Chapter One : Libraries and Lights

We learn not for school,

But for life.

Proverb

Noctia peered into the tree that was made into a library. Twilight Sparkle, the owner, was chatting with her friends, Apple Jack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy about the Cider Fest. Rainbow Dash noticed Noctia and zoomed over.

"Hey, who are you?" Rainbow Dash said as she flew over. Noctia shuffled her hooves as the rest came over.

"Oh, I just came for a book about the stars. And to return these ones." she said. Her horn glowed and a stack of five books flew in neatly to land at Twilight Sparkle's hooves.

"Hello Noctia!" Twilight Sparkle said. "I haven't seen you in a while. Locked up in your house as usual?" she joked.

Noctia smiled and nodded. "I was hoping to get a few books on Starswirl the Bearded and his studies." It was Twilight's turn to nod, and she made a stack of new books fly over.

"Here, have these, I find they have great diagrams of the universe as we know it, and how it influences the ocean." Dropping the books at Noctia's hooves this time, Fluttershy spoke up.

"What do you exactly do, if you don't mind me asking?" Rainbow Dash and Rarity nodded in agreement.

Noctia squirmed and groaned in her mind. "Oh, I just study the stars. I was hoping to meet Princess Luna some day, and ask what it was like on the moon."

Rarity looked bewildered, and Rainbow Dash groaned. "Another egghead?" Rainbow commented. Rarity more over was fussing over the moon bit. "Why would you ever want to learn about the moon? Its so dreadfully dirty there, and I bet it smells like cheese!" Rarity ended with a head turn that made her mane bounce.

Fluttershy looked rather normal, but Noctia could tell that she was a bit scared. "You...you want to meet Nightmare Moon?" She trembled. "Yeah, I guess so." Noctia replied.

Ohhhh, dear... Noctia thought. Shouldn't have mentioned that bit. Twilight seemed normal, even a bit over-joyed, but the others...not so much. Rarity gasped and backed up, and Rainbow Dash flew back a bit. Fluttershy had gasped in her tiny way and was now shuddering in an empty shelf.

Twilight Sparkle continued talking like nothing had happened. "I could arrange for you to go to Canterlot, the Princess doesn't really mind." She continued to babble on and Noctia politely refused quietly. Finally she spoke up completely.

"Twilight, I'd rather not." Noctia said, and Twilight Sparkle stopped talking about an upcoming party for Hearts and Hooves day. "I want her to discover me for being good, not for me to barge in."

Twilight nodded, and Noctia levitated the books just as Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell Came in. They knocked the returned books astray and nearly upset the floating pile. The fillies continued to jump up and down underneath Rainbow Dash, chattering away about something they couldn't get out of a tree.

"I'll...just go now." Noctia said as she backed out of the door onto the dirt road. Glad she was out of that mess, she trotted back toward her home as Pinkie Pie and Apple Jack bounced and trotted into the library after she left. The books had loaded themselves into her satchel as she hurried along, ducking and weaving around the couples that were chatting about Hearts and Hooves day. Finding her way to her door, she found a light blue pony blocking her way, daydreaming on her front steps.

"Um, excuse me?"