Canterlot's Hydra

I was no fan of the sun. But early, it's not that bad. Noon comes around, it's torture, but that's hours from now. Canterlot started up like an engine, revved up at dawn. I couldn't hear them over my singing, but I figure their mornings are spent bathing, eating something for breakfast, and getting dressed, for the ones inclined to wear clothes.

Clothing seems to be a matter of status, though nobody wears pants. I remember a few people wearing pants in the show, I think Fluttershy did once, when she was a... floor assistant? For Rarity, I think? That won't be for a while, Rarity's only got her original boutique in Ponyville for now.

After breakfast, the streets were filled with the clippity clops of hooves. Ponies made their way all over, trotting this way and that way. Smiling faces were found all around, as ponies would offer pleasantries, good mornings, and how do you dos, to their neighbors and friends.

Calm the storm within, everything's alright.

The shadows of their back alleys hid me as I sang, watching allowed me to learn more about them. Ponies would form little families, called herds. Multiple women to a single man. The women tended to work, while the men stayed home, cared for the home, managed the children. This does not concern me, the horse system seems to work just fine. Though in my infrequent spying, I must say, there really aren't that many guys.

For every 10-12 mares, I'll find maybe 1 or 2 stallions. I'm unsure how they manage to breed so few men, pony magic? A horrible curse from Grogar? Maybe just happenstance? Who knows.

I'm unsure of worker ratios, but of the guards I've seen, very few of them were men. The repair ponies who sometimes enter the sewers to check out or fix pipes in the sewers were mares too... strangely enough.

Surely men are just as capable of entering the sewers and repairing things as the women are. From observing, I've learned that it's not complicated. turn a few valves, replace old or broken pipe with new one. Sometimes apply tape to pipe. I wonder if stallions just choose not to become repairponies. Of course, what they wish to do with themselves is their own business.

I walked out of the market area and back in the direction of the rich people district, still maintaining my song.

Through the dreams of the youth, where innocence spoke.

There's a public library around the less rich, but still very rich district, and this hasn't been my first visit. However, this is my first visit where I'll actually check out a book. I haven't spoken to a pony before, but I... I can... I'll just sneak around, use the song to hide. Nobody will know I'm there, and I can take my time. I'll search for what I want to read, and I'll eavesdrop on the librarian as other ponies check out their books, allowing me to just mimic what other pe...

I stopped in my tracks, still singing the song.

Wait a second, if I stop singing, they'll see my wings.

Wait, it won't matter. Oh shit, nevermind. Once I start singing again, she'll forget I ever existed, just like the ponies who saw me when I got here.

With a newfound pep in my step, I made my way down the streets of Canterlot towards the library. It's similar to just about every other building in the city, gold, purple, and white, placed together to give off a sense of magic and regality. Although, the library is remarkably tall, it dwarves the buildings around it, and the ones on the other side of the street.

Now that I was here, I stepped up to the door, tried to push it open, before I realized it was a pull door, and entered the library.

Polished floors, white walls, and golden accents filled my vision, and the sun's poisonous heat was quickly replaced with the sweet air conditioned paradise of the library. There were ponies around, I counted 6 up front, and who knows who's in the back searching for books.

Hush now, sleep tight, mind takes flight. Darkness creeping in, shadow figures in sight.

I'd have to keep singing the entire time, I couldn't let them see me until I was ready. Maybe I should invest in a cloak or something? Something to cover the wings, at least. But then, I'd either have to steal one or get a job to pay for one. I can't just go to Rarity in Ponyville and be like "Oh, hey, I'm an alicorn, would you please make me a cloak?" Because first off, that'd be rude, and second off, because I'd have to not sing the entire time she was making it, otherwise she'd forget who she was making it for.

At least I'm hidden.

There were ponies sitting in the... foyer? Lobby? The place where the librarian sits, I don't know what it's called. They read books from anything to fantasy novels to magical text books. I walked past the reading ponies and started to scan the bookshelves.

'100 Wacky Lives of Tomorrow' sat next to 'The Adventure of Stone Minute', I'm not sure what shelf this is, but I'm not sure they're supposed to be together like this.

'An Account of Wealth within Equestria's Western Coast.' No.

'169 Ways to Please a S-' No.

'Magic and You: A Beginner's Guide.' That might be nice. I ought to learn at least a little magic.

I took the book and climbed up a staircase into another layer with more bookshelves, and thankfully, fewer ponies. Though...

Now that I'm here, maybe it's just...

Maybe I don't NEED to check out the book, maybe I'll just take REALLY good care of it, and bring it back when I'm done? Nobody will notice, right?

...

Theft is wrong, I know...

Wait, do I pay for books? I'm not buying it, I'm checking it out, people do that all the time. I'm sure it's fine.

Dusty Pages sat at the Librarian's desk, nobody else was checking out any books, So I just slowly walked up, making sure to check, re-check, and re-re-check that nobody else also wanted to speak with her about anything before I did. Because I'm totally cool with waiting. In fact, why don't I just wait all day, until this place closes, and then just have the entire library to myself.

No, you need to talk to her.

My ears fell as I reminded myself that I was supposed to push myself and talk to someone. I don't need to have any small talk, just... say what ya gotta say.

I re-re-re-checked one last time before approaching her, then re-re-re-re-checked one final time before I stopped singing.

Her eyes widened as I was suddenly standing in front of her.

"O-Oh... my." She said, in shock.

"Hey... uh, could I check out," I place the book onto the counter in between us, "This book, please?"

Her eyes stayed on me for a second before she closed her mouth and looked at the book.

"Of course," She replied shakily, grabbing a card from behind the desk and stamping it with something. "And uh, your name is?"

"Aurum." I replied, making something up on the fly. I could feel the eyes of the other people in the library on me, it burned, I could hear gasps of surprise and books falling onto the ground, but I chose not to look.

"I haven't seen you around before, you staying up at the castle?" She asked, a look of concern on her face.

"I'd... I'd rather not... talk about it." My voice shrunk in my throat.

She slides the card into the book and hands it to me.

"I understand," She said before continuing, "But if you need any help, don't hes—"

She immediately went back to smiling and looking around at all the other people in the library, her worries forgotten, as I restarted singing. I was still standing in front of her, but now, I was free from her eye sight. Now with the book in possession, I ran full tilt out of the Library and retreated back into the alleyways.

Once I was sure I was out of sight, I clutched the book tightly in pride. I had done it, I spoke to someone!

Now I could retreat back to the sewers with the satisfaction that I had accomplished something today.