Stepping outside, I felt the heat of the sun as it warmed my pale skin. The cool autumn breeze followed, carrying the smell of dew and leaves. The sound of birds chirping tickled my ear. It made waking up this early almost halfway worth it.
Looking to my right, I saw Spike and Stonehenge with each other. Stonehenge was sitting, holding his hands out as Spike used him as a makeshift jungle Jim as he jumped from one hand to another. Looking at Stonehenge's face, I could see a smile, as if he was also enjoying the company. The sound of Twilight closing the door behind her snapped my back to reality.
Twilight turned to see what I had seen just a moment ago. A smile crept over her face as she began to speak. "All right, you two. Fun and games have to wait; we have plans."
"Aw, come on, Twi, five more minutes," Spike said, slightly upset.
"I'm Sorry, Spike. We have to go shopping, plus you have been playing for nearly an hour, " Twilight responded.
"Please, Twilight," Spike begged.
Twilight was about to say something before I tapped her on the shoulder and pointed at Stonehenge with a smile. A moment of thought came from Twilight before the sparks connected, and she smiled.
"We have to go, but if you want to, you can play Piggie back," Twilight said.
"I ride on your back all the time, Twi. Why are you offering that to me now?" Spike asked.
"Well, who said I said you could ride on MY back," Twilight said, looking at Stonehenge.
Spike looked back and forth for a worrying time before the expression on his face lit up like a Jack-o-lantern as he began to speak, "Really, Twilight."
"Yep, and Jack gave his permission, so all I ask is that you stay safe up there and don't fall, please," Twilight said as she walked over and nuzzled Spike.
I walked over to Stonehenge and started to talk with him. "Look at you, big guy, already making more friends, and this one wants to play piggie back, so can you make sure he stays safe and doesn't fall."
With a nod, Stonehenge began to stand up from where he had been sitting. Once fully stood up, he lowered his hand palm to the ground, offering it to Spike. Spike quickly ran and jumped onto Stonehenge's hand. Stonehenge then raised his hand up to his shoulders, where he placed Spike as a little handle formed, allowing Spike to hold on better.
"How is it up there?" Twilight yelled.
"So cool, I can see our house from here," Spike yelled back.
"No surprise, you're right next to it. You can say that when you are down the street," I yelled.
Twilight chuckled before she turned and started to walk towards the market. "Come on now, gang, we have stuff to do."
Without missing a beat, Stonehenge started to walk forward, following Twilight as Spike looked all around in excitement. Not wanting to get left behind, I moved my feet out, pacing Stonehenge while catching up with Twilight.
"So where are we heading first? I asked.
"First things first, we are going to the marketplace to see if anypony has a large tarp. Then, after that, we'll have to find some large poles to hold the tarp so he can sit under it," Twilight responded.
"Is that all?" I asked.
"For the most part. Why was there anything else? Twilight asked.
"Can we see if we can get some shampoo and conditioner for me? I didn't want to mess with yours while I was in the shower," I replied.
"We can look while we're there. You know you could have used mine. I don't mind. Plus, it is important for your hair too…" was all Twilight could say before Spike cut her off.
"I can see our house from here," Spike yelled with glee.
Twilight's brow sank, and I laughed in amusement at Spike's antics, turning to look at Spike and Stonehenge. As I was looking, I remembered that Twilight and I had not told Spike what Stonehenge was.
"Twilight?" I whispered.
"Yes, what is it?" Twilight responded.
"Should we tell Spike about what Stonehenge is?" I asked.
"Maybe I'll think about it when we're out shopping," Twilight replied.
"Okay, also, while my mind is on it, when do you want to tell your friends? I'm guessing the five you were with at the party are your close friends." I said.
"Good guess, yes, they are, and when we all have time and can go to a private area to tell them where they can… react with space," Twilight said.
"Okay, just let me know when you want to do it. I want to be there to explain to them how I found him," I said.
"Okay, I will," Twilight replied.
Looking up, I could see the beautiful blue sky in all its glory. A few white clouds parted the sky, unmoving. A few pegasus were flying around the sky, looking like they were doing something. As they flew, I watched an orange pegasus fly over to one of the clouds I had been watching and poked it, causing it to pop like a balloon into white particles.
I was decently surprised at what I had just seen. The cloud popped like a balloon. Even in my world, if something like a plane touched a cloud, it would just move through it. Maybe Twilight was right. Perhaps they control the weather, but I would have to wait and see for the sun and moon. I heard a small chuckle next to me as I looked up, knowing it was Twilight.
"Told you," Twilight said smugly.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, you were right. I was wrong. You know you'd be the same if you were in my world," I responded.
"No, I would probably be much worse. You're taking it better than most do. It usually takes most humans months to accept that they are in a new world. You, on the other hand, are taking it in stride. It's good to see," Twilight said.
"To be fair, I did freak out big time when I first woke up," I said as I thought about waking up in the morgue with my chest cut open.
"I know waking up in the dark and stumbling into the Everfree sure does accelerate the process," Twilight responded.
"Yeah. Oh, and don't forget being cased my Timberwolves," I joked.
"Hey, I had to deal with them, too. Come to think of it, they were acting more aggressively than normal." Twilight said.
"What do you mean? Do they not normally act like that?" I asked.
"No, most of the time, they go for the smaller, much more helpless creatures. They usually only attack larger things in self-defense or if they are intruding on a hunt." Twilight said.
"Then why would they try to attack you or me?" I asked.
"I don't know. It is quite likely they had no idea what you were and thought you were prey. Which also might explain why they attacked me for getting too close to their hunting ground," Twilight responded.
"Well, that might explain it. Man, they thought I was prey," I said.
"These things happen… I think... oh look, we're almost there," Twilight said as she pointed ahead.
Looking forward, I could see the stalls of the marketplace and the bustling of ponies walking between them. There were fewer ponies than there were yesterday, probably because it was still early in the morning.
Twilight was the first to enter the marketplace, followed by me, Stonehenge, and Spike. Twilight looked back and forth at the stalls before one caught her eye. Looking at the stall, I saw a red pony with black hair and what looked like cloth and tarps of all shapes and sizes lying on the counter.
Twilight's eyes darted, looking at the section of cloth and tarps on the counter. The red pony noticed Twilight looking, walked over to Twilight, and began introducing himself.
"Hello, I can help you. Are you looking for anything specific?" the red pony asked.
"Uh, yes, I am. I'm looking for a large tarp or awning, something around fifteen by fifteen feet," Twilight said.
"Oh, that is quite large. What do you need it for?" the red pony asked.
"Well, I want to keep my golem out of the elements a bit better," Twilight said.
"Oh well, then you won't find anything that large out here. I place the smaller stuff on the counter. The bigger stuff is under the stall," the red pony said.
The red pony walked behind the stall, ducking his head under as he grabbed much larger items behind the stall. With a few loud huffs, the red pony placed some large cloths on the table.
"Okay, I got a seven by seven, a ten by ten, an 18 by 18, and a 25 by 25," the red pony said as he waved his hoof out to his stock.
"How much is the 18 by 18?" Twilight asked.
"Oh, with the cost of materials and labor, I'm going to say about 45 bits." The red pony said.
"Well, that's not too terrible," Twilight said as she pulled a small brown pouch out of her bag and pulled out forty-five gold coins.
The Red pony cleared the table save for the large Tarp we had just bought as Twilight placed the coins on the countertop. Twilight then used her magic to pick up the tarp and floated it to Stonehenge. Stonehenge looked at it for a moment before he realized she was holding it out for him to hold and quickly grabbed it.
"Thank you for your business," the red pony said.
Twilight turned to me as she started to speak," Okay, all that's left now is some poles and your cleaning supplies."
"Okay...which way is that?" I asked.
"It's this way," Twilight said as she turned away and started to walk.
I followed Twilight as she walked through the marketplace, looking for another stall. It wasn't long before we stopped again in front of a stall selling cleaning products. Twilight and I walked up to the stall and started to look at the shampoos and conditioners.
"What do you think of this smell?" Twilight said as she used her magic to hold a shampoo.
Giving it a sniff, I noticed that it smelled like blueberries, which I did not like. " No, not that one," I said.
"Okay, how about this one," Twilight said as she raised another one to replace the one I had rejected.
Sniffing it, it gave off the scent of roses. I kind of liked it. "That one is a maybe leaning on yes. Let's see if anything else catches my eye," I said.
"Okay," Twilight said, setting the shampoo on the side.
Looking through the bottles, picking them up, and sniffing them, I found a few that I liked and a few that I did not, but none of them screamed out to me. I picked up an orange bottle and brought it to my nose, sniffing it, only to be met with the smell of pumpkin pie.
The wires in my brain froze as I sniffed it again. The smell was beyond wonderful. It was like the smell of fall but amplified to the max. I knew at that moment that this would be the one I would get.
"Twilight, I would like to get this one, please," I said as I held the bottle out for her to sniff.
Twilight leaned over and sniffed it before speaking, "Oh, I like that one as well. Let's see how much it costs."
Twilight and I walked over to the pony who was running the stand. She was a dark blue unicorn with cyan hair and focused on reading what looked like a newspaper. Twilight cleared her throat, causing the unicorn to drop her paper.
"Sorry about that. My name is Aroma Fragrant. How can I help you today?" Aroma asked.
"My name is Twilight, and this is Jack. We would like to know how much this shampoo and conditioner are," Twilight said as she hovered the shampoo and conditioner in her magic.
"Oh, that would be five bits separate or nine bits together," Aroma said.
"we'll get them together," Twilight said as she pulled the coin bag back out, pulled out nine bits, and handed them to Aroma.
"Thank you for your purchase. I bet you'll enjoy the smell," Aroma said with a smile.
"Oh, there, not for her; they are for me," I said as I grabbed the shampoo and conditioner and placed them in my backpack, causing Aroma's face to shift in shock.
"A human using one of my shampoos is an honor, Mister Jack," Aroma said as the shock left her face and was replaced by excitement.
"Oh, it's no issue, Miss Aroma. I liked the fall smell," I said as I put my hand behind my head and rubbed it.
"Well, just let me know if you ever need it refilled, Jack," Aroma said.
"Will do," I said as Twilight and I walked away.
We were no more than twenty feet from the shampoo stall before Twilight started to laugh. I looked at Twilight, who was still laughing at the interaction, causing me to sigh in embarrassment.
"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, but that was kinda weird," I said.
"I told you yesterday you're a human. Some ponies are going to treat you differently, Mister Jack," Twilight said as she whipped a tear from her eye.
"Okay, enough laughing at the Awkward experience. Let's go find some poles for the tarp," I said.
"Oh, that one is easy, and it's next to Applejack's stall," Twilight said as she finished laughing at my expense.
"Lead the way," I said as I let my shoulders fall.
Twilight started to walk again, occasionally giving off light chuckles. As we walked, I turned to Spike and Stonehenge, who were following Twilight. Looking at Spike, I could see his head darting back and forth as he looked at all the stalls and ponies.
"You doing good up there?" I yelled.
"I sure am, "Spike yelled back.
"Okay, well, when you want down before we get done, tap Stonehenge on the side of the head and let him know you want down," I yelled.
"Okay, but I'm staying up here the whole time," Spike yelled back.
I shrugged my shoulder and turned back to look at Twilight, who was, in turn, looking up at me. She had a slight smile on her face as she turned her attention back to lead us to the next stall.
It wasn't long before Applejacks and the stall where we were heading started coming into view. As we walked closer, I could hear a familiar sound starting to come into earshot. It sounded like the plums and picks from the south, something I knew how to play. It was a banjo.
As we walked closer to the two stalls, I could see Applejack busy selling a basket of apples to a light purple pony. If I remember correctly, she was at the party last night. I think she said her name was Berry Punch. The two pebble golems were there as well, along with another pony sitting behind Applejack. Looking at this guy, he was bright red and bigger than most, and he was playing the instrument that I was hearing.
Looking at the stall next to Applejacks, another large brown was not as big as the large mother Huber behind Applejack but still on the larger side. Behind him were poles of various materials and sizes.
"Okay, this shouldn't take but a moment. Here are five bits," Twilight said as she pulled out five of the gold coins and placed them in my hand before speaking again. "You can look around while I get the poles. Stonehenge, can you please follow me for a moment?"
Stonehenge nodded as he and Twilight walked over to the stall, and Twilight began to converse with the brown pony. The sound of the banjo continued to tickle my ears as I was instinctually drawn to Applejack's stall. Walking up to the stall, Berry Punch grabbed her basket of apples in her mouth and walked away. Applejack saw me approaching and gave me a warm smile.
"Well, well, well, if it ain't the new human in town. What can I do for you, Jack? Are you here for some Sweet Apple Acre apples? Applejack asked.
"Maybe Twilight gave me five of these to spend. But what really drew me was the thing that that guy behind you is playing," I said.
"You mean big Macintosh and his banjo?" Applejack asked.
"Well, yeah. Believe it or not, I am actually musically inclined. I was even going to school for it, and the banjo was one of the instruments I played," I responded.
"You can play the banjo?" Applejack asked.
"Well, yes, and a few more, even one you have never heard of," I said.
"Well, Sugarcube, that's amazing to hear. Do you have any songs you can play off the top of yer head?" Applejack asked.
"I got one or two if you or Big Macintosh don't mind," I said.
"None at all. I always wondered what human music sounded like." Applejack said as she turned to Big Macintosh and started to talk to him. "Big Mac, let the Jack have a go at the banjo."
"Okay," Big Macintosh said as he stood up and placed the banjo back on the seat where he had been playing.
Walking over, I took the banjo in my hand. Looking over it, it appeared to be slightly smaller, but it was something that I would still be able to play. Sitting in the chair, I plumed a few cords, ensuring it was tuned.
As I was checking the banjo, Twilight and Stonehenge walked over. Stonehenge was holding a set of four poles, two of which were longer than the other two. Along with Twilight and Stonehenge, a small crowd had begun to form as they realized they would hear human music.
"What's going on?" Twilight asked.
"Jack gonna play a human song," Applejack replied.
"A human song!" Twilight said excitedly as she pulled out a paper and quill, ready to document the words.
"Are you all ready?" I asked.
"Sure am," Applejack said.
"Eeyup," Big Macintosh replied.
"Ready," Twilight responded.
The crowd cheered, and my mind raced through a few songs before landing on one I had heard that resonated with me. As I began to plum and pick the cords, my hand started to play.
(The Lone Prairie)
/watch?v=93TRVAh938E
As I finished the song, my voice stopped, and the tune from the plums and picks of the cords faded. I looked up at all the faces staring at me. Most of their mouths were agape at what they had heard.
Twilight and Applejack were among the few with their mouths open. Looking closer at their faces, I could see a look of sadness. They stared at each other as I stared at them before turning back to me and breaking the awkward silence.
"Jack?" Applejack said.
"Are you okay?" Twilight asked.
I was taken aback by what they asked, and I gave my mind a moment to process what they had said. As thoughts flooded my mind, I wondered why they would ask me that. Was it because of the song?
"I'm fine," I said.
"Are you sure, Sugarcube?" Applejack asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Why do you all ask?" I asked.
"Because that song was on the sadder side," Twilight responded.
"It is? I've never thought about it that way," I said.
"Really?" Twilight asked.
"Well, yeah, I know the lyrics are on the darker side, but that is just the nature of the song," I responded.
"Well, pony folk songs aren't like that for the most part," Applejack said.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"Most pony music comes from the here and now and from emotion and soul," Twilight said.
"Hmm. Human music is like that, too, but many of ours focus on the past and now, along with emotion and soul," I said.
"Still, to have a song so dark and sad can be quite upsetting, "Applejack said.
"Maybe, but you all might not realize that my world can be dark and sad. People hurt each other for fame, power, and wealth. Even your best friends will betray you and leave you, too..." I sighed, stopping myself from saying the final word as I rubbed my hand over my right leg.
Looking up at Twilight and Applejack, I could see they were looking down at the ground. They had probably realized they had been reminded of what I had told them last night. Thinking to myself that I couldn't just let them mope about it.
"But…," I said, causing Twilight and Applejack to look up as I started to finish my sentence," But there is still good in my world. The generosity and niceness of some people. The warmth and love of those who actually care about you. Just because my world is dark and sad doesn't mean there isn't light and happiness. We just have to look harder for it."
As I spoke, the light in Applejack's and Twilight's eyes grew brighter and brighter. I could see smiles creeping across their faces as if the sadness I had just plagued them was already gone.
"That's good to hear that even in a world like yours, there is still niceness to be found," Twilight said.
"Yeah, Jack, but next time, try to play a more cheerful song," Applejack said.
"I can try, but no promises," I chuckled as I stood up and placed the banjo back onto the seat.
"Come on, Jack, we have to leave now," Twilight said as she turned and hugged Applejack before speaking again. "It was good to see you again, Applejack. Oh, and while It's on my mind, I want to tell you and the girls something in private sometime after the sisterhooves social."
"Okay, Twilight. Y'all have a nice day and stay safe during the storm," Applejack said.
"Wait, before we go. I have a really important question for Applejack," I said as I pointed a finger at the sky.
"What do you need, Sugarcube?" Applejack asked.
"How much do you charge for an apple," I replied.
"Uhm… a bit per apple. Why? Applejack asked.
"Can I buy four of them?" I asked.
"You sure can just place the coins on the counter," Applejack said.
Walking over to the counter, I placed four of the five coins Twilight had given me on the corner of Applejack's stall. The moment I put the final coin down, four apples landed on the counter, ready to be picked up. Looking up, one of the pebble golems had a few apples in their hands. Picking up the apples, I waved at Applejack in appreciation and walked back over to Twilight.
"Why did you buy apples?" Twilight asked.
"I figured it would be a good snack for you, Spike, and me," I replied.
"Why did you get four, then," Twilight asked.
"Save it for later," I replied.
I held two apples out in my hand for Twilight to take and for her to give to Spike. Twilight's horn glowed as the apples were lifted from my hand. One floated in front of her, and the other flew up to Spike, who snatched it like a little gremlin. Once Spike had his apple, Twilight began to lead the way as she took a bite of her apple. Following her example, I started to follow her as I bit into my apple.
We all walked silently for a moment as we enjoyed the sweet apples I had bought. Walking, we exited the town square. I looked over to see that Twilight was nearly finished with her apple. With one final bite, she finished her apple and turned to me with a smile.
"Thank you for the apple, Jack. It was really good," Twilight said.
"Yeah, they are," I said with my mouth still full of apples.
"So, what do you plan to do after we put up the awning, and you're free to do whatever?" Twilight asked.
"Well, you said that it is going to rain later. I might just stay inside and read about this world," I responded.
"Oh, sounds relaxing. What topics do you want to read about?" Twilight asked.
"Magic, specific unicorn magic," I replied.
"Well, I have a few books on that, but why do you want to know about unicorn magic?" Twilight asked.
"Well, my world never had anything like it, so I want to know as much as I can about it," I lied.
The real reason I wanted to know more was to see if I could better control the magic in my hands. Knowing the basics, I knew I could control it better and not have the chance of freeing anything on accident.
"Okay, learning about something you don't know is always good. When we get back to the library, I'll show you where I keep basic books on the history of magic," Twilight said.
Twilight began mumbling to herself as she thought about books she wanted to show me. I looked down at her as she mumbled with a smile, which only made me feel worse. This small pony was giving me her trust, and I was lying to her, and for what reason? To protect myself?
Would she be scared of me if I told her I was a magic-wielding human? Would it be worse if she found out I was dead? Would she kick me and Stonehenge out? Would she call that princess and have me experimented on? I just don't know, but from what I can tell, she seemed open during the two days I spent with her. She was treating me like we were lifelong friends. Maybe that was common here. I was so deep in thought that I barely fell the hoof, pointing me in my leg.
"Jack, are you okay? You seem out of focus?" Twilight said.
"Oh, sorry, I was deep in thought. I guess I spaced out," I responded.
"Oh, it's fine. It happens to me all the time. Anyway, we're back home," Twilight said.
Looking straight ahead, Twilight was right. We were indeed back at the library. Looking over to my right, I saw Twilight walking over to Stonehenge. He held out his hand and held the large items we had bought. Using her magic, she took the items from Stonehenge.
"Thank you, Stonehenge. And can you please let Spike down? He has been up there long enough," Twilight said.
Stonehenge nodded as he raised his hand to his shoulder. He grabbed Spike in his large hand and gently brought him down to the ground. Once Spike was on the ground, he looked around briefly before focusing on Twilight.
"Aw, come on, Twi, you could have left me up there." Spike pouted.
"Sorry, Spike, but with the storm starting soon, I want you inside so you don't catch a cold," Twilight said as she nuzzled Spike's head.
"Okay, fine, but try not to take so long," Spike said as he tried to hide his embarrassment from Twilight's affection.
Spike walked into the library as Twilight set the items on the ground. She began looking over the ground next to her home as she planned what to do. I took the opportunity to walk next to her.
"So, what's the plan?" I asked.
"Well, I plan to use three spells to set this up. The first will be a fusion spell to bind the poles to the ground and the tarp. Next, I plan to use a reinforcement spell on the poles and the tarp. And lastly, a detection spell for if anyone tries to mess with him, we will know as soon as possible," Twilight responded.
"Okay, sounds like a plan. I wish I could help you," I said.
"I know, but this requires unicorn magic, and humans don't have any," Twilight said.
"Yeah," I said.
"Okay, stand back now. I don't want to accidentally hit you," Twilight said.
Nodding in response, I took a step back, making sure that I was out of the way. Twilight horn began to glow as the poles and tarp floated off the ground again. The poles floated into a square-like pattern as the tarp unfolded and laded at the top of the poles. Twilight horn glowed slightly brighter as the tarp and pole fused into one.
Twilight's horn stopped glowing as bright as she finished fusing the poles to the tarp before it glowed brighter than it had, even when she was fusing the poles and tarp together. She huffed and grunted before the horn dimmed again, and she sighed and panted. She loved the new awning to the ground, where she lowered the poles into the ground, fusing them to the ground.
Twilight's horn stopped glowing for a moment before a faint glow encased the awning before disappearing. Once she was finished, she lowered her head and started to catch her breath. Worried, I walked over to check on her.
"Are you okay?" I asked.
"Yeah. Yeah, I just have to catch my breath. All those spells took it out of me, especially the reinforcement spell." Twilight responded.
I stood by Twilight as she panted from the strain of using her magic. It wasn't long before she stopped panting and raised her head as she looked at her work. With a weak smile, she turned to Stonehenge.
"It's all done. You should be a bit better protected from the weather in there," Twilight said.
Stonehenge looked around to make sure that the coast was clear before he started to speak." Thank You, Sparkle."
"You're welcome," Twilight Said.
Stonehenge walked over to the newly made awning and looked over it before crouching and sitting beneath it. Stonehenge gave a thumbs up to Twilight as I felt a bit of coldness on my neck.
Reaching up to cover my neck, I felt a bit wet, so I Turned my attention to the sky. Deep grey clouds filled half of it and were coming closer. I tapped Twilight's shoulder and pointed to the sky, and she gave a surprised expression.
"It looks like it is here a bit early and just in time, too. Let's head inside." Twilight said.
"Say no more. Stonehenge, stay dry." I said.
Stonehenge gave another thumbs up as I felt more water drops hit my back. Twilight and I made a break for the library door as the water drops became more frequent. Twilight used her magic to open the door and bolted inside. On the other hand, I was not as fast, and the moment I ran through the door, my back was wet.
"Aw, man," I said.
"What is it?" Twilight asked.
I turned around to show Twilight the wetness on my back before speaking. "I got attacked by the rain."
"Well, you certainly are drenched. Sit next to the fireplace. I'll have Spike light itso that you can dry off," Twilight said as she started to walk away.
"Before I do that, can I look for one of the books that go over magic?" I asked.
"Okay, the magic section is over there," Twilight said as she pointed towards a few shelves of books before speaking again, "but try not to pick out anything that seems too advanced."
As Twilight walked away to find Spike, I walked over to the shelves that Twilight had pointed out. Nearing the shelves, I looked over the book for any that might help me. A few beginner books stood out, like 'A Filly's/Colt's Guide to Magic,' Magic and You,' and 'How to Use Your Special Gift.'
Grabbing all three books, I was about to Turn away when a final book caught my eye: Elementals of the Elements.' Taking the book off the shelf, it was thicker than the other three, and I turned it over to look at the back to see what it was about.
Upon looking at the back of the book, I noticed that it claimed to cover the basics of elemental magic, such as Fire, water, air, and Earth magic. It also covered slightly more advanced stuff, like cold and plant magic.
"This is exactly what I needed," I said aloud.
"What is?" a voice said near my feet.
I jumped slightly at the sound of the voice, causing me to look down to see Spike standing there with a confused look on his face.
"God, Spike, please don't scare me like that," I said.
"Oh, sorry, I was just wondering what you were talking about,' Spike said.
"I asked Twilight if I could read some books on magic, and she agreed, so I was just looking over them," I said.
"That is cool. Well, Twilight sent me in here to light the fireplace so you can dry your back off, so I'm going to do that now." Spike said.
Spike then turned around and walked over to the small fireplace in the corner of the room. Upon arriving at the fireplace, he set a few logs inside before he breathed a light green fire onto them, catching them on fire immediately. The fire bellowed and grew, spreading as he stopped and became a bright orange.
"There we go, all done. Now I get to read my comic books," Spike said.
Spike wattled to the staircase on the side of the room and climbed it, disappearing at the top. I made my way closer to the fireplace, feeling the heat from the fire grow as I approached it. Moving to the floor, I placed the book beside me and raised my hands near the fire as I listened to the tips and taps of raindrops on a few of the windows. As I listened to the raindrops, the sound of footsteps or hoofsteps came closer as Twilight walked beside me.
"So, what did you choose?" Twilight asked.
"Just these four?" I said as I unstacked the four books and laid them flat on the floor.
"Hm. These three look fine," Twilight said as she pointed to the three beginner books I had picked out before pointing to 'Elementals of the Elements.' "This one, although it is a basic book, goes over a really challenging magic subject. Are you sure you want to read it as well?"
"Uh, yeah, I would like to read it, even if it is difficult. I felt drawn to it, so I might as well, and if I do find it too hard to understand, I'll put it back," I said.
"Okay, if you say so. You know I think I'll join you in reading. I still have to look into your pendant," Twilight said.
"Hey, you're more than welcome. The fire is toasty, and the rain is tapping, perfect for reading." I said.
Twilight's horn glowed as ten books flew out from the bookshelves and floated next to her as she lowered herself onto her stomach. With a sigh, she pulled the top book in between her front leg and started reading it. I grabbed 'A Filly's/Colt's Guide to Magic' and started to read it.
Reading the last words of 'Magic and You,' I closed the book, setting it atop the other two. I had spent the better part of the last few hours reading the three books. My back had dried a few hours ago, and the sound of rain continued to tap on the windows as what little light that passed through the clouds had started to dim. Looking at the clock that hung near the entrance to the kitchen, it said it was 6:30 PM.
The sound of a page-turning tickled my ear as I turned to look at Twilight. She was on her final book of the ten she had pulled down. I knew I was an average reader, but Twilight blew that out of the water. If I had to say, she only had a few pages remaining.
While Looking at Twilight, the smell of mushrooms, onions, and tomatoes filled the air. About an hour earlier, Twilight had asked Spike if he could make dinner for the three of us, saying he was a better cook than she was, and from the smell of it, by the time Twilight finished her book, Spike would call us in to eat.
Looking to my left, I saw the 'Elementals of the Elements.' I have not had the chance to read it yet, but I would probably take it down to my room and read it privately. Looking at the other three, I thought about what they had informed me.
Firstly, they informed me of the history of magic and some known species of magic users, like the Royal Book of Magic, Magical Artifacts, and Creatures' told me. They next told me that magic must not be used lightly and must be welded with knowledge and focus. It is both a tool andan aspect of oneself, both formless and whateverthe user wants it to be.
The last things that the book went over were the overuse and the overuse of magic. Overusing your magic can cause confusion, headaches, tiredness, and, in rare cases, unconsciousness. Underuse of magic can vary in effect, as magic build-up can cause random effects, but on the bright side, magic build-up only happens after a few weeks of non-magic use.
Standing up, I stretched the muscles in my legs as I looked down at Twilight, who had noticed that I had stood up. She smiled at me before turning back to finish her book, and I grabbed the three books to return them to their shelves. Walking closer to the shelves, the smell of what Spike was making grew more potent.
Reaching the shelves, I put the three books back where I had found them as the sound of footsteps came from the kitchen door. Turning to look, I could see Spike in the doorway with a soup spoon.
"Dinners ready. Let's eat," Spike said as he returned to the kitchen.
"Finally, I'm so hungry, and it smells so good," Twilight whimpered as she closed her book.
Walking towards the kitchen entrance, I waited for Twilight as she put her book away before speaking. "Come on, let go."
Twilight walked past me as her horn stopped glowing, and all the books had been put away. I followed closely behind her and entered the kitchen, where I saw Spike stirring a soup pot. Next to Spike were three bowls: one large, one normal, and one small. Spike then ladle some soup into each of the three bowls, filling them respectfully. Twilight grabbed the normal-sized bowl, and Spike grabbed the small one, leaving me with the large one.
Walking over to the counter, I grabbed a spoon and the bowl and made my way to the table, where I set the bowl down and took my seat. The sound of a spoon scraping glass as Spikeate his portion quickly.
Twilight grabbed her spoon and her magic before eating the soup. Her eyes lit up a bit as she took another bite. I took my spoon and plunged it into the soup, grabbing some vegetables and liquid, bringing them to my mouth, blowing on them, and eating them.
As the soup filled my mouth, my taste buds were assaulted with the taste of vegetables, most paying their part, save for the taste of mushrooms, which left an earthy aftertaste. As I took my next bite, I heard Twilight clear her voice.
"So, Jack, did you learn anything about magic," Twilight asked.
"a little bit from what I read, it went over the basics of magic use," I responded.
"That's good that you learned something. Were you able to read 'Elementals of the Elements,'" Twilight asked as she took another bite of the soup.
"No, I wasn't, but I think I might take it to the spare room to read to bed," I replied, filling my mouth with soup.
"Okay, just make sure not to damage it. It is the only copy I have. Also, you know you can call it your room because you are welcome as long as you need, so think of it as your room," Twilight said.
"Sorry, Twilight, it is just my manners talking because it is going to take a moment to think of it as my room," I said.
Twilight was about to say something when Spike cut her off, finishing his soup as he spoke," Why do you say that, dude?"
"Well, because a few days ago, I had a room I spent my whole life in. It will be a few days before my brain fills in the gaps," I said as I took the last few bites of my soup.
"So, what you're saying is that thenew setting takes time?" Spike asked.
"Pretty much," I replied.
Looking across the table, I could see Twilight finish her food as she left the spoon in her bowl. Look at the three bowls. I stood up and grabbed my bowl.
"I'll do the dishes. But someone else will have to manage the leftovers," I said as I grabbed spikes and Twilight's bowls.
"I'll handle that, Spike, go relax and thank you for marking dinner," Twilight said as she stood up.
"Yeah, thanks, Spike. It was delicious," I said as I turned on the water in the sink.
"It was no problem, guys," Spike said as he stood up and walked out of the kitchen.
Twilight's horn glowed as she pulled out some tupperware and poured the soup into it. I scrubbed the bowls and spoons with soapy water as she set the metal soup pot in the sink. I started to wash the metal pot as Twilight placed the soup into the fridge.
"So, wereyou able to find anything on my pendant in those books you read?" I asked.
"No, but that is just the start ofresearch into your pendent. Depending on what it is, it could take weeks of study, if that," Twilight said.
"Well, don't push yourself on my behalf. There are just some things in life that don't have an answer." I said as I set the pot on a drying rack.
"Trust me, I know," Twilight said with a sigh.
"That sigh tells a story you're going to have to tell me sometime," I said as I dried my hand and faced Twilight.
"Maybe, maybe. What do you plan to do now that you read your books?" Twilight asked.
"I don't know. what time is it?" I asked.
Twilight stuck her head out to look at the clock before saying, "It's 7:13."
"I don't know. I think I may just head down to the spa… my room and start reading 'Elementals of the Elements' till I fall asleep," I said.
Twilight smiled at me, correcting myself before speaking, "Well, Spike and I will be up until nine, so if you need us, just come back up."
"Okay, twilight, have a nice night," I said.
I turned and left the kitchen as Twilight flowed behind me. I grabbed my bag and 'Elementals of the Elements' and looked up the stairs. I could see Spike reading a comic book by the name of 'Power Ponies.' Spike noticed me walking towards the basement door and lowered his comic book slightly.
"Are you going to bed?" Spike asked.
"No, I'm just heading to … my room, and I'm going to read until I fall asleep," I said.
"Okay, cool. Have a nice night, Jack," Spike said.
"Thanks. I hope you have a good night as well," I replied as I opened the door leading down to my room.
Walking down the stairs, I came to my bedroom door; turning the doorknob, I opened the door. Walking into my room, I turned on the light in the middle of the room as I put the book on the dresser and sat on my bed.
Sighing, I began to dig through the bag, looking for the apple I had put inearlier. Finding the apple, I pulled it out of the bag and sat there for a moment before standing up and setting it on the wooden floor in the middle of the room. Taking a few steps back, I started to concentrate.
I focused on my hand and the apple, imagining it floating in the air without being touched. My hand started to glow blue, and the apple was engulfed in the same blue. Slowly and shakily, the apple began to float a few inches off the ground, and it felt like I was lifting a dumbbell with my mind.
Taking a breath, I let the apple fall a few inches to the floor, putting my hands on my knees to catch my breath. Now I knew how Twilight felt with the awning, and this was just an apple. I could only imagine the skill she has with magic.
After a few minutes of breathing, I Sighed as I raised my hands to try again, and both the apple and my hands glowed blue. The apple slowly started to rise off the ground, save for maybe an inch higher, before I would have to let go and take a breath again.
The process would repeat multiple times as I lifted the apple with my magic, each time going slightly higher as my mind got used to it before I was forced to take a breath. It wouldn't be long before I could hold the apple at chest height, although I could only move it a few inches before I had to lower it back to the ground.
I did have to stop not long after getting it to chest height, as my mind was so drained and exhausted that I nearly passed out standing up. Sighing, I set the apple on the dresser and undressed myself before redressing in a plain shirt and shorts.
I thought about grabbing the 'Elementals of the Elements' bookbutknew I was too tired. Walking to the middle of the room, I turned the light off, walked over to my bed, and got under the covers. As I lay there, the sound of the rain hitting the little window, it was not long before darkness enclosed my vision, and I went to the realm of dreams.