Hitting The Books

by CrypticMetaphor

Prolouge

The day itself was fairly hot, not scorching more like humid but I still had a layer of sweat. It might have had something to do with the fact I was wearing a black t-shirt and black sweat pants, but I didn’t care in the slightest. I reached up and scratched my shortened brown hair, I didn’t mind the fact that it had been shaved a few days ago but it was just so tedious to sit in the barber’s chair all the time. Regardless of this I was in a pretty chipper mood as I chatted with my friend on the phone of movies long seen and grandeur greatly exaggerated when he turned the subject to a more personal one.

He casually asked, “So how’s the writing coming along dude?”

I smiled brightly, “Pretty good! I mean all things considered after we saw EQG and the credits rolled, the ideas just FLEW into my mind man.”

He laughed on the other end, “No doubt, so what have you got planned?”

I then straightened my black framed rectangular lensed glasses as my dark brown eyes gleamed with wonder, “Oh it’s gonna be a good one, an epic tale to shake the AGES!!!”, I exaggerated the last word with emphasis in a dramatic fashion.

He laughed once more, “Well I look forward to reading it, have fun!”

*

My house was indeed a welcome sight; I was currently renting out a basement suite that must have been built out of spite because it had a small living room big enough for walking around, my couch and TV. It also had my room, the one bathroom, and the kitchen. It was crap but it was my crap, and yet I still yearned for a bigger place. I briskly strolled into my room and snatched my laptop from its resting place atop the built in shelf above my bed. I then plopped down on my bed as I booted it up; I was silent as it went through its usual sequence. Soon my password was typed and my Word program opened, I sat in silence once more but with slight frustration.

I then typed the words I spoke in annoyance, “I. Don’t. Know. What. The. F&^k. To. WRITE!”

I must have lost track of time when I was sitting and thinking. As far as I remembered I had sat down no sooner than thirty minutes ago when in fact it had been four hours, my digital clock read nine-thirty at night. The yawn that escaped my lips was a big one and before I knew it I had fallen asleep. The events that soon followed were trippy to say the least; I was sound asleep when I began to hear a voice that sounded as if it were giving me directions on something. For reasons beyond my control my eyes snapped open and my body began to move on its own. The sequence of events was best described as me sitting and watching a really inceptive film. The program I opened first was the Paint program which upon it opening I began to place circles and lines in great abundance in an odd sequence of varying sizes and lengths. Next I began to insert series of letters of varying from multiple language and upper/ lower cases.

When I finished my head throbbed massively which caused me to yelp in pain when my hand found my forehead. I glanced at the odd, almost otherworldly formula before me on the browser. I ran to my living room and plugged my comp. into the printer and printed the formula out.

My gaze was of utter confusion, “What the hell is this?”

Another yawn escaped me as I walked back to my room and placed the sheet of paper on my bedside table. The matter was decided to be out on the back burner in favor of my rest, soon the sandman claimed another victim and I was out like a light. Now normally not many things short of my alarm and really loud noises awaken me but fate must have said wake the hell up ya scrub! My eyes slowly drifted open only to witness a dark shape looming over me. I stifled a scream and on instinct kicked at the shape which let out a female grunt. The stranger stood and I noticed she had the paper in her mouth for some reason.

I yelled out, “That’s mine!”

The stranger merely scoffed and ran out of my room with me hot on her heels. I turned my head and grabbed one of my work boots which I then hurled at her. The boot smacked into her head and she whipped around…and shot me. But not with bullets but some sort of green energy form her head. I was pinned against the far wall as I smacked myself for not seeing the signs. She ran on all fours and shot energy beams from her head, she was either a pony or some form of X-Men Cyclops dog.

The stranger levitated the paper from her mouth and soon laughed, “The Magic Algorithm came to such a lowly creature, truly humourless indeed!”

I blinked in confusion, “The magic what now? Wait a second I recognize that two toned voice anywhere.”

The stranger threw back her hood, “It seems my reputation precedes me, even on other worlds as well!”

My body burned to move, “Alright Queenie, what’s your game?!”

Chrysalis tutted me in a scolding manner, “Now, now, that would ruin the surprise”, She then smiled evilly, “And the surprise is always the best part.”

All of a sudden her being began to ripple and her magic waned, “Well it seems our meeting is adjourned,” before she vanished she snickered, “Be seeing you!”

Her magic waned just enough for me to shoot my hand out and grasp at her neck, but instead I grabbed cool metal and yanked on reflex. She then blasted me into my couch which flipped over me. What I held in my hand was a gold disk inscribed with ruby like diamonds and nonsensical runes. I blinked many times in further confusion, I then screamed in pent up fright and anger at being stolen from.

*

The officer just stared at me, “We’ll look into this sir and have a safe night.

I wearily nodded, “Thanks.”

I shut the door and sighed in frustration, I had called the cops when daybreak came and yet I still couldn’t believe it myself. The rational mindset said it wasn’t possible where as my other mindset was whooping with glee at the proof that there was in fact an EQUESTRIA! But one question ate away at me. Why did Queen Bitch want that piece of paper? The couch was still tipped over in the living room so I made my way over to it to pick it up. I then felt a static shock jump to my finger and I yelped in surprise, crackling was then emanating from the very carpet I stood upon and it traveled into the air around me. I was shocked several times with small bolts by the time the light came. At first it was in my peripheral vision and then it stretched farther into my vision much to my surprise and fear. Soon the white consumed the area and it was effectively blotted out of existence. I was immediately blinded upon a massive flash.

A couple of second passed as stars danced in my eyes but they quickly vanished. I looked around quickly upon regaining my sight and widened my eyes in wonder and utter fascination. I was standing in a large room made of crystal and it was adorned with the possessions and decor of royalty. I smiled immediately upon realizing where I was, The Crystal Empire BABY! I whooped in exhilaration and was preparing to gaze out the nearest window when the sound of a throat being cleared caught my attention. My head turned slowly to behold the three Alicorn Princesses respectively, the ground rushed up fast as I dropped to one knee.

My tone was respectful and full of a twinge of happiness, "Your Highness's."

All three smiled at my gesture and spoke as one, "Rise."

I quickly spoke, “May I say it’s a freaking honor to be here I mean of course it’s an honor but it’s just SO exciting and…I’m being a bit of a weirdo aren’t I?”

Cadance giggled, “Just a tad.”

I smiled at my success at making the pony princess laugh.

Celestia cleared her throat, “i assume you know why you’re here?”

My smile was still present, “Was it because I was robbed by a Changeling Queen who stole a piece of paper with a weird ass bunch of symbols and circles with lines on it?”

Luna blinked, “Exactly.”

Celestia approached me with her wings outstretched, “That bunch of “weird ass symbols” as you call it is a powerful scripture known as The Magic Algorithm.”

I blinked, “Magic what now?”

Celestia sighed and continued, “I best start at the beginning. Several days ago a break in at the Canterlot archives was reported and only two things were stolen which were ancient scriptures of the most ancient and primal of magic.”
I nodded in interest as I took a seat on a stair behind me, “Go on.”

Celestia paced as she continued her tale, “Well you see one scroll contained the ancient and complex instructions on how to conduct trans-dimensional magic-“

I cut her off there, “WAIT! You actually have dimensional magic?!”

Luna nodded, “Not much, it still alludes myself and my sisters knowledge but we have mastered it to a minor degree.”

Cadance nodded as I took notice for the first time that she and the other princesses seemed drained, “It’s what we used to bring you here after all.”

Celestia nodded, “Precisely, but you see we could not appear to you on your world to relay what I am about to tell you for its most difficult to stay on an alternate plain for a prolonged period of time unless we were properly equipped. Since we weren’t we would have been ejected after five minutes of being there.”

Something clicked in my head, “You said properly equipped? What about this thing?”

I produced the amulet which was accompanied by gasps as the celestial princess levitated it in front of her, “A temporal anchor, I should have known.”

I leaned back, “I assume that prolongs the time one can spend in alternate realities when using the spell right?”

Celestia nodded, “Yes, by an hour in fact. It seems she might have anticipated it would take her time to find you and prepared this in advance.”

I then nodded slowly, “Okay, now can I please get some clarity as to why I was robbed by a shape shifter?”

Celestia nodded, “Of course, you see the second scroll contained the Algorithm which in itself is QUITE powerful. In the past my oldest friend Starswirl the Bearded wished to fully understand magic down to its most rudimentary foundations and beyond and so one day he showed me The Magic Algorithm. It was a formula of his creation that when decoded properly and executed can break down any and every form of magic down to its foundations; the user could then reshape and completely manipulate any magic at their leisure.”

My eyes were the size of dinner saucers, “And I hope there is a fail safe.”

Luna nodded, “It activates only when a pony of corrupt mind and dark heart opens the scroll, The Algorithm would then spirit itself far away from Equestria to a safer place. Whoever came into possession of it would then be its protector until the end of their days as Starswirl once was.”

Cadance nodded somberly, “And now Chrysalis seeks to decode it and harness its might.”

I scratched the back of my head, “Dang.”

Luna’s gaze fixed upon me, “Dang indeed.”

Celestia turned fully to me, “Which now brings us to the reason we have summoned you here. I have reason to believe that Chrysalis plans to use The Algorithm upon The Crystal Mirror in an effort to open portals to other worlds and conquer them.”

I stood up slowly and spoke slowly in shock, “The Crystal Mirror…”

I slowly turned my head and beheld the very mirror in question, “That’s the-“

Cadance nodded, “Yes.”

I then pointed at it in disbelief, “And it leads to-“

Celestia gave a small smile, “It does.”

My face lit up as I placed my hand upon it and it sunk through, “Fantastic!”

Celestia pulled my hand out and turned me to face her, “Your mission as protector of The Algorithm is to pursue Chrysalis and return with The Algorithm safely.”

My excitement vanished immediately and it was noted by the others, “B-but, this is happening so fast. I can’t do it, why not send Twilight she has experience over there!”

Celestia gave a comforting smile, “She does and she is awaiting your arrival, all you have to do is step through. She will help you as best as she can, I have faith in both of you.”

The lump in my throat was swallowed down as I turned to face the cold glass surface, “So that’s all I have to do and all before the portal closes for thirty moons, roger."

Luna and Cadance shuffled nervously which caused my voice to waver, “What?”

Celestia looked to the side, “The portal is already closing.”

My voice then raised several octaves, “WHAT!?”

Celestia glanced at the mirror, “This is its last night, but have no fear. Once you and Twilight retrieve The Algorithm you’ll be able to return.”

I blinked, “Why do you say that?”

Celestia gave a small smile, “Only the protector possesses the ability to read and ergo decipher it.”

My body fully faced the alicorn, “Does Chrysalis know of this?”

Celestia shook her head, “Thankfully no, so you’ll have a chance. But now I must inform you of two things before you depart.”

I nodded slowly as I leaned against the frame for support, “Alright.”

Celestia inhaled, “No…body over there must know of your mission, they have already been through a crisis that our realm has caused.”

I nodded because I knew what and whom she meant.

Celestia got closer, “That includes Twilight’s friends, I do not want any…body to be hurt because of us.”

I nodded once more, “Alright.”

Celestia came to her final stipulation, “Which is why you’ll understand I must take all the knowledge you possess of our realm and all things you know.”

I backed up, “You’re taking my memories!?”

Celestia placed a hoof upon my shoulder, “Only those of us and my subjects. It’s to ensure you don’t slip up by accident, last thing you need is to cause a panic with your knowledge or worse.”

My gaze looked to the side, “Too much knowledge is a dangerous thing.”

Celestia nodded but then stood to her full height and addressed me in a regal tone, “You understand your mission as Protector of The Algorithm?”

I kneeled down, “I will not fail you Princess.”

Celestia bent her head down as her horn touched my head, “The knowledge that has been yours since after your birth and knowledge of your mission and myself is what you shall keep with you.”

I quietly spoke, “What about my name? I can’t use it over there I’ll stick out like a sore thumb.”

Celestia’s horn flared as I felt a buzzing in my head, “Get creative.”

I then became light headed as I stumbled backwards through air and soon I was spinning in a massive vortex of rainbow light.

Comments

[Lucky424]

Okay.....that was very rushed. I think I need sleep before continuing this...

[Anime PJ]

I'm pretty sure I spotted a reference to Scream 4 you sneaky buggar. Great taste in movies and a great start to the fanfic. Now, time to get on and read the rest of it. Allon-sy!

[MonkeyChunky]

I quietly spoke, “What about my name? I can’t use it over there I’ll stick out like a sore thumb.”
Celestia’s horn flared as I felt a buzzing in my head, “Get creative.”

.......OOOOOOOOHHHHH FUCK YOU!!!!!!!!

[MicTheMic]

This is a great Prologue but it is a long read but itis the best prologue i've ever read so please keep writing books.