//------------------------------//
// 40 - Begin Study 
// Story: Return to Equestria 
// by David Silver 
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David landed with a dull thud on his bottom in the chair. He tucked two of the books into a nook between the edge of his station and the monitor, and popped open the third. "I got too used to reading on a screen." Alas, he had those books in physical, so physical would be how he read them.

Still, he did that, scanning rapidly for the 'important' parts. How did one make a character? What statistics did they have and how did they basically function? Did they have classes? Cool, figure out how they worked...

It turned out, in the latest generation of the game, they didn't have classes. You were kinda free to expand in whatever direction you wanted by taking what were essentially feats to reach for what tickled you. Clearly written after the tribes had come together, they had rules for becoming a better flyer or spellcaster. You couldn't take either of those if your character didn't start as a pegasus or unicorn, of course.

No option for alicorn could be found. Maybe a space for David to fill in? There was one thing that bothered him though... He flipped rapidly towards the end of the book, but there were no legal texts to find. Did ponies do legal texts? Probably not unless they had to... Or were Hitch enforcing those laws.

Well dang...

"You look... concerned?" There was Joy, walking up next to him. "What's on your mind?"

"If I can, I'd much rather expand a system that's already used." He tapped at the new book. "But I don't know if that's legal or not. I know the rules back where I come from."

Joy hiked a brow. "Well, you were dropped off by law enforcement... Could just go back and ask? If you check first, then you're in the clear." Joy sat with a smile. "You're off today, so why not?"

David dug out his phone and a few rapid taps later, got it plotting the route towards the police station. "Shouldn't be an issue, just a question."

"Why are you nervous?" Joy was learning him, perhaps too well. He thought he had been bottled up, but she saw right through him. "Hitch isn't like a random cop, trust me. He's, well..." She colored with a little laugh. "Well, to start, he's kind of hot, if you're into stallions. But he's also super nice. He only gets stern when he tries to get a pony doing the right thing, then he's all smiles again."

Handsome stallion that is nice, in pony world. "I'm sure he's alright... Maybe Sprout's there too?"

Joy inclined her head. "Oh right, he did drop you off didn't he? I doubt he'll be there."

"Why not?"

"It was a... thing..." Joy shrugged, leaving off a huge chunk. "You were still getting used to things, so I didn't bring it up."

"Is he alright?! Something happen?" Visions of various terrible possibilities danced in David's mind.

"Nothing like what you seem to be thinking of." Was she a psychic? "He was a naughty pony, and his punishment came down. He's working in janitorial service, away from the whole law enforcement 'thing'. Probably for the best." Joypad tossed her head towards the door. "Go on. I'll keep the store in one piece."

"Alright alright." That he was being tossed out seemed clear enough. But he didn't go straight there, instead gathering his books and half-dancing up the steps. "So sweet." He reminded himself of the pain he was used to feeling, removed. It was like being younger, sorta, at least in one important place. He could ascend the steps in a lively jog and not regret the idea! 

He dropped off the books and circled back the way he came, descending the stairs in a rapid thumping of almost-falling that was rapid stair descent. "See you later," he called, getting a wave from Joy and a few other patrons before he emerged onto the sun of Maretime Bay. "Hello, world." There was a lot to be positive about, so he saw no reason to hold that in. "Good to be in you." The city did not reply to his joyous cry. His phone, on the other hand, was quite happy to give directions to the station where wanted posters and other public information was posted on it. Most of the ponies on it looked kinda dopey, as ponies tended to do.

A few looked legit concerning. Stallions and mares with dangerous looks in a variety of ways. For a moment, he wondered about them. What sort of lives had they led that made them be such naughty ponies in what was, overall, a pretty sunny universe. But he wasn't there for that. No.

He pushed into the station proper, just to duck to the left, avoiding a strange sparkling ball of flame that flew out past him. "Woah."

"Sorry." A pony was there, trying to corral a young dragon. "He's late for bed time, aren't you?" He babbled at the child like a mother, encouraging them to wind down. "Be right with you."

David was fine waiting, looking around the station. It looked like any human station, and also very much not one. That it was made for maybe a handful of officers was the start. It was a pony station. "Hey." Oh, Hitch had come over. "I remember you." He clopped his hooves together with a smile. "How's it working out? I hear you're a hit up at Joypad's."

"Hi." Police officer or not, Hitch had been one of the first ponies he had met, and, seeing him, he was reminded of just how harmless Hitch was, at least compared to the rest of what could be called a phobia. "Nice to see you again. Joypad's been super supportive, 10/10."

"That's what I like to hear." Hitch moved towards his desk. "Now, what can I do for you today? You didn't just come by to chat did you? I mean, it's alright if you did, but...?"

David pantomimed a book. He should have brought one! "I have this book, an 'imagining' book." What a name! But trying to rebrand entire genres wasn't the goal. "Is it illegal if I make another book that references and expands on ideas in this book?"

"Oh, hmm..." He reached over to grab a huge book, slapping it down. "It's not often a pony comes along with a real law question." Hitch sounded excited as he began researching, from one book to the next. "You can't claim you wrote the original, or imply it. A disclaimer is a good idea." He flipped right along, searching for something. "Ah, ah ha!" He brought down a hoof. "If you get permission from the original author, then all restrictions are lifted."

Well, that made sense... "How can I find an original author? And what if it's a big company, or the pony is... not there." Dead. That felt like a word he should maybe not use casually.  "Are there other ways besides asking, if asking doesn't pan out?"

"Oh, sure." Hitch flipped on and closed the book, reaching for the next. "That's what I was going over at first. Nopony owns words, um. I mean, if I write a book, I own the book. If you copied parts of my book, or the whole thing, I could get upset at you. Rude. Write your own words." He folded his arms with feigned indignation. "But if I write 'The time of the red robin' and you write a book about red robins in a specific place, I have no reason to be upset, even if you mention my work."

David brightened, they were getting somewhere. "What if I wanted to write 'Robins through the ages: Bridlewood', which was pretty obviously made to work with the 'time of the red robin', just specific and expanding on that niche."

"Oooo..." Hitch seemed pleased for the challenge. "That does make it trickier." He threw the book he had back on the shelf and reached for a new one. "Now, in that case, the original pony could get mad. Really, no law against being mad, but they couldn't ask me to help them. It's right on the line." He drew a line through the air with his heart-stamped hoof. "So long as your book adds something new and isn't just a repeat of 'time of the robin', then you're alright."

David hummed a chipper electronic tune of victory as he clapped his hands in one firm strike. "Great! Then I should be able to do what I planned."

"I'd try asking first," suggested Hitch, slipping the books away. "If they say yes, then you don't need to worry about the rest of it. For your protection, I'd get that in writing. You don't want it to come up later."

Ugh, even ponies had contracts... "I'll try that first. So, if I have a book, what's a good way to find the author, or authors?"

Hitch grabbed a book at random and flipped it open. "They usually say who wrote it right here." He pointed to the very first page, where a name was near the title of the book. "Sometimes it's on the cover too, often really. Shouldn't be hard."

"Alright, but then I have a name. How do I translate the name to--" As if beckoned by fate itself, his phone chirped.

Hitch pointed at the beep. "That should help. Alright, thanks for the challenge." He hopped to his hooves. "Have fun writing. You're a writer huh? I would not have guessed."

"What do I look like?" asked David with obvious curiosity.

"Uh... Not a pony," he tepidly started. "You're tall..." At least compared to a pony. "Um... Shoot, shoved my hoof right in that one. I really didn't know," he admitted with a sag. "Don't be mad. I was curious, and now I know! Good luck with your book!"

David shot a thumbs up and turned for the door, but a thought came. "Oh, and if they're gone?"

"Hm? Well, if the pony's not there, then how can they be upset about it?" Hitch shrugged at the thought. "But don't copy them without giving credit. That's just rude!" But a crime it was not, he implied without saying. "That answer it all?"

"You've been a great help." He reached to pat Hitch on the head, getting a pleased smile.

At least until Hitch realized he was being pet. "Easy." He brushed David's hand aside gently. "We aren't that close." His smile returned though. "You're not bad at that. Could probably make a living on that if writing doesn't work out."

Massage threrapist for magical ponies? He could think of worse fates one could have... "I'd rather be creating something."

"You and Izzy would get along great." His eyes went up. "That your normal mane style or did you work it into that? If you did it yourself, there's another option. I know a pony that'd snap you right up if you're interested."

Oh no! "This is just as I was made." He ran a few fingers through his curls. "The only shampoo that's touched these recently is water."

"Huh." He inclined his head. "Your mane keeps itself in pretty good shape. I have to do more than that to get it right. Well! Love to chat about tricks and tips, but I should get back to work." He sat up tall and proud, ready to deliver justice. "Have a great day!"

"You too." David slipped out. "I feel silly." Being nervous, about Hitch? Hitch was not a human cop by such a far measure it was dizzying even trying to compare them. "Dumb." David set off on a spirited walk towards home. "Let's find out who I'm reaching out towards." His journey of writing was soon to begin! Or so he hoped.

At least he had a computer to write on, thank all the various divinities responsible for that decision.