//------------------------------// // Chapter: Two // Story: BookHoppers: Exiled from Home // by Ace of Blackjack //------------------------------// Elizabeth didn't want to move, her hoofs felt glued to the floor, each breath they took grounded them to the here and now. What was through the door is impossible. The white cleanliness of it all. She stepped through the door. It's an atrium, blue transparent walkways appeared above, ponies walked on them. All to reach impossibly large bookshelves and their contents.  It didn't make much sense to Elizabeth. Nothing today has made sense to her. She spread her wings and took off to one of the blue pathways. She landed on it, surprising a pony in plate armour, Metal plate armour from the era of swords and bows. They looked at her and turned the other way with a clank of steel. Rather rude but nonetheless she has to figure out how the books are sorted. She pulled two off, one seemed to have multi coloured light sticking out of it, illuminating strangely. And the other was clean without even a scratch on the outside cove, a brand new book.. She put them in between her legs and hopped off the floating platform.  She landed with a thump on the ground. Mrs Frazzles drone, named Li3, beeped excitedly as it found her. She looked at the books spines, ignoring the beeping from the drone. The spines were blank, featureless beside a blue faintly glowing light flickering ever so slowly. She flipped it open and stared at a strip of glowing tech, it spun a blue crystal of sorts. The crystal glowed and flickered glowed blue, it sat in the middle moving quietly, unheard.  Li3 buzzed off, looking for Ms Frazzle. Like most similar things the tracker in the commandant suit that they wear doesn't work. But the happy little drone didn't mind as it continued to search.  Frazzle had let Elizabeth go off on her own. They will find out that the books can't be seen by the naked eye. Some see it clear as day, such as Frazzle but many aren't so lucky.  Frazzled reached their desk, they passed the return book section and then the Assignment book return. She flicked out a right hoof and a little claw sprouted from her armour gripping the singular hard cover book their. ‘Danger, Danger: A field guide on the Applsplouin Jungle.’ Recently recovered, someone took the field guide part to heart, especially evident by the jungle warrior poison blow dart in it. “Ralph and Igor probably, hope they didn't get hurt recovering this.” She said watching the claw tilt the book around. Being the only unicorn commandant to ever exist, at least to her last time of departure knowledge, means that new suits still have other species in mind. Though she hasn't worry about Magicrinar canisters since it just uses her mana pool as power. She placed the book into the sort chute. The special sort chute. For the people in the back rooms of this hidden library work.  She picked out a pair of pink Hololense glasses. The frame flickers out its projection. Similar to her visor, though it's what's needed to see this section of the library's book.  She pulls her head up to stare at a rather frustrated looking Elizabeth the two books out in front of her. She opened them up and gestured rapidly, with her wings at the rotating blue crystal. Before closing them and opening her mouth, though Ms Frazzle got the words out first. “Its a Dynbluea Core, said like Dino-blue-ara Core. It's the solution of hopefully your future, to prevent deforestation on a massive level for the future. Plus it makes it so one size book can fit entire textbooks or even a simple child's book.” Ms Frazzle slid the glasses over as she pulled open a drawer. She grabbed a clamp and clamped the two books. And the terminal beeped, registering the books to no one. “Before you put on your glasses, I need your name for your official hidden library access card.” Elizabeth stopped herself from grabbing the glasses and looked down at the floor. Then at the ceiling. Then back to Ms Frazzle.  “My…..Dead legal Name is Brick Fire.” She cringed back. Frazzle giggled and Elizabeth sank deeper down away from their laugh. Frazzle let out a final chortle before popping their singular eye piece up. “Bubblegum, yeah that’s ‘my name’, we all have a past Ms. Elizabeth. Your tag is being assigned.” Elizabeth looked up. They looked at Frazzle, so it’s just a different name thing huh. Well at least that’s something to latch onto.  The card came out and it was simply a rather thin strip of cylindrical metal, a blue mini crystal rotated in the inside letting off blue light. And Elizabeth flipped it over and put on the silky smooth lanyard. Then she finally slipped on the glasses.  The world lit up in brilliant blue tint. The bookshelves themselves lit up so many different colours, so brilliant Elizabeth flopped onto their flank. Each book is as enticing as the last, each one displaying summary's, so much information so quick. Elizabeth took off the glasses and put them down. She took a breath and put them back on. Only focusing on the two books she brought to the front desk.  The clean and nice one read, “Learn the history behind Ewquine’s combat cubes, or as they call it ‘Minature warfare.’ A fictional retelling of a rather outsiders perspective of someone coming into the trend. Content warning: Violence, Angy” Elizabeth set that aside, it's fictional but it doesn't mention a battle. Frazzled checked it out anyhow, it's a rather good read. And that left the other one she randomly grabbed, it seemed different, the lights that had glowed from earlier shown up as post-it notes with the glasses on. Elizabeth looked at the summary and saw the word “Battleloggers” and rolled her eyes. She wasn't like the other kids when she was young, she didn't wanna play Royal Guard or Communist Hero. She just wanted to read. “Is this a good book? I'm tired today and I just wanna read, and it's fiction right?” Elizabeth read the little floating summary before it truly clicked. They're in a magical futuristic library and they're asking if a book is a good read? Plus it says Non-Fiction no matter how crazy the summary of it seems, a war that the sleeping fight? “One of the better one's, might I suggest reading Annas stories, there's a post-it note with all their highlights. Should break the journal monotony and show what pages they show up on.” Frazzled checked it out and handed it to her. Before the little claw in her armour picked up a rainbow pencil and shook it. Frazzle rolled her eyes before looking at it then at Elizabeth, understanding something. “Hey Elizabeth, if anyone comments on your uh, you know what. Tell me, I've dealt with it occasionally, I want to have a safe place. And if it's that knight in armour, tell me. He's a fellow Librarian, he does Historic religion but he has a bias towards ‘Christianity’ just makes him a homophobe. Also, he's probably here seeing if I put my copy of the Bible in Fiction again, which I did.” Elizabeth didn't know what to say. Besides heading to the desk and leaning her head forward. Frazzled leaned forward at an angle and their head touched, sharing a calm moment. “That means more to me than most think.” Elizabeth took her books, and started off towards a table. Frazzle flicked a hoof and Li3 appeared. It beeped in a low long tone, but quickly beeped afterwards. “I told you so Liz, they're a good candidate, just gotta get through the walls they put up. Because the walls they put up when they were young need to come down. Think about it.” She booted up the terminal and typed once more. Changing a few words on Elizabeth's library card projector. ‘Visitor check out badge’, to ‘Assistant to Commandant Frazzle.’ Elizabeth sat down. Sniffling slightly before flicking the glasses down with a wing flutter. The book illuminated, bright colours, but it all seemed readable.  All of it was such an overwhelming feeling. So much happening at once. All of it didn't seem right, but she's not missing a chance to read future books. The fact the book takes place on a planet she never heard of, and that scientists haven't discovered with the Celestilain-5 telescope. And that it's labelled as Non-Fiction. Supports her theory that this library can be accessed from everywhere on a singular strong dimension line!  It would explain how the books are the same but also seem different. But they could just be different books put to the same medium. But that requires effort to do so, but effort obviously ain't a problem, this place is so clean it's making Elizabeth self-conscious.  But that's just speculation. Just like the speculation that this pony approaching with an owl on their back is sane. Elizabeth looked at the rather concerned tiny stallion with a ushanka hat on their head, red fur reminding her of some old part of her.  Elizabeth looked at the pony approaching, she will speak first. The owl fluttered off, a friendship and mini trans flag bracelet on their leg made her heart jump. And the pony had a matching pair of bracelets and a second friendship bracelet as a hair tie in their grey hair.  “Hi. I'm Elizabeth and its a pleasure to-'' HOOT. The owl said landing onto the table with a thump, flicking down a very tiny visor over their eyes. Then looked at Elizabeth as if judging their reading choices. “Oi Runto , me bird says that's a good as gold fahkin' old book. Glad we don't usually av ta go afder tech books, the bloody retro fellow with the bloody space suit goes on afder them. Fair dinkum he is.” Elizabeth blinked looking at the Owl than at the pony. Before closing and opening their eyes again. Are they having a stroke? “Uh are you having a stroke?” Elizabeth stepped away from the table and towards them. The strange pony adjusted their ushanka and smiled. Before looking at their owl and groaning. “He thinks that I need ta cut back on my ‘mannerisms.’ but it's how i speak, ya dig Fahkin' Unfair the fact the scot is just as incoherent? If not worse.”  Of course she can “dig” it, that's understandable. He can't be seriously talking like that. But then again they're rather cool seemingly just from this interaction alone.  “So uh you got my name, what's uh yours.” Elizabeth wanted to hurry herself in the papers of a book. Sure this person may seem cool, but she just wants to read. The owl seems to be picking up on this, or maybe something else? “I’m Ralph, ‘n this owl is my best Mate Igor, he's my right old straight as gold adventure partner. Say hi Igor.” The owl seemed to roll its eyes as it went from the table over to land on Ralphs ushanka hat. It let out a HOOT HOOT and went back to looking about. Ralph smiled. “Well, it's nice to meet you, Ralph and Igor. Good to see an Ally. Though it seems like they're all over around here. Not that i'd be complaining about that.” Elizabeth looked down at her book. Please go away. She turned to the first page, amazed she could move the projection like it was just paper.  “Aww I ayyn't just an ally, I'm the bloody best typer of ally. My best cooper’ 'as female hoot pahrts but is an all fahkin' strong 'n tough male on the inside. Ain't that right Igor?” The owl gave a hoot. And fluttered onto the table. Elizabeth tilted her head, but the owl turned towards her and lifted their tail feathers. And all Elizabeth could think was ‘Don't be jealous over a night bird, is it a horned owl?’. But that truly didn't matter as she rolled her eyes at them. Ralph and Igor not gonna be forgetting them. “Hey can you make ser ya do somethin’ fawr us though?” Elizabeth looked up, anything to get these ponies to go away, anything! But she say a expression of borderline fear on Ralph. Elizabeth may struggle with emotions but she can see fear, and Ralph is terrified.  “I'm Scared, Igor is scared, just don't forget us. We kindah only exist off the thoughts of everyone else. We'ah figments of ourselves, in a wawrld of magic ya'd think that theirs somethin' betder ta remembah a bunch of passed on fellows. Othah than some magic that creates a figment of ourselves. Well then. So pleayse just don't fawrget us, is rather not be dead a second time around.” Elizabeth watched as they walked away, skipping merrily away. Ralph seemed happy, glad to have someone else that'll remember them. Igor swooped in and landed on their hat as they continued on their way.  “What did they say?” Elizabeth asked. Looking back at their book before yawning. But a helpful jingle emitted, coming so close it has to be from the glasses. A floating purple unicorn hologram appeared on the table. Standing on the table directly. They yawned as well and looked at her. “To summarize what was said to you Miss Elizabeth is that they don’t want to be forgotten. Their people are nigh immortal, though only if you remember them after their first passing. Amazingly Ralph’s ability extended to their owl who transitioned after their first resurrection.” Elizabeth looked at the hologram then at the celling. Yup, this is a little too overwhelming. Now to find the bathroom. “Which way to the bathroom, and uh,” She paused slightly at asking this question but proceeded. “Which bathroom do I go to?” “Mares, past the left of the hall. If you need any help, just say ‘BDI I need help’. Also don’t say you spoke to me, they thought they deleted me. Bye!” The hologram blinked out. Elizabeth popped out of her seat. Just get away from it. Everything happened too quickly. Way too quick. Why is this?  Well this is just a little overwhelming.