The next day I was spending time in the Nursery. Now that I know Nancy and Braig are, well, still in there, at least for now I need to see if I can talk with them. “This is gonna be a little weird…” I muttered, but remembering I have my Assistant so I can use that as a translator just in case.
After searching through the app store, which felt like looking for a single straw of hay in a pile of them, I found a supposed translation app for infants to english. Yeash, nine hundred rem...better be worth it. After it installed and I activated it I tested it out. “How are you doing today?” I asked Braig to start things off, hoping this thing will work.
“Board. Can I get my guns already?” YES! It works! And all I hear is what he means, huh.
“No.” I frowned. “You’re still too young to be holding guns, but glad this thing works.” i said honestly.
“Cool, so I can call you a #$%#$ #%#$#$ %##$% and you hear it?” Nancy said...did that app actually censor that?
“You’re being censored actually.” I said. “And no swearing.” I frowned. “Children aren’t allowed to swear till their old enough.”
“#%#$ You and the #$#$ who is my new mother.” She replied.
“Better mother than you.” I said bluntly.
“#$#$ you I raised three kids.” Three? I know Jenny and her sister...who was the third?
“Who’s the third?” I asked. “And you kind of are considering Jenny, and then there’s the fact that back then you gave up your heart because you didn’t have anyone left, but apparently you had a third kid.” I rolled my eyes.
“...I don’t talk about that #$#$#$ child, and I don’t mean Jenny.”
“You’re going to tell me, you know that right?” I asked, knowing Nancy was smart enough even as an infant to know she was going to tell me anyways.
“...Fine. His name was Jericho. I had him two years after Kristy. He was...different.”
“Different how?” I asked curiously.
“He preformed like any other member of the family but… he was skitzophrenic. He took all kinds of medications but nothing ever seemed to work for it. At one point on a job...he shot Kristy, my husband, and me. Ventrals may be monsters, but we look out for our own. He left us for dead. He was no Ventral, just some rabies riddled animal. I never saw him again after that heist.”
“Maybe he was hallucinating? I mean the Psychopath blood in you probably made his schizophrenia worse.” I said honestly. “But...were there any different symptoms than just the standard?” I asked, remembering reading up on this and there were some obvious things.
“Aside from the self mutilation, complete lack of emotions one moment ten rage or sorrow the next and extreme violence? Extreme for us anyway, no. He is the reason I never cared for Jenny.”
“That sounds more like Schizoaffective Disorder, where instead of just being Schizo, he most likely was also Bipolar.” I brought up. “And considering you said that he had bouts of mania or sorrow at the drop of a hat...but the self mutilation? I...have a bad feeling that has to do with the Psychopath blood in you making it worse.” I said nervously. “Hmm…” I hummed while checking my Assistant to see if Psychopath’s can make mental disorders worse.
Sadly, there isn’t much known about it in this wider multidimensional internet...odd. “So, you never noticed it with Jenny?”
“Noticed?” I asked. “I mean...last time I was with her was when we were enjoying our time on the Dire Wolf homeworld...happiest I’ve ever seen her.” I said honestly.
“Notice how she functions? Even by Ventral standards her ideas are rather extreme, so young and already so lethal. You never even noticed when she fights it’s not like any martial arts known, it’s either a broken variation or made up, her movements are inconsistent, and while effective it makes no sense combat wise.”
“She’s a child.” I said. “The one time I fought her, we basically played a Card Game. Her ideas of combat come from anime, cartoons and video games, where things are disjointed compared to real life...even though...technically those things are real life now.” I said slowly.
“But when they were not, she would fight like those cartoons she’s watch. Kristy even told me she said sometimes she sees what should be happening like in those shows. I saw the writing on the wall… and distanced myself. I wasn’t going to relive what happened with Jericho. So if that same moment ever came up again… better a bullet in her than another set of them in my family.”
“Yet you’d happily see me take those bullets for our family.” I said.
“Well the idea of you getting shot is both funny and entertaining, I know no bullets can kill you anymore...sadly.”
“Glad you know you enjoy being apart of the family then.” I said honestly. “Even if you get a second chance at life, glad to know you still hate everyone.” I rolled my eyes.
“Well for as long as I can. Once I start talking I’ll forget all I know now, brain can’t hold two lives worth of memories.”
“You’ll still hate me when you get to that point or will you actually see me as a father?” I asked.
“Who knows. By the way, while you and I were talking Braig seems to have learned how to use his teleportation from before.” I turned around...and he’s gone.
“Oh god damn it.” I groaned. “That’s not good…”
“Three...two...one…”
BOOM!!!
Consequence and Trigun appeared. “Sire, one of your infants somehow got into the armory and is managing to pilot one of your Mecha tanks…” Consequence said.
Boom!!!!
“Effectively too.” Trigun added.
“Pinkie!” I called out. “Mind coming here for a moment?” I called out, hoping she heard me considering her specialness.
“Okie Dokie Loki!” She said...Jumping out of my cloak...how in the...
“Chaos magic…” I muttered. “So, Braig is being a bad child, mind helping me deal with him?” I asked.
“Well, sure, he is my son after all…how are we gonna get him?”
“I’ll distract him while he’s in the mech and you grab him out of the thing.” I said. “Stupid kid...kept asking for his guns but he’s too young...and now he just decides to go on a rampage in a mech.” I grumbled. “Gonna get himself and others hurt…” I muttered while heading off to where Braig was.
After getting him out of that thing and rebuilding the buildings he destroyed, Pinkie and I sat with Braig in what the Engineers built, a Time out room. It was basically a simple room with just a chair and bed in here so they can’t do anything. Even powers are disabled in here, have to admit, even my own are a bit wonky in here.
“Please, tell me why you just decided to blast a bunch of things in a mech?” I asked, having my translator app up for me and Pinkie.
“Cause it’s fun! The feel of the trigger, the recoil of the bullets, the vibrations of the explosions. Come on Ben, I was a hit man before I turned into an infant and got stuck in diapers! I NEEDED that.”
“It’s not very nice to break other ponies stuff.” Pinkie said.
“Yeah but it was still fun, cause I am going stir crazy in there. Only other one I can talk to is Nancy and she’s not the best conversation, and the others are simple minded.”
“So?” I asked. “You’re a baby, not an adult. You could have gotten hurt, as well as hurt a bunch of others.” I said honestly. “And don’t give me the ‘it was my job’ crap, you had to have done something else besides that right?” I asked bluntly.
“...” Silence… he’s done literally NOTHING else with his life?!
“Are you kidding me?” I asked bluntly. “You’ve done nothing in your entire life besides be a bounty hunter?” I asked, sounding really disappointed in Braig like a father should when hearing their child has done basically nothing with their life besides one thing.
“Well what did you expect? My old family made their fortune being the best hitmen and bounty hunters in this and the next ten solar systems. I grew up with a silver bullet in my mouth and the golden gun to shoot it in my hands.”
I shook my head. “They probably also did other things with their lives besides doing that.” I said honestly. “But this new life you’re going to be experiencing more things than just fighting. Trust me...knowing what to do when not fighting is a lot better than knowing only the fight.”
“Look it’s not that I don’t wanna stop it’s just hard breaking a lifetime's worth of habits and learned behavior.”
“Well good thing you have Pinkie as a mother now do we?” I asked. “Pinkie knows a lot about a lot of things so I’m sure she can help you learn things and break out of this dangerous habit.” I said honestly.
“Eh, I guess. There is now two of me so I guess in the end the other me will still be doing what I always did, so I guess learning something new when I start to forget my past won’t be too bad.”
“That’s good.” I nodded. “You’ll learn new things, grow up and be happy.” I said honestly. “And not blow up parts of the armory all because you’re bored.” I rolled my eyes. “Plus, you’ll keep your mother company a lot more.”
“I guess.”
“That’s good. And Pinkie? You okay with this?” I asked, wondering if she had any input.
“Yeah, I can teach him baking, candy making, party planning,”
“And I’m regretting this already…”
“Hey, when you’re older you can help your mother with party themed explosives.” I rolled my eyes. “Especially the party cannon cause that’s a thing.”
“...Alright…”
Later that day I was with Applejack back in Ponyville, looking over her apple trees. Nothingness seems to have altered her Zap Apple orchard section. This is Equestria Applejack, not human world Applejack, she came asking Twilight for a favor and Twilight sent me since I’m the apparent expert...which I really should be. “Okay so...what’s going on here?” I asked curiously.
“Well, look.” She said. We entered the area and...grey and black. Every tree was a grey and black pattern, nothing like from what I remember in the show. “They were fine at first but they changed to this a week ago.”
“Huh...that’s odd.” I said while gently touching one of the new grey and black tree’s. “I wonder why this happened...they should be connected to the land, not the realm…”
“Well maybe that’s the issue?” AJ questioned. “The land is now in the realm, so maybe this place’s magic is affecting the lands? Granny Smith always said nature is the first to warn when change is afoot.”
“Maybe…” I muttered. “Alright you...tell me what changed…” I muttered while focusing, wondering if the Nothingness inside the tree will explain what happened to what would normally be the Zap Apple Tree’s.
While I sensed it in there it was...different. Not like when I use it, it felt...primordial. “Hope you find out soon, don’t know if we can even harvest them, and their harvest season starts today.”
“Primordial...wait.” I muttered, pulling back and checking my Assistant to see if I’m not going crazy about these tree’s. “Is this...really what it is?”
Equestrian magic is old and very potent. It reacts differently to different kinds of magic, and changes itself to adjust to the magic depending on the new magics potency in the area. This can result in mutations in the land, animals, and even the inhabitants.
“Oh…” I muttered. “Well...that explains it…” I muttered. “But what’s the tree now?” I wondered while scanning the tree to see what kind of tree it is.
Zapp Apple Tree
Warning: Unnatural magic mutation.
Calculating possible mutations…
“Let’s hope this is still edible…” I muttered, not wanting to have ruined some of AJ’s business because of this.
Possible Mutations:
-Advanced Development
-Magical Side Effects
-Rapid Growth And Mature
-Colored Nothingness
“Right so um…” I said. “The tree’s are fine but...they may have possible mutations, ranging from Advanced Development, Magical Side Effects...sadly don’t know what those side effects are, Rapid Growth and Maturity, and or...Colored Nothingness.”
“I can take a guess at some of those but Colored Nothingness? That sounds a tad odd.” Applejack said.
“Yeah...does sound a little weird.” I agreed while looking up what the hell Colored Nothingness was.
While I opened up the Assistant Aj grabbed a Zapp Apple… only for once it was picked, to gain it's normal rainbow appearance, grow ten times its size, Aj had to hold it with two hands, and radiated faint Nothingness while… rainbow colored Nothingness Thornes ran around it.
“Right...um...that is definitely a thing.” I said honestly.
“Wow! We can make easy three or four jars of Zap Apple Jam with them this big!”
“That’s if they all do that.” I said honestly. “But yeah...I’m pretty sure you’ll be making a lot more jam with all of that.”
“Heh, well this harvest will certainly be our best ever.”
“Well, at least things are settled then.” I said, having a feeling this will still be edible even if it changed. “So, anything else about your farm I need to look at our was the Zap Apple’s it?” I asked curiously.
“No, this was about it. Thanks for coming over.”
“No problem.” I nodded. “Just doing my job.” I said as I thought for a moment. “How’s the family been with the sudden changes?” I asked curiously.
“Bloom's been finding the whole thing Exciting. Big Mac didn't seem to care much and when Granny first saw the sky she about had a heart attack, swore Equestria was ending.” She chuckled.
“Believe me, if the world was truly ending...well then a lot worse things would be happening in the meantime.” I sighed out.
“Well, wanna come inside? We got a lot of Leftovers and Granny wants to have the fridge empty for our Hearths Warming Party.”
“Oh yeah...I forgot it’s getting close to that…” I muttered. “Wait...is there Thanksgiving in Equestria?” I asked curiously, wondering if they had that lone holiday as well. “I know it’s past November but...just wanting to make sure.”
“Uh, what exactly is that Holiday for you?”
“Thanksgiving is, in some cases, a harvest celebration, but in specific places it was also about giving thanks to many things, like family, friends, the harvest, and a bunch of other things.” I said honestly. “Which...is kind of redundant when it’s called ‘Thanksgiving’.” I muttered.
“Well Hearth's Warming is kinda like that, lots of ponies, friends and family getting together, cooking, eating and just being happy. If you wanna Celebrate this Thanksgiving of yours you can, heck, I know Pinkie Pie won't mind a new Holiday for a party on her calendar.”
“Well again, Thanksgiving was partly due to the Harvest season but eh. And Hearths Warming...well a lot of people have different names for that holiday. But...you know, I don’t think I’ve had Apple Family cooking before...weird.”
“Heh, well come on in then. I gotta show the new Zapp Apples to Big Mac. Heh, he'll drop his drawers when he sees this.” She said as she lead the way back to her house.
Once there she got out some leftover sweets for me to try while she went to show the massive Zapp Apple to her brother.
“Sweet.” I muttered with a smile and happily dug into the sweets I was giving to try. “Glad to finally try this stuff.”
It. Was… Amazing. The flavor was super rich and lasting on my tongue.
“Good lord this is amazing.” I smiled happily and continued to eat the wonderful apple treats.
I actually finished off the treats, Waiting for Aj to return. She came back some minutes later. “Heh, Big Mac about fell over when he saw this apple.”
I chuckled. “Glad to hear that. Besides bills, what are you gonna do with all the excess money you’ll make from a higher amount of jam?” I asked curiously. “Also, these sweets are amazing.”
“Heh, it’s part of why this farm stays a float.” She said.
“Yeah that is true.” I said in agreement. ”I wonder...should I go to another world? Cause I don’t think I have much else to do here…” I thought to myself, thinking I can go off to another world just to actually explore more instead of wondering what the fuck to do. “Need anything else before I go?”
“No that was pretty much it. You know, you should take a day off or something. Even here on the farm we take a day or two off, mainly in the slow season. Read a book or something.”
“Thanks.” I nodded. “But yeah I should probably just head off and do...something with my free time.”
“You can head off to the Library, been a while since you were there.”
“Yeah, my original home before I had to move.” I said. “Well, better get going. Have a nice day.” I said before getting up and heading off to the Library to see how it changed.
As I walked through town I noticed Ponyville was getting modernized. Paved roads, drainage systems, light poles, even vending machines were decorating the streets. Nobodies and those living here were working to modernize buildings and such all around. It was...nice, but it also felt strange, seeing this small town almost expanding within a few days or so. The Library was still a tree, still as I remember it at least. I knocked, Time Bell opening the door. “Oh, Ben. Long time no see.” She said.
“Hey Time, how are you doing today?” I asked the mare.
“Good. Library’s been good. Finally have modern checkouts so no more losing books. What brings you here?”
“Eh, just wanted to see how my old home was doing.” I said honestly. “Mind if I come in?”
“Sure.” I entered. The inside was different. It was more like a library and less like a home with lots of books.
“Hey, it actually looks like a library here.” I said. “Looks nice.”
“Yeah, it didn’t take that long to fix it all up. Very little was altered to the structure, mainly it was just standing shelves added.”
“Right then.” I nodded. “I hear you and luxu are still together and happy right?”
“Yeah. Even though he’s in your council he still comes here every night. So, anything of interest, the only things we don’t check out are in the Enchanted section. As in the books are enchanted.”
“Right then.” I nodded. “Wonder why those books are enchanted…”
“Dunno but if you want to look at them go ahead, we keep them in what was the Basement, not the Enchanted section so we can keep it locked at night. Some of them are pretty neat.”
“Would be interesting.” I said honestly. “Actually...what happened to all of Twilight’s stuff down there?” I asked, not remembering what happened to all her science stuff.
“She took it when you all moved out.”
“Ah.” I nodded. “Well might as well see all the enchanted books.” I said while heading to the basement.
Upon entering there was only four books each on a stand. ‘A Manifesto of Properties’. ‘Times and Life of The Modern Alchemist.’ ‘Evolution Steps Back.’ and lastly was ‘Harry Potter, the Complete Collection.’ That was funny enough the biggest book.
“Okay then…” I muttered while checking the Manifesto and wondering what’s in it.
I opened it up… and saw a little paper mache crane fly out. “Hello, I am Table of Contents, Contents for short, How may I help you today?” It spoke… right, Enchanted.
“Hi. I was wondering what was in this book so I was going to read it.” I said, not really sure what to say to the enchanted book considering I just wanted to read it.
“Right. This book can tell you how much any property on any world is worth with immediate updates.”
“Wait, ‘any world’?” I asked, finding that rather curious it brought up ‘any’ world. “What do you mean by that?”
“I mean any world! Radiant Garden, Hundred Acre woods! This very land of Equestria, even digital worlds such as Matrix or Tron. I can tell you the property and it’s current value of any planet.”
“That is rather interesting.” I said, not thinking this book existed. “Hmm...what to ask...eh, why not Equestria?”
“Okay then sire, what and where would you like to know the property value of?”
“Um...the country of Equestria.” I asked. “That’s a big enough area.”
“Calculating. The entirety of the country of Equestria has a net worth of 5.88 septillion Rem, totaling in resources, economy, and land values.”
“God damn.” I said in surprise. “Didn’t think it was worth that much…” I muttered. “Hmm...Griffonstone.”
“Calculating. The Country of Griffonstone as is with its economic depression and reconstruction at an agonizingly slow pace is worth 3.9 million Rem, mainly due to the mountain country's historical value and the mountain containing a fair sized mine of gold and gems.”
“Yeah makes sense…” I muttered. “The diamond dog kingdom...um...what is it called?”
“Diamond Dog lands. Calculating. Total worth is 9.75 Nonillion Rem, their booming industry in pornography and adult entertainment as well as a vast untapped natural resource under the soil of gold, gems, and valuable minerals.”
“Jesus…” I muttered. “That’s quite a lot...Badlands.”
“Calculating. The Badlands total worth is 9.55 Trillion Rem, while rich in underground riches, their lack of established cities and high pollution and dry, and lack of fertile land cripple it’s worth potential.”
“Makes sense…” I muttered. “Yakyakistan?”
“YakYakistan. Calculating. This small nation up in the frozen lands had a total worth of only three million rem, as it’s country had no major trades, resources or economy.”
“Yeah…” I muttered. “The dragon lands?”
“Calculating. 3.99 Trillion Rem. While no real economy or trade worth in total, the volcanic ash soil is the most fertile in the planet total and it’s rich minerals would make the nation worth much more, but the dragons would rather horde and eat them rather than trade.”
“Right then.” I said, wondering about what other nations I could bring up. “Hmm…Saddle Arabia.”
“Saddle Arabia, 4.4 Billion Rem.”
“Right then.” I nodded. “Well I suppose that’s good enough I suppose…”
“Till Next time then.” Contents said, floating back to the pages as the book closed itself.
I nodded before checking the Time’s and Life of an Alchemist just to see how special it was. I opened the book, and the words on the page changing and then forming a face. “Hello, long time since someone opened my pages.”
“Hi.” I said. “How you doing today?”
“Eh, I’m a book so nothing much to complain about.”
“So, who are you if I may ask? Cause I have a feeling your more than just the book.” I said honestly.
“I am the Alchemist. My pages contain the recipes of over nine thousand, four hundred and fifty three of the most complex alchemical transmutations and potions from Era two to Era five.”
“Era two to Era five?” I asked curiously. “What do you mean by that?”
“An Era in the terms of the realms means the time between an apocalyptic event so massive life on every world in every reflection had to start over. This is Era fourteen.”
“Jesus.” I frowned. “That long huh?”
“Yes, but they range in how long they are. So yes, a lot more than what you would expect. So, need anything?”
“Might as well see what all the alchemy stuff is from...twelve to nine era’s ago.” I said honestly. “Mind letting me learn you’re techniques?”
“Sure, anything specific? Transfigurations, potions? You look like a fellow who could use a wide variety of invisibility potions, maybe a potion of elephant hearing? Hear from miles farther than you can normally? Take your pick I have quite the assortment.”
“Well I don’t need hearing cause I’m a Dire Wolf and I can hear great...I have a spell for invisibility...hmm…” I hummed. “Man there’s so much I could think of…” I wondered. “Besides potions and transfigurations, what else do you know?”
“Transfiguration isn’t potions my lad, transfiguration takes something and transforms it to something of equal material value. Quite frankly it’s possibly the more dangerous field of study within my pages.”
“Oh yeah that.” I said. “Yeah I know of that...that would probably be a pain in the ass if I even tried…”
“And dangerous. People use this information thinking they will be the acception. But when they seek Truth they learn no one is the acception.”
“Yeah, I know...he’s an asshole.” I frowned. “Mostly because of what it did to Cript.”
“Yeah but that’s him, he takes what you value the most. Well, technically it’s a trade, that which you value most for information.”
“Yeah...that’s true.” I nodded. “So you only have Transmogs and Potions?”
“Yes, and please don’t call them Transmogs, it’s insulting.”
“Is it?” I asked the book honestly.
“Yes. it’s like calling you a mutt, don’t you take insult to that?”
“Okay there’s a difference between being racist and shortening a term.” I frowned. “Cause trust me, there two completely different things.”
“Maybe to you, but when you literally exist to do nothing but teach what you were imbued with, you take it as racist.”
“Okay okay.” I said. “No need to get your pages ruffled. So, let’s look at the potion selection and see what’s there okay?”
“Fine, fine. So, what do you need or want to learn?”
“Hmm...do you know any recipes for healing potions?” I asked curiously, even though I have enough to last me and my entire army a fucking life time I’d at least like to know how to make them.
“I have two hundred and sixteen healing potion recipes.”
“That’s quite a bit...what’s the strongest one you know?” I asked honestly.
“Goldmines Brew is a good one, can revive the dead, so long as they have been dead for an hour or less.”
“Right then...how am I going to make that?” I asked, having a good feeling about that.
“Three pounds of Griffon Egg Shells, nine Phoenix feathers, brew in a black boil mushroom broth and after a three day brew over a low fire filter into bottle with a Glass size four potion filter tube.”
“Right then.” I nodded, glad to learn that. “But that sounds...rather curious for ingredients…”
“Griffon Shells when boiled brew a tea that heals bones, and Phoenix feathers when made into a tea heal the body completely, and can revive death. Together they form a potent potion. Healing the body completely, restoring magic. It’s ingredients hard to come across but worth it when gathered.”
“Well good thing I have both Griffon wives and a wife with a pet phoenix so…” I said, finding that a bit convenient.
“Alright then. So, anything else or will you be off then?”
“Hmm...what kind of remedies do you know?” I asked curiously.
“Depends, what’s your ailments?”
“Any.” I said. “A cure all as it were.”
“I have five, the most potent of them is called Witches Fiber. Brew a quart of witches blood with specks of gold flakes and mix in one vile of holy water. Mix til turns green then add in Pixie Dust and then pour into bottle with number eight bottle filter tube.”
“Right then...that is a bit weird you need gold and pixie dust...and holy water of all things.” I said honestly.
“Potion making is about the internal magic of the ingredients, and how they react when mixed together. The results can be nothing or extraordinary, this is no science, it’s merely how magic reacts to other magic.”
”So it’s completely nonsensical, got it.” I thought to myself. “But one more thing...are there potions that increase people’s physical and mental capabilities?” I asked curiously.
“Yes. There are many, but I feel you want something that adds permanent additions.”
“Yeah, that would be best.” I said honestly.
“Then Demi-Gods Blood is for you.”
“Demi-god blood...um...how?” I asked curiously, even though by all technical concerns I became a god not too long ago.
“The Demi-Gods Blood potion will maximize your potential to it’s fullest, it’s rare and making it is as hard as you can imagine.”
“Do you literally need Demigod blood?” I asked curiously.
“Not quite. The potion takes a Devil’s skinned hide, an angels wings, the soul of an unborn, and the heart of a pure blood god. Brewed together in the purest of spring waters, they create the effects you seek.”
“Jesus christ how did you figure this out?” I asked in very great concern.
“I didn’t, the great Hero of Era three Caster Vergil did. He gathered them all together and made the first brew. He drank it and kept his Era going for two thousand more years until his death.”
“Right then.” I nodded. “That’s...quite a thing to be honest.” I said honestly. “Probably not going to murder an angel, demon and god but good to know…” I said nervously. “But...I suppose that’s everything…”
“Alright then, till next time.” The book said, closing itself.
“Till next time.” I said while putting the book back. “Okay...onto the next book…” I said while taking ‘Evolution Step’s Back’. “I have a bad feeling about this…” I muttered, fearing what the title had in store for me.
It opened… and the pages were blank… okay...
“Right…” I muttered while closing it, fearing that if I tried to read it I’ll de-age for some unknown reason.
Placing it down, I moved over to the next book.
“And onto the most uninteresting, the entire Harry Potter series.” I said while taking the book and opening it up, wondering if this book literally does have the entire collection.
As I read the first chapter, the words began to glow… oh crap! I dropped it, the light blinding me as everything went white.
“Omph!” I groaned, falling into what feels like bushes. Bushes? “What the fuck?” I muttered, wondering what the hell is going on. “Where am I?”
As I was standing up I was in...some kind of suburbs. It was dark, night time. Light poles lit as an elderly bearded man stood in the… Wait… Dumbledore!?!? He was lifting that thing, the light from the street lamps flying into it… I’m in the book. ”Mother fucker...well I have a good feeling I’m about to fuck something up big time if I don’t stay hidden…” I thought to myself, having a pretty bad feeling that if I make myself known something bad will happen.
I watched as Dumbledore and then Professor Mcgonagall left Harry on the doorsteps. They rang the bell then magiced themselves away. I sat back in the bushes, watching as the younger version of his aunt saw the baby. She read the note, then looked at the baby… Then closed the door… I’m sorry, WHAT!?!?
”Okay things are already wrong here.” I thought to myself as I summoned my Lexicon and made a rune real quick that made me immune to stop effects as I slowly sneaked towards the child. ”Okay, so this book is a liar and isn’t doing what the book said.” I thought myself.
As I went over to the infant Harry I saw the scar was fresh on his head, bearly scabbed over. He was sleeping peacefully. I looked over at the window, the Aunt and Uncle arguing, likely over what to do.
”Okay so maybe they’re deciding on if they should take care of Harry...and if this is the story they need to take care of him.” I thought to myself, staying hidden from everyone as I waited for what comes next.
After a bit the Aunt opened the door, taking Harry inside. I listened in. “I don’t like it. I don’t like it at all. We are making ends meet barely as is. Another mouth to feed is the last thing we need.” The uncle said.
“I don’t like it either but you know these freaks highly valued my sister and her husband. If we don’t care for him they might do unspeakable things to us.” The aunt replied.
“Well why don’t we just leave the boy in an orphanage and be done with it.”
“And risk making them mad? That’s suicide!”
“Damn magical...freaks! Even the poorest of them are paid in gold, or so you’ve told me. If they lived like we’ve had to, even one of those gold coins would make this easier at least. Durdly just got out of diapers, oh those expensive diapers, and now we have to get them all over again!” The uncle said, taking a seat on the couch. “We’ll have to be even more frugal, if that’s even possible. I suppose I can work the Overnight Shifts, nobody wants them since they last a full ten hours, but at least they’ll pay more…”
“Love, you already work nine hours straight. When will you sleep?”
“Coffee.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“It’s all I got.”
So they were broke when Harry came into their lives? That can explain some things…”Wait no, that doesn’t make any sense.” I thought to myself. ”They sure as hell were well off in the real story so what the hell?” I thought to myself, finding that a bit inconsistent from what I read and watched.
Hmm… This is meddling, but the hell, I’ve meddled enough on other worlds to the point several in in the realm I am king of. I went into my Assistant, taking out out and placing about six thousand pounds as a starting before knocking on the door, and casting Vanish, making me invisible. The uncle opened the door, seeing the money and taking it. I then listened in again. “Well...I guess we’ll be good for a while.” He said, counting the bills. “This will be enough to get your… Harry some things, needed things, and maybe some real food on the table. Durdly is too thin for a boy his age.”
That fat proker was thin? What kind of Harry potter book is this? ”Yeah this is definitely not the real Harry Potter series.” I thought to myself while checking my Assistant to see what Harry Potter story I’m actually in.
World: Harry Potter, the Complete Collection
World Type: Fictional Story BookUnlike normal worlds within the Multiverse, those residing within Fictional pages that can be entered and explored as if they were solid earth, can be drastically altered and changed. Once the story is done, however, while the pages read the same words, the inhabitants within remain changed. Knowing the real events that took place.
”That doesn’t explain what book I’m in cause sure there’s a time skip in between this I highly doubt this is it at all.” I thought to myself, liking how the Assistant to give me a bunch of info about things that it thought I was asking for when I was asking for something completely different. ”But whatever, looks like I’m gonna be stuck here for ten plus years...hopefully not…” I thought to myself.
The next day I followed the Uncle to his job. He worked in an office building. It looked like he works in recites and billings, entering all the paperwork into boxes, copying it, retyping it all up. Shit that’s too much BS for paperwork.
”Well looks like he has a boring as piss job…” I thought to myself.
As his day went on he had to have worked over at least a thousand or so papers. That’s a lot of papers. When he left the job he went to the part to think, to himself it seemed as he was asking himself questions on a bench all alone. “What to do… That money will help but not for long. Promotion might help, but that won’t happen. Too many fellows better than me up there. Besides, no one ever asks for anyone from my department…” He sighed. “I can try and find employment elsewhere but with the economy as is that isn’t a hopeful option.”
”Well at least he’s trying...even if he’s gonna be a fat bastard who raises a spoiled brat.” I thought to myself.
As the next few days went along I began using illusion spells to make myself look like how I did as a human to others. This let me be able to watch thing play out from a public view rather than just from bushes. Makes this all much easier. One thing I knew for sure is that they are really mixed on Harry. They seem to want to take him in, but financially, even with the money I gave them, they worry. So sometime soon some event happens, I think, that causes them greater financial hardships. They must put all that worry and stress into anger towards him, then whatever happens after is what gives them quite the financial security. What those are though must range from possibly a job loss or something else.
”Still doesn’t make any sense why they continue to hate him after if what I’m looking at is right.” I thought to myself.
This was just strange. “Greetings.” I about fell out of my chair… Dumbledore appearing in the previous empty seat on the other side of my table. “I’ve noticed you watching Harry… is your presence cause for trouble?”
“No no, just…” I took a moment to think of how to explain it. “A traveler.” I said, not technically lying here but still. “So, how may I help you?”
“Just wondering why you are observing young Potter and his guardians. I can tell you are using an illusion spell on yourself, hiding your appearance. May I ask why?”
“Would you openly display your part Dire Wolf?” I asked honestly.
“Part dire wolf? Were you an experimentation?”
“Family Curse.” I shrugged.
“Ah. May I?” He asked, holding out a hand.
“Oh no, it’s alright. Besides...I really like my new Heritage...plus the Curse was...jeez not sure how to explain things.” I said sheepishly.
“May I examine it at least? I know of many curses, but none that alter the body in such a drastic way. Potions yes, but those ware off.”
“Sure, but it’s more of a...genetical curse.” I said while letting him examine the curse. “If that makes any sense to you.”
“Hm. I shall see.” He said, I felt his magic flow over me, examining me and the family curse. “Hmm...very interesting. This curse does, infact target genetics, completely remaking them if need be and doesn’t lead to repercussions. Your old DNA is still there but your new added ones are made the dominant one, quite fascinating. I also notice you have far more power than I initially thought… fearfully much more. Pray tell, you don’t happen to be of another world, do you?”
“And you’ve met others like me I presume?” I asked curiously. “Cause not many can say that without prior knowledge or experience.”
“Yes. I am not as at a loss as some expect. You see, I know of other worlds, but I also know this world is just pages in a book. You see, the author of my book was a member of the old Dandelions, who imbued her works with life and childlike wonder, as a means to keep the light alive. We were scattered. I know for a fact we were in the old King of Nothingness Library. Then his castle fell and, I am unsure of our current location. All I know is that we are safe. Each book our author made has one character written to know of the truth of their existence, as a safety measure.”
“Alrighty then.” I nodded. “Well funny thing really...I’m the new King of Nothingness, and right now you’re in a Library in a humble little town. And who would have thought J.K.Rowling was actually apart of the Dandelions.” I chuckled a little. “The more you know I suppose.” I said honestly. “But I suppose why I’ve been looking over Harry is...well the author never really gave an explanation of Harry’s early life, just jumped from the day he was put on the doorstep to his relatives then jumped to the few days before he was swept into a whirlwind adventure of magic, wonder and plot holes.” I said honestly.
“Ah, well I can tell you that. Simply put, when Harry was just ten months old, he first used magic. The resulting spell of a young wizard can be very strong. As such, his cousin was harmed, breaking many of his bones. That made his aunt and uncle fear him, and so, they began to hate him. They spoiled their son to make sure he forgot the traumatic event of his youth. After all, nineteen fractures, ten broken bones and a concussion is a lot of damage to anyone, especially a young boy.”
“Jesus christ.” I frowned. “That’s...a hell of a thing.”
“Magic in the wizard and witches younglings stabilizes at age two, one and a half at the youngest, but it starts up at just four months old. Muggles are ill equipped to handle such affairs. The time between Harry’s magic manifesting and it stabilizing left their house and health in near ruin. That is why they hate him, because if he could do that to them at so little, they feared what he could do when older. So, they kept him in a position of fear and closed their hearts to him. Sad really, it’s why these years were never written. Only able to be witnessed by being inside the novel.”
“Yeah...that’s a good reason.” I said honestly. “But then where did they get all the money? Cause right now they’re having trouble with money as is, minus the six grand I gave them just as a little help.”
“Funny enough, it was a byproduct of when Harry’s magic harmed his cousin so badly. His uncle’s boss, while a busy man is a kind hearted man, and so, when he heard his employee’s son was so badly hurt, he promoted him, a big bonus and a large weekly check, so long as he kept the work given completed. And he did, throughout this story. In a way, if Harry doesn't do that event, then they never become financially stable, and they do learn to love him, Harry and his cousin grow to be more like brothers rather than a slave and master. But, this was not how this story was meant to be told. Such a sad fact.”
“It happens.” I shrugged. “Life can be a great ball of shit sometimes...but we learn to deal with it in time and forgettable sequels.”
“Not as… I would have said it but it works. So, I take it you want out of the book then?”
“I suppose everything else is just the same as the other books or is there any differences?” I asked curiously.
“There can be, but on the pages nothing will be changed, just… reset. You can pretty much do whatever, re enter and everything will be the same when you return, only anything you did will have never happened.”
“Right then.” I nodded. “Thanks for clearing somethings up Professor.” I nodded. “The names Ben by the by.”
“It’s been a pleasure Ben… may I ask a favor, if you’d listen?”
“Sure.” I nodded. “What do you need?”
“I’ve seen the events play out many times. It gets old. In each time I hate that out of them all Harry has to suffer over, and over again. I know anyone taken out of this world, when it resets it will just craft a new one, so can you take him? At least one Harry can live a completely different life outside of this cycle.”
“Sure.” I nodded. “I’ll take him in...just uh...wonder how to make a solid argument besides I have all the money in the world.” I said sheepishly.
“Just make sure he grows up loved.”
“Now that isn’t going to be that hard.” I chuckled. “All the kids I’ve adopted have been raised with love.” I said warmly.
“Good, good. Well, let’s retrieve the boy, and I will send you both on your way.”
“Thank you.” I nodded. “Let us be off.”
With a quick warp the the house and grabbing Harry Dumbledore sent us out of the book. I appeared in the library, back in Ponyville. The door was still open so I am gonna assume that time in the book was much faster than time in the real world. “Well...alrighty then…” I muttered while looking down at Harry, now having this kid as my new son. “Wonder who you’re going to be the child of…” I wondered, having a feeling it’s going to be Twilight because magic.
His body began changing, Dire Wolf ears growing as well as fur...and that was it. I didn’t see any pony, dragon, or other race features… So must be one of the new Dire Wolf wives child. Huh, wonder who it is? “Well, good way to check…” I muttered while using my Assistant to see who’s mother Harry was under.
Escarlata
Age: 27
Race: Dire Wolf
“Right then…” I muttered, glad to know who’s mother Harry’s was.
I walked Harry over to the nursery. “Alrighty, time for you to meet all your other siblings…” I muttered while gently putting him down in one of the cribs.
With that done I went on to find something to do. I entered the throne room, and Consequence appeared. “Greetings sire. Is there anything you would like to request?”
“Um...yes actually.” I said. “Where’s the former King’s note’s and experiments on Nothingness?” I asked Consequences, thinking he would know where it was at so I didn’t have to search the entire damn place or the entire library.
“Well his public records are in the main library, but his laboratory is in the very last basement.”
“And...where would that be?” I asked curiously.
“This way, my lord.” Consequence said, opening a DTN.
“Thank you.” I nodded while entering the DTN, hoping to start learning about True Nothingness and all the things I can do with this unknown power. “Wonder what I’ll find…”
To be continued...