//------------------------------// // And, uh, so is Paying Attention to Key Words. // Story: Journal of an Alicorn Clone // by Tired Old Man //------------------------------// Alright! First stop: the Tower of the Unknown! Well, that’s what I call it. It’s down this old wing of the castle that Celestia says used to be the residence of some Swirly guy. Whoever he was, she said a lot of nice things about him. Respectful stuff, like he was very important to her. I… don’t want to cause a mess in this place. If it gets really messed up, it’ll mess her up. I know that… I know that. Huh. Anyway, the locked tower door is just past this big room filled with all these books and scrolls and things that really could use a duster so they don’t look neglected–sis, what are you doing? More reading?! I took you away from a book not even ten minutes ago and you’re already reading another one?! That’s not what we came here for! Okay, yes, these books might be mildly interesting to look at, but we came here for a key and a keyhole, not to look at Swirly’s scrawlings and personal book collection–OW! I’m fine, just tripped over a stack of books as tall as me… maybe a bit taller, but that doesn’t matter! What does matter is that I get up and get to that door back there and–OOH! Luna Two, quit giggling and come here! Do you know what this is? “Tiny Tall’s Big Book of Beastly Transformations”! Look, it has instructions for how we can turn ourselves into rabbits, monkeys, spiders (ew), falcons, griffons, and centaurs too! And that’s just flipping through the pages at random! Oh, we are absolutely going to use this! Actually, how about we try it right now?! Okay, you stand there. I’ll just find a creature that seems simple and small. Ah, here’s one! Now, hold still while I charge this up… and there! Luna Two? Where’d you go? Luna?! Luuunaaa! Oh there you are! I could barely hear you down there! Also, why are you so teeny tiny? I tried turning you into a rat! An ant? No, I’m pretty sure I… oh, the Rat spell is right next to the Ant spell. Um… oops? Don’t ask me why–I didn’t write this book! They have a cockatrice next to a tat-zoo-worm in here! It’s like this book was thrown together based on any animals that just came to them! Hold on, I’ll just find the counterspell… where’s the counterspell? It’s not on the ant page. Sure, I’ll check the index... I can’t find the index page! No, it’s not in the back of the book, and it’s not in the first few pages either! Who edited this book?! AHA! I have no idea who you are, Dr. Disco EZ. M.D., but when I find you, you’re going to fix this mangled mess of a book! I can’t read this thing anymore. Luna, you try. Oh. Right. Ant. Hold on, I’ll find a bigger animal to turn you into so you can read it. Ooh, this one looks like it’ll work! It’s an elephant! No? But it’s bigger than an ant! You’re making a fuss over nothing! Now stay still, tiny sis! We’ll fix this together! Aha! See? Nothing went wrong at all! Um… I think this floor dropped a bit. I hope it’s just me, but I have a sinking feeling about this.