//------------------------------//
// Clio 
// Story: Myths of the Night 
// by VelasBane 
//------------------------------//

	A resounding knock roused Twilight from her studies the next afternoon.  With some effort, she tore her eyes away from A History of Magic, Volume 3 and trotted to the door, swinging it open.
A stranger greeted her.  She was an elegant pegasus with a minty green coat; her matching eyes were unblocked by a smartly trimmed royal blue mane.  A silver ring was at the base of her tail, adorned with a sapphire shaped into the outline of a blue owl in flight – the same symbol as her cutie mark.  A pair of plain brown saddlebags were hanging over her back.
“Are you Miss Twilight Sparkle?”
Somewhat taken aback by this regal visitor, Twilight forced herself back together and endeavored to ignore Spike’s lovestruck sighs from somewhere behind her.
“I am.  Please, come in.  I wasn’t expecting any company – may I offer you any refreshments?”
The pegasus trotted in, giving Spike a quick nod before she sat herself at a circular table that was fast clearing of the cluttered books and papers.  “No, thank you.  I have come on official business from Canterlot and must speak to you alone.”
Twilight paused and then gave a quick nod.  “Oh.  Right!  Um, Spike, will you please reshelf these books in the other room?”  She dropped a stack nearly twice as tall as the young dragon into his arms before­­­ escorting him out and closing the door quickly behind him.  She flinched as she heard the stack of books tumble to the ground and turned quickly to offer a smile to the newcomer, attempting to talk over the loud complaints from her companion.
“What brings you to Ponyville?  Is it news from Celestia?”
“Princess Luna has sent me.”
Twilight stopped short and sat down, blinking.  It was out of character for the young Princess to not come of her own accord; she had become so comfortable with Ponyville recently.  “Has something gone wrong?”
“She sends her regrets that she cannot come see you personally.  My name is Clio, and I am a historian and librarian in Canterlot.”
“You’re… THE Clio?  One of the founding ponies of the Canterlot Library; the first one in Equestria!  Forgive me, I thought you were-“
“Dead?  A myth?” the pegasus replied with the ghost of a smile.  “Yes; so do all who hear of us.  The founding librarians have remained in the Canterlot Library, and shall remain there until it falls.  Our job is to record history as it happens, and so we work endlessly.  Many work for and through us; in Cloudsdale, Appleoosa, the Kingdom of the Griffins; yes, even here.  We have ties to outer lands and countries you have never seen nor heard of.”
“What brings you to Ponyville?  Is Princess Luna okay?”
“Yes; the Princess is fine.  I would normally have nothing to do with your affairs – please forgive me – but I am simply a neutral observer of history.  I am not to take a side.  However, I cannot ignore a book loan request from my Princess.  She fears that a danger is coming and has asked me to provide you with certain materials which you may find useful, should the need arise.  At the very least, consider them a personal loan.  They can provide you with knowledge you cannot easily find elsewhere.”
Clio shrugged off the saddle bag and nosed it open, gingerly picking out three large tomes.  Their titles were written in an elegant hoof; The Outerlands, Myths of the Night, and Chaos Before Order.  Clio could barely begin to speak before Twilight was aflutter over the new books, prancing on the tips of her hooves.
“Chaos Before Order is the unabridged account of how Celestia and Luna defeated Discord the first time and consolidated rule of Equestria, bringing peace and order.  I’ve been dying to read it for ages, but it’s impossible to find-“
“-because it is not a book that is willingly loaned out.  It is the oldest and most complete account of the beginning of Celestia and Luna’s rule.  This information can be found scattered elsewhere, but nowhere is it this complete.  The Outerlands is newer; it is a full account of the lands bordering Equestria on all sides.  Consider it a lesson in geography.
Myths of the Night is a book that has fallen from memory.  It was written early in the reign of the Princesses Luna and Celestia; it not only tells the story of the Lady of the Night, Lady Theia, but of Luna.  It also gives full accounts of many of the cults and sects that existed based on the moon, including the Colt of the Moon.  Much of the information in Chaos Before Order is strictly historical; Myths of the Night will contain more of the information Princess Luna feels will be important to you.”
“The Colt of the Moon?  She hasn’t mentioned them for a year now; what-“
“I am simply the bearer of knowledge.  Princess Luna requested that I loan these books to you.  I know of her reasons, and cannot judge or advise.”  She nosed into the pack again and pulled out the tightly rolled scroll, stamped both with Princess Luna’s mark and her own – the blue owl in flight.  “This parchment was opened by me on request of Princess Luna.  I have added one slip detailing the loan of these three books to you and then resealed it all together.”
Clio turned to leave, and Twilight stumbled after her in a daze.  When the ancient pony reached the door, the unicorn managed to squeak out – “Clio?”
The pegasus turned to face her.  Twilight shrank some.  “Thank you.  For… Coming.  And bringing these to me.  I will return them in perfect condition.”
The recorder of history smiled.  “I am glad to have met you, Twilight Sparkle.  I have heard much of you and your friends, and it is an honor to make your acquaintance.”
And with that, she was gone; before Twilight could even register that she had left, Clio had already vanished.  It was likely a good thing, because the loud squeal and bouncing dance that Twilight gave vent to would have raised the historian’s eyebrow.  Spike crashed out of the room he was in.
“What happened?  Did she ask my name at least?”
“Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshoh…”
“Twilight?”
“…mygoshohmygoshohmygosh…”
“Twilight!”
She pranced around Spike in a tight circle, continuing breathlessly.
“Do you have any idea who that was Spike I mean talk about legends but I never thought ohmygoshohmygosh-“
“TWILIGHT!”
The unicorn finally stopped bouncing, dashing to the table.
“Spike, that was Clio!  THE Clio!  She’s been in Canterlot since… Well, Canterlot!  She founded the library and has written so many books – I should have asked her to mark one of them for me!  I have some of what she’s written, or copies of it I mean – I…”
“Wow.  She looked so young, too.  Ah, well.  I suppose I can have eyes for my Rarity…”
Twilight didn’t respond; she was reading the parchment with a grave expression.  The excitement of moments ago had vanished, and when she gave her next order, Spike did not hesitate to comply.
“Spike, please handle anything that comes in today.  I have some reading I have to do.”