Stormy at the library

Heads turned to stare as the zebra-like pegasus walked into the building. She ignored the strange looks she got, and walked straight to the history section. She'd been there before of course, but hadn't finished the collection yet.

Her eyes found the book she was looking for, one about the start of life, and settled down in a bean bag chair. She opened the book and read carefully.

The beginning of life was long ago, and as mysterious as ever. Scientists believe life began in the water, tiny bacteria that grew and grew into larger creatures. Millions and millions of years ago, the sea was the only place with life. Small fished roamed around freely without any predators. But the carnivores soon came. The fish grew larger and began eating each other....

Stormy's eyes left the page as it became boring. With a sigh, she replaced the book and looked for the next one.

You know, the author was beaten to death by an angry mob because of that book.

The voice sounded was reminiscent of soft, rustling parchment, and it sighed as if recalling a past memory. It bypassed Stormy's ears, and spoke directly into her mind.

By all accounts, she wasn't a very popular mare. Nopony really cared about her brutal slaughter. They burned most of her books, too. It was really quite fortunate that one escaped the flames. There are new copies now, of course, but I'm quite proud to have attained the original. Ponies can be quite thoughtless, sometimes.

Amina stared at the shelves in the history section of the library. Her ears pricked, picking up every bit of conversation floating around the room, including all the whispers. What surprised her the most was the fact that not all of them were about her, as they usually were. There was another pony who was the object of their gossip, and for that Amina was extremely grateful while feeling slightly guilty. Ignoring it, she looked for her book on Griffonian history. It was extremely important to make sure that she knew what she was talking about when writing to the griffons, and that was what she planned to spend the day doing.

She settled herself into a cushion in the corner and began to read. Of course, the metal ornaments on her headdress and saddle attracted stares and a glare from the librarian, but she ignored them. She had indeed realized only recently that her status was much higher than any of those hoity-toity ponies, being a royal diplomat, and her own glare in return hushed up much of the gossip.

Stormy glanced up at the voice, shock spreading across her face. What was that? she wondered, setting the book down.

"H-hello?" she called softly, "Who said that?" She frowned, biting her lip. No pony else seemed to have heard it, Was it just my imagination?

Shrugging, she returned to the shelf, picking up the book again. Interesting. Beaten to death by an angry mob? Why? Because she wrote about history? That seems unfair. she bit her lip, barely noticing the Saddle Arabian who had walked in.

She plopped down in the bean bag chair again, and began reading where she left off

The fish grew larger and began eating each other, then the ones being eaten found ways to fend off the predators. They grew claws, shells, teeth, spines, camouflage etc. While the carnivores developed means of eating them anyways....

Beaten to death because what she said about the present, the voice whispered, I think that the ponies that killed Selection weren't much for history, but felt very strongly about an upstart who told them the way they viewed the world was wrong.

It's a shame, really, because whilst the author had the right general idea, she was very wrong about almost all the particulars. So even her scholarly peers ripped her reputation to shreds when she could no longer defend herself. Fascinating. I would have loved to have read her.

I'll leave you to your studies, historian. If you need assistance in any way, just ask in your head.

Amina's ears pricked. Underneath the blanket-like saddle on her back, Nadira hissed, but the pony whispered soothing words to her pet, silencing the loyal pet and redirecting the attention of a few ponies.

"Nadira," she scolded quietly in Arabic, "hush now. Do not scare the Equestrians. There is nothing here that is strange. It is just the library."

The viper peeked out from under the saddle and gave Amina a frightened look, as if there were a paranormal presence that had actually scared the bold serpent. The Arabian shook her head, smiling slightly, and Nadira retreated back to her hiding spot.

Amina looked back down and started to absorb the words.

"Griffons traditionally wear robes and wing covers on their bodies while attending sports events and competitions. The flying race was invented in Griffonia, when two warring clans would settle a dispute to see which leader could fly the fastest, and with the best aerial stunts. Slowly, it evolved into a sport, and when the griffons brought it to Equestria, the ever-competitive pegasi began to sky-race themselves. Other traditions in griffon culture followed..."

Stormy dropped the book, and it landed with a quiet thud on the bean bag chair.

"Who's there?" she hissed, narrowing her eyes, searching for the voice. She bent down and picked up the book, placing it back on the shelf while keeping a wary eye out for anything. The only pony that was somewhat near her was a Saddle Arabian, and from the looks of it, she was a delegate, or just a fancy dresser.

She took a breath to calm herself, I know it wasn't my imagination, but who could have said it? she thought to herself, taking a random book off the shelf and sitting down again.

The library is not one to welcome pets, Arabian Delegate.

The voice whispered again, but this time in the mind of Amina.

Animals...they rarely treat my books the way they deserve, and I cannot ask them to stop. They do not understand. Eventually, they go too far, and the magical backlash usually ends in great distress for their owner. Your snake, however, seems to have sensed my presence. Curious. I recognise the species, but it is an unusual colouring. Keep it in line, delegate. It would be a pity for such a rare thing to be destroyed out of foolish negligence.

Nadira hissed again, peeking out from her fabric hiding spot with a distinctly indignant look on her face. Amina, on the other hand, looked around wildly, gripping the book tightly in her hooves.

"Who goes zere?" she asked, but saw nopony close, save a rather zebra-like pegasus who looked absorbed in a book. 

Finally, she realized it was the library itself. She relaxed. Tales had been spread in Saddle Arabia of the magical shelves of the Canterlot Library in Equestria, where the walls were as knowledgeable, if not more, than the pages it held. There was a reason she had chosen this library of all the libraries in Equestria for her research.

"Do not fear, my dear," she said in a low voice. "Nadira is an intelligent one, and does not favor ze destruction of knowledge and value. She prefers to listen and stay hidden. She is like no ordinary beast.Your books are safe."

Stormy looked up from her book, the Saddle Arabian was talking to someone, but she couldn't see who. She raised an eyebrow, questioning the mare before returning to her book. But it bothered her, had the mysterious voice talked to her as well? She sighed, setting the leather-bound book down.

She stood and walked over to the mare, "Hello." she said politely, "I couldn't help but notice that you were talking to someone. But, no one was there with you. I was curious whether or not you heard a voice in your head..?"

Intelligent as the Amethyst Serpent may be, it has no words I can use to communicate with it. It would only receive a garbled mixture of meanings that have the greater possibility of being misinterpreted. It is better to have my message clear.

It rustled again, as if breathing out. By the way, if you are trying to explore the Griffonian mindset, I would reccomend my collection of Griffonian literature. Reading Global's description of them is decent, but the mindset in which it was written in is still clearly and explicitly pony.

When the Historian approached the Delegate, the whispering ceased, leaving behind the certain kind of silence that gave the impression that somepony, or something, was listening.

Amina sighed.

"I know what you are concerned about, but the only reason I do not have constant guards at my side is that Nadira is my protection. If you'd prefer, of course I can return her to my chambers and bring a guard, but it would leave a false sense of superiority to zese ponies and would probably scare your patrons away."

Returning her attention to the snake, she muttered more instructions in Arabic.

"I forbid you to come out of your resting spot unless there is immediate danger," she commanded. Nadira glared at her pony friend before curling up under the saddle and closing her eyes.

"Nadira will not stir unless zere is an attack, which I see as highly unlikely," she responded to the Library. "Now, in regards to ze Griffonian literature... if you would be so kind, could you direct me in the general direction? I would be most grateful."