Amber brought down her hooves on the desk Comforting was seated behind, startling the chaos being awake. "I have an idea."

Comforting was all smiles immediately. "I already love it and I haven't even heard it yet. What's your idea?"

Amber pointed towards the first floor. "Our room for just unicorn magic is thinking too small. This should be an all-pony thing. All ponies have magic! Different magic, but having all our magic sealed away proved it. Why only teach one kind for a kind of pony that doesn't even live around here?"

She colored as she heard herself. "Well, some of us live around here, but you know what I meant."

Comforting glanced around the library before tugging Amber around behind the desk with her. "So, you want flying lessons, and plant lessons too?"

Amber nodded quickly. "Exactly. A place for all magic. Pegasi learn about their flying magic and earth ponies all about their plant magic."

"Can't." Comforting fiddled with her hands for a moment as she examined them carefully before continuing on speaking more. "We do not possess enough magic between us to create a place like that." She unfurled her fingers. "Specifically, you are a unicorn. Do you know anything about pegasus magic or earth pony magic outside of having seen them?"

Amber slowed to a halt at that question before beginning to fidget with her hooves awkwardly. "Uh, no? I don't know anything about those types of magic." She slumped unhappily at that sudden roadblock that had been flung up into her path. "Oh. So what can we do? Maybe talk to some pegasi or earth ponies..."

"Eeeeasy!" Comforting folded her hands under her chin with a knowing grin on her face. "You have some friends of both. It's time to dial up some friends." She fished out her phone for emphasis and wagged it at Amber. "You ready?"

Amber stood up taller and she brightened up at that reminder with a happy nicker. She pulled out her phone eagerly. "Yeah! We're going to make an all-pony school."

"Magic." Amber looked up, confused. "All pony magic school. At least, all pony magic lessons." Comforting chuckled at the idea. "We're still a library. Having a full school would be a little awkward."

"True!" Amber tapped her chin in thought briefly. "This is a start. I think we can do this." She started tapping at her phone. "And I know somepony who's already been eager to help, and knows their magic. Let's get this started."

It was only a short time before Hitch stood in their formerly secret magic room. "Hitch!" Amber circled around him. "You're great at earth pony magic, right?"

He stood stiff and straight, buffing his chest. "I'm a fair hoof at it. My plants and I get along well."

Amber giggled gently at that little boast. "Great! We want to offer magic lessons to ponies who want them, and we were thinking you could be our head earth pony instructor. What do you think?"

Hitch lit up at that suggestion. "Really?! Me? I'd, uh, be honored. But I already have a job." He pointed at his badge. "Sheriff?"

Amber shook her head quickly. "This isn't a full-time post. I want to get some experts of each kind of magic and then students can reach out and come in for a lesson or two. You have experience teaching them to garden already." She motioned around the room, her mind filled with visions of future students. "Think you can do it? I do!"

Hitch considered things before nodding with a happy little grin on his face at the idea of being able to pass on his knowledge to others who wanted it too. "You have a deal! And I'll be able to teach learning ponies of all tribes the laws of magic."

Amber inclined her head at that. "There are laws?"

"Oh yeah." Hitch turned for the door. "And new ones coming out. We can't have a city full of ponies just using their magic all wildly. It'd be a disaster! There needs to be structure, and some rules, if you ask me." He nodded firmly at his own words even as he strolled away into the library proper at a brisk clip.

Amber hummed gently. "Guess I'm lucky unicorns haven't done anything worth making laws about so far." With a shake of her head, she strode out into the main area of the library. "Now, I know exactly who to ask about flying lessons."

So it was that she brought Zipp back into the magic room. "Zipp! You lovely investigative pegasus, master of parkour and ariel stunts, we have a case that only you can solve."

Zipp smirked at that as she flashed Amber a cool wink. She canted her head curiously at Amber with a slightly lopsided grin on her lips. "Okay, you have my attention. What do you need done that only I can do?"

Amber threw her hooves wide. "I want to offer flying lessons to pegasi that need or want to brush up on their skills. I want pegasi to have a magical tutor, and you're the best pony I can think of for the job."

Zipp chuckled softly at that flattery with a casual flick of her wings. She was smiling genuinely now as she glanced Amber over carefully with a thoughtful look on her face. She considered Amber's suggestion thoroughly before she shrugged with a laugh. "You know what? Sure, why not? I don't mind giving a few tips to a pony ready to listen."

Amber danced happily in place at that approval. "Yes! Thank you, Zipp." She hugged her with a happy little giggle. "We have more instructors now! You, Hitch, and me."

"Huh?" Zipp sputtered in surprise as she glanced at Amber over curiously with a mildly quizzical look on her face. "You and Hitch are not giving flying lessons. No offense, but you're missing an important bit." She flapped her wings for show. "You can't fly."

Amber burst into snickers. "And we won't. I'll be showing unicorns how to do their magic. Hitch will be showing earth ponies how to do their magic. We'll all be showing ponies how to be the best magicians of their kind. Flying, growing, weaving spells." She danced with growing excitement. "This will be beyond great."

"Alright!" Zipp brightened at the description. "So, when do we start?"

"Misty's working on some signage, so ponies know what's going on in here." Amber frowned with new thought. "To be clear, no flying in the library. You'll meet ponies in here, and talk with them, but then you head outside for the rest of it. Agreed?"

Zipp snorted at the thought of teaching ponies to fly inside. "Yeah, probably not the best idea. I mean, what if a student bumps into one of your bookshelves?" She winced at the mental image. "Yep, I'll take them outside when we get to the flying part. Promise."

Amber sank to her haunches for a proper clapping. "This is coming together! Thank you, Zipp. Oh, if you know any other sharp flyers that want to share their tricks, send them this way. I should have told Hitch that too."

Zipp saluted sharply with a wing. "I'll go find him and remind him, no problem." With a brief dust cloud, she was gone, right out the nearest window.

Amber hummed to herself as she studied the room she'd be using for future classes. It needed more decoration, in her opinion. It was far too plain at the moment for her tastes. "We should add some themes for each tribe." She waved at the runes at the front. "Unicorns are covered. But it's not fair only they have some representation."

She went out to get some posters of sunny days and clouds to put across from the runes. "Something for pegasi, and, yes!" She went right back out again and hurried back with potted plants to arrange as tastefully as she could. "And earth ponies can practice with them. Double great!"

She could not stop pacing the room with pride and joy as she considered all the ponies she'd get to teach in the coming days. Her mind was full of visions of bright-eyed students eager to learn about their magical heritage that she wanted to pass on to them. "Comfs."

Comforting appeared out of nowhere, she she was in the habit of doing at times. "Yes?"

"Thank you." Amber grabbed Comforting in a tight hug. "You are making so many dreams of mine come true. I feel like you're making up new dreams for me, just to fulfill them. I'm so thankful I'm running out of words."

Comforting let out a merry laugh and gave Amber a gentle squeeze in return. She gently ruffled her mane with one hand playfully. "It's what I'm here for, darling." Placing Amber back on the ground, Comforting stepped back. "You're giving me a gift too, you know."

"I am?" Amber looked confused at the idea. "How? You're the one helping me."

"I am." Comforting knelt down, caressing Amber's cheeks with her hands tenderly. "I have a vested interest in ponies learning to trust themselves again. You're bringing them here to learn magic again, and that gives me great hope." She let out a soft sigh. "You're also giving me a place to be, and friends that want to give me a good hug. I'd say you're returning my favor quite well.

Amber blushed at the affection she was receiving with a happy whinny escaping her lips. She nestled into Comforting's tender hold for a long moment with a happy sigh. "Another milestone." She stepped back. "We're going to bring magic to ponies. All ponies. Spells, flight, and plants." She tapped her hooves together with each one. "One thing."

Comforting perked. "Which is?"

"Can a pony learn a different tribe's magic?" Amber wobbled a hoof. "Like, could I learn how to do plant magic?"

Comforting made an uncertain noise. "Not the way you're imagining it. This is a matter of actual bodyparts. Earth ponies have green hooves, literally. Unicorns have horns." She pointed to Amber's horn for emphasis. "Pegasi have wings. Now, clever little magician, you could give yourself wings, or pick yourself up and throw with other magic, but it still wouldn't be exactly the same. You'd be faking it." She winked. "Not that unicorns are bad at faking it."

Amber considered with a perked brow. "And an earth pony could pick themselves up with a helpful plant, or make medicines out of fruits that could do all sorts of things, right?"

"Exactly." Comforting nodded with a big smile. "You're getting it. And they'd be wonderful tricks, but that wouldn't make an earth pony a unicorn or a pegasus. Each tribe has their own way of getting things done. Let's celebrate them all, not get jealous of each other. Besides," she gave Amber a teasing poke on her horn, "I have it on good authority that unicorns are terrifying if you get them angry."

Amber tilted her head, sliding the horn out of reach. "Stop that! As if I'd ever hurt a pony."

Comforting snickered as she danced away, light despite her size. "You wouldn't, but that wouldn't stop you from playing a joke or two. I'd have it coming if I provoked you into doing it."

"Hmph." Amber put her hooves on her hips before bursting into giggles herself. "Fine! But you should get me back for it then." She swished her tail happily as she started towards the exit of the magic room again. "Oh, are you going to help?" She emerged from the magic room, Comforting not far behind. "With teaching ponies, I mean. You taught me!"

"I did." She casually lifted up and floated over Amber. "But seeing ponies teach ponies? That's so much more satisfying." She reached down to stroke down Amber's back. "A restoring of old paths, good ones, and I helped nudge it back into being. I want to see what comes of it."

Amber peered upwards before she took off at a gallop down the aisle of bookshelves with a happy laugh at the impromptu game of tag between the two of them that Comforting joyfully took part in, darting after the librarian.

At least until they both slid to a stop in front of a confused looking colt.

Amber raised an ear at the young pony. "Sorry about that." She coughed into a hoof. "What can I help you find today? That is my job after all."

The colt wilted. "I just got really excited and came here after my lesson." He produced a little journal. "I wanted to tell you! I read my first real spell! I got through all the letters and it made sense to me." He held up his hoof with an eager nicker as he waited for something to happen. But nothing did.

Amber blinked in slow confusion. "That's great to hear." She clopped a hoof to either of the colt's cheeks and ruffled them. "Did you want to tell me that?"

"Yes!" Apparently having gotten what he actually wanted, he danced with joy in front of Amber. "And to learn my first real spell! Can you teach me?" He leaned close and whispered conspiratorially, "My parents want me to keep working on reading and writing the letters." He let out a little scoff at that suggestion before brightening up again, his hoof still raised high in anticipation of his first spell. "I am ready! Test me!"

Amber glanced back at the smiling, yet silent, Comforting. "Well, okay. how me all the letters, slowly. If you can get through them all, we'll do a spell."

He recited them flawlessly, having clearly practiced this at home in anticipation of his second lesson with Amber Skyray herself.

Amber tried to put aside her concerns over his rapid progress at this stage of his magic training for his sake as she took him by the hoof. "I'm so proud of you! Not even a single mistake." She started towards the magic instruction room. "You know, it took me a few times to get it that well. Poor Comforting had to really drill it into me, and here you are, so quickly!"

The colt gleamed with pride at that compliment with a happy smile on his lips at being praised so. He skipped right along with Amber as he followed her with his tail bouncing with excitement as he spoke, "I wanna do a spell! Which one will you show me first? Will it be something awesome? I hope so!"

Amber closed the door behind the colt and Comforting, sealing them in the magic room. "Comforting? May I borrow the book of starting spells?"

Comforting remained silent and simply floated it over to Amber with a calm smile on her face as she stood there with an air of utter serenity and gentle pride about her personage as she kept an eye on the young pony. Without a sound, she pulled out that first book and pressed it against Amber's side.

Amber took it up with a smile. "Thank you." She grabbed it in her magic and flipped it open. Her eyes swept left and right as she went rapidly through the book. "Now a good spell for you. Something that won't get your parents mad at me, or hurt yourself."

The colt groaned, imagining all the cool spells that ruled out.

Amber flipped past a page, only to hesitate and flip back to it. She held up the book with an incredulous look on her face at it before scanning it more closely. "Mmm, tell me. Do you prefer puppies, or ice cream?"

"I like both!" The colt bounded over to look at the book Amber was holding, only to frown in disappointment at it, as it didn't seem to contain either puppies or ice cream anywhere in it. Sadly, most of the spells in their didn't have helpful illustrations. At least, not as many as the colt would have preferred.

Amber lifted the book out of his field of view. "You have to pick one. Which is your favorite of the two?"

The colt finally answered after much careful thought and consideration on his part on which one he would pick, even though he liked them both very much, and didn't want to choose between them at all. "Ice cream. Double fudge! It's soooooo good!"

"Nice!" Amber quickly brushed a hoof over his face. "One ice cream spell it is." She settled on the second of those two pages. She copied the runes onto the board. "Here it is. Cast it while looking at something that's soft and easy to swallow. I suggest water."

Comforting dug out a glass of water and set it down. "Here's some."

The colt inhaled slowly as he looked at the symbols on the board carefully and committed them to memory with ease before he then lifted his hoof with practiced motions. He turned to face the glass of water and finally made his first attempt at casting his very first real spell with that hoof thrust. Not that his hooves were at all required, he wove them as his horn glowed with the runes of the spell.

The cup jumped and danced in place, wobbling dangerously a moment. What had been water became thick brown sludge that gooped down the sides.

Amber reached out a hoof against it, then took a sniff and a lick. "Huh. Chocolate."

"Really?!" The colt threw himself at the cup, tackling the confection he'd made out of water with reckless abandon and eagerness to enjoy the sugary treat he'd just made for himself as he dipped his hooves into the sweet dessert before shoving his face right into it with a happy squeal.

"Watch out for—" Amber didn't get to finish her warning when the colt fell over. "Brain freeze."

Despite the colt's groans of misery, he was smiling from ear to ear in a joyous sugar high as he shoved more of the chocolate into his mouth despite the fact that he had created far more than he could ever eat all on his own. "Soooo good!"

Amber gently swatted the glass away from the colt. "Enough, dear one. But good job. That spell will let you make all sorts of sugary treats. As I warned you, use it on things already kinda soft. Do it on a rock and you'll have a hard time eating it. I also suggest targeting things that are safe to eat already. Water really is one of the safer options."

"This is awesome!" The colt danced with glee, swaying from hoof to hoof as he laughed with delight over his first spell cast successfully and his new ability to create all sorts of treats for himself whenever he wanted. "I'm gonna show everypony!" Overflowing with excitment, he fled from the room with a great cheer.

Comforting floated over to Amber's side. "You were just as excited when you learned your first spell. Less freezing, just as much excitement."

Author's Note

Brain freeze on command? What sorcery is this?!

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