//------------------------------//
// Chapter 5 - Questions, Answers, and Decisions (Episode 2.5) (Edited) 
// Story: An Editorial Tale 
// by Awkward Elipsis 
//------------------------------//

	After the defeat of Nightmare Moon, the small town of Ponyville celebrate with a party. Of course hosted by none other than Ponyville's own party pony, Pinkie Pie. Everypony was so happy to see their Princess that they didn't even notice that Luna was an alicorn and a princess as well. The party was spectacular! The entire town attended and partied ‘til the sun had to be lowered again. Although this time it was Luna's job once again. However due to being out of practice she accidentally made the moon come up to fast. This mistake made the tides rush in too fast at the coasts and destroyed some harbors. After the moon was lifted into the sky and the stars began to twinkle into view, the festivities ended, and Celestia and Luna returned to Canterlot Castle. On route to Canterlot Luna decided to ask a few questions. "So, sister, was that the pony whom told thee about the Tree of Harmony and where it was located?"
"Yes, Luna," Celestia responded, "however, he wasn't a pony back then, he was in a human form back then. Also his methods back then seemed less refined. He'd write letters with no name telling me to go to a location if I wanted to overthrow Discord. When I didn't go quite as quickly as he wanted me to, he approached me directly and told me all about the tree and the elements. Noctus had a strong connection to the fall of Discord, and the founding of Canterlot," she informed Luna.
"He did?"
"Very, however the last time I saw him was a few days before your behavior started to change. He warned me that he had to make you resent me in order for all to proceed accordingly."
"What?! It was his fault that we had been jealous of thee, sister?!"
Celestia nodded her head. "When I tried to reason with him, he said he had to do this. It wasn't under his control."
"Did thou not try to forcefully stop him? We expected thee to have easily defeated him. If thou had done that, many things could have been different!"
Celestia turned to Luna, "I did try that Luna, but I had underestimated Noctus's power. When I had tried fighting him, he would just slide into the shadows and appear somewhere else. He has the power to bend shadows to his will. After a while he restrained me with tendrils of shadows and tried to comfort me. He told me not to worry, and that if everything goes according to plan, I'd have you back with me. When I asked him how long, he didn't answer, he just handed me a scroll and disappeared. On that scroll was the prophecy that predicted when Nightmare Moon would return. I didn't know who Nightmare Moon was until you confronted me and renamed yourself. Right then I realized that you would come back." Celestia turned her head back to the front of the carriage, "soon after Nightmare Moon was imprisoned, Noctus came to me thanking me for co-operating and saying that it would be worth it. I asked for him to stay, so that I could ask how much longer. But he denied my offer, he said he couldn't stay in this world. After that I never saw Noctus again."
"Until today," Luna added, "he came back, he had made everything that happened occur to make it so that we would fail." she dejectedly slumped her head, staring at the flying carriage's floor.
"No," Celestia placed her hoof comfortingly on Luna's shoulder, "he made it so Nightmare Moon would fail. I see now what he meant. He saved you. He made it so this event would take place in this exact way. What he does is guide everything to go down the route it’s prophesied    to take."
The two sisters looked at each other, both glad to be reunited with the other.
"One moment, sister," Luna retracted, looking to her sister, "through all of this talk of Noctus, he seems to have done many good things as well as bad. Is he a pony we need to be careful of?"
Staring back at Luna, a warm smile spreading across her face, "Well Luna, I don't know. While he does seem to hold unknown power, we'll just have to wait and see what he does. Especially now that his powers seem to have disappeared. Oh, and Luna?" Celestia added.
"Yes dear sister?"
"I just remembered that Noctus greatly enjoys the night! I do believe that his name is not just a coincidence," Celestia stated, gently tapping her hoof on her chin, "maybe you could get to know him better, besides, he's probably going to be staying for a while."
Luna's face quickly exploded with embarrassment, turning her blue face a bright rose color. "S-sister! Thou knows that we do not have much experience with stallions. Besides, he was the one who caused the rift between us is he not!?"
"Maybe. But from my experience with him a thousand years ago he seemed just like you. Young, good looking, quite the prankster. Oh and he also loves music! Though I don't think he makes any. And-"
Not being able to take the playful teasing anymore, Luna used her hooves to cover her face and ears from Celestia's teasing. Celestia continued her teasing until the carriage landed safely in the castle courtyard.





~~~~~~~~###~~~~~~~~





Back at Ponyville, ponies everywhere were cleaning up after the party. Those with little colts or fillies were excused to tuck their children into bed, Applejack was allowed to leave since she need to wake up early in the morning, Rainbow Dash skipped out and headed back to her floating cloud house, Rarity, being an older sister while her parents were away her sister, took Sweetie Belle back to her home. Fluttershy was excused to take care of the animals, and Pinkie Pie is always pardoned from having to clean up since she throws the best parties. Twilight, as much as she complained, was excused since she is new to town.
"But I feel as if I should help! With my magic I could-"
"Nonsense Miss Twilight, you are new to town. You also helped to save all of us by venturing out to stop Nightmare Moon. We just couldn't have you cleaning," stated Mayor Mare.
"But-"
"No, buts. Go home and have a good nice rest, you've earned it."
"Come on Twilight! Let’s just go! I'm tired," yawned Spike, "besides, maybe you can get some answers out of that pony you brought back with you." Thinking about this, Twilight realized that she could.
"Alright." Suddenly enthusiastic, Twilight picked up Spike and trotted to her new home, "bye Mayor Mare!" Mayor Mare waved back as her secretary came up to her with a list.
Returning back to the library Twilight rushed in and checked her guest bedroom to see if the strange pony had woken up yet. Opening the door, she saw that he was still fast asleep. Quietly she closed the door and headed upstairs to her bedroom.
"So who exactly is that guy anyway? A coltfriend, hmm?" Spike teased, raising his eyebrows.
"What? No! Of course not! He just was at the ruins suddenly after we saved Princess Luna. Celestia told me to keep him here and that when he woke up, he'd explain everything to us." Turning her head to hide a small blush, she continued. “But it looks like he's still sleeping."
"Uh huh, we'll I'm going to sleep," he climbed into his bed, "night Twilight."
"Good night Spike." Twilight said as she turned off the lights. 'Just who is that stallion? When Celestia talked to him, it sounded like he knew her before. What did she call him again? Noctus? Doesn't that translate into 'Night' in Old Equestrian? Hmm, he seemed like an ordinary unicorn stallion when we carried him back to Ponyville. I hope he's awake tomorrow, I have a lot of questions.'
Once morning arrived, calming some skeptic ponies, Twilight woke to find Spike gone from his bed and the smell of breakfast from downstairs.
"Mmm! what are you making today?" Twilight sniffed as she walked into the kitchen.
"They're called pancakes! Noctus explained to me how to make them!" Spike replied from the stove.
"Well they smell delicious- Wait, what?! Noctus told you!?" She took a better look around the kitchen to find the unicorn stallion sitting by the table trying to get a good grip on his fork.
"Oh hey, morning," he waved, "come and try some. They're really good! At least I would think they are, I haven't been able to try any." He once again tried to grip the fork with two hooves, but ended up dropping the fork again. "Ugh! This is why I like having fingers!"
Twilight just stared at him quizzically and walked over to Spike. "Spike, has he tried to do anything suspicious yet?" She whispered.
"Why are you whispering?" Spike asked, "and no, he hasn't done anything wrong. When I woke up he was already up and was looking through some books."
"Hey Twilight," Twilight turned as she heard her name, "oh uh, I have a request."
Twilight looked surprised at the stallion, "uh ok? What do you need?"
Looking at his hooves, "can you... Uh… Help me eat my pancake?"
Twilight's face quickly changed from a look of confusion to one of laughter as she heard the full grown stallion asking for help to eat his own food. Spike, hearing this, fell on the floor and proceeded to roll on the floor laughing.
Noctus, seeing both of them laughing, blushed from embarrassment. "Stop that! This is serious! I haven't had anything to eat in over 100 thousand years! Besides I don't know how to use magic here."
"Wait." Twilight immediately stopped laughing at this new information, "did you just say 100 thousand years?"
"Yeah, so what?"
"The Princesses have only been recorded to have been alive for 50 thousand!"
"Ha! You believe that? Celestia has been alive for over 200 thousand! Luna is a bit younger being around 110 thousand years old."
Twilight's brain couldn't believe this information, ‘Celestia was actually that old?!’ "Hold on," she interrupted, “we should wait for my friends to get here. They'll want to hear this as well."
"Oh right, the others. Fine, I can wait." Noctus turned to look at his pancakes, "so about that favor..."
Rolling her eyes, "fine, I'll help." She used her magic to lift the fork and knife to cut a piece of the pancake and levitated it to Noctus. He then ate the piece off the floating fork.
"Mmm, thanks," he continued to munch on the delicacy, "um, also, can you not mention to this to anyone?"
Twilight rolled her eyes. "Sure."





~~~~~~~~###~~~~~~~~





"Ok, here are the basic magic textbooks, you can read them while we wait for my friends," Twilight stated as she placed two more books onto the stack already forming.
"Thanks, I should learn to use magic now that I can't use fingers," Noctus looked as his new appendages, "wait, how do you know about fingers?"
"You're not the first to have fingers. Spike and other dragons have claws, but Diamond Dogs are categorized as having fingers, not claws."
"I see. . ."
"Anyway, just wait here in this room while the others arrive."
"Got it" said Noctus already laying down a book on the bed and began reading.
As Twilight exited the guest bedroom, she asked Spike to go and bring Rarity and Pinkie Pie to the library. Spike excitingly agreed and zoomed out the door for the Carousel Boutique. Twilight then proceeded to reorganize the books, since they haven't been organized before. When out of now where Rainbow Dash crashed into the library from one of the windows Twilight had opened to air out the library.
"Rainbow Dash?" Twilight coughed, "what are you doing?"
Recovering from her landing, she answered, "I came here quickly, in case that new pony tried anything."
"Well ok then, but you've got nothing to worry about, he's in the guest room reading. Good thing you're here though, I was just gathering everyone to come and question Noctus."
"Noctus? Is that his name? Sounds weird."
"It’s Old Equestrian, of course it would sound weird. Anyway I need you to go and get Applejack and Fluttershy. I've already sent Spike to get Rarity and Pinkie."
"What! Why? I should stay here just in case he tries anything." Rainbow Dash then proceeded to box in midair.
"Well, wouldn't we have an even better chance if we had everyone here to fight against him?" Rainbow Dash paused and	thought about it.
"I guess so... ok," she flew to the window, "but I'll be right back, just yell in case he does anything."
After seeing Rainbow Dash take off to the outskirts of Ponyville, Twilight turned to continue her organizing.
"HIYA TWILIGHT!"
"Gaah!" Twilight adorably screamed in surprise at the bouncing pink pony in front of her. "Pinkie! You scared me!"
"Sorry Twilight, it’s just that Spike arrived at Sugarcube Corner just now and told me to come here! So then I quickly bounced my way here to the library to see what’s up…” Pinkie started to ramble, “then when I go there, Rainbow Dash was here so then I was like," *GASP* “’it's Rainbow Dash!’ but then she left through the window and then I was like all sad but then I remembered that you still needed me for some reason so I jumped in through that window there, and then you turned around and I said ‘HIYA’ and you were all like; ‘Gaah!’ And now we’re here." Pinkie finished that unbelievably long sentence with a ‘squee’.
As Pinkie ended Twilight regained control of her face and shook it back and forth. "Ok, Pinkie... just take a seat and we'll continue once everypony else arrives."
"Okie, dokie!" She said, bouncing to one of the chairs in the room.
Soon after, Applejack arrived with Rainbow Dash out of breath. Apparently Rainbow Dash had told Applejack that Twilight was captured by the new pony.
"Dang it Rainbow, ya had me worried sick there." Applejack scolded Rainbow Dash as she took a seat.
"Sorry AJ, I just wanted to get back quick,” she replied as she also took a seat.
Pinkie and Rainbow Dash started to talk as Twilight continued her organizing. After a few more minutes, Rarity arrived with Spike in tow.
"Sorry for being late Twilight, you caught me by surprise this morning, I needed to freshen up." Rarity strolled in taking the fourth seat in the room.
"Don't worry, it’s fine, Rarity." Twilight replied as she placed the last book in its new location, "we were just waiting for Fluttershy." As she mentioned this, the yellow colored pegasus casually walked in the front door.
"Oh hi girls." She quietly greeted everypony.
"Hi Fluttershy, just take a seat." Twilight said, as she too took a seat.
"Ok Twilight," Applejack began, "we’re all here. So what’s all the commotion?"
Looking to all of her new friends Twilight began to explain, "Well, do you girls remember that stallion we found yesterday?"
"How could we not? Is he alright?" Fluttershy asked caringly.
"Actually, he seems fine now."
"Speaking of that stallion, where is the fella?" AJ questioned.
"He's upstairs, I planned to ask him a few questions, but I waited for all of you. I thought that you girls would want some answers as well. I'll go fetch him now." Twilight got up and climbed the stairs to the guest bedroom. Opening the door she found Noctus still reading the first book, only half way through. "Noctus, the girls are all here." He looked up from the book with a smile.
"Alrighty then," he got up from his bed and hopped down to the floor, "Wait just a sec, need to stretch." He proceeded to stretch his legs. "Ah, much better. Ok, I'm ready." Twilight then walked back down the stairs. Once the girls saw Noctus, they all looked at him with different faces. AJ and Rainbow Dash looked at suspiciously, Rarity seemed to stare with a poker face, Pinkie could barely hold herself down, and Fluttershy just looked relieved that he was fine, but still hid behind her hair.
"Ok girls, let me introduce you to Noctus." Twilight announced.
"Sup," He greeted, "oh, and before you ask, I will answer all questions if I can."
"Great!" Twilight magically grabbed some scrolls and a quill, ready to write notes.
"Ok, who's first?" Everypony raised their hoof, "ok... you, uh, Applejack, was it?"
"Who and what are you?"
"Ah, very easy, my name is Noctus, although it's not my original name. I couldn't remember my real one for my own life. As for what I am, I was a human, or homo-sapien. However, due to certain events, it seems that I am trapped in a pony form."
"Why can't you remember your own name?" Pinkie asked.
"Well of you've been alive for as long as I have, you tend to forget."
"And how long was that?" Rainbow added.
Putting his hoof to his chin, "Can't remember... Let's just go with a really, long time." There was a pregnant pause until Twilight broke the silence.
"What caused you to look like a pony?"
"Well, that would actually be you girls' fault."
"What?! Why would we do that?!" Rainbow defended.
"Well, you didn't do it on purpose, as you were fighting Nightmare Moon and used the Elements of Harmony. It seems that a stray 'rainbow' hit me, causing me to lose my powers as well as trapping me in a pony form."
"You had powers?" Twilight added.
"Why yes Twilight,” he said sarcastically, “I had the power to control shadows as well as shape-shift. Both are sadly gone."
"What could you transform into?" Pinkie asked.
"Well it works in a different way. I can't transform into anybody, it is more on the lines of transforming into a version of me. Like, I couldn't transform into a specific being. If I were to change into an animal, I would turn into that animal's version of me."
"Hold on a second, darling." Rarity held a hoof up, "back to another matter. Why were you at the castle ruins before?"
"Ah, this is where it gets complicated," Noctus stated. "First, I should mention one teeny, tiny bit of info. I'm not from this universe."
Another pregnant pause occurred until everypony in the room said the same thing, "Wait. What?!"
"You're not from this universe?!" Twilight exclaimed.
"Indeed, my job requires me to travel between universes."
"And to say, what is that job?"
"I travel universes setting stories on track."
"What?" Rainbow Dash said in confusion.
"Well, in better terms, I keep each universe on track with what is supposed to happen in each."
"Does this include parallel universes?" Twilight asked.
"Actually, yes, though I actually have had only you girls' universes to work with for the past thousand years. Also the parallel universes theory, isn't a theory. That is also why I know all your names. I have met you all in other universes as well."
"What types of other universes are there?"
"Well there are an infinite amount! They can range from one small different decision, to everything being a different theme. Such as other humans, another pony added into the mix, or that one with Molesti-" Noctus stops mid-sentence and begins to sweat.
"Noctus? What’s wrong?"
Quickly bringing his hooves to his head he muttered, "No, no, no, no more. No, stop, don't…"
"Noctus?" Snapping out of it, Noctus returned back to reality.
"Huh, what?" he said, blinking.
"You panicked or something, you were saying something about a Mol-"
"STOP!" he yelled. Twilight stopped mid-sentence, "don't. Continue. That name comes with horrible memories,” he said, grimacing. “Let's move on."
"O...K?" Twilight skeptically responded.
"Uh, darling?" Rarity stepped into the conversion, "not to be rude…"
"Not at all," Noctus replied.
"I was just wondering, why you are wearing a jacket?"
"Oh, that, well you remember when I said that I was a human before right?" Everypony nodded, "well, us humans tend to get embarrassed when caught with no clothes. Except for the few who don't get embarrassed."
"Why would you be embarrassed?"
"Well... humans don't have anything to hide their privates, so..."
Blushing Rarity replied, "Oh! I see, I see."
"Uh excuse me, um," Looking to the shy yellow pegasus, Noctus gave a kind nod. "You, um said that you could transform into anything?"
"Yes"
"Would that also include a small blue mocking jay?
"Ah! Fluttershy would be the first to realize that!"
"Realize what?" AJ tilted her head to the side.
"That through your adventure through the Everfree Forest, I was with you."
"What!? When?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"I was that mocking jay that had appeared at the beginning."
"That bird was you!” Applejack and Rarity both exclaimed.
"That means you were the one who showed me that Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were ready to catch Twilight!"
"You were the blue bird that gave me that feather?" Rarity added.
"I thought something wasn't right about that bird. So that was you that also told Fluttershy there was a thorn in that manticore's paw, wasn't it?"
"The very same." Noctus said, bowing.
"It also was you who sent me that letter a week before the Summer Sun Celebration saying to study up on Equestrian History!"
"Yup"
"...Noctus?"
"Yes?'
"What is your relation to the Princesses?"
"Oh I met them a thousand years ago, when I was just starting to see more of your universes. Although Celestia was the only one who knew about me... In most of them." Another silence entered the room as Twilight wrote this down.
"I have one more question," Twilight finally said.
"Go ahead."
"If you were here to make it so things would happen a certain way, did that also include you being caught?" Noctus was about to answer as his face slowly became grim. "Noctus?'
"Oh god, oh god, oh god, I messed up!" flinging his hooves into the air, "I messed up the canon series! I'm going to be in real trouble now."
"What’s wrong?" Fluttershy tried to comfort him.
"Everything is wrong! I'm not supposed to be here talking with you girls!"
"Wait, wait, cool down Noctus." Twilight said as she used her magic to calm him down, "you didn't let me finish. What if this is just another universe?'
Pausing Noctus looked at Twilight questioningly, "excuse me?"
"What if this universe isn't the 'canon' universe or whatever you called it? From what you said, couldn't this meeting in this universe just be another parallel universe where you are in it?" Noctus paused to think about what Twilight had just said. Tapping his hoof on this chin again, he considered what had just been theorized.
"Actually," Noctus said, "I think you're right. Maybe this is a chance at a break from work!" Pumping his hooves into the air, "Yes! I haven't had a break in over 54 thousand years!" He quickly fell backwards into a chair. After a few seconds, Applejack cut the silence.
"So, what are you going to do now? Looking his surroundings, Noctus made a conclusion.
"Well, seeing as I don't have my powers right now, and I have no way of getting them back, I guess I can stay here and relax."
"YAY! New pony!" Pinkie cheered as confetti popped from out of nowhere. She then zoomed out of the library to Sugarcube Corner.
"Where on Equestria is she headed?" Applejack asked.
"Probably headed to set up a Welcome to Ponyville party." Rainbow Dash answered.
"So," Noctus turned to Twilight, "is it ok for me to stay here, Twilight?"
"Sure, but what do you plan on doing long-term?" Twilight asked.
"Hmm, I have no idea. This is going to be fun!"