Misteria 01
I've just finished setting up camp and now currently writing within the safety of my tent. All of my equipment is ready, but the only thing missing now is the subject itself, the Misteria flower. Researchers before me have noted that it only blooms late in the night within the forest near Canterlot, estimated around 5am, thus seems like a perfect job for Owlowiscious to assist me with. The flower is said to glow a light blue during that time, so finding the flower can't be that hard for an owl to spot.
It's early in the night so I'll be turning in for now.
I release my magical hold on the quill and review my log entry. Feeling confident, I smile at how well things were starting before re-adjusting my nightcap for the nap I'm about to embark on. It came with the blanket that I bought for this occasion, but couldn't they have at least given me something that wasn't the color green? I feel like I'll sink into the grass when I fall asleep.
Still, I shouldn't focus on my appearance and just take this opportunity to get some sleep; even if I'm excited enough to stay up all night.
With the stretch of my legs, I begin to get comfy and lower the light of the 'illumination' spell that I cast from my horn. Owlowiscious will get me if he finds anything.
"Whooo! WHO!"
Pausing, I question my hearing.
"WHOOOOO!"
Calling me? So soon???
"Who WHOOO!"
Taking my blanket and wrapping it around me, I exit my tent into the cold dark air. I light up my horn brighter to see what the agitated owl wants. He was flapping his wings in the air, looking at me with expectancy.
"Who who WHO!"
No way. He couldn't have found the Misteria flower already? He flew off for me to follow him before I could ask. Lighting up my horn for my vision to see, I follow in anticipation at what he may have found. I gallop through the forest, my night cap and blanket is flapping in the air with the chase.
My eyes never left from Owlowiscious, but they begin to drift to the soft glow forming in the distance. It's a light blue glow that illuminates the destination my assistant is taking me. My skin tingles with excitement at finding the flower, slowing down as I approach it, I'm baffled at what I'm seeing. The current subject I'm viewing isn't organic at all; it's a glowing mineral, or to be more precise, a giant illuminating rock about the size of a house. It has a flat surface with various symbols glowing that depicts an unknown language as well among a few images to boot. In fact, taking a few steps back from it, the markings appear to be made within an image of a gear.
Was this here before? A glowing boulder? I studied up on this forest before camping here and didn't read anything about this. This isn't the Everfree Forest I'm in, many ponies have camped here before and never stated something like this being here.
I walk up to it cautiously, beginning to analyse this new test subject. I begin with trying to decipher the chiseled language and place a hoof under the character. A reaction occurs with the flat surface vanishing and leaving me to fall forward. I quickly paced back and found myself staring into a white tunnel that has gears turning along the path into nothingness.
My eyes must be playing tricks on me. A room that's bigger than the space it's encased in is not possible, unless...... this is a portal!!! Possibilities of what lies beyond this gateway begin to thrill me with questions. What are ponies like there? What discoveries have they made? What technology have they advanced in? What kinds of magic have they mastered?
"Who?"
Owlowiscious broke my train of thought with a concerning tone. He was right about being cautious, but this sudden discovery has gotten me quite excited. This isn't the Misteria flower I was hoping to find, but a completely new discovery for ponies to study. It might be the spur of the moment, but I'm starting to feel a bit bolder at finding out what's on the other side. "Stay here," I replied back to him, "I'm just going to check what's on the other side." The flower will take awhile before it blooms, I'll investigate this till then. I start treading through the portal with caution.
Time went by for what seemed like minutes. but my efforts to reach the other end of the tunnel is met. Viewing the surroundings though, the reward that's there is really underwhelming. I was hoping for something a bit more extravagant like bizarre vehicles or even unrecognizable environments; sadly, its shortcomings are anywhere but.
Standing on some warm grass, I'm in a forest no different from the one I just left from. Trees are standing strong, a soft breeze can be heard, but the only difference between the last forest and this one is that the sun is out. I channel down the illumination spell, wondering maybe that gateway didn't take me anywhere at all? But that does raise the question why the sun is out. Walking through there didn't take that lo-
My train-of-thought suddenly crashes as I look back at the way I came from and see something unsettling.
The stone isn't glowing and the portal is gone.
I begin feeling hysterical at the sudden change and start pushing on the stone to try and squeeze into the tunnel again, but it didn't work. The surface of the mineral is solid just like any other rock should be. I'm starting to feel like I've just made a big mistake, but I quickly push that thought aside; I must be back home, nothing tells me I'm in another world, and the proof of my nocturnal assistant will confirm that.
"Owlowiscious?" I called up to the trees, but he didn't appear.
"Ow-lo-wi-scious?" He should be waiting for me up there.... right?
"Owlo-" I pause as something caught my eye, something that shouldn't be out right now. My eyes widen at the moon floating in the sky. My vision shifts between the two spheres with concern. Why are both of them out again? Did something happen to the princesses? Perhaps they need my help?
Now isn't the time for studying a flower or a roundabout wormhole rock. My princess duties must be resolved.
I gallop yelling back to Owlowiscious about returning home, hopefully he heard it. Feelings of guilt arose in me for leaving without finding Owlowiscious, but I know he could take care of himself. My main concern now should be seeing to it that the ponies in Canterlot are not panicking.
There's a first time for everything though.
When arriving into town, everypony was trotting around town and doing their business like they naturally would. They don't seem worried about the sun and moon being out; they aren't even charging at me with questions like they did last time.
Everypony's tolerant about the sun and moon? Did that portal really take me nowhere? Maybe this really is another dimension? Reviewing the area does seem to make that question true, as the town seems to be lacking in luster since the last I remember. The paved streets have stones in them that made up for a flat surface, you can see the bricks of the buildings along the road, but the biggest difference has to be its inhabitants. Many, if not all, are wearing vials, baggy pants, and dresses that fully cover their hind legs. I know trends are very popular here in Canterlot, but those attires are so..... démodé.
Was there a sudden change in popular trends as of late? Fashion was never one of my strong suits, but I can't help to think of what Rarity would have to say about this.
"Remember, the difference between style and fashion is quality."
My ears perk up to a familiar voice that reads my mind aloud. Comfort soon begins to overcome me as I spot a welcoming face of the pony I was just thinking about at the doorway to a store. There's Rarity, wearing one of her dresses and waving good-by to another satisfied customer leaving from what must be her store.
"So if you want quality work, you'll know where to find me!" she said before returning back inside.
It's refreshing to see a familiar face. Not only does it leave a sense that I'm not far from home, but also a reliable source at finding out on what's happening around here. With a relieving breath, I walk up to the store.
Pushing the door open, a jingle is heard coming from a bell and Rarity chimes in singing "I'll be with you in a minute." The interior of the store seems old fashion, really unfitting for a pony staying on the latest trend. The floor is made of wooden boards, the walls are pale white and the clothing on display are either on hooks or hangers, leaving no dummy models to display them. As for the dresses themselves, they're definitely unique from what the ponies are wearing outside, but they seem like something my grandma would wear.
Rarity enters in from the back room "Thank you for choosing Glory's Passion for all of your fashion needs. How may I... BY WINDIGOS' CHILL!!!" She zips up to me and begins looking over my apparel, "How can you think of walking around like this? It makes you look like you're ready for bed."
Way to win your customers Rarity.
Clopping her hoofs, "Come, I'll find a dress worthy for a young Unicorn such as yourself." she begins pushing me deeper into her shop.
"Wait, Rari- wha!" I couldn't even get two words in before she pulled me behind dressing shades.
"Oh you don't need to worry how rare the dress is." she says while evaluating my size with a measuring tape. "All of these dresses are originally made to be unique by, moi." she pulls off my blanket, "You can find the start of a new fashion sta...." and stops speaking and measuring it all together. She's contemplating on something and, judging by her gaze, it's something to do with my wings "Wha..." she begins before locking her eyes on mine in a confused expression, "What are you?"
I begin taking a few steps back, it feels as though she's about to kick me out of the store.
"Forgive me dear," she apologizes looking ashamed, "That was awfully rude of me. I just..." her eyes are back on my unique feature, "never seen a unicorn with wings before."
Never seen one? Rarity has seen my wings a bunch of time. Unless... "Are you Rarity?"
She shakes her head, "My name is Glory."
You're kidding me! She's a dead ringer to Rarity in every way. She has white fur, purple curls, even the blue eyes; but now that I look at her closer, she does seem a bit taller, a little thinner and her ears are longer and narrower. "That can't be right, what about the Princess? She has wings."
Glory looks at me with that same expression she showed moments ago, "Princess Platinum doesn't have wings."
"Platinum? The same Platinum that united the pony tribes into one nation?"
"Yes the same one that wrote the treaty a few months ago."
What...
"And to correct you, she only agreed to share the land, nothing about joining nations."
My blood suddenly turns to ice from the realization. I'm not back in my world nor did I go to another dimension.
I traveled back in time.