Amber rubbed at her face, beginning to think she would need to bring some of the non-finalists back in to see if they could work at all. The constant stream of ponies looking to be a teacher wasn't making it easy on her or Misty either, as they had gotten through more ponies than they had even imagined. "Points to Maretime Bay." Amber slumped against the desk. "They're an eager lot."

She shooed the rest home for the day and hopped to her hooves. "But most of them disqualified themselves, in so many ways."

Misty tipped forward on her hooves. "Think we got anyone worth teaching?" She picked up Amber by her shoulders and began directing her towards the door. "Let's head out, take a break, and see how things are doing."

"Good idea." She threw one arm around Misty for support, the two heading out like two weary soldiers onto the street outside the library. "Maybe a change of scenery will help us think about this."

As they wandered along the streets of Maretime Bay, a crowd caught their eye. They wandered over curiously, parting through the throng of ponies gathered together as they tried to get a look at what was going on right in front of them to gather so many ponies together in one place. Zipp streaked overhead just over their heads, but she wasn't alone. Two of her students were just behind her, the three putting on an aerial display for all ponies to see.

They twirled, they dove, they darted here and there like corkscrews and spirals on strings or colorful balloons drifting on the wind. The ponies watching had their heads tilted up, staring in awe as the pegasi zipped through the air together, forming shapes and patterns through tricks that had the earthbound ponies gaping at the very thought of even trying that leaving them dizzy.

Amber pulled Misty closer, watching together as Zipp and her two students performed like experts of the airborne arts. Misty made an impressed hum as she enjoyed watching them fly by in all sorts of acrobatic maneuvers, spinning in mid-air and showing off for the masses. "Zipp really reached her students. We should be proud of her." She clapped her hooves. "We're doing great. We have unicorns learning to be wizards and pegasi are becoming flying pros!"

"We're doing well, yes." Amber took Misty's hoof very gentle as they enjoyed watching the pegasi perform above their heads for all ponies to enjoy their aerial show from below, adding, "And we just need an earth pony that can really get ponies digging deeper into their powers to figure out what they can do and how they can best use their abilities to help others around them."

The students zipped along after Zipp as they left for somewhere else to show off their flying abilities with loud calls. With a smile, Misty gently guided Amber forward. "That was neat! But let's get that dinner. A good meal will help us make up our minds. Our best thinking is when we have a belly full of food."

Amber couldn't disagree with that statement and happily allowed herself to be guided off in the direction of one of their favorite restaurants, pausing only long enough to scoop up the daily paper on the way.

She laid it out for them to see as they ate. "The world is changing, but it's nice to see other ponies are staying the same. New town built, some mares got married." Amber swept to the next page, only for Misty's hoof to get in the way.

Misty cleared her throat gently as she took the paper from Amber's hooves and put it out of reach, so she could eat properly without the distraction of reading news from far away pulling her attention away from having a nice meal with her dear friend. "Nuh uh, we're eating right now, and I want your full attention while we do so!"

Amber pouted, crossing her arms. "Fine." She took a nibble and let out an appreciative sound. "A few ponies didn't rule themselves out. What do you think of Sally?"

Misty shook her head. "She talked too fast. I think a lot of students would be intimidated."

"Steel?" Amber took another delectable nibble.

"Cute, but young. It would be a learning experience for everyone." Misty chuckled at the thought of their students being taught by a foal not even fully grown yet. "I could see some ponies being prickly, even if they are kinda good."

Amber set her hooves own on either side of her plate. "What about Posey? She doesn't talk fast, and she's a grown mare. She seems to understand how earth pony magic works, and she wants to share it."

Misty took up a long draught of juice, drawing out the wait as she tried to make up her mind on what she thought about Posey and whether or not she thought Posey was qualified to teach anypony anything at all. "Mmm, well, she is the best of the day." She put down the drink. "Maybe she's worth a try. If, um, it doesn't work out, we can just say so?"

"We'll give her a shot." Amber hoofed the paper back over to Misty. "Just to try." She perked up at Misty returning it and then gasped when she realized there was a story about Maretime Bay's library on it. One of the others had opened a little sky viewing section. "That's adorable." They had placed all their atronomy books nearby, so ponies could learn about the sky, and have a peek. The library had night hours scheduled several times a week. "I wouldn't want to have to run our library that late though."

Misty gave it a look as well, only to frown and then comment on how she felt about the library that had been making night hours, "Ponies shouldn't have to stay up that late! Do you think they hired more ponies just to be there at night? They can't have ponies there from the morning to late at night. They'd be exhausted! I know I would be."

Amber tapped at her own forehead with her hoof as she questioned, "That was a big change. Wonder how they got their staff to agree? Though I guess it was only one new person needed." She hummed with thought. "If they only have that one section open late. Maybe we should visit some time and ask."

They enjoyed the rest of their meal, looking happier than when they had come in. When they left, Misty spun Amber around gently. "Ready for tomorrow?"

"Yup!" Amber smiled and wrapped her hooves around Misty. "Come on, let's get some sleep before it's time for our big announcement!" She hugged Misty tightly and nuzzled into her fur with affection.

Misty returned that nuzzle and hugged Amber back gently. "I'm really excited for tomorrow. I'm glad we're able to teach everypony that comes to us." The two split then, Misty headed up to the brighthouse, and Amber off to retire in the library.

Amber didn't get to her room without a hinderance. Comforting was at the door of the library, with a know-it-all grin. "Have a nice time?"

Amber cocked her head at her large friend. "We decided on who to hire for the earth ponies."

Comforting waved a paw about lazily as she drawled out, "Obviously! Did you two have fun? Or did you work through the whole evening?"

Amber opened her mouth to deny that accusation with a huff and frowned as she realized they had talked about that specifically during the meal. "We had a nice meal and we picked a pony, at the same time." She thought back to the food. "It was pretty good. What were you up to?"

"Just thinking about a friend." She ruffled Amber's mane gently. "And how she's growing up so fast."

Amber crinkled her muzzle up with embarrassment at the notion that Comforting was still thinking of her as a foal and pouted as she insisted firmly, "I'm a full grown mare!"

"Who never had a special somepony, but I can see that's quickly changing." She tickled at Amber's sides as they tried to get past her. "And I couldn't be happier for her."

Amber jumped away from the tickling paws, only to back into her room with an irritated grunt and grumble at Comforting's attempts to embarrass her into an early grave. She stared up at the ceiling, thoughts floating around in her mind like little fairies drifting on the breeze. "I don't have a special somepony." She struggled to imagine who that even could be.

The only pony she'd even been around for long that day was Misty, who was a co-worker, not a special somepony. Right? Right! The very idea that Misty was a 'special somepony' was ridiculous! Wasn't it?

She closed her eyes and began to fall asleep with thoughts of her 'special somepony' Misty Brightdawn still bouncing around in her head and distracting her amid her scattered dreams of the future, past, and present.

Amber woke the next day with a snort and got to cleaning herself up for the day. "Special somepony, really." She pressed a hoof to her cheek. "You have to ask, or be asked, to be one of those. I didn't agree to that! If I didn't agree to it, we can't be special someponies. That's silly! Not asking! Not agreeing! Absolutely ridiculous!" She scrambled from the bathroom and plopped down on the sofa to pout. "Doesn't count!"

"Why are you stomping around so early in the morning?" Comforting hovered into the room, her wings giving a single flap as if pretending they were at all involved. "Couldn't sleep?"

Amber gave Comforting an unimpressed stare. "I slept fine." She rolled over to look elsewhere with a grumpy huff. "I didn't mean to stomp." She waved a hoof at the general surroundings. "But it's your fault and you know it."

Comforting slid in next to Amber and hugged the confused pony close. "Shh. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. I care about you, in my chaotic kinda way. I want you to keep growing. And if you're finding a special somepony, that's something to celebrate."

Amber shivered, burrowing in tighter against Comforting as she started feeling guilty about snapping at her even if it was deserved for Comforting's teasing antics that night. "You're supposed to be on my side!"

"And I am!" She squeezed Amber closer. "Besides, you like her, right? I'm not the one suggesting you two keep hugging and snuggling the way you do. You realize most ponies don't just keep doing that the way you two do it, right?"

"There's nothing wrong with snuggling!" Amber hugged Comforting's arm tightly, eyes narrowing at her large friend with the expectation of further teasing about Misty in particular. "She's my friend! Shoot, technically, she works for me. Ugh, that's awkward. You can't get all involved with a pony that works for you!"

"You want me to handle that for you?" She tilted her head curiously as she held Amber in place with one arm. "You'll thank me later." She paused. "Or now."

Amber tapped at her own head with her hoof again as she tried to imagine how that would work. "Can I ask that you tell me what you're planning before you rush off to do it?"

"Well! There's a few options." Comforting tickled under Amber's chin, forcing it to raise. "For one, we get her a position that isn't under you. There are so many of them available. Just a little chat with the right pony, and she could be next to you here at the library instead of under you."

Amber narrowed her eyes at Comforting suspiciously, not enjoying the feeling of being mocked in such a way. "And?"

"That'd let you make moves without any concerns!" Comforting patted Amber's back gently with a cheerful grin on her lips at the thought of Amber's potential romantic prospects. "You two are already so cute. I just want you two to have the best everything! And, hey! It'd make things simpler. Now that I'm thinking about it, it's a nice idea."

Amber nuzzled in a bit closer, giving Comforting a glare as she protested against being pushed into something she wasn't ready for yet. "What would she be? Another head librarian? Can there be two in one library?"

Comforting booped Amber on the nose gently. "If we change your title to 'director', there can certainly be two directors. She's already playing the part. You two go on and on about plans for the library and it's just so cute." She nuzzled into Amber's side, curling all about it. "How's that sound?"

"Do it then." Amber covered her eyes with a hoof as she groaned softly. "And then go away and let me nap in peace!"

"Of course." Comforting tousled Amber's mane. "Might not get much peace with Misty hanging around all the time though." She winked as she hovered away. "You should maybe talk to her and make things clear between the two of you."

Author's Note

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