//------------------------------// // CH. 01 An Unexpected Guest // Story: Who Needs the Sunshine // by Atuhor Name //------------------------------// An Unexpected Guest Twilight Sparkle was sitting alone in the library, reading a book. This was so far from out of the ordinary that it is almost not worth mentioning. However, right now Twilight was trying something new. Twilight was reading a romance novel that Rarity had recommended to her. It was dramatic, not well written and corny as all Tartarus. She was really only reading it because she was waiting for her copy of “Obscure Unicorns of the Early Reinaissance Period, Volume VII,” and nothing else in the library looked all that fun to read at the moment. Not that there wasn't anything fun to read in the library. In an attempt to get more ponies in there Twilight had actually started to stock comic books and light novels. Unfortunately not knowing anything about advertizing she forgot to mention to ponies that they were there. Twilight was precisely at the boring part where it looked like the mare was going to get together with the jerk despite all foreshadowing(and the actual cover of the book) when she heard a knock at the door. Curious as to who would be here at such a late hour, Twilight opened the door as slowly as she could, peeking through into the night. Twilight was thrown across the room as the door was forced open by the sheer volume of the voice on the other side. “GREETINGS TWILIGHT SPARKLE. MY SISTER TOLD ME TO COME SEE YOU.” Picking herself up from a pile of books, Twilight rubbed her ears and tried to hear Luna talk in a voice more appropriate for a library. All Twilight could hear was a quiet and very distant apology. The ringing sound in her ears persisted for over a minute during which Luna tried to get progressively louder and just a little bit frustrated trying to get through to Twilight. Finally they both just gave it up and decided to wait it out. Luna took to waiting extremely well, if a bit awkwardly. She simply sat on a cushion across from Twilight and looked around the library with an air of mild awe, as if merely fascinated to have so many books in one place. Once the ringing in her ears had finally gone down and Twilight could hear decently again she spoke up to Luna who was still looking at the collection of books. “Impressed? I've managed to squeeze in 20% more novels with my new organizing technique.” “Ah I presume your hearing has returned!” To which Twilight nodded. “Nay I was impressed because of the quantity of bound books you had, books used to be for the rich.” “Really? Then what did ponies read back then?” “Most didn't, those that did read scrolls, I've been told by my sister that typesetting machines have made such things vastly easier to get a hold of.” Twilight giggled. Realizing how out of date Luna was, printing machines were well refined and well over four hundred years old. Feeling the tail end of the ringing go away she decided to bring things back to the point. “OK Princess. Now, tell me: why did you wake up half the neighborhood to come see me in the middle of the night?” “Apologies Twilight,” Luna said once more. “But recently I realized that I am a thousand years out of date on the goings-on of Equestria. I asked Celestia what I should do about this, and she immediately suggested going to you.” To say Twilight was confused would have been an understatement. She was very confused, anxious, and irrationally worried, as if somebody had whispered “magic kindergarten” to her. What if this was a test? What if it was a pop quiz? What if she got something wrong and Luna thought that the Yakyakistan-Gryphonic war was started by a dead rat! Her thoughts raced at a thousand miles an hour to more and more absurd situations until they tumbled out of her mouth. “But, but why hasn’t Celestia told me about this sooner?” “Well Twilight, since Spike is in Canterlot dealing with... dragon problems, I had to deliver the letter by hoof. OH! and speaking of which, I probably should have given this to you first.” Luna handed over a letter stamped with the seal of Princess Celestia on it. Twilight unrolled it and began to read. To my Faithful Student Twilight Sparkle: It has come to my attention that My sister has wanted to involve herself in modern equestrian politics for some time now. However, after spending a thousand years away, she is… disconnected with the ponies of Equestria. So, after considering several various historians and teachers, I have decided that you are the best pony to bring Luna up to date with modern Equestria. Twilight stopped reading right there. Below that was a list of things she was expected to bring Luna up to speed on, the list went down the scroll and up into the rolled up end. Just a glance showed that it was very, VERY comprehensive. On an impulse, Twilight double checked the seal with a simple spell. The seal was completely authentic, all right. Unduplicatable sun-like glow intact. Princess Celestia trusted her to bring Luna up to speed on the last 1000 years of Equestrian history…. For a moment Twilight thought back to when she had to teach Spike about Equestrian history. Only one thought made it through her head then: this is going to take a long, LONG time. Twilight realized that she had been ignoring Luna for some time now. The alicorn princess was sitting patiently still, idly flipping through one of the many history books in the library like it was the most normal thing in the world. “Umm, Princess, would you like some tea?” Twilight was nervous. She wasn’t prepared to teach 1000 years of history, not when it was this important. “I’m afraid this took me by surprise, and I’ll have to prepare for it properly.” ---------------- Things were going well from Naudia's perspective. Twilight didn’t seem to suspect anything, even though she had thought to check the seal. There was no doubt about the authenticity of the letter. She had posed as Luna to ask Celestia for it herself before she had left Canterlot. With the real Luna already captured and heading out away from the city, of course. The Sun Princess seemed a little suspicious, but was more than happy to assist her sister into modern Equestria. Naudia go the impression that Luna had been having difficulty with things such as this not just from Celestia but from the reactions of the servants in the castle: Celestia hid it better but they all looked like they had been asked one too many awkward questions. Naudia had no trouble amusing herself while Twilight was preparing her curriculum, glancing through the history books proved quite amusing. Even if she had to hide her smirk she was nevertheless smirking internally at the ponies' own view of themselves. Now they were done with the first section of the history lesson. They had gotten through the first hundred and fifty years or so after Luna left. Naudia had paid attention, and strongly suspected a pro-Equestrian bias so made an effort to memorize rather than take anything said to heart. Despite all that she had managed to keep her misgivings on the inside. After all, it wasn’t as if this humble librarian was involved in thwarting the attack on Canterlot. She was just a convenient pony who practically oozed positive emotions anytime she was around books. Canterlot though, that brought her back down to earth. She sat upon Twilight’s balcony staring off into the distance, at Canterlot in much the same way a hero would look at an evil emperor's lair. Naudia’s mother had always talked about Canterlot, stories upon stories of the wickedness of the ponies that lived there, and above all, the wickedness of Celestia. She had met with Celestia briefly, disguised as Luna. It had taken all of her self-control and training not to sneer at the alabaster princess of the sun. Most of what kept her feelings on the inside was the thought that someday she could come back later and. And… No, that would be falling into the same trap that Mother did. That thought brought her mood down again. It wasn't like she had much time to mourn, the day after the invasion failed there had already been changelings begging to know what to do. It wasn't that it didn't hurt, it's just that it hurt more to see her brothers and sisters brought down by her. Now they were looking to her for leadership, lings she grew up with did their best to obey her every command. So she buried those feelings as best she could as they limped on as best they could for her. Naudia still found a way to be proud of herself though: she had managed to convince Celestia to take over the night while “Luna” was off learning how to connect to the ponies of Equestria again. Queen Naudia had managed to fool the ruler of Equestria, so how hard would some librarian be to fool? ---------------- Inside the library Twilight was forcing herself to calm down. She had just received another letter directly from Princess Celestia. It was delivered discreetly with the word “Emergency” stamped on it. Even more worryingly it had a special enchantment so that it wouldn't finish it's delivery unless nopony else was around. It was a warning about Princess Luna. So soon after the attempted invasion of Canterlot, Equestria was just getting out of its state of wary chaos over the changelings, and now Celestia herself was worried that Luna had been replaced- unsure, but worried. And Twilight had to discreetly find out if she was a changeling or not. She was definitely going to need the rest of the girls’ help on this one.