"Nothing, heh its just the way you were stretching, reminded me of something funny."
"Oh really? Well then youll have to tell me about it sometime. Right now we need to wake up sleepy head and get into town. The princess has requested a few items from some local shops."
"Wake up sleepy head?" Gabriel said looking back seeing Spike with his head on the table they were sitting at, a small pool of drool around his face.
Gabriel gave a chuckle as he shook Spike gently trying to wake him. This only stirred Spike into talking in his sleep. "Rarity, *mumble mumble* Why yes i would like to have diner with you this weekend."
Twilight gave a giggle as Gabriel gave a questionable look.
"Let me guess, Hopeless romantic?"
"You know it." Twilight giggled giving a wink.
Gabriel gave a sigh as he hoisted Spike into the air and over his shoulder. "Come on Mr Dragon, Time for us to get going."
Spike gave a starled yelp as he was suddenly awakened from his dream about Rarity and slung over the shoulder of the human.
"H-hey! Whats going on?"
Gabriel set the startled dragon down as he regained his bearings.
"Alright miss sparkle, Lead the way."
After a few minutes they had made thier way out of the castle and were in route to the stores in question to pick up the supplies for the princess.
"Hey guys, ill meet you back at the castle. Im going to go to the, uh... candy store." Spike said as he made a quick exit from the group.
"Candy store? That doesnt sound half bad right now." Gabrield smirked looking to Twilight.
"Well i dont think youd like this candy." Twilight smirked knodding to Spike as he entered a jewelers shop just down the street.
"A jewelers?" Gabriel had an inquisitive look on his face.
"Dragons here in Equestria eat gemstones as not only partial food suppliment, but some of them as candy. And Spike has a BIG sweet tooth."
"Thats good to know i guess..." Gabriel said giving it some thought.
After a few more minutes of walking they had made some decent ground and arrived at the first shop. It was a book store with many old dusty books in it and a few newer ones. The shop wasnt very well kept as for cleaning but the books it held were nothing to be reconed with. Twilight made her way into the back of the store stopping at the counter and looking around. She moved her hoof up to the small service bell on the counter and gave it a quick ding.
"Hellooooooooo, Mr. Smartz? Are you here? Im here to pick up a package for the princess." Twilight yelled.
A shuffling could be heard in the back room as an elder pony made his way up front, He had a dark gray coat with several books and a graduation cap hanging off them as a cutie mark. His mane and tail were a deep Black. He wasnt a very old earth pony, but still moved rather slow. His age seemed to be younger than Granny Smith, Applejacks Grandmother.
"Well, Twilight Sparkle, Its been ages since ive seen you. Have your studies been well?" He spoke in a smooth quiet voice.
"Yes sir, The princess has been a huge help in my studies as well. Im proud to say i now know over 25 different types of magic and still counting." Twilight said giving a big smile.
"Goodness child, That is quite a feet. Oh my! Who is this?" Book Smartz said rather startled looking at Gabriel.
"My name is Gabriel Mr. Smartz, Its a pleasure to meet you." Gabriel said giving a slight bow.
"My my, This is truely extraordinary. I havent met a human before." Mr. smartz said giving a big smile.
Twilight and Gabriel were taken aback by this.
"Excuse me Mr. Smartz, But what do you know about humans?" Twilight said moving a step closer giving an inquisitive look.
"Oh my, i know quite a bit my dear, I have a vast collection of human lore and history in my private collection. Many of the books there are probably the only existing copies left in the entire universe. I have books of lore, history and much more on humans. But to finally meet a human has made my life complete. I can die a happy pony now knowing that they are real and not simpley a fable." The old pony said giving into his excitement and moving to the other side of the counter, looking over Gabriel with unending awe.
"Oh my, Would you two care to see some of my collection? But you mustnt tell anyone, nooooo. This must not be let out that i have knowledge on humans. I could become the target of some. questionable ponies should it get out." Mr. smartz said giving them both a cold stare.
"Your secret is safe with us sir." Twilight said giving a small trot in place as her excitement began to explode at the thought of some single copy books that were the only copies left in existance.
Making it back through a small hallway and between a couple tightly stacked pile of books was a small door which the two ponies and Gabriel stepped into. On the other side was a large room, roughly fifteen feet in all directions and every square inch was covered in books. only a small couch with enough room for the three was in the center of the room.
Gabriel was the first to notice many magazines and books that he was aware of that only existed in his world. Some magazines were about cooking, games, movies, tv, celebrities, Others about various subjects and technologies. Book littered the room and all of them as old as time iteself. He picked up a magazine carefully which began to crumble in his hands.
"My god, were did you get all of these?" Gabriel asked in utter shock.
"I traveled all over Equestria in my younger days gathering most of these, now a days i just sit back and let ponys bring them to me because i cant get out and travel like i used to." Mr smartz said givng a groan as he took a seat.
"What do you mean found them?" Twilight asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.
"Here my child, read this book. But please be careful, it is the only one i have. and its as old as Celestia herself"
Gabriel and Twilight sat down as Twilight levitated the book over to the table. She carfully opened the book using her magic and both began to read. What follows is not for the faint of heart.
The age of man and magic had finally arrived, After many years of searching for the elusive fabled magic, it had been located in the middle of a jungle in south Africa. The magic source was pouring from the ground at an incredible pace. Scientists and local government quickly stepped in quaranteening the area off from all life and became the envy of the entire world.
Many people and groups established causes for the magic source but it was quickly swept away by an independent group which overthrew anyone within a hundred miles of the magic source. It was determined by the group that the source was not meant for man and should be held in tight bond away from all prying eyes and beings alike.
Years past and noone thought the wiser, but during those few years a small group of humans had been using the magic and learning how to harness it into thier very being. Hidden away for many more years and studdied, used, and bred into each generation that followed.
Eventually there came a generation of man that questioned the magic sources, This began a mass protest against the company that held the magic source within its perimeter. War broke out and a new evolved human entered the scene that could weild magic and use it far better than any available weapon on the planet.
During the war there was a single human who was in the last stand against all of the normal non magic wielding mankind. In the magic users arrogance they had not taken into consideration of how effective thier magic would be far from the source and they all began to fall in battle. The last magic user went home to the source and concentrated all the power he could stand and went overboard. He could not hold in the power he was absorbing and in turn destroied him, As it was, when he past away at the source, the spell he was casting remained and continued. He had used the most looked down upon spell imaginable. One that would eat the soul of its caster in turn for mass destruction.
The spell cast the pit of magic into the atmosphere and quickly surrounded the entire globe causing all human life to end quickly. The magic lived on in the earth and animals though, Many among them evolving into newer more intelligent species. One species alone though began its march much like the caveman into man. This was the equine. The first was a beautiful white horse that gain much magical power from its source and eventually growing a horn and wings over several hundred years. Continuing to evolve under the magics influence. That single pony taught other ponys as it gained knowledge and began its accent into a better world. That Alicorn as it was now called cleared all human relics and artifacts from the earth and began reshaping, and rebuilding it to suit ponykind. Homes were made in light of the domestication and evolution of the ponys. Many could talk and some began to learn. Through time pegasi and unicorns were born to the families that were more or less suseptable to magic. Many earth ponys still went on and eventually other alicorns became present in the world. The alicorns were the most suseptable to magic, easily drawing it in and using it at will. Unicorns could use magic to an extent. Pegusi had wings and had only minor magic to be able to touch and manipulate clouds and weather. Earth ponys continued in the long tradition of farming and harvesting the land to procure food.
The book went on for a couple more pages but then abruptly ended, all the pages had been torn from it. Twilight and Gabriel were shocked to learn of this information and sat dumbfounded for a moment.
"Oh my gosh Mr. Smartz! Who wrote this book?" Twilight said in a broken voice as she closed the book to check the front. Upon gazing at the front of the book her heart nearly stopped as she saw but a single white alicorn and a fancey letter C beside it. The silence that followed was intense, All that could be heard was the heartbeat of Twilight and Gabriel until Mr. Smartz began
"Yes my friends, now you know. This planet is not only Equestria, but a future earth from wence you came Gabriel. Im fully aware of how you got here and what spells were cast to make the occurance happen. Those spells used have exactly 400 alternate affects when combined. The only problem is that three of those effects can cause a portal to another dimension, another time, and the extremely rare occurance, the relm of the gods. The spells have been forbidden to be used together for any reason other than the rules posted with them in the books you have read. Your very lucky the princess didnt kill you when she had the chance young Twilight. I know of several ponys in the past who went against her will and did this. One pony managed to get away into the realm of the gods, One into another dimension, and the other was captured and had his horn removed, never to use magic again. But that was ages ago." Mr. Smartz spoke quietly.
"But what happened to the captured pony? Why did the princess take his horn? Who is he?" Twilight asked tears coming to her eyes.
Mr. Smartz turned to her and smiled. "You must keep this information to yourselves. Your princess must already know that i have told you, I can feel her presence as we speak. But to answer your question..." He trailed off looking at her. He pulled a hoof up to his long mane covering his forehead and slowly moved it to the side relealing a small worn bump which skin had over grown, he then moved it away placing his hoof back on the ground giving a nervous smile. "The princess doesnt encourage travel to other realms but no longer punishes those who choose to. Had it been a hundred years ago, she might have slain you on the spot or removed your horn. Over time she forgave me and put me in charge of the secretive books that are no longer meant to be shown to anypony. I was given approval to you and Gabriel only. Do not mention this to anyone else. My life and yours could be at risk. Now here, take this package and go, Im sure you have other stops and you should make haste as you have spent far to long here. Go!" Mr. Smartzz said giving each of them a nudge toward the door.
Upon leaving the bookstore Twilight and Gabriel stayed quiet while making thier rounds around Canterlot to pick up the other packages. They made way back to the castle as the sun began to set causing a brilliant site of orange and red across the sky, Clouds shone pink and orange giving off hues that were beautiful against the now turning night sky. They arrived at the castle entrance were Spike had been wating for some time.
"Were have you guys been? Ive been here forever." He said giving a small annoyed snort of smoke.
"We just took our time getting the packages is all." Twilight said giving a nervous laugh, Gabriel just gave a knod in agreement.
"Well come on, i dont want to miss diner." He said running off ahead.
Gabriel leaned down to Twilight and whispered in her ear. "You do realize we will have to talk to the princess about this soon right?"
Twilight jumped as Gabriel spoke into her ear, she looked back to him and knodded looking down to the ground with a nervous, sad expression on her face.