Chapter 2: While Changes are made

             Or: The Meeting of two Like-Minded

Those last few days were quite a feat for Twilight. First, they were looking for an ancient enemy of old yore around Canterlot. Then, without any result, they traveled back to Ponyville, staying at home while having an ever watchful eye upon the village, waiting to find at least some small clue about the whereabouts of that beast.

Well, at least life returned to normal, for now at least. Twilight was studying as always, Applejack was busy at her farm, Rarity in her boutique and Dash was kicking clouds and napping all day long. No one knew what Pinkie was doing besides working at Sugarcube Corner, Pinkie being Pinkie, and Fluttershy was looking after her animals.

At some point Fluttershy asked Twilight to go for her to Zecora and get some potions for some ill animals she took care of. She would have gone herself but she had to tend an injured raccoon or something like that. Twilight, being the ever-helpful friend, agreed of course and went to the Everfree Forest to obtain said concotions.

After she left Zecora with those potions in her saddlebags, she wanted to go back home…but something was keeping her from doing so. There was a strange feeling in the air, as if the forest changed drastically somehow. Being the always curious mare, she ventured deeper into said forest, looking for the change she was feeling since the forest was of magical nature.

It wasn't long enough until she found something…odd to say the least. There was sand on the forest ground.

Why is there sand. The wasteland between the Everfree and Appleloosa is still a few miles away from here. There shouldn't be any sand at all.

Soon she noticed the absence of some predators like manticores and cockatrice as she went further towards the origin of the sand. And soon enough she found her answer in a giant desert in front of the Everfree Forest.

But wait, this shouldn’t be any desert at all. As far as I can remember, there should still be the Everfree here…

Wait a second, this is the direction of the old castle. Maybe something happened over there. I should go looking…but I still have to be careful. Whatever did this has to be a very strong being if it even turned the Everfree Forest into a desert.

With that mindset, she took careful steps into the desert, always looking out for possible threats which weren't existent. As she came closer to the position of the former castle, she could see something in the everlasting sandstorm of the desert. It was a building, at least half as tall as the Canterlot Castle, if not even higher. It was made out of sandstone and was the only thing standing out in that desert.

As she approached the front doors, she started to feel something, as if the doors were magically enhanced. Above the doors was written:

‚Only those with pure intentions of seeking knowledge may enter this sacred place‘

She stepped in front of the doors and they started glowing in a slight red light of magic. Soon she noticed herself engulfed in the same magic and the doors opened for her, granting her access to the inside.

And as she entered the building, she could stand there with her muzzle agape. It turned out to be a library, around four or five times the size of her own humble one. And the myriads of books kept inside…it was like heaven for Twilight, as if she had died in the desert and was sent here for all eternity. Of course she knew that it was not heaven and that she was very well alive. But never could she ever imagine to find a place holding more knowledge than the Canterlot Archives.

She hesitantly made some few steps as the door closed itself, the torches on the walls being the only sources of light inside. She stood in the middle of the entrance hall and called out:

„Hello, is anypony inside?“

As if on cue, she heard someone moving, probably from the third or fourth floor. At first she couldn't hear any steps but soon enough, there were hoofsteps coming towards her. She turned to the stairs to see a pony walking down.

He was a chocolate brown Earth Pony wearing some sort of golden armor, way different in the looks than the ones of the royal guards. It didn't look like it was made to defend himself…rather as if it was made for ceremonial purposes. His eyes weren't really eyes, just some red orbs, making him looking terrifying.

Twilight just gulped as she looked at probably the owner of the library. Maybe he was mad at her for entering it without any sort of permission or maybe she should have knocked before just setting hoof inside. But all those thoughts were cast aside as her host began to speak, his voice deep and reverberating from the halls of the library.

„Hello there, visitor. Welcome to the Great Shurima Library. I can see that you are terrified but you don’t have to worry. I am not here to hurt you in any way. My name is Nasus and I am the humble librarian of this place. As my spell let you enter the library, you are more than welcome to take a look at any of these books you want. You can even ask me if I should tell you about anything.“

Her muzzle was agape, it would have hit the floor. Here she thought that she made somepony angry because of her trespassing and entering a home without permission. Now here she stands, having been given an invitation to read any of the myriads of books stored inside.

„Well…uh…I’m sorry. That was just so sudden. My name is Twilight Sparkle. My apologies for entering without so much as knocking on the door. It just opened so quickly, I had no time to do this. I was just-“

„Don’t worry, Miss Sparkle, I casted a spell upon the door to only let specific ponies enter. So, somehow, I wanted you to come inside. I am here to teach those who want about the world and everything. So feel free to ask any question you want. I am sure that I can answer almost all of them.“

With that, Twilight and Nasus went upstairs and a new chapter of life started for the two of them…

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