A Book By Its Cover

by _Kenzu_

Rating: everyone
Tags: Daring Do, Twilight Sparkle, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Alternate Universe, Rainbow Dash, Sad, Original Character, Slice of Life
Length: 2604

When it came to books Rainbow Dash never had time for them, with the exception of course of the ever popular Daring Do Series. However, she is devastated to find out that the series has long been cancelled. But when ace flyer meets one of her bigge

When it came to books Rainbow Dash never had time for them, with the exception of course of the ever popular Daring Do Series. However, she is devastated to find out that the series has long been cancelled.
But when the ace flyer meets one of her biggest idols, will she find truth in the old saying, never meet your heroes?

(side note, set before the princess coronation)

Published 2013-03-29 16:30:01 UTC
Last updated 2013-03-29 16:30:01 UTC

The Last Chapter

Chapter 1

The Final Chapter

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It had been a quiet morning in the small Equestrian village of Ponyville. Most residents of the sleepy little town were still waking up, preparing for another day of work. Shopkeepers had opened their stalls in the market and were eagerly awaiting the new day’s purchases. Around the schoolyard the bell rang, calling young fillies and foals for a new day of class. Bakeries like Sugar cube Corner had just opened their doors, filling the streets with the fresh smell of sugar and cinnamon baked goods.

Such a morning was no different for the town’s library with its purple librarian and her assistant. Twilight had already been awake before the sun even broke the horizon, and was happily at work with her assistant Spike on one of the unicorn’s favorite chores of the week, Reshelving day.

During her time in Ponyville it had become an almost weekly ritual for the mare, making sure the library stayed in tip top fashion for anypony that required its service. The work was often making sure books had been properly placed back in their rightful places, after certain ponies that were less than careful to return them properly, but also finding places for the new editions to the library, and above all, ensuring that every book was in absolute perfect condition for everypony that needed them.

“All done here Twilight,” Spike called from the top of the library’s only shelf ladder. “All the books are back in order, err I think.” The young dragon had been working diligently on every task Twilight had given him for most of the morning.

“That’s great Spike, looks like the library is almost ready to open.” She said satisfyingly from the library floor. “Now there’s just one last thing to mark off the list,” she continued as she glanced at the clipboard she had set aside, marking off the box checked “Old book organization”.

“Alright!” Spike said happily, his face perked up a bit at the thought of finally getting back to his nap. “You name it.” He slid down the ladder, landing on the final step as he looked to Twilight.

“All we have to do is sort these new shipments out and we’ll be done.” Twilight spoke as she walked over to an old desk. Five large stacks of books rested on its dusty surface. The librarian took in the scent of the new books intoxicatingly. There were few smells the librarian knew that compared to the smell of new books. It was like new knowledge just waiting to be opened.

She glanced back as she heard a long groan from across the room, “Oh... but Twilight,” the small dragon whined, “that could take hours!”

Twilight looked back sternly to Spike as he stepped off the ladder, “Now Spike, you know these books need to get shelved sooner or later. The sooner we get it done, the sooner we can go visit Rarity to check on her latest orders.” She assured Spike.

Spike’s stature quickly straightened up when he heard Rarity’s name, “Oh... well when you put it that way...” Spike trailed off in thought. “I guess it won't be that bad”

Twilight brought her attention back to the misplaced books on the shelf. Her horn began to glow a purple hue.

Almost instantly the first stack of books sprang to life as a similar transparent aura surrounded them, levitating the entire stack off the table. Twilight quickly floated them towards herself, forming them into a neat orderly line as she inspected the covers of each individual book carefully.

“Let’s see,” She murmured as she began to shuffle through the works, “The Lost Sword of the Diamond Enchantress.... Fiction...” The first book found itself gently released from the purple aura on another desk nearby, “Ailments to Magical Creatures and Quick Remedies.... Medicine...... “Again, another book floated off placing itself on a separate desk as Twilight continued her meticulous sorting process, “History of the Equestrian Guard.....History...”

Twilight continued her work for some time unimpeded as Spike slowly and reluctantly began placing the sorted books onto their respective shelves throughout the library. As the unicorn continued her work she paused in surprise as one particular book in line came before her, the title stopped her dead in her tracks.

“Daring Do and the Mystery of the Flying Island!” She cried in surprise. All the other books in the unicorn’s magical grasp suddenly lost their aura, falling to the ground in a loud hail of noise and paper.

“Wah!?” Spike yelped in surprise and quickly jumped out of the way as one or two of the encyclopedias he was grabbing for almost fell on top of him. “Ouch...” He groaned before getting back up, “Jeez Twilight, what was that for?”

“Spike!” Twilight called excitedly, seemingly unaware of the dragon’s brush with severe injury, “Do you know what this is!?”

“An old book?” Spike said flatly as he dusted himself off, unimpressed at the unicorn’s excitement. Twilight got like this almost every time there was a new shipment of books, so much so that it had almost become an unpleasant routine for the baby dragon.

“Not just any book Spike, this is Daring Do and the Mystery of the Flying Island! It’s a collector’s dream.” Twilight continued, looking at the cover of the book with hungry eyes, “I knew this was coming in for weeks now, but, wow! I haven't seen one of these since I was just a filly.”

“What's the big deal Twilight?” Spike asked as he began picking up the mess of once organized books that had fallen around him, “It’s just another Daring Do book.” He glanced back to the fiction section where the other Daring books were located. There was almost an entire shelf completely dedicated to the fictional tales.

“You don't understand Spike. This is the last book in the series to date. There were only a couple hundred copies made.” Twilight carefully levitated the book down onto her reading stand. The purple unicorn was as excited as a young filly ready to open her Heart’s Warming Day presents.

Carefully, Twilight opened the cover of the book and grinned from ear to ear when she looked at the first page. The words were just as familiar to her as they were when she had first read the book seven years ago. It was really real. The Daring Do series was extremely popular, but this edition had been hard to come by even for libraries. Just the idea of having it in her collection filled the librarian with joy.

Twilight couldn't believe her luck as she began to pour over the first page. Over the years that she had spent in the Canterlot library studying, nothing had replaced the excitement she had when she had first read the last edition to the Daring series. It was by far the author’s best book yet. She had spent much of the next year waiting for a new addition to savor her taste of the fanciful tales with, but as time went on, no new books came.

“Umm... Twilight,” a voice from a great distance away called. Twilight barely heard it as she turned the page, immersed in the story, “Twilight, Equestria to Twilight.” A purple claw finally came between her and the print, bringing her back to reality.

“Oh sorry Spike,” she apologized with a sheepish grin before turning away from the book, “it’s been so long and it’s such a good story I couldn't help it.”

The young dragon rolled his eyes as he returned to his work cleaning up the mess, “Well, I guess, but you know that if this book is here Rainbow will probably show up any minute.” Spike sighed. He looked back to the library door, half expecting it to burst open at any moment with a certain excited pegasus before it. “She’s been going on about this book for ever since she found it.”

Twilight gave a half hearted sigh as she closed the book. “You’re right Spike.” The book found itself floating in the air again as Twilight brought it to the fiction shelf. “It would be better to let her be the first to read it I suppose.”

Twilight looked at the cover as she placed it at the end of the shelf, admiring the now complete collection of the Daring Do series the library now boasted. It was after all Rainbow Dash that Twilight had to thank for that, not her own work. Ever since the pegasus became a fan of the series she had painstakingly searched bookstores and libraries through letters and notes she mailed to all ends of Equestria, requesting for any book in the series. It was only by a stroke of luck she had managed to find this one sitting on the back shelf of a Fillydelphia library.

“I doubt that she’d wait for me to read it anyway,” Twilight chuckled as she thought about the pegasus who once told her books were only for “eggheads”. “Besides... we have work to do.” The young librarian said confidently as she retrieved her checklist and pen.

“Exactly!” Spike said as he picked up the spine of another encyclopedia. He stared at the title as he began looking for its proper shelf. “I doubt Rainbow will hold it against you if she only has to wait a couple more minutes for the library to open-”

Almost as if waiting on cue a knock came at the front door of the library, but just as Spike was about to open it decided it had had enough of waiting. The door almost flew off its hinges, launching the dragon into a shelf as a cyan bullet raced across the library floor.

“Oh My Gosh Oh My Gosh Oh My Gosh is it here?” Rainbow Dash asked excitedly as she looked around the library, quickly finding Twilight. “I saw the mail pony drop off the delivery the other day, but I just couldn't wait any longer.”

“Umm, Rainbow,” Twilight asked, taken aback by her friend's sudden outburst. “Could you take a couple steps back?”

Rainbow looked back at Twilight’s face before noticing her own was only inches away from the unicorn’s “Oh, yeah, sorry Twi,” she apologized before she took matters into her own hooves, searching through bookshelves high and low. “I've been waiting weeks for it to get here. It’s here isn't it?”

“Oh... My head,” a groan from the Daring Do section called. Spike wobbled back to his feet, dazed from the impact as he absent mindedly picked up the book that had fallen on top of him.

“That’s it!” Rainbow cried the moment she looked in Spike’s direction, “Thanks Spike!” The pegasus quickly snatched the book out of his claw and opened to the first page, her eyes almost glued to the book.

“Don't mention it?” Spike said as he still tried to grasp what had happened.

“Wow Rainbow, I guess you’ve been dying to get your hooves on this one,” Twilight said as she returned to her shelving.

“Are you kidding? I’ve been looking all over the place for Daring Do and The Mystery of the Flying Island.” Rainbow said her eyes didn't leave the book as she flipped the page. “I was starting to think that it didn't exist.”

“Well, it’s a pretty rare edition.” Twilight said absentmindedly as she placed another book away, “I guess the publisher wanted to make the last book a collector’s item.”

Rainbow continued reading, only half paying attention to what Twilight had been saying. It took her a couple moments to process what she had just heard. “What?” Rainbow looked back up to her friend. “What did you just say?”

“Huh? Oh, I was just saying the publishers probably wanted to make the final book very rare.” Twilight responded as she finished up sorting the last stack of books that had been left on the table.

“What do you mean final book?” Rainbow asked accusingly as she got up to face the unicorn. She couldn't believe what she had just heard. She knew the words coming out of Twilight’s mouth, but when she put them together they almost sounded like a foreign language.

“Well that’s the end to the Daring Do series Rainbow,” Twilight said as she placed the last book on a shelf, “there aren't any more books after that one.” She glanced back surprised by the frown that she saw on Rainbow’s face

“But that’s not fair!” Rainbow complained as she closed the book in defiance, “How will Daring catch Ahuizotl? Or will she ever find key to the lost treasure of the Alicorns? She’s still got so much to do, they can't end it here.”

“Well, the publisher never did say they were officially ending the series,” Twilight said in an attempt to reassure her friend. “But it has been seven years since they published any new books Rainbow. Don't you think something would have happened by now?”

Rainbow Dash glanced down to the Daring Do book with a bit of remorse. The title “Daring Do and The Mystery of the Flying Island” seemed to only mock her now. She had followed every book from the first issue Twilight had given her when she had broken her wing in that flight training incident. She could hardly believe that the series could have ever ended, never mind that she would make it to the last book.

“I... think I’ll just check this one out then.” Rainbow said defeated. She half halfheartedly picked up the book off the floor as she began to make her way to the door.

“Umm... alright,” Twilight said, slightly concerned for her friend “Just remember to turn it back in as soon as you finish it for somepony else.”

“Yeah... yeah right, I’ll do that.” Rainbow said slightly deflated as she took to the air. “No problem.”

“Ah, Rainbow,” Twilight called making the cyan pegasus stop in her tracks, “Is there anything you want to talk about?” Twilight knew how much the Daring series had meant to Rainbow Dash. She had quickly related to the main character, almost idolizing her. She could only guess how finding the last book had rocked her to the core.

“Huh? Oh, nah its cool Twi,” Rainbow said as she turned back away. “I just really want to start on this book. I’ll have it back by tomorrow, promise.” She said quickly closing the Library door behind her.

“What was that about?” Spike asked as he looked back to the door.

“You know how important Daring Do is to Rainbow. I guess she had no idea about the last book.” Twilight explained as she readjusted the rest of the Daring books that had fallen in the crash.

“I’m sure she’ll be fine. I mean its Rainbow Dash we’re talking about.” Spike said as he rubbed his head, “I think I’m going to go find some ice...” he mumbled as he began to walk upstairs.

“I hope you're right Spike.” Twilight mused as she returned to her work. She’d have plenty of time to worry about Rainbow Dash later, but for now, there were still chores around the library to be done. “I just hope your right...”

Author's Note

And here we have Chapter 1
Doing this story for a bit of my own personal fun, but I hope you all enjoy it as well ^^

As usual if you have any opinions or anything to improve this story, or tell me what it lacks I'm very open to constructive criticism.