//------------------------------// // A Chance Encounter // Story: On the Road // by Smakleapp //------------------------------// The air was humid, thick to point of being cuttable. Twilight walked through the bushes that would occasionally prick at her body, creating bruises and scars. She took the silence spell off Flurry, allowing her to giggle each time Twilight got whacked with a tree branch in the face. The map informed her that this quick forest range would end soon, and become a vast valley. “Well, it’s taking its sweet time, that’s for sure.” Flies flew closely to Twilights face, and she felt the need to swat them away from herself. She cursed and sweated her way through the patches of the forest, hoping for a glimpse of endless fields. She did get a break from the endless green by a small shack near a stream. The stream itself was not very wide at all, and the sound was very low. Birds began to chirp as she approached the shack, and it seemed as if this building was the center of the forest. It was inclined on a slope, steps made of cobblestone, rugged from what seemed to be from hooves walking on them. A sign stood outside the shack. It read, The Magic Shack. That caused Twilight to rise up in glee for potential information. The shack itself seemed to look white, but it was blotched with leathery green vines that made the shack look like it itself was a tree. Twilight quickly became Candle Wick and checked on Flurry. When she saw the sight of the baby alicorn sleeping, she decided to give a quick test run of the store. She never could resist looking at new books, which was a moment that became scarce due to her library. The door was open to a small convenience store, except it was filled with magical runes and textbooks instead of chips and bread. It was also hot and humid inside the shack, opposed only by a lone fan that made no noticeable difference. Twilight walked to the back of the store to see an old stallion behind the counter. This stallion had a yellow coat and a gray mane. He seemed the type to have mashed potatoes for teeth and was noticeably shaking. He was reading a large book titled, Why Transmutation is Interesting. He was lost in its pages, and only aimed his eyes to Twilight when she caused a board to creak. “Ah! Scare an ode man tuh dayuth, won't yawl? Whatcha’ want?” Twilight recoiled back from the hostility. “Um...I just wanted to know if any of this is for sale.” The geezer looked Twilight up and down. “Uf curse it’s fur sale. Why wuldnt it? A stoopid ol’ earth thingy magiggy like mei don need this stuff. Wont me to dee?” Twilight could barely make out what the geezer said due to his thick accent. “Um...ok, well...I'm gonna go look now.” The geezer did not say anything at all or make any movements, just shaking and staring at the yellow pony who hurriedly waddled away. The shelves were filled with textbooks that Twilight knew she had already read. Ones that she extensively studied, ones she took notes on. They were back at the library, but… Twilight was interested in the runes, which lined the dusty shelves, scratched with old writings used by ancient ponies. Her eyes reached a certain rune, that seemed to be shinier than the rest. “Hoc arcanum est in vita in mundo non potest videre sensum, sed tantum locutum esse realem et spes. Ut producat in esse nisi per circuitum auxilio magicae quod amor creaturae.” Staring at the rune, with these small words working their way into her mind, the gears inside her brain began to move. “The secret to life is found in a world one can't see or sense, but only infer and hope to be real. To bring about to existence only through the help of magic and love to creation.” “Ancient talk, eh? Where did you learn that?” A brown unicorn with a darker brown mane stood right next to her. Unlike the old geezer, she could see his cutie mark, which was one of a book. Twilight screamed internally. Ancient speak is usually only fluently spoken by the Royal family, and she was afraid she might have given herself up. “Um...you know, I’m a scholar.” She rested her arm cooly against the shelf. “Ya know, very, very, interested in that...tomfoolery.” Tomfoolery? Tomfoolery!?!? What in the hay is wrong with me!? I can’t lie at all! In what universe is “tOmFooLeRy” an answer to being a scholar?!?! The stallion chuckled. “Tomfoolery. Heh, you know, I dabble in that field as well.” Dabble? She calmed down at hearing that certain word and gave the pony a smile. “Really? With these runes?” Against her better judgment, she sought to get into a magic conversation with this stranger. “Of course. Fascinating things, these runes are. You know, my studies are the most fun I ever had.” “I bet! It’s so much fun to figure out the meaning!” The unicorn pointed at the rune. “This one is very interesting. Crazy your eye got caught on it.” As she mulled it over, there was almost a sheen to this one, making this one unique. She could not put her hoof on it, but she just felt that it was special. “Yeah, I don't know, seemed interesting.” The unicorn laughed again. “Heh, this one is different indeed. Very interesting to read.” Twilight asked, “Well, I suppose. Really seems, to… jump off the ol' rock. Ye haw! Heh…” What. The. Fuck. Another chuckle. “Heh, yeah, well this is one that is very special. I suggest you take it, I’ve already finished it” “How?” Twilights voice was one of bewilderment. “I don’t know, from being smart?” Twilight stared at the unicorn, shocked at the seemingly intentional insult, who chuckled. “HEH, just kidding. I saw this rune before it entered this store, but if you’re up to the task of solving it, you could take it.” Yeah, I need this freaking thing in my back like I need a thorn in my side. Twilight began to speak gently to the stranger. “Well, I'm not really…” The rune was gone, and so was the stranger. Instead, he was at the counter, with the rune in toe, talking with the shopkeep. A bewildered Twilight ran to the counter. “Sir, with all due respect, I-” “Don’t be silly! I paid for it and everything! Oh! And here is an endless bag in case, of course, you cant fit the rune. Oh, and don't worry about giving it back to me, you know, it’s my treat. Ok, bye!” The stranger stated this all very fast and chaotic, and he walked out of the store. Twilight turned back to the counter, gasping for explanations. “Wait-sir! Let me return-” “Nah. Git oot and liv.” “But sir-” “NAH. GIT OOT AND LIV. UND TIK U STOOPID BOOG TOO!” Twilight hesitantly did as the geezer said, putting the rune into the bag, which really did feel endless. I guess the bag will be more helpful than this rune. Now back in the forest, Twilight stood, confused at the rush of events that just happened. She did not know really what occurred, except that she was given a rune that she never asked for. However, trained in the Canterlot School for Gifted Magic-Users, she knew she could never give up anything such as the new item. Plus, the bag would help by extreme margins. Her old had a tiny endless spell, but it was not as powerful as this one seemed to be. She wondered if the random stranger would be a problem, which she decided he wouldn't. He had no inclination to her being a princess, and at that, a runaway one. She looked at her bag to make sure Flurry was not awakened, and she soon continued away from the store that had brought her confusing thoughts. One last thought, however, was leftover. What was the stallion's name?