//------------------------------// // 2: Background // Story: Finding a place // by orioncorey //------------------------------// Manus’ journal POV, UNKNOWN time, UNKNOWN location Day 11: I’ve been studying for a week or two, now. And, let me tell you, this magic stuff is hard. I’ve been studying the whole time, and I’ve learned 2 spells, Fireball and Flash Sweat. Fireball is a small fireball, and Flash Sweat makes you sweat magically and resist fire. In other words, I’ve learned how to make the tiniest fireball ever and how to make people sweat a lot. Yippe. I’ve also realized that either this is the longest drug trip ever, I’m dead and in heaven and/or hell, or this is real. I don’t know what to think, I want it to be real, and I’m a magician, like Harry Potter, but, still…my old life was good. I was an ordinary person, but I was cool with that. If this is heaven or hell… Then I don’t know what to think. Well… I’m not making much sense at all. I feel like my mind is just too cluttered, and I’m unfocused. I must just not be getting enough sleep, or something. Yeah… or something… Manus’ journal POV, UNKNOWN time, UNKNOWN location Day 27: I feel a lot more focused now! I haven’t been able to make an entry since the last one, since I was so busy, but I’ve learned a crap-ton more spells, and I’ve successfully cast one intermediate pyromancy, Iron Flesh. I’ve got all of the beginner pyromancies except for poison mist close to mastered. I’m going to continue the intermediate section for pyromancy, and hopefully be at least a quarter of the way done by next month. Lauren is still pretty excited about the prospect of me helping her. I’ve been telling her, though, that according to the book, it’ll be a while before I can help. She’s a pretty good friend, too. But, I’m still thinking… Is this real life? Or is this just fantasy? Am I dead, or comatose in a hospital, or… something else? Whatever. This place is still here, might as well enjoy it while I can. On an unrelated note, my mind almost short-circuited when I woke up the day after my arrival, when I realized that this might be real, but not because of how ridiculous or insane it seemed. It was because I felt like I could finally have some power over others, for once. I feel like this life is more than just a redo. But, I’m rambling now. I’ll write again as soon as I have something interesting. Manus’ journal POV, UNKNOWN time, UNKNOWN location Day 60: I’d almost forgotten about this thing, since I was so focused on my training! Anyway, I’m progressing a lot faster than the book says I should be! I guess I’m a fast learner, even though I probably should have known this, what with me being top of the class in everything before. I’ve completed almost half of the intermediate section, when I should only be, like, a quarter of the way done. At this rate, I’ll be done with all of pyromancy in a couple months! Speaking of, pyromancy is pretty cool. It’s pretty scoffed at by sorcerers and miracle workers, since it's so “simple”. However, it harnesses the body’s powers, and it’s chemical properties, as well as fire’s properties, to make ridiculously amazing results. I can make columns of fire appear from nothing except willpower. I can say this, though: I’ve kinda skimmed through sorceries and miracles, and they’re pretty complex. I would even say, too complex. I’ll just probably make a monthly update, now. I’ll write a new entry next month. Manus’ journal POV, UNKNOWN time, UNKNOWN location Month 3: I’m moving ridiculously fast in my magic. I’ve already completed the intermediate and beginner sections in three-quarters of the time recommended as the minimum. I’m starting the advanced section soon, and I’ll gonna try seeing if I just have a gift at magic, or what’s going on. But, now to address the elephant still in the room. I’ve decided that this is reality for me now. I’ve been here for going on 3 months, and I like it here. It’s peaceful and calm, and I’m going to help create Equestria, setting of My Little Pony, my favorite show. I feel like I have a part to play, instead of being one of billions of useless pawns back on Earth. Manus’ journal POV, start of time, 6.4 billion B.P., UNKNOWN location Month 4: I got to witness an amazing thing today. Lauren had enough charge to create a primordial “god”, so she created one of the fundamental aspects of existence, Time. Time was a mare, with an hourglass as a cutie mark. She had a tan, almost peach colored coat and a pitch-black mane, with spots of white. Her eyes were a piercing sky blue, with a look in her eyes that made them seem to just go through me, like an X-Ray. She held herself with an air of elegance, but still showed that she wasn’t afraid to get dirty when needed. Lauren created her by focusing with her horn and simply thinking about her and how she would look, act, and think, and what her job was. She came to being like one of those 3-D printers, but sped up, forming in horizontal layers, and finishing in seconds. When Lauren had finished, she asked, “Do you know your job?”. Finally, Time opened her eyes, and said, “Yes. I am Time. Shall I start the sands of Me turning?” Her voice was very melodious, sounding, for all the world, like sand falling through an hourglass. Lauren had smiled. And said, “No, not yet. First, I’d like to introduce myself and my companion. I’m Lauren Faust, and this is Manus. We are creators, and we would very much like your help making the Universe. What do you say?” Time had seemed to need to think for only a second, before saying, “Yes.” “Then, start time turning, at the beginning. 6.4 billion B.P.” Manus’ journal POV, 6.4 billion B.P., UNKNOWN location Month 5: I didn’t say anything at all about my training last month! Well, I suppose it is logical, since I had just witnessed the birth of a primordial god. Speaking of, she’s been hanging out with us in the house. I think she’s just hanging out since she doesn't really have anything to do. Anyway, my training. I’ve mastered all beginner and intermediate pyromancies, and about half of advanced. That should have taken, like, 9 months to do, but I did it in 5! I guess I do have a gift for magic! These advanced spells are pretty dangerous. They’re usually hot enough to produce lava on impact! I haven’t learned Power Within, Black Flame, or Acid Surge yet. I expect Power Within will be the hardest, if my skimming when I’m bored and the warnings about it are any clue. I’ll start sorcery soon, as soon as I have every pyromancy mastered. Manus’ journal POV, 6.4 billion B.P., UNKNOWN location Month 6: I have everything except Power Within done. It’s being a right pain, since it’s probably the most dangerous and the most complex spell, all at the same time. I’ll just have to work on it. Lauren said that she’s going to create the sun, moon, and Space next month, if I can learn Power Within by then, so I can help her. This is going to be like an assessment in school! She said I might need to use my pyromancy to fuel the sun, by pumping chaos fire into it. This is going to be so cool, so my entry will end here for now. Oh, and also, from now on, I’ll make an entry only when I have something important to say. I must say, these entries are becoming increasingly sparse. Manus’ journal POV, 6.4 billion B.P., Epicenter of nothing Month 7: What I saw when Faust created Time was just leveled by the past day. Well, first, I mastered Power Within. It takes a half hour after using it to recharge if I use it for 5 minutes, though. When I told Faust that I’d mastered it, she was so excited. She took me outside, and told me to stand next to Time. Next, she had me start giving power to Time, and they started to channel power to make the sun, moon, and Space. Faust focused on the moon and Space, and Time and me focused on the sun. I pumped in power through Power Within, and sent Chaos Fire storms, balls, and surges flying out, as far as I could get them to reach. I kinda remember casting Flash Sweat to help us get through the unbearable heat. After that, it was almost half an hour of constantly draining my life power with small breaks and summoning chaotic fire. When we had finished, I almost passed out. Faust started rotating the sun and moon, and introduced me, her, and Time to Space. I couldn’t see too well, then, but now I know, since I’ve talked to him a few times, that Space is a stallion, with a white coat and brown dapples across it, with a light brown mane. His posture wasn’t elegant, like Time’s, but… well, gritty. He emitted the sense that he wasn’t afraid to get dirty, like Time, but this was a hundred times stronger. In short, I passed my test. I powered the sun, and I helped the embodiment of time create it. I did it. Space and Time will team up and make the rest of creation, except for Ponies, which Faust will make herself. She says that she’ll go dormant after that, until she's needed. And me? I plan on being the best magician that has been, or ever will be. I swear on that. I swear.