The Golden Oak Library. Before Princess Twilight Sparkle—at first residence just Twilight Sparkle—was sent on her whirlwind, life altering, career defining, history cementing quest to define "friendship" by her mentor, the library was just a library. There weren't any magic tomes, or secret passages tucked behind a bookcase or just under the first flight of stairs. It was a regular old library in a regular old town in the shadow of the highest seat of Equestrian power known to ponykind.
But as the years went by, it was made more-and-more central to Ponyville's identity. Before it was just the library, but with Twilight Sparkle living there, it became that library where the Princess sent her pupil to learn what a friend was. Very distinct, and very luxurious to some folk. Ponies even began to enjoy visiting there for something other than checking if the Farmer's Almanac was up to date, or to checkout a book from twenty years ago. Primarily because Twilight actually took the time to keep the stacks up-to-date with something other than tired old pages.
Then it blew up.
Then a giant crystal palace sprung up from its charred corpse and completely destroyed property values. But the turbulent world of real-estate aside, the library rose from the ashes and became a wing of Princess Twilight Sparkle's impressive abode—kept open to the public as well.
The history of The Golden Oak Library is a remarkable one. From dust, to life, to ash, to rebirth. From no visits, to sparse cases, to a lively get-together, to a funeral pyre, and back to a place of intellectual discussion. Twilight couldn't have been happier with its rich history and how she had contributed to it. Not alone, of course; her dear assistant Spike was there every step of the way. And in time, Starlight Glimmer had joined the fold in tending to the keys and watching the annals.
There were no two she could trust more with the all important task of taking care of the library her mentor trusted her with... Even if she did let it explode that one time. But nobody is really taking the time to remember that one.
And while Twilight adored sharing in her wealth of knowledge for all to enjoy, the library was part of her home, and at some point her home did need to turn in for the day. Today was no exception. Twilight ushered out the few remaining lingerers to the exit so Starlight could punch their cards and mark whatever books they would be withdrawing for the evening; as was the usual rounds on a busy day.
There just aren't enough hours in the day...
Twilight softly sighed to herself, a wistful glint in her eyes as she dreamed of a world where you could just spend an endless amount of time rummaging through books. Granted, she was a princess and didn't have anyone to really answer to, so she could manage that; if not for all the other mounting duties she seemed to always have thrust upon her.
Off in the distance Starlight chatted the last few stragglers up as she checked over their books. It was all murmuring to Twilight so far away, but they all seemed to be enjoying the last moments of the shift. Twilight for her own part scanned the back few areas of the library in the meantime. Not so much to find anyone hiding out or anything like that; but because sometimes fillies and colts liked to open a few books and just leave them out when they left.
Savagery, really. But, what could you do besides clean up after them. A small price to pay for sharing the joys of reading.
When she rounded the last corner where she would always find a few tossed books by some careless pony, Twilight nearly jumped out of her skin when she was greeted by a ghost! Wait... No, not a ghost. Twilight reevaluated the situation and quickly fixed her terrified posturing before the 'ghost' saw and was offended.
No. What Twilight came to find all the way in the back of her library was a pale-green in coat mare doing... exactly what Twilight was coming to do herself: picking up books and lining them back up on the shelf.
"Um... Excuse me?" Twilight managed to pipe up.
The mare calmly finished slipping the last book into its proper place before turning to meet the Princess of Friendship. For a moment, Twilight was struck when she met the grey auburn of the other mare's very tired eyes. Something about her... Was she a regular at the library? There were so many regulars, it was impossible to really tell. Maybe she was from Canterlot—a former student from her academy days. No-no, she didn't have a horn. Were all the students unicorns on second thought?
"Ma'am?" For a second time Twilight nearly jumped from her skin when the 'ghost' spoke.
"Right," she remembered, "I was the one who called out to her." Twilight cleared her throat to push away the dead air and try to distract from her previous squeak of surprise. "Right—sorry about that—yes. Uhhh... The library is about to close for the day..." Twilight led the sentiment to hang, expecting the lady to pick up what she meant.
"Yyyyeah, I'm aware," the mare gestured to a clock hanging in the corner of the alcove, "Seven forty-nine. That's about the usual time."
"Oh, yeah. Right..." Since when did she keep a clock back here? Maybe Spike put it in. It was a random spot for one, though. "Sooooo..."
"...Soooo...?" The mare quirked a brow that both spoke confusion and maybe just a little bit of feeling inconvenience.
"Sooo... I guess it's time to... pack up," Twilight gestured towards the exit.
For a moment, with the Princess of Friendship holding one of her hooves up and towards the exit with a nervous smile, the two simply stood there in a creeping silence. From the corner of her eye Twilight could see Starlight finishing up with her last check-outs some far distance away. Maybe when she finished she'd be able to come over here and help escort this mare out. If anyone knew how to be firm with someone not taking a hint, it was Starlight.
"...You don't know who I am, do you?" The mare sighed as if this was something she was familiar with.
Twilight knew many—many—of her subjects and just general creatures all across Equestria by name. From the obscure to the substantial. So it came as a bit of a sheepish embarrassment when she evidently couldn't pull this girl's name up in her head. "Um... S-sorry. I'm sure you're great—!"
"Wallflower Blush."
"Wallflower Blush! But, I-I guess I've just been meeting so many ponies lately that I—"
"I work here."
"H-Wha?" Twilight nearly spat as she was verbally screeched to a halt. She worked here? That's impossible. Only she, Starlight, and Spike tended to the library as staff. She even made them all cute little badges and lanyards to wear while they were on the job... Like the one hanging from the mare's neck...
"Huh..." The princess briefly studied the laminated badge hanging from Wallflower's neck and—sure enough—it had all the little effects on it.
Her name: Wallflower Blush.
Her picture: just as displeased as the mare staring at her.
ID number: 002.
"Ah-hah!" Twilight snapped to attention and pushed an accusatory hoof in the mare's direction, though Wallflower didn't budge or shift her tired expression. "Your ID number is zero-zero-two? Impossible! That's Spike's number. He was my first 'employee'. So yours must be—"
"You hired me three years ago..." Twilight paused, "When you first moved to Ponyville..." The princess blinked, "You gave Spike a badge after me..." her muzzle pursed.
"Oh... Well... I meant so many people that day—"
"I was on the chariot with you both when you came..."
"...I don't think—" Wallflower heaved another drawn out sigh before stepping around Twilight.
With a turn around the bookshelves, Wallflower set her attention on Starlight finishing up her own final bits of paperwork. "Starlight..." Her voice was barely over a casual word as she 'called out' to Starlight Glimmer.
Sure enough, despite the volume, Starlight turned to greet the mare with a brief bit of surprise before springing to a warm smile. "Hey Wallflower! Almost done with clean up?"
Twilight could feel herself melting into the crystalline floor of the library as every inch of her burned with embarrassing shame. "...That doesn't mean—" Twilight was grasping at straws to try and save face.
"Twilight, you're still back here?" a draconic head popped around the bookshelf as Spike rounded to check on his partner, "If you're gonna sneak a book, at least wait until we close up for the night, alright?" He snapped a lighthearted joke before setting his eyes on the mare just behind him, "Oh, hey Wallflower."
As the little draconic assistant slipped away to join Starlight Glimmer at the front door, Twilight remained mouth agape and gradually turning from purple to red all over her form. It had been so long since she was this utterly mortified. However, Wallflower was the one this time to break the awkward silence between them with a feigned cough. "...We should both be going. Before they decide to lock us in overnight."
An offer of levity! Twilight took it as quickly as she could with a hearty—if forced—laugh, stepping in time to get beside Wallflower as she began to head off towards the exit. "Oh—! Right! Yes! Hah-hah-hah! Wouldn't want that, nope. B-But I'm sure that's never happened before. I'm always very particular about—"
"You locked me in last week."
And with that, The Princess of Friendship was just never going to talk again for the rest of the night. There were only so many hooves one could fit in their mouth.
"...Aaand at least twice every month... You also have been spelling my name wrong on the checks..." Every step they made towards the exit was another foot into the grave for Twilight, "I'm just kidding," a brief, playful smile touched at Wallflower's visage, which brought a touch of comfort to Twilight.
Maybe Spike should just handle the final checks for the night.
And maybe the checkbook...
She was the Princess of Friendship. How is she meant to remember every pony's name?
"You both ready to clock out for the day?" Starlight greeted them both as she finished setting the lock on the door.
"Yeah. It wasn't a difficult clean today. The children were nice enough to not wander too far from each book's home," Wallflower's response rang with more emotion and comfort than any word she gave to Twilight. Not unwarranted, maybe.
"Sounds great—Something wrong, Twilight?" Starlight quickly picked up on Twilight's barely restrained embarrassment as she kept her lip buttoned, "...Waaaaait... Oh no..." Starlight's muzzle started to wiggle into a smile as the revelation dawned on her, "...You thought Wallflower was a guest, didn't you?"
"Again?" Spike piped up, looking both surprised and as tired as Wallflower was when Twilight first addressed her.
Again?!
"Twilight, you gotta start going to bed earlier. No more late night reading. You're head's starting to leak," Starlight said as she gave the princess a reassuring tap on her side.
"I—I guess that's it..." Twilight relented. Maybe she's just been overworked. Still, that was no excuse for how poorly she's clearly treated this mare. "I'm sorry, Wallflower. I'll—uh—I'll make sure there's a nice jump in your pay this week." It was never too late to try and set things right.
The four library attendants stepped beyond the wide gates of the annals, dimming the crystalline lights in the process for a well deserved rest for them and the books. Tomorrow would be a brighter day for making memories and paying attention to the world at large; at least after a good rest.
"...Is now a bad time to say you have not paid me in three years?"
A good, long—long—rest...
