A few moments before Marco and Star saw the book
In Ponyville, Snails was talking amongst a few of his friends. They were talking about the rumors of the metaverse. Pipsqueak says, "I've heard that you can travel to other dimensions with just one spell!" Many of the young foals oohed and aahed but Snails tilted his head, "What's the spell?" Pipsqueak looked towards Snails and shrugged, "It's a secret! No one has ever been told what it is! Even Princess Twilight doesn't know!" "That's because it doesn't exist." Silver Spoon added as she pushes up her glasses. Diamond Tiara wasn't there with her, but she would agree. Snips, Snails' friend, furrowed his eyebrows, "How do you know?"
Silver Spoon raised her hoof, "Because no one ever traveled across the universe before. It's literally impossible unless you defy the laws of the universe and gravity." All of the little foals look at her, confused. Snails was the first one to speak upon his confusion, "What?" Silver Spoon rolled her eyes, "Whatever" and trotted away. Snails shrugged, "Ah well."
Now, everyone, including Snails' friends were looking at him. Snails blinked and looked around at everyone, "Do I have something on my face?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. Snips, with his jaw dropped, says, "Dude, your cutie mark.. It's glowing!" Snails looked at his cutie mark. Instead of the scared look, the pony smiled, "Cool!"
A few seconds later a portal opens up in front of Snails. That's when his smile turned confused. A carriage pulled up behind him, and that carriage opened to Twilight Sparkle, with a scared look, "Snails!" She called out, "Don't go in!" Snails looked back at Twilight, "Why?" Twilight jumped out of the carriage, "Look, if you know any better, You'd know that you can't go into unknown portals!" Unknowing about Twilight's experience, Snails just shrugged and simply walked away from the portal, until a big gust of wind blew him back, this time, even closer to the portal.
Luna and Celestia flew next to Twilight, "Snails might not have a choice Twilight.. He has been called." Lunamoon said as she walked towards Snails and wrapped a necklace around his neck, "This will keep you safe. Don't forget." And then she pushed Snails in the portal as it closed. Snails fell in the wormhole of the portal and fell on the floor. He got up and looked around the tunnel. He looked back, but all he saw was a purple wall. His name was called, which made him turn to the other portal end. The voice was distorted, but feminine. Snails was interested in what's on the other side, so he quickly walked towards the other end of the portal.
Once he reached the end, Snails put out his hoof towards the portal and took the step out of the portal. Then, he shifted his whole head out the portal. Then he went bold, and fully removed his body from the portal. The portal quickly closed with a ZAP which scared Snails, making him lose his balance and fall to the floor. He groaned in pain as he pushed up on all of his hoofs to keep his balance. Then he looked around. It seemed to be that he was being stared at by two creatures, one of them wearing a red sweater, and the other having long blonde hair.