//------------------------------// // Getting Started // Story: Camp Staff in Equestria // by Dimensional Librarian //------------------------------// Horton took a deep breath and looked around at the ponies of Canterlot enjoying the park on this beautiful day. “Dependable weather sure is nice,” he said to himself as he stood and stretched the soreness out of his body and rotated his shoulder. “She sure had quite the bite. Luckily pony magic can do wonders on fixing that kind of thing.” The young man then took off at a brisk walk toward the artisans district, which happened to be on the edge of Upper Canterlot nearest Decanter. He soon came to a building that had a sign hanging in the front reading ‘The Wright Stuff: Where stuff gets forged right!’ The building itself was as large as a warehouse, which made sense to Horton as it was only a few blocks away from the rail line. He went inside with a small jingle of a bell above the door before hearing a feminine voice calling from a back room. “Welcome to The Wright Stuff! I’ll be out in just a moment so if you don’t mind waiting.” “Not at all Ma’am” Horton called out as he took a look around the front of the shop which had various pieces of metal work both functional and decorative pieces. His gaze then fell to the door that a bright pink pegasus was trotting through with a smile on her muzzle. Her wing tips were black from soot and burns, her cutie mark was a black semiquaver, her mane and tail were both tied back in deep blue messy buns. “I honestly wouldn’t expect a musical note to be the cutie mark of one of Canterlot’s best blacksmiths.” “You have to be able to hear the music within the metal as you work.” she replied, “I’m Forge Wright, proprietor of this smithery. How can I help you today?” “My name is Horton, I was told that my apprenticeship was going to be taking place at this smithery.” He gave a bow before standing upright once more. “I got a letter from the crown saying something along those lines.” Forge replied with a slight giggle, “Let’s go ahead and get you started since it’s still only morning.” She then began to lead the way toward the back, as Horton followed he felt the heat from the various forges and then started to hear the almost overbearing and recognizable sound of a hammer hitting hot metal. As his eyes adjusted to the dimmer lighting of the work floor Horton noticed a singular minotaur striking away at a piece of hot metal. “Hey, Regular, put down the hammer and come meet the new appearance.” Forge called out over the noise. The minotaur looked up and gave a nod before he put the hot metal on the edge of the fire to keep it warm before he walked closer. Upon his bare chest was what appeared to be a tattoo of a changeling. “Hi, I’m Regular Pegasus, you are?” he asked as he held out a hand. “Slightly confused on your name and tattoo currently.” Horton replied as he took the offered hand to shake it firmly. “It helps that it isn’t a tattoo.” the minotaur replied before being engulfed in green flames leaving a black holeless changeling behind. “I’m a changeling.” he continued in a voice filled with chittering. “Now that introductions are out of the way, can you work on moving the ore from the loading dock over there, to the storage room over here.” Forge requested as she gestured to the different spots she was talking about. “I would love to but I got this bite on my shoulder yesterday evening.” Horton said pulling his jacket and sleeve out of the way to show his new co-workers the scar from Diane. “The Doctors say that I should avoid anything to strenuous. It’ll be alright in a day or three.” “Okay then, Regular you get to moving that ore. I’m going to teach Horton here the paperwork side of things first.” Forge said with a grin as she headed back for the front. “Dam it, I highly despise the paperwork I’ll wind up having to do.” Horton said as he turned to follow, and Regular chuckled. Within the Library, Booksalot was moving through the aisles doing inventory when we came across an empty slot on a shelf. “Hey Zilla, where’s “Runic Transformations: the Human Venture”?” “Didn’t that changeling queen take it? I remember seeing it within her grasp as they left.” came the sweet voice of Zilla. “Did Princess Fast Change talk to you about the spell and finding it?” “She never spoke to me honey.” Booksalot let out a sigh, “I try helping and she just didn’t pick up on the fairly obvious hints I gave her.” The greying unicorn then looked up at the sound of hooves to see the long legs that led up to the rest of the mare’s dark purple frame. Her wings fluttered slightly as she gave Booksalot a questioning glance. With a toss of her blond and purple mane she kept trotting down the next aisle. “Your hints are never obvious enough for the common pony.” Zilla told him as she gave a teasing flick of her tail before it disappeared around the corner. “I need your help in Fria’s Office.” Booksalot chuckled as he started to follow the gracefully aged mare. “Why, we only ever dust that room?” “There’s a warning in the dust my love.” Zilla replied cooly as green bale-fire covered her from revealing a black changeling with holes in its hooves and deep purple streaks running through the mane and tail. “I believe Fria’s ghost has been able to see something is about to drastically change here in the Library.” she continued with a chitter in her voice. Booksalot picked up his pace and they both were soon standing within the unused office. His gaze fell to the chard lettering upon the dust covered desk, “The one who sacrifices will wander the aisles of knowledge in search of prey when new students are made and friendship has had a castle for some time.” he read aloud. “What does it mean?” Zilla asked curiously as she leaned closer. “Some of it kind of makes sense but the whole “one who sacrifices” part does…” The changeling was then interrupted by a loud and echoing yowl. “What was that Books?” “Menhit.” Booksalot then pushed Zilla out of the room shutting and locking it with his magic. “Run, go for the main entrance and go out those doors. Make sure to inform Prince Silver Watch that the Library has fallen.” “What about you Booksalot?” “The Library lock down is meant to keep things out, not in.” He said as his horn lit a flame as various spells started to layer around the various books, scrolls, and artifacts within. “Avoid the Anugypt Room on your way out Zilla.” The red unicorn then burst into flames that began to travel in the direction the yowl had come from. Zilla lifted a hoof ready to follow him before she let out a sigh quickly changing back into the pegasus she had been previously and flew over all the shelves of the main floor toward the front door. As she flew she could see the torches lining the walls steadily changing from yellow flame to red toward the door. She just managed to get through the door before it got slammed shut and engulfed in purple flames that soon died away leaving a deep purple glow that filled the hall bathing its light upon Zilla and the two shocked lunar pegasus guards that had been standing there to witness the flaming doors.