"You? Need me?" Pipp directed a hoof at herself. "Not that I doubt everyone has a little need for Pipp, what can I do specifically?"

Comforting smiled, sitting across from the pink princess. "It's nothing big. I just need an audience."

Pipp tilted her head. "Audience? Well, I am pretty good at drawing a crowd. What did you want them to be there for?"

Comforting waved that away. "No, no, not like that." She waved around the top floor. "All of this. Your sister's already involved, and we want everypony to know about it." Her voice dropped. "We also want older unicorns to take part, but Amber thinks they won't feel like they should or could attend. It's a little bit odd. We're trying to figure out why that is."

Pipp considered with a hum. "Well, my audience tends to skew towards the younger demographic, but I can make a video about the place. Do you mean the whole library?"

Amber poked her head in from the hallway. "Just this floor, where ponies can learn more about their magic, for all tribes."

"Ooohhh." Pipp gestured, "So, like, flying lessons for pegasi, earth magic for earth ponies, and unicorn magic for unicorns?"

Comforting clapped, "That's what I said, but with fewer words." With a grin, she zipped over to Pipp. "Can you do it?"

Pipp smiled, "Of course! Anything for a friend. I'll make a great video to show off the new area."

Comforting and Amber smiled at one another, then back at Pipp. "You are a hero of the day."

***

The video began with Pipp flying into the camera's view, a unicorn, an earth pony, and a pegasus all beside her. All four of them landed and Pipp introduced them, "This is the Talent Training Terrace. Parked right on top of the library, they're ready to help ponies, all ponies, learn about that magical spark that's hiding inside them!"

Pipp turned, gesturing at the unicorn. "I know what magic you're interested in, and it's unicorn magic." The pegasus came into the shot. "Or, maybe, you want to fly like a pegasus." She paused with a thought. "Warning, they can only teach you about the magic you have. Pegasi get pegasi training." She leaned in towards the camera. "Which now includes weather control! How far out is that?!"

The earth pony came in with a chuckle. "Don't forget, earth ponies can learn to be stronger, faster, tougher, and grow better plants."

Pipp gestured at them all. "Learn how to reach for your inner glow and share it with the world around you. We all have that spark, time to reach for yours!"

The video continued, with the trio of ponies, along with Pipp, going through various lessons with the library staff. Some earth ponies and unicorns showed up for the video shoot, just to watch, and Pipp recruited them on the spot, getting them involved too.

***

Amber Skyray walked through the library, her hooves clopping against the wood with every step. The place seemed quiet, but there were students there, reading books. The Talent Training Terrace was getting use, even if it seemed quiet. "So many ponies, learning." She let out a happy sigh at the thought of it. "Exactly what I had hoped for."

A student passed by, Amber's ear flicking to track the sound of their hooves. "They are coming." Another student walked by, a pair of hooves clopping on the wooden floors, making just enough noise for her to follow their paths. Coming in ones and twos mostly, the video proved it had reached ponies as they arrived, looking for lessons.

One young unicorn walked by with his parents, all three beaming with smiles. They each had a copy of the same book, which seemed to be about unicorn magic. "It's wonderful to see them." Amber clapped with joy at all the activity. "Oh, if anypony's never been to a city library before, I can help you get a library card. That goes for anypony that lost theirs too."

More students were there than usual, and it was more diverse than she was used to. Not only young colts and fillies, but their parents, and some older folks besides. It was a lovely sight to see. Amber had plenty to do, helping those without a card for one reason or another. It was the only requirement to get into the class, but cards were free to all residents of the city.

But that one wasn't a resident. Amber blinked. "Floraugh?! What are you doing here?!"

The griffon bowed his head slightly. "I came to check out this new floor I keep hearing about. I'm also here to see my girlfriend." He grinned at Amber, "But I'm happy to see you too."

Amber burst into laughter. "Did the griffons find Maretime Bay? That's wonderful! But what are you going to learn up there? It's for pony magic, and you're a griffon."

The griffon waved that off. "I have wings. I bet I could learn anything they're teaching to pegasi. I want to go find out, but I need a card first." He held out a taloned hand. "Please?"

Amber laughed and levitated a card out towards Floraugh. "Here, this will grant you access. You should be able to learn, just like anypony else." Her eyes moved from Floraugh towards the nearest window. Outside, she could see there were other griffons, but they were, by far, the minority of the creatures in the sky. "It's nice to have other creatures in town."

Floraugh looked out the same window with a smile. "It's nice to visit. It's a nice place you've got here. I might stop by more often now I can." He clutched his card in his claws. "I'm going to go up there and see what the pegasus classes are all about. I'll be back after for a book. How do you have so many of them?!"

Amber chuckled, "You'd be amazed at the books we have here. If you want one that isn't here, we can ask the other libraries in the city to get the one you're looking for."

Floraugh bowed. "Thank you, for real. I'll see you around, Amber." He took flight towards the stairs heading up.

Amber moved on to the next pony in need of a card. "Have you been to a city library before?"

They shook their head, "No, I haven't. What is this?"

Amber tapped her hoof on the counter. "It's where ponies can get books on almost any topic you can imagine. Like this one! Getting a card is easy, just fill this out." She floated over a short form. "Then I give you a card. That's it."

They filled it out, and Amber took a glance. "Very good." She levitated a card over to them. "Now you have access to everything this library has. Including the third floor. It'll also be good at any other library in the city, that belongs to the city."

She skewed an ear with a fresh thought. "I should check out some not-city libraries. Wonder what they're hiding." But she returned to business, waving the next pony forward. The day proved quite busy, getting ponies, and the occasional griffon, ready to wander around, or go directly up for lessons.

By the end of it, she was panting gently and leaning against the desk. "What a day! But I got to see so many happy faces." She reached over the desk to take a drink from a mug. It had been there all day and was, by that point, cold. But the taste barely registered, she needed to hydrate.

"That feels nice. Comfort?" They appeared with a pop. "How did things go everywhere else while I was stuck here?"

Comforting looked up. "Oh, great. Ponies are really getting into the video. I think it's going to pay big dividends." She gestured at Amber with a finger-gun. "I was surprised by how many ponies were talking about the video. I think they're really excited to 'learn their spark' and all." She giggled with obvious joy. "And the griffons! Did you see Floraugh's back?!"

Amber nodded at that. "I did! I'm glad they came, but you didn't call them."

Comforting looked away. "Well, I may or may not have talked to them, or a few of them. I didn't help them, but I may have given a few encouraging words. I didn't want them to wait too long before making the trip."

Amber nodded with agreement. "It is a long flight, but they did seem interested." She paused and squinted. "You just said you didn't do anything, then admitted you did. What is going on, Comforting? Something's different about you."

The chaos spirit turned away, but smiled back at Amber. "There are different levels of 'doing' something." She raised a hand up to the ceiling. "There's me clapping my hands and, poof, griffons are around. That's the most doing." She lowered that hand a foot. "There's giving people the tools to do it, like if I gave them all cars to zip over here. Still a step I try to avoid."

She lowered her hand further yet. "And so on and so on. All I did was mention the lovely things Maretime Bay has to offer, rev their engines as it were. They were still the ones to make the choice, and the ones who actually got themselves here, on their own. I'm okay with that level of involvement."

Amber nodded. "Alright, that is a pretty non-intrusive way of going about it." She laughed gently. "I'm sure they would have come anyway, sooner or later. But it's nice of you to hurry it along." She offered her arms and shared a hug with Comforting, both pleased for it. "Glad we made it through that day. Felt like that line was never going to end."

Comforting laughed at the idea. "You did great. This place is going to do amazing, and you're going to help everypony here reach for that spark inside them." She pulled away, smiling, "I'm glad to have been here for you today."

Amber reached up and got a high-hoof with a clap. "It's a team effort. Speaking of, let me check in with the other librarians and see how they're doing."

Comforting nodded, and she slipped away. Amber moved across the floor, pausing at desks and counters, speaking with other librarians, keeping a careful eye on their thoughts and feelings. They were tired, but otherwise happy to have been part of the process. She approved a few of their vacation requests. "You were overdue for a day to yourself, don't even worry about it."

One of the library goers went past, beaming at Amber, and she beamed back. "Hi there, having fun?"

They nodded. "I'm learning how to do magic like Misty." Their horn glowed as the mare skipped in place. "She's a fun teacher."

"Oh, good for her!" Amber clapped with joy. "Have fun, alright?"

The mare nodded. "Will do, boss! Oh, I mean, Miss Skyray." She dashed away with a giggle.

Amber sighed with relief. "So far, so good." She levitated up a checklist to examine the various points of interest. "Ah!" She hurried up the stairs and over to the earth pony room. "Hitch? How are you holding up with these new ponies flooding in?"

Hitch smiled back, "Doing great! We're learning how to dig deep into the earth." He demonstrated with a hoof, striking a patch of dirt and watching the plants grow. "There's a lot here to learn."

Amber slid to a stop, watching Hitch go on about the specifics of it. "You're really okay? I thought this might have been enough to make you see two jobs at once is a little hard."

Hitch laughed at that. "I got help. The deputy is doing his thing. I got this handled." He flexed his forehooves, "And I can always come here if I'm stressed out, get those emotions out in the earth, you know?"

Amber sank to her haunches with a little laugh. "If you're sure? But you can always call for help from any of us if things feel overwhelming. We want our sheriff to be at his best, and we care about you. So, yes, if things get too stressful, please do tell us. Any of us." She gestured at herself. "I'd be glad to help."

Hitch nodded. "I'll keep that in mind, but I think I'm fine, thanks." He hopped up and came down on a flower that served as a lounging chair. "I'll be headed home soon, after I check in on the deputy one last time."

Amber stepped forward and wrapped her hooves around Hitch, giving him a tight hug. "Don't stay out too late, alright?"

Hitch leaned into that. "Sure, I won't." He let her go and slid to his own hooves. "I'm not a late-night kind of pony anyway."

Author's Note

The griffons are back, in Maretime Bay! Hey, Floraugh, we missed ya.

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