To Chase The Shadows of Redemption

Twilight prepared to head out for Sugarcube Corner, her library left in perfect shape after a days hard work making sure everything was tidy and returned to the correct places. It was a lot of extra work to be so scrupulous every week, but for her sanity it did wonders. Being able to return home and having everything be clean was such an unappreciated thing.

Today she had another fancy little meeting with her friends, and would be leaving for Canterlot yet again tonight. She was glad she could fit all this in. Everyone in Ponyville had accepted her with open hooves, but it was her close social group that allowed her to accept that this was truly home now. Time had passed quickly the past few months, she was growing and leaning into her friendships and it both felt like yesterday and two years at the same time.

She had been afraid that her relationship with Princess Celestia would take a complete nosedive and plummet into nothingness when she moved here, and while unfortunate, the fate of her sister had allowed her to stay semi involved with her. Twilight's friends here had filled a gap in her heart that she never knew existed until recently, but she would never want to abandon her connection she had back in her old home either. It was for that reason she was glad that Celestia had been so open with her about Luna. She had promised that tonight she would show Twilight the private and hidden archives that regular ponies had no knowledge of or access to. It was a personal collection of Celestia, who had endeavoured to save many relics of the past over time when she could. As twilight understood it, she had been quite successful.

Who knew how much forgotten and lost knowledge lay there waiting be be rediscovered? Sure, they'd be working to find something specifically for Luna, but what you found along the way was also its own little treasure.

Tonight was going to be awesome, she just knew it.

"Twilight! Come on egghead, we're already all here!"

"Just a minute!" Her smile reflected the happy nature of the town she had come to know.

Jotted Page continued his rounds around Canterlot as he tried to figure out where would be his next best location to find somepony or something to gather more information.

He had spent the last several years doing similar in his free time, although he basically considered it a part time job. The scoop he had gotten in the past had gotten him paid, after all.

He was convinced that he was onto the next big thing. He had followed all kinds of drama that had usually been hidden from the public's view, and he had a veritable talent for being in the right place at the right time to observe and document the more elusive and interesting happenings of the city. He had once managed to sneak into the backyard of the esteemed Fancy Pants lucrative property, and making it out after to leak his intense argumentative disagreements with Fleur de Lis had sent a certified tremor through the Canterlot public after he been rewarded handsomely as an anonymous news source supplier. How exhilarating! He could still remember the adrenaline rush as he made his leave without being spotted.

Now, he believed he was onto something that would triumph even that.

He had been documenting the schedule of princess Celestia for some time now, so he knew how much time she spent at each kind of event as well as the fluctuating that was normal and what was not. He personally suspected that for the past month or so at the minimum, something had come up in private that was eating away into her time enough that only one of the sharpest individuals could catch. He was that kind of pony after all.

The main problem was that he didn't exactly have access to the castle. The castle was the most securely guarded and designed place here in Canterlot, and he felt like he needed some kind of work around. He wasn't willing to risk his livelihood on a suicide mission searching for something that may not as well exist. Well, he would take anything at this point. So far his search had been fruitless. It's not like he could just up and bribe some guard either. He was not naive enough to ever attempt something like that. He would figure this out, but until an opportunity came he could not pounce.

Once again he turned a corner while going through some of the notes he had taken today. It was common practice for him to write down anything of note just in case.

He bumped into somepony's flank, and started apologizing immediately. Yeesh, he had gotten carelessly absorbed again.

"Oh don't worry about it, I tend to get my head stuck in the clouds too."

As he finally gave some attention to mare he had run into, something hitched in his mind.

"Ahh please accept my apology again, I've been up to this for a little too long today and have gotten tired. Would you mind if I asked your name? Mine's Jotted. Jotted Page. It's a pleasure to meet such a fine mare as you."

"No problem at all Jotted, I'm Twilight. I was in a little bit of a rush myself so it wouldn't have been a surprise if I had done the same as you. Heheh."

His mind ran a thousand miles an hour. Twilight? Wasn't that...

That's right! It was the name of the princesses most recent student. This was it! His opportunity he had been waiting for! She most likely had access to all sorts of information he would drool over. He had to make this kosher right now and get on her good side.

"Well, if that isn't that a name I've heard before! Aren't you princess Celestia's protege? Thee Twilight Sparkle?"

She gave a slight blush and coughed, "yes, that's me. Nice to meet you."

"If you don't mind me asking, are you visiting the palace today? I've always wondered what really goes on in there. The average pony is just so far removed from that sort of thing. Wouldn't you agree?"

She paused to consider it. "I'd never really thought about that. But it's probably true, isn't it. It's not as interesting as you think though, just lots of boring bureaucratic drudgery. She cast a glace back towards the castle, "listen, I'd love to chat more, but I kind of have to be there soon actually. Bye!"

"Of course, Twilight! Have a good day. I hope to see you again."

He smiled and gave a little wave as she left the area. His smile only got wider, and while he would be retiring for the day he couldn't help but feel this could be his inside angle he'd been searching for.