Basil Blitz Books
Basil Blitz Books didn’t seem like much on the outside. Two windows flanked a large glass and wood door. Each window contained a vaguely-dusty collection of assorted books from the Art of Battle of Sun Blade to a second edition of Zoologicala Equestria by Shorefish.
All in all, it looked like any used bookstore, save for lettering printed on the front door.
Basil Blitz Books - Est. 852 PCP
“Any kind of book you can imagine - And many more you can’t!”
Hours: T-F 3PM-3AM - Sat: 12PM-2AM- Sun: 9PM-4AM
“This guy really is a night owl,” Sunset muttered.
“He’s fun!” Twilight replied cheerfully. “You’ll like him.”
“If you say so.” Sunset shrugged, grabbed the handle in her magic and pulled. But the door didn’t budge.
Twilight giggled.
Sunset frowned and pushed on the door. Nothing happened.
Twilight descended into full-blown snickering.
Sunset turned to the other unicorn and raised an eyebrow in her best impression of imperious Celestia. This did not have the desired effect. Twilight almost doubled over laughing.
“Sorry, your… your face was just… oh, I can’t remember the last time you looked that confused, Sunset.”
“Yeah, definitely too much time with Moon Dancer,” Sunset grumbled.
You’re right! Now, if you could only do something about that, you lovesick idiot!
Sunset let out a long, slow breath as Twilight got herself under control. With the occasional snicker, Twilight stepped up and pulled the door open… with a hoof.
“It’s designed to resist magic,” Twilight said with another giggle. “Mister Blitz doesn’t often have highly charged magical volumes in his shop, but after an incident with a book he insists on calling the Octavio… he got his shop upgraded.”
“What happened?” A blast of warm air melted the snow on Sunset’s jacket.
“The book exploded.” Twilight shrugged as if that were something normal. “Apparently turned him into a diamond dog for a day. And everypony in the shop, too.”
Sunset blinked.
“No, sorry.” Twilight laughed again. “Actually, it blew out his windows and sent his front door over the side of the mountain when some thaumaturgic feedback interfered with his levitation spell.”
Sunset blinked again. “I’m not sure which one of those bothers me more.”
“Oh, he’s a lot more careful about taking books from strange ponies in cloaks these days,” Twilight answered cheerfully. “Come on, I’ll introduce you!”
Hopefully that cloaked pony I saw earlier doesn’t qualify as ‘strange.’
Twilight trotted inside. Without much choice, Sunset followed. Upon entering, she shivered in delight at the wave of warmth that washed over her. A roaring hearth sat in the very center of the bookstore, protected by what looked like enchanted glass and several layers of magical shielding. Sunset couldn’t help but stare. It was shaped like the bottom of an hourglass and completely clear with some minor ornamental etching running around the lower circumference. While she couldn’t see any fuel underneath it, it burned as merrily as the fireplace in her own home last year.
She hadn’t had the time to sit in front of the fire this year yet.
Right. That’s the reason.
“Mister Blitz?” Twilight called and wandered further into the depths of the store, while Sunset looked around.
To Sunset’s surprise, the place did look rather normal. Bookshelves three feet high ran the length of the long room, with a large cash register on the far right. In the far left corner stood a spiral staircase leading to the second story. Random reading nooks were scattered throughout the store, complete with mismatched chairs, cushions or beat-up old couches. Most of the books themselves seemed little more than second- or third-hoof editions of your everyday sort of books one would find in any average bookstore. Sunset ran her hoof along the spines of a few on a shelf near her and squinted. She didn’t know these titles.
“The Lost Princess,” she murmured to herself, reading the titles, “Memoirs of a Royal Guard, Radiant Hope’s Folly, Crystal’s Wishes—”
“Sunset!” Twilight called from deeper within. “Come to the back of the store!”
Sunset dropped her hoof and followed the sound of Twilight’s voice. After a few turns, she found herself in a large stockroom with walls literally full of books. It wasn’t anything like the RCA Stack Vaults or Celestia’s private study, but the sheer volume impressed Sunset. She looked around for a few moments, enjoying the presence of so many words. She did enjoy the practical application of magical studies rather than simply doing research, but years of friendship with Moon Dancer had convinced her ‘dusty old books’ weren’t nearly as dull as she once believed.
Twilight giggled. Sunset finally glanced at her and registered the other pony in the stockroom. A spry-looking blue stallion in a cardigan with large round glasses looked her up and down with an impish grin.
“Somepony’s definitely got the bug,” the stallion said, his voice resonating with approval.
“Bug?” Sunset asked. “What bug?”
“Book bug!” the stallion declared. “Obviously!”
Twilight giggled again. Sunset couldn’t help but notice Twilight was all but glowing with glee. The sight twisted something inside of her, but she brutally shoved it away.
Instead, she plastered a smile on her face and reached out a hoof.
“Hi,” Sunset said. “I’m Sunset—”
Sunset paused for the inevitable.
He cocked his head to the right, studying her curiously. “You were saying, young lady?”
Sunset stared at him. “You… aren’t going to interrupt me?”
“Now, why would I do a thing like that?” The stallion cocked his head to the left. “That’s a right rude thing to do, especially to a filly as pretty as you. Ain’t got anything on Twily, though.”
“Sorry.” Sunset chuckled faintly. “I’m sorta used people always telling me they know who I am. I almost never get to actually introduce myself.”
“Well, my mama raised me better than that!” the stallion said, banging a hoof against the hardwood floor. Twilight giggled again before taking another sip of her tea. “Now, why don’t you just continue on with what you were saying, young filly?”
“I’m… well, I’m Sunset Shimmer. You must be Basil Blitz?” Sunset felt a strange warmth inside. She’d actually got to introduce herself to somepony, even if that somepony almost certainly already knew who she was. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been able to do that.
“Sure as sugarcane, I am.” The stallion winked over his glasses. “But you just call me Basil. Only time anypony uses my full name is my wife, and that’s only when I’m in a heap of trouble.”
Basil Blitz gave a rather overdramatic shiver of horror. Sunset couldn’t help but laugh. Twilight had good taste in bookstore owners.
“Sunset’s the friend who reintroduced me to Moon Dancer, Basil!” Twilight said, beaming at him. “Plus all the other new friends I mentioned a few weeks ago.”
“Is that so?” Basil stepped up to Sunset and eyed her far more critically than he had before. The scent of old books and binding glue wandered around him like cologne. “Well, if that’s the case, I’m sure we can arrange for a five percent discount.”
“Five?” Twilight protested. “Basil! You said you’d be nice!”
Basil cracked up laughing. “Ah, you caught me. Okay, okay. Ten. No more though! I’m still running a business here!”
“I’m not trying to mess with your business.” Sunset raised her hooves. “Just looking for a book.”
“A book, you say?” Basil sighed with bone-weary disappointment, shaking his head sadly. “Well, why’d you come somewhere silly like a bookstore to get a book? Everypony knows the best books are found at the tomato stands. Usually on market days.”
Sunset stared at him.
Twilight groaned.
Basil burst out laughing. “Oh, I’m just teasin’ you, filly. Don’t you mind me none.”
“Ignore him,” Twilight said with a sigh. “He just likes to play the crazy bookseller part whenever I introduce him to somepony new.”
“It’s tradition!” Basil proclaimed. “After all, I did the same thing when good ol’ Jade wandered in here all those moons ago with some silly little filly, eyes too big for her head.”
Twilight blushed and rubbed her boots against the floor.
Sunset smirked then decided to take control of the situation.
“Well, Mister—”
“Hey now! I said you call me Basil! If you don’t, it’s back down to five percent for you!”
“Basil,” Sunset corrected herself with a smirk. “I’m looking for the book Teahouses of Saddle Arabia.”
“Author?” Basil asked, his brow furrowed.
“It’s by—” Sunset paused and frowned. “Actually… ponyfeathers! I don’t know. I… well, I forgot to check.”
“Well, and here I thought a friend like Twily’s… especially one with the bug…” Basil shook his head sadly. “I had thought a filly like you would be better prepared!”
“Basil,” Twilight said warningly. “Be nice.”
“I’m being perfectly nice!” Basil protested as he brushed by the two of them and headed out into his shop. “Ain’t my fault she was not prepared!”
The light in the room seemed to shift as he pronounced those last three words. The hearth in the center of the room burned with a strange green hue. The words echoed as if they’d been shouted by some sort of ancient demon from a mountaintop.
Then the sensation passed, leaving the used bookstore completely normal. For a given value of ‘used bookstore.’
“What—what was that?” Sunset asked, her heart pounding in her chest for reasons she couldn’t quite identify.
Twilight shrugged, looking way too nonplussed for Sunset’s comfort. “Bookstore drama.”
“Bookstore drama,” Sunset repeated, cocking an eyebrow at her. “Okay, is there like a manual or something I haven’t read about bookstore sales methodologies?”
Twilight ignored her and skipped—she actually skipped—away down the aisle, following Basil. Sunset didn’t know if she should burst out laughing or clutch her head and groan. In the end, she decided to follow her friend.
When they arrived at the front of the store, Basil was rummaging through a large cabinet behind the cash register while floating a scroll in light blue magic. He consulted the scroll and flipped through a long drawer of cards, probably the catalog for the bookstore.
“See now,” Basil said with a shake of his head. His wiry gray mane twitched a little with the movement. “I happen to be a proper bookseller and have my catalogue organized by author.”
Twilight let out an agonized groan. “Basil, I’ve been after you for years to move to the Starswirl Decimal System. It would save you so much time! It’s far more efficient.”
Sunset caught a sly smile on the stallion’s face. “Well, if it helps, old Mahogany Shelf got me thinking about switching to the Dewey Decimal System. That’s pretty much the same thing, isn’t it?”
The intake of air from Twilight as she prepared for her rant should have sucked books into the mare’s face. Sunset clamped her ears down, knowing full well the sheer volume of the incoming tirade.
“I can’t believe you! After all this time, you decided to deal with that—”
Sunset slammed Twilight’s muzzle shut with a flash of magic. Her eyes narrowed dangerously… and she turned her gaze toward Sunset.
Adora-Stare this is not…
It was far too late for Basil though. The damage had been done.
He’d fallen over laughing.
“Oh… o-oh my… I… oh… Celestia save my soul, that never gets old!” he howled from the ground, legs flailing in the air.
Sunset released Twilight’s muzzle and slowly backed away. Twilight leapt forward, snagged a paperback book off the counter with her hooves. Then she actually started smacking Basil with the book. Repeatedly.
Celestia’s mane… I’ve never seen her like this!
Sunset wondered why the hearth in the center of the store seemed to be putting out far more heat than before.
Basil didn’t seem to mind the assault. In fact, he just laughed harder, wheezing a little with every impact. Sunset just… stared as his laughter echoed through the store, punctuated by the repeated thwacks of the paperback book.
“You evil little stallion, I should report you!” Twilight cried—her words clear despite the constant thwacks. “Oh, I’m so telling Flourished Night on you! She’ll set you straight!”
“No! Ow! Not the—ow!—wife! Ow! Anything—ow!—but that!”
“Oh for the love of Harmony…” Sunset grabbed Twilight in a field of teal magic and yanked her up off the stallion. Twilight let out a cry of protest and flailed down at the still-cackling bookseller.
“I’m not through with him yet!”
“Yes, you are! What has gotten into you, Twilight?” Sunset demanded.
“He deserves it!” Twilight glared at the giggling Basil, who finally seemed to be making some effort on getting himself under control. “He knows! He knows! Dewey was a hack! A hack! He just stole Starswirl’s system, made it prettier, changed a few things around and—”
Basil finally got to his hooves, wincing and holding his side as if his laughter had actually broken something. He straightened his glasses with a flick of magic and grinned up at Twilight, still stuck in Sunset’s levitation field.
“Oh Twily…” he said as he wiped a tear from his eye. “Never change, dear Twily. Never change.”
Twilight suddenly stopped struggling. She gaped at him… then facehoofed.
“…how many times have you baited me into that now, Basil?” Twilight asked, her voice muffled by her own hoof.
“Eleven since Jade brought you in here that first time.” Basil cackled again and turned to Sunset. “My dear filly, I wish you could have seen her. She went after me with a book that time too! Like being savaged by a kitten! Ol’ Jade told me over tea later that it was likely the most adorable act of literary savagery she’d ever witnessed in her life. Can’t say I disagree.”
“Sunset?”
“Hm?”
Sunset’s brain skipped a few times trying to process the image of a filly Twilight ‘savaging’ a full-grown stallion with a book. Even the mere thought of it may very well have been the cutest thing Sunset had ever experienced… even if only second-hoof.
With this power… Equestria could dominate the entire world. She wasn’t sure if this terrified her or excited her. Possibly both.
On second thought, probably both.
“Sunset!” Twilight said.
“What?” She blinked and looked up at Twilight. “What is it?”
“You can put me down now.” Twilight huffed, still floating in a bubble of teal magic with her forehooves crossed.
“Huh? Oh! Sorry!”
Sunset blushed and settled Twilight gently to the floor. Twilight shot Basil a poisonous glare and tossed the paperback book—a dog-eared copy of Daring Do and the Quest for the Sapphire Stone—onto the counter.
“You’re going to tell Jade about this, aren’t you?” Twilight huffed, her ears flicking back and forth with annoyance—and probably more than a little embarrassment.
“You bet your book-marked flank I am, filly,” Basil replied with a smirk.
“Ugh. Why do my friends all hate me?”
“Because they love you.” Basil’s smirk intensified.
“That is a direct contradiction of what I just said.”
“Doesn’t make it any less true.”
“Ugh… please just find Sunset’s book!”
Still chuckling to himself, Basil returned his attention to the book catalog and Twilight wandered off, looking completely ready to get in some solid sulking time.
“Do you really tease her all the time like that?” Sunset asked once Twilight was out of sight.
“Oh, she knows I love her. The whole Association loves Twily. Even that weird fella over on Short Street.”
“Association?” Sunset repeated, her head cocked. “What Association?”
“Why the Equestrian Booksellers Association, of course!” Basil laughed. “Nearly every bookseller worth buying books from is part of it. Hmph. That’s a bust. Let’s try…”
Basil slid a drawer closed and opened another before starting to flick through the cards.
“Nearly every bookseller? Why do I not like the sound of that?”
Basil waved a hoof distractedly. “Oh, there are a few members behind on their dues. Plus one or two we just don’t like to recommend. They’re a bit on the odd side.”
The light in the room dimmed and a green flicker washed over them.
Basil either didn’t notice or didn’t care.
Okay, this is quickly climbing it’s way up to one of the more bizarre nights of my life. And considering that I’m Princess Celestia’s personal student, that’s saying something.
“Hmph,” Basil muttered to himself. “Well, it should have been there under Nabat… but no… maybe Saffron? No, not there either… I wonder if Lost Page might have that in stock, since she’s actually from the lands beyond Griffonstone. She sometimes got as far as Saddle Arabia, I think… but it’s not usually her sort of fare… hmmm…”
“So… you don’t have it?” Sunset asked, her heart sinking, despite Twilight’s earlier warnings.
Basil went through the motions and flipped through a few more drawers, but Sunset could tell from his posture that they wouldn’t be getting lucky on the first attempt. She wasn’t all that surprised. After all, since when was she that lucky?
“Well, I’m sorry, filly, but it doesn’t seem like I have what you’re looking for.” Basil sighed and turned to face her. Then he brightened. “But, I might be able to help point you in the right direction! You go find Twily! She tends to get lost in her own little world when she’s in here. By the time you get back, I should have a good lead for you.”
Basil gave her an encouraging smile, enough to spark a bit of hope inside Sunset.
“Thanks, Basil. I appreciate it.”
Basil made vague shooing motions with a hoof as he levitated over a quill and started scribbling on a piece of parchment. “Go on now, find your Twily and—”
Sunset twitched. It was faint. It was almost nothing. But… it was something.
Basil instantly stopped talking. The mirth faded from his wizened features.
Sunset took a breath, pushed back the chuckle from the depths of her mind and smiled at him. “Something wrong?”
Basil’s attention landed fully on Sunset. It was only then she realized he had been having too much fun with Twilight to truly focus on Sunset. His eyes went wide, as if he… recognized her? But that didn’t make sense. Everypony knew Sunset Shimmer at this point. Especially in Canterlot.
“Oh my,” Basil murmured. For the first time, Basil’s brow creased in worry and something that looked vaguely like pain. “I’m… I’m sorry, young filly. I wasn’t paying attention.” He levitated off his glasses and rubbed his eyes with a hoof. “If I had… I wouldn’t have teased you quite so badly.”
“I’m sorry, but I don’t have any idea what you’re talking about.”
“My dear filly.” Basil smiled sympathetically as he replaced his glasses. “It takes a special kind of pony to run a used bookstore. Ain’t for everypony. It’s a bit like being a barkeep, really. You learn to read ponies. Find out what they’re really after. See through those shields ponies put up to hide what lies beneath.”
Her heart sped up a little, but she pushed down the reaction to his unexpected words. “I… sorry, still no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Yes, you do, Sunset Shimmer.” Basil’s smile shifted into a sad one. “You know exactly what I’m talking about. But, I’m afraid there’s no book here that will help you with what you want.”
“All I want is to get a book for Princess Celestia!” Sunset’s heart hammered in her chest and she took a few steps backward. “That’s it! A freak Everfree storm smashed my Hearth’s Warming gift to bits, so I’m trying to find a replacement.”
“I ain’t calling you a liar, filly,” Basil’s voice remained kind and gentle. “I can see it as plain as the muzzle on your face. I know you want that book. But the book to help you get what you want… I ain’t sure such a book even exists. You’ve done made choices. And choices… they have consequences.”
“I don’t want anything!” Sunset hissed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about!”
Of course you do, idiot. You know exactly what he’s talking about. He’s also lying. There are plenty of books on how to get exactly what you want. Most of them with spell diagrams, alchemical formulae and all sorts of fun things. But you’re too much of a coward to use anything like that, aren’t you?
Sunset shook her head, trying to dislodge the thoughts trying to eat away at her sanity.
Yeah, you don’t have the spine to do something like that. To take what belongs to you. Even if she is a second-rate shadow. It’s sad. So sad. Your obsession with making friends is going to make you lose everything, Sunset. When you’re trying so hard to make everypony around you happy you’re going to end up empty. And then, all you’ll have left is me.
Brilliant blue light erupted before her and she crashed back into a bookshelf.
“Sunset Shimmer!”
Basil stood not three inches from her face, horn glowing and his eyes narrowed.
How did he move so fast?
“Sorry, young filly,” Basil took a deep breath and slowly relaxing at as the dull orange light of his horn faded. “You… you were staring off into nothing. And… your horn. It was glowing. Different color than when you pulled Twily off me, too. Listen, if you’ve—”
“Thank you!” Sunset cried, forcing a double-portion of Minuette-level cheer into her voice. “Thanks for your help. You get everything ready and I’ll find Twilight, okay?”
Without another word, Sunset spun on her heels and galloped into the depths of the bookstore. She could feel Basil’s eyes on her the entire way.
You know what the worst part is? Complete strangers can read you like a book. How do you think Celestia sees you? What a disappointment you must be. Jealous as you can be of your newest friend and your oldest friend.
“I’m not jealous,” Sunset muttered through gritted teeth as she took random turns left and right. “I’m happy for them.”
Let’s not mention your other friends, the voice continued. After all, they helped make that wonderful date between the two of them happen! Coloratura, who’s always got a knack for seeing the truth? She knows. So does Cheerilee. She’s a teacher! She has to deal with lying fillies and colts all day! Minuette can always tell when your smile is fake. Even poor Coco, the dear romantic. But the best part is… both Moon Dancer and Twilight know. Both of them! And your jealousy will tear them apart.
“That’s not true!” Sunset hissed. “I’m happy for them!”
You are anything but happy for them, you little foal. And everypony knows it. Total strangers can see it. Just imagine… how much you’re hurting them by even being around them. Just by existing. As long as you’re around, they’ll never be happy.
“Shut up!” Sunset shouted, slamming her eyes closed and crashing her head against a bookshelf. A couple random books fell to the ground, but she barely noticed. All she could hear was the laughing in her head. That and...
“Sunset?”
Sunset yelped and whirled. She would have jumped backward if the bookshelf hadn’t stopped her flight. Her heart hammered in her chest and her eyes crossed for a split second. Sunset gasped for breath and clutched her chest.
All the while, Twilight stood there, looking worried. “Sunset… are you okay?”
Sunset nodded her head rapidly, trying to find her voice and force herself to get back under control.
No, I am not having a panic attack in front of Twilight! I refuse! She has enough to deal with! And… she has them too! I’m not about to set her off! No!
“Sunset, what’s wrong? Please? You… you look scared of something.” A note of fear crept into Twilight’s voice.
That single quaver was enough to snap Sunset out of her own head. Smashing through the irrational waves of fear, she managed to grit her teeth and squash the panic beneath her hoof. She took an enormous breath and gave Twilight a weak smile.
“Sorry, Twilight,” Sunset said, forcing her smile to grow just a bit. “Just distracted by something. You know me, sometimes I get lost in my own head.”
Twilight eyed her critically. “Actually… that’s fairly uncommon. Moon Dancer and I are the ones who tend to get lost in our own heads.”
“Well, I’m allowed exceptions!” Sunset said. “Happens from time to time. Thinking deep thoughts about deep things.”
You’re an idiot.
Sunset dampened her smile. She was sure it wasn’t helping her case.
“You’re certain?”
“I’m fine, Twilight,” Sunset assured her. “Anyway, I was looking for you. I have good news and bad news. Bad news is that Basil over there doesn’t have the book. Good news is, he thinks he can point us in the right direction.”
“Oh goodie!” Twilight let out a little squee.
“‘Goodie?’”
“I’m… sorry.” Twilight blushed. “I… kinda hoped we wouldn’t get lucky right away. It’s been a long time since I’ve done a bookstore crawl.”
Sunset burst out laughing, the look of joy on Twilight’s face chasing away the last vestiges of panic from her mind. “A bookstore crawl? Is that even a real thing?”
Twilight sniffed at her. “I’ll have you know that both the RCA and the Cosmo organize used bookstore crawls every six months for the ponies of Canterlot. In fact, just last year, the Metropolitan Libraries of Manehattan organized their very first and over two hundred ponies showed up!”
Sunset grinned. “Well, I didn’t realize I had just walked into a librarian tradition. I’ll make sure to take it more seriously.”
Twilight stared at her over her glasses and shook her head.
“Come on, Twilight. I’m just kidding.”
“Hmph.”
“Twilight, come on!”
Twilight trotted away from her, her muzzle in the air. Sunset might have been worried that she’d actually upset her if Twilight hadn’t walked right into a bookshelf a moment later. She lost her balance, landed in a heap and a dozen or so books fell on her head.
Sunset let out a long-suffering sigh and stepped over. In a flash of teal magic, she floated the books off of her friend and frowned down at Twilight.
“What’s with you and books falling on your head, anyway?”
Twilight stuck her tongue out at her.
Wow. She’s like a whole other pony in here. So this is Twilight with all the shields down, huh? It’s—
Sunset shook her head and tossed the books back into their places on the shelf. By the time she finished, Twilight was on her hooves again. She raised an eyebrow at Sunset and trotted off, but didn’t put her muzzle into the air this time.
She still almost tripped over a small table.
Sunset managed to hold back any comment, a feat she was rather proud of. However, her enjoyment of Twilight’s clumsiness vanished the moment they turned the corner and saw Basil again. Basil’s eyes met hers and held Sunset’s gaze for a few agonizing seconds.
Don’t you dare. Don’t you say a blasted word or I’ll—
You’ll what? said the angry little hiss. Blast him? Kick his flank? Or just beat yourself up about it more?
However, Basil’s eyes returned to Twilight and his smile reappeared in an instant.
“Find anything you’d like, Twily?” Basil asked.
“Just wandering tonight, Basil,” Twilight said. “But thanks. Tonight’s more about Sunset than me.”
“Shame,” Basil said, looking completely crestfallen.
Twilight apparently didn’t buy it for an instant. Instead, she laughed.
Basil rolled his eyes. “Well, I think I know where your next stop will be.” Basil levitated over a small scroll, complete with a wax seal. Twilight took it and studied it for a moment before brightening. “That’s right, filly. Lost Page is your pony. Now, I’d be surprised if she has the book on hoof, but I don’t think there’s another pony in the city who would have a better idea on where to find of Teahouses of Saddle Arabia. And, I even got you the author’s name. Saffron Nabat.”
“Oh! I’ve wanted to meet Lost Page for so long!” Twilight beamed at him, adjusted her glasses and put the scroll in one of her coat’s pockets. “Thank you, Basil. Don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“I think you’d get along just fine, filly,” Basil replied. “Now, off with you! You’ve heard how scatterbrained Lost Page can be these days. I saw her going into her shop when coming back from dinner, but you never know with that pony.”
“We’ll head right on over. Come on, Sunset!”
Twilight skipped a little as she headed for the door.
“Miss Sunset,” Basil said in a lower voice. “I just want to say—”
“Don’t start with me,” Sunset snapped. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“My dear filly,” Basil said. “I know you do. As do you. But, it’ll get easier. I promise. Twily’s a special pony. Don’t let it get in the way.”
Sunset sighed and turned away, refusing to even acknowledge him. Basil sighed in return.
“Come on, Sunset!” Twilight called from the door, her hooves doing a little jig just inside the doorway.
“I’ll be right there, Twilight!”
She made it halfway to Twilight before she glanced back. Basil stared at her, looking far too sympathetic. She took a deep breath and tried to smile at him. When that failed miserably, she just mouthed the word “Thanks.”
The light in the bookstore’s strange transparent hearth seemed to warm a bit, reminding Sunset a lot more of cozy winter nights with Princess Celestia in her private study. Somehow… that was enough to get her to give Basil a real smile.
He bowed his head to her as if wishing her luck. Sunset turned and followed the giddy Twilight out back into the chilly Canterlot night.
Twilight really is adorable. Unfortunately for Sunset. The picture I have in my head of her beating Basil over the head with a book is just priceless. Hopefully, it's just as priceless for you!
Also?
You are not prepared. Thought you should know.
Well, you might be. Sunny and Twi probably aren't. 
“Ugh. Why do my friends all hate me?”
“Because they love you.” Basil’s smirk intensified.
“That is a direct contradiction of what I just said.”
“Doesn’t make it any less true.”
Cursori's Response: friendship
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Loved Sunset introducing herself to Basil. Such a simple and authentic moment brings me all the way back to her introduction in Alchemy of Chemistry.
^most Twilight thing ever. Sunset coming up with it further emphasizes how close the two are and how well they know each other. Knowing them forever separate still makes me sad
I'll also take a moment to appreciate how book sorting systems keep coming back with relevance thorough the story. It's a terrific continuity element that fits perfectly with the story.
What a great chapter. Basil, the bookstore, the book sorting systems, Twilight's passion of them... Basil's store is a remarkable setting, with a cozy and familiar at osphere. Here's hope to seeing it again.
This has to be the most Twilight chapter so far, and I adore it. Awesome work!
Oh merde. She’s doing stoplight auras. That’s a bad sign.
Still, the rest of it? From Bookstore Drama to book warrior twilight? Just adorable.
It makes it so much worse doesn’t it.
And the mare in the back
Said "Everyone attack!"
And it turned into a Basil Blitz...
No? Alright, fine.
Careful, Novel, you're getting dangerously meta. One wrong turn and Sunset might find out who's to blame for the garbage fire that is her life.
Later that evening...
"I'd like to return this, please."
"Certainly, certainly. Do you have a receipt?l
"Well, no—"
"Feel the hatred of ten thousand years!"
It's not necessarily impossible. After all, you can't learn everything from books, heretical as Twilight might find that assertion. But it's a long and rocky road from here, one that could easily lead to disaster.
On the bright side, such as it is, someone else knows about Sunset's little problem. It's not much, but it could lead to her getting the help she needs and doesn't feel she deserves.
In the meantime, we can enjoy the adorable Twilight shenanigans... provided we can look past Sunset tearing herself apart. And the Illidari warning in the author's note.
The heck's going on with that hearth?
I get the feeling that Basil actually did have the book, but knew he couldn't hand it over due to Narrative Causality, Bookstore Drama, or something like that. Because with a selection that Meta you know he has everything from every dimension already.
9732875
It's got Calcifer living in it?
9732917
It'd have been Teahouses of Saddle Arabia, but not the right one. Unless you were working on causing a narrative paradox.
For that, you are not prepared. Ever.
And you really don't want to Fourth Wall things like that unless you're manipulating L-space and/or happen to be Pinkie Pie.
9732875
I don't think you'd fel very good about the answer if you don't know already.
REALLY good job on this latest chapter. Loved the detail of Basil's book store having to be opened the conventional way, as well as the two alternate versions of the incident that led to that detail. Plus, I enjoyed seeing Basil's interactions with Twilight and Sunset (particularly Basil baiting Twilight with that "argument" concerning the "decimal systems" and pretty much catching on right away just how Sunset feels about Twilight). And now, we're going to be on to the next book store.
Once more, REALLY good job on the exchanges, characterizations and future chapter set-ups in all the right places.
Ouch. I guess it's too much to hope that this is one of those Equestrias where Pony Polygamy is Perfectly Practical.
Now I really want Pinkie, long-haired or not, to pop out of a box of paperbacks and stage-whisper "Failure to communicate can ruin friendships FOREEEEVER!"
Oh, I know. I haven't been prepared for what already transpired.
9732668
That's actually great to hear. I always wondered if anyone would get what was really happening here!
Forever separate? Come on! They're besties! Definitely not separate!
You're FANTASTIC at noting continuity elements and I love it. Thank you so much for speaking up about it! It's a huge encouragement!
I'll be really curious to see what your favorite bookstore is by the end of this. I have my personal favorite... but that's a ways down the line!
9732741
I'm actually not familiar with that term. What do you mean?
Retribution by Paperback!
Eeyup.
9732869
Yeah, that went right over my head.
Oh, she knows. The only reason she hasn't throttled me is because she got the full script of the series... though the glares she shoots all the time me are freaking terrifying.
She has to be willing first.
It's more about me not be prepared for yet another week of trying to get those god damn Warglaives to drop. Stupid RNG.
And now I wanna see Twi with Warglaives of Azzinoth in book form... hrmmm...
9732875
See Sir Flat Earth's theories in the last chapter.
9732917
Basil does have a few... connections. Though it totally doesn't have anything to do with the authors involved. Nope.
9733006
Well, we've already got Pinkie...
9734450
So, there are only two ways I can find out. First, wait until it is revealed. Or, second, invent time travel
9734471
It's a portal to L-space? Reacting to Narrativium?
9733649
From experience, just getting a relationship between two people is really hard work. The people who can handle more than that are freaking amazing. That being said, Sunset did say in A Study on Chaos Theory that polyamory wasn't her thing. She doesn't have a problem with other ponies doing it, just not for her.
Look, the Fourth Wall can only take so much! And I have even STARTED to beat on it yet!
9733651
Excellent. (Yes, you should be reading that in Mr. Burns voice).
9734474
If you do the last one, does the order actually matter?
9734476
Thankfully, all the Narrativium in my stories is currently contained within The Narrative Cascade. As for L-Space... well... I would never use something called L-Space. That's pulling too much from Discworld!
9734460
How for some reason her magic color changes from red to blue depending if she's a villain or not. Someone called it 'stoplight aura' and I thought it was funny.
9734471
So he's not a vampire enjoying the reactive landscape then? :p
9734436
9734459
Sorry for being pushy about the three-way relation. Totally missed or didn’t take seriously that line from A Study on Chaos Theory. That’s one downside of having read all of The Wavelenghts Timeline all at once just before this story, I may have rushed and missed some parts, even crucial like this one. Furthermore, having read in the order of the blog post rather than by publication date, the events of The Application of Unified Harmony Magics are still fresh in my mind; readers from three years ago have had the time to make sense of them better. Now that that possibility is out of the way, I’m even more curious to see where Sunny and Twilight will end up.
That’s an upside of reading all of Wavelengths at once, and now I’m blushing
However, it appears I missed some steps. Maybe a re-read is on order...
More bookstores!? Basil has set the bar pretty high; they’ll have to work extra hard to win me over. It is true that, in this timeline, surprises are always around the corner.
One more thing that just now I’m picking up is that you’re taking your fans to heart. Your replies tailored to every comment are a huge engagement boost, going above and beyond what most authors do here on FimFiction. As a fan, that’s awesome to see from an author!
9734549
You weren't pushy at all! I just didn't want you to hope for something Sunset said wasn't going to happen. My goal is to tease and torment you down other storylines!
...yeah, I probably need to do that too. There's so many details in here that often I get lost.
I've got ten bookstores... some the girls planned, some the girls didn't plan! And that's not counting just what it takes to get to those bookstores!
This one's especially a big deal, because I couldn't reply to Chaos Theory comments, otherwise I would give away too much. There was too much riding on the events of that story, but now that that part's over, I'm back to my normal engagement of trying to reply to everything!
9734494
Not a bad term, but I will give you a bit of trivia. We've only seen color changes a few times. The first and most obvious is the "dark magic" used by Celestia, Twilight and Sombra for various reasons during the Crystal Empire episodes. (Ironically, this is also the 'Alicorn Magic' used by Twilight to alter Zecora's Time Vision potion in the Season 4 opener). The other, of course, is Sunset Shimmer's, as in EqG 1, she's using Teal, while in Forgotten Friendship, she's using Red (though it was hinted at in Rainbow Rocks). When asked, the showrunners said that this was to show her redemption and change. (Most other color changes were art errors, I believe).
...I'm not using either of those colors and I'll confess that it'll be a while before this one is fully explained.
No comment. For now.
9734598
Just saying. Night hours and a substitute obsession? I hadn't thought of it before but he does just scream Black Ribboner now I have it in my head.
I wonder how many of the other book store owners in the association are the same. It's an intriguing possibility. Especially since psychoreactive landscape is just 'bookstore drama'...
Regarding the color, I'm definitely curious for further developments.
9734601
Basil actually hates hot cocoa. He prefers coffee with chocolate creamer. His wife also constantly informs him he can't sing with a damn, but neither can Otto, so, I guess that doesn't matter. Anyway, every single pony ever born can harmonize. It's part of the pony race baseline traits. You can't roll a pony without that ability.
9734473
You can't NOT have Pinkie.
That would be the Anti-Fun Equation, and Pinkie IS.
9734885
But of course. But we could always use more...
9735036
That way lies the Nightmare of Eternally Drying Paint. Pass not.
I remember the days before chaos theory. When I thought that SURE, there would be future drama, but it wouldn’t be THAT BAD. I mean, it’s all up hill from here, right? Then chaos theory hits, and all the feels hit. And now the tensions thick again. And I hate it, but I also love it. Like, I love it, but it’s like a punch to the stomach, but like in a good way. I’m bad with comparisons. I like that it was Sunset’s time with Moondancer that got her to appreciate books more. I also like how Sunset was able to give Basil a genuine smile at the end. One last vestige of hope, which will inevitably get smashed against a wall. I do wonder what is up with the fireplace, it probably has some importance which is flying right over my head. Also, ALP Is getting smarter. Before chaos theory, she was in a pretty powerless position. The ammunition she’s gotten from Chaos Theory is terrifying. For the first time in a while, she’s got a real leg to stand on. I was scared when she was goading Sunset on with being too scared to take twilight, talking about how her need to make her friends happy would dry her out. They were scary arguments, that I was worried might have an actual stab at turning sunset. I was a fool. Those arguments probably had little chance of effectiveness, the guilt Sunset has is too strong. And now it feels ALP has realized this. In the course of this chapter, she changes from trying to get Sunset to act on her jealousy, to harnessing her GUILT at her jealousy. And that is a 1000 times worse. That is where things go from scary to terrifying. For the first time since arguably Alchemy of Chemistry, ALP is a real threat again. This brings me to the book That will help Sunset with what she wants. ALP interprets this as a book to actually get twilight, as she talks of the amoral nature of such a book, and that it definitely exists. I think the book basil speaks of instead would be a book that helps her deal with ALP. Because what sunset wants much more then twilight is to be happy for them. To not have this conflicting jealousy, and this guilt over this jealousy. What sunset truly wants, that she might not be able to get with a book, is peace. Peace in her own head. Peace with herself. Peace for her friends. Or maybe I’m completely wrong, and I’ve misread the entire chapter. I guess only you know. Welp, this comments pretty long now. Don’t know how to end it. Ummmm, bye.
I am wondering, is Basil a reference to a character in some other genre? one reader did a World of Warcraft reference and now I am confused...my nerd-fu is weak in some areas, especially those gaming-related.
9735499
Nah, this one's just a name I came up with and liked. Don't worry! Not everything's a reference! (Just probably way too much)
*counts the number of obscure references*
Why do I have the feeling a wizard and an animated steamer trunk visited this shop recently?
9735448
As for the drama, all I can say is there's a reason it's happening. I just hope folks will be patient enough with me to show them!
I would never do that. I would definitely do that.
"You are not prepared" is the cry of Illidan Stormrage from World of Warcraft. Since he's an elf that's part demon and the demon forces are usually signified with green fire... (yeah, I know, I'm stretching this analogy, but I still think it's fun!)
Yes, this new ammo is freaking terrifying. And yes, she does have a leg to stand on. Absolutely. ALP has her/its own character arc throughout this series. Honestly? Aside from Sunset herself, ALP is the closest thing we have to a true villain.
While I always love hearing people take things away from my stories that I never intended, I should say that Basil was speaking about a book to help Sunset's tangled heart. ALP torments Sunny with the concept of control, but it's more to throw her off-balance. Assuming ALP has an actual plan, it knows it'll likely never get Sunny to go that dark. That doesn't mean Sunny won't worry she could go that dark though...
The book doesn't exist. You can't fix things like this with a book. You can only fix it through life, through yourself and through those around you. One day, Sunny's going to have to learn that.
You're awesome.
I am a recovering wow addict and do not need this temptation
...but I still appreciate it.
Sunset really needs to get help in regards to that voice in her head and her still unresolved sel-loathing.