“I should probably start by explaining a little bit about PipBucks.” I said, closing the book in my lap. The Book of Littlepip. I’d only read it once for myself, but when it came to reading it for the groups of fillies and colts who came to my home, I never get enough. The gleam in their eyes as I told them the valiant tale of the Lightbringer always made my day, “Alright little ones, you should run along home. Your parents will be wondering where you ran off to.” The fillies and colts collected their things and filed neatly outside, thanking me for the story. All but one that is.

A small pink and purple unicorn filly sat in rapture on the floor, looking up at me. She wasn’t really a filly, not yet at least. She was younger, and didn’t even have her cutie mark yet. However, her eyes were… hungry. They had that look in them, the kind of look Twilight used to have whenever she’d devour a book. This filly wanted more.

“Miss Fluttershy?” The filly asked in her adorable voice. “Did all that really happen? I mean… it all sounds a bit far fetched. A savior from a stable who returned the sky to the land? Even I have to admit it’s a little ridiculous.” I smiled softly. Just like Twilight. Always the skeptic.

“Well... I can tell you for sure that it did happen. You know Miss Remedy and Mister Calamity,” I replied. “They were there, during the final battle to bring back the sky.” The filly sighed loudly. I could tell that this wasn’t going to be enough for this one.

“Yeah I suppose so, but there’s other stories out there, right?” she asked. “I’ve heard The Book of Littlepip so many times it’s starting to get old. Aren’t there any other heroes you can tell me about?” I smiled again and put a hoof to my chin, thinking hard. Trotting over to the bookshelf, I began scanning the various books stored there.

“Well,” I said resting my hoof on one book. “There’s the the Ghost of Fifty-Two. That’s a personal favorite of mine. An adorable filly searching for her mother.”

“I already read that one. Don’t you have anything else?” I rolled my eyes and continued on down the titles. My hoof stopped at a book simply titled ‘Security’.

“Well...” I said cringing, “there’s...” my hoof left the book named ‘Security’ and continued on.

She’s way too young for that one. I thought to myself. I continued along until a particular book caught my eye, The spine of the book said “ABC’s.” I pulled it out with my teeth and trotted over to the table. Resting the book carefully on it, I motioned for the filly to join me.

“How about this one?”

“But I already know my ABC’s,” the filly said, her lip curling into an adorable pout. The children always did know how to get me. “Don’t treat me like a little foal.”

“Of course not little one,” I said smiling. “Tell me... do you know what an anthology is?”

“No.”

“Well, an anthology is a bunch of stories that have nothing to do with each other. It’s what happens when the ponies who write get together and create one giant work,” I explained. “That’s what this is. It may say ABC’s on the front, but its really twenty-six stories of the wasteland.”

“Are there heroes in it?” The filly chirped. I smiled softly.

“Some. Sometimes there are villains too. It depends on the story.” I said. “Do you want to read it together?”

“Sure, that sounds fun!” The filly replied jumping up and down in place. I motioned for her to follow me. We made our way to the sitting circle where I sat the book down to begin reading.

“Alright then,” I said, opening the book to the first chapter. “Just sit down and we’ll begin.”