//------------------------------// // Chapter Seven - Adventure Bound III // Story: Summer Bound // by Windsocks //------------------------------// Usually, when you think of being transported into a fantasy-like world, you think of fighting dragons, and slaying orcs. But not me, no. I had to face down a beast so terrifying, that even Hercules himself would cower in fear. “Kenneth,” Came a soothing voice behind me. My brain required more sleep so I pushed the silk like tone of whoever was bothering me away. Mumbling something incomprehensible, I turned my head on the hard surface and attempted to get a couple more minutes of shut-eye. “Kenneth,” Once again the hushed tone of a mare spoke out. Hoping that doing nothing will bore the creature, I did as such. I just laid there face down on a cold hard surface, praying that the mare will get the idea. “You can’t say I didn’t warn you,” Came the same voice as the sound of wind chimes picked up. My mind immediately entered panic mode, I knew very well what that noise meant. “Don’t you-” and that was all I was able to do before the chair I was once sitting upon vanished beneath me. With a large ‘thunk’ my body hit the hard-oak floor. There was a long silence as I just laid there on the floor looking up at a smiling Celestia. “I would give that a five out of ten on the bad morning scale,” she chimed. Oh you thought I was talking about Twilight? Huh, how cute. Staying up late and studying I can handle, I did it in college, but this mare. I comment to myself as I reached out to grab Celestia’s outstretched hoof. This mare, is worse than any dragon or orc out there. “I have a feeling this is going to be an ongoing thing,” I say getting back up onto my feet and rubbing the sleep from my eyes. Celestia lets out a little chuckle, “We are even now, but it will continue if you do it again.” “Point taken,” I said looking over where I was passed out. It was just a normal desk with a pile of books on Equnish. Twilight herself actually passed out before I did, surprising, I know. I guess all her excitement caused her to become tired faster. Speaking of the purple devil, she was nowhere to be found. I swore she ate the dust right next to me. “Where’s Twilight?” I ask looking around the room. “In her room. Once I awoke I came to see her asleep beside you. So, I carried her up to her room for some proper rest.” Celestia relayed. I gave her a stern look, “and why the heck didn’t you do the same for me?” “Well, if I did it for you as well, I wouldn’t be able to wake you up.” She stated with a sheepish smile. This little mare had the whole thing planned from the moment she saw me passed out on the table. “Nevertheless, did you accomplish much with your study session?” Celestia continued. I shook my head, “Only a couple words, and even then, I can’t really pronounce them. I don’t think my voice box was meant to make those types of sounds.” Celestia looks a bit disappointed but continues on nevertheless. “I’m sure one day you’ll learn the language. Either way, we need to get going. I already packed us some little meals for the road ahead.” “Alright, just give me a couple minutes to get up,” I comment sitting up on the couch. Looking down I can still see the same hole Twilight made in my clothes. Looks like I’ll have to wait for another teleport to fix this. This train of thought got me thinking. I have yet to teleport in two whole days. Either something went horribly wrong, or it somehow fixed itself with me on the wrong side. Shaking my head, I wipe the sleep from my eyes and stand up. Like always in the mornings, my mind was clouded and my vision was a bit off. I needed a quick rinse and something in my belly, before I would be in any condition to go anywhere. With that in mind, I slowly wandered towards the stairs. Other than the fact that the library was a complete mess. It actually had a lot of defining features. Every bookcase was carved into the very wood of the tree. Multiple pictures of different ponies lay both on the walls and upon the desk. Lastly, a few statues carved out of wood were occupying either corners or key areas. Arriving at the bathroom upstairs, I instantly walk over to the sink. Turning the tap to full cold I cup my hands under the stream of water. As one would expect, the bite of the cold water across my hands instantly shook me from my dazed state, but that wasn’t enough. Waiting a couple more seconds, my cupped hands soon started to overflow with the water. Taking a large breath in, I splashed the water into my face. It almost felt like a jolt of electricity ran through my body, slapping every organ on the way through. It was a crude, but effective way to wake up in the morning. Releasing the water altogether, I turned off the faucet and exited the bathroom. In all honesty, I really needed a shower, but I came to accept that even if I did take one, the journey ahead would just undo it in a matter of seconds. Reaching downstairs, I come to see Celestia already by the door. Her flower in her mane, and a saddle bag on her back. By now, I come to accept that her safari get-up is something that will stay with her until the end of the journey. “Ready to go?” She started shuffling the bag on her back. Shaking my head, no, I quickly turn into the kitchen. In a matter of seconds, I pick up a nearby apple. Having gotten what I wanted, I exit the kitchen and walk up next to Celestia. “Alright, now I’m ready.” With a small chime, the doors glowed golden and opened up. What lay on the other side left us both speechless. Snow was falling down from the sky, blanketing the entire town in a thick layer of white fluffiness. It was snowing so hard that I couldn’t even see the end of the road. Not to mention the wind that swept into the house, it was so cold I was already shaking. “Well this is new,” I comment stepping outside with Celestia. Celestia hoofs the snow causing her to leave a little divot in the snow. Having enough proof, her horn lit up once again causing the door behind us to shut close. Yet, her horn did not stop glowing. In fact, it started to glow a bit more. In the span of a couple seconds my face was pelted with a rather large snowball. Caught completely off guard I fell down to the floor. The snow softening my landing. Looking up I can see an amused Celestia standing there. “Shouldn’t you be worrying about the weather?” I questioned getting myself back up to my feet. “Why worry about something you cannot control?” Celestia questions back as I dusted the snow off. “Yeah, well two can play that game,” I stated grabbing a bit of snow that was on me and throwing it at Celestia’s face. Before it could hit, it was engulfed in a golden aurora. I really hate magic, I stated to myself as the snowball reversed vectors and smacked me straight across the face. Celestia couldn’t keep it in, she started laughing at my expense. I was just standing there with a face full of snow. That’s when I heard it, a small snort on Celestia’s part. It was small, almost inaudible, but it was still there. Quickly covering up her muzzle she flushed red, “You heard nothing.” “Oh, I think I heard something,” I comment starting the walk towards the Everfree. “I wonder how much bits it would cost to keep my mouth shut,” I continue. Celestia scoffed, “are you blackmailing me?” “It would be ashamed for your image to be ruined,” was all I said as the both of us traveled through the knee-high snow. “It will never work you know. I’m a princess and you’re an alien, who do you think any pony here will believe?” She brought up a good point. My mind, on the other hand, was somewhere else entirely. The snow that we now walked through was getting into my shoe, and the blizzard taking place wasn’t making things any easier. The hole in my shirt and sweater made the hole thing worse. By the time the two of us hit the Everfree my whole body was shaking from the cold. I’m pretty sure that if I kept this going any longer I would be the one getting hypothermia. Thankfully, it seemed that Celestia was keeping an eye on me. Once we reached the forest’s edge, she stretched out her wing and wrapped it around me. I didn’t argue one bit when the warmth and softness of her wings brushed up against me. My man card was definitely going to be taken away for this, but this was totally worth it. “Thanks,” I whispered as the two of us weaved through the dense forest. If you can even call it that anymore. The sudden change in temperature caused all the leaves to shriveled up and die. The trees themselves were just husks of wood sticking out of the earth. Yet, it was that very fact that made the whole thing that much scarier. For now, it wasn’t the leaves that were the canopy above us, but the twisted branches. Celestia’s smile seemed to break away the tension growing within me as she replied, “You’re very welcome. I can’t have the first alien in Equestria go dying on me, now can I?” “Glad you care for me,” I state sarcastically. A couple more hours passed by till we came to a small wooden house in a clearing no bigger than the house that rested on it. A small brick chimney lay dormant, the windows all covered in planks of wood. To me, it looked like the entire place was abandoned long ago. Celestia, on the other hoof, thought nothing of it as she walked up to the door and knocked. A couple seconds and there was no answer, Celestia knocked again this time a bit harder. “May I help you?” Came a coarse voice behind us. With the building tension of the forest, the voice set me over the edge. I jumped a good three feet in the air and landed in the snow. “Ah, River Breeze. I can see you are as skilled in stealth since we last met,” Celestia stated. River Breeze rolled her eyes as her horn lit up and opened the door to her house. With another glow, a couple of logs followed behind her. “Yes, do you always speak his language?” It wasn’t till she said it that I noticed it. River Breeze was speaking English. There was no way she should know the language in less she casted the spell. “How do you know my language?” I state getting up out of the snow and following her into her house. River Breeze looks back at me with a smirk, “that’s a secret.” “She was following us ever since we arrived in the forest. She must have cast the spell on you once she realized we were speaking in a different tongue,” Celestia stated unamused as she closed the door behind her. The shack, River Breeze lived in was pretty cozy, but nevertheless cramped. There was unknown machinery laying around in every corner. A lone cushion that laid in front of a small fireplace that River Breeze was currently starting up. The walls were all barren besides a few scientific equipment here and there. To have two ponies and a human in such a small space was awkward, to say the least. “So, what brings the princess and… whatever you are to my little piece of hell,” good to see that River Breeze is optimistic. Celestia walked up, “I assume you’ve taken notice of the weather.” “Kind of hard not to,” River Breeze retorted. The fireplace she was setting up was now going strong. I could feel the heat even from this distance. “Well, Kenneth here,” Celestia lectured pointing to me, “is the main cause of the disturbance. Ever since he has arrived the weather has been out of control.” This got River Breeze’s attention, “Really?” was all she said. “Yes, really,” Celestia commented. I was my turn to join in on the conversation, “You think you can figure out what’s going on? Celestia said that it had something to do with natural magic.” “It would have to be natural magic. Nothing else can affect the weather. That is why I am out here in the first place.” River Breeze commented. “So, you think you can figure it out?” I question. River Breeze mulls over the options in her head, “I won’t know until we start some tests. Sit over there,” she commands pointing towards a cushion by some weird machine. I do as she said, and within seconds she is right next to me with her horn glowing. “So, tell me, have you been experiencing anything unusual when you first arrived here in Equestria?” River Breeze ponders. “Yeah, the random Teleportation between here and my world. That’s how I got here in the first place.” River Breeze jots some stuff down as she points her horn towards me. I was going to tell her that high-intensive spells don’t really work on me, but was silenced when she casted the spell. This one didn’t sizzle like all the others. As it spread throughout my body. It felt like small insects were crawling all over me. Thankfully, as fast as it started, it ended. “Interesting, you must not have magic where you come from. Am I right?” River Breeze questions. “Yeah, how did you know?” I ask as Celestia wanders up next to us. She takes a seat next to me as she watches River Breeze complete test after test. “Your body, having not been exposed to magic is siphoning it. It would also explain why you randomly teleport. Since you do not know how to expel the magic you are taking in, the magic finds another way to be released. “In short, you are like a crystal in this regard. You can store magic but can’t use it. If, however, you start to overflow with magic you break -just like the crystal- and release all your magical energy.” Celestia has a confused look on her face, “While that explains his teleports, how does that affect the weather?” “While he is the one causing the weather, you are the one enabling him to do it. Tell me, Kenneth, have you teleported recently?” River Breeze asks. I shake my head, no. “When was the last time you teleported?” She asks. “Back in Canterlot, with Celestia,” I state. “And you princess, when was the last time you’ve done a large taxing spell?” River Breeze questions Celestia this time. “A couple moments before the teleportation occurred,” Celestia comments as a knowing look spreads across her face, “You mean to tell us that I am powering up Kenneth? Which is the reason for his teleportation?” River Breeze shakes her head as she adds, “Teleportation is only the side effect, you’re one of the strongest ponies in Equestria. Your magic being absorbed by Kenneth is what’s causing the storm. At least, that’s my theory.” “Is there any way to fix this?” I question. “There is one thing I can do, but it will still force you to expel magic every time you fill up. Which if you’re with Celestia a lot, I can imagine it would be pretty often.” River Breeze states. Celestia enters the conversation this time, “And what is this ‘fix’ anyway?” “I’m going to see if I can get the magic to latch onto another spell. I have no idea if it’s going to work, or what spell it will grab, but if it’s something more taxing, it might give you more time between bursts.” “Will this fix the weather?” Celestia questions. River Breeze sighs, “Keep in mind, this is all just a theory, and a pretty weak one at that. I would be amazed if I actually got Kenneth here to use another spell other than teleportation. The weather is a much bigger problem. I doubt only the two of you are causing such a massive disturbance.” Looking over to Celestia, I look back to River Breeze. “Well, lets at least see if this works. One step at a time, right?” “Right, now this might hurt… a lot.” River Breeze comments as her horn lights up a brilliant green hue. My eyes grow wide at the mention of pain, “Wait! Hurt?!” was all I was able to say before a beam of light smacks me right in the forehead. Immediately my vision blurs and the headache returns. The pain at first is subtle, a few aches here and there. Sadly, it doesn’t last. Every second my body increases in temperature till I feel like I’m on fire. My head is pounding like a kick drum as I attempt to hold it together. Pressure starts to build up around me. It feels like I'm being squeezed through a tube of toothpaste. Finally, I can’t hold it in any longer and let out a cry of pain. The sensation lasts what feels like hours but in reality, is only a short few seconds. When the pain fades and I regain my senses, I come to see a rather confused River Breeze and Celestia. “What did you do to him?!” Celestia states, anger clearly in her voice. I was about to speak up but River Breeze beats me to the punch, “I have no idea. I was just fiddling with the magic stored in him and suddenly poof he’s gone.” Wait gone? I look down at my hands to see they're not there. Slightly in panic, I get up to look at myself. I’m completely invisible, is this what death is like? Did River Breeze just vaporize me? It was then that things started to click into my head. The gears started to turn and a smirk grew on my face. This was the other spell my body latched onto, and let me tell you what, I was going to have some fun with this one. “You’re telling me that you have no idea what happened to Kenneth!” Celestia roared. She did not look like a happy camper. Either way, I walked up next to her and flicked her in the ear. She recoiled a bit before looking in my direction. I could see it in her eyes that she was confused, but she turned back to harp on River Breeze some more. Before she could say anything, I full on smacked her on the flank. This seemed to get her undivided attention as she spun around with a furious blush across her face. I didn’t know if it was due to her anger or embarrassment, but it was hilarious nevertheless to watch. “Kenneth, I swear if you’re just hiding I’m going to solve this weather problem the easy way,” Celestia barked out. Walking up next to her ear I whisper, “do all mares get this possessive with their friends?” Once again, her blush deepened as she started to stumble with her words, “Y- n- I don’t” was all she could say before River Breeze stepped in. “Fascinating, so this is the spell that your body latched onto. We’ll at least we solved the teleportation problem. Although we just switched it with another one.” River Breeze mumbled the last part. I smile, even though they couldn’t see it, “At least we’re getting somewhere, progress is progress no matter how you look at it. So how do I get back to being visible again?” I question kind of worried that I might be stuck like this forever. “Quite simple actually,” River Breeze states as she brings out a crystal. She then looks around the room before sighing, “all you have to do is be around any empty crystal and the magic should lock onto it. With a clear destination, the drain should be faster than just naturally releasing it. In short, without the crystal here, you could be invisible for days or weeks.” Grabbing the crystal from her hoof I feel no different. However, by the time I look at myself again, I can see that I’m no longer invisible. “Oh, thank god, I was starting to think I was going to be like that forever.” Celestia clears her throat, “So, River Breeze, I take it that you’ll continue to look into the matter at hoof?” “I don’t think I have a choice in this matter. After all, it is affecting every pony at this point. I’ll see what I can do, no promises.” “That’s all I could hope to hear,” Celestia states with a soft smile. Looking over to River Breeze I ask, “So this spell thing can be reversed, right?” River Breeze nods her head, “Yes, we just have to re-introduce the old spell to your body. That way it can fall back into its natural state.” Knowing full well that I could always return home, I look over to Celestia. “So, what now? Was that all we came for? Seems a bit anticlimactic. You would think something huge would have been revealed after a journey like that.” “But we did, we now have a hoof hold on where to start. River Breeze has also agreed to help us find a way to stop the weather.” Celestia reminds me. “I guess, so do we have to walk all the way back?” I state with a monotone voice. I really don’t want to go through all that again. While there were some nice moments, they hardly lived up to the time spent trying to survive. Celestia gives me a small smirk, “Nope, I know Canterlot fairly well. Since I saved my energy before, I think it would be wise to just ‘pop’ on back to Canterlot.” She looks over to River Breeze, “You do know we have labs well equipped to house you in the castle.” River Breeze shakes her head, “As much as I want to see all your fancy gizmo's I have a good thing going here. I’m pretty sure I’ll be more use to you here.” Celestia nods, “Alright, you know where to find us if you come across a breakthrough.” “You’ll be the first ones to know if I do,” River Breeze replies with a small smile. Saying our goodbyes, me and Celestia walk outside. Bending down I pick up a bit of snow to play around with. Celestia’s horn ahead of me lights up as we both glow golden. Bracing myself, I feel myself being pulled sideways. The flips, twists, and turns last longer than before. Since I was ready for it, when the spell ends I’m only moderately disoriented. “Back to work, it seems,” Celestia sighs as she walks down the hallway. She pops her get up out of existence and replaces it with her normal tiara and shoes. Watching her walk away I look to my hands, the pieces of snow still there. Smiling a bit, I choose to get a little revenge. Clumping the pieces of snow together I aim and chuck the ball of snow. I watch as the white ball soars through the air and smacks Celestia in the back of the head. Her tiara clatters to the ground as she stops instantly in her tracks. Turning around she looks at me with fire in her eyes. The ground around her actually starts to glow red hot as her horn lights up. She slowly starts to make her way back to me. Each step she takes leaves a horseshoe divot on the ground behind her. No words needed to be said at this moment, actions obviously said more than words. Run? I asked myself. Celestia’s hair starts to ignite into an inferno. My eyes grow wide as a smirk appears upon her muzzle. RUN!