Tracy didn’t have to ask for directions to the library this time. Though with the way it towered over Ponyville, he’d have to be blind to miss it.
He didn’t hurry, and more than once considered turning back and abandoning this crazy idea completely. But he’d already made a few steps towards insanity—there was no turning back now. If I don’t find something, my real life will fall apart before this fake one has a chance to go anywhere interesting. Maybe Shane had the right idea after all—cross into Equestria and never look back.
He suppressed a yawn as he climbed the library stairs, one of the few people inside this early. It was just him and a few bored-looking guards.
Eventually he reached the top, and the rows of identical books on those incredible crystal glass shelves. He passed several empty reading nooks, scanning the labels between each section. This library might be primitive compared to even his old hometown, but at least they still separated books by section.
“Hey,” said a familiar voice, startling him. Not the princess, thankfully. He turned, and was face to face with the little purple dragon. “You need help finding something?”
You people must be bored. But then, there wasn’t anyone reading today. He couldn’t complain. “Maybe. I need something about… medicine, I guess? Or magic. I’m not sure. I’m looking for something that might not exist in your world, and I’m not even sure where to start.”
At first Spike had barely been listening—but then he perked up, settling his scroll aside on a nearby table. Tracy caught a glimpse of colorful comic book pages hidden behind it before the dragon spread his wings, concealing it. “Right, I remember hearing something about… visiting creatures from another world. You’re the one who had all those weird law questions. The deal with Discord?”
“Yep.” He slumped into a nearby cushion. “I’m not sure if what I’m looking for even exists. Maybe you could tell me if this sounds crazy? If I spend all night searching for something that doesn’t exist, I’ll feel even stupider at work tomorrow.”
“All night, huh?” Spike nodded knowingly. “Alright, bat from another world. What are you looking for? I’ll have you know that not even Twilight knows these shelves as well as I do—not since she’s so busy being princess. It’s kinda technically my hoard or whatever? But most of it is boring, so I don’t mind lending it out.”
“Right.” He looked up. “So suppose I’m having trouble with needing to… sleep. I have to do things in my world, or else my life is ruined. But I want to do things in Equestria too. The way things lined up, your day is twelve hours ahead of mine. So every time I come here I’m only a few hours before bed. I can’t stay to do things with my… new friends without ruining life on the other side. Is there anything I can…”
Something struck him then, a memory of something months old. He probably should’ve ignored it, knowing the source. But not after what had just happened between him and Rose. “I think I remember something… I was supposed to see a doctor about a prescription? Are there any books about real drugs?”
“Maybe.” Spike rose, turning down the shelves apparently at random. But he strode with purpose, and Tracy had no choice but to follow close behind. “I don’t know the first thing about sleep, but it sounds like that came from a potions manual. I’m guessing one for the ‘exotic tribes.’” He lowered his voice, wings folding. “No offence. Old writers didn’t really think they were making things for anyone but the three biggest pony tribes.”
Like the menu. “I’m not offended or anything. I don’t even really look like this, so I can’t complain.”
Spike slowed, glancing over his shoulder. “Really? Didn’t you just say you were a visiting bat?”
“Not exactly, but…” He hesitated. “Close enough. I’d probably stay up all night and sleep all day if I didn’t have a nine-to-five. Does that count?”
Spike only nodded knowingly. “Living by a pony schedule is a terrible burden. I know your pain.” Eventually the little dragon took them to a rolling ladder attached to the shelves, and slid along to “Medicine.” He clambered up the shelves, emerging with three hefty titles in his arms. “If you’re gonna find anything about it, try these. First one is the biggest, so… answer’s probably there. The older and bigger the book, the more useful it’ll be.”
I’m gonna need three magical shots of espresso to make it to work at this rate. Tracy couldn’t take all three books at once, not without balancing them on his back. Somehow he doubted the dragon would appreciate him damaging part of the “hoard.” Spike helped him to a table, then took a few steps back. “I’m not as good with research, that’s more Twilight’s thing. But you should look at the indexes and go from there.”
“Thanks.” Tracy waved a friendly bat wing. “I’ll see what I can find.”
“Just don’t get your hopes up,” Spike warned. “It kinda sounds like you’re looking for a cure for having to sleep. If there were a way to do that, Twilight would’ve started years ago. She’d never give up all that extra reading time.”
“Yeah, I know.” He spread the books out on one of the reading tables. “Where I come from we have ways some people try to use to sleep less. But there’s nothing perfect, and nothing that really sticks. Coffee can do a lot, but it isn’t magic.”
“Don’t tell Pinkie,” the dragon muttered, wandering back to his slow circuit of the mostly empty library.
Tracy selected the largest and oldest as Spike had suggested. If this were anything like medicine on Earth, that advice would probably be the worst he could receive: the more up to date the medical information, the more likely it would help. Maybe that’s still true, and dragons are superstitious?
But it wasn’t like Tracy would be fooled by pony homeopathy, even if the rest of their world seemed magical.
There was nothing in the oldest book—mostly it was techniques for treatment of various strange injuries. Torn bat wings, shattered crystal limbs, and ingrown scales… probably all useful stuff, though the illustrations were detailed enough to make his stomach turn worse than eating bugs.
The second book was more promising. Practical Potions for the Globetrotter was made using the same printing and crude block techniques of the other books he’d seen so far, but the paper was fresher, and it lacked the musty smell. Much more importantly, there was a drug about sleep listed in the index.
He flipped to the page, and there it was. Everwake was apparently a potion, “taken primarily by thestral ponies to minimize the hormonal difficulties caused by a diurnal lifestyle.”
There was no advice to see a doctor—this was the actual recipe, which he was probably better off not seeing. Lots of plant names he’d never heard of, and various apparently magical things to be added in a particular way. He skimmed past all that to the description of effects and purpose. After a few flowery paragraphs of background and origin, he found what he was looking for.
“Once prepared, a modest dose of Everwake grants the user full alertness so long as it remains in the body, usually about twelve hours. It can be taken when rising to join diurnal creatures for their activities, while postponing the requirement for rest. Creatures who require a longer shift must consume another dose when drowsiness returns, but not before it fully sets in.
“This should not be seen as a means to avoid sleep entirely, however, but a way of rapidly inducing an alternate rhythm of waking and sleep. Unlike nonmagical methods, the debt of missed sleep while consuming Everwake will accumulate, at a rate approximately equal to three hours per dose. After even a few consecutive doses, the user will become completely incapacitated and fall into a semi-vegetative state until the debt is paid.
“Users are thus encouraged to avoid long-term consumption of Everwake, particularly for extended periods. It is most effective as an aid for nocturnal creatures while transitioning to interact with the rest of Equestria.”
There was more detail, though Tracy didn’t need it. It seemed completely impossible, but no more than anything else he’d seen in Equestria so far. If castles could rise up into the clouds and his friends could change briefly into little horses, why not a magical potion to put off sleeping until later.
Discord was the one who told me to see a doctor about this. The same creature who tried to trap the souls of my friends here for breaking a lock. Using this probably helps his plans, somehow. It was no mystery why the princess didn’t rely on this stuff to study all night. It didn’t cure his need to sleep, just put it off. I could try to last until the weekend…
This would be so much easier to deal with if he knew what Discord was trying to get from him. Obviously, it was more than just rent. You wanted me to take this from day one. What’s the angle? If he used magical stimulants for a whole year, how long would he sleep?
He packed things up, settling the books one at a time on a return shelf before heading back out. He could bring a phone and take a few pictures of the books next time, but he didn’t think for a second he could actually craft something like that. Trusting the medical science of another universe was one thing, but trying to recreate it himself was a bridge too far.
“Did you find what you needed?” Spike asked, waving him down near the entrance. “I thought you’d be here for hours.”
“Yeah, I… I might have.” He slowed, hesitating. But he’d ridden this parade of mistakes so far, he might as well stay on a little longer. “Is there somewhere I can buy potions in Ponyville? I’d like to see if they’re selling it.”
“Only one. Zebra named Zecora visits once a week, usually sets up with stuff to sell in the market. Can’t miss her. If you want more selection, you’d probably have to mail order out to Canterlot or Manehattan. Kinda like for these.” He pushed the scroll to the side, exposing the comic he was actually reading. “Can’t buy anything fun in Ponyville. Barnyard Bargains has a catalogue. The big barn by the train station?”
“Thanks.”
It was almost noon by the time he finally exited the library back into Ponyville proper. Another hour to place an order wouldn’t make things much worse. He stared off towards the train station, and could even make out the peak of a barn roof between the adorable Ponyville homes.
His pockets were heavy with bits, were they enough to buy potions? Yes, as it turned out. He expected the absurdly named proprietor to laugh when he asked for help placing an order for a “potion,” but Filthy Rich didn’t bat an eye. He dug around under the counter, emerging with an oversized folio of “medicinal curatives wondrous and mundane”. The Everwake was on an early page, beside a picture of a relieved-looking bat.
Tracy had barely enough bits for two weeks’ worth, the smallest quantity he could order.
“You can stop by with Friday’s train to pick up your order,” Filthy said, passing him a yellow slip of paper. “I’ll remember your face either way, but having that number handy will make it go quicker. Thanks for shopping with us!”
He slipped the paper away, wandering slowly out the way he’d come.