Monday

Sugarcoat strolled into Crystal Prep’s library. Now that classes were done for the day, there were quite a few students perusing the shelves or seated and reading at the various tables.

As her eyes scanned the library, they locked onto Moondancer, hunched over one of the shelves on the library’s second floor. Sugarcoat, remembering what Indigo Zap had said, quickly made her way up the stairs.

As she approached Moondancer, she quietly cleared her throat to signal her arrival. Moondancer glanced over her shoulder at her, her bushy eyebrows knitted together in annoyance, before she returned her attention to the shelf. Sugarcoat realized she was studying the titles of the books with a look hard enough to burn holes through them.

“Moondancer, correct? Is there anything I can help you find?” Sugarcoat asked, adjusting her glasses.

Moondancer huffed. “I don’t think so,” she said. “For a fancy school, I was expecting Crystal Prep to have more books. The public library has way more.” She stood up straight to scan across the upper shelves.

Sugarcoat blinked. “Well, it would stand to reason that a facility dedicated to education would only focus on educational topics,” she explained. “Though I understand Principal Cadance is working on securing works of fiction.”

“I don’t know if that’d help. I’ve been looking this place up and down, and I swear I’ve read everything in here,” Moondancer said, moving onto the next shelf.

Sugarcoat balked. “You mean you’ve read all of these books?”

“More or less,” Moondancer replied, stopping to pull one book from the shelf to look at the front cover. “Or at least something similar to them.”

“How much time have you spent reading?” Sugarcoat asked, squinting.

Moondancer shrugged, putting the book back. “Since I could, I guess. I’ve always liked reading and studying up on things.”

“Everything, it would seem,” Sugarcoat muttered, watching Moondancer move onto yet another shelf and following after her. “Moondancer, is there anything in particular you’re interested in?”

“Well, unexplainable things are interesting, I guess. Trying to figure them out. Like… mysteries, or the supernatural,” Moondancer said. “Though I think I’ve gone through every mystery author out there.”

“I see,” Sugarcoat said, crossing her arms and looking away momentarily. She smiled back at Moondancer. “I believe I have a book you haven’t read yet, though it isn’t supernatural or mystery.”

That caught Moondancer’s attention. She raised a quizzical eyebrow towards Sugarcoat. “If it might be something new, I’ll take it.”

Sugarcoat walked past Moondancer and down a few of the aisles to the “Self-Help/Reference Guide” section. Her eyes skimmed along the authors’ names until she stopped at a bright pink book with pale blue lettering.

She plucked it from the shelf as Moondancer caught up to her, handing it to her.

Moondancer frowned as she read the title aloud. “’How to Throw a Party’ by Pinkamena Pie?”

“I was a little surprised when I learned my girlfriend was a published author as well,” Sugarcoat said. “But then again, she can be quite surprising in general.” She smiled fondly.

“Well, it’s definitely something I haven’t read yet… or have much experience with. Thanks, uh…” Moondancer looked up at Sugarcoat. “Sorry, I never got your name.”

“Sugarcoat,” Sugarcoat said, tucking her hands behind her back and standing a little straighter. “Happy to help, even if it’s not much.”

Moondancer nodded with a huff before walking off towards the front counter with book in hand. Sugarcoat deflated with a sigh as she left, wondering how much of a difference it had really made.

Author's Note

Some things never change.

-The Legendary Bill Cipher