Waking up on the second day felt different from other days. I wasn’t sure how to describe it immediately, but the more I thought about it, I realized that I felt great. I wasn’t groggy, I wasn’t grumpy, even my mane was still roughly the same as yesterday. It felt, for lack of a better word, natural.
It must’ve been too good to be true. My school instincts kicked in, and I thought must’ve been late for something. I scrambled around the room, frantically for a timepiece of any kind. What kind of researcher was I if I slept in all the time? How could I possibly explain this to Chi Chi? I guess I’d just have to take it on the chin, and not let it happen again.
I finally found my clock, but my eyes had crusted over from m panic. I rubbed it away, so I could see how much time I had to make up. To my immense relief, it was only 6:00.
No point in going back to bed, I thought. Might as well get a head start.
Usually, during the school year, I skip breakfast in the morning because classes start so early. Now though, since I my work doesn’t start until 9:00, I had all the time in the world. It was like I had two days in one.
I made my way to the main cafeteria, and headed on inside. The sign said breakfast started at 6, so I was well within the time frame. However, there was nopony else there. I could hear the kitchen staff working in the back, but the ambient chatter of ponies was absent. It felt so eerie, almost out of place.
When I walked up to the counter, there weren’t any servers to take my order. Either they were lazy, or this lack of business was business as usual. “Hello!” I called out to see if I could get a response from the back. Instead, a pony leapt up to her hooves right in front of me. This was one becoming one strange morning.
“Oh, uh, hello! What can get for you!” I could tell the enthusiasm was forced, but at least they weren’t openly hostile.
“I’d like a stack of pancakes with hash hay.” The pony scribbled the order down. then tore it off and threw it behind the counter.
“Turkey in the Straw!” A breakfast diner where the waitresses use slang for the orders? This place had a little bit of home after all.
I sat patiently at the counter, drumming my hoof to break the silence. If this was a rural diner, the waitress would give me a nickname and start a conversation. I was not disappointed. “So Hon, what brings you in so early? We don’t usually get anypony here before 9.”
“Well, I woke up for no apparent reason at around 6, so I figured I’d start the day early and grab some breakfast.”
“Well that's a first. Usually students get as much sleep as the can. Most of them only wake up a few minutes before their next class. Up all night doing homework, I guess. You must’ve had a pretty easy load to go to bed when you did.” She turned around to wash some glasses. She seemed quite authentic, like somepony I would know from home.
“Actually, I’m doing research now. I don’t have homework.” She stopped washing, and looked back over her shoulder. I’d obviously piqued her interest.
“Are you that mare the Doctor was going on about?” It seemed out of the blue that she would know Chi Chi.
“You know Doctor Chi Chi?”
“Oh yes. He comes in here even earlier than you do. Gets the same food though; pancakes and hash hay. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you two were related.” I could believe anything after yesterday.
A stallion came up to the counter separating us from the kitchen, and placed a pushed my order. “Order up!”
“Here you are. I’ve got to go inventory the freezer. If you need anything, just holler.”
I began to eat, and though it was delicious, I couldn’t help but notice the meal, not the food, was missing something. As I looked around the empty dining hall, I realized that what I needed some company.
The walk to Chi Chi’s office was just as lonely as breakfast. It was around a five minute walk, and there wasn’t a soul outside. Was I really this different? Was this going to be my whole four years?
Inside, the feeling of loneliness was ailed by the faces of the secretaries, who were diligently filing away various papers. So diligently, in fact, none of them looked up once. I guess that answered my question.
When I got to Chi Chi’s office, he too was sitting at his desk, though he was kind enough to greet me. “Good morning, Stardust. You’re up bright and early. I hope you slept well.”
“A full eight hours.” I replied. “What’s lined up for me today?”
“Well, you’ve gone through our past research, right?”
I simply responded with a nod.
“Well then, you can either continue that, or you can narrow down to your field of study.” I liked the latter option much more, and eagerly accepted.
“Excellent. You can head back to the library and get an idea of what you want to do. I’ll be in my office if you need anything else.”
Just what I needed; solitude.
Down in the library, the same silence that filled the dining hall welcomed me, only this time, there was no kitchen to feed me. I steeled myself for hours alone, and dove right into my work.
I thought about what would make a good research topic. Transformation? No, that’s well known, already. Time manipulation? Way too advanced. Materialization? I didn’t know that much about it, and I don’t remember seeing anything in the archive about it. It was perfect. I set off to look for whatever the academy already knew.
Three hours and 45 volumes of text later, I hadn’t found anything about materialization or conjuring in the whole archive. Had I missed something? I’d checked everywhere, in every way this place could’ve been organized, but still nothing.
Then I realized, I hadn’t checked everywhere.
My eye glanced over to the Restricted door, and my hoof began to move over towards it. No, Chi Chi said it was restricted, and I wouldn’t betray his trust. Still, it probably had some useful stuff in there. It couldn’t be that harmful.
The door opened with an eerie creak, but I wasn’t deterred. Inside, it seemed more accurate to describe it as the forgotten room. It looked as if nopony had been there in years, decades maybe. Every step I took sent up a puff, like the floor was drowned in dust.
I turned my attention away from the room itself, and towards what I had come for; the books. The titles were stuff I’d only heard about in stories. Emotion spells, mind control, Chaos magic, and so much more was here, at my hoofs. It seemed so surreal.
Running along the shelves, I found what I had been looking for, sort of. The title simply read ‘Summoning’, which I guess was close enough to materialization. I took a quick peak over my shoulder, to make sure the doctor hadn’t come in, then pulled the book off the shelf.
The book itself seemed to be the oldest one there. It’s cover was barely attached, and the spine was on it’s last legs. When I cracked it open, a cloud of dust was thrown into my face, confirming it’s age.
The pages themselves were largely intact. Of all the pages I flipped through, none seemed too faded to read, and none of them were missing or torn. Whoever the author was must’ve cast a protective spell on them. Although, I couldn’t say the same for the rest of the book.
Once I began to read, I was fascinated by the language inside. It was readable, but in a dialect that probably hadn’t been spoken in ages. It took some work, but eventually I got used to the different phrasings and terminology.
I decided to find one spell I would research and practice. As I scrolled through the index, I found one that read, ‘Duplicate’. This was perfect, I’d find a simple object, like an apple, and make a perfect copy of it. I’ll bet nopony has seen it done in ages!
On the description page, there was little information as to what the spell actually did, but there were plenty of details on how to perform it. It seemed a little strange that runes were needed, but then again, this was very old magic. I decided to give it a go.
Before I could begin, I heard hoof steps coming down the stairs. My heart sank. It was probably Chi Chi. What if he saw me in here, after I’d promised him I wouldn’t? I’d be expelled from the academy! I ran out, slid the book into my bag, and did my best to act natural.
“Good evening, Stardust”
“Evening? Is it that late already?” I gave as innocent a smile as I could, without over doing it.
“It sure is. The school will be closing down for the night. You probably want to get out to the real world again, anyway.” Really, I just wanted to be away from here. “Did you find something worth researching?”
My mouth was about to spill the beans, but my brain caught it. I couldn’t tell him about the summoning book, I’d have to make something up. “Not yet. I’m still digging through the ancient folk tale volumes. I thought I might find some inspiration there.”
“Good idea. With all of those fantastical tales, it might not all be make believe.” It wasn’t a complete lie, though I still felt bad about it. “Why don’t you head on up now. some rest would be good for both of us.”
I followed him out up the staircase. Tomorrow, I’d get the see what this book can do.
When we finally came outside, I was surprised to see it so dark. I’d been down in the library since 8:00. Had it really been this long? I had only seen the sun once today, and only half of it, at sunrise. Was everyday going to be this way?
Well, nothing I can do about it now. I figured I’d go back to my room, seeing as nopony else was out and about.
I walked past the same buildings as this morning, and aside from the janitors cleaning inside, they looked exactly the same. Everypony else I graduated with was probably off making friends somehow. Study groups, parties, or however else one socializes in higher ed. And here I was, stuck underground reading books all day. This isn’t what I expected at all.
When I arrived back at my room, I noticed an envelope had been placed in my mail slot. I assumed it was my parents, since I hadn’t really met anypony else since I got here. To my surprise, it was from White Lightning, an old friend of mine from Trottsdam. She’d gone off to Wonderbolt Academy, being the best athlete in our class, and probably the whole town. It was good to get correspondence from old friends. Maybe this would help me forget we were separated.
Dusty,
It only seems like yesterday I was warding off bullies for you on the playground, and now we’re off to pursue our dreams. I never really got a chance to say it to you pony to pony, but I never would gotten into Wonderbolt Academy without you. Your smarts got me through more classes than I’d care to count, and all that time you were never mean to me, even though I couldn’t understand half of what you said.
Now that I’m at the academy, things are great! I’ve gotten off to a great start with my squad mates, and even made lead pony! It’s hard work, but with all the support I’m getting, I’ll get through it.
Don’t forget to write back. I want to here about all the connections you’re making too! It must be hard being around ponies as smart as you all the time.
From,
White Lightning
I dropped to letter to floor, by now, some of the ink had been smeared by my tears. I was right. Not only was I alone, I was alone in being alone. It may have been frustration, jealousy, or just grief, but then, I made that fateful decision. That duplication spell would be put to good use, and I wouldn’t be alone ever again.