//------------------------------// // Chapter 22 - Deep Thought // Story: Quest For Harmony // by destinedjagold //------------------------------// "I told you not to eat that sandwich!" I yelled as Claire hastily dragged me towards the nearby mall. We went inside in complete haste, almost running pass the security guards. She took a sharp turn to the left, and soon, she let go as she went inside the ladies' room. I rolled my eyes as I walked away from the room. I settled down on the chairs near the fountain inside the mall meters away from the entrance and exit. A few people were here though, since they are mostly outside, enjoying the festivities going on in the park just across the street. The festival started a few hours ago, and there were a lot of things to do there. Contests were held, small amusement parks were built, drinks and foods to buy. I did warn her about the sandwich she bought. It looked delicious, the contents looked fresh, but the mixture of different food were sure to upset one's stomach. And Claire proved me right. There is nothing for me to do except to wait for her. After a minute has passed, I took my phone and stared at the image of Ponyville. I wonder how the unicorns have taken over the closest town in the pegasi territory though... I wonder if Rainbow Dash is okay. No, wait... Why am I worrying about this? Surely, Equestria isn't real, no matter what I have seen or felt or ventured...while asleep. But it did felt real... Which is troubling my thoughts for a while now. If it was real, then how the heck did I got there? And if ever I am the one who could help them, I don't plan on getting beaten up all the time just to get there. I suddenly remembered the page Claire ripped from her notepad. I took it from my pocket and read the contents. She told me that she listed the weird flashing messages that appeared on my phone while I was out. Help...us... Help us... Help us... T-Twilight... ...Don't tell her... Don't tell her... ...Do you really have to go...? ...But we need your help... ...pedestal... ...you don't want to go home...? I think these are the lines of the voice that kept talking to me in my head. Hm... Wait, Luna said that only my mind and spirit were taken to their world. So that body...that brown earth pony, was only my vessel for my mind and soul? Maybe that voice belonged to the original owner of that body? So, if that were the case, does that mean that earth pony's now walking around with them? Hm... Why am I thinking about this so much? Oh, there's Claire. She apologized, and was about to explain when I stopped her. I don't want to have something nasty to think about. Anyway, as we walked back to the park, I was wondering...why was I only out for ten hours? Hm... "Can I borrow a pen?" Claire looked at me with an arched eyebrow, but she did let me borrow a pen from her bag. I folded the piece of paper that she gave me. Okay... Let's see here... I woke up, went to Unicornia, dug some gems. I am guessing that is a total of twelve hours. Then, I went to the castle, fell and saved Spike, and took a day sleeping. So, I guess that's twenty-four hours, maybe? And then I waited for one day inside the castle because Twilight was busy celebrating, and that's another twenty-four hours. Then, we escaped, and I fell unconscious once again. If ever I found myself back in Equestria, I'll try my best not to fall unconscious ever so often. Anyway, I'm guessing that was maybe twelve hours? Spike didn't really specifically told me though. So twelve, I guess. We ran to escape a fire, which was put out by the rain, and then we rested and slept. Ten to twelve hours, I guess. Walk to Ponyville, which was hours. I am guessing...three, I think. And then I helped some ponies, had lunch with Cloud Strike, and another lunch with Braeburn and friends, went to the Everfree, and followed Fluttershy to the castle. Four hours, maybe? Okay, summing it up... Twelve plus twenty-four plus another twenty-four, plus twelve, plus ten, plus three and plus four... Eighty-nine hours. Divided by twenty-four... Three days and seven hours... I've stayed in Equestria for three days and seven hours, and I was only out here in my world for ten hours... So...time runs faster in Equestria. I think. Hm... How to solve this... One week has seven days, and a day has twenty-four hours. Seven times twenty-four is...one-hundred sixty-eight hours. Divide it by eighty-nine...one point eighty-eight...something. This ain't right... My math's wrong. Let's restart that, hm... Eighty-nine hours divided by ten is eight point nine. Round off, nine hours in Equestria is one hour here in the human world. Okay, so one day in the human world...twenty four times nine is...two-hundred sixteen hours. Uh...okay. Divide by twenty-four, I get...nine? So, one day in the human world is nine days in Equestria!? That's...! Okay... Why am I really startled by this? An explosion...! Yells and screams were everywhere as the people ran away from the event. "Did you see that!?" Claire asked in panic as she dragged me away from the incoming crowd which were heading our way. We stood behind a mini-van, and the large sea of people avoided it, to our relief. "The sound buffers were hit by lightning!" She said, recovering herself from the state of panic. Lightning? I felt a cold drop of rain on my noise. I wiped it dry, and soon, the city started to rain and loud crashing thunder roars echoed through the city. "I'm sorry, Claire," I said as we ran back towards the mall. "But I really really need to go back home now." "T-that's okay," she replied after we got inside. She fixed her hair as I checked my wallet. Yeah, I still have enough money for a ticket. "C-can I come with you?" I rose my head to look at her with an arched eyebrow. "I-I don't think I wanna be alone here..." "Your apartment?" I suggested. "I live by myself, and I don't like being here in this city," she looked at the park through the wide glass window of the mall. "N-not at this moment..." "Friends?" I asked as I felt the vibration of my phone. "I don't really know where they live..." She replied as I opened the new...blank message that I received. She got curious and completely violated my personal space as she stood beside me, our shoulders touching as she looked at my phone. "Another blank message?" She asked as I stepped away from her. I was about to reply when letters started appearing on my phone, and at the same time, Claire leaned on me to see the message. 'I hope you're okay there, Gold... Things here are pretty darn crazy. Oh, this is Spike, by the way. I'm not sure if you'll ever get this message, with you being a statue and all, but I could hope, right? ' What? Really? "Spike?" She looked at me with a confused frown. "Uh," I quickly looked back at her, "nothing... Never mind." So...me in Equestria...was really real? It really happened...?