Dungeons, Dragons, and a Little Friendship

by Lawrence Gander

Chapter 3

 
Cartanis stood at the edge of the forest next to Ted, both out of view, as they watched Andur trotting into town.
 
“I still don't like his plan.” Ted said to Cartanis.
 
“He made valid points Ted, and I don't see you bravely facing the unknown.”
 
Ted backed down a bit.
 
Cartanis looked back to see Andur stop in front of the first house at the edge of town, something must have happened as Andur simply stopped and stared at something for a minute.
 
“What’s he doing!?” Ted snapped.
 
“Just hold on, he’s already moving again. Probably just a close call.”
 
Andur moved deeper into the town, if he wasn't such an eyesore in comparison to everything else, they may have already lost him to distance. They saw him approach a stall, but they couldn't see the transaction in process. When Andur finally stepped away from it he sat in the middle of the square, then Ted and Cartanis' books began humming and glowing slightly.
 
Opening his book Cartanis Read the note from Andur, As we suspected, our money is no good here. I'm going to try to find some work around town, they seem to need help anyway. They were rather stunned by me but don't seem to mind much beyond awkward stares. If you have to talk, I think we should use the word Pony to describe them or call attention, not Horse. Also, the men are referred to as stallions and the women as mares. Cartanis, one of the vendors managed to pick up an item using only ONE HOOF. “WHAT!?” The following note only confounded Cartanis more, it wasn't a unicorn it was a blasted regular pony, figure out how they do it!
 
The implications set Cartanis' mind ablaze with questions and theories, but his concentration was broken by Ted. Who sighed, “Well, time to break cover I guess.” before leaping into the treetops. As Cartanis listened to the ever quieting sound of the zebra leaping from tree to tree, he guessed he was heading to a patch of trees that was closest to the town.
 
Cartanis returned to the sanctuary of his mind, now the first thing I need to know is the anatomy of these horses, so what I have to do is find my way to a library. I do hope that this village has one. It was at that finished thought he was pulled from his mind by a noise, it sounded like something was cutting through the air. Wha- before his thought was finished the sound ended in a loud clang against metal. It came from the direction Ted had headed off in. As Cartanis searched the open area between the forest and the town, he saw a silver helmet rolling across the dirt, not long after a small blue Pegasus crashed to the ground in a rainbow streak. Where was Ted? As Cartanis looked about wondering what happened to his friend, he heard a shout from where the Pegasus fell.
 
When he looked back, a small crème colored and pink mane Pegasus stood over the collapsed blue one. Ted was standing a few feet from both of them, a shining blade extended from his outstretched hoof. WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? Cartanis thought. The crème Pegasus seemed to be staring Ted down. As Ted lowered his hidden weapon, the situation seemed diffused. He and the mare piggybacked the blue one towards town.
 
Well I hope that's all the drama I get to witness today, Ted thought to himself. Resolving to simply walk into town as Andur had done earlier, double checking to make sure his robes covered his flank. Trotting down the cobblestone road taking much the same path Andur did. He stopped where Andur did to see a white stallion on the roof of his home, patting a tile into position on the rooftop.
 
A young stallion emerged from the household, “OK Dad, I am off to help at the farm.”
 
“Alright Dodge, stay safe and be back before nightfall.”
 
As Cartanis watched Dodge walk past him, he worked up courage to ask a question. “Excuse me, Dodge is it?” The young stallion stopped and affirmed Cartanis' question with a nod, “Do you happen to know of where I might find a library around here.”
 
Dodge took a second and thought, “Sorry, I know we have a library, but I haven't really ever been there. Maybe some other pony would know?”
 
Cartanis thanked the young stallion, before heading off deeper into town. He barely even flinched at my scars. Maybe these ponies are more accepting than originally thought. As he walked through town, a few other ponies did stare at him. But in a more pitiful way than he would have initially expected, perhaps many were hurt in whatever befell this place, I must look like someone who recently recovered. As he pondered what to do about finding the library, he decided to try and ask for directions again. Looking around the village square there were many a pony, unicorn, and pegasus at work. But one was standing in front of what appeared to be a bakery, happily smiling and giving out some food to ponies here and there. Cartanis was rather hungry, he hadn't done much more than picked at the burnt stew that was given to him that morning a scant hour ago.

Cartanis approached the booth that was set up, a rather cheery pink pony said in an ecstatic voice, “Hi! Welcome to Sugarcube corner, you here for your free cupcake?”
 
Directions can wait, these look delicious. Cartanis thought to himself, “I would love a free cupcake.”
 
The vendor cheerily smiled as she grabbed a cupcake and set it on a plate in front of him. Cartanis, with probably the least amount of manners he ever used, ate the whole thing in one bite. Chewing it and enjoying the flavor of blueberry before swallowing. He felt something stuck in his throat; he coughed a little at first, and then hawked uncontrollably as his body forced the object out of his throat. Out of his mouth flew a small pink object, which landed back on the plate. The vendor gasped loudly, “You got the pink ticket! You know what that means!”
 
Catching his breath from what just happened Cartanis responded, “umm... no, I don't.”
 
“Well then looks like I’ll just have to explain it to you.” The vendor disappeared behind the booth; Cartanis heard a soft click of a switch. Then the vendor appeared from behind the booth and asked, “Are you ready?” with a large smile on her face again.
 
“Maybe?” Cartanis began.
 
The vendor than leaped high into the air, Cartanis was astonished and let his mouth drape open. Not believing the sight of a pony leaping a few stories into the air. His amazement, however, was cut short by the sound of an explosion. Suddenly Cartanis found himself horrified as he was once again unable to breathe, his lungs began frantically pulling for air while at the same time attempting to force out something that was stuck in his throat. He attempted to ask for help, “Huuurgss.... Ferrrr...” and various other noises were all he was able to make. The pink mare was dancing and singing for a moment before she realized what happened.
 
“Oh no,” She zipped off the booth and down to Cartanis as he fell over, wheezing and gasping. “Please don't be mad, it only had a five percent chance of extreme misfire. I didn't think that would happen, it was supposed to be so cool!”
 
Cartanis could feel himself start changing colors.
 
“Pinkie Pie, What’s going on?” A new voice said.
 
“Oh Twilight, please help he's choking on a cupcake.”
 
“OK quick, the heimhoof maneuver. Stand him up.”
 
Cartanis was hoisted up by the pink one, as he was held in a braced stance that had him hanging like a scarecrow out in front of Pinkie Pie. His vision was starting to go, stars clouded his vision. But he could make out the backside of a purple pony, one leg reared for a buck. Then he felt a collision right below his chest cavity, the ballistic junk food flew out of his mouth with the force of pressure exerted on his lungs. Cartanis took a deep strained breath as he coughed up more bits and pieces of the item from his throat. As he was let go be barely managed to catch himself, seeing the offending strangler cupcake on the ground. Slowly regaining his breath, Cartanis found his footing again, “Thanks...” he cringed a little. A spot right beneath his chest cavity stung whenever he breathed to deeply, “Oh, that's going to hurt bad later.”
 
“Sir? Are you OK?”
 
Cartanis turned to look at a purple unicorn staring with concern on her face; she cringed a little when she got a good look at him. “Oh, I'll be fine. Just think you bruised me a bit.”
 
Twilight could tell the scared blue unicorn was putting on a brave face. “Would you please allow us to at least escort you to the clinic? I don't think a pony of your age should take a hit like that and just try to walk it off.”
 
The blue unicorn's eyes dodged around, like he was trying to think of something. “Well, that would be a fine idea. But I really must make my way to the library.”
 
Twilight smiled, “Oh well I happen to be the librarian of this town, so I can take you there AFTER we go to the clinic.”
 
The blue unicorn smiled, “Well I suppose I don't have an excuse now do I.”
 
Pinkie Pie spoke up, “I'm really sorry sir, next time I got to remember to have more cannon and less cupcake in my cupcake cannon. Or maybe less cannon and more cupcake” She then turned to Twilight, “I'll catch up, I got to clean up my half destroyed cupcake booth first.”
 
“OK Pinkie Pie.”
 
Twilight helped the blue unicorn steady himself for a moment before they began to walk along the road, taking turns at intersections as Twilight pointed them out. Eventually Cartanis spoke up, “Excuse me miss Twilight, but may I ask you a question?”
 
“Sure... mister?” Twilight said leaning on the last word to imply a question.
 
“Just call me Professor.”
 
“OK shoot Professor.”
 
“What happened to your quaint little hamlet here, I mean, on a good day I am sure it is beautiful. But it looks like something came along and tried to blow all your houses down. So to speak.”
 
Twilight's face became sullen, “Well three days ago, we were all just having a lovely day. I was in the library with my friend Rainbow Dash, when it hit. It was like HUGE thunderclap had happened right next to the town. Almost every window was destroyed, rooftops were thrown off of the tops of houses, and even doors came off hinges. If that wasn't bad enough, ponies that were outside all suffered some form of trauma to either their soft tissue or ears. Although I hear the town got the short end of the stick, apparently Apple Acre's was hit harder than us. I still have machines contemplating all the data, but if I had to guess, it probably originated somewhere out in the Everfree Forest.”
 
Professor seemed to slow to a halt at the mentioning of the forest, “Which direction would this forest be?”
 
“Over there to the West.”
 
Twilight noticed that Professor seemed to pale slightly and his eyes dilate slightly, Dear lord, that... that is a lot of energy for an explosion to do that. “Well what of the forest in that direction?” he pointed towards the east.
 
“Oh, that's Whitetail Wood. Not much ever happens there, well not at least in comparison to the Everfree. Kind of funny to, they actually meet up at a point to the south.”
 
Cartanis muddled over an idea in his head, contemplating the journey they had taken. If the Everfree is the dangerous one, then it is probably where we started. As we never encountered much after we broke line from the swampy areas and made our way into the more tree filled area. So we had advanced through Everfree and headed into town from Whitetail wood.
 
Twilight waved a hoof in front of his face, breaking his concentration, “You OK Professor?”
 
“Oh um yes, it’s just that-”
 
“-he failed his perception checks and forgot his hat!” Interrupted Pinkie Pie, who was standing behind Professor.
 
“Yes, yes that's it. Thank you very much Miss Pie.” He said, glad to shake off the bothersome question.
 
“Please just call me Pinkie.” Pinkie Pie said, as she outstretched the hat towards Professor.
 
Professor looked at the hat for a moment, a little worry on his face. He swiped at the brim, cleanly whooshing past as the hat remained in the hoof of Pinkie Pie.
 
“Come on Professor, don't tell me you junked your dexterity just to get an extra core ability score.” Pinkie Pie said in a sarcastic tone.
 
He tried again, then again a little faster and with a furrowed brow. “Stupid foundational law, REVEAL YOURSELF TO ME!” He shouted, a small shock of electricity sparking off his busted horn. But to no avail, he was still unable to grab the hat. Cartanis realized he was creating a scene, and backed off a little. He had seen Unicorns use some form of telepathy to move objects before, so he copped out. “Hat. Heel.” The top hat floated from Pinkie's hoof and to the wizards head, smoothly settling and descending the monocle to float in front of his right eye. “Shall we move on?”
 
“Wait, Professor. Why were you unable to grab your hat from Pinkie's hoof?”
 
Professor turned and looked at her with his old eyes, “That may be a story for another day, but for now let’s get this clinic business over with.” he continued past the duo and waited at the corner, not sure what way to go.
 
“Hey Pinkie.”
 
“Yeah Twilight.”
 
“You ever wonder what happened to him to make him look so...” She scratched at her chin thinking of a word, “traveled.”
 
“I'm not sure what you mean Twilight.”
 
“Well for starters, he has all those doodads and doohickeys around his waist.”
 
“Maybe he likes to collect things.”
 
“What about those robes, I haven’t even seen Rarity make stuff like that. Runes and things glowing at intervals and when he does certain things. Then there is his face, I mean it isn't like it makes him bad or anything. But there is no way those scars are only a few days old.”
 
“Well maybe he got them when he was fighting a dragon!”
 
“What?”
“Yeah, yeah like in a dungeon full of monsters. At the end he fought the dragon and scored that sweet top hat with the floating monocle.”
 
Twilight laughed a bit, “Sure Pinkie Pie, sure. Well if he won't talk about it now I won't force it. But I have my eye on him.”
 

 
Twilight was in the waiting room reading a magazine, Pinkie Pie sitting patiently next to her with a book writing down party ideas. It had been nearly an hour, she expected Professor to be nearly done. “Twilight Sparkle, is there a Twilight Sparkle here.” the receptionist said.
 
Twilight approached the desk, “Yes?”
 
“Nurse Tenderheart will be out in a moment with Professor’s results.” the receptionist stated.
 
Soon after Twilight thanked the Receptionist for the information, Nurse Tenderheart rounded the corner, clipboard hanging around her neck. “Hello Miss Sparkle, Professor will be out in a minute he's still collecting his things. But I wanted to talk to you about a few discoveries.”
 
“Discoveries?”
 
“Well you see, First let me tell you he shall be fine. It seems when you administered the Heimhoof maneuver, the kick was a little harder than it should've been. He is just bruised below the chest cavity, slight discoloration nothing major. But, what is really something is how healthy he is.”
 
“Really?”
 
“He told us he was in his mid fifties, and sure on the outside he certainly looks it with that salt and pepper mane and such. But on the inside from our tests, his heart beats regularly and strong. No sign of any significant Arrhythmia. His lungs work well, the spine is rather straight for one so old, he was also rather spry and alert for one his age as well. Although there was one problem.”
 
“Is it bad?”
 
“It depends on how you look at it. He seemed unable to grasp things with only one hoof. It seemed to vex him, all his other motor functions checked out though. I wondered if it had something to do with his horn being broken like it is, maybe latent trauma had produced some form of paralysis. But he was perfectly capable of lifting the magic practice weight a few feet off the ground, as well as move all the joints in his front and back legs.”
 
“Well I guess that really is strange.”
 
“What is actually quite strange, Is that Professor doesn't have his cutie mark either. He was rather shy when told to remove his robes and such, but I guess he's just a little sensitive about being so old and not having found his calling yet.”
 
All this information just piqued more of Twilight's curiosity,
 
“Awww... I don't know what I’d do if I didn't know how much fun parties were to plan and have.” Pinkie Pie frowned.
 
At that point Professor rounded the corner from the examination room, fully dressed with a light smile on his face. “Told you I would be fine Miss Twilight. Now let’s see about that Library.”
 

 
Spike was getting tired of all this book carrying. Professor had taken up a spot on a balcony at the top of a flight of stairs, every couple of minutes or so Spike would get called up there and he would want a new book. One time Spike got him the biggest book he had seen in a while, he hoped it would've kept him busy longer. But he barely made it down to the bottom of the flight of stairs before he got called up there again, wanting another obscure textbook from across the library.
 
Twilight walked through the front door, followed by Pinkie Pie. “Thanks for helping with the shop cleanup Twilight.” She said.
 
“No problem Pinkie Pie, I'm sure Mister and Misses Cake feel the same way.”
 
Spike walked over to them, “Hey Twilight.”
 
“Hi Spike, how is Professor doing with his reading?” Twilight asked.
 
“Well he has gone through a lot of books, I'm not sure if I’m not finding him the right book or if he's just skimming through them.”
 
“What makes you say that?”
 
“At first I thought maybe I was getting him the wrong book, but every once in a while he just mentions what a good read it was and spouts some nonsensical gobbity gook about magic and foundational laws. One time when I went up there he was gone, his hat was just sitting alone on the reading desk. So I set the book down and go looking for him downstairs just to hear him shout for another book from the top.”
 
This Professor character better not be up to something. Twilight thought to herself. “Well either way Spike, it looks like we'll be having more than just us four at lunch today, Ditzy Doo is coming over.”
 
Spike's interest was piqued, “Is she going to bring her special muffins.” Spike just adored Ditzy's cinnamon muffins.
 
“You bet” Twilight said with a smile.
 
“Hey Spike where is Professor right now, I forgot to give him his prize for finding the pink ticket.” Pinkie Pie pointed to the platter she was balancing on her back.
 
“Oh he's up those stairs leading to the outside private reading balcony.”
 
“Thanks Spike.” Pinkie pie began hopping over to the stairs.
 
“I better go with you,” Spike said, “At the rate he goes through books he probably wants one again already, and it’s been longer than usual”
 
“Well I'll be setting up the lunch table, Ditzy Doo should be here any minute.” Twilight's horn began to glow as she moved around chairs and tables making a seating arrangement for lunchtime.
 
Pinkie Pie and Spike continued towards the stairs and began walking up them.
 

 
I may have finally cracked it, Cartanis thought to himself. He opened his messenger book and began a message. I believe that I may have finally figured out the reason why Andur and I are still able to make use of our powers, although the implications are rather grand. I think it could simply be inferred that somehow we still have connections to our home dimension, I've looked through countless books at their library that speak of a unicorn's magic. This had revealed how the unicorns make use of magic in their world. There seem to be two ways unicorns use magic, either a direct link to the ley lines of their world. Using the magic as a torrent that courses through them with feeling, they seem to usually exhibit remarkable self control so that they don't accidentally let loose power in a fit of emotion. Much like a Sorcerer would do. The other kind are less powerful, but only in the summoning of that power aspect. In fact they might be considered more dangerous by some, they trade raw power for exemplary control over the forces of magic. Capable of remarkable feats of not force but new spells, capable of new things never thought possible before. I believe we can refer to them as Wizards, much like me.
 
Now Andur. Cartanis thought, continuing his message. You might ask how this tells me we still draw power from our home dimension, at first I thought I had simply been in tuned with these ley-lines and was using magic as they do. Two things disprove this, the first being is that whenever I use my magic, my horn fails to ignite and glow as theirs do. Also, after looking into their beliefs and gods I found they had very few if any religions, the general consensus of the population is the belief in their truly god-like ruler Princess Celestia. She holds power over the sun, making it rise in the dawn and set at night. At first glance to this I thought, HAHA a pony version of Pelor theory correct. Then I read into Celestia a little more. Apparently she holds no power of miraculous healing, and is not apt to smite beings of evil with golden rays of light. Although she did banish her evil sister for a thousand years, before she was reformed and turned into a functional member of society somehow. Even with all of this information, I cannot explain HOW we are drawing power from our home dimension, but simply from the evidence that you still draw favor from your god we ARE somehow able to still do so. Just as simple as that, there is still too much uncertainly to know the exact reason.
 
As Cartanis let the report sink into the paper, he felt his magic tripwire go off. He then heard someone shouting, “Oh Professor, I got your prize for the pink ticket here. Where are you hiding?”
 
Oh Great, its Pinkie Pie. She's far more curious than that baby dragon. She'll surely stumble upon me. Cartanis quickly thought of a plan.
 

Once again Professor had somehow managed to disappear without going down the stairs. Spike just sighed, “Well I guess he's not here.”
 
“Oh don't be silly of course he's here. He just wants to play some hide and seek!” Pinkie Pie began hoping about the balcony, looking over the edge seeing if he was hanging off the side, “Not here.” She looked about more of the balcony, checking waste baskets and even looking through the branches that covered the balcony like a rooftop, which provided privacy from prying eyes. As she approached the top hat, both heard a voice from the stairway.
 
“Excuse me, could someone please help me with these books. They are quite heavy.” Both realized it sounded like the Professor.
 
“Hey Professor, you forgot your hat again!” Pinkie Pie said reaching for it on the floor.
 
“FORGET THE HAT!” Both jumped at the anger in the voice of Professor, “just help me with these books.”
 
“Fine, sheesh, you old grump.” Spike stated as they both headed for the staircase.
 
As they walked down the stairs they met Twilight about halfway down, “Hey Twilight, where's Professor it isn't nice to leave him hanging onto all those books.” Pinkie Pie stated.
 
“What? But I heard him up there, I thought he was on the balcony asking for help.”
 
They all looked at each other with puzzled expressions. “Oh my, what kind of roadblock do we have going on here?” Surprising them all was Professor, standing a few stairs above the trio in the stairway. A book floating next to his head.
 
“Wow, you're really good at hide and seek Professor.” Pinkie Pie said.
 
“Why yes, I do believe I am.” Professor said with a smile on his face.
 
“Wait a minute.” Spike spoke up, “You weren't hiding up there, all there is on that balcony is a waste basket, some desks, and a whole lot of empty space. There is no way you were up there.”
 
The blue unicorn just smiled, “Well did you check behind the desk?” before he trotted his way triumphantly past them.
 
“Then why did we hear your voice from the stairway?”
 
“Oh were you sure it wasn't just a ghost of some sort? I didn't hear anything when I was behind the desk.”
 
Spike just sighed and followed, not wanting to waste any more breath on the strange old unicorn.
 
Twilight just patted her hoof against her chin as she watched Professor walk by. You might be crafty, but I'll find a way to see through your ruses. She then heard a knock on the door, “Oh that must be Ditzy Doo.”
 

 
The party of five laughed at jokes and talked about their day at the lunch table, all except for Ditzy Doo and Professor. One was lost in thought, absent from the conversation and staring at his food. The other, a small grey Pegasus with a yellow mane and crossed eyes, looked at Professor with her sad eyes. She thought that he looked so depressed. She took her pen and paper, wrote something on it and passed it to him.
 
Cartanis was drawn from thought when the Pegasus known as Ditzy Doo gave him a note, he opened it Are you OK? You look so alone, even when you’re surrounded by all your friends. Cartanis looked up from the note; the Pegasus had been giving notes to them since she arrived. “That is very sweet of you to care for me, Ditzy. I'm just a little distracted, I found out so much stuff today. Only to find myself with a few unanswered questions, it seems this library is missing a book or two I need.”
 
Another note was given to him, What book are you missing?
 
“Have you heard of a series called Subjects: for Derpies written by a pony by the name of Derpy Hooves?”
 
Ditzy gave a wide grin; I might know a thing or two about it. Why?
 
“Well they are missing a book from the collection, Anatomy of the Equestrian brain: for Medical Derps. I was so close to figuring out why my hooves won't work correctly.”
 
Cartanis was nudged by the Pegasus; he looked up to see her with a book in her mouth. He took it from her using his telekinesis spell. On the cover it read, Anatomy of the Equestrian brain: for Medical Derps. Cartanis looked up to see Ditzy grinning with pride, her eyes crossed. Where have I seen that before? Cartanis thought. Then he looked down to the author name on the cover of the book he was just given. The O's in Derpy Hooves were two crossed amber eyes. Cartanis looked back over to Ditzy, he asked for a piece of paper. He quickly jotted down a note and gave it back to her.
 
Shock read on Ditzy's face, how did he find out? Her mind was frantic from being discovered, one part of her wanted to scream, even though she couldn't thanks to her paralyzed vocal cords. She quickly wrote back to him, Please don't tell anypony. If it gets out that Derpy Hooves was me, my books might not sell anymore.

Professor wrote back, Don't trouble yourself Ditzy Doo, I have more secrets than you could ever hope to amount. Although I must say your series is one of the easiest to understand and best researched information guides I have ever had the pleasure of reading.
 
Ditzy Doo smiled at the note and she replied, You are a gentlecolt and a scholar, my friend.
 
Professor grinned at the last bit, “Well if lunch has concluded I must return to my studies.” as he got up from the table.
 
“Wait!” Pinkie Pie said. The room was quieted by the suddenness of the command. “You forgot your prize from earlier today.” Pinkie Pie picked the platter off the floor next to her and set it on the table. Lifting the lid off the platter revealed a large cake, “A free Mister Cake's famous carrot cake.”
 
Cartanis figured he could have one slice before he went back to his study.
 

 
Twilight watched as Professor walked back up the stairs to the private balcony. Pinkie Pie said goodbye to everyone and went off too apparently see Applejack about something, Ditzy Doo left as well. This was Twilight's chance to see what the Professor was up to on the balcony. She told Spike to wait as she went to check on the Professor. She approached the stairway as quietly as possible, looking up it to the outside she could make out the silhouette of Professor as he just reached the top. Seizing the chance, she quickly made her way after him, using as much stealth as possible.
 
Once at the top she managed to catch a glimpse of the Professor, as he sat down in front of a desk. Floating the book down from above him, he set it upon the desk. It was then opened to the front page.
 
“Oh-ho-ho, silly me.” the Professor stated to himself. He then cast a hoof out towards the stairwell, she froze thinking she had been seen. Instead Twilight felt a wave of energy appear behind her, before it seemed to fade away till she could barely detect it without trying very hard.
 
That was close, she thought, for a second I though the stairwell wasn't as dark as it looked. But his eyes must be keyed to the outdoor light and not the indoor dark of the stairwell. What Twilight saw next made her jaw drop.
 
With a commanding voice, Cartanis said, “Hat. Read.” The monocle in front of his right eye hummed to life. Cartanis' eyes slowly taking on a green hue, then the monocle sent out tethers of energy along the book. Grasping and manipulating the paper, it flipped a page and the title ran through Cartanis' mind Anatomy of the Equestrian Brain: for Medical Derps. Then the next page, and page after that one, so on and so forth the energy tendrils flew around the book. Each page they skimmed over appeared into Cartanis' mind, motor control, basics, no not there, need to go deeper. The energy was fluctuating into his mind definitions and symptoms, causes and effects. Where would you put information on a nearly involuntary function? Then he realized, infancy! Of course. Something learned early on as an essential skill.
 
The book's pages flipped wildly as he looked for it, freezing in place as the chapter was found. Key words then flew into Cartanis' mind, Infancy, Parietal lobe development. Limb dexterity in relation to age in months, by the first year all younglings should be able to use their slight magic to lock objects onto their hoofs. Damage or failure to properly learn the technique of grasping objects with one hoof can lead to poor motor skills later in life. In some cases, older ponies with head trauma can lose the ability to grasp things in one hoof and if not treated correctly they may never learn the technique again, proper care and rehabilitation must be performed in order to re-learn this important technique. Cartanis' allowed the book to flow into his mind, taking in everything he may have missed. Once the book was done being read, the energy coalesced and receded into the monocle which then dimmed. In the back of his mind Cartanis heard a familiar voice information recorded, personal copy made and awaits you in the library.
 
Cartanis mulled over the book in his mind, he coalesced a ball of fire and ice over the top of his hoof, manipulating it with his power. All ponies have some level of magic in them? He summoned a few other simple spells he knew, a lightning sphere, and some silvery magic missiles danced around him. He always thought a little clearer when he had to focus his power like this. Maybe Heratio can cross reference some of the other bo-. He felt his tripwire go off, but it had sent the warning to two beings within its radius. Alert to danger his spells ignited with power, the fire snaked around him defensively, jagged pillars of ice coiling through it. The orb increased in size and the lightning within began to boom with power. The missiles multiplied three-fold to create a swarm ready for attack. Cartanis was ready for anything and looked towards the staircase. Someone downstairs may have set off my tripwire, but only a few things can infiltrate my intricate spell designs. Gods help this world if it’s what I think it is, Cartanis began to cast mental blocks and countermeasures. How great is this one’s power if it survived the void?
 
He tried to manifest more power for what he feared he may face, but that secondary power. That magic of this universe spliced itself in with the spell like before against the plant beast. In an instant the spell went haywire, and a fireball of considerable size arced across the balcony and slammed against the roof of the stairwell. The fire's light revealed to him a purple unicorn, whom looked to be terrified beyond reason.
 
Before he could say a word Twilight turned to run down the stairs, if he had spells like those who knows what he really was. But as she turned her back feet tripped over each other, sending her tumbling down the stairway. The first hit against the stairs struck her on the chin, knocking her unconscious. Before she spun through the air for a moment and fell again on her back this time, continuing on her fatal fall.
 

 
Cartanis trotted as fast as he could down the stairs, he hoped he had been fast enough. Spike waited at the bottom, “What happened Professor!” Worry apparent on his face.
 
Cartanis responded, “I think she saw a little more than she would've liked to.”
 
“What?”
 
“Don't worry about that, where did she go.”
 
“Oh, umm she slid across the floor and-” but Spike didn't need to finish, Cartanis saw her at the opposite wall.
 
He trotted over and checked the slumped unicorn; a heartbeat answered his touch to her throat. “Phew, still alive. Looks like I still got it.” he saw a welt under her chin. That must have knocked her out, he thought. Giving a few other cursory glances about the unconscious mare he only noticed the cut on her back from where he believed she fell the second time.
 
“Is she going to be OK Professor?”
 
“She should be fine; I think I managed to use my magic in time. Nothing felt broken, a few bandages and she won't even have to worry about scarring.” Cartanis wondered if he should just leave right then, Twilight had obviously been scared from what she had seen. A part of Cartanis was sad, I hoped you could be one I would find a common goal with, you had that drive in you for knowledge like me. He turned to leave the Library, “Spike, I think I better go. She might not want me around when she gets up.”
 
Then Twilight began to rouse herself, the first thing she saw was Spike.
 
“Twilight your OK!” the baby dragon then hugged her around the head.
 
Twilight remembered what she saw, “Where is Professor, I don't think he's a regular unicorn!” She looked around and saw Professor standing beside her; she let loose a yelp as she backed away.
 
“Look Twilight let me-”
 
“No, you don't do anything.” Twilight readied her magic, binding Professor in a consortium of telekinetic power. Hovering him a few feet off the ground.
 
Unable to move, Cartanis simply looked toward Twilight. “Why must we do it this way?”
 
“Because I want answers, and I don't want to deal with any of your funny business.”
 
“Fine then ask away.”
 
“Where are you from!?”

“Canterlot.” Cartanis stated blankly.
 
“You're lying, I'm from Canterlot and I never heard of you before. Now tell me.”
 
“You wouldn't believe me.” Cartanis felt the wards strengthen around him.
 
“Why wouldn't I?”
 
“Because there is nothing in your world that defines what we traversed to get here. There was hardly an explanation for it in my world.”
 
“What do you mean WE?”
 
“Are they really that important? I'm the one in front of you.” Cartanis' messenger book began to hum and glow. It floated off his belt and towards Twilight. It hovered a few inches from her face; she opened it once before it slammed shut in front of her. She opened it again, straining against the force that willed the book to shut. She peered inside and saw the language she couldn't understand.
 
“This language isn't from anywhere in Equestria.”
 
“Do you believe me now?”
 
“Maybe.” Twilight thought of one last question. “How did you get those scars?”
 
“Please don't make me answer that.”
 
“Why not? Did you get it from the last pony that confronted you about this stuff?” She was straining to keep the book open.
 
“No I just would like to leave that part buried where it belongs.”
 
“You're not in a position to order me around, so don't beat around the bush.”
 
“There are some things that you don't need to know about me, if you want to know where I hail from. It’s a nice little city called Belli-” but he was cut off from the pressure of the wards against him.
 
“What did I just say about beating around the bush, how did you get your scars!?”
 
Cartanis couldn't breathe, and the lack of an answer was only making Twilight constrict him harder.
 
“Uh Twilight, maybe you should back off a little.” Spike said noticing Twilights horn was glowing unusually bright.
 
“No, he tried to kill, He's dangerous.” Twilight seemed to be making less sense as she continued rambling.
 
Cartanis realized he might very well have to dig up his past, but he couldn't when he was dead from asphyxiation. Just enough to weaken the wards, he thought to himself. He called upon the magic within himself and began making an arcane barrier extend out beyond himself, lessening the push of the wards from Twilight.
 
“Get back Spike, he's trying something.”
 
Once he could get a breath, Cartanis spoke up, “I got them from the one I Loved.”
 
“Well if she loved you why would she try to hurt you that badly?”
 
“She didn't mean to hurt me.” Cartanis could feel the wards press against his barrier harder than before.
 
“But you just said she gave them to you!”
 
“Twilight, please, this is getting dangerous, you're going to overexert your control. You don't have an infinite power supply!”
 
“She never loved you, somepony who loves another doesn't hurt them!”
 
Cartanis snapped, without thinking it through he reacted to her accusation; with force. Lighting erupted from his person, shattering the wards around him and a few nearby bookshelves. Landing on his feet he glared at Twilight, “How dare you call what we had anything but that!” Cartanis was stopped when he saw a look of pain on Twilight's face. That isn't possible, I didn't hit her I destroyed her wards.
 
“Stop, don't come any closer, dangerous, evil!”
 
I thought she was a wizardly one, but if she hurts when her spells are broken then that means. Cartanis noticed that Twilight's eyes had begun glowing intensely white. He felt the magic of the land rushing towards her, defending her. “Twilight you've got to calm down.” But fear remained evident on Twilight's face; Cartanis doubted she even heard him.
 
“What’s going on Professor?” Spike shouted to him.
 
“Spike get away from me, NOW!” Cartanis shouted to the scared baby dragon.
 
“Stay away from spike, I WON'T LET YOU HURT HIM!” Twilight shouted in an ethereal voice that went from concern to pure anger as she faced Cartanis.
 
Cartanis mustered all the power he had left and created a barrier around him while the baby dragon hid under a table half a room away. The rage on Twilight’s face was apparent as Cartanis felt the surge of power from the ley lines of the world explode through her. Knocking books from shelves, and breaking tables. “Why is she doing that?!” Spike asked.
 
“She isn't herself anymore, she's operating on pure emotion. And right now it’s about to focus in on me.” Cartanis braced himself, Twilight’s horn lit into a magnificence of light as her mane erupted into golden flame. The Unicorn unleashed a torrent of fire upon Cartanis; it streaked and sparked against his barrier.
 
Cartanis ran through the possible outcomes in his mind. I either hold out until she gets consumed by her own power. Or I let her hit me with everything she’s got and hope she regains her senses before she kills me. Both options seemed to end in bad ways, and he was quite sure he wouldn't be able to hold off against the force of a world bearing down on him.
 
May I make a suggestion sir? Cartanis heard the voice of his hat Heratio in his mind.
 
What?
 
Prove to her you are no threat.
 
How would I do that, she can't hear me!
 
I could initiate a mind link ritual between you and her, you show her the memory of you casting Feather Fall upon her when she was falling.
 
That wouldn't work, we need stronger emotions to pierce her mind. My concern for a pony I barely know won't shake her out of it.
 
Then show her what happened to Viranda.
 
The idea struck to Cartanis' heart. But I would have to do a cold transmission for the emotions to register properly, and how do we know she would respond to seeing the world with humans.
 
I never stated it would be an easy plan, and I have adsorbed more than enough information to alter the experience to fit her mind effortlessly.
 
Cartanis knew he had no choice, he had resolved that. But nothing could prepare him for reliving that day without the knowledge of how it would end. He could feel the barrier losing its battle against the hurricane of energy outside it; his control was waning under the pressure. Activate it Heratio!
 
Lights erupted from the monocle, drawing symbols and glyphs across the floor around him. More glyphs appeared between Cartanis and Twilight. Siphoning power from the surrounding charged atmosphere, the runes glowed and Cartanis soon found himself fired into the history of his mind. His memory of the past few minutes were flying from his mind peeling back the layer of time in his life, then days, weeks ,years, decades. Eventually slamming home to that fateful day.
 

 
Cartanis Awoke with a shout, he looked about the room, slowly calming as he was back in reality. What a dream, dragons and dungeons. What did I eat to think up that? He heard a knock at his door, “Come in” he shouted. Through the door an orange unicorn mare with fiery red hair and deep crimson eyes walked in. “Viranda, my love what are you doing here?”
 
“Don't you know what time it is Cartanis?”
 
“Why what-?” he looked to the clock at his desk to see it was four 'o' clock, “the demonstration is in fifteen MINUTES!” He rushed over to the mirror next to his clock. The young blue unicorn quickly checked over his mane, rich and black it was short to his head. His face unmarked, young, and full of life “How’s my mane?”
 
“Its fine my dear, but we best hurry if we wish to make it in time.”
 
“Good point.”
 
“Well maybe, you should wear a hat.”
 
“Oh please dear, a wizard in a hat? Don't you know how cliché that is? We want to make an impression not a joke.” Cartanis turned to see she had a box floating in front of his face, a small grin on her face. He took it and opened it, inside was a small ring.
 
“Happy twenty-eighth birthday, I got you a wife.”
 
“Oh Viranda, how did you know?” he said sarcastically a smile graced his lips.
 
“Well we have been seeing each other for a few years now, and I know how you like to procrastinate. SO... I felt I might have to take the leap of faith on this one.”
 
“Of course you do, and of course I will take you as my wife.” They nuzzled each other; Cartanis slipped the ring into his jacket pocket before they galloped off towards the University of Belliron.
 

 
“Are they still here?” Cartanis asked an assistant as they entered through a back door to the labs.
 
“Yes but we're almost run them to their wits end here, they want to see the new teleportation spell.” the unicorn said in an annoyed tone.
 
“Well Cartanis and Viranda are here now aren't we? So let’s get started!”
 
They walked through the doors to the show room, dignitaries from interested schools of magic sat amongst the bleachers out in front of the stage. “Excuse us for the delay, there was a wait on supplies. But now we can get started.”
 
Cartanis took his place in the design upon the ground, within the circle meant for controller. His soon to be wife Viranda stood across from him, within a square meant for the source. He turned towards the crowd, “What is it about teleportation that we take for granted?”
 
Cartanis waited simply for effect before continuing, “That it is safe. When in fact this can't be farther from the truth. But we here have discovered a new means to traverse the planes and the realms of mortals. No longer will we fear being thrown off course because of some meddling outside force, or from the failings of a novice. With our new design of teleportation ritual, anyone with magical power will be able to traverse the infinite gaps between spaces and find themselves safely at their destination. Maybe even one day to places never before thought possible.” He turned back to the center of the ritual ground, “Begin!”
 
Assistants mingled about in the background, finishing connections in the ritual drawing and bringing forth a container with seals and barriers placed around it. They set it down in the center between the two of them. Cartanis looked towards Viranda, and said the same thing they had said to each other the first time they met, “Think you can control your power Sorceress?”
 
“Only if you don't explode from my raw might, Wizard.” she said with a grin.
 
“Release the Paradox agent.” a spark of magic was thrown into the container, unsealing it. Opening to give a dark stone to the light. Upon being bathed in atmosphere it began reacting, here we go Cartanis thought to himself. He sent some of his magic into the ritual ground, signaling for Viranda to begin channeling the arcana of the world. After the circuit was complete, the glyphs and runes etched into the floor ignited brightly, Cartanis felt his soul leave his form as he joined in consciousness with Viranda.
 
There we go, by the book. Now let’s contain this shall we? Using the almost infinite power being produced from the sorceress, he formed a barrier around the unstable piece of matter, constantly shifting it to deal with the new forces as they appeared. Preventing it from reacting with anything else. The Anti-matter like substance was therefore unable to complete its reaction, yet it still attempted to react with the magical forces around it. A light shone at the core of the sphere, growing slowly, and only has fast as Cartanis allowed. Just got to wait for it to hit the sweet spot. Shortly afterwards a small dark hole appeared in the center of the basketball sized sphere of light. Assistants could be heard cheering around them.
 
Good work dear, He heard within his mind.
 
But something at his body pulled him to take a moment to look through his eyes once more. He noticed one of the full lab geared assistants began walking close to the ritual, what’s he doing?! The assistant took a vial from his coat and slammed it against the ritual on the floor. Cartanis felt something change in the reaction at the center. The offending assistant removed the mask to reveal a face which was sleek like a chameleons, cats eyes staring bitterly at the crowd behind Cartanis.
 
“FOR THE TEIFLING THEOCRACY!” it shouted, drawing a dagger from under its coat and galloping into the crowd, others like him appeared from shadows and dark corners of the room. Cartanis could hear the sounds of the struggle, but his attention was drawn back to the ritual.
 
What did he do!? He heard a panicked voice of Viranda in his mind.
 
The ritual was spiraling out of control, the small energy sphere they had made, was attempting to grow and consume more. He broke the ritual, I can't keep the containment field up. The void is going to spill over to our side!
 
Is there anything you can do?
 
Cartanis ran through options in his mind, can you cut off your connection, break the power supply!
 
I tried, I'm stuck in an inverse loop I can't halt power because it keeps running back into me. Can you teleport us out of range, maybe take it away from here. Let it detonate somewhere it won’t hurt anyone?
 
Cartanis tried to activate the summoning to move them, but he found only silence to his call. I can't, whatever that tiefling did, it erased parts of the ritual and changed them to work differently. We are stuck here. I can't think of anything else. If this thing goes off Viranda the whole city may as well go with it.
 
He felt Viranda beginning to become sad. There is still one thing that can be done.
 
Cartanis knew of what she was thinking, NO, if you do that.... your soul!
 
What else would you have us do?
 
We've studied the void for years Viranda, we can navigate it. We can make it back.
 
Would you punish all those other souls to nothingness just for us?
 
You know I don't want that, but I also don't want to lose you.
 
I know you don't my love, but we can't discuss this. It must simply be done.
 
Cartanis frantically thought. There has to be a way out of this. A way that doesn't involve losing you!
 
He felt her beginning to summon more power from the world, the air became charged with silvery arcana.
 
Please don't leave me, don't leave me to this world.
 
Don't make this harder than it is love. He could feel her beginning to become elemental, her spirit disappearing against the background noise of the arcane storm coursing through her. Promise me you won't destroy this life I am giving you.
 
I won't, I promise.
 
You are the only stallion I shall ever love, with all my heart. She said in a caring and loving tone.
 
And you are the only mare I ever wish to be with forever. Cartanis replied with a steady voice
 
Cartanis could feel his connection to her slipping; he tried to hold onto her. Even though it was futile. Viranda's spirit shone like a glowing star amidst the storm, glowing brighter and brighter. Until eventually her physical form collapsed to dust from the energies it could not hold. An earth shattering explosion erupted from where she had stood. Cartanis blacked out from the sudden loss of stability and was slammed into his own body once more, whisked away by the energy of it all. With Viranda's spirit no longer tethered to a body, it was scattered amongst the storm. Joining the energies of the world, Viranda was for all intents and purposes; no more
 

 
Cartanis roused from his unconscious slumber, he was lying in rubble of the university. Then he remembered what just happened. He tried to stand, but was greeted by a sharp pain from his right front hoof, as well as the intense burning pain on his face. But he cared not, with three legs he hobbled his way over rubble, trying to get his bearings. Where is the epicenter? Cartanis looked about, but it was hard to see with only one good eye. Eventually he made out the shape of the blast and hobbled towards its center. He was not thrown far from it, the arcane storm had destroyed most of the university but the city seemed to be intact.
 
Cartanis raced to the disaster's center as fast as he could when he spotted it. There has to be something of you left, anything, I can get you revived. I can get you back. He wanted to believe his sweet lies, oh how he wanted to. He tried to clear away rubble with his magic, but it only brought on an intense pain unlike any other he had felt. He was afraid of what the implications could mean, but Cartanis didn't wish to dwell on the issue of being potentially hornless so instead he opted to do it the old fashioned way, and next to the epicenter under a pile of rubble he found something. It was her gauntlet, like an armored sleeve, untouched by the destruction. The various rubies within still simmered with fire. He clutched it with one arm to his chest. Silently weeping whilst sitting alone amidst the destruction. I won't forget you, ever.
 
Cartanis felt a hoof against his shoulder, he pushed it off. Then he raised his head. Who could be here? He turned to see an unscathed purple unicorn standing behind him, looking sad with tears welled up in her eyes. “Who are you?” he said with a strange feeling that he had seen her before.
 
Then he was thrust forward, into the future. Memories flooding back into his mind. Thirty years had passed in but a few seconds. He was lying on the wooden floor of a library, in another world, slightly burned. A very concerned looking unicorn was galloping across the room to his side. So tired, so... tired.
 

 
Twilight raced to Cartanis' side, the old unicorn had blacked out. “Oh no, oh no, oh no.”
 
“Twilight, are you OK now?” Spike said as he crawled out from under a table.
 
“I'm fine Spike, but I don't know about Cartanis.” Twilight put a hoof to his neck to see that he was still alive from the heartbeat she felt, but it wasn't too strong.
 
“Who?”
 
“Its Professor’s name, or his real name, I don't know. He did something, showed me who he was, what happened that gave him his scars.” She tried to think, maybe he left her something to use in the memory. How did he leave the crater, he reached at something on his waist belt after he found Viranda's gauntlet and then. Of course. Twilight rolled the unicorn on his back, and looked for the vial around his belt. She found it right where it was in the memory. She quickly popped the quark out of the vial and poured it down his throat.
 
For a few anxious seconds nothing happened, and then the burns on the unicorn’s body melted away into his flesh. He groaned and stirred, suddenly he was sat upright, “Viranda!” he called out, eyes constricted and shaking. Eventually his breathing slowed, he put a hoof to his face, “Right, ancient history and magic and all that.” he stood up, giving himself a good shake. “Well seeing as how I'm still a unicorn I must not be dead.” He turned to Twilight, “Well I hope I didn't scare you too much.”
 
Twilight scratched at the floor, “Sorry I jumped to so many conclusions, nearly disintegrated you, and... stuff.”
 
Cartanis looked around, even if it had been a few hours in their minds. It couldn't have been more than a few seconds in the present. He saw where he blocked Twilight's attack; a small charcoal ring was evident of that. Other than a few broken pieces of furniture, nothing was really damaged. “Even when you go crazy, you have some control to it.”
 
"Well... It's less about control and more about enchanting everything you own to resist being lit on fire." she motioned toward Spike.

"Oh."

She quickly wished to change the subject. “So I guess what you said was true, you really are from... someplace else?”
 
“Yep” Cartanis returned his gaze to Twilight.

“Can I ask you about something that happened that day?”
 
“Please Twilight, I just re-experienced my lover's death. You were there for most of it, I don't think you need to ask an old thing like me to go digging that up again.”
 
“It isn't about your wife, I was kind of wondering why your scars didn't heal when you drank the potion.”
 
Cartanis sighed as he felt his face, “The injuries on my face and to my eye were caused by an arcane hell storm, I'm spell-scarred because of it, and nothing can remove them. As a side effect, my powers had been all but nullified, it took me a long time to get myself back up to speed.”
 
“OK that was all I wanted to know.”
 
Cartanis, remembered what he was going to ask her for before this all began, “Now I know it might sound out of place, but I would like to know if you have something that could be used to read brain activity.”
 
“I think I might have something in my lab.”
 

 
Cartanis looked down at the handkerchief in front of him on the table. “Am I all hooked up Twilight?”
 
Twilight was trotting between various gizmos and doodads around her lab making sure it was running smoothly. “Just let me hook this into the helmet, and you'll be ready to go.” Twilight inserted a power coupling into the bulb covered helmet on Cartanis' head, causing them to light up and create a small sustained hum.
 
Cartanis took out a hoof, gently placed it upon the handkerchief, and lifted his hoof. “Anything?”
 
Twilight looked over readouts and papers as they were printed. “Well you seem to be using your brain right, it’s just that you’re not activating a specific region. Maybe you’re forgetting something.”
 
It isn't a question of forgetting, it’s a question of learning. But how? Cartanis scratched at his chin while he thought of what he could do.
 
“How did you pick up stuff before you were a pony?”
 
“I had fingers, you might know them as phalanges. But now that I don't have them, I can't quite make out how you ponies use your strange new perception to pick stuff up.” Cartanis swiped at the handkerchief again.
 
“Well maybe you never lost your fingers.”
 
Cartanis' face wrinkled in confusion, “What?”
 
“The shock from discovering your new form could've changed what you believe, so to speak. You said that a “human” and us ponies used the same region of our brain to pick things up. Maybe you just don't pick stuff up because without the fingers that you've had your whole life, you don't believe that you can.”
 
Cartanis mulled it over in his mind, “You know Twilight that is actually a rather good theory you have there. Let’s test it out shall we.” Cartanis put a hoof down on the handkerchief again; he concentrated on making his phantom fingers move. Anything would be better than nothing he thought. At receiving strange old information, Cartanis could feel his brain tickle as it attempted to move a limb it no longer had. Just something, give me anything! Cartanis' mind was straining from what it attempted to do. Cartanis thought he felt something, had he grabbed the handkerchief? Quickly he raised his hoof, but the rag remained on the table.
 
“I guess it’s just another busted theory.” Twilight said with a sigh.
 
“No, we are on to something. That time I actually felt something, I need to try it again.”
 
Cartanis closed his eyes, OK now to put my hoof- no, I mean my hand on the handkerchief. In his mind’s eye he placed his hand on top of the rag, feeling it beneath his hand. Now just open your hand, relax your fist. At first not much happened, Cartanis tried to remember the feeling of his hand. A motion so simple that he knew he had to have it somewhere in him, involuntarily waiting for a command. I can't have forgotten something so easy, not in three days. Slowly, but surely, he could feel his hand opening, the muscles feeling atrophied from disuse. Now Cartanis had an open hand on the cloth, just close it into your hand. Once again his muscles ached; they were so strained as he slowly enveloped the cloth into his hand. But he was making progress, eventually he felt the cloth balled up in his grasp. Now just, Cartanis lifted his hand and opened his eyes. He was staring at a blue hoof, with a handkerchief balled up vertically next to it. “YES!”
 
“Good job!” Twilight had a grin on her face, happy for her friend.
 
Cartanis let the cloth fall from his hoof, and picked it up again, each time with less effort. He did so again a few times with his other hoof as well. Cartanis grasped his messenger book with one hoof, and opened it with his other, a smile beaming across his face. He recorded a message, I did it Andur, I can pick up stuff with one hoof. Words on paper are no good for teaching this skill, oh just wait till I tell you how it works! He let the message recede into the paper, before closing it. “I feel like celebrating, why don't we go see Pinkie Pie, I kind of want another cupcake before I go off to find my friends.”
 
“Oh, so you're leaving now.” Twilight absently scratched at the ground. She still had so many questions.
 
“Did I say I, well I am pretty sure I meant WE, right Miss Sparkle?” Twilight looked up a little surprised. “Besides I think I might still get lost in your quaint little hamlet here.”
 
They proceeded upstairs and outside, off to Sugarcube corner.
 

 
As they wandered through the town square on the way to Sugarcube corner, Cartanis took note of how late it was getting. The sun had just started to set, “So you see, when we arrived you could imagine how flabbergasted we were.”
 
“Oh I'm sure if I wound up in your world somehow I would be flabbergasted as well.” Twilight thought about something for a moment. “Say Cartanis, when did you happen to arrive in our world?”
 
Cartanis just sighed and halted, “I know what you're thinking Twilight, and I have been contemplating it as well. There is a correlation between the disaster a few days ago and our timely arrival, I knew something had to of happened when we breached but. I didn't think we would cause all of this misfortune upon your town, when the old team and I experimented with the void we never recalled anything larger than a mouse. Even then the shockwave it produced was significant, but I believe the more complex the creature, the more exponentially powerful the resulting explosion. And there were three of us at the same time.”
 
“That can be an explanation I guess, I know you didn't mean to do that. Now exactly what did your friends turn into?”
 
“Well my good friend Andur, he turned into a Clydesdale.”
 
“Oh you mean like that pony over there.” Twilight motioned to a strong draft pony pulling a cart.
 
“Oh no he’s far larger than that little thing, I would say he’s almost the size of your Princess Celestia.”
 
“Whoa, he really would stand out then huh, I must have missed him earlier today.”
 
“As for Ted, he’s a zebra, or a zebragus, I'm not really sure what to call him. You didn't have much besides some folklore on Zebras at the library.”
 
“Maybe I can ask Zecora later about them, she might know something.”
 
The two were interrupted from their conversation by a clatter of hooves and the sound of a rickety wagon pulling into town. They looked over to see a team of horses pulling a fancy looking carriage into town. “Oh great.” Twilight said putting a hoof to her face.
 
“Oh great wha-?” Cartanis was stopped mid sentence as the cart screeched to a stop in front of them.
 
The carriage clicked and opened into a large stage like one would’ve seen on Broadway, a blue unicorn mare posed in the middle. “The Great and Powerful Trixie,” fireworks shot out of the stage and into the air, exploding into fanciful colors. “has RETURNED citizens of Ponyville! Having journeyed from far off lands, the Great and Powerful Trixie,” More fireworks shot off into the air, “has returned with new tales of her greatness and mastery of all powerful magic.”
 
A small crowd was drawn by the spectacle, although, very few if anypony looked amused. Most looked rather displeased with the blue unicorn mare. “Um who is she?” Cartanis asked to Twilight.
 
“WHO asks WHO the Great and Powerful Trixie is!” another volley of fireworks shot off into the night sky. Trixie looked at Cartanis.
 
“I don't know who you are miss, but I don't think you are that great based on the reception of the crowd here.”
 
“You must be shown Trixie's Greatness, oh lovely assistant!” Trixie clopped her hooves together to summon a griffon from behind the curtains.
 
“Yeah?” the griffon said in a gruff tone.
 
“Fetch Trixie that unicorn’s top hat would you, Gilda?”
 
“Whatever.” Gilda walked off the stage and towards Cartanis.
 
He was then face to face with the rather large griffon, “I'm sorry but I can't allow you to take my hat.”
 
“Look dude, it’s just a stupid hat, you'll get it back.”
 
Far more sternly, “Excuse me but no, means NO little missy.”
 
Gilda didn't care what he said; she reached for the hat anyway. Only to be stopped by a rush of power, her claw being thrown back by the unicorn's magic, so you want to play it that way? “Fine keep your stupid hat.”
 
Cartanis turned to leave with Twilight, only to get the wind knocked out of him. Gah, I just got that bruise healed too. Cartanis was slumped against the ground; he could feel that his hat was no longer with him. Looking back towards the stage he could see the griffon give the hat to Trixie. He tried speaking, but he still couldn't catch his breath. He was so disoriented he couldn't find his center to summon magic either.
 
“The Great and Powerful Trixie,” paused to let the fireworks go, “shall send this stallion's hat to the stars, and bring it back. With her own magic.”
 
A large single firework was brought to the middle of the stage; Cartanis' hat was strapped on top of the rocket. Well if that's all she’s going to do, wait. Horror struck upon his face, I forgot to close the doorway, if that thing goes off in the wrong place. Now having a purpose, Cartanis struggled against his dizziness. He had to get to the stage.
 
The rockets fuse was lit.
 
Cartanis began to stand.
 
The fuse approached the rockets base
 
He was now galloping towards the stage, leaped aboard it, diving for his hat.
 
Too late, the rocket spewed fire, erupting with force it rocketed upwards; and disappeared into the hat. The hat then fell through the air and plopped brim-down against the stage. The crowd was speechless at what they just saw. Cartanis was frightened to a standstill in front of it. Eventually a loud boom was heard from deep within the top hat, causing it to jump and roll over on its side. Smoke began to pour out of it.
 
“No no no no no,” Cartanis continued as he quickly grabbed his top hat by the brim, turned it upside down and slammed it against the stage. It flattened against the impact, and then Cartanis stuck his hooves inside the brim of the hat and pulled it apart. Widening the brim to a good four or five times its original size, he then disappeared within to the sounds of his clopping hoofs echoing and quieting against the night.
 
Twilight almost didn't believe her eyes at the site, smoke was pouring out the hat hole on the stage. Eventually the stunned silence was broken by a loud shout from the hat, “MY BOOKS!!!” Twilight recognized the sound of Cartanis' voice. Soon after the smoke dissipated, and everyone could once again hear the sounds of hooves echoing up from the hat. A very unhappy Unicorn head popped out of the hole
 
“You!” Cartanis pointed to Trixie, “Need to learn to respect others opinions of you, not everyone has to think you’re great.” Cartanis summoned an old spell he knew, a spark of electricity jumped from his outstretched hoof to Trixie's nose. The crowd burst into laughter.
 
“What did he do, what did he do to Trixie!” Trixie shouted in fear. She then felt the electricity running through her mane and tail; she grabbed a mirror and was horrified. Horrified to see how she looked like some overgrown poodle thanks to her hair that was poofed out straight from her body. “The Great and Powerful Trixie,” another sudden volley of fireworks “is not a lap dog!” She ran off crying behind the curtain.
 
Gilda was laughing uncontrollably at Trixie's misfortune. “And YOU!” Gilda turned to see an angry Unicorn staring back at her from the hat hole. “Learn to respect others, PERIOD!” Gilda was then hit by a cloud of dust Cartanis threw at her; she coughed and sneezed a bit before stopping.
 
“What’s the big idea?” Gilda shouted at him, but the unicorn was only smiling. As the crowd laughed harder than they had before.
 
Oh that never gets old, Cartanis thought to himself.
 
The griffon began spouting more nonsense, “(what are you all laughing at!) The popcorn taste delivers to sky butter!” She then attempted to roar ferociously just to make them stop, but all that came out was the sound of a mewling kitten.
 
Oh derpy dust, you never fail me, do you? Cartanis simply smiled as the Griffon took off behind the curtain as well. He then hopped out of the hat and onto the stage, “Hat. Heel.” the hat shrunk, returned to its normal shape, righted itself, and hopped onto Cartanis' head. He then jumped slightly at the sound of a stampede, he looked to the crowd to see them all standing in place stomping their front feet against the ground, cheering. That must be how they give applause. Cartanis gave them his best pony bow, and hopped off the stage.
 
He went over to Twilight who was standing next to Pinkie Pie, “I heard fireworks and thought there was a party, but instead I find one of the best magic acts EVER!” the pink pony jumped up and down excitedly.
 
“It's probably too late for the bakery to be open anyway,” Pinkie Pie nodded an affirmative, “Well we might as well go back to the Library, I have some things I need to do. Damage control and what not”
 
All of a sudden a rainbow streak flew out of the sky and landed in front of them. “Twilight there you are, I need your help.” the rainbow mane pegasus mare was frantically breathing, as she dropped an unconscious brown Pegasus next to her. Cartanis thought the blue Pegasus looked familiar.
 
“Rainbow Dash, what’s the problem? Who is that?”
 
Cartanis noticed the green bag around her neck; it had the symbols of Ted's name in Elven on it. “Where did you get that?” Cartanis interjected.
 
“It doesn't matter your friend's in danger, the Thunderheads have got him.”
 
A second Pegasus landed behind the first, this was the same crème one from that morning. “Rainbow Dash don't fly off like that I can't keep up when you do things like that, well... unless you wanted to... I mean... umm.” She looked over to Cartanis, letting loose a weak meep at the sight of him.
 
Twilight spoke up, “Calm down Fluttershy, this is Cartanis. He's an old friend.”
 
Fluttershy seemed to stop cowering so much and let out a weak “Hi.” to him.
 
As much as Cartanis liked meeting new faces, the matter of Ted's bag remained. “Does this friend happen to be a Zebra?”
 
“Well Ted's more of a “Zebragus”,” Rainbow Dash stated, “But yeah he saved me and all, I just got to figure out where they took him. This guy was with the Thunderheads, I thought maybe you could do something with him.”
 
All eyes turned to the out cold Pegasus, “Cartanis, do you think you could read his mind, kind of like what you did with me but in reverse.”
 
Cartanis sighed, “Well thanks to the Great and Powerful Trixie,” he jumped at the sound of the stage shooting off more fireworks, “anyway, thanks to her, my hat is in too much disrepair to do much or aid me in such a dangerous ritual. But I might still be able to rouse him, that leaves the problem of getting him to talk.” Cartanis knew one person or should he say pony who could. He whipped out his messenger book, Ted got himself in a spot, I need you at the town square in front of town hall. NOW! “OK let’s take this little troublemaker to the town hall, there are probably less eyes over that way anyway. Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, I need to know what Ted has been up to”
 
The large group headed off for the town hall, prisoner in tow.