“Why do you think these characters so often fall into the same tropes?” Twilight asks suddenly.

You look up from your book to meet her gaze. The preceding weeks had passed quickly, and your progress on the project had been swift. You had already charted out many of the common plotlines and thematic elements of popular romance books, but really hadn’t touched much on characters yet. “Isn’t to be expected? It’s not like they have to have much thematic depth or anything.”

“I guess,” Twilight responds in a huff, resituating herself in her chair as if suddenly uncomfortable. “But, why can’t the characters just be normal? Why can’t some be shy, or courageous, or withdrawn? The mares are always vapid pushovers, and the stallions are always mysterious and...and…”

“Aggressive?” you offer awkwardly, knowing the exact sentiment she was struggling to put into words.

Twilight nods emphatically and smiles at you. “Very tactfully put.”

“Thank you.”

“It just bothers me! They seem so formulaic, it’s like the authors aren’t even putting any work into them.”

You groan deeply in thought and chew on your cheek. “I don’t think that’s the right way to look at it. Like in any story, the author is trying to do something.”

“Well, they’re not telling any new stories,” Twilight replies, tapping her hoof on the table. “And they’re not necessary full of deep ideas about the world, either.”

“You’re right.”

“They’re just trying to sell books!” she concludes incredulously, crossing her hooves over her chest.

“Right again. So, why do ponies buy these books if they’re so formulaic?”

Twilight narrows her eyes at you. “Are you trying to get me to engage in Hoofcratic dialogue?”

You chuckle. “Maaaybe.”

“Ugh, I had enough of that at Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. Can’t you just tell me and save time?” she pleads.

“Well, ponies buy these books for the same reason they buy anything; it fulfills some need. As you so clearly delineated, they don’t really fulfill any need for thought, and they certainly aren’t entertaining in the traditional sense.”

Twilight’s eyes widen, and you feel as if you can visualize the cogs turning in her head. “Ponies would never buy these books if they were about anything else...It’s fulfilling a need for romantic contact!”

“Ding ding ding,” you chime, winking briefly at her. “It’s nothing but a sad shadow of the real thing. But, it’s better to them than nothing.”

Twilight loses herself in thought again for a moment. “Maybe…” She lets out a titter of giggles. “I’m embarrassed to admit it, but just reading it gets me excited. N-not in a sexual way,” she tacks on quickly, blushing excessively. “I guess that’s just my need for romantic contact being fulfilled for a time?”

“That’s what I’ve always thought. But, maybe I’m just trying to cover up the fact I find it arousing,” you quip.

Twilight lets out a few brief laughs. Her horn lights up, and the book you’re reading rises into the air and smacks you lightly a few times. “Stop it, you weirdo!”

You snicker and nab the book out of the air, placing it back on the table. “This sort of stuff may be deeper than we give it credit for, is all I’m saying.”

“You’re right. It may be just a false reality, but… It feels good,” Twilight sighs. “I’d like to feel the real thing, someday.”

"You've never been in love with a stallion before?"

"No," Twilight answers, although she bites her cheek immediately afterward. "Well, sort of. He wasn't really a stallion, though. Although, I guess he also was..."

You scrunch up your muzzle. "What?"

"Nevermind," Twilight quickly tacks on.

You shrug. “Well, I'd like to feel the real thing someday, too.” You gaze into Twilight’s eyes and smile.

She smiles back. After a few seconds, she looks down bashfully. “Come on, let’s get back to work.”

Proceed to Chapter 24.

Next Chapter: Chapter 20 Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 11 Minutes