//------------------------------// // Chapter 7: Forgotten History // Story: Equestria's Martial Warrior // by Charson //------------------------------// Leo began to like Fluttershy's place more and more. It was warm and cozy, like a big cocoon of comfort. The couch swallowed him up as he sank within the incredibly soft cushions. Leo had been laying there for a few hours, recovering from his earlier "antics." He was feeling much better than before, with his muddle-headedness gone for the most part. It was somewhat later in the evening... Outside one of the windows, the sky was a beautiful tint of orange, slowly approaching dusk. Leo wears a stupid grin on his face. It Feeeeelss gooood. I'm living like a king haha. I could get used to this. Ever since the three of them had gotten back, the two mares had taken care of him. They had gotten him food to help stop him from getting a hungover later, ranging from yogurt to whole wheat snacks, to some type of broccoli soup. Surprisingly, he had no trouble keeping it down. The girls had also been giving him plenty of water, making sure he's plenty hydrated. Leo was feeling much better. "And what are you smiling about, you dork?" Rainbow says, half pouting because she has to take care of the drunk fool. All that said, she still enjoyed his company, talking with him about simple, general stuff, like culture and sociology for ponies, and human technology. Although the ponies had entertainment technology that used magic, like movies, music tech like at the party, and simple games, they still used simple industrial technology. For instance trains instead of cars, or hot air balloons instead of planes. Leo assumed it most likely had something to do with their infrastructure, most likely due to the focus on magic rather than electricity. What really interested Leo though was the former, their sociology and culture. Maybe it was because he was somewhat removed from it, but he found it fascinating. Ponies got together in groups just like horses would back on Earth, forming a harem with one or two stallions. Although there was a stallion who was the main head, the "first" mare was in charge of the "herd" for the most part. From what Rainbow said, it was this way 'because there are so many more mares than stallions!' Leo also began to notice that the ponies were VERY expressive. Oftentimes, the direction a pony's ears were pointing was a giveaway of what they were feeling. For example, they would droop when sad or pin back when angry. They also seemed to express themselves more physically, something very in contrast with humans. More often than not, humans were very reluctant to just touch each other, meanwhile, the ponies would nuzzle and stand up against someone they wanted to comfort, even if they might be strangers. Leo also saw their tails express some emotions, but he couldn't understand too much yet. To Leo, it was both super interesting yet so strange. They also had many similarities to the physiology of horses on Earth as well, even to the gender ratios as said before. But they also had many similarities to the ways humans were, such as being a little more aggressive, which contrasted to the more passive approach horses took on Earth. They had little to no problems with blind spots, or depth perception as far as he could tell as well. However, they also kept features of horses that worked in their favor, like hearing and smelling ability that far outpaced a human's. It was truly intriguing. However, now, they were just fooling around. Huh? What type of question is that? Should I do something she could never expect? ... Why, but of course! "I'm in a good mood, is that so wrong, 'o miss pony?" Leo jests, taking on a flamboyant pose like he's acting for a play. He kneels down and reaches out to her with his left hand, the other covering his heart. "You see, I am but a humble king, traveling in foreign lands. On my quest to seek my way homeward, I have been taken in the care of such gentle mares! Now, if you'll excuse me, I must be busy grinning once more!" Leo sits back down as though nothing, in particular, had happened. He pulled off the best poker face he possibly could. ... Rainbow was speechless. She squinted and looked at him, perhaps trying to find the "thing" that is making him act out of character. Her eyebrows were furrowed with confusion. Was he always this weird? "Tsk," Leo clicks his tongue in ridicule. What a boring response... You're supposed to play along! "Hey!" Leo calls out, breaking her out of her stupor, "wanna listen to that music I mentioned before?" "Uhh, yeah sure. But how are you gonna play it? We don't have any instrum-," Rainbow inquired, only to be cut off by Leo. "With this!" Leo declared, pulling out his phone from his pocket for the pony to see. "It's a phone. Basically, it holds a bunch of information and I'm gonna show you said information. In this case, music!" Leo turns on his phone that has been off almost the whole time he's been here. Once on, it showed the same symbol on the top right for having no bars. Sighing inwardly, he opens up his "Spotify," showing all of his downloaded playlists. Thank god I'm a psycho. I don't think anyone sane downloads all their music. Thinking back, Leo remembers that Rainbow said she liked rock. Wasting no time, he pulls up his "Rock" playlist, which included punk rock, classic rock, et cetera. It was an extremely inclusive playlist. Raising his eyebrow, he turns to Rainbow, "what type of rock do you wanna listen to?" "Type? There's more than just rock? Just give me something that'll pump me up I guess," she blurted out, not putting much thought into it. It makes sense music wouldn't be as fleshed out and diverse here. Without the internet, I can see why. Unfortunate. Shrugging off his thoughts, he looks through the playlist for some punk rock and the likes. Then a certain track catches his eye. Perfect! Although she might not understand some of the lyrics, she'll still feel it. Pressing play on Kickstart My Heart by Mötley Crüe, the music begins to fill the room to Rainbow's amazement. "WHAT? How can something so small play music?!" Human innovation is truly amazing... "I'll tell you some other time maybe, just listen for now." Leo stated, closing his eyes. He let the music dance into his ears, filling him with the passion of the song. Rainbow followed Leo's lead and closed her eyes as well. The sensation of the music was intense. Leo particularly liked the riff from the guitar at the beginning, it filled his mind with one word. Go! He didn't know where or what, but his body wanted to get up and run away to do something crazy. His body, throughout the song, had physiological responses to the feelings he was having. Beads of sweat filled his brow as he imagined doing the things in the song. His heart raced with anticipation. His skin rose with goosebumps, while a cold sweat went down his back. He peeked open his eyes and looked over at Rainbow and her reaction. She was uncomfortable, fidgeting around. Her wings twitched like they were ready to blast off into the serene sky and stir up trouble. Her legs twitched a little as well, like a dog having a dream. Her brow, much like Leo's, also began to sweat. She bit her lip subtly too, chewing on it with excitement. This is why he loved music so much. The feelings expressed within the music transferred to him and resonated with his soul, body, and mind. This is what true immersion was. This went on for a couple of minutes, with the two glancing at each other occasionally. They were trying to calm the fire within their hearts. Leo was glad Rainbow was enjoying it as much as he was. After the song was done, the room filled with silence. No one uttered a single sound. The silence shattered. "THAT WAS AWESOME!" Rainbow exclaims, beaming with satisfaction. "Is there more?!" -Creeeeak The front door opens, revealing a certain butter-colored pegasus. Fluttershy had been taking care of the animals outside, doing various daily chores she hadn't gotten to yet, such as feeding the chickens and cleaning their pen. Small but important things. Fluttershy looked at the cyan pegasus and human with her eyebrow raised, "what's going on? I-if you don't mind me asking." Leo assures her, "no, you're fine, I was just showing Rainbow some music from home. You wanna listen to some?" Leo inquires, doing his best to include the reclusive Fluttershy. "I-I'd like that. How are we going to listen to it though?" Fluttershy wondered. Ahh, don't worry you'll see," Leo began, continuing, "what type of music would you like?" "Hmm," she puts her hoof to her chin and looks to the floor, contemplating her choice. After a few moments, she looks back up, "h-how about something melodic and calming? I've always liked music like that." Her face shifts to a soft smile, almost motherly. "Alright, give me a second to find something." Leo begins to scroll through his phone. He began to think that progressive rock would be the best choice, as it's well-composed, melodic, and it might fit both of their tastes. His eyes land on a certain song. Meanwhile, Leo looked at his phone, Fluttershy took a seat on her chair to the left of Leo and Rainbow. She tried to get nice and comfortable. Leo, seeing that she was ready, taps on Stairway To Heaven by Led Zeppelin. It was a classic. "Alright, just close your eyes and let it soak in." Leo drawled, to which the two followed. It was an abstract piece of art, being able to be interpreted in many different ways and fashions. Even the artist himself has no clue what it truly means. It was simply a beautiful piece of work. It was well put together, with the piece eliciting emotion out of every line. Leo looked over at Fluttershy's reaction. Her breathing was slow and calm, almost as though she was sleeping. A small, soft smile covered her lips, as though she was completely content with everything. Her face soon also had a tinge of sadness however, perhaps picking up on some loneliness radiating from the song. He then looked over towards Rainbow, who was a little worse off. She was calm, yes, but she was also seemed a bit more downhearted, even beginning to tear up in the corners of her tightly closed eyes. Her lips were pursed, holding an unknown emotion. Her eyes were closed, but if they were open, Leo would think that she would be looking down with some type of sorrow. They've been through a lot, haven't they. Being around music so much, Leo had come to realize that people who had been through hardship and experienced a lot, tend to pick up on emotions like this more, especially on abstract pieces. Abstract music could act like a mirror of sorts. It truly brought out the beauty of emotions. After a few minutes of listening, the music comes to a close. Silence, once again, filled the room. Leo went first, "so? What'd you think?" His eyebrows were raised in a curious expression. His arms were crossed as he looked towards Rainbow and Fluttershy. "...I hate sappy music," Rainbow complains, causing Leo to have a slight frown. She turned away, having nothing more to say. I see, she must really not like what she was feeling... Which I can understand. Still, is she running away from something? Shaking his head, removing those thoughts for now, he waits for Fluttershy's take on the song. She takes a deep breath before she starts. "I thought it w-was beautiful. T-thank you," Fluttershy murmured near the end. After a moment of pause, she continues, "Is all music like that from your home?.. Also, h-his voice, it was really calming." Leo answers, "nah, we have a lot of variety of music at home with the global economy I talked about earlier today. That song was specifically in the 'progressive rock' genre. And I agree, that artist is a musical genius." Rainbow turns back to the conversation, "could you show us more of the music like from before?" Hmm, it'd be a good idea to save it for another time... can't show all of it at once after all. -Yawwwwwwwn Leo lets out, his mouth gaping wide. "Maybe another time, I gotta wash my clothes before the night is over. The couch is calling my name as well." He turns off his phone and puts it in his jean's pocket. Fluttershy chimes in, "I can d-do your clothes for you if you'd like. It won't be too much trouble." She has no idea... I'd be terrible by making her do my clothes. ... "Alright, but be warned, they stink like nothing you've ever encountered! I almost died when I sniffed them!" Leo chuckled at himself, "let me get a towel or something to cover up real quick." He takes out his phone and puts it on the little table next to the couch. Leo then darts to the bathroom, leaving no room for discussion. It wasn't too far, just around the corner and down a short hallway. Quickly going in, he began to strip down buck naked. He was grinning at the idea of having clean clothes. Once his garments were completely off, he grabbed the towel he used before and wrapped it around his waist, making sure it was extra tight so it wouldn't fall. Perfect! Satisfied, Leo made his way back into the living room with his wad of biohazardous clothes in tote. "Where should I put these?" He asked when he made his way around the corner to the living room. "In here," she states, wiggling a holding a wooden basket on her back. She then pointed to the couch, "I put a blanket and pillow for you there, if you need anything else, l-let me know." "Alright sweet, thank you bunches, Fluttershy," Leo thanked Fluttershy, going over to the couch with Rainbow and getting comfortable in the blankets. Rainbow gets up, "I'll see ya big guy, I gotta go home and get ready for work tomorrow. Once I'm off, you wanna hang out?" "Sure, I'll see you tomorrow. If you can't find me, just ask Fluttershy," Leo answers, His eyes half-shut from sleepiness. "By the way, I forgot to ask but what day of the week is it, and when is the festival thing?" Rainbow stops on her way to the door and turns around, "uhh, it's Wednesday today, and the celebration is Sunday night." She then makes her way to the door once more. They use the same days too?! WTF!!! And I thought they said a week, it's a lot sooner than I thought... Alright, thanks. See ya!" Leo yells out to the already gone Rainbow Dash. She seemed as though she was in a rush... Maybe she has to get up early? Shrugging, Leo sinks into the couch, with soft tan blankets covering his half-nude body. The pillow was super comfy too, being made out of what Leo could only assume was memory foam. It was nice and cool as well, making it unnecessary to toss and turn for a colder spot on the pillow like at home. He lets out a soft groan in pleasure as he slowly doses off. One sheep. Two sheep. Ten.. Sheep... Twen-ty... Two... Sheep... Thi-rty-- -Snooore /// Thursday Morning /// Leo's face was touched by the sunlight, causing him to squint one eye open, revealing the source. Out of the window, a ray of golden goodness was shining right onto his face. He groaned with displeasure but decided it was time to get up from his makeshift bed. He had never been a couch sleeper, but this time, he slept like a rock. A smile slowly formed on his expression. Holy shit, I feel great! No hangover either, must've been all the good food I ate? Shrugging, he got up and made his way outside. Opening the door, his ears are greeted with the singing of birds. Leo closed his eyes and slowly listened to the melody of the birds. Suddenly, the singing stopped, followed by a quiet voice not too far away. Leo looks over towards the gentle voice, only to see the butter-colored pegasus hovering up to a tree full of birds. Leo didn't see her until now, but Fluttershy was talking with the birds! Do they actually understand what she's saying? After a brief moment of speaking with the birds, Fluttershy hovers a little back, to which the birds start to sing once again. It was a soft and calm melody, one that made the listener want to lean back and relax. Leo listened to them for a few more moments before having a revelation. It was genuinely well composed! Leo's eyes went wide. He was shocked! This is amazing!! "Hey, Fluttershy!" Leo calls out. -Eep Frightened, she lands on the ground abruptly, but then gains her bearings. She looks over at the speaker to see Leo with his eyebrow raised. Leo, shaking his head, speaks first, "that's awesome Fluttershy! You've been working hard with them haven't you?" She nods, "mhm, they're really talented, so it's not too much hard work. All they needed was some guidance." "I'll let you continue what you were doing, but could you point me to where my clothes are?" Leo inquires. Although the towel did the job, it was fairly uncomfortable compared to the usual. "Y-yeah, it's over there," She says, pointing over near the riverside, where they are hanging on a thin wire. On it, they looked like they were never a danger to society, completely clean with no blemishes or wrinkles for that matter. ... How are these the same clothes from before?! I don't deserve to be treated this good! "Thanks!" Leo exclaims, running off towards his clothes. He grabs them swiftly and heads inside to change. Using the living room, he puts on his clothes in a flash. Still shirtless, he puts his phone in his pocket. Alright, time to head out! Making his way back out, he goes to Fluttershy to tell her his plans. "Hey, I'm gonna head over to Rarity's while you work with your birds. You can come to grab me from there when you're ready to go to the library." "Mmm, that's perfect," She nods, leaving Leo to his own devices. Time to cause havoc... hehehe. "Alright, I'll see ya later," Leo tells her before making his way down the path into town. It was a pretty uneventful trek, with only pretty views coming into vision. Patches of trees lined the path, with critters coming into sight every so often. It was genuinely pleasant. It's certainly a nice, scenic trail to walk on. Slowly coming to Ponyville, he crosses a bridge to officially enter. I guess I should ask around where her shop is just in case my guess is wrong. Seeing a gray pegasus, Leo makes his way to them. They seemed to be delivering mail, albeit with a little difficulty. Coming closer, Leo could see she was a mare. She had a light blond mane and tail, with her mane styled similar to how Rainbow Dash's mane was, being in a simple windswept fashion. On her flank was a group of bubbles, to which Leo couldn't even begin to guess what they stand for. Finally, her eyes were the most "eye-catching" feature. They were a pretty golden color, but they were splayed in different directions. She was wall-eyed. Don't say or do anything rude Leo, you dumbass. Leo furrowed his eyebrow at first, but stopped and wore a poker face. Walking up, he grabs her attention. "Hey! Can you help me real quick?" She turns around to the speaker, only for her expression to shift into slight horror. Her eyes went wide as she trembled slightly, frozen in fear. Leo scoffs to himself. C'mon, I'm not thaaaat ugly... This is gonna be a regular thing, isn't it. After a few moments, she shakes her head and trots over. "Hi! I'm Derpy Hooves! What's your name?" Wow, I'm surprised she even approached after being so afraid. Leo answers, trying to hide his slight frown, "Just call me Leo, could you point me to where I can find Rarity's shop?" "Of course! It's a pleasure to help out a pony in need! She lives just around the corner that way!" She points to where Leo entered the town from, causing Leo to inwardly face-palm. So I was right... "Alright, thanks! Pleasure meeting you Derpy," Leo waves before heading off back from where he came. Turning the corner at the edge of the town near the aforementioned bridge, he comes to the shop. She seemed sweet enough... Leo looks at it with contempt, with one word playing in his mind. Girly. If anything, it reminded him of a girl's dollhouse. It was the same as he remembered. However, this time, he noticed the sign that indicated it was truly a clothing shop. It was a sign of a pony wearing a dress and a bridle in the same pose as the mannequins on top of the building. Surrounding it were more buildings with a similar "tent-like" structure. They sported very vibrant colors, from yellow, pink, to bright orange. Rarity's shop stood out though, being both taller, and having a variety of colors in it in contrast with the other buildings. There were also trees scattered, many taking on the structure of having a very thick trunk and branches that reached in all directions. Walking up to the door somewhat reluctantly, he knocks. After a few moments, he hears who he could assume was Rarity. "Come in~!" She half sung half yelled out. Taking a deep breath, he opens the door revealing an absurdly extravagant interior. Leo was somewhat awe-struck. It was quite excessive. Along the walls were strewn curtains with elegant trimming lined along the edges. To the left looked like two booths with mirrors, with the before mentioned curtains set to close them in for needed privacy. Underneath the mirrors were a set of two drawers and a bucket for each, though Leo had no clue for what. In the middle of the room was a mannequin that had not too much on it, with only a bridle and a little dress. Back behind it was a staircase which Leo assumed led to Rarity's workshop of sorts. To the slight right was a swing door, but Leo couldn't see what was on the other side. Finally to the right was a pedestal that spun, accompanied by three mirrors surrounding it. It was a very beautiful room, illuminated by lights overhead, but Leo couldn't imagine the exorbitant price it took to put it together. Rarity looks over at Leo, hesitating for a moment before starting, "welcome! Welcome! Oh, do make yourself at home darling. How can I help you?!" Her eyes gleamed with anticipation towards Leo's request. Someone looks a little excited "Uhh, yea, could I take you up on that offer from before? I need clothes, but I don't have any money," Leo pursed his lips from slight frustration due to his situation. He hated having things given to him, but he didn't have much of a choice at the moment. I won't need too many clothes since I'll be leaving soon... "Why, but of course darling! Did you have anything in mind?" Rarity asks, walking over to some measuring tools she had lying around. "Uhh, just a little of everything if you don't mind, make them plain looking if you can. I just need spares of everything so I have something to wear while I clean the dirty ones. So two shirts, a pair of pants, underwear, and socks..." Leo states, looking upwards while he thinks to himself. Maybe a hoodie would be nice? mmmm "C-could you make me a hoodie too?" Leo hesitates before continuing, "other than that, I think that's it." "Ahh, what a shame," Leo hears her mutter slightly, though to what, he has no clue. "Alright, that's perfect! Let me write your measurements down, then I'll ask some questions." Rarity pauses, taking a moment to think before continuing," after that's all done, I'll have them done by tomorrow and you can come by and pick them up. Does that sound good darling?" Holy shit! That's fast! Leo brightens up, "that's perfect! Where do you want me to stand?" "Just stand on that pedestal right there," she points to the one that's surrounded by three mirrors on the right side of the room. While Leo makes his way to that, Rarity puts on a pair of red-rimmed glasses. She also has something else near her that completely shocks Leo. They're... FLOATING?!! IS THAT THE MAGIC THEY TALKED ABOUT?! Over Rarity's head was a soft tape measure meant for measuring body lengths. To her left shoulder was a clipboard with a pen. Enveloping them, however, was a soft light blue coating. The "coating" looked soft and malleable, like slime or silly putty, but it was non-tangible. It also seemed to give a slight glow, with a few sparkles cascading off at a time. This bizarre "coating" also seemed to surround the center of her forehead as well, waving and rippling up and down as it surrounded her pure white spiraled horn. This... is.. so... COOOOL! Leo's eyes visibly light up, going wide, "is that magic?! How does it work?!" He couldn't hold himself back any longer, as he was practically drooling. Although he was going to the library to learn about it, he couldn't wait any longer. Rarity was taken aback, her head reeling away slightly. There was a slight hesitation in her voice," it's uhh, I don't know really. We just sort of do it." "Tsk," Leo clicks his tongue, his face instantly shifts into one of contempt, "damn," he muttered. Her answer didn't help him one bit. Looks like I'll just have to wait to hit the books. "Alright, I'm ready when you are," he made known as he stepped onto the pedestal, to which Rarity nodded. She trotted over with her tape measure hovering overhead. "Alright, first I'll start up here darling, then I'll slowly move down, taking the measurements I need," she tells Leo, pointing up to his shoulders. Leo nodded, letting Rarity do her work. She moved the measuring tape towards his shoulders, wrapping around him taut. Nodding to herself, she jotted something down on her floating clipboard using her magic to move a pen to the paper. Talk about convenience, they sure have it easy here huh? She then moved the measuring tape down to his arms, measuring his sleeve length, to which she jotted down. This process repeated from his chest to his back, to his waist, and all the more. Rarity asked if he could remove his pants, but he refused. This caused Rarity to frown a little since it made her job a little more difficult. With his jeans on, Rarity continued to measure his lower body. Near the end, Fluttershy came through the door, shyly waving at Leo and Rarity as they finished up. They waved back, silently greeting the yellow pegasus. Not after too much longer, Rarity came to a close. "All done~! Thank you so much, darling! Come by tomorrow and I'll have the clothes ready," Rarity tells Leo, smiling with intense glee. She then turns to Fluttershy, who's standing near the doorway, "also, it's good to see you Fluttershy!" -Eep Fluttershy hides behind her mane before murmuring, "it's n-nice to s-see you t-too." Seems she isn't too confident around others... "Thanks for everything Rarity, I'll swing by sometime tomorrow." He then turns to Fluttershy, who's still hiding behind her mane, "you ready?" "Y-yeah," she replies before opening the door, giving a pathway for the sunlight from outside to breach into the boutique. Taking the backseat, Leo lets Fluttershy lead the way. With Fluttershy in front, they slowly make their way from the outskirts to the main part of town. "W-while we're on the way, why not tell me what type of stuff you want to look for in the library?" Fluttershy asks, a little hesitation creeping into her voice. "Sure, I mostly want to find out stuff on magic, like the origin, exactly what it is, and stuff like that. There's also something else, but I'll probably sound crazy," Leo proclaimed, though coming off a little meek near the end. "I won't think your crazy, what is it," Fluttershy reassures her human companion, her voice seeming softer than usual. She's so nice... "Well," Leo starts, "before I ended up here, I had a dream, or what I can only imagine as a dream, but it felt so real. Anyways, near the end of the 'dream,' there was this nine-tailed fox, who I can only describe as 'divine.' Its body was glowing white, with red tips on the ends of his legs, tails, and ears. The fox was almost like a sun, burning my body just from being close to him. I want to see if there is anything remotely related to it." I bet I sound like a maniac... After a momentary silence, Fluttershy answers, "a-alright! I-I hope we can find something on it. It sounds like you've been through a lot." Yeah, no kidding! ... She definitely thinks I'm crazy. "Tell me about it," Leo chuckles. He looks around and realizes they're going in a similar direction to where the hospital is, passing the Town Hall along the way. The streets were busy, but not jam-packed. Occasionally, Leo would get glances, both curious and cautious, but nothing unexpected. Thankfully, it wasn't as bad as the last time they walked through the town. The rest of the trip was mostly silent between the two, with the quietness being filled in by the noises of the crowd. The trip wasn't too long, being near half of what the trip from Fluttershy's to the hospital was. After a few minutes, Fluttershy came to a halt, indicating they had reached their destination. It was a giant oak tree, with a thick trunk used as a building. The tree itself was massive, sporting what Leo could only assume were four or five stories, judging by all the windows poking out the side of it. On the top of the tree were dark green leaves, trimmed down to cover the top floors, but not extend out too far. Over the windows were leaves as well, but they were a brighter shade, seeming yellowish at a glance. On the top floor, Leo could see what was a telescope pointed at the currently slightly cloudy sky. Off to the right side of the tree, which made Leo a little nervous, was a beehive. Finally, to the left of the bright-red-colored door was a bright red sign with a picture of an open book, indicating it was a library. Now this is sick... Who's the lucky bastard that lives here? Leo takes the lead from here, swinging open the door for the two of them to enter. This place looks even bigger on the inside!.. Wow Leo liked this place more and more. Right next to the door were two potted plants, with little vines cascading off. Matching them was a lantern, perhaps to light up the doorway come night-time. It was a cozy library that used shelves cut out from the tree walls to hold books. They were cut unevenly, but yet it added to the flavor because the walls of the shelves were cut along the grain of the wood, making it feel very organic like it was meant to be. Within the shelves, the books came in all shapes and sizes. From short, to tall, wide, to thin. There were even some scrolls, wrapped in a neat bundles of parchment. Upon higher shelves that were unreachable were more disorganized, with only a few books laying untidily, assumedly put aside from the rest of the orderly bookshelves for notes and studying. To reach the higher shelves was a wooden ladder, laying against the wall from the left of the entrance. It looked makeshift yet sturdy, with many of the steps being unmatched in thickness. There were two pedestals on each side of the room, most likely for the ponies to read, since they didn't have hands to hold the books. They looked like little stumps growing out from the floor, with a slanted, flat slab of wood on top. In the center of the room was a round table built around another stump structure, featuring a wooden carved pony head that was painted a gold color on the said stump, surrounded by a few open books on the table. Up above the carved pony on the ceiling was a sun painted on, which was giving off a bright radiance, filling the whole room with its brilliant light. On the opposite side of the room from the door was a staircase leading upward. Every other step was lined with three pink hearts, coming off as somewhat cutesy. Leo also noticed a few flower designs were lining the walls, matching the potted plants hanging near the doorway. The designs weren't overwhelming, but they were scattered along the walls of the library. Once through the doorway, he closes the door, revealing a candle hanging on the door for whenever dusk comes around. "Anyone here?!" Leo calls out to nobody in particular. "Hold on, I'm coming!" A voice came from upstairs. It sounded like a guy's voice, having a deeper inflection. -clop -clop Down the staircase comes a unicorn, wearing a slight smile. He was a unicorn with a somewhat small build compared to Big Macintosh, but still bigger than most mares Leo had seen, sporting a small horn on his forehead. His horn color matched his dark pale blue coat color, a blue similar to a pigeon blue. He had a pale lime green mane with bright blue tips that was tied back into a small ponytail. His tail colors matched his mane colors while also being tied together similarly. Looking down upon the duo from above, his deep green eyes were filled with glee. He also wore a pair of square reading glasses with black trim. Finally, on his flank was an open book, with the pages being occupied by a constellation of what Leo could recognize as the big dipper and small dipper on the left and right pages of the book respectively. He definitely looks like a scholar. He even has some good fashion sense with that hair. Leo nodded to himself with approval as the unicorn walked down the steps. Once the unicorn caught sight of Leo, his eyes went wide-eyed. Not from fear, but rather in bewilderment, interest, and excitement. He truly was a scholar. "It's nice to meet you! My name's Cluster Musing," he exclaims, practically screaming. He acts the part too... With a somewhat bitter smile, Leo introduces himself, "I'm Leo, this is Fluttershy, nice to meet you too. Could you help me find some stuff on magic?" Meanwhile, Fluttershy looked meekly towards the librarian as she stood behind Leo. "OF COURSE! While I help you, would you mind if I ask you some questions? As you can tell, this might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me, as I have not seen any mention of one such as you before!" Leo could physically feel the enthusiasm radiate from him. It was like he was undressing Leo with his eyes, sending a little shiver down Leo's body. Mmm, why not humor him I guess... "Sure, that's fine. But in exchange, you'll have to answer mine," Leo says with somewhat of a knowing smirk. Leo could relate to the thirst for knowledge deeply, especially now, given his circumstances. Maybe he'll know something the books won't be able to tell me... "Alright perfect! Before we begin, can I know what you want me to look for? Magic is a very broad topic," he explains, causing Leo to purse his lips in thought. Well, since it's related to me, how about "the effect of magic on the body" or something along those lines. "Could you find me a book about magic within the body? Specifically, something that explains how it affects the body," Leo answered, scratching his chin in thought. "Hmm," he hums to himself, walking over to a bookshelf and scanning through the reading on the spines. His vision lands on a book in particular, "mmm, no," he mutters to himself, shaking his head. Suddenly, he paused, "aha!" He swiftly moves to the other side of that same bookshelf and grabs the book he had in mind. However, he doesn't grab it in the traditional sense, but rather with his magic. Instead of a light blue ethereal light like with Rarity's, it was a ghostly green goop encompassing the book, matching the color of his eyes and hair. Moving back towards Leo and Fluttershy with the book in tote, Cluster Musing put the book on the table in the middle and motioned the duo to sit down. As they sit down, he starts "Okay, so this book will most likely have what you're looking for. It's a comprehensive book over magic, from talking about the basics of how it affects the world and us, to simple spells." Hmmm, I hope he's right. Leo opens up the book, only to realize he can't read. "Could we do those questions here once I find what I need? There are a few things I want to know at the moment." Cluster nods to his question. Leo could hardly hold himself back, with the potential answers to his recent questions right in his grasp. Leo then turns to Fluttershy, "could you read out the table of contents? I'm looking for something that talks about magic inside ponies or something like that." "Y-yeah," she says hesitantly. She starts by flipping over to the table of contents and scans over the chapter headlines. "Found it, maybe. I-it says, 'internal magic in ponies,'" she hesitates, looking towards Leo for approval. "Perfect!" Leo yells out, surprising the other two ponies slightly. "Sorry," Leo smiles weakly, "let's start there, it seems to be very promising just from the title." Turning to the listed page, Leo and Fluttershy are greeted to a diagram of what appeared to be a unicorn with weird lines marked across its body. Fluttershy starts to read off the book, "M-magic is in almost all lifeforms observed within magic communities. The magic is absorbed within lifeforms whenever they are born, appearing centralized within the abdomen, completely separate from any other bodily functions. Although it's separate, it can affect the body in many ways, such as physically. Additionally, with ponies, research is more in-depth, e-especially with the movement of magic within the body. Although it isn't for certain if it's the limit, as the princesses have reached higher stages as alicorns, p-ponies have three studied stages within the growth of magic within the body." "The first stage is referred to most often within the magic community as 'Magic Integration,' where magic is slowly absorbed from the environment and slowly integrated into the body through the muscles, bones, and the h-hide of the studied ponies. This process starts when a filly is just born to around when the filly gains their cutie mark. D-during this process, the body of the pony slowly becomes stronger and more resistant to outer stimuli. This process can be both sped up and done to varying degrees of perfection. For example, when a filly exercises and does intense activity, the magic integrates itself more thoroughly into the body. When the magic is integrated more thoroughly compared to a normal filly, the former is both stronger, more resistant, and more energetic. Through observation of multiple cases, the progression to the next stage has been forced once the filly gains their cutiemark. This idea is simply theoretical as it has not been proven, but it is believed that the process of being forced to the next stage via cutie mark leads to future problems with progression. It has not been further tested, as putting fillies through intense activity would be cruel and against established regulations." "In the second stage, the filly's body adapts to the magic after being molded by it, creating a makeshift 'container' for magic within the abdomen. We call this 'container' the 'Magic Core.' Once at this stage, often referred to as the 'Magic Gathering,' the body is able to absorb magic from the environment at a much more rapid rate and store it in the body more efficiently, as in the first stage, the magic was floating as a cohesive globule within the body. The body, now with a container, is able to store much more magic than before as well as use the magic more proficiently. Before, the filly could only use an instant of magic before tiring, but once reaching the second stage, the studied pony is both able to control how much magic they use much more easily as well as be able to use it for multiple instances. As the ponies gather magic within the body, over time, the 'container' or 'Magic Core' mentioned before slowly begins to expand. As the Magic Core expands, the body slowly reaches a bottleneck if it's not strong enough to contain the magic." "Once at the said bottleneck, the pony will have much trouble reaching the third stage, which often leads to ponies being stuck on the second stage for their lifetime. The reason this bottleneck is put in place by the body is to limit the pony from harming themselves, as the body can handle and contain only so much magic. It's very comparable to why the brain won't let a pony use all of its muscle's strength; because too much magic can and will be very self-destructive. If forced to overcome this bottleneck without proper preparation, especially in the body, the pony has the potential to, in worse case scenarios, E-EXPLODE?!" Fluttershy shrieks out from fright, her ears pinned back. She looks towards Leo, who shakes his head and points at the book. She continues, "Though, often times, the pony with grow extremely weak for a variable period and experience extreme pain. However, with diligent training directed towards the body, the pony will overcome the bottleneck after reaching a certain point." "Finally, this brings us to the third and last studied bodily stage of magic, often referred to as 'M-Magic Circulation and Realization.' Once a pony overcomes the b-bottleneck and goes under some sort of intense stimulus, the body adapts even further to magic, incorporating a circulation system all throughout the body. It works similar to the traditional circulatory system which delivers blood to organs and tissue, but instead of blood, this new circulation system delivers magic to the body. This allows the body to store more magic, as well as use more magic. The Magic Core goes under a qualitative change, becoming to what resembles a small lake of magic within the body while before it was only as sizable as a puddle. With much more magic on hand, the pony can then begin to learn spells and cast, hence in the name, 'Realization.'. Although only able to cast simple spells at the beginning of this stage, the pony can still cast spells nonetheless. Unicorns seem to reach this stage much easier in contrast to earth ponies and pegasi, as their bodies come with a 'head-start' with their horns. Before the third stage, the only ponies with what resembles a circulation system is unicorns. The unicorns are not born born with but rather gain very early within the first stage of what a appears to be a miniature circulation system, where their bodies have a magic pathway to and from their horns, which, in turn, allows the unicorn to cast simple magic much sooner. Although it is unknown how to proceed from this stage to an unknown fourth, this stage progresses similar to the second, where the pony slowly gathers magic from their environment and grows their magic core. The magic gathering is much faster compared to the second stage, as the body needs more to fill the space created within the Magic Core." There, the chapter ends, showing a diagram of a pony at the third stage "Magic Circulation and Realization." At the abdomen of the pony was what appeared to be almost like a whirlpool, absorbing little particles floating around. All throughout the ponies body were what Leo could only describe as veins and arteries that all connected with the whirlpool. The circulation system looked intricate and systematic, like bodily circuits. It was truly a masterpiece of art. Leo scratched his chin, musing over everything that was read. I feel like I've seen something vaguely similar to this. Was it... Eastern medicine? It's like the meridian system that originated from it. Shaking his head at the thought, Leo looked to Fluttershy, "that was exactly what I was looking for, thanks Fluttershy!" Leo's brain was firing off dopamine, extremely happy about learning such new and intriguing information. He then turns to Cluster Musing, "alright, you want to do the questionnaire now? You can go first." He'll probably ask something fairly boring from my perspective. Cluster breaks out of his stupor, looking towards the human. "Yes, uhh," he pauses in thought before continuing, "where exactly do you come from? Could you describe it?" Hoh?.. This is perfect! "Hmm," Leo starts, "it's very similar to here, except instead of ponies, imagine more of us. On the planet, the population of humans is roughly seven billion. We're on the top of the world so to speak, to the point where we don't need to worry much about the wilderness and unknown, but rather other humans. The economy is massive, with global markets thriving in the last century. Most recently, we have been rapidly expanding in computer technology and space travel," Leo finishes, wearing a crafty smile. That'll definitely hook him. He must like space with that cutie mark afterall... hehe He goes wide-eyed in shock, "G-G-G-GLOBAL?! SEVEN BILLION?! COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY?! SPACE TRAVEL??!!" Even Leo was caught off guard by his reaction, reeling his head back slightly. He didn't expect his plan to work this good, but he wasn't complaining. Leo puts his hand up towards the enthusiastic pony, "hold on, now it's my turn." Cluster pauses his dramatics before nodding his head. Maybe I should scope out this princess first... Leo continues, "Okay, how would the princess react to a creature like me? You ponies seem friendly and all, but I can't help but feel weary towards powerful political figures." Cluster raises his eyebrow, thinking to himself for a moment. "That's an interesting one. I'd have to say that she would be very understanding, as she is a millenium old after all. As long as you aren't a danger, she will welcome you with open hooves," he says from a very objective viewpoint. Thank god... I like this guy, he's very concise and explains his thoughts well. "Alright, your turn," Leo replies, unable to help himself from smiling due to the good news. "What information have humans gathered on space?" His eyes were practically shining, looking at Leo similar to how a child would look at their parent. What a broad question... "Hmm, that's a hard one to answer, as there's simply so much within space. To give perspective on how far we've come, we've sent people to the moon and robots to a planet quite the distance away. Our planet orbits around a sun, which creates the day and night cycle for us, meanwhile the moon orbits around our planet. The sun is the reason we're able to exist, as it give off heat and other essential things for life. It's made up of atoms that go under nuclear fusion due to the immense gravity and heat, creating an absurd amount of energy. The stars in the sky are essentially different suns, with different sizes and even colors. Ask me specifics in the next question and I'll answer the best I can. Now, for my next question, how come there hasn't been any instances of ponies trying and going beyond the third stage in magic within that book? Seems like a waste in my opinion..." Leo speaks somewhat enthusiastically, before muttering near the end. "Because it's genuinely dangerous. Equestria is a very peaceful nation, with little to no war in sight. The princesses, in theory, have gone to further stages, but they don't mention it, and nopony really asks," Cluster says with his face full of contempt. He hated not knowing such an expansive and world changing topic. It seems I'm not the only one who's curious... Leo snorts to himself before Cluster continues, "Honestly, as a seeker of knowledge, I think it's a waste aswell," he pauses, looking down in thought. Shaking his head he continues, "I'll say my question now. Did you, humans was it? Did you guys ever figure out how big space is?" His voice quivered with suspense. Hmm, hopefully he won't be put down by the answer. "Well, the universe is infinite as a whole, but somehow expanding at the same time. I think that answers your question, but I'll go more in-depth to the theoretical birth of the universe," Leo smirked, looking at Cluster who had long since gone wide-eyed. "I can't remember exactly how long ago the universe was theoretically 'birthed,' but it was definitely many upon many of eons ago, in which we coined the term 'the Big Bang.' 'The Big Bang' was not an explosion, but rather an expansion of space in respect to time, creating distance, because prior to 'the Big Bang,' the space of the universe was both within a singularity yet infinite. A contradiction by today's standards." Leo laughs to himself near the end due to the absurdity of reality. Meanwhile, not too far from Leo, Cluster Musing looked like he was frozen in time, almost unable to process what he had just learned. Cluster only uttered one word, "Wow." Should I ask about that god fox first? Or how they gained magic? A long pause overtook the room before Leo took the initiative, "alright, question time, What are the origins of magic? Where did it come from? How is it here?" Cluster snapped from his thoughts and waved a hoof in front of himself, "hold on, one at a time, I'll answer all I know that pertains to the origin of magic. To the general public, ponies think that we just sort of have it, but that is simply not the case. Long ago, the world was flooded with magic. Around the same time, a treasure came to this world, often referred to as the 'Elements of Harmony, though I don't know much about what it does.' When was this? We have no clue, as from a thousand years ago, history was practically wiped due to the spirit of chaos known as 'Discord.' The princesses in fact used the 'Elements of Harmony' to rid of him, turning him into a stone statue. However, for the how, only Discord knew, which he told the princesses thankfully. Although they keep this info somewhat under wraps, there are perks to being a scholar, and I'll be willing to tell since you've definitely earned it. Just don't go spreading this around. Long even before Discord's time, there was a deity sporting nine tails, who bestowed the world and perhaps many more with magic." Leo's pupils quivered from this line. His thoughts instantly raced to what he remembered when he was transported to this world. To when he came in contact with a bright white and red nine-tailed fox, burning like a sun. A tingly feeling slowly starts from the tips of his fingers and ever so slowly creeps up. Nine tails... It can't be, right?! This is some kind of joke! Biting his lip, Leo cuts in, "was it a fox deity?" His complexion darkened extremely. "No one knows for sure other than that it had nine tails. Some would even think that the 'Elements of Harmony' came from it more than likely, which I lean towards believing," Cluster doesn't notice Leo's drastic change in expression, but Fluttershy seems to catch on, nudging him slightly. Meanwhile, Leo stopped listening soon after he heard the half-confirmation, his breathing increased, his ears ringing. Everything was drowned out while Leo's thoughts took front seat. Why do they only know so little?! Am I in way over my head?! ... But why... WHY?! What could it have possibly wanted with me?! Why the hell would I see what could potentially be what gave this world magic?! I'm just a fucking warehouse worker for crying out loud! I DON'T UNDERSTAND!!! I DON'T EVEN BELONG HERE!!! Leo's nails dug into his palm from the emotions he could only describe as indignance and a deep, primal fear. His internal screams clouded his psyche. Complete and utter dread filled his body. His lip, which he was biting, almost got to the point of bleeding. He felt he could lash out at any moment. His mind was filled with self-doubt as he swallowed a mouthful of saliva. W-What do I do now. ... The weight of the world felt as though it was ontop of his shoulders, weighing him down. His body was made of lead, so heavy, his legs struggled to keep him upright. His vision began to darken as his body was overcome by the feeling of pins and needles, trembling uncontrollably. He was out of control. He could not control his body, nor his mind. I-I need to lay down. I need water. I want to go home. I NEED to go home... With one sliver of sensibility left, Leo shambles over to the staircase where he simply lies down, waiting for this feeling of numbness, fatigue, and dread to wash away. Out of all the sensations Leo had felt throughout his life, this was his most hated. A panic attack. He hated this lack of control over himself. It made him feel crazy. Without anything else he could do, he focused on his breathing, closing his eyes in the process. Why am I freaking out so much? Maybe I'm assuming something or there's something i don't know still... Maybe it'll be just fine, after all, the girls said that maybe I could go back home soon. Maybe... After what had felt like a few moments to a few minutes, there was still a slight buzzing in his ear, but the ringing was gone. The numbing feeling in his body was completely gone, going to a place of normalcy. Once completely back to normal, Leo opened his eyes. In front of him, Cluster and Fluttershy looked at him with great concern. Although Leo knows they were looking after him with goodwill, he frowned. He didn't know why, but he hated that look. It was suffocating. I need to be alone... "I need to go," he muttered, his face carried a deep grimace. Before the other two could even get a word in, he was gone, leaving the library behind him. I need space to think... without all this pony and magic bullshit. But where?..