The Titanium Pony! (Closed; River)

[SteelEagle]

Rainbow Dash wasn't opposed to an egghead activity like reading. At least not like she used to be, back when egghead activities appeared to cut into her athletically minded schedule and personality. Now she could zip along and read what she wanted, when she wanted, and never feel like she had been wasting her time. Mostly. Kinda. Granted, it revolved around Daring Do and books of that ilk and maaaaaaaybe her own stories, but heck, did you need to read anything else? She was pretty sure anything worth printing was found between the pages of a Daring Do adventure. It was sad other ponies didn't share her belief but she guessed if everypony did then she wouldn't be so awesome.

She really wasn't opposed to reading. Honest. But Twilight didn't read. She devoured words and knowledge like a...something that did it fast and big. Like Applejack! She devoured words and knowledge like Applejack did pies at a pie eating contest(sans Pinkie). When Rainbow said she was absolutely okay with visiting Twilight at her castle while she studied in lieu of lunch because of her schedule, she didn't think Twilight would be doing this. She was reading her second book of the visit while at the same time carrying on conversation with the others. Rainbow thought the only way she could pay attention was by getting up in the air but even she thought it was a bit overkill.

And so there she sat, head on the table, staring at Twilight with all the attention of a torture victim- but more bored. Tortured with boredom. She had a book propping her head up, but it was a book she had read like four times already. And seen the play, and then listened to the radio drama. But there was Twilight, and it was worth it for and for AJ, who sat across from Dash.
"-It was at that point that the Saddle Arabian ambassador looked like he could have melted into the carpet. He didn't know about the experiences I had in his nation, and didn't know that I knew what he had said. So when I replied in his language- oh, you couldn't believe it! Once you can communicate with somepony I find creates of all stripes  can be exceptionally more open. Did I do anything wrong there? I didn't want to make him feel uncomfortable," Twilight asked, looking up once or twice to emphasize things but otherwise motoring through three pages in that short span.

"He sounds like a jerk."

[Hippo]

The door slammed open.  "Here it is!  Sorry, Twilight.  I know it's a few days late, and I know you are very strict on keeping the new Ponyville library collection accounted for, but here it is."  Applejack panted as she set a book down in front of Twilight that read "101 Things About Apples".  As soon as Applejack caught her breathe she noted.  "I didn't learn anything.  Great book, though!"  She then noticed Rainbow Dash was next to her, following along while Twilight was reading something.  "What you guys got there?  Another Daring Do book already?"

[SteelEagle]

The door opened rather excitedly, revealing a new entrant into the grand battle of ultimate boredom, Applejack. And wow- did she have a really boring story to tell everypony. Okay so that was a little unfair, but just a little- apples tasted good and all but a whole book about apple trivia didn't seem very exciting. And truth be told, didn't Applejack already know everything about apples? Wasn't that her thing? Apparently Rainbow was right on the bit because without a second of waste, the farmer declared she hadn't learned anything. Shock of shocks- she knew everything there was to know about apples. Why didn't she write a book on it?

"Well geez AJ, why don't you just write the book on apples? Call it...I dunno...'102 Things about Apples" or a thousand things or whatever. Think you know everything about apples or is that just the cockiness talking?" Rainbow flashed a cocksure grin, enjoying the playful ribbing. For all of their fighting, she felt closest to Applejack out of all their friends. She wasa super awesome athlete, the second best in town (forever), and a nice mare to boot. Who could ask more out a friend? The answer: Rainbow, because she really enjoyed the challenge.

"Well...at least you enjoyed it, Applejack," Twilight whispered in defeat, taking the book and placing it back where it belonged while Rainbow pushed the book off of her nose. "Nah, re-reading some classics. She is on a bit of a after a run in with that stupid fanfilly, Pathfinder," Rainbow began pleasantly before spitting out the name. Fandom can create bad blood. "What are you up to?" She asked bored as Twilight rummaged through her books looking for something.

[Hippo]

Rainbow Dash was acting exceptionally Rainbow Dash today.  Applejack knew how to counter her wit, as it wasn't that deep or satisfying.  To this she just distinguished any thought Rainbow might have had was a good idea.  "102?  Hm...      Nah."  Applejack smiled, with a look of indifference on her face.  But boy, did she love apples.  "Classics huh?  I was never one for classics.  You're into this book Rainbow Dash?  I don't believe it.  The only thing you like classic is your taste of jokes."  Applejack walked over to a pile of books, browsing for a little interest, but not seeing something that fits Applejack's color.  "Meh, nothing.  Just thought I'd return this book.  I tell you what, I still can't believe we lost all those books to Tirak's blast.  All of those articles of Sweet Apple Acres history.  Gone."  Applejack looked at some of the titles of books that were on the table.  "'Fillydelphia Lifestyle.' 'Rectifying Your In-Law Relationships'.  'Do Bees Have Knees?'"  Applejack was puzzled at the arrangement of titles.  They weren't as uniform and attractive as they sometimes are.  "Why do I get the feeling we've had to get donations of unwanted books from everywhere.  Twilight, are you a little worried we're losing our sense of culture?  I don't read that many books, but when all I have left to choose from is," Applejack picked up another random title. "'The Advantages of Living Underwater'?  I mean, seriously?  I know they make several reprints of the good ones like the one you got there.  But I'm a little worried about our community collection.  This is going to be a library open to Ponyville eventually, right?"

[SteelEagle]

Twilight nodded. It was true. They had lost so much knowledge when the library had been destroyed and she was having a terrible time replacing even the barest bit of it all. Ponies were more than happy to donate, but so much of what she was given were decidedly...less than helpful when ponies needed some form of community education. "Spot on, Applejack. Most of this is stuff that has been donated. I don't want to look a gift-pony in the mouth, but I'd rather not have to call the royal library and create some sort of lease program. My personal library isn;t really suited for public use- high level magical discourse and all- but I've done what I can anyway. Luckily, " she brightened up as she stood up and beckoned her friends to follow, "it wasn't a total loss."

She trotted into another room. Here appeared to be a pile of rubbish, burned pages and spines, half-burned covers and broken spines without pages. "Here is what remains of the knowledge lost when Golden Oak was destroyed. I have been researching ways to recover it, and I have found something," she said as she pulled up a half-burned copy of 'Sweet Apple Acres Statistical Analysis, Years 80-81". Her horn lit up and the pages started to flip until it reached the end, when a purple glow took on the form of new pages without words. "Each pony has a unique aural signature. Every piece of writing contains a piece of the author, and  therefore every piece of work has a trace of their magic. By finding this magic and understanding it, I can try to string the rest of the magic together. In other words, if I can understand the magic in the ink, I can rebuild a book," she said with great pride before directing Applejack to the wall. 

Six books, all looking perfectly normal. Also all Daring Do books. "I chose them first because of high demand and I knew them well. The spell works. It just takes a while, and I need concentration. In fact..." her eyes lit up, "I'll get another book done today! Wouldn't that be great? This town's culture can and will be saved. It rocks!"

"Oh, I'm sure it rocks. Just make sure you do the Apple books first so AJ can understand it," Rainbow shot back out of the blue, enjoying the playful aggressiveness between the two. She then imitated Applejack Apple Bucking and laughed. "Dd you read that book before or after you kicked trees all day? Too bad the upper body doesn't match the lower," Rainbow antagonized her friendly, 'accidentally' putting her best front leg forward. She was feeling very competitive today for some reason- a good reason, bad reason, whatever, it rocked.