Fort Book, and the Dragon Hoard

by Ponyess


Apple, or Carrot

.

“Apple, or carrot?” she inquires.

“Both are fine, by me!” I respond.

“I guess we could just split it even and have a fiest?” the girl responds, giggling.

“We could, but at least we can share it; with no worries about how the other feels about what the you enjoy to have!” I respond.

“Oh, yeah; you are a horse, so you would enjoy most vegetables?” she responds.

“A pony, technically!  I have never seen an actual horse, though!” I clarify, more for the sake of clearing the ground and avoiding needless confusion.

“While I can’t bring in a real horse, or any other animal; but I could find the books, and show you pictures!” she suggests.

“You do have a wealth of books, here; so that seems the easier way, to bridge the gap!” I respond.

“By the way; a pony is just a smaller horse, isn’t it?” she points out.

“Oh, it is?” I inquire; “Where I come from, there are no horses; but, a unicorn like me is still a pony!” I explain.

She manages to find a book, illustrating equines.  She is flipping pages; pointing at the pictures. Horses, zebras and donkeys.  Of course, there are mules, zorses and zedonks in the mix, even if these are not truly separate species, but hybrids.

She picks up another book, pointing at pictures of unicorns, pegasi, centaurs and numerous other familiar creatures.

Myths of Ancient Greece!” I read, on the cover of the second book.

Are we merely myths, in this world?” I ponder, without saying anything about it.

Of course, we do not have humans; where I live, so I guess that is quite fair!” I realize.

“At least, you know what I am!” I mumble.

I hold on to these books, stacking them up in a corner of the room; for later references, and some late night studies of my own.  I have more books here, I can read; but since I was notified of these two, I will have to read up on these items.

“Books, books, books; so many books!” I mumble, to myself.

If and when I do get back, home; I will simply have to tell my friends, of this place and all its marvelous wonders I have already seen!” I ponder, quietly.

If, indeed.  Returning, requires I am missed, where I came from; not to mention, there is a way to get back to where I came from.  Where, exactly; am I, right now? She never really explained, where this place is.

Once the two books I had deemed of worth had been stacked away in the corner where I could find them; I follow the girl, from one room and to the next one.  It appears, everything in the fort consists of books. Even the table had been crafted out of books, she had scavenged in the building under which this archive had been installed.

“Another room?” I inquire; “And another, and another!” I add, pondering the situation.

“If you had access to this many books, you already have hoarded; do you have more books available?  Could we go and see them, after the meal? Or, could you pick up another book, at any point, soon?” I inquire.

The archive is just consisting of the books people never read, too valuable to burn!” she points out

While we should be safe, here at Fort Book; mainly due to the protection, provided by the heavy tomes.  I would not brave to walk out, now; during the dark hours of the night. I suspect; there is some kind of security system with surveillance, monitoring the building.  Even if I could be lucky, and they have no surveillance of the archive!” she points out.

“I hear nothing, from outside your fort, and I can sense no movement; other than that of the two of us! It may be these walls shielding my senses, just as it may be shielding their effort in monitoring this room!” I respond, as I follow her around.

Fort Book itself, and the hoard of books is strangely comforting to me!” I realize.

Once we reach, what is to pass for the makeshift kitchen; she is extracting the vegetables she had promised. I watch, as she stack the food on a table; crafted out of heavy books, hoarded away down here.

“Bon Appetite!” she offers, as she had placed a few apples and carrots in a stack for me.

“Thank you!” I respond, as I pick up the first apple in the grasp of my magic.

She had watched me, with large eyes; as a small orb of deep purple light of my magic formed at the tip of my horn; growing as I focus and reach the point, where it flow down the length of my horn like an avalanche.  This is, when I had focused on the apple before me; the light had reached out and picked up the fruit.

I watch her eat, in silence; while I chew on the apples and carrots my meal consists of.  Aside from how fresh the fruit looks, it is clearly nothing wrong with them. Something I could have served other ponies, back home in Ponyville, where I came from.  The very same Ponyville, where I recall I had been; just as late as the last night, as I went to bed in my library.

The Golden Oak Library had been my home, since the day I had moved to Ponyville; the fateful day Princess Celestia sent me on the mission, of overseeing the preparations of the Summer-Sun celebration.  It was that day, I had met the ponies I now call my friends; the very same ponies, I would trust implicitly with my life.

Will I ever see any of them, other than as pictures in a book?

The apples are reminding me of Applejack, harvesting her apples at the Sweet Apple Acres.  The care and effort she is putting into her work, providing the village with fresh, sweet and juicy apples.