Twilight Sparkle, Librarian

by Raryn

The Record of All Things - Part 2

Twilight Sparkle: Librarian
The Record of All Things - Part 3
By: Raryn

---

After a few hours of fitful sleep filled with dreams of failure and horror at the loss of Bookworm’s journal, Twilight awoke and swiftly packed a bag with a few essentials. Into the bag went a roll of parchment, some inkwells, a few quills, and her money purse. As she turned to leave, she gave another look around her room and saw that she had left her journal sitting on the table next to her bed.

“Can’t forget you,” she said as she grabbed the book with her magic. She gave it a hard look over, wondering if anything had been written over the night, before opening it.

How could I have left the journal just lying around like that!? Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! How could I have been so careless with it!? I’m such a failure, I’m—

“Ok, no more reading about how much I hate myself right now. Stupid magic journal.” She stowed her journal into her saddle bag before leaving her room.

As she walked through the library on her way to the door, Twilight gave a longing look at the familiar shelves of books that she had shared the past few years of her life with.

“Hopefully,” she began as she reached the front door and turned to face the room. “Hopefully I’ll be able to return.” She knew nothing for certain about what her mission held for her, or even what kind of work being a member of the Hidden Stories would involve. The tales told of Bookworm’s adventures at his remembrance gave little reassurance that it would be nothing short of extremely dangerous. Even so, she remembered the lessons that Pinkie had taught her way back when they had first met, the lessons about fear, and decided that keeping a positive attitude was the best thing that she could do.

Twilight turned from the books and left the library, locking it up after her before she made her way across town. She had sent Spike out to make sure that she’d have a seat on the next train to Canterlot and to make sure that her friends knew she was leaving.

---

Soon, she once again found herself standing at the Ponyville train station in the early hours of the morning awaiting the train that would take her on to Canterlot, though this time it was in the company of her friends.

“Darling,” Rarity started, a slight look of concern crossing her face. “Are you sure that you must leave now?”

“Ya sure ya really need ta Sugarcube,” Applejack piped in. “I mean, ya jus’ got back yesterday. Can’t ya stay a bit longer?”

“Yeah,” Pinkie said. “And you haven’t even had the chance to try any of the new things I’ve made to sell.”

“I’m sorry girls,” Twilight said glumly. “But this can’t wait. I received an emergency summons. Apparently something went wrong with all the paperwork for the library and I need to be there.”

“Maybe we could help you then?” Fluttershy said through her long pink mane. “I mean, if it wouldn’t be too much trouble.”

“Yeah, I’m sure that it’d all go faster if we helped ya,” Applejack said. The others swiftly agreed with the plan, all nodding and offering their help.

“Thanks, I really do appreciate the offer,” Twilight stated. “But I don’t want you all to have to interrupt your own lives to help. Besides, this is the kind of thing I’m good at.” She gave her friends a big smile, hoping that she had managed to fool them with her tale. “By the way, where’s Rainbow? I thought she’d be here with the rest of you.”

“Poor Dashie had a bit too much cider last night,” Pinkie explained.

“Yep,” Applejack said. “She’s still out like a rock.”

The distant sound of a train’s whistle signaled the arrival of the Canterlot train. “That’s my signal, girls.” Twilight approached her friends and gave each a big hug. “I hope that this time it won’t take too long to get everything dealt with, but then again, you never can tell how things will work out.” She turned from her friends and approached the arriving train. “Tell Rainbow that I’ll miss her and that I’ll be back soon — we can have another party then — and make sure that Spike and the library are ok while I’m gone.”

Her friends all agreed to keep an eye on everything for her as she entered the train and began her journey back to Canterlot.

---

“I wasn't expecting you to return so soon, Twilight,” Princess Celestia said as she and Twilight wandered through the shelves of books in the Grand Equestrian Library. “I was sure that you'd want to spend some more time with your friends back in Ponyville.”

“And that's what I was planning to do,” Twilight said as she grabbed a random book from the shelves. “Unfortunately, things happened.” She looked at the book before replacing it and pulling another from the shelves. “Could you show me where the books on the old Equestrian myths are kept?”

“Ah, so your first mission has appeared.” Princess Celestia gave Twilight a knowing look filled with just a hint of sadness. Twilight nodded solemnly. “I won't ask for the details or how it came to be, but I will offer what help I can. The old stories are on the second floor, I'll show you where they are.” Princess Celestia started to head off towards the stairs as Twilight followed after her.

“Princess, what do you know of Bookworm’s life as a member of the Hidden Stories?”

“Why do you ask?”

“Oh, no reason in particular. Just wondering if he confided in you anything.”

“I'm sorry, Twilight, but I only knew of his involvement with the order and nothing more. He was very secretive.” She stopped herself in front of a large section of bookshelves set into a corner of the library's second floor. “Here is everything you should need. Anything else you may be able to find in Bookworm’s research room, though I guess that it's yours now.”

“Thank you, Princess.” Twilight turned to the shelves and began to look over the titles.

“I wish you the best of luck, my most faithful student.”

---

The Record of All-Things, a magic artifact created in ancient times, long before the foundation of the three pony kingdoms. Back when the world was vastly different, a time when magic itself was very different. In order to dedicate more time to their Thaulmatic research, pony mages sought out a way to keep track of the histories without having to actively write them down. After years and years of grueling trial and error and research, they succeeded. Though, once they knew success, they realized that what they had created was too powerful to be left in the hooves of ponies, or any creature. For the Record of All-Things not only kept a perfect history of everything that had happened, it also showed something that startled and unnerved its creators: events that had yet to take place.

In order to keep the Record safe and out of the hooves of those who'd use it for ill, its creators took extreme measures. It was laid to rest within a tomb of pure crystalline magic that could not be opened save through the use of a complicated magical ritual which was known only to its creators. This tomb was then contained within another, far greater tomb hidden at the very ends of the known lands of the time.

This tomb was fitted with all sorts of traps, both magical and corporal, to ward off potential thefts. And, as legend has it, the Record has lain there undisturbed for the countless millennia since its creation.

~~~

Twilight returned the book to the shelf, as she had done with the many others before it and let out a sigh of frustration. So far, all the books had been telling her the same thing; that the Record was lost somewhere at the borders of an ancient civilization. To make matters worse, there was nothing on this ancient civilization aside from these old tales and myths. No history books, no records of ancient ruins found, nothing. She'd begun to believe that the Hidden Stories were somehow involved with that little omission from history. Then, as quickly as that thought passed through her head, she remembered that there was a place in the library that was crawling with Hidden Story things. She quickly ran through the shelves of books to the central staircase.

As she approached it, she realized just how much time had passed while she'd been reading through the old books. When she'd arrived, it had been late morning, now bright moonlight shone through the ceiling windows backed by the dark of the night sky. Twilight slowly made her way towards the center of the library, magical torches burned softly, giving off a gentle glow as she passed.

She took a moment to appreciate the quiet beauty that the library gave off at night before she turned and headed up the stairs and back to the rear atrium of the top floor. As the door to the hidden room swung open, Twilight sprung into action; carefully pulling the old books from their shelves and flipping through them with the hopes that the information she needed would be there. Soon she found what she'd been looking for, an ancient book, its cover worn and cracked, with a symbol of a crossed pair of golden trees above a golden crown.

As she sped through the book, it dawned on her why there were no records of the ancient land in any history book. Something had happened, something that had destroyed everything and scattered the few survivors to a new land which would come to be the three pony kingdoms.

“What could have caused such a calamity?” Twilight mused, caught up in the book. She turned her attention to the maps on the walls, and using the book as a guide, searched for a map of the lost country. She found it, right at the center of a web of maps. As she looked at the others around the one she was looking for, she realized that they were all of the same place, yet set at different periods of history. According to them, the place she needed to go to was far to the northwest, beyond the frozen lands and the mountains that they bordered.

“How am I supposed to get there? That'll take weeks of travel...” Twilight thought trailed off as a glow came from her bag. She remembered that her journal had glowed before something appeared in it, perhaps it was doing that again. She grabbed her journal from her bag and opened it; she was right, there on a fresh page, a new section of text had appeared.

How in the name of Celestia am I supposed to make it to wherever this lost kingdom is? It’ll take weeks of travel and I’m sure that whoever stole Book Worm’s journal already knows how to get there faster than that. Wait, that gives me an idea. Golden Spade sent me that message, the one brought by one of the new employees, Cara, saying that she was in town and wanted to meet up. She’s been a member of the Hidden Stories for a lot longer then I have; she’s got to know a way to travel fast.

“Ya know journal,” she said as she finished reading the new bit of her personal story. “While this is convenient and all, it's still a bit creepy. And you didn't even tell me when this message is supposed to arrive.” Then, the soft sound of bells sounded in the room. Twilight looked around for its source, and her eyes fell on a small string of bells connected to a rope leading out of the room.

“Must be the way to let anypony up here know that somepony’s looking for them.” she said. “Guess that’d be Cara.”

Twilight quickly made her exit from the hidden room and made sure that it was closed properly so that nopony could stumble upon it before she made the journey down to the first floor and the central desk. There, in front of the desk, stood one of the ponies that she had approved of for employment to the library; a slight, light yellow colored earth pony mare with a cutie mark of a map and her green mane and tail pulled into simple buns.

“Good morning, Miss Sparkle,” the mare said as Twilight approached.

“Good morning to you too, Cara,” Twilight replied. “What brings you here so early?”

“I have a message that is directed to you. It was given to me with the distinct orders not to look into it and to deliver it to your hooves only. And a quick inquiry with some of the guards placed you here in the library since yesterday. If you don't mind me asking, have you been here the whole time?”

“Yes, Cara,” Twilight replied, thinking up yet another tale to tell. “I've been here going through some of the older sections of the library to make sure that the books were still in proper order and pulling those that weren't so that they could be either repaired or replaced.”

“Ah, getting ready for the big day when this place is finally opened back up to the public. You certainly show your dedication to the place. Now where did I put that note?” Cara rooted around in the bag she had with her before pulling out a sealed letter and passing it to Twilight. “There we go. Now I gotta go. I'll see you later.”

“Thank you.” Twilight watched as the mare left and once she heard the door close, she unsealed the note and read it.

Hey Twilight, just wanted to know if you'd want to meet at some point. I know that you were sent old Book Worm's journal and all, but I'm sure that it'd help if you were able to talk with an active member about stuff. If you want, I'll be at the Yoke and Saddle inn here in Canterlot for the next few days before I head off on assignment. Hope to see you.

~ Golden Spade

“Thank you journal for letting me know what I need to do.” Twilight made her way from the library and headed off towards the Yoke and Saddle inn. “I hope Golden won't ask about Book Worm's journal.”

---

Twilight arrived at the inn a short while later. It was in the older part of Canterlot, where the buildings were made mostly from wood, as opposed to the stone the newer parts were made of. The inn itself had an old rustic feel to it, the complete wooden facade and water trencher set the mood to olden times. As she entered the building, the smell of cooking food struck her and her stomach reminded her that she hadn't eaten in more than a day.

“Twilight, you got my letter.” Twilight saw Golden Spade sitting at a nearby table, motioning for her to come over. “I just ordered some breakfast. Care to join?”

“Yes,” Twilight replied as she sat herself down across from Golden. “Thank you, Golden Spade.”

“Please, just Golden is fine. Saying my full name's a bit too formal and wordy for me.”

“Ok, Golden, so you said something about teaching me a few things?”

“Yes, I did say that didn't I.” Golden raised a hoof and scratched the back of her head. “Though I'm not quite sure how much I can teach that's not in old Bookie's journal.”

“Yeah, about that,” Twilight began, bracing herself for the bad response she expected. “It kinda got stolen.”

Author's Note:

Here's another shout out and thank you to my editor AntiquatedAnnomaly for all the help he has put into helping me to clean up this chapter.

Comments

[Aridifolia]

They're going to have an interesting converstion once she gets over her shock.

[Commander Darklight]

so they create this record that can tell the future and they decide its to dangerous but they hide it instead of destroying it