It’s all coming together now. Me being in this book horse’s house. Purple Smart? I’ll think of a funny name for you later. Rainbow Dash on the other hand, I assume she’d be offended if I called her Dashie. I’d bet three of the gold coins on my person that her parents called her “My Little Dashie.”
Oh, they’re approaching, and where did the sunglasses and police caps come from? The lights have suddenly gone dim despite being the afternoon. Also, there’s a spotlight suddenly. Wait, it’s a good cop, bad cop routine. They don’t end well for me, can’t help bringing me into shit.
“So,” Purple began, “we heard you’re a powerful wizard. If you’re able to mute Luna’s magic for four hours that means you’re-“
“A spy!” Rainbow dash interjected. “A spy out to stop the princess and take over Equestria!”
“That sounds more like a crown traitor out for a coup than a spy.” Is she overloaded with ideas from her own imagination. Or does that normally happen around these parts. “But I am not a spy. This Luna was in my dreams, I panicked and turned off magic.”
“Princess Luna.” Purple guided her friend down from flying for a bit to meet us at eye level.
“Right.” I glance over at Rainbow, even with the shades I can still tell she has a glare at me.
“So, she would like to extend a formal apology for frightening you, and I think you should do the same for shutting down her magic.” Oh, that sounds reasonable, if I was stupid. I know the ruse.
“Right, and then you’ll get me surrounded by powerful mages when we meet with the princess and I’ll be captured.” I’ve been captured by a princess before. At first it was really good, then came the torture. Pretty sure I died after that.
“W-What? No, the princess wouldn’t do that!” Purple is astonished by my assumption.
“Then I can send a letter or something.” I lean back in my oddly comforting pile of hay. “Probably might go into my head tonight anyway. So, might as well wait until she does.”
Dream magic. I hate it. It’s nothing personal, actually it’s very personal, I don’t like it when people are in my head. At first I learned how to use it so I could get lucid dreams every night. I used those lucid dreams to remember my original life, my family, my friends, and everyone who I loved in these Isekai worlds.
Then I found other dream mages. At first it was neat, every world hat at least someone in the dream realm. Usually an ancient dragon, or a wise old wizard who just likes to watch. Then I found one who actively messes with people.
They messed me up. Hard. Scrambling my memories away, forcing some of them into suppression. I don’t know why they did that. I wanted to remember my family, now I can barely remember their faces. It’s never good to go into a memory of your little sister being born and meeting the same face on everyone. It sucks.
I vowed to never enter the Dreamscape again, I don’t want a repeat of that. Now that I’m probably going to be confronted by a dream mage, it’s not going to end well for me is it?
“That’s probably what she’ll do.” Purple snapping me out of my sulking, they probably noticed my twinge of emotion. Didn’t want to grimace at the thoughts, but I can’t control my emotions that well.
“So, could I send her a letter instead? So I can give her a heads up to talking in my dreams.” Seems reasonable, I hope.
“I uh, yeah. Glad this worked out!” Purple took off her shades and police hat and placed them somewhere. To be fair, I didn’t know what she was going to do, but I assume she’s going to give me some parchment and I hand it over to the mailman.
“SPIKE!” She called, her entire body facing the stairs.
Soon the little dragon from yesterday comes from upstairs, munching on something. I can’t smell it, but I can tell from here that it’s probably rock candy judging from the sounds.
“Yeah?” His mouth was full, some shards of blue spewing from his lips.
“Take a letter. We’re going to send Luna message.”
“Okay!” He quickly swallows anything in his mouth and draws a quill and parchment. Where he was hiding those I have no idea.
There’s me wondering why she couldn’t write the message herself, telekinesis works wonders for writing. Probably some nerdy reason like shorthand notes. Fucking nerd. God I love nerds.
“Dear Princess Luna.” She paused, looking over at Spike to see if he was writing it down.
“The pony that has cut your magic off temporarily in the dream world, has given permission for you to enter his mind tonight.”
“Permission for you…” Spike was reciting the words as he written down.
“From, Twilight Sparkle.” I know her first and last now, still gonna call her Purple it fits her. I wonder how they’re gonna send the letter?
With an inhale, the dragon breathed fire on the letter the embers forming into a mist of ash and soot. A gentle breeze suddenly emerged, guiding the formation out of the window and heading towards the castle. Magic fire, got it.
“Neat.” I said quietly. I doubt they heard me, so o decided to just pull out the law book from the pocket dimension.
Purple did notice it, her eyes wide opened in surprise. Guess no one bothered to use a pocket dimension to carry things here, or seen one. Wait, then where did the dragon…?
. . .
Ew.
“I checked this out yesterday, just came to return it.” Was a good book. Learned that it’s legal to have polyamory. Not looking for a harem, but if I get one it’s legal. Though, it’s legal in a lot of fantasy worlds so the idea of a harem lost it’s charm on me.
“R-Right. One second.” Stumbling on her words for a moment, she opens up the book and began to write something in the little sleeve behind the cover of the book. “Name?”
“Anonymous.” The interrogated. Lost title rights for being the coolest babysitter to a pink pony. How she got the rights is beyond me, also how did I know her?
“Hey, that’s a name a spy would use!” Rainbow is pushing it.
“Thats my birth name you…uh…prismatic pest.” Glaring at her, I was almost at my limit, but maybe instead of hurting her I could do something else. Make her hair invisible, steal a feather, or use gravity to ground her. All these possibilities, but I’ll hold for now, make her throw the first punch.
“Rainbow. We got what Luna needed from him.” Purple being the voice of reason seems fitting.
Aw. I wanted a fight, MOM!
“Fine.” She takes off the shades and hat, tossing them aside to a corner before making a gesture at me. Her hoof pointing at her eyes, then back to me. I knew an ‘I’m watching you’ when I see one, even with hooves. I just gave a curt in response.
With her departing out of an open window. Purple placed the book on a pile. I assume for Spike to put away, the art of delegation still strong.
Now I’m just left here alone with Purple and Spike.
“So…” Taking a crack at the ice. I needed something. “Any of you know a hotel around? I ain’t got a place to stay tonight.” Anonymous the Homeless is being retired, besides I don’t need the title anyway.
“There’s one by Quills and Sofas.” Spike was the one to perk up, I assume he does the chores while Purple does the…reading?
“That’s an odd combination of items to sell…”
“They sell a whole bunch of stuff, like ink.” Spike, you’re making this really hard for me to Ken here.
“Just the one example?”
“I don’t buy the sofas, just the quills and ink.” Spike would be fired immediately as an advertisement agent.
“Right, I’ll be on the lookout for a giant sofa, and quill I guess. See you?” I gave a small wave to the two.
Purple looks like she was going to ask me something, but I quickly got out of there as soon as I could.
Should probably get something to eat before going to the hotel. Celery will do today, just order takeout for any protein.
Taking down to the market I head towards the stalls. It’s busy today, I assume due to some rush for the delay of the moon. So shifting through the crowds as best I could I grabbed my coin pouch from the pocket dimension and bought some celery stalks. It costed me two bit per bundle of celery, so I got two, I had some money.
Then I met a familiar little scamp, Applebloom was sitting next to a orange pony with a hat, and a fucking huge dude. Holy shit man, that dude was easily twice my strength and then some. Was the red his fur or his bulging muscles exposed? I like what I see.
Wait, now’s not the time. Just go up and buy their shit, probably apples. I’m guessing apples because of Applebloom’s name. If they’re all Apple related somehow I’m going to eat that hat.
“Oh. Hello?”
“Howdy dere partner, what can I get for ya’?” The orange was the talkative one. Big red over there was just looking at me with extremely gentle eyes, he just seems so lax and calm. If I was into men, I would, so drinking buddies will do.
“Just looking for something to buy. What you got for me?”
“Well, we got Apples of all kinds, and we have some of our own Granny’s apple pies. Woo wee. You haven’t lived until you’ve taken some bites out of mah granny’s pie.” Huh, the pies do smell good. I can even see the smoke lines above them. She does make a good sales pitch.
Applebloom seemed to have noticed my gaze and began to blow the wind into my direction, giving me a good whiff of apple pie goodness.
“Aight. I’ll bite, how much for a pie?” I’m ready for this to be a little expensive. I got a total of 34 coins left.
“About 10 bits!” The orange mare was excited for some reason. I guess all salesperson are the same.
“Okay. Here you go.” Using my magic, and some funny counting. I gave her ten coins in two five count piles. She took the bits and slid one of the pies toward me. It’s not that big, but damn it smells good.
“Pleasure doing business with ya partner!” I should learn orange’s name soon. If not only to get close to red. Who’s been looking at someone. It’s sad to lose someone’s attention when you like them, won’t cry over it just a little saddened.
Heading out, and when I was out of sight of the crowd I stored my food in the dimension. It’s removal from existence should keep the food ripe for longer than a fridge. At least I hope, haven’t gotten food poisoning from food from there yet. Plus it’s really easy for me to open and close my pocket with the horn. I didn’t have to be carrying a wizard staff on me at all times for now!
Following Spike’s not great directions I found Sofa and Quills, a very specialized store, and right next to it I see Berry Punch’s Hotel and Bar, adorned with grapes on the sign. It seems important for me to enter and rent a room.
So heading into the front desk room, I could see it also doubles as a bar at the end. I see a pony, that can only remind me of the color of wine when spilt on a white shirt, tending the bar. I assume this is Berry Punch. There’s three other ponies here, but they didn’t seem important.
Heading over to the register I waited for a moment and voila Berry came over.
“Hey.” Her voice was slow, like an alcoholic speaking, yet didn’t have the slurring. Almost as if she mastered the speaking part. “Are you here to rent a room or buy a drink?” She reeks of grapes, which usually isn’t a bad smell, but she absolutely reeks of it.
“Rent.” I hope the prices for staying at a hotel overnight isn’t too expensive. So, slowly I pulled out my coin pouch and waited.
“It’s gonna be 8 bits per night.”
“That’s perfect actually.” 24 bits left, enough for 3 nights. I’ll buy two for now, keep the extra 8 for emergencies. I do need a job still, and that job Rarity promised hasn’t come true yet.
With a couple seconds of waiting I got my room key and exit outside. The hotel was organized like a motel, a balcony connecting the upstairs, and all the doors facing the streets. Only two stories each with 5 rooms. I guess this place isn’t that popular to hold too many ponies. So entering my room of 104, that being the bottom floor, I settled in, finding it quaint. A single twin bed, a night stand, a couple of hanging shelves, closet, and a bathroom. No TV, or stove, or microwave, so I guess it’s just enough to live. I’ll afford modern luxuries later, I’m just glad to have a bed.
Flopping down on the bed, I quickly obtained the Magic book I have yet to read and decided to just go through it. Oddly enough, it had the same words as every other magic nonsense, only this time it’s called a Magic Source for the horn rather than a Medium, I guess when you’re naturally born with the ability to cast magic there’s no point in calling it a Medium, I mean others call it a Catalyst as well but whatever. So with the simple translation. I’m able to understand something.
I’ll just keep reading until I pass out.
I’ll give this Luna one chance to explain herself. Then if it’s positive, I’ll stay, if it’s not, then I’m ready to become the leader of a coup attempt. Gotta make my mark on the world somehow.