The robust and warm fragrance of Zecora’s tea is more than enough to relax me as I sit across from her at the kitchen table. I occasionally glance over at the front door, but it seems she was correct in her assumption. Not a single soul has come through the door since she arrived, though I’ve caught more than a hand-er…hoofful of curious busybodies peeking through the window here and there. Ah well, the door is unlocked. They can get in if they wanna.

I return my attention to the mare across from me, taking another sip of the tea. It's a delightfully flavorful black blend, though I would have preferred it iced rather than hot in my heathen southern opinion.

For the most part, we’ve been enjoying one another's company for the last few minutes as we savored our tea, not saying much of anything. As pleasant as this state of affairs is however, eventually my curiosity gets the better of me, and I start to speak again between careful sips.

“So Zecora. Would you mind telling me a bit more about yourself? You did say you weren’t from around here. I’m not terribly well-traveled, and I’d love to hear about your homeland.”

She seems to consider for a moment, looking down at the beverage in her hooves. “The land of Farasi is where most Zebras call home, a desert kingdom where many creatures roam. I left when I was but a youth, yearning to discover arcane truths.”

I tilt my head at this and lean in a bit. “Really? Do they not teach magic where you’re from, Zecora?”

She shakes her head, looking a bit melancholy. “Zebras do not possess innate magic. A state of affairs I found to be tragic. I was enamored from a young age by the mystic arts. To learn magic was the deepest desire of my heart.”

She takes a sip of her tea, pausing momentarily, her expression more pained. “I have not been home since I was a foal, after those I considered friends mocked my goals. I set out for Equestria, where great magic resides, hoping my studies could be applied. But it seems the ponies here consider me a threat. Though I attained my goal, my heart holds some….regret.”

Well, that sounds rather unfortunate. I reach across the table and gently place a hoof on top of hers to comfort her. “Hey, you don't have to keep talking about this if it upsets you. We can talk about something else if you want, okay?”

She looks down at my hoof, seeming surprised, before meeting my eyes again and nodding. “I would prefer our time speaking on this topic end. Besides, I’d much rather hear about you, my new friend. I’m curious about the way that you speak. Some of the words you use seem to be unique.”

I stiffen as I roll back the last few hours in my head, realizing I had slipped up on the ponyspeak. “Oh, uh…yeah. I’d rather not go into detail about it, but let’s just say I wasn’t raised by ponies, so I’m not used to the whole ‘everypony’ thing. There’s actually a lot that I’m not really up to speed on.”

I withdraw my hoof and rub at the back of my neck. “As for hearing about me…there isn’t much interesting as far as I’m concerned. I was raised in the Louwhinnyana Territory, part of the Amareican Colonies, and I had a pretty normal life as far as that goes. I like reading, and I’ve recently started to learn how to do magic. There wasn’t anypony where I lived who could teach me how to cast spells, and the entire topic has really caught my interest.” I squirm slightly in my seat as I press my hooves against each other, trying and failing to widdle my nonexistent thumbs. I’ve always hated talking about myself. It makes me feel so awkward.

Fortunately, she seems to notice my feelings, interrupting me. “Really? A unicorn who can’t do magic? Such a thing sounds downright Tragic.” She says sympathetically. “It seems we share much despite hailing from different lands. It’s…comforting to speak to one who understands.”

I feel embarrassed at her confidence and try to wave it off, my ears falling flat as I feel my face warm. “I-I wouldn't say I understand. I mean, you’ve obviously got stuff going on I have no idea about. But I can empathize, and…it makes me happy to know I’m helping.”

She chuckles at this, finishes her cup of tea, and looks at it pensively before returning her attention to me. “If you have an interest in magic, then finish your tea. I think I have something you will want to see.”

I sit up a little straighter at this and quickly bring the tea back to my lips, finishing the last of my cup in a few gulps and leaving only the leaves steeping in the bottom of the cup. “Really now? Oh, well, I have to see this. Please, Zecora, go right ahead!” I say as I lean forward, an eager expression scrawled across my features as I reach a hoof up to push my glasses back up my snout.

Zecora chuckles as she reaches across the table to collect my cup, using a spoon to scrape the leaves at the bottom into hers. She mutters a few words over it in a language I do not understand before tipping the leaves back out and scattering them over the table.

“There is much to be gleaned from the leaves of tea. Things that are and things that may be. A simple parlor trick, some may contend, but the leaves do not lie when shared amongst friends. The spark of friendship between us over this hour will suffice to give the leaves some power.” She explains as she gestures to the scattered leaves on the table with her hoof. “To parse their meaning does not take a seer. Simply tell me what shapes in the leaves may appear.”

Oh! A tea leaf reading, how wonderfully cozy! I let my eyes relax as I look down at the mass of leaves on the table, not looking for anything in particular, but rather letting my eyes make sense of whatever shapes seem coherent.

As I focus on them, the leaves seem to swirl about. Moving just a bit here and there to bring specific shapes into focus, defining them more clearly. “I see…a tower topped by two six-pointed stars…”

Her eyes widen a bit as she hears me say this. “The Star and Tower both are signs of portent. To see them together marks events of great importance. The Tower is chaos, change, and upheaval. Do not fret, as such forces are not always evil.”

She gestures her hoof in a swirling motion over another portion of the leaves, which shift to form a crude rendition of a familiar pony, who seems to be set in an apprehensive pose before a path through a great maelstrom leading to the base of the tower further down the table. “From what you have said, your life is at a tumultuous time, where there may come a shift in your paradigm. Such challenges often plant the seed for a great transformation in a time of need. The journey will show you who you are, and once the Tower is ascended, you will reach the Star.”

She gestures again to another section of the table, where the leaves swirl again to show that same familiar pony, reared back triumphantly. They are surrounded by six stars, a seventh seeming to descend toward them. “A far more fortunate portent for this gleaning. The Star provides magic, purpose, and meaning. Who truly are will shine through without limitation, and to those you hold dear, you shall serve as an inspiration.”

I nod slowly as I absorb her telling, rubbing my chin with my hoof. The bit regarding the tower seems quite accurate, especially in relation to my current situation. I did recently have my entire life torn up at the roots. I like to think I’m bouncing back pretty well from it, but I could just be lying to myself. Or worse yet, there could be something on the horizon I have no way to foresee and thus am unable to prepare for. Perhaps something has already happened that will irrevocably change the course of my life in unforeseen and tumultuous ways. The thought causes a scowl to cross my face as I give an involuntary shiver.

She continues to speak as I ponder what I’ve heard thus far. “As to why there are two stars, I can only speculate. Perhaps there is a split in the river of your fate. A choice you may make on some faraway day will forever more affect how your life will play.”

She starts to collect the leaves as she concludes her reading, taking a small drawstring pouch on a string necklace from her things and placing them inside before pushing the little sack across the table towards me. “That is all of your future that can now be said. The rest shall come clear in its rightful stead. Keep these remnants as a charm. Their latent magic should lessen harm. This tea, I fear, is quite run-through, but there should be enough left for one final brew. Should you need to know how something will end, simply share this tea again with friends.”

I take the little bag and nod slowly, putting it around my neck and gingerly tucking it under my clothes to keep it close to me. I feel a bit…lighter, and safer. Whether that is whatever magic lingers in the tea, simply the reassurance of having made a new friend, or both, I cannot say. “Thank you, Zecora. This has been an interesting and enlightening experience. I would love to have you over for tea and conversation whenever you see fit.”

“I shall duly note your kind invitation and visit when allowed by my situation. Should you find yourself in need of a friend, follow the path through the Everfree, taking a left at the bend. My abode resides at the end of the way, and you are more than welcome to stay.” Zecora responds kindly as she stands up and stretches her legs out, flipping her hood back up. “Now, I must be on my way. I’m sure others wish to use the library today.” She says with a wry, patient smile.

I open the door for her and wave her off as she exits. “Have a good day, Zecora. Thank you for stopping in!” I call out cheerfully, hopefully loud enough for some of the ponies I see peeking out from the doorways of various shops and homes to hear.

After seeing her off, I clean the cups we used for the tea and return to the front desk. As I return to my post, the door opens again, and a blue pegasus mare with a dazzling rainbow of colors in her mane and tail enters, a cautious look plastered across her features. She’s more than a bit on the smaller side, as I note when she gets close enough for me to compare our heights properly.

I smile and wave as she approaches. “Good morning, Ma’am. Welcome to Golden Oaks Library. My name is Rose Tint. If you need to check out a book, I am afraid I am unable to do that for you until Miss Cheerilee arrives, but I can try to find you anything you might need in the meantime.”

She snorts softly at my customer service dialogue and nods as she comes up to the counter, looking up at me, seeming to be appraising me. “RoseTint? Nice to meet you. The name’s Rainbow Dash, I’m the weather pony around these parts. Speaking of uh…999 E.L.A. Weatherponies Almanac, please? I can just check what I need here.

“Hmmmmm, yeah, I think I can find that for you. This way, please,” I say as I take out my cheat sheet, taking a bit to put my spell together and levitate it in front of me before starting to walk.

The mare follows behind me as I make for the appropriate section of the library, occasionally glancing down at the paper in front of me and then back at the shelves. After a few minutes, I hear her speak up.

“What are you looking at over there?” she asks as she trots up next to me, looking over my shoulder to inspect the paper. Huh, that’s a weird-looking script. You have the alphabet on there, too. What’s up with that?”

I sigh slightly and fight the urge to roll my eyes at her tone, but fight the desire to be any more rude than that. “I’m not fluent in Equuish script. This is a translation sheet that I can read from my native written language.”

“Huh. I had heard around town that you aren't from around here, so that makes sense. So what, your special talent is being a librarian, but you can’t read?”

I exhale sharply through my nose as I come up on the section that seems to contain several dozen editions of the book this mare is seeking. I close for a moment, my eyes before opening them again and turning to look at her. “Firstly, I can read. I just can’t read Equuish. Secondly, I don't have a special talent for being a librarian. I don’t have a Cutie Mark at all, as a matter of fact.”

Her eyebrows shoot up at this, and she almost immediately leans toward my flank, which is, of course, covered by the pants Rarity had gifted me. She has the decency to almost seem embarrassed before looking back at my face.

I give her an unamused expression, which morphs into a slight smirk as I watch her ears slowly lower. “If you want me to remove my pants, this is not an appropriate venue, Miss Dash. Perhaps after hours, sometime in the future, might be more apropos.” I tease, flicking my tail at the mare before grabbing what seemed to be the correct book off of the shelf and offering it to her. “Please put it back where you found it when you are finished.”

Rainbow Dash turns a brilliant red and sputters softly before she snatches the book from me, placing it under one of her wings and trotting off, grumbling. “Egghead thinks he can make fun of me with big words, stupid stallion…”

I give a small cackle at this, covering my mouth as I watch her storm off to sit at one of the tables. Maybe the strange gender roles here aren't so bad.

After a while, the mare puts her book away and leaves again, but not before shooting me a dirty look over her shoulder when she thinks I’m not looking. I pretend to ignore it as I continue to read my copy of Simple Spellcasting.

A bit after that, Cheerilee finally arrives. The chime of the little bell heralds her arrival as I look up with the intent to greet another guest, only to see her at the door. I offer a warm smile and wave her over. “Oh! Good morning, boss. I hope your morning errands weren’t too much of a bother.

She gives an embarrassed little grimace as she walks to the front desk. “Please don't call me ‘Boss,’ Rose. Cheerilee or Miss Cheerilee will do fine.” She says as she sets a set of saddlebags down on the desk next to me. “And the errands were fine, though shopping was a pain.”

I close my book and nod, giving her my attention as I watch her rummage through the bags. “Sorry about that, Cherilee. It's just the force of habit at work, I suppose. I’m glad to hear things went well. What exactly made shopping a pain, though?”

“Well, I had forgotten that it was the first Sunday of the month. The strange pony living in the Everfree forest comes into town to get supplies. Everyone usually goes inside to hide from her, so I had to convince them to come out long enough to sell me what I needed.” She explains as she pulls out some office supplies. A few notebooks, a pack of pens and pencils, some sticky notes, that sort of thing. “We should have a bit before she makes her trip here, so in the meantime, we can-”

I gently interrupt her as I realize who she’s talking about. “Oh! Do you mean Zecora? Yeah, she came by earlier. We had tea. She’s actually really nice.”

Cheerilee freezes up at the mention of the zebra and snaps her head towards me. “Y-you talked to her?”

I nod, smiling a bit sadly as I recall earlier today. “Well, yeah. She’s a customer, isn’t she? Though I guess to be fair, she didn't want to read anything. We just had tea together and talked about where we were from, and then she went on her way. She even invited me to visit her sometime. She’s a lovely mare. I feel bad for her because everyone is so scared of her, you know? I don't have it nearly as bad as she does, but I was picked on as a ki-a foal enough to know that it feels bad when ponies treat you poorly just for being different.”

Cherilee gives me an array of looks that take me a moment to process in sequence. First, one that seems a bit sour, then one that looks as if she just watched me grow a second head, a slightly worried look, then a somewhat ashamed, glum expression, which she seems to settle on as she offers a meek attempt at a smile as he ears lay flat on her head. “Oh, well, is that so? Well, it’s nice that you’ve made a new friend, Rose. I will admit I’ve never spoken to the mare myself. I usually just let her pick out whatever she needs, drop off her donations, and fill out her checkout forms while I have a drink in the kitchen until she leaves. I’m glad to hear she seems so nice. I’ll have to…try to talk to her next time she comes around.”

I sigh at Cheerilee’s spiel. It's disheartening to see one of the more educated mares in town act this way, but she clearly feels a bit guilty now that she’s heard that she might be in the wrong. “I’m happy to hear that, and I’m sure she will be too. But enough about my morning, let’s focus on our afternoon! What do you have for me today bo-I mean uh, Miss Cheerilee.”

She gives a small chuckle at this, her mood seeming to lighten up a bit as she pulls a few books out of her bag.

The Dewdrop Decimal System: A History and Primer
Indexing for Beginners
Mnemonic Devices and Visualization and Memorization: Tips and Tricks to Improve Recall Speed and Capacity.

She lays them out on the table and starts speaking again. “These will be your homework for the week, Rose. I’ll be walking you through the basics of navigating the decimal system and locating and reading records and finding irregular items the library lends out, archives, or uses, like music albums and historical documents. I don’t expect you to pick it up all right away, don't worry. We’ll be taking it slowly, and I’ll be there to assist you as much as I can every step of the way. As long as you’re willing to learn, I’m willing to teach.” She reassures me as she sees my soul beginning to leave my body at the intimidating intellectual task set before me.

Oh dear, lord. I can feel my brain already beginning to fuzz over. There is so much organization, Such appallingly oppressive order.

Ech, Ah well. It may not be my favorite thing, nor my strong point, but I need to learn how to do it and do it right if I’m going to work here!

I shake off my developing malaise and rub my face a bit, looking over at the kitchen. “Alright, let’s do this. How about I make us a quick pot of coffee, and then you can start showing me the basics?”

She smiles at this, seeming pleased by my determination. “Coffee sounds wonderful. Go right ahead. I’ll be at the desk if anyone comes in.”

I give a playful salute before turning and trotting off towards the kitchen, getting a small chuckle from her as I depart. I’m sure it’ll be fine. I tend to overinflate the difficulty of big, intimidating tasks like this. As long as I remember to compartmentalize it should be alright.

I mean, how hard can it be?

Oof, curring it close this week, and for good reason. I had to research topics outside of my area of expertise, from the season 10 comics in the Farisian Coast to tea leaf reading to refreshing myself on tarot interpretation to busting out the ol rhyming dictionary. a whole lot of work went into making this chapter work, and I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed putting it together!

Shoutout to the ongoing support of Exiled Path on Ko-Fi for not only supporting me for over a solid month, but quite a bit more generously than I have any right to expect, and to a degree that I am deeply thankful for in a way I have difficulty putting to words without sounding like I'm trying to suck some dick. (To be fair, they are putting up some real Dick Sucking Numbers at this point XD)

And, of course, thank you to all of you for continuing to read and enjoy my work; it means a lot to me that people are having fun with this.

See you all next week!