Chapter 10
Evening approached as Tycho skimmed through one of the books Twi gave him: Magical Theory Volume 1 along with the supplemental concordance material. The chapters were organized with an introduction to magic, the history of the science, and, of course, the terminology. His reader spoke the words to his ear as he slowly committed this information to memory.
Twilight brought books for them to read as the others chatted, this opportunity to watch an intelligent individual learn something like magic reminded Twilight of her years before she got her cutie mark. "Let me know if you have any questions, Mr. Hernandez. This is a totally new field for you."
"On a scale from one to five, where one is grade-school level and five is doctoral-level, how would you rate the information on this book?" Tycho asked, dividing his attention.
Twilight smiled. "Rank 3, that book is for... I think the equivalent would be bachelor's students." She then turned to her laptop as she read up on the technical information of Tycho's reader.
"It’s rude to not join the conversation." Shade lightly scolded the two intellectuals that were too engrossed to hear her.
Shade rolled her eyes and resumed chatting with the others. "So, Shade, it's great to see you off duty." Alex told her. "First time we get to see you relax."
Shade sighed. "Sadly I'll be going back to Canterlot after this." She turned back to Tycho, waiting for a response. Nothing. Annoyed, she turned away to view the two again. "Though I have a lot of leave time coming up. Might consider coming down here for it."
Dash grinned. “Don’t suppose you have another foldout or calendar coming out?”
Alex smirked. “You have a secret stash of eye candy I don’t know about?”
Shade laughed as Dash turned a little red and looked at Alex. “You realize she’s the hottest mare in the guard, right? Like, officially!”
“Well, since those things called ‘bikini bottoms’ became popular thanks to Rarity looking at human stuff, I have gotten requests.” Shade said with a little sultry pride. She was about to say something to Tycho, but remembering his disability, she seemed disappointed her good humor regarding her looks wouldn’t take now.
Alex, however, chuckled at her joke. While he had learned much of pony beauty standards over his time in Equestria, he still had to rely on Dash for the specifics a lot of the time. Dash had gotten pretty specific about Captain Nightshade. She is stronger than most unicorns, and her muscle tone equal to that of a pegasus, but it was balanced with her curvy figure that he would guess would be equivalent of an ‘athletic porn star’ with flanks jiggly enough to get any mare’s or stallion’s attention. ‘Sexy Sexy Nightshade’ as Dash had quipped.
While he found her her hobby as the royal guard’s very own ‘pin-up’ girl silly, the efficacy of her command could not be denied. Commendations for discipline and training; a long and proud career. (Well, proud as of recently.) A model officer in many ways.
“Come on, Alex, I need new posters for my office!” Dash teased.
“Only if I can keep my eye-candy on the laptop.” Alex shot Dash a naughty look.
“Duh! They are probably all of me, anyways!” The pegasus chuckled.
“And sometimes with your frie-” Alex couldn’t finish as Dash thwapped him with a throw pillow humorously as a soft tussle between the loving couple ensued.
Shade sighed. A look of wistfulness at their relationship indicated she wanted what they have, but saddened she hadn’t found that. Between her duty as a guard and her own redemption, she hadn’t had time for it. She pushed those thoughts away and looked at Tycho as he patiently looked through the books with Twilight. A good colt with a great mind, she agreed. Still, his situation reminded her of something she couldn’t put her hoof on, but worried her regardless. What she recognized in Tycho bothered her and she feared what it may mean for him. He will need a good friend to rely on, she mused.
"Well, Tycho? Is it comprehensive?" Twilight said with a large and eager grin as Tycho finished the first chapter.
"Tell me again why the word Thaumatic keeps coming back up a hundred times." Tycho deadpanned.
“Well, It comes from the ancient Pegasopolan word ‘Taumos’ meaning ‘Miracle.’ Which is what they termed unicorn magic.” The purple academic began.
Tycho waved off the explanation. "Nevermind, I’ll read about it later. If you say you can bypass my blindness by sending information directly to the nerves behind my eyes, then I will write up each function of the lensing of this device to you, okay?"
Alex piped up. "How long do you need my knife, Twi? You obviously want to adapt the magic of it to this."
Twi's ears perked up to reorient herself to the room and looked at Alex, now being brought back to present. "Oh! Well I think Trace will actually need your knife, Alex. He will set up the magical praxis to modify it and I'll supply the energy to power the enchantment." She clopped her hooves together in eagerness. "My goal is even better than before. Instead of an amulet, I'll make a pair of spectacles to scan for words and reveal them directly to Tycho's visual cortex! AND it will absorb the magic from around him to power it!"
Rainbow Dash whispered to Alex; "I am scared, big guy. I actually understood that."
As the night went on, Alex gave a short chuckle.
Tycho walked back home with two saddle bags draped over his shoulder containing stacks of books; he was sure that he checked out more books that was normally allowed on his library card.
"Need help with that?" Shade asked as she accompanied him.
"I got it." Tycho answered curtly.
There was an uncomfortable silence that followed them as they walked to Tycho's home. The guard captain knew when a stallion was hiding his emotions to be strong, and Tycho fit the bill. She could help him open up and not close himself off to others ...she hoped.
"So," There was some hesitation. "You want me to come visit you from time to time?" Shade asked hopingly.
Tycho looked toward Shade's direction and nodded. "I am okay with it. You can take the guest room again if you need."
Shade smiled. “Do I get room service with that?”
“Only if you respect my privacy.” The man slightly grumbled.
Shade giggled and blushed a little remembering his shame. "Thanks, Tycho. Also, shower etiquette?"
Tycho grimaced a bit from that. "Yyyeah, uh, no showering with the doors open and no entering without the other's permission, that work?"
Shade smiled. "I'm sorry again, Tyke. But if it's any comfort, you are a fine and healthy looking human." She said half way between her normal and silky voice.
Tycho blushed but fended off her flirt with a question. "Where will you be between visits?"
Shade sighed. "While I can't get into specifics, I’ll be doing what I do best. Captain of the Nightguard. Sorry, wish I could tell you more."
Tycho nodded. “I understand. Working for CERN I had to keep my mouth shut on all kinds of technical stuff. We had publicity managers to keep the public informed of what we did."
Shade nodded. “Luna is our publicity manager. Ponies are too scared to press for classified stuff. Going by Alex and Matt though, I’m sure you would be not nearly as shocked, but it is still a need to know basis. We’ve hired Matt for a few missions when we felt we needed him.”
“Anything you can tell me about the Nightguard?” Tycho asked as he reached the steps to his front door, then sat down lowering his bags.
“How about a few mantras? ‘We stand vigilant for thee;’ ‘strong alone, stronger together;’” Shade said with pride in her voice.
“How about Facta non verba?” The human suggested.
Shade was half mesmerised, half confused. “First, what does that mean? Second, say that again.” The mare smoothly said and leaned closer.
Tycho leaned back feeling a bit warmer. “It means deeds, not words. Uh, Latin tongue? Facta non verba?” There was no doubt in his mind Shade was a flirtatious mare, probably with males in general, or was it just him? She never did that with Alex or Elusive.
Shade studied Tycho’s reaction for a moment. He could definitely feel from her voice, proximity, and on some level her posture when a mare was flirting with him. As fun as it was, she didn’t want to make him too uncomfortable, so she kept from going any further.
"S-so.” Tycho reached for the door handle and turned it, letting the door inch open. “Guess I'll be seeing you when I see you." He held a hand out for Shade.
“Let me get my armor first.” Shade opened the door and raced up stairs. “I know you all like to see me without it, but I’m a captain first!” She giggled when Tycho groaned under his breath. Oh yeah, he was flustered, she deduced.
Tycho regained his composure back inside his home and put the books on his desk. He overheard the buckling of belts and occasional clanging of metal as he turned on his laptop. Thinking on Shade, she was definitely a pony he could trust. Dash and Twilight, too. Alex is a good friend, but all this was now making him nervous. That moment back at town hall bothered him still. He made a note to inquire with Twilight the worst that could happen and what they (and he) could do about it. In the midst of his thoughts he noticed Shade was near him, probably in her armor as he remembered her initial shape meeting her, and her mug closer to his face! He scootched back immediately.
Shade blanched and frowned. “I’m sorry. Forgot you wouldn’t expect that.”
"Were you going to kiss me?" Tycho frowned.
Shade turned a bit red and giggled. "No, Tycho. Just a nuzzle."
Tyke relaxed a bit, but kept his distance. "What is a nuzzle compared to a kiss?" He asked.
"Lots of things, but in this case a friendly gesture to say that I care about you." Shade smiled softly. “I want to let you know your friendship means a lot.”
The human hesitated, but decided to give the cultural gesture a shot. He didn’t want to make her think he was ungrateful. He got a bit closer and moved his head to give her access to his left cheek.
Shade held back her giggle at this formal invitation and gave him a brief nuzzle. "See? That wasn't so bad."
Tycho felt the spot where her mug touched, that was pretty soft, and nice. "Yeah, that is fine, just warn me, okay?"
Shade nodded. “Take care, okay? And please, write to me between visits. Just ask Alex to send the letters.” Shade walked out the door. “Bye Tycho!”
“Take care!” Tycho bid her farewell in return, then thought a moment how much this wom...mare had been there for him from the start. Nightshade, he thought, was someone he could rely on. He made a silent promise to write to her when he could as he went to his fridge to get a hard drink before returning to his desk and began reading.
There was now an air of focus surrounding him, Shade noticed as she briefly watched him through his window. This disposition was probably the side of Tycho that did so much sciency stuff back home. Maybe his work will help him adjust too? ...She could only hope.
Access...Journal Entry #1.avi
This is the first journal entry of Tycho Hernandez, displaced human being, now in another dimension inhabited by beings comparable to mythical and legendary creatures in Earth’s history... What an introduction that was. A world charged with magic both wondrous and deadly to us humans. A world which I am trapped in…
I am starting this journal to be a record of sorts. It has been a week here and I think it's prudent to keep a recording of my thoughts, my accomplishments, my setbacks, my whole life here... however long that may be. You did the same, mom. Kept audio records of your work in case you wanted to write a book or something. But to me? I want my friends and family to see this in case I fail... to get back. Maybe so I could be remembered better. No one more than a few on Earth knows what I did, what I sacrificed, or why. But at least those who know me will know what I did, what I sacrificed, and why.
Where do I begin? That is the big question I had to answer when I got here. Usually when you become a refugee, the first thing you do is get work. A lot of that happening to people in my lifetime. But like for them, it's going to be harder for me to secure a job. I am lucky I have a place of my own so I don’t have to worry about being homeless. And Twilight gave me a stipend as payment from a research grant for my work. I am getting by, but that isn’t enough to save up for a brighter future... or a way to get home.
Oh yeah, Twilight, um, there is an index of notes on everything I have done and whom I have met that correspond to this journal so to keep these entries at reasonable length. Just look them up in the index for reference.
So what has this refugee been doing? So far I have finished a book a day on magical theory and writing up specifications on my reading device. I get up, I eat, I read, I eat lunch with friends or by myself, I read some more, I get dragged out to socialize with the locals, I go back and I write. Finished the technical writing in the first half of the week, heh. Easy peasy work for me when you’ve got the internet at your finger tips and a technical background.
We’ll see what Twilight Sparkle comes up with and maybe, just maybe I’ll be able to visually read for the first time in decades. Gods, that is gonna be so surreal. Will I have to learn again or would I remember how? It can’t be as agonizing as it was learning braille. You remember that Dad, Mom? What a fucking pain that was. They told us the bumps were easy to read. Bullshit! Every blind person and language expert agrees it’s a sad substitute, but what are you going to do?
Oh yeah, make a thing that reads for me! Heh.
I haven’t heard from my work friends, yet. But Dr. Herman forwarded me a private email stating everyone can go back home now. That is a relief. No news on CERN’s involvement in saving the world. Just a world torn by relief and fear at the same time.
That is me, Mom, Dad. You and I have a lot in common right now. I am relieved to be alive, but afraid what events or creatures could make my life hell here. I am welcomed here, but scared that could turn 180 on me real quick. I have my skills and abilities but fear I am too advanced for these ponies.
Hence why I read, and read, and read. This stuff isn’t hard to understand. It's just quantum science dealing with new energies! It's amazing! If we had this on Earth, we could do everything the ponies could do. The possibilities are endless! Thank the Gods they have it down to science here. Just remember all the 100 dollar words they throw at me, y’know? Also, Thaumatic. I want to meet the guy who coined it and slap his mug.
I was starting and should finish Basic Enchantments before meeting Twilight again. Its interesting how it works but too complex to explain it in this entry.
So Mom, Dad, Arjeta, Johan, everyone who watches this, I don’t know if or when I make a breakthrough but it can take a long time. So hang in there. I am still alive, guys. Here, and now. Not giving up. This is Tycho Hernandez, signing off.
-----video end----
It was noontime as Tycho navigated his way to the Grain Bucket. One thing he didn’t mention in his journal was his continued memorization of the town. So far he could find his way to town-square, Twilight’s and return home no problem. Memorizing the shops wasn’t too hard. The biggest pain was managing his hearing to sense these ‘little ponies.’ They were thankfully near his thigh in height but he was not used to having to navigate around creatures of such height and shape. Humans were easier due to experience so this was a learning experience for him.
Then there was meeting Applejack again. She and his shopping schedules were matched so that her or one of her family would meet with him to help him shop for stuff. He could always rely on the Apples to help him select good food. And, Gods, Equestrian produce was delicious compared to Earth’s.
But now he felt like getting a sandwich and chips.
“Hey, Tyke.” He heard Matt’s voice call out. His hearing registered a taller individual approaching a table with two ponies.
A thought that bothered him during their first meeting was Matt’s ‘project.’ He made a note to ask for clarification on what the heck he was doing with Equestria’s orphans.
Tycho approached the fence surrounding the outdoor tables where the trio was sitting. “Good afternoon.”
“Hi, Tycho! Care to join us?” He heard Bon Bon ask, but heard nothing from Lyra. Strange, he was warned to expect Lyra to talk to him at great length and immediacy on anything human-related. Or at least be enthusiastic about having them around her.
“Hey Tycho. How have you been holding up?” Matt asked in an undertone.
Tycho joined them at the table, carefully navigating through the movement around the restaurant. The air was nice and the sun shone down on him. There was no source of shade at any table, he noted.
“Taking it a day at a time.” Tycho replied as he sat down. “How have you all been?”
There was a silence indicating sympathy from the table. The waiter provided Tycho a menu. “Welcome, sir. May I read the menu to you, sir?”
Tycho shook his head and replied neutrally. “I appreciate your concern, sir, but the better question is ‘how may I serve you?’”
The waiter’s composure buckled at Tycho’s reply. “I-I am sorry, sir. Please accept our apologies for the mistake.”
“Tycho, he was just offering-.” Bonbon tried to save face, feeling pity for the waiter.
“When you meet someone with a disability, act normal and make no assumptions they require assistance. Act normally and let the someone indicate what they need.” Tycho instructed the waiter in a gentler tone, ignoring Bonbon. “Trust me, you’ll be even more courteous that way.” He gave a pleasant smile.
The waiter seemed partly relieved, but there was still a hint of shame in his demeanor.
“Now, could you please read to me the lunch menu items. I’ll let you know which ones I want described.” Tycho added after a pause.
The waiter did as Tycho asked, albeit nervously and took everyone else’s orders as well. Another moment of uncomfortable silence passed before Bonbon broke it.
“Tycho, what did the waiter do wrong?” Bons asked.
“Making an assumption that disabled people want assistance seems nice, but is actually doing harm. At least for humans. Give folks a chance to tell you what help we need, if we want help, and then you’re treating us with dignity.” The blind human replied as he sipped his soda.
Matt gave a subtle smile, then turned to Lyra. “Lyra, what is the matter.” He asked, not bothering to lower his voice considering the mare wouldn’t be able to hear him.
Lyra sighed. There was no way she could hide it with two humans near her. They could see through it easily. “Tycho, I heard what happened at town hall. I am so sorry.”
Tycho turned towards Lyra’s direction and frowned. “Word gets out, huh? So if you heard about it, have other ponies also heard? And if so, why aren’t they treating all of us cautiously?”
Matt shook his head. “They’re used to us, Tyke. We have lived here long enough and have done enough to earn their trust. They aren’t going to buy anypony’s fear mongering that easily.”
“Yeah, but what about the MST? He is in charge of that?” Tycho asked.
“Its regulated like all ministries. They can’t act beyond their given powers without official approval.” Lyra answered. “It's just…”
Bonbon looked at Lyra and Tycho, then back to Lyra. “Just what, Lyra?”
“Once Arcanis sets his mind to something, he won’t give up. He’ll act in accordance to the codes and regulations, but that won’t stop him from seeking support or approval from ponies of power.” She frowned.
Matt noticed the tension in Tycho’s shoulders he was getting upset. “Hey, listen.”
Tycho looked in Matt’s direction.
“We got two princesses, the town, Twilight, and many others on our side. I know what you're thinking, and it won’t happen. Even if that guy can muster support to act, he’d be in deeper trouble and wouldn’t accomplish anything.” Matt explained.
Tycho didn’t feel relieved despite Matthew’s assurances. In fact, what relief he felt initially when coming here was fading and the anxiety of being stuck here was growing on him.
“What has studying magic been like for you?” Bonbon asked, gauging his mood. It was hard for ponies (even ones who have been around the humans) to read a human’s face.
Tycho took a deep breath to regain his composure. “Learning a new subject and area of science isn’t easy but I think I’m managing well-enough.”
“Let me know if you need another tutor, Mr. Tycho. I’m not as great as Twilight but I can explain a few things if you need.” Lyra said as their meals were provided.
“I’ll consider it.” Tycho replied in a low tone.
The mood was already growing dim at the table as Tycho scanned his food with his fork.
“Oh, Matt! How is the academy doing?” Bonbon asked, hoping a shift of focus will improve the mood.
Tycho raised an eyebrow, remembering full well Matt explained something about a military school for foals?
“The foals are doing well. Fewer troublemakers than expected, but they are just doing what kids would do. Cheerilee likes the new teaching staff and is happy consulting them in curriculum development.” Matt explained before taking a bite.
“So when do you run through combat training and marksmanship?” Tycho asked bluntly, listening carefully to Matt’s answer.
Matt swallowed his bite and answered. “Not for a year. Gym class maintains the exercise regimen for the first year before we show them the basic stuff.”
Tycho swallowed his bite and looked in Matt’s direction. “So one year then these children learn how to kill?” Tycho asked in a normal tone. The pony directly behind Tycho gasped and dropped her fork.
Bonbon and Lyra gaped. “Tycho, what are you talking about?” Lyra whispered loud enough for Tycho and Matt to hear.
“What the hell kind of world is this? You got a dude here playing warlord with your children and you are okay by this? What is your fucking definition of utopia, anyways?” Tycho didn’t raise his voice, but didn’t lower it despite the air of warning coming from the two mares at the table with the humans.
Matt put his fork down. “Tycho, what the crap do you think I am doing?” Matt didn’t lower his voice either, and definitely sounded mad.
“You listen to your own words, ‘Mr. Commando?’ You said you’re training foals to be soldiers! I can’t fathom how or why you’d think that is okay!” Tycho chastised Matt, who was keeping his cool, but not happy.
Bonbon, already sensing a misunderstanding, waved her hooves. “Hold it!” That caused the other tables to go silent. She grimaced at the fact they were causing a scene but this had to be done to avoid it escalating. “Tycho, what are you envisioning Matthew is doing?”
“He’s turning children into cannon fodder. What do you think soldiers do? They put their lives on the line for their country. These are kids!” Tycho exclaimed.
“Cannon what?” Lyra said confused.
Matt facepalmed. “Oh for fuck sake. Tycho, they don't get trained when they are very young. They are adolescents in high school when they start. It's like the Canadian Reserve program!”
Tycho sat there in silence, realizing the misunderstanding and the fact everypony must have heard him embarass his friends. “Oh gods.”
Lyra realized what just happened and groaned. “When we used the word foals, he thought, oh gods.” She facehoofed.
Bonbon spoke in a softer voice and put a hoof on his hand. “Tycho, it’s okay. It's our fault we didn’t explain it right.”
Matt pushed his plate aside and leaned on the table to get a better posture. “Tycho, I have been jumping for a long time. I’ve been through a lot of crazy stuff and it has changed me in ways I wish it hadn’t, but here I am. And I am not the kind of person that would do something like that. I should have explained it better. I hope that clarifies things.”
Tycho tried to say an appropriate response but something else bluttered out. “Am I gonna end up being as messed up as all of you?”
Matt just stared, hiding the slight hurt he felt from that.
“Seriously. Is weird shit gonna happen to me, change me, mess me up!?” Tycho asked. “Am I next, Matt!?”
Matt continue staring, have no idea what to say.
The awkwardness at the table created an air of silence as they finished their food. Tycho didn't feel comfortable anymore and stood up up as he put some bits on the table.
Bonbon soft spoke. “Tycho, let us pay-”
Tycho didn’t answer and drew out his cane as he carefully made his way out of the restaurant without another word, leaving the three behind in uncomfortable silence.
Passing by the library on his way back home, Tycho heard Twilight’s voice call him. “Tycho!”
Tycho shook his head and continue walking. He stopped suddenly as his senses registered a strange occurrence of magic in front of him and the form of a pony. The blind human yelped and fell back, landing on his rear end.
“Oh, sorry Tycho! Are you hurt?” Twilight ran up to him.
“What the hell was that?!” Tycho backed away from her.
Twilight stopped and meekly replied. “It it was a teleport spell. Sorry, I should have just run down the stairs, but I needed you for something very important and didn’t want to lose you.”
Tycho shook his head to regain his sense of the world around him. “Well, just don’t surprise me like that.” He stood up. “What do you want?” He asked bluntly.
Twilight gulped. Tycho was visibly unhappy.
“Well, what?” Tycho asked.
“Its... it's your glasses. I have something for you to work on. A test to complete the enchantment.” The unicorn explained with a little smile.
Tycho took a deep breath. He didn’t know if he was in the mood for this. “Twi, I didn’t have a good lunch today, maybe we should put it off.”
“If we can get this done today, Tycho, we can get you certified today as well. Then you’ll have a stable job with me!” Twilight explained. “Please, Tycho, for you to earn this in one week would get you recognized... in a good way!” She quickly added.
Tycho took a moment to bottle up his anxiety before answering. “Alright, show me what I need to do.”
In the library, Twilight, Spike, and Trace were in Twilight’s laboratory. Surrounding them were lab tables adorned with various equipment: chemistry sets, steampunkish machines with various lights and numeric readings, and perfectly labeled books and supply cabinets.
At the center was a table with a circular stone plate of onyx.
Tycho could only barely make out the furniture and that there were objects on them. “Alright so what am I doing?”
“Artificing!” Twilight said excited.
A noise occurred down stairs. “Hello?!” They heard a familiar female voice from below.
Spike ran up to the exit. “El! We’re in the lab!” He called downstairs.
Footsteps followed as Eleanor Asher entered. Obviously, she was female, Tycho noted from his hearing. Only his friends could see the details of whatever she was now. Tycho had learned only snippets of what happened to her.
“Basically, she is no longer human. She just appears as such,” was all he let himself learn. Tycho never desired to learn anymore as he was afraid of what he would hear.
“Hey, Tycho,” Eleanor pleasantly greeted and extended her hand. “How have you been?”
Tycho hesitatingly took it and shook, taking note he felt a genuine human handshake. So at the very least she seemed human. “Another day, Eleanor. That’s how I have been.” He said almost emotionless.
El looked at Tycho sadly but Twilight piped up before she could talk.
“Okay! Tycho, let me describe what we have here. Please step in front of the table right here.” She pointed to the place where Tycho was to stand.
Tycho stood as best he could. “So what am I doing here?”
“On this table is an onyx plate lined with aluminum. Remember when I said aluminum was rare and valuable? Well it's more than just that. It is also very useful. Aluminum is a very useful metal for enchantment. Applejack has a line of aluminum in her hat to aid her in her strength. So does Big Mac in his collar. And in this plate is a very thin line of aluminum in this groove on the edge. You see, it helps absorb the magic into a special pattern that you will draw on to create the enchantment.” Twilight explained.
Tycho gaped. “Draw.” Was she serious, Tycho thought? He’d read about this in the books on enchantment but didn’t expect Twilight to actually make him do it.
Twilight simply nodded. She must have looked far too enthusiastic about this, Tycho predicted.
“You want me to draw? Twilight, I can’t see! I have the artistic skills of a brick.” The human exclaimed.
Trace cleared his throat. “Twilight has seen your work, Tycho. Despite your disability, you managed drafting your designs for the hadron collider. This shouldn’t be too different.”
Tycho shook his head. “Yes, but I had specific digital gadgets to help me with that. Gadgets which aren’t here! And you said I can’t be exposed to the magic here, so we can forget any spells to substitute. You are wasting time-”
Eleanor put a reassuring hand on Tycho’s shoulder. “Tycho, instead of giving up before we begin, give it a shot. Now here, put these gloves on.” She held up a pair of silk gloves. “You’re blind, but I whipped up something that can use your other senses to help.”
Tycho tensed at first, being touched by this person, but he regained his composure and took the gloves. They felt like silk and, upon wearing them, they hugged his hands like a glove. “What are these gonna do?” As he moved his hands, he felt some resistance on them. “Huh?”
Eleanor grinned. “Magic feelers. They push against the magic field so you can feel the substance to it. I made them for this test. They won’t expose you to magic because they’re brushing against it. Heck, I can make a body glove of this and no magic would touch you, but you’d feel the ambient field around your hands like it was water.”
Tycho got the gist of what she was explaining. So El can make magic stuff, Tycho noted. “So, while I can’t see, you want me to touch what I draw?”
El nodded. “Best I could come up with in short time. I hope it helps.”
Trace then spoke. “Now, if you will please take this.” He held out a thin object to Tycho.
Tycho took it and could feel through the gloves some magic at the tip. He quickly deduced what it was for. “You want me to draw a pattern on the plate and use the gloves as as way to feel the patterns for accuracy?”
Twilight nodded. “Exactly. You remember what you studied on magic basics?”
Tycho delved into his memory as his intellectual mind overshadowed his difficult feelings. “Yes, patterns in the magical field create specific effects.”
“Create the right pattern and you can will the magic in those glasses to have the desired effect!” Spike piped up. Everypony looked at him a bit surprised. “What? I learned this stuff too!”
Twilight smiled and nuzzled Spike. “That is right, Spike! So, Tycho, I have several praxis, those are pattern shapes if you recall, that you need to draw on this circle. But you need to remember what you read on them to correctly place and orient them on the plate. It’s also up to you to determine the right order to draw them, since their fields will interact with any new praxis added. Then we will do the final part of the enchanting.”
Tycho took a deep breath. It had been a long time since he had done drafting by hand. He did it before for a class, and succeeded, but it was a pain in the ass. Delving back to his reading, he recalled various shapes. Stars, circles, trapezoids, parallelograms, ovals, etc; all positioned on a circle or square space, in order, near each other or around each other around a small space. Those shapes, drawn with magical primer, were to absorb a magical spell that went into the desired artifact in the center. All formed a praxis that brought the spells together to form the enchantment.
This wasn’t going to be easy and he doubted he’d be able to finish it today, but he had time to burn and needed to keep busy. “Well, I guess here goes nothing.” He took off his jacket, revealing the tattoos on his arms as he got to work.
Tycho got started as his friends gave him space to work. Using the gloves, Tycho gauged the shape of the circle and committed it to memory. His memory was good, but not perfect, so it would be difficult to put everything precisely where they needed to be. He then began recalling each shape that gave the proper effect.
Tycho pressed the pen to the plate. It felt like he was drawing ink on some very sturdy paper. Amazing! Each shape he traced with his gloved fingers as he drew, trying to remember the length. It was a clumsy effort, he concluded. The feeling of the magical lines only just barely gave him an idea of the orientation of each shape.
He could hear low whispers from the others in the background. El and Trace were probably explaining to Twilight and Spike about his tattoos or something, Tycho assumed. He tuned it out and continued working.
It took long minutes to complete, and his first result didn’t seem right to him. “Twi, can you come here and check on this?” He gestured her to come over.
Twilight approached the plate and looked at it, shook her head. “Good first try. It's the right idea, but what is wrong here?”
Tycho waved his hand over the patterns and realized they were either too far apart or too close to the center. He sighed and shook his head. “Start over, huh?”
Tycho felt something wave over the plate and the patterns were gone.
Twilight nodded with a soft smile. “I’m afraid so. I know it's challenging, but, again, you got the right idea. Don’t give up.”
The human shook his head and started again. This was ludicrous, he thought. After another long effort, Twilight checked again. She shook her head. “Almost, but not quite. Check your work and see where they needed to be.”
Tycho checked and growled low. “This isn’t a fair test for me.”
Twilight put a hoof on his hand. “But you did a great job compared to your first. That means you know what you are doing! You aren’t far off, Tycho.”
“Twilight. Without sight, this can take me days!” Tycho complained.
Eleanor then piped up. “Tycho? I like to think of myself as an inventor of sorts with an appreciation for science. So mind if I try to relate?” She asked. When Tycho nodded, she continued. “So when I jumped here, I had to learn the new stuff I was... blessed with and it wasn’t easy. Sometimes it was trial and error, and other times it took practice to master and control things. You’re doing the same.”
“Did you learn blind, El? Look at these eyes!” He pointed to his white and white eyes with two fingers. “I need pinpoint precision here, I can’t without my stuff back home!” Tycho exclaimed, once again reminded of the pain of being separated from his home.
"Not blind, no. Coping with a half dozen new senses meant for another world than this one. Dunno if overload is worse than missing a sense, but with this, feeling can be more useful than seeing." El thought for a moment. "Pity I don't have a barrette, could try to put together a Geordie LaForge visor thingie. Wouldn't be real sight, but maybe being able 'see' a few spectrums of non-standard energy types could help?"
Tycho just stared at her as if she was mocking him. He knew what character in Star Trek she was referring to and what she wanted to make, but he didn’t believe for a second Eleanor could actually do that.
Trace sensed Tycho’s frustration coupled with his larger turmoil welling up in the poor man. “Good idea, El. But let’s make sure this works, first. If it does and Tycho permits, we can experiment with more advanced enchantments later.” Trace then turned to Twilight. “But this is asking a lot from Tycho right now. It maybe best to put this off until Tycho has had some more time to adjust.”
Twilight’s determination for Tycho didn’t shift. She wouldn’t have her student give up that quickly. “Tycho, please don’t give up so soon. I know this has been hard, but Alex has said that you aren’t measured by your disability. I was told never to do that to you, and I am not going-” Twilight stopped when she noticed Tycho’s expression had changed.
“Measure.” Tycho said. He ran his hands over the plate. “Gods damned I am stupid! Twi, I need a foot-long ruler, a stencil, and other drawing tools for hand drawing.”
Spike got the idea but stopped as he ran to the exit. “How long is a foot?”
Twilight’s bright-eyed enthusiasm came back and giddily nodded. “Two and a quarter hoof long ruler, Spike!”
There was a short break before Spike returned with a bevy of drawing tools. Tycho sorted out which ones he needed and got back to work. He placed the ruler where the measuring side went right through the center. He noticed the texture of the measuring grooves and grinned. Now he had a means to calculate where he was. It would take time and a lot of patience having to count the grooves to remember where each line would meet, but it would now be possible. He used a protractor and patiently counted the grooves in that to get the right angles. Then smaller rulers to draw the lines.
This time it took him nearly an hour to draw everything on the plate. Two triangles pointing at each other toward the center. Both shapes were within a large octagon with their edges touching the inner edges of the octagon. Then a four-point star with each point connecting to the edge of the plate. All four shapes perfectly centered (or at least near-perfectly). He then asked for a compass for making large circles with a specific diameter, which Twilight happily provided. He patiently drew the circle through the shapes with the center of the circle precisely at the center of the plate.
He stepped back when he when he was done. “I need a sweat rag and a beer.” He said with satisfaction.
Twilight looked at his work and looked at Trace. “Get the spectacles!” She beamed as Eleanor approached Tycho with a hand towel and chilled bottle of some kind of lager.
“Where did you get this?” Tycho asked Eleanor and took a sip.
“Summon Yuengling. Don’t ask how.” El grinned.
Tycho just stared into the darkness trying to imagine Eleanor as a sexy mad-scientist chick. “So you’re an inventor, huh?”
Eleanor nodded. “Among other things. I’ll explain when there is more time.”
“Okay, Tycho! Ready for the spells?” Twilight bellowed.
Tycho walked up the plate and pointed to each shape. “First triangle will take the transcribed spell, the other the visual sense spell, the octagon the ‘mind’s eye’ spell, the circle will be the balancer, and the star will be the primal energy sequence.”
“Correct! Trace, if you please.” Twilight dramatically referred to her lover.
Trace rubbed his hands together as magic formed and his hands glowed a greenish energy. He then pointed them to the plate as the energy flowed into it. Then Twilight went to work with her horn magic casting different spells. Each in the form of energy which filled the shapes as different colors or colorful patterns. When she was finished, there was a brief flash of light and the patterns were gone, but the spectacles were glowing brightly for a few seconds.
After a few seconds of silence, Tycho spoke. “So, did it work?”
“Try them on!” Twilight said clopping her hooves together excitedly as Trace chuckled, amused by his lover’s giddiness.
Tycho lifted the spectacles. They had rounded lenses, it seemed. “These tinted?” He asked.
“Dark-blue.” Eleanor replied.
“Oh nice. Rave specs.” Tycho mused and put them on. What happened next caused him to stumble back. “Oh!”
He didn’t think about the possibility that it would work. Eleanor raced behind him quickly to hold him in place as he straightened up.
“You okay there?” El asked.
“Is it okay, Tycho? Any discomfort?” Twilight asked, very concerned that it may have been botched.
“Advanced Thaumatic Resonance Methods, Second Edition.” Tycho could see the titles, labels, and everything written around him! Like a lightshow of words in the pitch black. There they were! Words! They were even sorted as different colors by object they were on it so to help distinguish them! For years he could only imagine words through the imagination of his childhood or recall what he had read before he went blind! But there they were! Tycho stood amazed with this miracle happening to him.
Twilight looked at the book title he must have read, then looked back at Tycho. She squealed happily and hopped around the center table. “Yes-yes-yes-yes-yes!” She taught a magic-allergic human magic!
Trace chuckled at the display. He walked to another table and brought Tycho a framed picture. “If you would do the honors, Dr. Hernandez.”
Tycho picked up the frame and read the writing and symbolism on it. “First Level Certification of Artificing. Tycho Hernandez, Ph.D.” A hint of hope shone through in his heart. He did it. He helped create something with magic! He can do magic! Did that make him a wizard? A sorcerer? An enchanter? Who cares? He could use magic now!
Eleanor smiled. “Congrats, Dr. Hernandez. You have taken your first step into a larger world.”