Twilight made her way to the library, expecting to see it full with Acolytes as she looked for Lone, but, when she arrived after passing a few ponies she only briefly recognized from before she went to Ponyville, she was surprised to find just Lone looking like he was manipulating some kind of display in the air. "Uh, Lone?" she asked, thinking he had gone insane. "What are you doing?"

"If you're referring to what I'm physically doing," he said, "it is me pretending to manipulate a holo-display like those from the sci-fi books in here. Helps me think and organize my thoughts. If you're referring to what I'm mentally doing, I'm just analyzing the evidence for a theory of mine."

"What's the theory?" Twilight asked.

"If the masked Matterhorn is Celestia's daughter in the Power Ponies." This threw Twilight for a loop.

"That's the theory you're doing?" she asked. "I thought you'd be doing research on that serial killer!"

"Twilight, the Shadow Guard has fur branches, hence why each cell has four members. There's the criminal investigation branch, who is currently working on finding the bitch. Second is research, who works on new spells and tech, many of which are released to the public. Third is espionage, and fourth is preventative. I belong to the last one, as does Spike. Acolytes of a certain branch are assigned to cells as needed as they are general purpose, to use a utility word," Lone listed off, still acting as if he was manipulating a holo-display before he clapped his hands, reminding Twilight of one of the motions in some of the science fiction books she'd read of closing the display. "So, you got the message I wanted to see you?" he asked as he turned to look at her.

"Yeah," Twilight said. "What was it about?"

"Just wanted to get to know you, seeing as how you're going to be living here for the next few months, and even if we are going to wan tot kill each other at points-trust me, those feelings have happened before- I see no reason we can't get to know one another."

"Oh," Twilight said. "I guess that makes sense."

"So, what do you want to know about me?" Lone asked.

"Well, um," Twilight started, caught off guard by the fact she could ask the first question. As a result, she branched off what she knew already. "What kind of books do you read?"

Lone chuckled. "Figures you'd ask that," he muttered before replying. "Mainly science fiction books, a few fantasy."

"Oh," Twilight said.

"What, did you expect me to be a plothole on the surface to strangers but be a romantic in private? A: even if I were, I wouldn't tell you right now. B: I find romance stories boring unless that's just a secondary story as I prefer action in my stories with a bit of adventure and the mind rape known as plot twists. I find romance stories lacking in each of those regards. Well, the few I've been told about and the two I've read. So, what about you, Twilight? We both know you like to read, but I'm curious as to just what it is."

Twilight blushed before she muttered something. "Twilight, I'm not Shade, Celestia, Luna, Cadence, or you. Speak up," Lone said, his voice already showing annoyance.

"Well," Twilight said, "I admit, Spike has gotten me into science fiction recently."

"I don't see how that's bad or embarrassing," Lone bluntly commented.

"Because when I was a filly, Celestia didn't want me reading those," Twilight said, making Lone raise an eyebrow.

"Yet you read a book about supposed foal stories and made a big deal of it."

"My point exactly," Twilight said before her eyes went wide. "Hey, if you're supposed to have been around since before she returned, why didn't I see any of you trying to stop Nightmare Moon."

"Because," Lone said, "we were aware of the truth for a year before, and our Research and Investigation branches detected a spell on the moon that, with Luna's testimony given to her sister which was passed to us which confirmed the guess, would have focused the sunlight through crystals on the moon's surface which naturally absorb and then reflect the sunlight so that moon light through out the day would act like sunlight, so the world wasn't in danger of dying. Plus a bit of an accidental spell that let us see an alternate Equestria where Nightmare recently took over.

"A scout team was formed and sent through a portal connected to that world similar to the one which sent you to the human version of our world, and, after sealing it behind the to prevent an invasion, made contact with Nightmare Moon and informed her as to where they came from. From what they said after returning, Nightmare revealed some of Celestia's dirty laundry which made the ponies hate Celestia, and she banished her, then took the throne. And before you ask, no, I don't know what that secret was. Or is slash could be for our Celestia." He then reached over to the desk he was standing next to. "That reminds me, Celestia invited us for a bar night tomorrow night."

"Bar night?" Twilight asked.

"Hang out and go to a bar, maybe get involved in a bar fight if we're bored," Lone said with a shrug. "That reminds me for whatever reason, but Sunset's back. She came by with one of our Investigation acolytes during our last bar night. You can see her after tomorrow. She's currently in the castle getting exposed to small amounts of dark magic. And yes, that means she's going to potentially become a member of the Guard."

"Back to Celestia: why would she want to do that?"

"Because even she needs some booze in her system after dealing with nobles," Lone said. "Just me, her, and you. Something about helping you to relax or some bullshit like that." He paused for a few seconds before face palming. "I just remembered that you also got sent this," he said before using his magic to take a second envelope off the table, and giving it to Twilight.

"Who's it from?" she asked.

"No idea, it just said to give it to you when it showed up," he said sarcastically. "Or maybe that's the cursive handwriting which spells 'Twilight'."

"No need to be a smartplot," Twilight said, to which Lone shrugged.

"Eh, part of my charm."

Twilight rolled her eyes as she opened the letter, and began to read it.

Twilight, I'm pretty sure you wouldn't expect me to send you this. Assuming you even knew one of us was an Acolyte. Still, the reason I wanted Lone, the plothole he is, to deliver this to you is that I'm going to Manehattan for a fashion show that'll last for about a month, then some. . . let's say side jobs for the month after that. I just thought I'd tell you if something comes up and you need to go to Ponyville so you don't wonder where I am. Knowing Ponyville, I expect something to happen in the week after you get this. Oh well. See you in the Empire for Flurry's birthday.
Rarity

Twilight was silent for a time as she processed Rarity's name on the letter before she shouted. "What?!"

Author's Notes:

Couldn't think of a better name for the chapter.