The bell over the door dinged as a slender woman in a heavy, lavender wool coat trudged into the coffee shop. She stomped her boots to knock the snow off and shivered while she glanced around the shop, her eyes landing first on the near empty tables, then the board of drinks and specials, and lastly, the tall, curvy woman behind the counter.

“Welcome to the Literal Bean! What can I get for you?” the woman behind the counter asked; her voice sounded like a melody, soft, gentle, and maternal. She wore a fitted polo with a coffee bean logo just visible beneath her green apron, along with an easy smile in spite of the biting cold outside and early hour.

“J-just a cappuccino, pl-please,” the slender woman replied through her shivering while she fished her wallet from her messenger bag slung over her shoulder. She placed a few small coins on the counter and dropped others into the tip jar.

“What a lovely bag! Where did you find such a treasure?” asked the barista while she dropped the money in the till.

“I, um, thank you! I have a friend who’s an independent designer. She saw that I’d worn a hole in my old one and got this for me as a gift. One of her designs. See the two logos?” She pointed to the trio of pale blue diamonds embossed in the indigo leather and then to the purple starburst surrounded by smaller, white stars. “Her designs always have that diamond mark. The other is mine. She’s quite talented; I owe her nearly my entire wardrobe!”

“Very cute. You must be blessed to have such generous friends,” the barista said, gathering ingredients and starting the espresso without taking her eye from the young patron.

“I am. They did wish me luck today.”

“Oh? Whatever for? Something exciting, I hope?” The barista pulled the espresso and steamed the milk, but she still wore that easy smile while she waited for the answer.

“An interview. I’m supposed to meet the dean of the college here about becoming a librarian. It’s been a dream of mine, I absolutely adore books.”

“Ah, yes. She does quite enjoy it in this humble little shop. I take it you haven’t met her before?”

“I haven’t, no. Should I be worried? What is she like?” the young woman asked, her violet eyes widening.

“Heavens, no! She’s very easy-going. You’ll do fine, I’m sure. Can I get your name, in case she asks for you?” The barista slid the quite large cappuccino across the counter into the woman’s waiting hands.

“Twilight Sparkle,” the young woman replied. She smiled back and gladly accepted the coffee. She glanced over her barista’s curves uniform and noticed a detail was missing. “Can I get yours, as well?”

“Ah, yes. I don’t often wear a name tag because most people I see are regulars. You can call me Tia.”

“Thank you, Tia.”

Twilight turned and set her bag next to an empty table and set her coffee down. After she shed her coat and hung it on the back of the chair, she pulled out a few copies of her resume from her bag and set them on the table. She adjusted her vest and the long sleeves of her blouse buttoned almost to her neck. She smoothed her pleated navy skirt against her thick-tights-covered legs and finally sat down. She took several sips of coffee and held the mug tightly, letting it warm her hands while she inhaled the aromatic bitterness that was good coffee. She closed her eyes, sighed, and ran through her mind what lay ahead: an opportunity for her dream job that hinged on her ability to sell her particular talents of organization and friendly guidance.

A slight creak of a chair. Twilight’s eyes shot open to the sight of Tia in low-cut pastel blue blouse and pastel pink and green silk wrap around her waist. Now that her hair was no longer tied back, it flowed around her neck and shoulders, a cascade of pale green, blue, and pink all blending together.

Twilight gulped and tugged at her shirt collar. “You got changed awfully fast.”

“My relief arrived, so I’m off shift. I thought I’d join you for a little bit, if that’s alright?”

“S-sure.” Twilight blushed lightly; the woman across from her was miles out of her league. Her companion seemed to think otherwise, judging by the amount of cleavage she was flashing Twilight’s way. “I’m not sure I’ll be much of a conversationalist, though. I’m a little nervous for that interview.”

“I’m sure you’ll do fine. How about I help? I can probably go over some basic questions, maybe give you a few pointers.”

“I— yes, thank you. Any help would be nice.” Twilight handed over a copy of her resume and Tia looked over it intently.

Tia hummed softly to herself. Twilight fidgeted and tried not to stare at her acquaintance’s chest. She failed, miserably. Tia smirked and wiggled her sizable breasts. Twilight turned beet red and stared out of the window into the dark, snow-covered campus.

“Hmmm, it looks to me like you would have all of the right qualifications to be a librarian here.” Tia waved her hand as she rattled off Twilight’s resume. “Master’s in Library Science, Bachelor’s in English Literature and Astronomy with minors in Chemistry, History, Performing Arts, Political Science, Physics, and, um, Psychology. OK, I’m sorry, how long did it take you to finish your undergraduate degree?” Tia asked.

Twilight snapped her head back and blushed lightly with a demure smile. “Oh, uh, f-four years. I had a head start with placement and advance course work from secondary school.”

Tia nodded. “Impressive. Continuing on, you had an internship with your alma mater’s library and references from that position, and two years serving at Crystal Preparatory Academy as an assistant librarian.” She set the paper down and leaned forward on the table with her arms pressed in, pushing up her breasts as she entwined her fingers. “I guess... how would you describe your experiences with your internship and assistant librarian positions? How did they compare, and what about those jobs would you consider separates you from other candidates?”

Twilight launched into her answer, explaining how her university handled certain books, her role in preserving part of the rare book collection, and her interactions with patrons. She brought up her shared experience of dealing with students of all ages and abilities, her own ability of finding the right book or books for each student across a variety of genres and subjects, and compared dealing with younger students seeking novels for personal enjoyment with older students trying to track down hefty tomes of dense, specific subject material.

Tia nodded along, and asked for clarification a few times when Twilight got into tangents or jargon. They continued their back-and-forth with questions about Twilight’s studies, her relatively short work history, and what would make her a good fit at this particular university.

After her last round of questions, Tia’s phone buzzed on the table. “My apologies, Twilight. I have to take this. Can you excuse me a moment?”

Twilight nodded and Tia got up from the table and walked to the back of the coffee shop, around a corner to where Twilight couldn’t see or hear her. Twilight pulled out her own phone, checked the time, and saw no missed calls or messages. It looked the dean was running late but hadn’t tried to call her.

Tia walked back to the table with a slight frown on her face and a heavy jacket on but not zipped up. “I’m terribly sorry, Twilight, but I have to take care of a personal thing. Are you alright to wait here on your own?”

Twilight gulped and tugged at her collar. “I’ll... I’ll be fine, I think, thanks.”

Tia raised an eyebrow but didn’t question Twilight’s response. “If you’re sure.” Tia looked out of the window to the gradually lightening sky and pale landscape reflecting the pinks and oranges of early sunrise. “Look, if you need anything, here’s my number.” She jotted a set of digits on the copy of Twilight’s resume she’d been handed and slid it closer to Twilight. “Good luck, alright?” She held out her hand.

Twilight stood and grasped it. Tia’s hands were warm, soft, and her grip was firm but surprisingly gentle. Tia patted Twilight’s hand with her other one and then let go.

“I’m sure you’ll do fine. I’d like to see you here again, Twilight Sparkle. Bye!” Tia turned and walked briskly out of the shop as she zipped up her jacket. The bell over the door rung and then closed.

Twilight sat back down and sighed. Her phone still hadn’t informed her of anything she didn’t know minutes before. She tucked Tia’s phone number into her bag and looked over her resume again and ran her answers to Tia’s questions over in her mind, picking them apart.

The door bell rang again and Twilight looked over to see a tall, slender, dusky-skinned woman stomp in the door. She breathed deeply and quickly as if she had ran into the shop. She looked around the shop for a moment before resting her eyes on Twilight and making her way through the tables to Twilight’s.

“Excuse me, are you Twilight Sparkle?” she asked.

“I am.”

“Ah. My sincerest apologies, Ms. Sparkle. I am Luna Everfree, Director of University Affairs. I’m afraid my sister was unable to make this meeting because of an urgent personal matter, but I will be happy to conduct your interview in her stead. May I?” Luna gestured to the seat across from Twilight.

“Oh, um, certainly.” Twilight handed an unmarked copy of her resume over. “For-forgive me, but this seems like awfully short notice for a change in interviewer.”

“Again, apologies, Ms. Sparkle. It was short notice for me as well. Had I not already been familiar with the open librarian position, I would’ve postponed. Fortunately for us both...” Luna trailed off. “However, I find myself less prepared than I would like. Would give you a few moments to familiarize myself with your CV?”

“Certainly, preparing and organizing one’s thoughts is key, especially when dealing with others’ seeking information.”

“Very wise, Ms. Sparkle. If you’ll allow me.” Luna picked up Twilight’s resume and scrutinized it, as if staring it down would by itself determine whether Twilight would get the job.

Twilight nodded and returned to her fidgeting. Try as she might, she couldn’t keep her nerves under control. Where Tia was unstoppable force of magnetic attraction, Luna exuded an aura of mystery and subtle, almost unapproachable intimidation. Her pantsuit was sharply cut, pinching in at her waist. Without the bust or broad hips of Tia, Luna’s shoulders defined her profile, as if she’d played basketball or some other sport for much of her life.

When Luna finally set Twilight’s resume down, she launched into the same questions Tia had practiced with her earlier. Already having answers in mind, Twilight felt she nailed each one out of the park. She smiled confidently throughout, eager both for the job and to share the good news with everyone, even that hot barista who helped so eagerly earlier that morning.

“Rarity?” Twilight called as she stamped her boots in the mud room just inside the private apartment above a trendy new boutique. “Rarity, are you home?”

“Just a moment, darling!” Rarity called from further in the apartment. “I’m just finishing my makeup. I’m due to open downstairs in less than a half hour. How did your interview go? Well, I hope?”

“Phew, yeah. It’s been a quite a ride this morning. I got the coffee shop a little early, and the barista is just this drop-dead gorgeous woman, and she’s as sweet as her voice sounds. She offered to help prepare me for my interview with the dean, who never showed up. The Director of University Affairs did my interview, but the preparation helped so much. Like almost the exact same questions. I’m think I’m a shoe-in for the next round of interviews!” By the time Twilight finished talking, she arrived at the bathroom to see Rarity touching up her eye shadow.

“Well, it seems like you got very lucky in more ways than one. I hope you asked her out, or at least got her number, yes?”

Twilight blushed. “I... yeah, she gave me her number. Honestly, she seems so far out of my league, even though she was pretty forward with me.”

“Twilight, my dear,” Rarity said as she turned around and grasped Twilight’s hands, “you should give yourself more credit. You are every bit deserving of anyone’s affections, and there is no such thing as ‘out of your league.’ Do you hear me? Now go text her or something! Thank her with a date, at the very least. Now shoo! I need to adjust my stockings and then I’ll be down in the boutique. Ta ta!” Rarity shoved Twilight out of the bathroom and unceremoniously closed the door in her face as Twilight brought up her hand to protest.

Then again...

All signs but Twilight’s self-doubt pointed to the barista having much more than a passing interest in her.

Twilight walked back to the mud room and grabbed Tia’s number from her bag, punched it her phone, and started texting.

Hey Tia! It’s Twilight. Thank you so much for your help this morning. I wound up meeting Director Luna Everfree, not the dean, but I still think your help at least got me one step closer! She told me next week would start the final round of interviews with the potential of an offer. Just, thanks again. I really appreciate it.

Twilight walked back to the living and flopped on the sofa, phone in hand, and she reached back to grab her book. She flipped it open and started reading about the potential side effects of a glass half full of water at the top and vacuum at the bottom.

She heard a clack of heels against hardwood as Rarity descended the spiral stairs to her shop below, and then a thud and metallic click as the door closed and deadbolt slid into place. Twilight idly mused about living above the library on campus, the sheer convenience of not only having no commute, but near instant access to any and all books of her choosing.

Her phone buzzed on her chest and tickled. She giggled as she powered on the screen and entered her PIN. The messaging app loaded and she read Tia’s reply.

That’s great news! Maybe we can celebrate a little? Do you think you’d want to stop by for another coffee? Or how about lunch?

Twilight considered the options. On the one hand, going back for coffee would be easy. On the other, Rarity’s words echoed in her mind: being daring could pay off dozens of times greater than a little coffee break might.

Her thumbs got to tapping out her response.

Would you like to do dinner instead? What would you be in the mood for?

Twilight set her phone down on the sofa and sucked in a deep breath. She’d actually asked an insanely hot barista on a proper date. Her hands shook.

Twilight walked to the kitchen to grab herself a glass of water and put on a kettle for tea. Her phone buzzed again but she stayed in the kitchen. She needed to focus, find her center, and get rid of the tension. One... two teaspoons of loose leaves into the strainer. The kettle clicked off and Twilight poured the boiling water over the tea leaves in her mug. She closed her eyes with her arms folded across her chest and breathed slowly and deeply for several minutes, letting the subtle, warm earth tones of her pu erh tea wash over her.

She carefully lifted the strainer full of leaves and set it in a new cup for another brew later and walked back to the living room with her steaming mug of tea in her hand. Its warmth spread through her hands and slowly helped calm her down as she took her first sip of earthy, pu erh goodness.

With steady hands, she picked up her phone and read the new message.

Dinner sounds great! Chinese or Japanese sounds like fun, especially if we get to dress up. This Friday night, 6:00?

The thought of you straining some poor qipao... Perhaps I’ll take a raincheck on playing dress-up and get back to you with a restaurant. I’m so glad you said yes, though. This has been a very exciting week for me between the interview for my dream job and a date with a woman who, if I’m honest, is the most spectacular looking person I’ve laid eyes on.

Twilight’s blush was rivaled only by her gleeful smile. She had a date! Well, enough of an idea of a date to start seriously considering where she would take Tia and what she’d even wear. The vest, blouse, and skirt affair was fine for a job interview as a librarian (cat’s-eye glasses sadly not included), but left a little to be desired if she was due for a night on the town.

Still, there was work to be done, and Twilight worked hard to get what she wanted. She grabbed her phone and bounded down the same stairs Rarity had descended earlier. She flipped the deadbolt to the side and slipped into the back of the boutique.

“Rarity?” she called softly, not wishing to disturb her if she was with a client.

“Up front, darling. Do be a dear and lock the door behind you?” came the muffled reply.

Twilight obliged and picked her way through the show floor of the boutique to the front counter where Rarity flipped through a ledger book and a design sketchpad.

“So, when’s the date and what are you doing?” Rarity asked without looking up.

Twilight’s jaw dropped. “I, um, we’re... how did you know?” she asked incredulously. “Friday at six, we’re doing dinner.”

“A lady never reveals her secrets.”

Twilight sighed and rolled her eyes.

“Don’t you roll your eyes at me, missy,” Rarity said, again without looking away from her work. “You’re the one asking for my help.”

“You know me so well,” Twilight shot back, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “You are right. Tia suggested dressing up to do Chinese or Japanese. I said no to dressing up, but any ideas for a nice Asian restaurant?” Twilight fidgeted her hands. “I’m partial to Japanese myself, but if a Chinese place or a Thai restaurant has the right atmosphere, something a little private, cozy, a nice spirits menu would be a plus...”

“Are you hoping Tia might be a cheap date, dear Twilight Sparkle? Plying her with liquor on the first date, how risque!” Rarity laughed.

Twilight blushed furiously and snapped into a pose with her hands balled at her sides. “NO! I would not try to, er, try to—”

“Seduce her?” Rarity offered with a smug grin.

Twilight folded her arms and remained quiet, electing instead to turn away.

“Very well, I shall not question your intentions. Though, you must forgive me for trying to ensure you and your date have the most, ahem, fulfilling evening.”

Twilight fixed a glare at Rarity.

“Again, forgive my intrusion. Restaurants.” Rarity drummed her fingers on the counter. “Asian, with a preference for atmosphere and Japanese food. Hmm.” She pulled a medium-sized black journal from a drawer and began flipping through pages. “Ah, how about... Sakura? They have private tatami rooms where you can sit together and not, ahem, worry about too much attention from other patrons. And I know the waitstaff to be very discreet.” She winked.

That earned a groan from Twilight. “Thank you for the recommendation,” she said sarcastically. “Will I need a proper reservation?”

“For Friday at 6... I might need to make it for you, I’m afraid; those rooms are quite popular. Run along and tell your new beau, I’ll make the necessary arrangements for your little rendezvous.” Rarity smiled slyly. “Oh, don’t give me that look, I haven’t had a chance to tease you about romance in ages.”

Twilight raised her hand to make a rude gesture but settled instead for a wave as she returned to the back of the boutique. Twilight slid her key into the lock and slipped back into the stairwell. The deadbolt slid home with a deft twist of her hand and Twilight climbed the stairs to flop back onto the sofa.

Her mind still swam with the thought of Tia in a qipao, alternating between something more modern and short, with a more defined “neckline” or something more traditional with a slit cut much further up than strictly necessary, perhaps to show off certain aspects of her physique.

Twilight’s blush hadn’t subsided one bit since Rarity’s teasing, if only because her brain was far more effective at giving her images to make her feel warm all over. She hurriedly looked at the ground and thought of peaceful brooks and snowy mountain tops and cherry blossom gardens and Tia’s really into that whole roleplaying thing and.... Twilight’s phone vibrated, knocking her out of her salacious thinking.

Oh my! Twilight, had I known you were this eager this morning I might’ve scheduled something for today! I promise to dress appropriately for the occasion. Any luck on the restaurant hunt?

Twilight quickly replied.

Had I known I was this eager, I might’ve done the same. I’m thinking I might cash that raincheck sooner rather than later. Anyway, dinner’s at Sakura, I’m booking a tatami room for Friday at 6. See you then?

With that message sent, Twilight excused herself to her room and locked the door behind her. No sense in being interrupted during her private time, after all.

Twilight stepped out of the shower and dried off, wrapping her body in one towel and her hair in another. She returned to her bedroom and sat in her favorite reading chair and propped open a good book.

After more than an hour, she got dressed, electing for a pair of black slacks and a pale blue blouse. It was Wednesday evening, just two days before her big date. She’d been texting Tia for an equal number of days, and the date seemed like a mere formality; both her and Tia eagerly anticipated getting to know each other on a much more personal level.

Her phone buzzed, no longer an uncommon event. It buzzed again, though, indicating a call. Still an uncommon event. Twilight rushed to pick it up before it went to voicemail. She checked the display: a university number.

“Hello, Twilight Sparkle speaking,” she said after swiping to accept the call.

“Ah, excellent. Tis I, Luna Everfree, Director of University Affairs. Would it be possible for you to come to the Administration building, room 301, tomorrow morning at 9 o’clock?”

“I can, yes. May I ask what this about?” Twilight could hardly keep the edge of excitement from her voice.

“Certainly. We, that is to say, myself, my sister, and the Director of Human Resources, Ms. Raven, wish to discuss the matter of your future employment as one of our librarians.”

Twilight jumped up and down. “Oh my gosh, really?”

“Indeed, but as I said, there are some things we will need to discuss to make the offer official. So if you could met us at the Admin building, room 301, 9 o’clock Thursday morning?”

“Absolutely! Thanks so much, Ms. Everfree. I will be there.”

“We look forward to it, Ms. Sparkle. Goodbye.”

“Bye.”

The line clicked off and Twilight pulled the phone from the side of her head. She squealed. Her thumbs were a blur as she opened the messaging app and texted the good news to Tia.

Guess what? I got offered the librarian job! I’ll be back at the university tomorrow morning at 9 for the offer meeting.

Hey, congratulations! Maybe I can get you coffee afterwards, eh? Or will you buying this round? ;)

Twilight giggled and rolled her eyes.

Haha. We’ll see how it goes tomorrow, alright? It’s not quite an official offer yet, but I’m sure I’ve got it in hand.

With that, Twilight exited her room and went down to help Rarity prepare dinner, as they were expecting guests for their usual midweek rotating get-together. At least when it’s hosted at Rarity’s, Pinkie was less likely, though worryingly not unlikely, to take the concept of rotating to mean something other than the venue changing week to week.

Twilight shut her car door and cursed the wind blowing snow at her. Her drive to the university was mercifully short and uneventful, owing to the recently plowed streets. It was still winter, so Twilight tugged her scarf closer and adjusted her earmuffs just so. She trudged along to the Administration building, a classic granite affair, grey in both its usual coloration and the dim, cloudy sky filtering the light. She pulled open the main door and stamped her snowy boots on the mat in the foyer while looking over the map of the building to find the stairs up to the third floor and room 301.

Once she had the directions she needed, she ascended the stairs and navigated her way through the corridors until she reached the opposite side of the building, what would overlook the main courtyard of the school, along with its library and a few colleges. Room 301 read “Dr. Everfree, Dean of Students and Faculty, President” and Twilight whistled. She checked her watch. Just minutes until 9 o’clock sharp. She knocked on the door.

“Come in, Ms. Sparkle,” came the voice of Luna.

Twilight turned the door handle and pushed the door open. It clicked shut behind her because her jaw had dropped. While Luna stood in front of the lone, ornate wooden desk in the room, along with who Twilight presumed was Ms. Raven, a small, black-haired woman sitting to the side, behind the desk itself sat Tia. In contrast to her earlier appearances, Tia wore a tan suit jacket with a white blouse underneath, and a pastel green, pink, and blue cravat hid what would have been very hypnotic for Twilight’s meeting.

“I, uh, I think I understand the purpose of this meeting.”

Tia smiled pleasantly and gestured to velvet-lined wood chair in front of her desk. “Please, Twilight, have a seat.”

Twilight nodded mutely and took the offered chair, a heavy blush on her face and folded hands in her lap.

“Ahem.” Luna gestured to Ms. Raven for some paperwork. “Ms. Sparkle, as I’m sure you are aware, you have been courting Ms. Everfree. Er. Celestia Everfree. In accordance with university policy, she would not be your direct or indirect manager. It therefore falls to me, as Director of University Affairs, and Human Resources, to manage the position in the library. And as I mentioned before, we wish to extend the offer to you, contingent on your agreement to undergo the appropriate sexual harassment training. ‘Tia’ will of course be undergoing the same training.” Luna shot a brief glare to her sister. “But it is our understanding that at no point did any underhanded actions take place. She did not influence the decision-making process, and the job offer is not conditioned on any continued or discontinued relationship. And now, having said all of that, Twilight Sparkle, on behalf of the university, I present you with the formal offer to join our library as a librarian. Your offer letter spells out your compensation package and who you will report to. Any questions can be directed to any of us.”

Twilight took the letter in hand and read over it. Generous salary, full benefits, weeks of paid time off, and not one mention of Tia. Still...

“How long is this offer on the table?” she asked.

“One week,” the squeaky voice of Ms. Raven answered. “But we would appreciate an answer as soon as possible.”

Twilight nodded slowly.

“Luna, Raven,” Tia said, “if Twilight agrees, would you please excuse us? She may have concerns she does not feel comfortable bringing up with people she’s not as familiar with.”

Again, Twilight nodded, and the other two women stepped out of the room. As soon as the door clicked shut again, Twilight hissed, “You lied to me!”

Celestia tilted her head and raised her hand, but paused for several moments. “I wasn’t entirely upfront, I’ll grant you. But I passed off the job selection duties to Luna because after our first meeting, I knew I couldn’t be impartial. I was quite taken with you. You’re a charming, adorable, beautiful young woman, Twilight. My interest was and is genuine.”

Twilight huffed. “Then why the act?”

“You mean, why does the dean of a university spend her time serving coffee to sleepy students and staff in the library?” A quick nod from Twilight and Celestia continued. “Because it connects me to so many of the people I serve. I don’t want to send people out to do a job I can do. Now, I understand if my not being upfront has soured you to either offer, the job or the date. You can walk away. I’m— I must admit, I’d be disappointed on either count. I’m still eager to know you, Twilight, and the university would benefit greatly from your passion for knowledge and books. But the decision ultimately rests with you.”

Twilight sighed, and glanced back at the door. Through the frosted glass, she could see the silhouettes of the other directors. She glanced at her offer letter.

“I— I have something to confess. Could you, um, could you come closer? I don’t want to risk being overheard,” Twilight whispered just loud enough for Celestia to hear.

“Yes?” Tia rose from her chair and stepped around her desk, sitting on the edge of it in front of Twilight. She leaned in slightly.

Twilight leaned in as well. “I meant what I said before. You still look stunning,” she whispered. Then she grabbed Celestia by her cravat and pulled her in for a kiss. Her other hand snaked behind Celestia’s neck to pull her closer.

Celestia squeaked in surprise, but her lips pressed against Twilight’s and her arms linked behind Twilight’s neck. She let go when Twilight pulled back with a goofy grin.

“I take it you’re accepting at least one of the offers?” Celestia asked.

“I am accepting both.” Twilight chuckled. “So I guess I’ll see you tomorrow night for dinner?”

Author's Notes:

First new story in a while, eh? If you've enjoyed my work, consider supporting me on Patreon! You only pay when I update, and each little bit helps!

I'm hoping to keep going with this story, and bring a couple more stories out soon.