnes over cookson. Hell mi mam insists if not for "pulp and romance" half the libraries out there wouldn't even exist.