In the evening, Twilight was spending her time in the library. She was browsing the books but also studying different maps of the land. Lake of Endless Suffering, huh. the girl thought as she compared different maps. The older maps had the lake marked clearly while the newer ones didn`t include its exact location. That posed a bit of a problem.

How were they supposed to plan a coherent raid of the camp if the maps all showed vastly different routes? When Twilight compared the two maps, she started to understand why the lake was cut from the main locations. This kingdom was just one of many that shared this land. Mewni was a collection of smaller kingdoms, the main one being Mewni itself that was ruled by the Butterflies. But other kingdoms were less consistent, appearing and disappearing over the ages. That was why the maps were all so different.

This poses an issue. But of course, they wouldn`t make it this easy. Her parents must have been aware that their servants pay attention to the things they talk about. It must have made them paranoid. But that means the Lake of Endless Suffering must be a real place on the current maps too.

Twilight worked to lay all the maps she found on the ground and secured the curling edges with other books she planned on reading later. The girl realized quickly that the land never really changes, only the names and borders. Cross-referencing all the maps, Twilight noticed a pattern of areas being covered by kingdoms and what was once the Lake of Endless Suffering was now the Waterfolk Kingdom.

"I am going to need some parchment and a quill..." Twilight muttered to herself. She had a long night ahead of her.

How dare he?! I spent my entire week looking for that book and he is ungrateful? The nerve! Princess Aqua, the heir of the Butterfly family, walked angrily in the hallway in the early morning. She had just returned from her parents` estate to resume her queen training before Stump Day celebrations. While there, she had scoured the library in search of a book she was sure Raphael would love. But he said he apparently had already read that one. Ugh, boys!

The frustrated princess opened the castle`s library doors to sore the book here for her stay. But when she was looking for a secure place, she came across an unusual sight.

Many parchments and open notebooks littered the floor and table as the area was full of stacks of books about magic and geography. There were also many maps from different points in history on the table on top of each other. On top of it all, a stranger was sleeping at the desk, arms crossed as their head was resting on them, face down. Their long hair was a mess, scattered around them on the table.

Aqua honestly didn`t know what to make of this. This stranger was clearly working all night in the library if the many burnt candles around them were a hint but how did they get here? Maybe some scholar's apprentice? Or just someone who was granted access to the royal library? The heir clearly couldn`t call the guards since she knew they patrolled the area during the night and if she was an uninvited guest, she would be in the dungeon already.

Aqua slowly made her way around the mess but the stranger suddenly started stirring and slowly raising their head. It was a girl, about Aqua`s age, but that wasn`t what couth the princess` attention. The girl was clearly a monster. She had light-blue skin and a reptilian tale and when she yawned, her sharp and pointy teeth were proudly at display.

Ugh, has no one taught her to cover her mouth when yawning? Aqua thought, eye twitching.

The monster was still sleepy but seemed to realize she wasn`t alone. She slowly turned her gaze to where the princess was standing and her eyes went wide. But so did the Aqua`s with surprise.

The girl had cheek marks!

"Who are you? Where did you come from and why are you here?" Aqua screamed at the top of her lungs, voice filled with rage and confusion. The sudden yelling made Twilight fall over in her chair, not prepared for the sudden shouting. She groaned as she hit her head on the floor. "So much for a quiet morning..." Twilight muttered to herself as she slowly sat up, placing a hand on the sore spot on her head.

The other girl was still standing in her spot. She was wearing a light pink, frilly dress decorated with golden ribbons. Her light blue-green hair was in an elegant up-do with a small golden crown with small pink pearls placed on her head. Her eyes were brown, fixed on Twilight as she crossed her arms and tapped her foot on the ground as she waited for an answer.

But her fancy get-up wasn`t the only odd thing about her. She had cheek marks, just like her and Moon. Hers were water drops, colored light blue. Twilight`s eyes widened with realization as she quickly stood up and bowed deeply. "I am so sorry! I didn`t see you there! I ask for your forgiveness. I was doing some prep work last night and lost track of time!" the monster girl rambled.

Aqua was honestly couth off guard. But she would be lying if she said it didn`t flatter her. She may not know the monster but she seemed to know who she was talking to. "Well, I guess I can forgive you but you better clean up your workplace. This place is just horrible!" the princess said with a pleased smile. The other nodded and quickly started gathering the supplies scattered around the table.

"Aqua? Are you in here?" Moon called as she came into view from behind a bookshelf.

"I`m over here aunt Moon Good morning!" Aqua cheerfully greeted her. Moon gave her a relieved smile but noticed Twilight behind her, putting away books and maps. "Oh, Twilight! Good morning! I believe you had a good night?" the queen`s smile widened as she walked to her granddaughter and gave her a hug.

The open display of affection and Moon`s cheerier demeanor confused the princess greatly. What is going on? The older Butterfly started helping the other girl by putting away books and gathering papers to stack them in one place. Why?!

"Did you get any sleep at all last night?" Moon asked the monster girl. "Maybe an hour at the most. I am sorry..." Twilight trailed off when she noticed her grandmother`s disapproving look. "I get that you had to do some work but you also have to take care of yourself. How can you be prepared to hold a meeting when you are sleep deprived?" The queen didn`t like Twilight`s obvious lack of self-care. It did not sit well with her at all.

"Aunt Moon, apologize for being blunt but... WHO THE HELL IS SHE?!" Aqua suddenly yelled, not liking the fact that she was ignored by the two other Butterflies.

"Oh, I am so sorry. Twilight, come here please." Moon said as she walked over to her niece. Twilight slightly raised her brow but didn`t say anything as she put away her last book before walking over to them. "Aqua, this is Twilight. And Twilight, this is Aqua, the current heir of the Butterfly castle." Moon explained as the two girls studied each other. Now that she was standing closer, Twilight could tell Aqua was a few inches taller than her. "Nice to meet you Aqua!" the monster politely said with a smile.

The princess studied the other. She didn`t like this girl, at all. "Likewise." Aqua curtly answered with a tight smile, not liking to be standing next to a monster. Twilight didn`t seem to be aware of the other`s discomfort.

"Now Aqua, this might sound crazy but Twilight is actually your cousin. She is Star`s daughter, my granddaughter. Isn`t that exciting?" Moon explained with a smile. She hoped Aqua could take the news well so it would be easier to tell about Twilight to rest of the Butterfly family.

This is crazy! Absolute madness! Her? Star Butterfly`s daughter? A MONSTER?!

Aqua was suddenly filled with white, hot rage. First Eclipsa and Meteora and now this? Without thinking, the heir suddenly stepped forward, making Twilight take a few steps back. "Listen here, monster! I do not believe anything Aunt Moon is saying! You can fool everyone all you like but once this gets to my family, there will be consequences for lying your way into the castle and fooling everyone here. Trust me, they soon will be calling for your head!" Aqua threatened with a chilling voice, making Twilight stumble out of fear and landing on the floor second time this morning.

"What, you can`t even defend yourself? How pathetic! This will be a taste of what`s to come." the princess continued with a cruel smile as she raised her hand, ready to strike.

Out of reflex, Twilight suddenly took her wand from her belt and made a barrier around herself before the hand could touch her.

Aqua saw the wand and her anger melted into surprise. The Butterfly family wand! But how? "Where did you get that?" she asked the scared girl. Twilight looked up at her cousin and trembled but answered anyway. "M-m-m-my mother..." she answered stuttering.

Before the situation could get any worse, Moon used her magic to pull her niece away from Twilight and stepped between the two girls. She glared at Aqua, who saw her angry expression and lowered her head, knowing she messed up. "Aqua Uranus Butterfly! Your behavior is absolutely unacceptable and I order you to go to your room and stay there until I come and talk to you. I know you hate monsters but they are a part of our kingdom and you need to learn to let go of your hang-ups. Now go!" Moon yelled with anger as she watched her niece run out of the library.

If this was Aqua`s reaction, Moon was afraid how rest of the Butterfly clan will react. The queen gave a tired sigh as she turned to the scared girl behind her, offering her hand to help. One day at a time, Moon.

Aqua opened the door to her room and threw herself on the bed deep in thought. When she looked up, she saw the tapestry on the wall. It was one of the previous queens, holding her version of the wand high and proudly. Aqua`s eyes hardened as she looked at the image.

I will get that wand, one way or another.