.
Should I have been surprised, to find the gate at the entrance of my fort? Either way, there it is.
“Just look; at what the magic has done, to my precious Fort Book!” I ponder.
I manage to open the gate, even without the help of my new friend; Twilight Sparkle, the purple Unicorn Pony. Opening the gate, from inside; is not hard, or much of a challenge. I am inside of the keep; opening the gate from outside, will be an entirely different matter.
“Good thing; Twilight Sparkle is inside, waiting for me!” I ponder, as I step out of Fort Book.
As I turn back, for a short look; I discover something else, about the appearance of the fort.
“Why do the walls look more like solid, heavy rock; than old and weathered bound leather backs?” I ponder.
Upon the unexpected discovery, I walk to the wall on the right side of my fort. What I feel under my hands; is exactly the rock face, my eyes had just told me is there. I continue along the side of the wall, further and further along the wall. I continue, until I am back on the other side of the gate.
“I would imagine, Twilight would love to hear about my discovery! The fort is indeed as real, as could have been expecting, Fort Book will not come tumbling down over us in the middle of the night!” I ponder.
Why, oh why; is the wall much larger on the outside; than the stack of books, I had originally been putting into it.
On second thought, the path to the gate had been laid with heavy stone, like you read about in the books of the original, real olden forts.
“Why is there a bright Sun, on the sky?” I exclaim, feeling its warmth on my back.
“So of course, there is green grass under my still bare feet!” I continue, in exulted surprise.
What Daemon has taken possession of my Fort Book? Who else, other than a Daemon could possibly have performed these changes to the world of which I had come from? There are no books in sight, none to be seen for miles.
While I do enjoy the grass under my bare feet, I still choose to take the road; finding it the logical path to see, where I am and where it could possibly take me. Assuming it is not taking me away from Fort Book and my new friend Twilight Sparkle, of course.
Naturally, this could as easily have been one of these raving mad dreams you sometimes have., A dream, where nothing makes sense, yet makes perfect sense within the confines of that one isolated dream.
Nothing to see, and none to see for miles on end.
“Wait, maybe this could have explained; why she could sense nothing, from outside Fort Book?” I ponder.
After walking for a few minutes, I come across a road sign.
“The Cross Roads!” it reads.
Bravely, I walk past the road sign for several more steps; turning around, in the blind hopes of seeing what the sign said on its back.
“Fort Book: 01” it reads.
“Oh, okay; then I guess, I am still safe!” I ponder.
“One mile, to Fort Book; that is not so bad, at least I have a point of reference now!” I ponder.
Of course, I am still a bit stubbed, by just how large the world is; under the ground, and inside the building where the Library Archive had originally been housed.
I follow the road, towards the promised destination; The Cross Roads, whatever that could possibly be. I just have nowhere else to go. If I do not choose to just go back to Fort Book, where I had just come from.
I could assume it had all just been a bad dream, or a joke in bad taste; such things has happened to me, in the past.
With the Sun behind my back, and the coarse stones just comfortably hot; the road does not feel overwhelming, but rather comforting and even to a point fun.
“The Cross Roads!” I read on the sign, after walking for several minutes.
As I walk past the sign, I soon come across a crossroads. There is a sign to the right and left, aside from the one before me. Naturally, there is a fourth sign behind me.
“Library: Archive 05!” the first sign before me reads.
“Does this road take me, to the Library Archives; from which I came?” I ponder.
“Orchard Square 02!” reads the sign on my right.
“That is; where I could find the apples, I am looking for!” I exclaim.
“Fort Book Village!” reads the third sign, on my left.
“Now, that is curious!” I exclaim, as I examine the sign.
“Fort Book Castle!” I read, on the sign behind me.
“Now, isn’t that impressive?” I exclaim.
Since food is my first priority, I choose to go towards the orchards; in the hopes of finding something edible, I could share with Twilight. Any food, I could share with her, I could find here; is the advantage of not going up, topside where I could not take Twilight Sparkle. Outside, I would have to use up my rare and dwindling resources; just to pay for some meager supplies, like Apples and Carrots. If I could avoid it, I choose to search here, first.
Maybe the original layout had been an advantage, in traveling time and distance, but now I may be free to take Twilight with me. She needs to go out, to see the Sun in the sky and feel the rejuvenating breeze in her mane. She is a Pony, not an Office Monkey.
“Apples, Cherries, Pears, Plums..” I read on the right side of the road.
"Strawberries, Blueberries, Currant, Gooseberries..” I read on the left side of the road.
“No Carrots!” I ponder, but realize these are not grown on an orchard.
Since some fruits had fallen onto the road, I choose to pick a few of these. The ripe fruit on the road would not stay fresh, long enough for anyone who is not happen to pass by just after the fruit had fallen. On the road, I consider them free for the picking.
A few apples, cherries and a pear and a plum. While the berries had not fallen off, or onto the street; but a handful of each, just to compliment the fruit should be acceptable. I don’t stray up into the fields, but make due with what I can reach from the road.
Since I purposefully left my backpack at home; I will have to make due with what I can carry on my shirt.
I am not in the mood to run, or hurry; so I just walk back in a fairly measured gait, once I had inspected the orchards to the end of the road.
Strangely enough; No-one, and No-pony is in sight. I can’t see anyone around.
“Whatever spell is in the working here, responsible for materializing everything I have seen; apparently has not had the time to produce People, or choose not to. Unless it is outright incapable of creations on that level, of course
Since I had reached the end of the orchards, I turn back the way I came; following the road towards the crossroads, only stopping by the sign at the actual crossroads for a moment,. At the crossroads, I take a moment, to examine the signs and read them once more. The signs had not changed in the least, for which I am eternally thankful. Had any of these signs changed, or been changed; that would indicate that other things could change at will, which I am not comfortable with. Maybe this is not a dream, after all.
I do not know how long I have been out, so I choose to assume that Twilight could start to worry at any time, now. I choose, not to explore any of the roads towards the Library, or to the Village. I assume they are as empty, as the orchard I had just left.
At least, now I have food with me. Aside from the tale of my exploits to share with her, when I do get back.
I continue to walk down the path towards Fort Book, just following the road I had walked before. Just a few miles to walk.
Of course, I can see the fort, when I pass the crossroads. The distance is not all that great and Fort Book is still a rather imposing building all by itself. There is nothing to compare with, when the surroundings are just covered with short grass.
In surprise, I realize one thing had actually changed. I have a mote and a gate over. Reinforced oaken boards, now down over the mote. I step onto the makeshift bridge, feeling smooth wood, as heavy and durable as it may be.
I see a new building behind the mote, adjacent to the actual fort. The stainless steel gate is clearly up and Twilight is standing before me, waiting. She had been awaiting me, for quite some time.
On second thought, as I arrive; I notice a wide grin spread all over her face. She is not just happy to see me, while she had found something interesting and exciting she wishes to share with me.
“Greetings!” Twilight pronounces, as I am leaving the bridge behind me.
"Hi, you have not been waiting for too long?” I inquire.
“Since you are here; no! You did find something edible, with which to strengthen our previously rather week supplies of food; I take it!” she responds.
“Yes, I picked up several Apples, and some other vegetables!” I respond.
“Let’s get the food to the kitchen, then we can sample the food? After that, there is something else; I think you may like to see!” she points out.
“Of course; lead the way! I hope nothing has changed, while I was out!” I put forth.
“Changed, why and how?” she inquires.
“I do not know, but I had the impression that things have changed, while I was out! You can see for yourself; I believe it will be safe for you to go out, if and when you choose!” I respond.
“Just don’t tell me, the room outside is no longer the room you left as you stepped into your little fort?” she offers.
“The fort is built out of solid stone, and there are fields of grass to explore; even before you enjoy to trot down the road from Fort Book!” I explain.
“Grass, and roads?” she ponders; “Now; this, I will just have to see!” she exclaims.
“I thought, you would say something like that! I imagine you would be feeling a bit cooped up, in here; by now!” I respond.
“An actual table!” she explains, as she is stepping into the kitchen.
“Fridge, freezer and room for all the food we could eat in days and weeks!” I respond.
“I guess, now it is an actual kitchen; not just another room, we choose to call the kitchen!” she offers.
“It would seem that way!” I respond, as I leave my bounty on the table.
I pick up an apple for myself, and toss another her way.
Now, what was the discovery you mentioned? And, where is it?” I put forth.
“It is in the last room of the hall, considering your room as the first!” she explains; “A door to somewhere else, but apparently under Fort Book!” she adds.