A Series of Continuous Events

Arriving close to nightfall in the capital of the land, the group, consisting of Light, Banana Pie, Caff and Boom, grabbed their luggage and disembarked the train. During the journey, Boom said he talked with Violin and they agreed to meet up at the theatre he often practiced and performed at, before heading out to dinner and continuing from there.

Leading the way through the city's streets, Boom grabbed a cloak from his bag and covered his face and body, as he mentioned to Light before he was not welcome in Canterlot, though why exactly, the rest of the group did not know. Reaching the theatre, Boom asked Light to lead the way to the main hall, where a large number of Ponies were positioned, practicing their woodwork, brass, string and percussion instruments for a performance later that week.

Though Banana and Caff were visibly excited, before they made too much noise, Light managed to gently persuade them to be quieter, as to not disturb the musicians. Boom, meanwhile, had moved his way to the far corner, still wearing his cloak, as the others moved to take a seat closer to the stage.

The orchestra played a beautiful rendition of Beethoofen's 5th Symphony, under the guidance of the conductor. On the train, Boom described the appearance of the violinist they would meet, a blue stallion who always wore a bow tie, with a G-clef and a heart on their flank. Looking around the orchestra, Caff pointed out Sunrise, who was focusing intensively on his performance close to the front of the group.

After the performance, as the musicians were packing up, Light walked towards the stage and asked the conductor to speak with Sunrise, to whom she called out to come to the front. Light introduced themselves and said they were friends of Boom, who had been in contact with Sunrise.

After shaking hooves, Light moved towards Banana and Caff, still in their seats, and introduced them to Sunrise, who shook their hooves in return. Sunrise asked Light where Boom was, as he had confirmed they would meet together before heading out, to which Light quietly replied that he was in the back, covered in a dark cloak, to prevent being seen by security.

Understanding the reason, Sunrise finished packing up his materials and lead the group out of the theatre, with Boom sneakily following behind them. After a little while, they reached a small restaurant away from the centre of town, and as they took their seats, Boom carefully lowered the hood of his cloak, hoping that away from the centre of town, he would not be recognised as easily.

During the meal, Light made sure to catch Violin up to speed on the events of the last few days, from finding the office in the catacombs under the park, to helping Banana, meeting new folks and Light's quick recovery after a big explosion at the castle, the mentioning of which made Boom rub the back of his head, blush and turn away.

Partially due to losing many books in the explosion, but also due to the collection in the castle being smaller than other libraries, Light explained that they hoped to be able to find more in the library of Canterlot, and hopefully, in the Royal Archives of Canterlot Castle, if this was at all possible. Banana, Boom and Caff joined them to Canterlot as Rain, Twilight and Solar stayed in Ponyville from whence the group came.

Light asked Sunrise if he could assist them in finding their way through the city, being unfamiliar in the general area, or, if this was not possible, to help them acquire a map and find a route between their place of residence and the library. Any help they could get would be greatly appreciated.

Sunrise offered the group a place to sleep at their house, until they managed to find residence somewhere else. Returning to Light's question about old books and tomes, Sunrise mentioned he knew the Princesses of Canterlot personally, and could ask them for an audience with the group, for both of which they profusely thanked him.

Sunrise replied:

"I don't know what you hope to find, but I'll do my absolute best to help you as best I can."

Finishing their meal, Sunrise lead the group to their home, where everyone promised to be on their best behaviour.

Light awoke very early the following morning. Unable to fall back asleep, and not wanting to accidentally wake anyone else, they decided to write a few notes, after which they would head out for a walk. After leaving a note on the dinner table for their group to find, telling them about heading out for a walk, they wrote a letter to send to Twilight and Solar back in Ponyville.

The night before, as the group was heading to Violin's house, they passed the postal office, which Light made a mental note of. Since it was early, the office was not yet opened, so they took the letter along with them to drop off when they headed back. Violin’s house was reasonably far away from the centre of town, and was just a few streets away from a large open grass field, and a pathway headed towards a wooded area.

The woods appeared to be quite young, though the city and accompanying Royal Castle were very old, having been founded and built after Nightmare Moon had been banished. When Princess Celestia moved to this area, she abandoned the castle where she and Luna had lived, the memory of her sister’s banishment too painful to bare alone.

As Light continued walking through the forest, after a little while they came across a fence running along the edge of a cliff overlooking the valley of the mountain. From this vantage point, Light could just make out the small village Ponyville where they had come from, by finding the dark forest of Everfree and looking around the edges of the woods.

As it was nearing sunrise, Light was about to head back, as to not worry their group over their absence. However, they realised this vantage point allowed them to see the sunrise more spectacularly than ever before, and therefore decided to stay just a little while longer.

Being high up on the mountain, the sun appeared swiftly thereafter, and shone warmly on Light’s face, even before the peak of Ponyville Castle was able to shine its radiant colours. The sun rose gently, and illuminated the land, driving away the calm and beautiful dark of night.

As Light turned to head back to Violin’s house, they heard a faint, twinkling sound, from slightly further up the mountainside, which sounded similar to the sound of magic.

Were others nearby also taking in the beauty of the sunrise, unable to sleep on like Light?

As the sun was rising, and Light was approaching the increasingly louder sound of magic, Banana, Boom and Caff woke up to find the note on the table downstairs, to their surprise. Violin awoke shortly afterwards and headed to meet the group, asking them for help in preparing breakfast. Boom stepped backwards, claiming he'd only manage to blow up the kitchen, but Caff and Banana eagerly stepped forward.

Though Caff was not allowed to work behind the counter of the café she worked at, out of her sister's fear that potential additional consumption of coffee would be bad for Caff, and especially others visiting the café, she was exceptionally skilled at making pastries and other small delicacies, which the group recently enjoyed before heading to Canterlot.

Banana Pie, meanwhile, as his name suggests, was very knowledgeable about a great many ways of making pies of all kinds, with bananas being his favourite ingredient to use, both for its sweet and gentle flavour, but also for the various ways it could be prepared alongside many other ingredients, like other fruits, whipped cream, chocolate, or ice cream, or any combination thereof.

Nigh unimaginably fast, Banana and Caff were whisking away in the kitchen, barely stopping whatsoever, save for allowing the other to move their dirty dishes to the sink or to assist them in grabbing new ingredients. Their boundless energy was very surprising to Violin, having only just met these two fascinating Ponies, while Boom, used to seeing many extraordinary things, was somewhat less surprised, but still highly impressed by their swiftness and skills in baking.

As Boom and Violin moved to grab some drinks from the refrigerator and some cutlery from the cabinets to place on the table, along with some cereals, expecting the two bakers to take a while to finish in the kitchen, Banana and Caff continued to bake away, managing to make a number of delicious batches of baked goods in a very short amount of time.

Caff and Banana managed to quickly whip up a lovely mix of fruits, healthy juices, hot drinks and cold dishes, just as Boom and Violin had finished setting the table, looking at each other with confusion in their eyes as they saw how quickly the bakers had completed their business in the kitchen.

Banana explained that while most of the snacks the two made needed to be baked in the oven, there would be more than enough for everyone - and then some. Overall, they spent a very short amount of time making a very large amount of food. Caff said that they thought it'd be nicer if the group waited until Light got back from their walk & visit to the post office before starting breakfast.

Boom, incredulously, looked up from the place he had smashed his face into, his mouth full of pastry and his entire face covered in crumbs and bits of fruit, after which he said he wasn't listening because he was eating, and if they could repeat what they said before, to which the trio could barely contain their laughter.

A few moments later, Light knocked on the front door, noticing the delicious smell of the pies, pastries and other delicious snacks that were baking in the oven from outside Violin's house. Banana and Caff both jumped up to open the door, stumbling over one another for the first time since entering the kitchen, after which Violin chuckled, sighed and moved to open the door himself, greeting the larger Kirin as he did.

Light helped Banana and Caff from the floor, as the two were still tangled from their collision a moment before. After they had helped them up, they took a seat between Boom and Caff, glancing at the rest of the group and giggling quietly over Boom's appearance. As the group continued breakfast, with Caff and Banana stopping only momentarily to check on the goods in the oven, Light explained their routine from that morning.

As they couldn't sleep, they explained, they decided to write a letter to send back to Ponyville, which they hoped would arrive swiftly - having noticed a clumsy mailmare flying around back in the town, dropping letters all over the place as she flew over. They also explained they went for a walk in the nearby park and woods, enjoying watching the sunrise from a height they had never seen it from before.

Boom, his face now more covered with smashed bits of fruit and cereals, asked why it took them so long to head back, as the sun rose quite a while ago, and the park wasn't far from here, to which Light replied that the beautiful view enticed them to stay, and because the post office opened only a short while ago, just before they got back to Violin's house.

Hearing the oven beep in the kitchen, both Banana and Caff started to get up to run back, before Light stopped them, and offered to look themselves, having seen the devastation of the two hyperactive Ponies colliding only moments before. Since all the baked goods appeared to be finished, Light used their magic to gently take everything out of the oven, whilst simultaneously grabbing a number of plates to put the hot meals on to.

As the rest cleared the table of dirty dishes, and Banana handed Boom a napkin, with which he could clean himself up, Light set the pastries on the table and sat back down again. When the rest had sat down and begun to dig in, Light expressed their gratitude towards everyone present over how massively helpful and supportive they all have been the last few days.

'I honestly cannot thank you enough for all that you have done to help, in whatever way you could, in these last few days alone.'

After these words, they turned to their plate to begin their second breakfast, keeping the rest of the group in the dark over what else took place in the forest.

Back in Ponyville, in the curious crystal castle with the stunning sparkling spire, Solar and Twilight woke up and began their day, which was going to be easier than others, for today was a restful day. As Light and their group were busy in Canterlot, Eclipse planned to take the day easily, and begin restoring the library's damaged collection.

Moving downstairs, they were greeted by a knock at the door from a tired, cross-eyed mailmare, carrying a number of large boxes and a letter, appearing to be from Princess Celestia. After thanking the mailmare and offering her a drink and a moment to rest, Eclipse opened the letter, finding a reply to the letter they had sent.

Celestia explained that after she had received the letter, which asked for assistance in restoring the books that were lost in the aftermath of the explosion, she went through the archives of the Castle, searching for a spell, or a set of spells, which could help undo the damage that the destroyed books had suffered. If there was enough of a book left, perhaps a spell could be used to restore it to its entirety, before the blast.

Though it took a while, the Princess did manage to prepare a spell that could work, but it would require a lot of power, from Solar and Twilight combined. In the boxes that accompanied the spell, the letter continued, were a number of collections of books, most of which identical to the lost books, should the spell not succeed. If the spell did succeed, then the library had a set of backups, should anything happen again.

As Solar and Twilight were preparing the ruined books, having neatly and safely stored away the boxes replacement books, they heard another knock at the door, where they were greeted cheerfully by Light Rain and Cherry Cream, and Decaf from the Café, who had decided to visit the Castle on their day of rest.

Realising they caught Eclipse off guard, the trio offered to help restore the library, after which the group could have a cup of tea, which Eclipse gladly accepted. After asking the group to stand back out of fear of the spell backfiring, Twilight and Solar focused their magic before casting the spell on a burnt book they had placed on the table. After a few moments, the book started to levitate, and magically, the cover started to restore and pages were appearing out of thin air, restoring the book entirely.

Decaf, Rain and Cherry were very much impressed, having never witnessed Alicorn magic from close by before, especially not to restore something that seemed beyond saving. After the book finished its restoration, it gently landed back on the table, as Solar and Twilight took a moment to catch their breath, for the spell was more tiring than they expected.

Rain quickly ran to the kitchen to grab some water for the exhausted Alicorn, as Decaf and Cherry stood to Eclipse's sides, making sure they would fall over due to exhaustion. It did make the group wonder; If one book would tire them this much, how long would the entire library take?

As Rain returned with a glass of water and a small ice pack, Decaf grabbed a chair from a nearby desk for Solar and Twilight to sit upon. As the group was comforting them, Decaf headed back to the kitchen to prepare tea and other drinks, with Rain following shortly behind.

As if a light bulb went off in her mind, Cherry's face lit up and they quickly moved to the table, grabbing a big pile of charred books and torn pages and haphazardly placing the pile in front of Eclipse. As they looked at her with a confused look, Cherry winked at the Alicorn, and encouraged them to cast the spell again.

As Decaf and Rain were returning with a small tray of drinks and small snacks, they entered the library to find a very large collection of books restoring in mid-air, held up by magic. Quickly placing down the tray of drinks, Decaf started to carefully move backwards out of the room, before the large pile of books lowered down to the floor and fell all around her. Fortunately, she was unhurt.

As the group hurried towards the pile, a faint chuckle was heard from under the pile and a muffled voice called out:

'Well, glad that's dealt with. Now, I think it's time for a break, don't cha' think?'

Eclipse gently got up from their seat and asked them:

From under the pile, Decaf's muffled voice was heard, replying with a gentle 'Yes, please.' The group started moving all the books to the side, being careful not to have the pile collapse and hurt anyone. A little while later, Decaf's head poked up from the pile, shocking the group for a moment before they all started laughing at the ridiculousness of the situation.

Decaf was unhurt, but was quite startled, saying the pile really ruffled her feathers. After she had been fully uncovered from the pile, Cherry and Rain helped her to a seat at the table, while Eclipse, using their magic, moved the pile of restored books to the side to sort and organise later.

As they were in the kitchen when Cherry suggested using the spell on a larger pile of books, Decaf and Rain did not know how Eclipse was suddenly able to restore so many at once, when one book already made them exhausted. Cherry explained that they figured casting the spell was the hard part, but actually keeping it cast, focusing on the pile, restoring the books, that would require only a fraction of that energy.

Still, it did tire Twilight and Solar, who still had to catch their breath and were rubbing their temples, for they felt a headache. The group took a seat at the table and relaxed with a cup of coffee or tea, along with a small assortment of biscuits and pastries. Twilight and Solar apologised profusely for scaring Decaf, saying they were too focused on restoring the books to realise where they were hovering the pile.

Decaf accepted their apology, and asked them to take it easy, and to make sure to focus on where they were levitating things before lowering them, which Eclipse agreed to. The group continued talking amongst themselves, saying they had seen each other around town, but never truly got to know each other, and that via Light, they now did.

As they mentioned the group that went along with Light to Canterlot, hoping they were more successful than them, Decaf mentioned being worried for her sister, for she was a bit clumsy when not in the kitchen, partially because of her hyperactivity. As the others reassured her, saying that they had faith in Light, though they had only met them recently, there was a gentle knock at the door.

Eclipse finished their drink and headed to the door, finding the grey mailmare standing in front of them again, holding a letter, addressed to them. They thanked the Pegasus and headed back to the table, where they found the letter came from Light in Canterlot, detailing their journey, which went smoothly, their safe arrival, and meeting with Sunrise before heading to dinner, after which they headed to sleep.

The letter continued, as Light also said that they hoped that everyone in Ponyville was doing well, that they hoped the rest of the restoration of the library was going smoothly, and that Princess Celestia was able to help find a spell to restore the lost books. After breakfast, they would join Sunrise to the Library, and hoped to find a start there.

Concluding the letter, Light said they would make sure to send updates on their progress, and asked the others if they would do the same. Not just to keep them updated on any information they might find in Ponyville, but also to make sure the group there was doing well and staying safe as well.

Feeling reassured and glad after hearing the positive news, Cherry, Decaf, and Rain asked Eclipse if they could write a letter back to Light, to which Eclipse agreed. All joining in on the letter, they wrote that they were very glad to hear back from Light and the group, promising to keep them updated as well, and wishing them the best in finding any information.

Before finishing the letter and binding it with a wax seal to send back to Canterlot, Eclipse mentioned to the group:

"The Royal Archives of Canterlot Castle could hold more information, but entering the area requires permission from the highest authority. We could help them."

Finalising the letter, they wrote:

"Want to meet Celestia?"
"I think she may be able to help you with your search. Looking forward to your reply! Yours faithfully, Twilight Sparkle and Solar Eclipse."

After Solar and Twilight finished the letter, they neatly rolled it up and sealed it with wax, and asked Rain, Cherry and Decaf to join them in heading to town, where they could deposit the letter to be posted to Canterlot, to which the rest agreed.

Eclipse explained that while they were in town, they would have to take care of some business, but would join the others again later, if possible. The trio agreed, stating they themselves had plans for the afternoon, but did not have anything planned for the evening, which left them wondering about plans for later.

Decaf stepped up and said that, though her sister Caff was the head baker in the café, and whose speed in the kitchen was unmatched, she was quite skillful in the kitchen as well. She offered to prepare supper for the group, which the group accepted. Cherry offered to help Decaf with cooking, and would like to learn more in baking and preparing drinks, in case Caff is away longer.

When the group reached the café, Rain said that they would head home to Cloudsdale, have a look at the area around the theme park as they flew over it, and would be back in time for supper, before turning away to head off, as the others waved them goodbye. Solar and Twilight headed further into town as Decaf and Cherry entered the café to prepare and plan the meals.

After posting the letter, they wondered about Light and their group, still wanting to help as much as possible. Thinking in the back of their mind about the park and the tunnels, on which they were trying to find information, Twilight and Solar hoped that Celestia could help. Before heading back, they bought some fruits and vegetables at the stalls in town, and stationary, before heading back to the castle to write another letter, this time to the Princess.

Back in Canterlot, Violin had lead Light, Caff, Banana and Boom to the Library, which, fortunately, was only a short distance from Violin's house. Remembering the echo in Ponyville Castle, Light muffled their hoofsteps, before asking the librarian on books of history, and maps of the city and the land.

The library was vast, collections dating to hundreds of years ago, and possibly older than that, kept in pristine condition due to the efforts of the Curators of the Halls, and the Princess herself. Light turned to the group and said they realised looking for historic texts would not be very entertaining, and said, with genuineness in their voice, that if the others wanted to leave and do something else, they were absolutely free to do so.

To their relief and surprise, none took them up on the offer, saying they would be able to look for books on subjects of interest while helping Light look through old tomes. Boom leaned in closer and whispered that books on blasting powder and Chemistry would help him make better BOOMS, chuckling as he said so.

Giving him a look of sternness and concern, Light sighed and said that they would gladly take up the offer of help, but they would have to follow the Rules of the Halls. Caff and Banana would have to hold in their energy, and Boom his eagerness to blow things up, remembering the damage that he caused to a small collection back in Ponyville.

"I hope we all find what we're looking for. Whether it be a grand revelation or the tiniest nuggets of knowledge, anything will help. And I hope we find it soon."

In the library, close to the entirety of history was available. From the start of Equestria, to the emergence of the Pillars, through the growth of the Tree of Harmony and the return of Princess Luna, books dating back to hundreds, if not thousands, of years ago. Works from folks of all walks of life, reaching through history to readers of today.

Over the last few years, due to the efforts of the Royal Princesses, and especially the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony, connections were made outside of Equestria, and the tales and accounts of many races throughout history became available, from Griffons to Yaks, Hippogriffs and Seaponies to the area of Klugetown and beyond.

Though the collection was vast, it was not entirely complete. Whether through vandalism, negligence or any other malicious reason, intended or otherwise, there are perspectives, knowledge, experiences lost to the ages. Due to the loss of these fragmented periods of history, some notable occurrences would be forever unknown.

Searching through the entire library one book at a time would take beyond an eternity to complete; therefore Light created a system, which they advised the others to follow: Look for books that could be of use, write down the titles and details of these books, and after a set number of volumes found, quickly search through the chapters. If something interesting is in the books, write down the chapters next to the titles, and continue on.

As the group was looking through the shelves of history, Banana realised something and gathered the group; He explained that the history of the last one thousand years, after the banishment of Princess Luna, would be of little use, as the land was peaceful under the rule of Celestia, and there would be no need for dark tunnels and secret passages, or anything of the sort.

After thinking for a moment, Light agreed with Banana, and mentioned that they thought the catacombs themselves may not have been built during the sole rule of the Princess of the Sun, though there could still be accounts of others who discovered the tunnels before Banana built the park over the dark passages.

Many hours passed, and piles of books lined the tables spanning the Halls of the Library. So far, nothing more than a few small references to old constructions lost to the ages, like the Castle of the Two Sisters in the Everfree Forest, and the Ruins of Ponehenge. A number of scrolls, written by the group, noting the titles and details of many books from before the banishment of Luna, were scattered about as well.

Looking at the others with a gentle gaze and seeing they felt exhausted and bored, losing their focus, Light sighed quietly, and started clearing up the books on the tables, confusing the group. They explained they were not giving up, but they knew spending too long trying to focus on one thing would not be beneficial to anyone.

They also explained that fresh air, a proper meal and a good night's rest would be helpful, and balancing research with relaxation would be best for them. As Caff started helping Light, Violin said he was headed home to make preparations for dinner, followed closely by Banana, while Boom appeared to be very focused on one book in particular.

Using their magic, Light carefully moved the books, one by one, to their rightful places on the shelves of the Library. Though Caff was unable to fly, and was not able to reach the higher shelves, she went up and down the tables, grabbing books to balance on her wings, moving them closer to Light.

Boom, meanwhile, stayed focused on his book, surprising both Light and Caff, who continued clearing up. When they were nearly finished, they lightly tapped Boom on his shoulder, asking for his book, startling the Unicorn, who then closed the book and walked towards the Librarian, politely asking to borrow the book.

Caff and Light looked at each other in confusion, and as the trio walked out of the library, finding the sun was very low in the sky, they asked Boom what the book was about, to which he replied:

"I vaguely remember some things that have been noted in this book, and I think I might have found something, but not about tunnels, nor blasting powder, or anything. Just… I'll… let you know."

The three walked back to Violin's house, and when they arrived there, as the sun approached the horizon, Light said they would head to the park again, both to stretch their legs and to get some fresh air before dinner. Caff and Boom smiled and waved off the Kirin as they entered the house, while Light moved to the park, hoping to find, again, what they found that morning.

When Boom and Caff walked in, they smelled the lovely scent of freshly baked bread, and walked towards the kitchen where they found Banana and Violin casually chatting with each other whilst cutting vegetables, preparing to make soup for that evening. The two Ponies in the kitchen smiled and waved at them when they walked in, asking them if they could assist in setting the table for dinner.

After they finished cutting the vegetables, Violin added the mix to the stock they had prepared, making a delicious mixed soup. Since it would take a little while for the soup to finish cooking, Banana turned off the oven and took out the bread the two had baked, while Boom and Caff grabbed cream and seasoning for the soup, and spreads and toppings for the bread, and placed these on the table.

The group took a seat at the dinner table, discussing the events of the day, noting they made a very good start to their research. Having managed to find a number of books and possible leads, in the coming days, they could refine their search to focus on the books, the titles of which they had written down, on scrolls that Light took along with them.

Caff mentioned that Light said they would be back home a little bit later, as they went for another walk in the park to the edge of the city, apparently to watch the sun set, just as they saw it rise that morning. Violin added to this, saying the elevation of the city, high up the mountain, made for phenomenal viewpoints from which to see incredibly far in the distance.

At that moment, Light entered, puzzling the group. After they heartily greeted the group at the table, noting the delicious scent of bread and hot soup as they did so, Boom said it was still light out, and the sun hadn't set yet, and was confused as to why they were home so soon. Light replied that large clouds looming over the horizon prevented them from seeing the sun, and added that they expected rain later in the evening, judging by the colours of the clouds.

Taking their seat at the table, they thanked Violin and Banana for preparing dinner, and said they would clear up after they finished their meal; it would only be fair to help, as the others had prepared dinner. Boom offered to help as well, but Light politely turned him down, asking him to try and find out more about what he remembered from the book he borrowed from the library.

Meanwhile, in Ponyville, Decaf and Cherry had nearly finished preparing supper, consisting of pasta, sauces and a light, mixed salad as a side to their main. Grabbing a number of plates and cutlery, when they walked out of the kitchen they noticed Twilight and Solar stand in front of the door, politely waiting to be let in.

Decaf unlocked the door for Eclipse while Cherry set the table, greeting the Alicorn as they entered. Eclipse said that Light Rain was headed to town to pick up a friend, having asked the Alicorn if it was alright for their friend to join for supper. Decaf accepted, saying Cherry and her had made more than enough pasta and sauce, and asked cherry to grab another plate and set of cutlery for Rain's friend.

Eclipse took their seat at the table as Cherry returned from the kitchen, grabbing a chair from an adjacent table, and making room for another person to join. A few moments later, Light came back, talking with a green Pony, whom they introduced to the group as Green Apple, a good friend of theirs. Cherry waved excitedly to the two as they walked in, and, after placing the cutlery at the table, she pulled both of them in for a big, tight hug, chuckling as they did so.

"It's wonderful to see you! I'm so glad you could join us for supper! Come on, come in! Take a seat, there's plenty for all of us!"

Taking their seat at the table next to Twilight and Solar, Green introduced themselves to Decaf and Eclipse. Green smiled warmly at the Alicorn, and quietly said it was very nice to meet them! In response, Eclipse smiled at young Green, accidentally revealing their fangs to her.

Surprised at Solar and Twilight's fangs, Green blushed and chuckled nervously before turning away, leaving the Alicorn somewhat confused. As Decaf entered the kitchen to grab the bowls of pasta and salad, and Cherry offered to help her carry everything to the table, Rain quietly said to Twilight and Solar that Green was not used to meeting new folks, as they were introverted and quite shy.

Decaf and Cherry returned from the kitchen and served everyone a portion of pasta with salad on the side, which everyone thoroughly enjoyed, evident by the fact that some asked for a second serving. After the meal, the group chatted amongst each other about their day and expressed their appreciation for the brilliant supper Decaf and Cherry had made.

Green stood up and gathered the plates on the table as Decaf asked Rain if they could help them in taking the bowls back to the kitchen. The trio walked back and forth between the kitchen and the main hall as Cherry and Solar and Twilight sat at the table, still chatting about their day. In the kitchen, Rain told Decaf to rest and take a seat at the table, as she and Cherry had prepared supper, and were probably quite fatigued after an entire afternoon of cooking.

Fortunately, there was not much to wash up, and Green and Rain were finished rather quickly. After they finished, and Rain had asked the group if they wanted a drink, they returned to the hall with some cans of coffee and tea, while Green carried biscuits, cups and a box, containing various flavours of tea to choose from, on a tray.

When they had finished their drinks and cleared up the last of the crumbs, everyone, save for Decaf, headed to the door to call it for the day. As Twilight and Solar wished the group a lovely evening and turned to head back to the castle, Green gently called out to them and smiled, showing Eclipse they had fangs too, to which the Alicorn smiled and waved them goodbye.

Back in Canterlot, the group had just finished their own meal, and Light began clearing up, their head full of ideas. They could barely stop thinking about what Boom had said about the book, remembering something and trying to find connections… Yet, not connected to the tunnels or anything.

While they were deep in thought, Caff entered the kitchen and offered to help, startling the Kirin who nearly dropped a stack of plates. Fortunately, using their magic, they managed to catch the plates, and carefully tidied them up. Light and thanked Caff for their offer, but since the washing up was nearly complete, they politely told Caff sit down again.

After enjoying a cup of tea, Light bade everyone goodnight as they headed upstairs. The following morning, Light awoke much later than usual, the previous day having thoroughly exhausted them. Walking downstairs, they found Violin and Banana in the kitchen, preparing breakfast for the group, with bread and toppings to their side, to make lunch for later.

After Light had prepared their sandwiches for lunch and was about to have breakfast with the group, they heard a knock at the door, finding a postman with a letter addressed to them. The letter had come from Eclipse back in Ponyville, who suggested a meeting with the Princess Celestia, and offering to write a letter to help get in touch with her.

Light was very happy with this offer and wrote a letter to send back to Eclipse, thanking them for their continued help and gladly taking their advice of meeting Celestia. Afterwards, Light quickly posted the letter to be delivered to Ponyville, managing to get back before breakfast was ready.

A little while later, Boom came downstairs, speaking about the book he had read, explaining that it was about old legends and tales, children's stories, even, and that it reminded them of the gift that they hadn't yet given to Light. Before Light could ask Boom what he meant, he interrupted them and said:

"Soon, I promise I'll have your gift. I think you'll really like it, and if you need help to understand or learn from it, I'm your guy."

And after seeing the letter on the table, chuckled and spoke aloud with a smile:

"We're seeing sunbutt? Ok remind me to wear my blast proof vest heh"

There was silence among the group as everyone took in the ridiculous statement Boom had just made. After what felt like an eternity of Ponies and Kirin staring at each other, all hoping someone else would speak, Light finally dared ask what Boom meant when he said that, to which he only replied 'Heh, just a hunch.', worrying the group even more.

Boom's reactions felt held back, more rehearsed, for lack of a better word, as if he has been preparing to say those words for a very long time already. Light figured that Boom was keeping something from the group, be it a prior meeting with Celestia or something akin to an explanation as to why the Unicorn was not welcome in Canterlot.

Adding to this, his 'gift', which he had spoken of since just after they met, he remembered after going through the book he had found, and would apparently be giving to Light 'soon', whenever that may be. Light's mind wandered very far, for it would be a good fit, they could learn from it, they could understand it, so many different items entered their thoughts, all being possible gifts.

For the moment, there was nothing more that Light could get out of Boom, as he refused to speak, clearly unusual for him, all while keeping a smile on his face. Thinking back to the letter they posted, as Light was unsure whether or not Eclipse had sent for the Princess already, they figured the best course of action was to ask Twilight and Solar for confirmation about the meeting with the Princess of the Sun.

Trying to put this strange business beside them, Light sat back down at the table and continued their breakfast with the group, as confused looks lined the table. It did not help that Boom kept looking at Light from the corner of his eye, still keeping a grin on his face, making them feel somewhat uncomfortable.

After breakfast was finished and the dishes were cleaned and cleared up, Light began preparing to head out to the Library, grabbing their packed lunch and the scrolls of book titles to place in their bag. Remembering the colossal effort their research would take, they offered to head to the Library early, to get a head start on their continued research, and to allow the others to rest and recover some more.

Banana and Caff took up their offer, saying they would go shopping with Violin, partially to thank them for their continued hospitality, to restock groceries for the next few days, and to possibly look for another place to rest, as to not overstay their welcome. Violin interrupted them, saying that having the group here was quite enjoyable and barely a bother at all.

Adding to this, Violin continued, the interesting research they were conducting, the delicious meals and overall positive attitude of the group were very welcome, as their home would be quite dull otherwise. Before Light could respond, Violin offered the group a visit to the Castle, on leisurely terms, where they could enjoy a performance by the Orchestra he was a part of, an offer Light and the group gladly took up.

Violin said that the Orchestra would perform tomorrow evening in the main Halls of the Castle, marking the end of the Summer Sun Celebration which lead by Princess Celestia. And, following closely thereafter, a special performance to honour the Princess of the Night, as per request by Celestia as well.

With a smile on their face and enthusiasm in their eyes, Violin ended by saying:

"Go on, off you go! We'll catch up later and hear all about what you've found! Don't worry, we'll be back before dinner, you make sure you don't miss it either!"

After his lovely words, Light turned to the door to find it opened, and Boom nowhere to be found. Only a small note at the bottom of the frame, which read "See ya later, I'll be back with your gift." Puzzled and intrigued, Light stored away the note and headed back to the Library, watching their back should Boom return without warning.

After Light had reached the Library, they took out the first of many lists of book titles and chapters to look through. Mysteries of the ancient world, perhaps the catacombs were passages to tombs of sorts? Or books about stories and tales of war and resistance, maybe the tunnels were built to hide, protect and rescue folks?

Many possibilities, but Light did not expect to find the answer quickly. The catacombs were buried, secret, hidden away, so any information pertaining to them would be difficult to find as well. The only thing they knew for certain is that the tunnels were very old, dating back to before the banishment of Nightmare Moon.

Hours went by, Light searching fruitlessly through many books, from all over the world and ages. Scrolls written in ancient tongues, small extracts of texts that were able to be translated, the rest of the text faded or unintelligible, sometimes just a few words in small copies of large volumes, too valuable to be borrowed or studied by anyone but those with the highest authority.

As Light was having lunch outside, to prevent crumbs and bits of food staining and damaging the books, they saw Caff, Banana and Violin, and waved to them as they walked up to the Library, as they increased their speed to a trot when they saw Light. They asked how well Light's research was getting along, but so far, no luck.

Light finished their sandwiches and brushed the crumbs out of their mane, shaking their head and body like a dog that just walked out of a stream of water, making the others smile and chuckle with the Kirin. The group headed back inside, and, in hopes of finding a way to cut corners, moved to the head Librarian.

Light asked her if she could offer any help in finding out more about the catacombs, to which she asked to describe their appearance. After Light described the tunnels, with Banana adding corrections here and there, being more familiar with the area, she confessed she didn't know about anything of the sort.

However, she mentioned there are a number of historians, lecturers and researchers who have more experience in tales of old, and gave Light the contact details of a few prominent Ponies; Professor Fossil, Indiana Pones and Doctor Caballeron, to name a few. They often gave lectures at the University of Canterlot, though they often were away, conducting independent research on many places throughout the land.

The names sounded somewhat familiar to Light, who asked the group if they had heard of any of these researchers, to which Caff replied, in a slightly confused tone, that they thought Doctor Caballeron was a character in a series of adventure books, Daring Do, written by AK Yearling, facing the hero in many endeavours.

Glancing between the group and the librarian, Light was even more confused, until the Librarian answered that, though Caballeron appears in the books, and is considered by many to be a fictional character he is in fact a real Doctor. Evidently, the adventures in the books were often results of misunderstandings between him and Daring Do, over the artefacts they found all over the world.

While Caballeron wanted to collect, preserve and study them, Daring wanted these artefacts to remain where they belonged, thwarting Caballeron along the way, as she thought he wanted to sell the items. Along with the mystical Guardian of the Realm, they came to an agreement where Caballeron could take and study the artefacts, but would have to return them when he finished.

Light thanked the Librarian as they took the contact details she had written down for them, and turned to the group to head out to stretch their legs again. As they were leaving, the Librarian waved them goodbye and wished them the best in their research, saying that what they told her was one of the less weird things in the world. Light asked what she meant by this, to which she replied:

"Take your pick; a being of pure chaos making cotton candy clouds rain chocolate milk, a city reappearing after one thousand years, bringing a great evil along with it, or a shapeshifting Queen and her army attacking the capital."

Light, Violin, Caff and Banana headed out of the Library and went for a walk around town, as Light suggested heading to the park they had walked in a few times already. The views there are spectacular, they said, and would allow them to see incredibly far. On the way there, Light's mind was cluttered as they thought about the next few days; Boom returning with a gift, meeting the Princess and an orchestral performance at the Castle, they would be quite busy.

Light lead the group to the park, a few minutes away from the city by hoof. Everybody took a breath of fresh air, smelling the sweet fragrances of countless flowers lining the fields in-between the trees. It was an absolutely beautiful sight, as if taken from a painting, an image from a novel come to life in spectacular fashion.

Walking through the woods, Light mentioned to the group that they were now quite close to the edge of the mountain, from whence they would have a view of nearly the whole country. As the group looked out towards the horizon, with the sun high in the sky, Light said that the view was even more spectacular as the sun rose in the morning.

Caff excitedly pointed out they could see the small town of Ponyville, bordering on the Forest of Everfree, and Eclipse's castle standing tall, its spire shining beautiful radiant colours over the area. Speaking quietly, Caff mentioned that she dearly missed her sister, the comfort of her home and the coziness of the café she worked at.

Banana sighed in agreement, for though the view was incredible, it reminded them home, and what they were missing. Light's heart felt heavy at the mentioning of hearth and home, family and loved ones, and quietly said that, if they wanted to, they could return home, as they promised them, before the group entered the train to leave the village, a few days ago.

Their words greatly moved both Banana and Caff, and they felt their hearts ache at the mentioning of returning home to be with the ones they loved. Though they considered taking up their offer and turning back home, they reassured Light they would stay and help, especially since Violin had invited them to a Gala at Canterlot Castle, to watch them perform, and they would not miss that for the world.

The Kirin bowed their head in sorrow, just managing to hold back tears. Light gently smiled and agreed, for they had never been to a Gala, nor watched a full performance by Violin or the orchestra they were a part of, and was excited about a great number of things. Though the mysteries of the tunnels were a priority, Light felt it was possible to put this on the side for now.

Thanks to the Librarian's help, they now had new leads to investigate, and would be able to discuss their findings with folks more experienced in ancient ruins. Next to this, with Eclipse offering to get in touch with the Princess, whom they would be able to meet tomorrow evening, and Boom mentioning his contacts in other places, their journey was not done yet.

Light turned to head back towards the city, intending to rest both their body and their mind, and possibly to try to get in touch with the professors of Archaeology, hoping to be able to arrange a meeting. As they turned away, Caff and Banana asked them to wait a moment, after which they gently embraced the Kirin, saying that they were worried about Light as much as Light was about them.

Their kind words warmed Light's heart as they hugged Banana and Caff back, and, unable to hold in all their emotions, a single tear formed in their eye, rolled down their cheek and dropped to the ground. After a time too long, yet too short, the group headed back to Violin's house, and would spend their afternoon more calmly, waiting both for a confirmation from Eclipse, as well as make preparations for a meeting with the professors they had been told of.

Back in Ponyville, as the sun was nearing its peak in the sky, the grey mailmare of Ponyville knocked on the doors of the Castle to hand Eclipse a letter from Light, thanking them for their offer, and asking them for confirmation. Eclipse wrote a letter to the Princess, asking for an audience for the Kirin and their friends, as well as another letter to send back to Light.

Finishing the letter to the Kirin, Eclipse lightheartedly wrote, in a joking manner:

"As long as nothing supernatural happens, this should be easy."

When they had finished both letters, they handed one of the letters to the purple drake, who burnt it away towards the Princess of the Sun, as was his ability, and handed the other letter back to the mailmare, asking her to post it headed for Canterlot. The mailmare smiled and nodded, and after accidentally bumping into the door, flew away. "Here's to hoping for the best", Eclipse thought to themselves, as they closed the door, awaiting further news from Canterlot.