//------------------------------// // 0-4: Book of ugly, not of dragons. // Story: What the where? // by ARandomLonelyDude //------------------------------// I reappear in a dark library. There are a lot of books on these shelves. I walk towards one of the thousands of book and pull it back. The book activated a secret door to my left. I observed the wall move to reveal a locked metal door. Beyond that there is a staircase leading up to another book. The book looked like it was made of rock and had spikes on it. 'Behold the second element of disharmony. You can call him Stan.', Arnold said. "Arnold, is that you?", a voice asked. I figured it was the book. "Yes, it is me. I'm h-" "GET ME OUT OF THIS HELL-HOLE! THERE IS TOO MUCH DUST!", Stan cut him off. I teleport Stan to myself immediately knowing how much pain he was going through. Dust is a horrible thing. "Thank you! It feels so good to be clean and away from the dust. How rude of me to not introduce myself! My name is Stan and thank you again for getting me out of there Mr. ... Who are you?" "I am Lonely Gear and no need to thank me. I know how horrible dust is.", I say thinking about the many times I had breathing problems because of dust. I hear the pop of teleportation behind me. I turn around and see Princess Luna. "Stop right where you are!", she shouts as she charges up a spell and flares her wings trying to look scary. It took every bit of me to not tell her how cute she looks. If she was her adult version I may have been scared but right now I am not. "Okay.", I reply. I didn't really want to get in fight with her because she could very easily beat my ass and also because I didn't need any enemies. She looked a bit surprised but accepted it. She held out her hoof and said, "I shall needeth thee to hoof ov'r the element." "No. I'll give it to Princess Celestia.", I said. On the outside I was calm, on the inside I was thanking god that she didn't know of the other element I acquired. She looked a bit hurt but nodded and teleported us. We teleported outside the golden oaks library instead of that room in the castle. I could hear someone talking inside. Being the nice, handsome man/stallion I am, I held the door open for Luna and said, "Ladies first." She nodded and entered with me following. The scene inside is kinda weird because it is more unexpected than the spanish inquisition. Nightmare moon is sitting there with an anti magic horn ring equipped, the mane 6 are happy to see Luna back but not so happy to see me and Princess Celestia is just standing there and looking at me with a neutral expression, menacingly. "I am surprised that you came here without trying to hurt my sister. Most villains put up a fight.", Celestia said. I feel insulted. "If you're trying to call me a freak, stop. I am better than you think I am", I deadpan, "I could have stabbed princess Luna but I didn't and that is because I am a decent pony." "You can't talk to the princess like that meanie-pants!", Pinkie shouted, obviously not happy about how I am talking to the princess. "He can talk to the princess, who called him a villain just for bearing an element he knows nothing about, like that.", Stan said before I could. Everyone was immediately trying to find out who talked. "I'm the book you dummies.", Stan said sounding hurt. Everyone immediately focused on to the book. "It seems that you have found another element of disharmony.", Nightmare Moon said calmly as she looked at the book I held in my magic. "Already?!", twilight shouted in disbelief. Everyone but N.M.M. is alarmed. "You found two of them so easily because you're better at hide and seek than us?!", Pinkie shouts in disbelief, probably over a better hide and seek player than her. "Maybe.", I answer cryptically. I smile as Pinkie's brain goes boom. Princess Celestia's horn lights up and my brain is suddenly feeling weird. 'She scanned you' 'Thanks Arnold' Princess Celestia 'hmmm'ed and said, "I will need to take the elements from you. We do not know anything about them and they could cause harm to you and other ponies around you." She then levitated a box from the table in the center of the library in front of me. "NO! I'm not going in there!", Stan shouts angrily. "Neither am I.", Arnold adds. Celestia is slightly annoyed and puts the box away. "I see how it is.", she muttered thinking I can't hear her. Yes, I can hear people mutter but only if they are close enough. I can thank my family members who call me from across the house in a normal voice instead of shouting. "I have one question after which you can leave. What is the criteria for the bearer of the element of... ", she says befoe realizing she dosen't know what the book represents. "I am the element of need. Arnold is the element of knowledge. The last one represents strength. I'll explain my criteria in poem", Stan says. "*Ahem* Mirror mirror on the wall, who's the neediest and ugliest of them all?" Damn, he know how to poetry. "Thank you. you may leave. I have things to discuss.", she says. I nod and head outside. As soon as I exit the library, the door is closed, violently and I am pretty sure they are discussing what to do about me. "You can put me in the bag you know.", Stan says quietly to not attract attention from the ponies that are walking around, enjoying the sun. I put Stan in my saddlebag and pull out my fedora and wear it. I have a new objective and that is to find a place to stay. 'Where can I buy a house?', I ask Arnold mentally. 'Go to the town hall or something.' Where could the town hall be... There. All I have to do is make my way to the tall building. However, it goes through the marketplace, which can be good or bad but what's the worst that could happen? The gossiping. It's finally over. Anyway, did you guys know that females can spread rumors like hot butter on bread. If not, then now you know. Like seriously, it has not even been an hour since Luna returned and there are already rumors about N.M.M. still alive and still evil and also about the elements of disharmony. Some avoided me because I was new and the only possible candidate for the E.o.D. Some glared at me. Others just weren't friendly to me. But that doesn't matter. What matters is that I have made it to the town hall. There is a board outside that has some job advertisements and houses for sale. I inspect the board for a job and some cheap house because I only have 2,500 bits according to Stan because he's a simple guy who got bored and decided to count my money. Aha. There is a job open at Dr. Time Turner's workshop. That means I can tinker with stuff and get paid 390 bits a week. The downside is that I'm going to help him out and not tinker with stuff and have to work from 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 PM i.e. 9 hours for 6 days a week. There is this nice 2 story house with a basement located at the southern edge of the Everfree forest. It is very cheap, only 1,250 bits. That's suspiciously cheap. Very sus. I'm buying it anyway. I have to talk to mayor for it. I step inside the building and see some construction work going on. The ponies are fixing the destruction caused by N.M.M. I walk to the mayor's office and knock on the door. "Come in.", I hear. I prepare myself for buying a house for the first time.