Horse Feathers - A tale from the Humans Acting Villainous verse

by Lord Of Dorkness

Chapter 4 - It's Only a Model

Author's Note:

Be sure to give a warm applaud to Ranakastrasz who has now joined this venture officially as editor.

And I'm sorry the chapter both took quite a bit and got so beefy, but given the stuff in this chapter it was rather unavoidable.

As always, all feedback warmly welcomed!

It had taken me three days of sleeping under the stars, bathing in brooks and rivers, and I don’t even want to remember how much of the local wildlife thumped over the head with my staff…

But finally, I stood in the shadow of Canterlot. The name might have been silly, but the place most certainly was not.

I tried to crack an ‘only a model’ joke, but frankly? The place was gorgeous and it kinda died on my tongue. These layered districts just jutting out from the side of the mountain. Almost every building white marble with golden trimmings, and more than a few in a style that all but screamed ‘wizard’s tower.’ The place was clearly the result of generations of architects for whom carry loads and material strength was but guidelines, and all the more fantastical for it.

Oh, and the whole thing was such a giant damn ley line nexus that the air seemed to near boil with magic.

A lay line is basically a place of power. A place where the earth is especially rich and thus magic is drawn there; A place where a cold wind or gentle thermal always blows. An oasis in a desert that serves as the sole source of water for miles, and thus is a place of great power for any aquamancer… Stuff like that. It isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. There exists places of great Madness and Darkness as well, but this place hardly seemed to be one of those.

I squinted, trying to focus my new senses a bit more… even if I didn’t want to do that too far. Still, it seemed I had to redact my earlier statement about darkness. There was two huge lay lines, one dark, one light, and both seemingly focused smack dab on what seemed like a royal castle. The interesting thing though, was that neither seemed to be a corrupting force… even if I’d hesitate to call either forces of purity either.

I tapped my staff against my chin as I thought it over. That was quite the pond for one tiny newbie wizard. That type of giant ley line nexus is the type of place you tend to find holy sites at. Mecca, Chichén Itzá, Graceland… All were, according to what I’d heard, places of great magical power. Seeing that this land’s capitol was one? It made me think; did I really want to dive head first into this particular place? I could just imagine the size of the local big ‘fish’ if somepony like that Twi girl was nothing more than a small-town big-shot by Equestrian standards.

I had no idea what level that Twi girl was actually at, but given that a blast set to freaking stun from her had driven me half a meter back I doubted it was an answer I'd like either-way. My personal guess —taunting aside— was about journeyman, but she might have been a proper archmage for all I know and I'd simply gotten a lucky shot in.

I simply had to too little info to work with, but even then I was getting rather arrogant about my victory, which was a fatal mistake in the long run.

Despite the summer heat I barely suppressed a shiver. Hell's bells, to quote the man whose face I was currently borrowing, that girl might be an overzealous and gifted, but still barely a trained apprentice by local standards for all I actually know. I hadn't exactly had a chance to chat with many more locals than Rarity and Applejack, but given how the town had reacted to her appearance and that I hadn't even spotted one more winged unicorn in the crowds, I had this suspicion they might be seen as somewhat rare and potent.

And if that suspicion about her skill level was correct, then I had to admit that the thought of meeting the horn of a proper unicorn archmage with my staff sounded... unpleasant, to put it mildly.

My eyes settled on what was clearly an observatory. On the other hand, this was clearly a place of knowledge, culture and learning as well as great magic. Surely the still standing equivalent of my world’s Atlantis was worth a bit of caution?

I scratched at the scraggly beard my stubble had turned into. Besides, libraries and a proper bed? Oh God, yes. It might not have been the greatest bit of motivation, but my back was starting to feel like a slinky somebody had sat on.

I was just about to head for what looked like a gate when my pendulum, currently tied to my staff, started glowing slightly and started pulling to my left. Technically, my pockets were already bulging with what I honestly wasn’t even certain was that valuable in this realm…

But who hasn't dreamed of having their pockets full of gems?

I’d found this tiny sliver of a ruby while bathing about a day ago and tried a tracking spell on it on a lark. Given how the pendulum nearly exploded on that first try and then swung around so fast that it nearly brained me I didn’t have much hope I’d been as lucky as I’d thought at first… but perhaps I’d find a local that likes shinies. Strangest damn thing was that gems in this place apparently comes pre-cut of all things. I had pockets of the darn things, but not a single one with as much as dirt caked on. Multiversal weirdness, huh?

I only needed to walk about twenty meters and scrape the ground to find another batch. Interestingly, I’d actually felt magic in a few I’d found. Not many, but I had this pretty little onyx the size of my thumb that seemed to darken any shadow it touched, a ruby that covered my palm and was strangely hot to the touch, and a sapphire the size of my eye that was constantly moist. I was itching to experiment with them, but I wanted to wait until I could get them appraised and check any local books on the subject.

Sadly, no such luck in this ‘clutch.’ ‘Just’ a bunch of diamonds that would have made the De Beers collectively sweat bullets back home. Since I was so close to a city I took the opportunity to top off a few pockets, but I still had to leave half of ‘em. Felt rather weird, truth be told.

My pockets clinking in a manner that would have had Scrooge McDuck drool, I headed for that gate.

On arrival I almost immediately had a bad feeling. There seemed to be two lines. One for ponies… and one for ‘freaks.’ I felt a bit better when I took a closer look and actually saw ponies in the ‘freak’ line, and a few odder creatures in the ‘normals’ line. it seemed one was a new arrivals check-in, while the other a ‘border’ crossing for citizens judging from how most of them just flashed badges at the guards. It was still a bit suspect, but not an immediate ‘Flee now!’ sign as I’d thought at first glance.

Not that most had much to hide stuff in since it seemed Rarity had been right. Clothes seemed to be something of a, heh, rarity in these parts. In fact, I wasn’t certain if I got the most stares for how exotic I was, or the amounts of clothes I was wearing. It was a bit silly, but I almost had more on me then there was accessories on the rest of the crowd.

My feet near screamed at me at the thought of more walking and standing around, but I sighed and stomped to the end of the line. I let my eyes sweep over the biodiversity at display.

I only saw a few, but there seemed to be a distant cousin to the ponies of this place. They looked, I kid you not, like tiny, cuddly zebras. For some reason utterly beyond me, they seemed to have a thing for speaking in rhyme. I’d heard of stranger cultural customs, but not many.

There was actually a dragon! The only creature in that place taller than me at about three meters, and the black and purple western style dragon looked quite fierce… except the half-moon glasses and bag of what seemed like gem cutting tools. Kinda ruined the fierceness factor, that last bit.

He, me and a lone minotaur were the only bipeds in the entire small waiting plaza. I noticed a baby gryphon rise to her lion shaped hindpaws to point at me and ask her momma what I was, but most creatures in this place seemed to be quadrupeds. I couldn’t quite help it and tipped my hat at the young… chick, I guess? Anyway, the youngster squealed and hid behind her mom, who just gave me an awkward smile and a ruffling shrug.

I let my eyes wander to the sky. There was a lot of activity in the air. Fitting for a place where a third of the populace at least has wings, I guess… but I saw a lot of flashes of golden barding. Were they expecting trouble?

I got handed a form on a clipboard by a young mare who seemed to almost throw her neck looking up at me. I gave her a thankful smile and started filling the thing out. The form itself was rather hilariously mundane, actually. Reason for visit, hometown, land of origin… stuff like that. It was a bit awkward to write while holding my staff and I almost poked a grumbling pegasus stallion in the eye, but I managed before it was my turn.

“Next!” a rather businesslike unicorn mare in golden armor shouted. She balked a bit when I blacked out the sun for her, but she just started reading. It seemed her colors were part of her uniform, because I saw many other’s with white pelt and a blue plume on their helmet. Strangely, I couldn’t tell rank at first glance, not even what should be telling me. A friend/foe enchantment on the helmet, perhaps?

The mare let out a sigh and glared up at me. “Sir, lying in this form is not only in rather bad taste, but a felony.”

I folded my arms and raised an eyebrow at that. “Ma’am, I assure you I’ve been perfectly truthful. What information is it you doubt?”

The mare levitated the clipboard and a pen to my eye height and tapped the ‘reason for visiting’ line. “Hardly the most important, but you don’t look like a unicorn to me, bub. Wanna try the truth compared to ‘magical studies’ and ‘tourism?’”

I raised a hand, palm up and fingers spread. “I take it I have permission for a small demonstration, then?”

The mare and her flunkies clearly bit back snorts, but she nodded at me.

I doubted a gust of flame would be healthy for me, and given the PPP’s reaction to my wind spell I didn’t want to use something like that either near so many pegasi… So with a whisper of my illusion spell I made a raven made mostly from shadows circle my raised hand. “Good enough, Ma’am?” I’ll admit, the oohs and ahhs from a few in the crowd felt good. I made the construct ‘land’ on my hat as finale, getting a few chuckles.

The guard fidgeted with her papers, clearly trying to save face from how close her jaw had come to dropping. Still, she looked me in the face and actually gave me a rather genuine looking smile. “Sorry about that, Sir. Non-unicorn mages are rarer than the proverbial hen’s teeth around here.” She stared at the tiny raven for a moment. “A bit grim looking, even for that bird. Any reason for it, or...?”

I made a mental note that pegasi seemed to have something against ravens. It just seemed like it might be worth keeping in mind.

“Just happen to like ravens. They’re neat birds.” With a shrug, a bit of will and a snap of my fingers I remade it into an eagle forged from light. “Better?”

The crowd let out another impressed murmur, more voices added to it this time. I even got a few tiny applause. Strange...

The guard shielded her eyes with an armored hoof, but gave a small nod. “Fair enough, Sir. You may want to take it easy with any shadow stuff around here, though. I am unsure if you’ve heard off it since you seem to be from rather far away, but The Crystal Empire had a rather nasty bit of business with their former tyrant just a few years ago. Sombra was an evil twit, but he’s given both shadow and crystal magic something of a bad rep.”

Oh, so that was why my shadow raven only got such a lukewarm reception. I dismissed the illusion by basically just stopping giving it magic. It fizzled into nothingness as I gave the guard a thankful nod and a smile. “Thank you kindly, Ma’am. I’ll keep that bit of PR in mind.”

She scanned the form again, before looking up. “Mind if I ask what a hum-an is? I don’t think I’ve seen one of your kind before.”

She said it in a conversational tone, so I just wrote it up to cultural difference. “Distant relative to minotaurs.” I held up a hand with my fingers spread. “I hope there is some resemblance, at least?”

The mare did a double take as she noticed my number of fingers. Indeed, both the dragon and the minotaur seemed to have only three and a thumb on a quick aside glance. I decided to save her some embarrassment. “Five is a perfectly normal number for my species, Ma’am. No need to look that bothered.”

She let out a small cough, but gave me a thankful nod as she started to double check things. “Say’s here that you don’t have a residence or an income right now. May I ask how you plan to finance your studies while in Canterlot?”

I rummaged in my pocket and pulled out one of the diamonds. The guards’ eyes narrowed suspiciously at it as I placed it on the table. Score! “I’m good at scrying and tracking spells. I hope gems are of at least some value in these lands? I didn’t want to commit it to paper before I was sure it was a viable method.”

The mare let out a small whistle and poked the diamond with her pen which was floating in one of those energy fields Twi had caught me in earlier, but blue instead of purple. The gem rolled away slightly, casting rainbows all over the small plaza. “My, a gem finding spell, you say? Lucky son of a nag. I tried that when I was searching for my cutie mark. Just don’t have the fine control for that type of stuff.”

My mind went slightly blank on hearing what the locals actually call those emblems of theirs, but I kept a pokerface going. “Do I need a license or something to trade in gems? Most of my travels have been by foot, so I’m sadly rather fuzzy on the local rules and regulations.”

“Nah,“ she said with a slight shake of her head, “you’ll have to barter a bit more, but most vendors will accept gems together with bits.”

“That’s the local currency?” I asked, as I pocketed the gem again.

That made the mare blink, but she gave a nod. “Yes.” She jabbed a hoof towards a small building just past the portcullis. “May I recommend a guide? You seem a decent sort, but you’ve clearly haven’t gotten the lay of the land yet. With that monster lurking around I’d recommend having somepony around that knows when it’s time to skedaddle.”

I tapped my staff against the brim of my hat, thinking. “I met two mares while on the road that had to get going really quickly because they got news a friend of theirs had been mauled. Near Ponyville, right?”

The guards visibly shivered. “Yes, Sir,” the mare made a grimace, “nasty business, and the creature hasn’t been spotted since then. We only have the vaguest darn signalement on it as well.” She slammed a hoof on the table, gritting her teeth. “Whatever it was, I scared the town bad. We’ve got reports it was everything from it being a sapient hydra that can breathe fire, to some type of spirit of dark magic made manifest. It’s utterly frustrating.” She nodded towards the lines and whispered at me. “For all I darn know, it might be something akin to a changeling and in that darn line. Doesn’t help me put my foals to bed at night, I’ll say that much to a civy.”

I grunted and couldn’t quite stop my eyes from lingering on my staff. “You guys taking volunteers to hunt it down? I know more than a bit about combat magic.”

The guard chuckled at me with a broad smile. “Not that bad, not yet at least… but thanks. Always nice to see a civy that don’t mind getting their hooves dirty.” Her eyes darted down to my shoes. “Well, you know what I meant.”

I just chucked and readjusted my hat slightly. “Glad to hear. Anything else?”

She made a show of checking once more, before stamping a few papers and handing me a visa. “Welcome to Canterlot! Enjoy your stay!”

I gave a big smile her way. “Thanks!”

With a friendly wave she returned I strolled through the gates. I hesitated at the small tourist agency, but decided to check the rates and services at least.

The door jingled as I entered. I had to bow my head slightly and my staff was just short of scraping the roof when held upright, but it appeared the architect had anticipated that not only ponies might end up in here. It was hardly spacious, but I didn’t feel like a sardine in a can either. The place actually looked frankly disturbingly mundane except for the scale. A small waiting room with racks of pamphlets, the glossy things only consent to this being another realm being that the models were of the equine persuasion.

The receptionist, an azure earth pony mare with a grey mane that stood up around here head like a small stormcloud, quickly scooped her jaw up and gave me a well rehearsed smile. “Welcome. My name is Exotic Sights. How may I help you today?”

I returned the smile and did my best attempt at a wave without putting a hole in the roof. The mare seemed to find it hilarious, but she mostly kept a professional air. “I heard from the guards at the gates that you offer guides. I wish to inquire about rates for what might be a long term assignment.”

Exotic pulled out a binder from behind her counter. “Any specific requests? I take it this is a ‘until further notice’ type deal?”

I gave a nod to the last part, trying not to knock my hat off. “Yes.” I tapped my chin with my staff, thinking. “Somebody with at least a passing knowledge of the arcane would be most helpful. The same for previous experience with working with omnivores, and I’m not certain if I’ll be staying only in Canterlot.”

Something flickered over Exotic’s face at the ‘omnivore’ bit, but she fought it down. “Any preferences in species?”

I shook my head. “No, I need them to be willing to work for gems however, if that makes any difference.”

It took Exotic a couple of minutes, but her face brightened. “Ah, this should be perfect. In fact, he’s even in the building. Do you want to meet him?”

I raised an eyebrow at that. “You get that type of business? For guides?”

“Capital of Equestria,” the mare stated plainly with a shrug, “that, and the guide business is a bit cutthroat. Many tourists just want to see as many sights during their stay as possible, and don’t care about the finer points. It tends to be first come, first to serve.”

I gave a shrug to that. Sounded logical enough. “Is there a room for this sort of thing, or…?”

To my surprise, the mare just turned her neck and shouted. “Black Heart! You’ve got somep- body here that seems interested!”

My eyebrow rose again. Black Heart? Quite the name…

“Don’t call me that! Everypony that hears that damn nickname thinks I’m the illegitimate son of freaking Sombra and Nightmare Moon, or something!” A rather irritated looking pegasus stallion with crystal blue eyes and a shortly cropped ash grey mane stuck his head out of a side door. I think I saw where he’d gotten the name from, because his coat was pitch black but with a mat finish. It was almost like looking at a moving shadow. Exotic gasped slightly at the swear, but she paled even more under Black’s glare. “Do you have any idea how much business that thrice damned nickname has cost me?!”

I let out a polite cough to save the mortified mare further embarrassment. “Pleased to meet you, Mr. Black. I’ve heard you are free and have experience in guiding mages?”

The stallion turned towards me, only to blink and do a double take. “Whoa. They grow ‘em big where you’re from, don’t they?”

I couldn’t quite stop a smile… or the sarcasm. “Nah, just wearing my lucky stilts.” I stuck out a hand towards the chuckling stallion. “Harry Dresden, a pleasure.”

I felt the strangest jolt when we touched… Mr. Black however twitched as if he’d touched a high voltage line. “Ow!” he exclaimed as he shook some life back into his hoof. “What the buck was that?!”

I leaned on my staff, suddenly quite interested in the pegasus stallion. “Sorry about that, it’s a side-effect of my type of magic. You a practitioner yourself?”

Mr. Black’s eyes grew to the size of soup-lids. “Mah aeh wha…?”

I resisted the rather strong urge to cite a certain scene in Pulp Fiction about linguistic skills. Took a bit of willpower, though. “Practitioner. Magic user. That jolt is only supposed to happen with another wizard.”

Mr. Black shifted uncomfortably from hoof to hoof, glancing towards Exotic who was far too interested in his folder for her not to be listening. He leaned in and whispered urgently at me. “Look, Mr. Dresden. It isn’t illegal or anything, but there’s a cultural bias around here. The success rate is so poor that any non-unicorn that even dabbles is seen as a hopeless dreamer at best; an utter fool so addled that they can’t put on socks right at worst. Bit quieter, OK?”

I felt a bit baffled at that. “Seriously? Wanting to not need to use your mouth to grab stuff is hubris?”

He let out a awkward laugh and rubbed the back of his head. “Wouldn’t quite go that far, but it’s the kind of stuff that makes some ponies look sideways at you. That means less customers, so…”

I nodded. Made sense. “Fair enough, Mr. Black. Pardon my ignorance on the local culture… even if I believe it demonstrates rather well why I am in need of your services.”

Mr. Black flashed me a thankful smile. “No worries. So, what would the terms be?”

I pointed my staff towards the door. “I’m on something of a rather far reaching walkabout, trying to learn as much of the local magic as possible while doing so.” I pulled out one of the decently sized diamonds from my pocket. Black got this gleam that was both promising and worrisome. “Gem a day, in exchange for your services… but at that rate I expect you to buy your own food and lodgings. Until further notice and I don’t think I’m likely to only stay in this town. Don’t mind if you need to leave, but I’d like at least a day’s warning. Deal?”

The gleam deepened a bit, but Black let out a hum that at least sounded genuine. “Not sure about that food and room bit. If you’ve got that type of gem finding skills, that salary could be gone in a flash for me depending on where you end up dragging me. There are places in this town where that pretty thing…” He gave the gem a nod. “...will barely give you a snack. Quite the snack if you follow, but still.”

I let out a hum of my own, scratching at my beard. “A fair enough point. Every other day plus food and board then… but I expect you to keep up.”

Black nodded towards the gem again. “All that grade?”

I jiggled my pockets, making both ponies go wide eyed. “Shouldn’t be a problem.”

Black sucked in a slow breath. “May I recommend not doing that type of stuff? Canterlot’s a decent town, but we’ve got all sorts, if you follow.”

I gave him a predatory grin. To his credit, be just chuckled. Good. “I can take care of myself. Personally, I think even the wildlife around here is quite cute.” I plucked a pair of dryed cocatrice claws from my pocket, making both ponies go goggle eyed again. “A bit stupid and suicidal, but cute.”

I re-pocketed the raegent while Black just shook his head. “You’ve got a pair that drags, mister. I’ll grant that.”

I gave a shrug. “When you know a bit of combat magic… well, a predator that stares at you and causes a prickling sensation aimed straight at them just isn’t that threatening.” I waved my hand towards a wall and made a whoosh sound. “Honestly, I had to start aiming beside them after a day or so not to endanger the damn species single-handedly.”

“You ran into that many cocatrices?” Black made a disgusted face. “Terrible things. You don’t sound very lucky, Mr.”

I let out a small burp into my hand for effect. “I don’t know. Made hunting rather easy.”

Exotic didn’t quite seem if she should be impressed or mortified…

Black just seemed to find it amusing, though. “Ha! I think I like you, Mr. Dresden.” He stuck out his hoof at me. “That pretty thing from earlier as a sign-up and todays gem now… and you’ve got yourself a deal.”

I shook on that. “Mind if I pay after the first stop? I found a few I want appreasaid.”

Black just chuckled again. “Not at all.”

I turned to Exotic. “What’s the damage between us?”

The mare blinked at me. “I beg your pardon?”

I pointed at Black. “I owe anything for the matching? Or…?”

Black explained. “I pay them a fee. A bit irritating, but it keeps it to those that take this business seriously.”

Exotic confirmed with a simple nod.

“...Does this place have cultural norms about tipping I should know off?”

Black tilted his head at my question. “...What, like the gryphons? Wow, you’ve really come from afar, didn’t you? Not really, by the way.”

I couldn’t help it. I just had to chuckle at that. “You have no idea.” I took out one of the tinier gems I’d found, this almost needle like ruby and flicked it at Exotic. The surprised mare caught it, but it was close. “For the lightning quick service. Enjoy.”

Exotic just stared at the gem. It probably took her a minute or so before she had the frame of mind to… tuck it behind her back? Either Way, she beamed this almost cartoony grin at me. “Thank you, Sir!”

I gave her a wave… then we headed out. It seemed Black wished to stretch his wings, because he took to the air but kept close by.

“So,” I said, “a jeweler, then?”

The dark horse, pun intended, gave me an odd look while circling me. “No problem with that da- darn nickname?”

“You can use big boy swears around me, I don’t mind.”

Black barked out a laugh. “Fine, fine… no belief about names having a bearing on what type of person you end up as where you’re from?”

I gave a shrug. “Some do, I don’t. I’d like to think we’ve got a bit more sway than that over the cruel fates.”

Black flared his wings and glided, clearly showing his wingspan. “Full name’s Black As The Heart Of The Night.” The stallion made a grimace and landed. “Some joker thought shortening that to just Black Heart was hilarious.” He let out a long suffering sigh. “And naturally, it stuck.”

“Quite the mouthful,” I said as we headed out, “you don’t mind if I continue to call you, Mr. Black?”

“Not at all, but you can drop the Mr. I’m not that formal.” We cut through a crowd. My tall stature made the mass stop for long enough that we just glided through. “And before you ask, it isn’t normal. I just have a proud mum.” He flared his wings again, without looking back. “Darkest colors in my entire line and mom thought it was kinda neat.”

I made a grimace. “Know that feeling. Mine thought Quentin was a good name to ensure a sane and healthy adult. Changed it as soon as I came of age.”

Black stumbled slightly. He turned his head without stopping and gave me a rather odd look. “You really changed your name?”

My eyebrows would be getting a workout today, it seemed. “That’s really that rare around here?”

Black nodded and turned his head forward while thinking over his answer. “There’s a rather common belief around here that your parents don’t actually imagine the names of their foals. Rather, it’s these flashes of insight that show what type of pony they’ll become one day.” He waved a wing vaguely in the air. “It’s legal, but you tend to get a lot of sideways glances if ponies learn you’ve done it. Questions like ‘so, what’s your real name?’ and crap like that.”

“Thus the sideways glances at being called Black Heart?”

Black made a grimace. “Yeah… I’ve had customers flee on hearing that damn nickname. I personally think it’s self-fulfilling prophecy malarkey, but it’s one of those subjects that can lead to all out brawls so I try to avoid it.”

I gave a hum as we continued the rest of the way in silence.

We’d made it halfway into what looked like a business district from the number of stores and similar when Black piped up in a careful voice. “No question on the blank flank thing?”

I took a look at his butt. Indeed, he lacked those things I refuse to call by that name. “Hadn’t noticed, truth be told.” I scratched at my chin, thinking. “I guess I should ask, even if I hope this isn’t personally offensive to you. Just what are those things? Family crests magically added, or something?”

I swear, the whole street just hiccupped. Everything within earshot just froze. I was honestly worried I’d hit a ‘never, ever, in a million billion years talk about this on pain of death’ topic, but when a few of the crasser ponies snorted out things like ‘darn tourist’ or even laughed I felt a bit better.

Black scraped his jaw of the ground. “Wow, you’re really fresh of the boat, aren’t you?”

I shrugged as we started walking again. “Seemed like a subject you’re not supposed to talk about. I thought I’d wait until I could find a book about it…” I pointed the butt of my staff in his direction. “...or a guide.”

“Fair enough, Mr. Dresden.”

“No need for formalities from my end, either.” I felt a pang of homesickness, but fought it down. “My homeland isn’t big on titles. Most even find them rude.”

That made Black, quite literally, perk his ears. “Can’t say I’ve heard that one before. Where’re you from?”

I decided on a half-truth. “Country named Sweden, but I doubt you’ve heard the name. Got yanked away by a trinket that turned out to have a one-way teleport on it. Still trying to find my bearings…” I gave a sharp nod towards the milling crowd of mythological creatures. “...but let us say that unicorns and pegasi are myths where I’m from, for now.”

Black let out a low whistle. “Quite the tale. Sorry to hear you’re a bit lost, but better than half a teleport or something right? ”

I paused briefly to make a face at that wonderful mental image.“...No argument, whatsoever?”

Black let out a rather dark sounding chuckle. “This is Equestria, mate. Don’t get me wrong, it mostly leads to good things… but we’ve got so much magic sloshing around that sometimes it feels as if we can’t go a week without elder freaking gods popping in and needing a bashing. Bit exaggerated for effect, but still.”

I honestly didn’t know how I felt that elder gods popping in was something this stallion felt comfortable enough to joke about, but I let out a hum for conversation’s sake.

“So, the titles thing?” Black gently got out of the way of a mare carrying a whole stack of packages. I did the same, but it was a bit interesting that the ponies seemed at least semi-capable of bipedal movement. “Sorry to harp on it, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard anything quite like it.”

“Short version? We used to be utter nit-pickers on titles. Your job, marital statues and similar on even something like the address on a letter.” I tried to ignore how hot I was getting from the walk and focus on the conversation instead. “But about… fifty-sixty years ago? Well, somewhere around then, the government figured just how much time, energy and money went into that rather unnecessary song and dance. They instituted something that translated means ‘The You Reform,’ it worked like a charm and the rest, was history.”

Black shot me an incredulous look. “Really? That bad?”

“We saved, no joke, many millions annually just on ink.” I scratched my chin. Damn, I really need to fix this beard. “Come to think about it, it might have even been a few billions adjusted for inflation. We were hardly a land of paupers back then, but we’ve grown quite a bit since.”

Black balked slightly at the figures. “Seriously? On ink?”

I shrugged as we came to a half outside what looked like a jewelry store. “It might not be much per pen stroke, but stuff like that adds up. Especially on a national level.”

Black let out an intrigued little hum as he landed. “Quite the tale, but anyway, this is the place.”

I looked up and read the sign on the store Black had lead me to. Clearcut’s Fine Jewelry… “And eatery?” I asked in confusion.

“No dragons or similar where you’re from?” Black nodded towards one of the display windows. Indeed, half of it seemed to fit what I’d consider the look of a jewelry store, with various accessories on display. The other a bit further up seemed more reminiscent of a bakery or similar. “Don’t know the details, but they’re partially lithovores. Something about their flames.”

I stared for a bit at a diamond easily twice the size of The Star of Africa… cut up like a onion blossom. There was even a dipping bowl with what looked like seasoned tar beside it. “Huh, how about that?”

The door, easily twice my height, let out a rather pleasant clinking from a large silver bell when we entered. The store itself was a bit on the dark side and spruced up to look vaguely cave like, but there were torches glowing green in rings on the walls. They didn’t throw much light, but they stopped the place from being completely dark. I doubted they’d serve anything I’d care to break my teeth on, but the place was rather nifty.

A dragon I actually recognized adjusted his spectacles when we entered. I got a big, toothy grin from what I assumed to be the owner. “Ah, welcome. I wondered if you’d end up in my store with how many gems I could smell from your pockets.” He extended a claw over the counter. Must admit I hesitated for just a moment when I saw the light gleam on the talons, but I shook anyway. He seemed to find this a bit amusing. “Been a while since a non-dragon took me up on that! Good for you, Mr…?”

“Dresden. Harry Dresden,” I said as I shook some life back into my hand. He’d been gentle, but I’d still gotten a taste of draconic strenght. “Pleasure, Mr Clearcut, I presume...?”

He gave a nod. “You a seller, or do you just want an appraisal or cut made?”

“Probably a bit of the first if anything catches your eye, but mostly the second,” I nodded to a door that seemed to lead into the back. “You want to sit down somewhere for this, or...?”

He waved a claw at me. “Not necessary. Just dump them out.”

I complied, even if it took awhile. Black got a bit wide eyed on seeing the pile, but Clearcut’s eyes only widened when I presented the three last, the ones with magic in them. He gently pinched the ruby between ‘thumb’ and ‘index’ talon, lifting it to his eyes. “My, a fire ruby. Been a while. They tend to grow near magma and it's rather rare to see them around here.” He swept his arm over the rest. “I’d be willing to take most of the rest of your hands, but I have a feeling you prefer your currency portable.”

“Anything interesting you can do with one of those?” I asked, leaning on my staff and quite glad for a reprieve from the weight. “I’d be willing to trade quite a bit of the normal ones if that’s the case.”

Clearcut hummed while staring at the gem and rubbing at his pointy chin. “Quite a lot, but very few things a non-dragon would find interesting.”

“No charms or similar?” I raised my right hand and made a tiny flame dance in it to Black’s amazement. “I believe you noticed the demonstration at the gates, but I know a few things about fire magic as well. A booster or ward would be quite helpful.”

Clearcut thought it over, still tapping his chin and staring at the ruby. In the gloom you really could see how it wasn’t quite normal. This soft red light reminiscent of dancing flames seemed to emanate from within it. The dragon seemed to come to a conclusion and pointed at the other two magical gems. “I don’t get many orders for either shadow onyxes or water sapphires. Most dragons find both quite unsavory, but I could call in an associate of mine and make something out of them for you if you wish…” He lifted the ruby and clicked a talon against it. “...in exchange for this beauty.”

Black leaned in and whispered. “Think it over. Things enchanted with shadow gems as a focus aren’t illegal… but they’re quite suspect.”

“Like getting frisked and a guard finding lockpicks in your pocket?”

Black nodded at my example. “Bingo. Same deal.” He pointed at the sapphire which seemed to drip gently in the gloom. The onyx was just a bit of darker black. It blended so well in that I doubted I’d find it again if I were to drop it in here. “Might be worth it just for the sapphire, though. A canteen that slowly refills or similar tends to be quite useful.”

I leaned away from my guide and addressed Clearcut. “Any suggestions if I take that deal? I know a little about water magic, but you saw the full extension of what I know about manipulating shadows at the gate.”

Black looked questioningly at me, but he remained silent. Rather wise to not interrupt a wizard and a dragon haggling, truth be told.

“My, my…” The dragon chuckled, the simple sound echoing around the cavernous store. “...aren’t you multitalented?”

I shrugged, but gave him a smile. “I try.”

I thought it over, tapping my staff against my chin. “No way I can convince you to take normal gems as payment, Mr. Clearcut? That fire ruby would be quite useful for me in a focus. The only reason I haven’t experimented with it already is that I wanted to consult a local expert first.”

Clearcut hummed and made a show of thinking it over, but his eyes never quite left the ruby. “Fire rubies are a dragon delicacy almost without compare, Mr. Dresden. With the right preparations that thing would be more valuable to me then the rest of your pile combined. I believe I will need to insist on it being part of the exchange.”

I drummed my fingers on my staff, thinking. “How about a compromise? I take it those preparations would at least in part involve cutting?”

“Correct,” Clearcut made a show of moving his claws over the ruby in a pattern I didn’t quite recognize. “I believe I see where you are going, Mr. Dresden… but the cut and preparations I’m thinking off would leave only slivers. Far too little to be of much use to even the finest enchanter. You might be able to just barely make what’s basically a reusable match, but that’s about it I’m afraid, and I’d rather keep them for seasoning in that case.”

“Actually, slivers sounds like more than enough since I only intend to experiment,” I countered. “However, do you have any such gems with an affinity for earth? I’ve got a project in mind to replace what I traded this spiffy hat for…” I tilted the thing in question at the dragon. “...and I’m thinking such a gem might be quite useful.”

Clearcut let out a hum of intrigue that sounded much more genuine than the others. “Indeed? May I ask what that would be? I’ve got a whole drawer full of the things. Most dragons hate the taste, and the ponies mostly use them as fertilizer for when they can’t just ask an earth pony friend of theirs to jab the flowerpot, or whatever.”

I raised my hand and murmured what was quickly becoming my favorite spell. An illusion of kukri covered in runes and with a gem in its pommel started floating over my outstretched hand to the clear interest of both Clearcut and Black. “I’m something of an enchanter myself.” I pointed a finger at the image while tapping the brim of my hat with my staff. “Traded my old geomancy focus for this rather spiffy hat so I’m planning a Mark two.”

Clearcut leaned in and gave off that more interested hum again. “Way beyond my meager skills, I’m afraid. I’ve dabbled, but almost only in things using fire.” He pointed a talon at the pommel gem. “That cut. Is it a must for the construction?”

I examined the round rock. “Nah, just placeholder until I’ve seen what a earth gem looks like. Haven’t even commissioned the knife yet.”

Black let out a polite cough.

I took the hint and picked out the diamond I’d shoved earlier plus three extra in about the size of my fist. I held them up to Clearcut. “Care to vouch for these before we continue? My guide seems to be slightly restless.”

Clearcut sniffed the air of all things, before just giving a nod. “A bit fresh for my tastes, but those are diamonds all right.”

I dumped the glistening rocks into Black’s eagerly awaiting hoof. He did that strange behind his back thing again. “First few days in advance as a gesture of good faith.” I told the smiling pegasus.

Clearcut seemed to be somewhere between amused and mortified. “You are aware that most guides charge a couple of bits an hour? I’ve seen houses go for less than that.”

I just shrugged… even if it was amusing how Black fidgeted. “I’m probably going to be dragging this stallion halfway around the world and back, with the implications that he might have to stand there and watch me read when we finally get there. Trust me, he’s going to earn that commission.” I tipped my hat with a cheeky smile at the now clearly amused dragon. “Besides, his council has proven more than good enough so far… Mr. Clearcut.”

The dragon chuckled at me, once more pointing at the illusionary blade. “How about this? I supply the gem, or even gems, free of charge… but you have to work with my enchanter associate while doing any work using those gems.”

I couldn't quite’ stop a smile. “And thus she may just end up learning a thing or two… or even see enough of my skills that through her you’ll know if I’m just full of hot air or not.” I clapped twice, the sound echoing in the store. “Shrewd.”

Clearcut grinned wide enough at me that I saw his gleaming teeth. “No need for such flattery. Just a businessdrake seeing an opportunity.” He nodded towards the spinning illusion I’d forgotten to dispel. “I may not be much of even a dabbler, truth be told… but that doesn’t look quite like any enchantment I’ve ever seen. Almost as exotic as its creator.”

I saw an opportunity and pointed at the fire ruby, now laying on the counter. “Well, in that case… Wouldn’t you want to see what I may do with fire, as well?”

Clearcut blinked, showing clear haws for just a moment… then he let out a laugh that made the store vibrate slightly. He gave me a clap that was loud enough that it made my ears hurt slightly. “Well played.”

I tapped my staff against my chin, thinking. “This may sound weird… but could I convince you to part with a few scales? The draconic resistance to fire is quite legendary where I’m from, and I think I have an idea that might benefit from that ruby and such raegents…”

Clearcut’s smile vanished and he narrowed his eyes at me. It wasn’t quite a glare, but he put on a neutral face while thinking it over. He stared me down for nearly five minutes before giving his offer. “One gem of my choice per scale, and I reserve the right to take the result off you if I don’t like what I see. I will not have literal parts of me used in a foul manner.”

I thought it over. I dismissed the illusion from earlier, but I mostly just leaned on my staff and thought. “That is rather vague… but on the condition I get compensated with the approximate value of the resulting piece if you find it wanting or against your morals. That way I don’t spend a day or two for naught.” I looked at my magical gems. “Oh, and a mundane gem of your choice.”

Clearcut hummed while looking at his ceiling, arms crossed. “Bugger, had hoped you wouldn’t spot that…” He extended his wings in a great, big shrug before holding out his arm. “Fair enough. How many?”

I shook on it, trying not to imagine my hand getting crushed like a can at a recycling center.. “As many as you feel comfortable with.”

Clearcut made a grimace, but he nodded. “I’m going to insist on payment in advance. They may grow back, but I can’t say prying ‘em out is any pleasant. Six enough?”

I nodded with my mouth dry. “Six more than I hoped for, truth be told. I just decided to chance asking. Six is more than enough.”

That brought the smile back. “Always nice to see a youngster with a bit of spine.”

“Do you or your associates have access to a forge? Metals?”

Clearcut gave me a nod. “I’ll contact FB and have her met you two here tomorrow at noon. That sounds good for you?”

I waved my hand towards the pile; Clearcut took the hint and started picking out his payment. “FB?” I asked. “That doesn’t quite sound like most names I’ve heard around here. Is it a nickname, or something?”

Clearcut did about the last thing I’d expected from a dragon almost twice my size. He shuddered. “Mr. Dresden… I wouldn’t ask her about her name, if I were you.” The dragon plucked out the six biggest gems, making my wallet ache and my back shout ‘Hurray!’ “It apparently stands for Fresh Bread, but she can’t stand the name.”

I tilted my head and thought it over in the light of what Black had told me about the local name traditions. “...Her parents wanted slash expected a baker, and got an enchanter instead? That’s the gist?”

Both Clearcut and Black made a face. “More or less,” the dragon said, adjusting his glasses nervously. “You didn’t hear it from me, but I’ve gotten the feel they thought it just a phase… until she actually got her cutie mark in that art instead of the eleven generations old family business.” He made a face that for a moment showed me all his gleaming teeth. Will admit, that sight made me damn glad dragons apparently where civilized in this realm. “She wasn’t quite what I’d call disowned, but nasty business all the same.”

I let out a low whistle at the number. “Quite the streak to break…” I gave a tiny shrug. “Still, good on her for ki- bucking fate in the gonads and walking the path she wanted; hopefully it didn’t cost her too dreadfully.”

“Nothing I wasn’t prepared to lose given how bitter things got towards the end, but them’s the breaks.”

I slowly turned around from the rather exotic sight of a mortified looking dragon and gave the mare with the cold voice a half-bow. “Good day, you are FB, I presume?”

The mare in question was rather tall and thin; not quite sickly looking but definitely near that ballpark. She was wearing a white-lab coat, and a pair of square glasses she strangely didn’t seem to be looking through at the moment. Her lean face was neutral, but her silver eyes were the hardest pair I’d so far seen in the face of a pony. Interestingly, her mane and tail was also silver, but with these streaks of what almost looked like tarnish. The darkest streaks where nearly a shiny black, while the lighter ones near shone like the actual metal.

Her emblem caught my eye, however. A spotless silver chalice with shadows rising from it like flames from a brazier, a likeness that was further enforced by these ember like sparks of silver magic inside the blazing darkness.

She definitely didn’t look like a mare that had much tolerance for cuddling. Or inclination to deliver such at that. Still, I got a brisk craftsman’s nod from her.

I swept my free hand backwards towards the ‘buisnessdrake’ in question. “I and Mr. Clearcut just finished up a small business arrangement, and he told me you might be interested in a similar deal. He simply warned me you do not like your full name, nothing more.”

FB gave me a long, level look before answering. “That would sound a bit less fishy if you’d actually look me in the eyes while speaking, Mr…?”

I gave off an unhappy grunt. “Sorry, Ma’am, but my magic has a few side-effects. I’d rather not go into the details right here and now, but me locking eyes with somebody is a poor idea.” I let out a hum and added mostly to myself: “Perhaps I should invest in a pair of sunglasses, come to think about it…”

Her gaze didn’t quite turn warm and fuzzy, but it at least went from ‘Cocytus during the little ice-age’ to ‘first frost before the farmer had time to bring in the crop’ levels of frosty as she gave me a reevaluating look. “Truly? I’ve never heard of that before and I must admit I’m feeling tempted to call horse apples… but on the other hoof only a fool does that with anything magic related before making damn sure they know they’re correct.”

I decided to throw what seemed to be a fellow intellectual a bone, and bowed my head a bit deeper at her. “Truth be told, I haven’t tested it, but I show most of the other signs so I haven’t wanted to risk it. I do hope no offence was taken, however.”

FB let out a tiny hum, and what might have been this ghost of actual warmth sneaked into her voice as she seemed to find my words intriguing. “Hmm? And what signs would that be?”

I gave a shrug as I righted myself. “Well, magic to be blunt.” I gave the thoughtful looking mare a tiny wave with my staff. “It’s a freakishly rare talent among my kind, if you get the hint. I was frankly lucky to even find a teacher, let alone one as gifted as the one I did.” I muttered darkly towards my own pocket where a tiny flash of red reminded me of a certain something. “Even if his idea on a master test needs a bit of freakin’ work.”

Black’s jaw nearly hit the floor. “Wait, wait… Your master gave you the trinket that zapped you here?!”

Hell, even the would be ice-queen’s façade got a momentary crack in it from my words, and I did my best to keep my cool at hearing a damn dragon growl behind me.

I let out a unhappy grunt in acknowledgment. “Believe me, I’m going to knee him in the crutch on principal when I get home. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a nice guy and so far this has been rather interesting...” I circled my temple with one outstretched index finger out of old habit. I honestly wasn’t certain how to feel when the gesture actually got recognized and snickered at, but eh. Past a certain point you realize you’re holding a conversation with a unicorn, a pegasus and a dragon, and you either just laugh, and laugh, and laugh… or you actually deal with it. “...but the dude kinda earned it with that stunt.”

Strangely enough, the sound of a dragon chuckling behind me didn’t quite make the hairs on the back of my neck stand down, but it was still slightly better a sound. “Good on you, Mr. Dresden. One should respect once elders, but even such has limits. The size of the claw hardly matters when it riffles through your hoard, and all that…”

I didn’t quite get it even if it sounded like a partial saying, but I gave hum of acknowledgment. There seemed to be some nuance I was missing out on, but the basic sentiment of standing up for yourself was something I could get behind.

“Anyway,” I said as I once more conjured the image of the knife, if this time with the energy patterns and bindings laid out since I was talking with an expert, “I’ve been fortunate enough to get my grubby hands on a few magically charged gems, and I’m currently looking to incorporate them into my gear.” I jabbed a thumb back towards Clearcut. “Our draconic associate behind me has volunteered to stand for the materials as long as he gets first-refusal on the finished product slash right to reproduce the designs, and you get to observe me work. Would such be of interest to you?”

FB’s eyes near lit up as she moved closer to get a better look, but it wasn’t long before she frowned. “Look, Mr…?”

“Call me Harry. No need for the Mr. thing.”

She pointed towards the magic patter flowing over and through the runes. “I’m not gonna lie, this is a really, really impressive theoretical design, but the spell-work is just far too fine, and I can’t even spot where the anchoring point should be.” I got the odd sensation of somepony else yanking control away off my spell for the first time. It felt… odd. Like somebody had reached into my head and finished my thought for me without actually removing it, or something. FB pointed at the web of energy being drawn from the stone towards the rune and edge. “You show this to the right pony and you’ll get a degree on the spot, but the spells won’t actually last long enough before background magic erodes them away…”

I got a sneaking suspicion I simply had to check. “What are you talking about? Why would I even try enchanting this outside a circle?”

I focused on FB’s incredulous stare, but I most certainly felt the other eyes present bore into me.

I turned towards Clearcut and reached out towards him with an open palm. “A piece of paper, please? Less to clean up that way.”

The dragon gave me an odd look and clearly seemed to think I was being wierd, but to his credit he reached under his counter and throw me a note-pad.

I took a moment to stare down at the A5 sized thing, and then the huge talons of its owner.

Clearcut just grinned toothily at me. “What? A dragon isn’t allowed to have a neat, tidy hand?”

I conceded the point with a shrug and stomped over to one of the smaller tables to have a decent place to draw on.

My original plan had been a small gust of wind and some of the detritus in my pockets, but on seeing the small unlit candles on all the tables I pointed towards one of those instead. “May I?”

Clearcut gave me a talon up while Black and FB looked on with a mix of seeing the town-idiot and just this hint of doubt that they might just see something impressive.

I took a few moments to walk over and grab another pair of candles, before placing the resulting waxen trio in a row on the paper.

Now, a circle is one of the most simple and yet potent tools in a wizard’s arsenal. You can do some awe inspiring and frankly terrifying things with them, but at their most basic they are a way to keep magical energies in, or out.

They’re also the closest darn thing to idiot proof something magical can be. Salt, vinegar, a dude with a trumped marching around something… Really doesn’t matter how or with what, as long as you encircle something with it and give it enough power to start working. Hell, even none-wizards can do it with just their finger and a bit of will; that’s how simple a spell it is.

I opted to use one of my bits of chalk for the task, because hey, why not? I could say I picked the hot-pink one completely at random… but I’d be lying through my teeth. The idea of making history with that color just tickled me… heh, pink.

Both Black and FB let out shocked sounding hisses as I finished the small drawing by closing the circle and feeding a tiny bit of magic into it. Immediately this field of nothing sprang up to my non-mundane senses, marked by this almost ‘thrumming’ screen of magic reaching towards the ceiling.

I re-pocketed the chalk, took three long steps away from the table so no foul-play would be suspected, and then I lifted my hand. With a snap of my fingers and the murmured words “Flickum Bicus!” the two outlying candles sprang to life, while the center one remaining unlit as the circle protecting it let out a few blue sparks that fell harmlessly to the table and floor.

With a small flourish I took the hat of my head, and gave my stunned audience with their jaws scraping the floor a bow.

The shit-eating grin so wide the top of my head nearly fell off? Oh, just a bonus…

Slowly and wide-eyed, FB stumbled towards the table. Her eyes only went wider as she lit her horn, and a small torrent of silvery sparks started raining down as she presumably tried doing something to the center candle. “How?!” she asked in a tiny voice.

I just couldn’t help it, I swear. “Magic,” I deadpanned.

Black and Clearcut carefully took a step back each, as FB’s head slowly turned towards me. I swear I felt my eyebrows smolder slightly from the glare I got, but I just held up my hands and smiled. “Sorry, but I just had to tell that joke.”

“Yeah,” Black deadpanned himself, “because it has never, ever in the history of ever been told before.”

“Hey, don’t diss the classics.”

FB plopped down onto her haunches and used both fore-hooves to facepalm. “Do you have any idea what you just did?”

I tapped my chin with my staff. “Utterly turned the local understanding of magic itself on its head?”

FB, once more showing what a caring and motherly mare she was, lowered her hooves and gave me another hard glare.

I held up my hands again. “Hey, look at it from my perspective.” I nodded towards the historical bit of papercraft. “To me, magic without use of circles is like pulling a cart without wheels. I’m frankly drawing an utter blank how the local version of enchantment even works.”

The rather frazzled looking mare stared at the bit of paper, and then me. “Tell me. Now.”

I fought down a frown, but I did cross my arms and wait while doing my best to sternly look her between the eyes as the case might have been.

She fumed slightly at it, and it looked as if I’d near asked her to break off a bit of her own horn, but she managed a half-forced “Please.”

For just a moment my eyes drifted to her emblem. Then I shrugged and made a lazy circle in the air with a finger. “Make a circle, and feed some magic into it. That’s it.” I jabbed my head towards the one I’d made earlier. “The basic version will ‘only’ stop magic and spirits, but I’ve heard of more complicated ones you can stick near anything in. Haven’t even dabbled in those, though.”

FB’s face near flickered as she thought what I’d just said over, but she finally decided on a question. “...Anything?”

I made a face at the suspicious one I was currently being given.. “And yes, anybody. Again, I haven’t even dabbled in those.” I patted my duster. “You need far more than a bit of paper and chalk for that type of bindings, anyway.”

“What do you need, then?”

I gave her a long look, but as far as I could tell from her patient waiting it was just a theoretical curiosity. I decided on the truth, even if it wasn’t what she’d asked for. “Sorry, but that’s the kind of stuff that not only can get you worse than killed if you screw-up, but you also need quite a bit of power…”

FB narrowed her eyes at me.

I just rolled my eyes at the mare. “I’m not calling you weak. I’m talking about either ritualistically fueling them, or diverting entire lay lines, and frankly given where and what the nearest source of either of those are I think the inhabitants of this city would complain if you tried that.” I narrowed my eyes at the shocked looking mare. “Not that I have much patience for would-be warlocks.”

To her credit, although she clearly wasn’t completely certain what I meant with ‘warlock’ FB clearly could guess from my tone from the slight green tint her features got. “...Then why tell me?”

I gave a shrug and jerked a shoulder towards my guide and mimicked his earlier words. “Black told me earlier and I quote ‘This is Equestria, mate. Don’t get me wrong, it mostly leads to good things… but we’ve got so much magic sloshing around that sometimes it feels as if we can’t go a week without elder freaking gods popping in and needing a bashing.’” I gave a slow shrug before once more speaking normally. “Can’t say I like the idea, but better to have that type of knowledge and not need it, and all that.”

Black looked slightly weirded out. “...Uh, dude? You’ve got a ventriloquist gig on the side, or something?”

One of those actually intrigued sounding hums came from Clearcut as well. “I must admit, that sounded uncanny.”

I thought it over. Knowledge may be power… but on the same token you do not hand live hand-grenades to fresh recruits. There was obvious just as much knowledge in this place that I had not as the same was true in reverse, but I’d gotten the distinct impression that this —monsters roaming the countryside aside— was a rather soft slash kind realm where combat magic wasn’t a big or well-known art. I couldn’t quite see anything good coming out of spreading the power of Names around since that was something of a supernatural tactical nuke, so I decided on a fib. “A few of my spells needs precise pronunciation to work. It’s just something that comes with the territory after a while.”

I decided then and there I might have underestimated Black a bit when he couldn’t quite stop his ears from perking and a slight furrowing of his brow at my words, but it seemingly passed muster with Clearcut and FB.

Luckily, I was saved by further interrogation by my stomach rumbling like a small satchel-charge had gone off in my colon, or something. “Can we please continue this tomorrow? I’m all but fresh from the gates and haven’t even had time to arrange room and board yet.”

“Oh?” FB asked with a twinkle in her eye and voice filled with dry humor. “And just which gates would that be, hmm?”

I gave off an unamused grunt. Great, another freakin’ pastel pony sharp enough I’d need to be careful around her. “Didn’t exactly look it up, Ma’am...”

“South,” Black filled in for me. I gave him a thankful grunt in response.

FB looked at me through her glasses for once, making me wonder if a certain enchantress even needed them for mundane tasks. Judging from the look I was getting she clearly at-least suspected I was a bit further lost than just geographically speaking, but on the same token she seemingly had decided I wasn’t an overt threat.

I had to admit, seeing that type of cold calculation and cunning in a face so gosh-darn cute? Sent a shiver down my spine. It was like seeing a Tribble and actually knowing what it was actually capable off, or something; it just pushed near every genre-savvy button marked ‘RUN!’ in my head.

At once.

With a big, big club.

With ‘Run, you idiot! - With Tough Love, The Audience’ inscribed in gilded letters on the two decimeter railway-spike.

I kept the sigh internal, but I swear I saw the ice-queen’s lips twitch slightly for just a moment. I opted to ignore it and swept my hand towards the all but forgotten illusion of the knife. “Anything to add to the basic shape, or can I go ahead and commission it?”

FB blinked, and then hummed as she focused on the image. “I would recommend getting an earth zircon from Clearcut right now to ensure a proper fit, but honestly? I think I’ll stand-by and simply watch this first attempt. It seems clear you were taught in a school so far removed from mine that it may as well be nearly an entirely different field, and I think I’ll learn more this way.”

I gave off an irritated grunt, but on the same token I couldn’t figure out any other defense than ‘Ugh, but I don’t want to do the same job twice!’ and I realized myself I’d done the exact bloody thing if the places had been reversed. “Fine, but may I please borrow any text you have for the Mark three, as the case may be? If nothing else I’m curious how the problems of sunrise-degradation and the binding of the spells themselves have been solved in a way that doesn’t involve a circle or a threshold…”

It was slightly odd to speak to somebody that literally perked her ears as soon as she got intrigued, I must admit. “Threshold? I’m sorry, but I don’t follow.”

I was just about to explain when a thought struck me. “...Mr. Clearcut, am I correct in that you live here as well?”

The dragon raised an eyebrow at me. “...Yes?”

“May I use your door to check something? Oh, and don’t invite me in.”

It was also rather odd to see a dragon look down on me as if I was slightly addled… but then his eyes drifted to the scrap of paper and the two still burning candles and he just shrugged.

I gave him a thankful nod and headed for the backroom. I all but felt how Clearcut was watching me very intently, but I was only interested in the door itself.

Well, the bead-curtain itself, but my point still stood. It wasn’t important how it looked; just that it was a border into his private sanctum.

I raised my hand, pushed it through the rattling glass-beads… and my jaw near fell clean off as nothing happened! I had to redo it a few times just to make sure.

“...Uh, Harry?” Black asked in that careful voice to use against mad-men on the street. “Just what are you doing?”

I took a deep breath and leaned against my staff. “Well, I just had my mind blown, for starters.”

“...By a bead-curtain?” FB asked, in more or less the same type of voice.

I walked out from behind the curtain and got myself a seat to rest my suddenly shaky legs. I had to bury my head in my hands for a bit before answering. “...Fucking hell, you guys don’t have thresholds.”

“Care to explain why… that is making you so rattled?”

I took a deep breath and tried to explain. “Here’s the cliff-notes version: Homes are sacred. Places of safety and warmth, and all that, and that is supposed to cause this energy to build up. That’s a threshold.” I had to wipe some sweat of my brow that had nothing to do with temperature. “Ever heard of stories about spirits and monsters just stopping as the poor twit being chased makes it past the front-door of their home?” I raised my hand and made a few sparks of magic dance over my fingers. “That’s because that energy just stops any magic that tries to make it past uninvited.” I shuddered as a mental image of things just barreling through walls Cool-aid Man style flashed through my mind’s eye. “At least, that’s how it’s supposed to work.”

FB’s eyes were near sparkling as she listened. “And that has to do with enchantment how exactly?”

“It’s the second best thing to a magical bunker, at least against sun-rises and similar phenomena.” I added on near autopilot. “You can also bind spells to that energy and make them last far easier. Traps, wards against vermin, torches that never go out… Stuff like that.”

I ignored the near vibrating mare, only to realize that bit about her and have a small lightbulb moment. “...Perhaps that is something either cultural strong enough to affect the local magic field where I’m from, or it could even be part of human magic.” I let out an irritated grunt as I got to my feet. “Either way, nothing I’m in any position to test easily and I just lost some of the niftier long-term tricks in my arsenal. Bugger.” I turned towards Clearcut and gave him a half-bow. “Thank you, Mr. Clearcut, for letting me test something so esoteric with so little information.”

The dragon just gave me a nod, before throwing me a brown gem just big enough for me to wrap my fingers around it. For such a tiny thing it was surprisingly heavy, and I nearly doubled over before compensating and slipping it into one of my pockets. “No worries, Mr. Dresden. Good luck with your work tomorrow.”

I tipped my hat at him, before walking over and scooping up the gems. As an afterthought, I dispelled the floating knife.

FB seemingly struggled for a moment with an urge to just clubber me over the head and drag me to her lab, but I finally got a brisk nod from the mare. “Here, nine o’clock tomorrow. Don’t be late.”

I couldn’t quite stop a smile. “Or you’ll go get one of all the extra freaks milling about Canterlot?”

To my surprise, she actually let out a laugh far warmer than I’d pegged her capable off. “You’d be surprised, Dresden, but I get the hint.”

I lowered my hat to my chest and gave her a small smile and a bow. “I’ll be there, Ma’am.”

I got a curt nod, but otherwise FB turned and walked out without another word.

It amused me slightly that Clearcut of all people actually waited until he was sure she’d left before letting out a tiny sigh of relief. “Do forgive her manners. She’s a good kid, but she’s a bit obsessive even by pony standards.”

“Hey!”

Clearcut just chuckled at Black’s small outburst. “Do look me in the eye and tell me I didn’t speak a truth.”

Black grumbled a bit, but seemingly had nothing more to add.

I pulled out a —by my standards— humongous star sapphire and showed it to my associates. “You’d care to exchange this for bits?”

I throw the thing to Clearcut when he waved his talons at me to do so. He let out a small hum again as he looked it over. “You have a real gift for gem-finding, Mr. Dresden. You ever need a quick buck and don’t mind getting your hands dirty doing a bit of digging, and you just give me the word, OK?”

I swear that for a single moment my feet tried to jump up my own torso and commit bloody revolution against their horrible slavedriver of a master, but I fought down the silly thought as I gratefully accepted the bag of filthy lucre. I wasn’t quite so crass to dump it out and count it all, but I was still curious just what the local money looked like. I had to admit, the sight of golden light playing over my hands and face was quite the distraction, but I fought it down. A few smaller copper-coins, some silver, but what really caught my eye…

I fished out a grey, square coin with a rifled border, the image of.a stylized sun on one end, and a half-moon with a few stars on the other and checked it out in the light. The dull and yet familiar shine near instantly caught my eye. “Is this aluminum?”

That recognition seemingly deeply impressed Clearcut. “My, and you can tell that at only a glance?”

I had a sneaking suspicion if this land was really mostly pre-industrial and instead magically focused, so I played it cool as I flipped the coin back into the bag. “I’ve seen it a few times before. Useful stuff...” I decided to take a stab in the dark. “...if you can afford it.”

My suspicions were all but confirmed as the dragon let out a wistful sigh. “Ain’t that a truth and a half?” He sucked in a breath and let out a greenish flame that just for a moment formed a lean unicorn mare’s face, but with strangely slitted eyes and pointy teeth. The apparition let out a single silent laugh that frankly didn’t even look sane, before fading away, but not before I saw Clearcut’s talon point at the helmet she’d been wearing. “I heard —rumor by the way, so it might be false— that Princess Luna used to have a whole armor forged from the stuff, but it got corrupted with her and unlike her it just sadly didn’t survive being purified.”

I filed the information away for later, but one word in particular had caught my ear. “Corrupted?”

Both Black and Clearcut fidgeted slightly, so I took it as a sign this was something you weren’t supposed to talk about. Black still cleared his throat and tried clarifying it for me, however. “There are a thousand and one rumors on what really happened, but… well, she apparently got taken over by some type of Nightmare spirit.” He nodded towards the spot the flame based illusion had just been. “She re-named herself Nightmare Moon, and nearly tried bringing about night eternal a few years ago.” Black kept looking over his shoulder, but he quickly added: “She’s back among the good guys now, though. Bygones be bygones, and all that.”

Night eternal… I couldn’t quite stop a shiver and myself making a face. “Nothing quite like when a mage goes off the deep end. Glad to hear it didn’t end in blood, screams and fire for the gall, though.”

I let out a small laugh at the large dragon and the world-wise guide doing a double take, and gave the duo a tiny bittersweet smile. “Sorry if that was a bit dark. I’ve just heard many stories like that, but far too few ending in redemption.” I couldn’t quite stop myself a tiny bit of dramatics and murmured my fist-full of sunshine into existence over my outstretched fingertips. “Magic and knowledge is wonderful thing…” I feed more and more power into the spell, until even my own fingers started to feel uncomfortable and the flames had turned a deep blue, with the flames near boiling against the restraint of my will as if trying to consume even that. “...but the only difference after-all between Icarus and Daedalus was how fast and high one of them tried to soar.”

For a few moments, I just stood there. Staring into the flames, all but willing for them to reveal their secrets to me. To think, that only last week my greatest concern had been balancing the books of my store… “Finge datos currus, quid agas?” I murmured, the flame wobbling and flaring slightly at the Latin being spoken.

I was tempted to look up and see just how my audience was reacting, but that would have messed up the mystical wizard shtick and we simply can’t have that. “Of course, there is a cruel paradox to it,” I instead added in a tone as if I was mostly speaking to myself, “for if one does not strive to reach the heavens themselves…”

I spread my fingers under the flame, in a gesture half-way between forming a cage for it, and an imaginary brasier. Then I started exerting my will over the flame, feeding magic into compressing and tightening the energies already in play, my fingers ever so slowly tightening around the flame like bands around a barrel. “...if one does not soar until the very wax of one’s wings starts dripping…”

The flame fought me every step of the way, trying to flare, to burn me, to go out of control, to burst into this brief but terrible conflagration... but slowly, ever so slowly, under the unrelenting tide of my will it shrunk.

Shrunk, and started changing. Blue became purple, only to fade into seemingly nothingness as only this thin outline of fire beyond even color burned above my hand.

And then I pushed on past even that, drawing on a trick I had barely dreamed to be part of the package I’d gotten.

Soulfire.

I knew not how, why, what dread price he himself paid for that knowledge, or even for what mad purpose Seppo had given me that power, but it was supposedly one of the ultimate techniques of magic, one of such potency that many gods dare not meddle with it. The power of creation itself, fueled by the very core of You, one’s soul itself turned to and towards the act of shaping reality to your will...

Naturally, my namesake mostly used it to punch things in their face analogs really hard, but eh. Still awesome.

And for just a few glorious moments, as the silvery fire flowed from my fully wreathed fingers into the flame…

A tiny star, no bigger than my eye, floated above my hand and spread a light far too bright and yet soft for such a tiny thing over the shop. I stopped my assault of will on the thing, not quite letting go since that would make it spiral out of control and burn things, but I toned it down enough that I could actually stand there for a few moments and enjoy my work.

A tiny solar flare, no larger than my thumb, erupted as I watched. An arch of flame moving with the slow certainty of a colossus, and yet no thicker than the hairs on my head. I know it may be poor form to be impressed by what once own hands have wrought… but surely this once I may be allowed to get away with it?

“...how is one to know one’s limits?”

I’m honestly not certain how long I stood there, my gaze and thoughts just lost in the flames. For an element that so greedily consumes all it can, there is a strange serenity to flames. I know I am not the first by a long shot to have that particular thought, but some things remain true no matter how often and clumsily they are said.

I lowered my hand and stopped feeding the thing power… only for the thing to stubbornly refuse to wink out. “Well, this is slightly embarrassing.” I shook the sweat that near covered my hand in a thin layer of water of, before raising it to try extinguishing the spell. “Let m-”

“NO!”

Clearcut’s below caught me by such utter surprise I near fell face-first onto my own hot-mess, but I just about managed to twist myself so I landed in a heap straight down instead of going fatally forward.

I turned to Clearcut to give him a glare…

But it kinda fell flat. Seeing a dragon with tears of freaking awe dripping down his chin? Didn’t quite expect that when I woke up this morning.

He mumbled something about ‘wait here’ before darting off behind the curtain.

I stared up at my little ball of sunshine that wasn’t so little anymore, and quietly decided I probably overdid it, just a tad. Now when I wasn’t focused on the thing I could feel how I was drenched in sweat, and my entire arm felt half-way between a PET bottle that had been left too close to a fire, and that prickly sensation you get when a fallen asleep limb starts waking up. Heck, I was even panting slightly.

All I’m saying is that the cold stone floor suddenly felt a bit suspiciously comfy.

“Damn dramatics,” I muttered darkly between pants, “the only worse wizard’s crack has to be freakin’ secrets and acting mysterious.” I vaguely wiggled my fingers at the not so great ball of fire. “Next thing I know if I aren’t careful, I’ll have a beard you can hide a cat in, my staff’s going to have a not at all phallic knot on the end, and my entire wardrobe’s going to be badly dyed bathrobes with stars stitched all over ‘em. Then before I know there’s going to be a rickety tower and it will all be downhill from there!”

Black stuck his head over mine and looked down at me, his expression somewhere between awe and utter annoyance. “So, is making stars a common parlor trick where you’re from, or did somebody just get a wee bit too excited today?”

I gave him my best grin despite how tired I felt. “Hey, what can I say, man? My teacher’s idea of fun is making artifacts and dumping ‘em into the laps of anybody foolish enough to ask for ‘em. I’m fairly certain he even has a crystal ball to watch the fireworks through.” I spun my finger around my temple again. “Dude’s utterly crazy, but he gives lessons quite unlike any other.”

A moment of horrified realization flickered across the stallion’s face. “Oh, sweet merciful Luna. You’ve basically have a less restrained version of Discord as a teacher, haven’t you?”

I had no idea who this ‘Discord’ was, but from the name I could guess. I crawled over to one of the cushion seats and flopped bonelessly onto it. “I’m going to go out on a limb and guess ‘yes.’” I pointed a slightly shaky finger towards the sphere. “Still, you can’t argue with results, even if I admit I overdid it.”

Black looked towards the tiny sun, face utterly unreadable. “...What was that silvery fire?”

I gave off a grunt. “Sorry, man, but that’s a trade secret I haven’t known you nearly long enough to share. Sorry.”

Black opened his mouth as if to protest, but then he just closed it again. “...I get it. It’s one of those techniques, isn’t it? The one’s you don’t teach until after the apprentice have done their mastership test, because otherwise most of them will just end up destroying themselves with it?”

I gave him a two-finger salute. “Got it in one.” I decided to throw the kid a bone, though, because I recognized that hungry look in his eyes.

Hell, I’d seen it in the mirror after watching or reading good fantasy often enough. “I’ll give you this though, Black.” I waited a second or two for dramatic effect while his ears perked. “It’s called Soulfire, and it’s kinda what it sounds like.”

The pegasus’s eyes nearly popped from his skull as my words sank in.

I quickly added. “Hey, it grows back. Good food, good company, some music… The Spirit isn’t quite that flimsy.” I couldn’t quite stop a grimace. “...But let us say that an empty tank in this context isn’t exactly healthy, and move on.” I did my best to shake some life back into my prickly feeling arm. “Besides, I only used a tiny bit off it this time. I’m mostly knackered from the spell itself, not the ‘raegent’ so to speak.”

Black seemed mollified by my words, but his eyes wouldn’t quite leave the tiny fireball.

About then, Clearcut came back.

Carrying a diamond the size of half my fucking abdomen. A diamond the size of half my freakin abdomen he’d seemingly hollowed out in a hurry, judging from the fresh looking claw-marks near the top where a tiny top had been carved from the rock itself.

Slowly and with a look in his eyes I could honestly only call reverently, he gingerly reached out and took the sun with the edges of two talons. They near instantly started blacken and hiss in a rather distressing way, but Clearcut didn’t as much as wince as he guided it to its utterly decadent Jack-O-Lantern substitute.

I will freely admit something, though. A tiny sun of my making, burning brightly inside a diamond big enough to serve as a Brownie’s house? It was a glorious sight.

It occurred to me however, that if dragons are creatures even in part of fire… just what had I done from Clearcut’s perspective?

“So…” He finally said in a slow and careful voice. “This is what you consider knowing a little of fire?”

I let out a tiny laugh that sounded far more energetic than I felt myself. “A little knowledge is a dangerous thing, I’ve heard.” I let out a pained grunt as another tingle flashed up through my arm all the way to my elbow. “Honestly though, I got utterly carried away there by the dramatics and pulled out a few too many stops I probably shouldn’t have. My little ball of sunshine spell isn’t quite that literal most of the time.”

The dragon chuckled softly at my words. “Ah, youth… to once more be that arrogant and sure of one’s self…”

I raised a single trembling finger towards the heavens in mock outrage. “I made a freaking fun-sized star. I believe I am allowed five minutes of wizardly smugness after that.”

Black piped up. “Actually, it’s been fifteen minutes by now…”

I let my arm fall and let out a only partly faked sigh of irritation. “Curses. Foiled again.” I shook my still functioning fist towards the heavens. “And I would have gotten away with it too, if it wasn’t for those meddling kids and their mangy causality.”

I sincerely hoped Cleacut laughed at my antics and not the reference, because the thought of that also existing in this realm would have frankly blown my mind hard enough for dripping to occur. “You keep that humor, M- Dresden. I’ve seen far too many wizards over the years bring ruin unto themselves and others just because they couldn’t laugh at themselves.” He gently patted the Faberge night-light, almost as if holding a baby. “And frankly? If this is you stumbling through your master’s test, than I barely dare imagine what you’ll do a century from now.”

Had to admit, that made me think a little.

But only a little since I’d blown enough energy to near fall asleep on the spot. Given how he kept eyeing the fruits of my labor, I doubted Clearcut would mind that much, but on the same time I didn’t want to intrude on his hospitality.

I groaned as near every bone, muscle and ligament in my body protested as I got to my feet, but a little wobbliness aside I made it up OK.

Having to use my staff as a third leg as to not fall pladask back onto that comfy, comfy pillow and just sleep like the dead on it for a week or two? What lies and utter, utter slander.

That just left dealing with my tiny ball of joy before I could crawl off and die a bit. Still, given how wide-eyed a certain dragon’s stare was, I kinda doubted that would be terribly difficult. “You want it?”

Clearcut was so shocked by my simple question he nearly dropped the darn thing in question onto his toe. He slowly turned his head only to stare at me as if I’d just asked: ‘Hey, I’ve got this ugly picture of this ugly chick called Monna Lies, or something like that. You want it for over your mantle?’

“Mr. Dresden,” he finally managed in a strangely even voice, “this may rather shock you coming from a dragon, but we kinda have this thing with fire.” He carefully held forward the gaudy thing. “This is, no joke, the kind of things elders have as the centerpieces of their hoards. I’m not even nearly wo-”

I was not in the mood for scraping and bowing. “Oh, shut up and just take the pretty paperweight.” I started dusting myself off in preparation for leaving in the shocked silence that followed. “If you really can’t stand the idea of it as a gift, you can owe me something equally flashy, or something.” I vaguely waved a hand towards the thing. “If any marvelous mares, delightful dragonesses, stalwart stallions, or wishfully whatevers your preference happens to be asks where you got it, just make sure you name-drop me so I have a shot at commissions, OK?”

Seeing a dragon blush so hard he was near luminous? OK, I’ll admit, that was quite the treat. “A dragon’s hoard doesn’t have anything to do with that…” he mumbled out, rather unconvincingly I might add.

“Righ~ht,” I said, holding out an arm and mimed juggling imaginary cantaloupes, “and I’m certain no draconic dames has ever been swooned by large, firm, rocks.” I did a double take as the words I’d just said actually reached my ears. “...I do apologize; it seems I’m tired enough that my tongue is running a bit wilder than usual. Perhaps it would be best if I retired for the metaphorical evening?”

Clearcut still had a rather deep blush on, but he chuckled low, but rather merrily at my words before waving me off. “No worries Mr. Dresden, I’ve heard far lewder jokes than that.” He smiled a rather predatory looking grin and let out a thin stream of smoke from both nostrils. “And I’ve seen far worse from tired people than a bit of childishness bubbling to the surface.” I had to admit, seeing a dragon politely bowing his head at me? Never thought I’d see that. “A pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Dresden…” He made a small face and absently rubbed the scales on his arm with the other. “...even if I must admit I’m not quite looking forward to that bit.”

I gave him a big smile and tipped my hat at him. “No pressure, Mr. Clearcut. I’ll have enough on my plate as if for quite some time, and I trust you’ll honor the deal; don’t go giving yourself scars on my account.”

I did not expect him to tilt his head in confusion. “Sc-ar? What’s that?”

I felt some small but important bits of my brain go boom as Black also seemed just as puzzled. I decided on actually explaining since it did not seem the two were joking. “...It’s this type of skin blemish that happens when a wound doesn’t heal properly.” I scratched the back of my head as I thought the implications over. “Do dragons and ponies really don’t get those?”

Black and Clearcut exchanged a glance, but both seemed just as puzzled.

Now, I wasn’t exactly a philanthropic playboy millionaire with kung-fu skills before this whole thing happened, but I’d gotten a scrap or two in my day…

Before almost my entire body got a makeover, that was. Still, I’d been rather pleasantly surprised to find I had not gained that bit of Harry’s likeness.

I couldn’t quite stop a small shudder. Really, really, really glad I hadn’t gotten that bit of the package.

Let us say, that his left hand got cooked once, and that wasn’t even the worst thing that had happened to the man. The wages of sin may be death, but sometimes it sure seemed as if taking the high-road didn’t exactly offer a Christmas bonus I’d call worth the effort.

Even so, I had been hiking for days, and that gives you a few scrapes. I crawled up my left arm and showed the now thin, white line on the back of my lower-arm where I’d slipped with my sword when I was cleaning fish only an hour or so before I traded the blade away. “I recently had most of mine magically removed,” I fibbed while tapping the line with my staff, “but this is what they look like.”

I wondered if I’d stumbled into something again when both my companions just stared at the small scar, but the ‘spell’ broke as I rolled down my sleeve again. “Don’t get me wrong, they can be a bit gnarly looking, but they’re really not that big a deal.”

The two exchanged a glance again, before shrugging; all but seemingly deciding scars was a ‘human’ thing, slightly gross but ignorable.

Freakin’ scars.

Note to self, check the local variant of healing magic post haste. It or the locals are seemingly somewhat impressive, and I’d rather find out which one it is either way before I end up in a scrap again.

Oh come on, I’ve all but turned into Harry ‘I swear officer, that building was on fire when I got here!’ Dresden. Even without the rather obvious cultural difference I’d already ended up in a fight over, I just couldn’t quite imagine the rest of my stay in this place to go off without a hitch given that.

I failed to hold back a big yawn, but I just barely managed to put my hand over my mouth. “Anyway, a pleasure, Clearcut. I hope to see you tomorrow.”

I exchanged a small wave with the dragon before heading out. I took a moment to examine the bell I was certain I’d heard on my way in..

This rather nifty if seemingly fragile silencing spell fizzled out as I poked the silver bell with the edge of my staff. It fizzled out in a brief but bright burst of silvery sparks that fell silently to the floor as the bell once more rang out at the touch of my focus

Clearcut let out a sigh. “That girl and her freakin’ entrances… Still, thanks for dealing with that spell. Few things more embarrassing than having to ask a customer to do something for you.”

I winced in sympathy as my mind flashed back to this one week I’d had a sore wrist. Just big enough damage I couldn’t lift anything myself, but not long lasting enough to justify hiring a temp.

Most of the regulars had been understanding, but there’s always a few ass-hats that just cling in your memory; like mold on a bleached skull.

Clearcut chuckled merrily. “Oh? Is that the thousand yard stare of somebody that has worked retail, I see?”

I shrugged widely with a few extra wiggles of my staff for emphasis. “Hey, we all need to eat… If there exists a ‘make food’ spell, I haven’t found it yet.”

“True, true…”

WIth a final wave, me an’ Black left the store.

Had to admit, even with how tired I was feeling I had this rather big grin as I throw my staff over my shoulders. “That went rather well…”

Black gave me a flat, but not quite unfriendly look. “So, is it common where you’re from to ask for body parts in a trade…?”

I waved him off. “If you met a creature that according to what you’ve heard have… I don’t know, have claws that may rend any armor, or something, and you're planning on making a new knife, wouldn’t you ask politely for a few clippings? Besides, I’d of course taken no for an answer.”

Black raised an eyebrow at me as he started leading me away somewhere. “...Rend any armor? There’s really something like that?”

I let out a huge yawn and scratched my chin. “Well, the Nemean lion at least, off the top of my head, but I’ve never seen one… Mr. Pegasus.”

Black chuckled a little at that.

“Anyway, nasty critters from what I’ve heard,” I continued. “Looks like a lion, but with golden fur that only its own claws or similarly fantastic armaments may peirce. There’s even one tale I heard where killing one of the buggers was the first great deed of this rather legendary hero.”

The pegasus seemed a bit uncomfortable. “...Was that really necessary? Seems a bit much for what’s basically an animal.”

Given that reaction I decided to try to avoid telling the labors of Heracles around these parts. Granted, even if the tales are classic, there was no doubt they are a bit bloody and grim even by human standards. “The thing was apparently intelligent enough to kidnap maidens to lure warriors to its den so it would get a larger meal, so I’d argue it was a rather earned end.” I scratched at my beard as Black fidgeted slightly. “Still, I would have personally at least attempted to capture it alive. I mean, living armor like that? Just sounds like something that would have been worth the price of some patience and drugged meat to study.”

Black twitched again. “That’s a rather underhoofed way of fighting, Mr.”

I couldn't quite stop a chuckle at that. “I’m a wizard; we don’t do fair.”

Black tilted his head back and forth while he chewed it over. “...I really want to disagree with that, Harry... but I’ve seen one too many would-be bar-fights ending with the bouncer levitating the culprits to the ceiling and holding ‘em there until they calm down to do so with a straight face.”

I just had to give my guide an incredulous look.

“I don’t seek them out or anything!” he quickly explained before shrugging. “I just happen to like this gryphon bar, and they’re a rather passionate people. That and alcohol tends to be a bit volatile... but that’s what the bouncers are for, right?”

I couldn’t quite stop a wince at the mental image of a bar filled with drunk lion-eagle hybrids, all with talons longer than my freaking fingers. It did not sound worth a bartender that actually know how to mix a proper rainbow, or whatever…

And of course, my morbid curiosity kicked in about it. “Think you could take me there, tomorrow night, perhaps? Have to admit, a gryphon bar sounds like an experience.”

Black chuckled slightly. “Like to live slightly dangerous, do we? You’re the boss…”

We walked the streets mostly in silence after that, even if I had to admit it was something of a blur to me. Still, we stopped at a blacksmith of all things long enough for me to commission those prototypes, and at a beauty salon Black quite clearly wasn’t trying to crack jokes about...

Still, I took the look of relief on the stallion's face I almost missed as a rather solid endorsement I needed some TLC after that unintended camping trip of mine.

I did however get an odd look from him as I let out a yawn and shifted the weight of the bag as we stepped out of the store. “Have to admit?” He said. “I did not take you for a loffa kind of guy.”

“Oh, hush.”

Black barely fought down a grin. “And the rose body-scrub?”

“So I’ll need to grunt a bit extra the next time I have a beer, big whoop.” I stretched a bit, making a few ponies passing-by wince in sympathy at the rather distressing sounding if satisfying pops and cracks from my back. “Now, any place around here with beds my size?”

I swear I heard my feet whisper about ‘down with the evil wizard slave-driver!’ but I still… heh, marched on as Black lead on.

He led me to this rather charming looking bed & breakfast, but I was so out of it by then I was barely upright.

Luckily for me, Black seemed to realize how tuckered out his meal ticket was feeling at the moment, and managed to keep my part of the negotiations to a few grunts and rustling of pockets.

The receptionist, a rather cute gryphon female with mostly grey coloration parts of my brain was rather insistently trying to make ‘chick’ puns about, handed over the keys with barely a few chuckles. I gave her a two finger salute she seemed to find amusing before shuffling away to find the right rooms.

“You know? To gryphons that thing you just did is hunting shorthoof for ‘that kill is mine, let me do it.’” Black let out a soft chuckle. “Let’s say I’ve seen it used in bars as well!”

I paused half-way up the staircase mid-stride before shrugging and continuing with my zombie impression. “Keep hand waving to a minimum around the cute half-ton predators unless I want to have to kill an elephant with my bare hands to uphold my new bride’s honor or something, got it.”

Black barked out a laugh before we continued to our rooms.

And had to admit, they were quite nice ones. A rather nice wood finish on the walls, a small bathroom with a tub even, a sofa…

And a bed, that made me do a small double take.

“Sorry, gryphon beds are something of an acquired taste, but the nearest minotaur inn is half-way across town and you don’t seem to have the patience for much more walking…”

I let out a grunt as I dumped my stuff and duster unceremoniously on the sofa, stopping only for a moment to pop the winchester against the corner, leaning against the wall.

I kicked of my boots and stomped over to the ‘bed.’

The thing looked, no joke, like a something halfway between a woven bowl and a ball pit. I reached down, only to be rewarded with a tiny round pillow, about the size of my clenched fist. “And you just… dive in?” I asked, as I gave the surprisingly soft pillow a squeeze. “Not even a blanket, or something?”

A small rustle told me Black had shrugged. “Pretty much.”

I looked a bit closer at the ball-pillow. The thing even had this rose-vine pattern on its cover. “Do I even want to know how long it takes to switch out the bedding in one of these things?”

Black seemed to find that slightly amusing, judging from the small laugh. “Good eyes, Harry. Truth be told, most gryphons just use clouds and beds like these are considered a bit opulent… but Rose down there charges a decent rate for her’s and I didn’t think you’re in any shape to cast a cloudwalking spell.”

I let out a hum of sudden interest. “Cloudwalking, you say?”

“You don’t know that one?” Black said sounding clearly surprised. “It’s a bit complex, but given what you’ve been throwing around I have to admit I just assumed…”

I waved vaguely towards the door. “Remind me to check it out, later. Have to admit, that spell sounds rather neat. Oh, and please wake me before an hour or so before breakfast so I have time to actually prepare.”

My guide did a double take, but I just jabbed a thumb towards my duster. “I’ve been more or less sleeping in that thing and these clothes for a week now. I do believe a wash for them and their owner is more than overdue.”

Black made a face, but he quickly fought it down and headed out. “Well, goodnight, see you tomorrow.”

I lifted my own hand. “Pleasant dreams and all that.”

I breathed a small sigh of relief as the door clicked closed. Don’t get me wrong, the dude seemed more than alright and I was itching to see this town, but I really wanted to have a proper night’s sleep.

I had to admit as I flicked the small pillow back among the others, that the bed looked weird but comfy.

Still, without further ado, I stripped down and jumped in. I have no idea what the tiny things were stuffed with, but the oddness of having the same thing above me as bellow aside, I barely had time to burrow down before I entered la-la land and the deepest sleep I’d had for nearly a week...

Thus I was rather annoyed when I found myself standing in field of billowing mist under a starry sky, the whole setup that all but screamed weird dream shenanigans were a’foot.

And I do not know quite why, but something about the huge full moon hanging over me and shining ever so brightly just made my skin crawl. Perhaps it was me being paranoid, but I had the distinct inkling that it was not of my dream.

“För i helvete…” I murmured angrily as I lifted my hand and willed my gear into existence, my hand closing on what had been empty air but was soon replaced with a simulacrum of my staff that faded into view, as my weapons and gear flowed into existence on and around me. I cleared my throat and raised my voice. “Do us both a freaking favor and just show yourself, whoever you are. This is the first decent sleep I’ve had in a week, and I do not care for it being subverted by a two-bit hack wannabe oneiromancer.”

I did my best to pretend not to notice how the moon flared slightly at my words and instead scanned the horizon.

Now, granted, this was a dream… but given that last month I’d been certain there was no such thing as magic the concept of something being able to harm you in your dreams seemed a bit stupid to utterly dismiss.

A rather cold if beautiful sounding woman’s voice rang out, but I just kept scanning the horizon. “You are as flippant and disrespectful of your betters as I was told, I see…”

I just barely fought down the impulse to roll my eyes. “Yeah, because that introduction just screams that this conversation is going to be worth having…” I stopped and smacked my forehead. “Wait, why am I asking in my dream?”

I snapped my fingers, cutting of the mocking laugh mid ‘bwahaha’ as the dream shifted and changed to my will. I didn’t know why my so far unseen assailant had a thing for mist, darkness and that moon, but only a fool lets their enemy pick the field of engagement, so I went the opposite route.

The misty fields turned to shifting dunes and the mist started all but boiling away under the glare of the sun as my memory of the trip me an’ the gang had taken out in the desert proper on our trip to Vegas faded into view.

And amidst the hills and dunes covered small bushes and the odd cacti, a stunned looking winged unicorn with midnight blue fur and one of the most overblown manes I’d ever seen.

Oh, and I think she might have been compensating for something else in real life, because she was, no joke, the size of a horse.

I rolled my shoulders slightly as I ignored the warmth away and glared down at her. “You wanted to speak with me?”

The mare —if ‘she’ really was one, with the dream arena and everything— shook her head and made the field of stars on her head dance around before she glared me down.

I didn’t even bother with any dramatics like the finger snap this time. I just sat back and had the reddish sand rise behind me into a throne.

I calmly leaned back in my seat with my staff on my lap and met the intruder’s gaze over my fingers stapled in a pyramid. “Well?” I waved my hand, and had a long table with a cushion on the other end rise from the sands, before a desert wind whirled into place on top of the table to coalesce into two cups and a teapot. I leaned forward and raised my own cup towards the scowling mare “Slightest chance we may do this the civilized way, or…?”

I got my answer when her horn lit, only for the cup in my hand to explode. I absently felt a slight stinging sensation on my cheek, and when I wiped at it with the flat of my hand it came back red.

I absently ran a thumb down the wound, willing it sealed before I dusted myself off and I got to my feet. I cracked my neck without taking my eyes of the mare, as the runes lit as I started feeding magic into my staff. “And here I was about to make crumpets and everything....”

Comments

[nightmaster0]

Great chapter.

[Lord Of Dorkness]

4451149

Thank you!

[1eragon33]

why does he have Harry's luck with pissing off, uber classed magic users. That will have to be old very fast.

[occams lazer]

Yay, its back!

[Violet Hearn]

Noticed two typos:

was worth a bit of cation?

in the store. “Screwd.”

unless the last was intentional.

I'm surprised at how many downvotes this story has. It's certainly head and shoulders above 90% of the HiE fics on this site.

Well, that was a very interesting development. I'm curious to see how this plays out... actually, does Luna have the authority to attack people in their dreams without repercussions? Her sister may have a few things to say about that kind of behavior.

[Zaralann]

Oh, this is awesome! God bless you for this chapter!
This is one of the best stories on this site, and I really hope you'll update soon!

[Lord Of Dorkness]

4451330

Well, this is more a snowball thing with what happened in Ponyville. Mess with the bull, you get the horns, and all that.

It is easy to forget when they have an episode where Rarity helps Applejack make cross-stitches, or whatever, but the whole group Mane Six are the closest thing we've seen on screen to Equestria's special forces.

And just a step below the magical nukes of having the sun or moon go and stomp the problem away at that.

4451355

It never left... just slept for a rather embarrassing long time.

4451379 .

Ah, thank you. Fixed them both.

I'm surprised at how many downvotes this story has. It's certainly head and shoulders above 90% of the HiE fics on this site.

And thank you kindly for the compliment!

I think however the down-vote count has at least in part to do with that I started this thing when the backlash against 'costume fics' was just starting to get rather rancid. I think that I've worked to keep Björn similar but still distinct from Harry has helped... but since many that down-vote doesn't bother to tell why I can only speculate.

And there's going to be a smaller interlude chapter that deals with the Luna thing after the next proper one.

One of the reasons chapter 4 took so long was actually that I've got about half of a chapter 3.5 written, but ran into enough problems with it that I had to side-line it for a bit.

4451526

Thank you for the compliment!

[DarkParable]

Absolutely wonderful. I'm now drooling in anticipation of the next chapter lol.

[Ranakastrasz]

I made a mental not that pegasi

should be note

Heh, Literal Ear perk.

Clearcut’s Fine Jewelry… “And eatery

I initially thought that was like Quills and Sofas. Then It was explained. Yes, that makes sense. And is somewhat hilarious.

Blake looked questioningly at me,

Black, not Blake

Surprised Bjord/Dresden didn't note the whole sympathetic link between body parts when it came to dragon scales. I think he ought to have not even brought that up, being a serious chance of offending basic sense. True, it only applies to hair and blood in the books as far as I recall, but there is a lesser link to relatives, children, ancestors. Based on the way tracking spells work, it isn't limited to biological anything either.

I had to admit, seeing that type of cold calculation and cunning in a face so gosh-darn cute? Sent a shiver down my spine. It was like seeing a Tribble and actually knowing what it was actually capable off, or something; it just pushed near every genre-savvy button marked ‘RUN!’ in my head.
At once.
With a big, big club.
With ‘Run, you idiot! - With Tough Love, The Audience’ inscribed in gilded letters on the two decimeter railway-spike.
I kept the sigh internal, but I swear I saw the ice-queen’s lips twitch slightly for just a moment. I opted to ignore it and swept my hand towards the all but forgotten illusion of the knife. “Anything to add to the basic shape, or can I go ahead and commission it?”

Highly amusing.

No Threshholds? Interesting.
Could be the whole belief based thing. Could be Human-specific. I wonder if other Dresdenverse races all get thresholds, or only humans. Is it soul-based? Would any of the Vampires get a threshhold? Fae?

I wonder how Toottoot and others get in Dresden's houseAppartment, without him giving permission each time. It seems that you have to give permission each time from what I've seen, but maybe I am mistaken.

Ah yes, No Threshhold? OH YEAH! "Brick Smash"

. “Here, nine o’clock tomorrow. Don’t be late.”

Hmm, I had expected "Its a date" but I suppose that is a bit predictable.

Aluminum, eh? Yea, used to be more precious than gold. Just think about the ridiculous expense of modern airplanes with that in mind.

He made a tiny sun. And it was recognized as such. Wonder which Celestia-Sun model this local universe uses. Also, I wonder how the Diamond contained it. Seems like you would need to craft extra warding.

Heh, Discord as a teacher. Still, Discord hardly seems to have restraints as is.

“Ah, youth… to once more be that arrogant and sure of one’s self…”
I raised a single trembling finger towards the heavens in mock outrage. “I made a freaking fun-sized star. I believe I am allowed five minutes of wizardly smugness after that.”
Black piped up. “Actually, it’s been fifteen minutes by now…”
I let my arm fall and let out a only partly faked sigh of irritation. “Curses. Foiled again.” I shook my still functioning fist towards the heavens. “And I would have gotten away with it too, if it wasn’t for those meddling kids and their mangy causality.”

Yep, Darn time ruining moments like that.

Hey, I’ve got this ugly picture of this ugly chick called Monna Lies, or something like that. You want it for over your mantle?’

I would totally do that. I don't really appreciate art that way. If it were something arcane and unusual, and I had made it however, I might consider keeping it. Here however, It is kind of reasonably anyway, considering his not exactly having a house.

or wishfully whatevers

Is wishfully correct? I think it ought to be wishful

Seeing a dragon blush so hard he was near luminos?

luminos as in the spell? (admittely I am unsure if that exists in whichever continuty) or is it meant to be luminous?

No scars? Interesting.

Oh come on, I’ve all but turned into Harry ‘I swear officer, that building was on fire when I got here!’ Dresden.

Ok, that is Harry's new middle name. I approve.
Harry, Blackstone, The building was on fire and it wasn't my fault, Copperfield, Dresden.

t did not sound worth a bartender that actually know how to mix a proper rainbow, or whatever…

I am unsure what that means. Meaning risking the life of that valuable bartender?

and at a beauty saloon Black quite clearly wasn’t trying to crack jokes about...

I think that is supposed to be salon.

Cloudwalking. Makes me think of Dungeon Keeper Ami. Spells or enchantments there generally require something similar to already exist and experiment with before an analog can be created. Seeing as Pegasi, Griffins, and possible some non-sapient flying creatures are passively capable, it is feasible. Of course, magic here might work differently. Or there used to be quite a few less than ethical Unicorn Scientists. Which wouldn't surprise me in the slightest.

Luna is Arrogant, which is unsurprising.
Where did she get the information?
Letter from Twilight, or rather Spike? Possible, but I doubt that would show twilight or any of the ponies he spoke to as his betters. Alternatively she somehow has knowedge of the real Dresden. Considering Mab's conversation in the first chapter, it seems unlikely.

Ah dream/mindscapes. Can fabricate anything you want. Which can make fights rather... bizzare. Like your home base being the bridge of the Starship Enterprise.

Luna might not have much competition when it comes to dream-shaping. Most fictions, she has none, but I try to avoid the idea that what is shown in the show, those abilities, are all unique. It is possible that she has enforced a monopoly, or that the whole Nightmare Moon fiasco resulted in dream magic being taboo.

That he effectively insulted her, reshaped the dream, if not like a pro, at least like someone who knows what they are doing and then set up a tea party.... Well its not surprising that Luna lost her temper.

What was that laugh about, and by?

Dream Duel Upcoming.

Luna and Celestia might have powers comparable, if probably lesser than, say, the royalty of Faerie. More importantly, they might have significantly less in the way of restrictions on them. Which could be vary dangerous.

On the other hand, Dresden apparently survives long enough to burn down the Crystal Empire (and it wasn't his fault) so they might be weaker. Or they are less familier with combat magic. Or Dresden manages to evade them for a long time.

Or the Alicorn amulet Analog (AAA) ends up being actively used again.

[Moongaze14]

Awesome chapter, you have no idea how long I've waited to see this. Dresden's discussion with FB about enchantments, his confrontation with Luna, and his first usagi of Soulfire were worth the wait. I cant wait to see how Dresden will confront Luna.

[Rutter]

Möchten Sie in der Lage, öfter zu aktualisieren, wenn? Auch ich schreibe in Deutsch, weil ich mich langweile. Und weil ich auf meiner Deutschen retuschieren. Freedom!

[Lord Of Dorkness]

4451557 4451654

Thank you! Glad everybody seems to be enjoying it.

Truth be told I was actually worried the star scene would be just too much and the magic talk to dry, but so far it seems to have gone over quite well.

4451573

Spelling errors.

Thanks! Especially that Blake thing.

The problem with muscle memory when you're writing two fics with two very similar named characters I guess.

Clearcut’s Fine Jewelry… “And eatery

I have to admit, I patted myself a bit extra on the back when I thought that one up. I have no idea why nobody seems to not have made that connection before, truth be told.

sympathetic link between body parts

Would you walk into a store and loudly explain the virtues of how you're most certainly not a psycho, and how your never, ever planning on misusing these knives your being sold?

Besides, i think people are going to go eyed enough at what I'm planning for Harry to do with those scales!

Thresholds.

Actually, the Toot-toot and other fea sometimes being able to ignore 'em was explained in Cold Days. Short version is that fea can go in and out as they please, but only as long as they bear no ill will towards the inhabitants.

They're basically guests that have invited themselves in, and as long as they behave appropriately it's apparently completely OK according to the cray-cray rules the fey follow.

Aluminum, eh? Yea, used to be more precious than gold. Just think about the ridiculous expense of modern airplanes with that in mind.

Oh yeah!

Must admit, I don't know quite if it's going to come into play quite yet, but the idea of a dude that knows magic and alchemy's most potent knowledge economically speaking being the concept of electrolysis just amused me.

He made a star

If you think a certain mare's reaction in the next chapter is over the top...

luminous being misspelled

Yup, fixing it.

Harry, Blackstone, The building was on fire and it wasn't my fault, Copperfield, Dresden.

Just rolls of the tongue, doesn't it?

I am unsure what that means. Meaning risking the life of that valuable bartender?

A Rainbow is one of the most tricky drinks to make from a purely mechanical perspective.

They also look really, really neat.... if not what I'd call manly.

indul.ccio.co/4A/C4/j5/1403857133539210360M8u03NKc.jpg

Never had one myself, but I've heard they're quite good.

salon

Yeah, seems to according to Google. Fixed.

All that stuff about Luna.

That 'muhaha' was Luna just about to do the 'You dare make demands in my domain?" routine... before Harry basically snapped his fingers and wiped the dream into a shape of his choosing using pure bullheaded willpower instead of magic.

It's going to be explored in a future chapter from Luna's perspective, but imagine somebody kicking a puppy so hard it achieves orbit. Sure, somebody just did something rather impressive... but it still involved kicking a puppy into orbit.

4451718

Sorry if this is wrong since my German is rubbish, but I believe you basically asked me if me writing in Swedish and then translating would speed updates up?

If so... not really actually. Don't get my wrong, my mother tongue is a rather nifty language... but it has this tendency to sound really hammy if you try being dramatic in it.

If that is a bug or a feature may depend on your personal view, but I personally find it really distracting when trying to write, and that isn't even counting the time a proper translation would add.

[Bomarck]

.....you just had to end it there huh...

[Ranakastrasz]

4451982

Sympathetic magic
Well, I was thinking on him thinking that to himself, rather than stating it out loud.

Drop-kicking a puppy into orbit...

Yes, I suppose Dresden isn't much for finesse, even with his focuses. Hence his middle name.

[The Well Dressed Ninja]

How mad are we talking here?

"I'm going to write all over your face when you sleep" angry?
24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m55t703bSf1qd2yl3o1_500.png

or

"U ded" angry?
x1.fjcdn.com/thumbnails/comments/They+need+goddamn+dragonite+soon+_ebebcffc43c1df21901ae73efde3bcf0.png

[RanmaChaos]

Awesome! Love the magic talk.

[Lord Of Dorkness]

4451986

Of course I did.

Because cliffhangers are evil, and thus they feed my dork writting powers.

4451998

Fair enough, but this chapter is a bit 'magic, magic, magic, have I told you about magic?, magic, magic, magic...' heavy as is. I realize stuff like that is rather important in a fic about a wizard lost in the land of magical ponies, but I wanted to avoid it being too much at once.

Thaumaturgy is going to show before the fic is done, however.

4451999

When your dealing with creatures that moves the heavens manualy any degree of pissed at you is too much...

But about somewhere here about:

i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/087/995/628f662d-1697-4a87-8301-44acc0c36636.jpg

I'm going to have so much fun with the next chapter it frankly shouldn't even be legal!

4452084

Glad to hear!

[Brainstorm]

....Guys, have you all forgotten? There are no thresholds in a place of business. If you live where you work, you don't get the benefit of a threshold, period. =|

[The Well Dressed Ninja]

4452089 I don't know. Is she pissy he stole the control of his dream from her? Or the attitude?

[Lord Of Dorkness]

4452104

Actually, you get one but a much weaker one nasty stuff slash magic can sometimes still force their way through if you mix a home with buisness, while you need generation old family homes or holy ground for the really strong stuff not even fallen angels and crap dare near.

Harry/Björn basically should have still felt something by forcing himself in, at least according to my understanding of how thresholds work.

4452113

nicolegrotepas.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Why-not-both.jpg

And don't forget how he punched one of Luna's few friends in the face hard enough it almost caved in!

...Wow, I'm rather earning that dark tag despite the humor and stuff, aren't I?

[The Well Dressed Ninja]

4452147 ... Does she know? Did she reach into Twilight's mind from inside Canterlot? Did Twilight send a letter? I thought the "monster"'s identity was not known.

[Rutter]

4451982 Translation: Would you be able to update more often please. Also, I write in German, because I am bored. And because I need to touch up on my German.

What in the name of a Purple Baby Satan did you think I said!?

[Bomarck]

Just had a reread of the Icarus,Daedalus, and the fun sized star bit and have to say that's probably one of my favorite bits on this chapter.

On another note, I think Luna is going to have a bit of a bad shock fighting with someone in their own head, especially when said someone realizes that they are in fact inside their own mind. Can I say home turf advantage.

[Sorrowfulwinds]

4453189
Should change the surroundings to the moons surface and get a triple home plate advantage.

[Xanathar]

Awesome unicorn talking shop :squee:
And kudos to proofreaders for the great work.

Chapter 3.5, eh? Mane Six reaction to the certain wizard, I presume?

Now I could only make a fifty buckets of popcorn and abide the new chapter.
Just thinking about Luna Dearest possibly getting some taste of something futuristic
http://media.pcgamer.com/files/2011/03/PCG220.Reinstall_Shock2_104.jpg
alien:
http://epicgames.com/community/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/unreal1.jpg
mind-boggling:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/63/Beta_Lyrae_Reconstruction.jpg
gross:
http://www.visualwalkthroughs.com/systemshock2/many/3.jpg
Damn, can't find good image of the E4M7 from Blood.
and mad (very discordian, if you catch my drift)
http://wordyenglish.com/alice/i/am/ss2/misc/a1_026.jpg
makes me cackling evilly.

the spell itself, not the ‘regent’ so to speak

reagent

[oldtimeydude]

Oh man... I really hope the next chapter comes out soon! I hate cliffhangers!

[Cadmium]

4452305
Well to be quite honest even i didn't understand what you wanted to say with that sentence and i'm a native german speaker

Möchten Sie in der Lage, öfter zu aktualisieren, wenn? Auch ich schreibe in Deutsch, weil ich mich langweile. Und weil ich auf meiner Deutschen retuschieren.

correct would be

Wärst du vielleicht in der Lage öfter zu updaten? Ausserdem schreibe ich manchmal in Deutsch weil ich mich langweile und weil ich mein Deutsch verbessern möchte.

Now to my comment about this update of one of the greatest "HiE but with a twist!" fics i've read so far!

I really, really love the Dresden Files and so far you have capture the things that i like the most about those books in this fic, namely the snarky protagonist who would do well to have a bit more control over what he says to whom, the explanations about magic and various related topics inbetween and great character interactions.

But it is still recognizable that this guy is not exactly Harry Dresden and only uses him as some sort of guideline on how to use his newly gained, so far poorly understood, abilities and how to interact with the various people he meets. Probably not the best idea considering what kind of situations that got the original into but this is magical talking pony land so its not that bad right? Right?!

[The Snide Sniper]

Interesting. Will there be any alicorns that don't attack him on sight?

[Rutter]

4457792
I try my best...

[Snow]

... I love you for this story.

Come to think of it i Love this story too!

Just one thing: Please try not to be too predictable with the whole 'pariah' thing. Even Discord got the courtesy of a conversation.

[Apocryphal Frost]

Why are they so quick to just attack him? This is seriously starting to not make any sense.

Rainbow Dash attacking him on sight? Makes sense, she's not that bright, and quick to anger. Twilight the hyper-intelligent alicorn attacking him and ignoring all attempts at speaking? Not so much. And now Luna?

[Lord Of Dorkness]

4465401

Remember, the first negotiations went downhill when Harry/Björn kicked RD in the teats, just after flashing Twilight what she thinks is some variant on the alicorn amulet.

And for Luna... sorry, but that's next chapter.

But thank you so much for raising the point. I know it's a bit between the lines with the first-person perspective, and I'm planning a few side chapters to show just how the gang is dealing with things as a solution... but it's good to hear the problem isn't just in my head.

4464718

Thank you for the kind words!

the whole 'pariah' thing

And I've got a series of events I believe will make sense in that regard while still being interesting, but still, thank you for the feedback.

4461017

...Really?

Come to think about it, you might be right... I'm trying to think up a single one that mentions accents and I'm drawing a complete blank.

Personally, the mid-Atlantic is one of my favorite accents, and I tend to notice it as a result. That it's artificial and means the person put some effort into their voice is a nice bonus, but mostly I just really like how it sounds.

4457867
4457792
4455439

Heh, heh...

4457106

I have a personal rule to try having a certain word count per chapter with my stories since I think it gives the whole thing a more even feel. With this one it's reaching ten thousand words (unless a good ending presents itself like in chapter 3), and a maximum of twenty because after that it starts to get silly. (In my opinion.)

So, yeah, this one was almost on the line, but there was a lot that needed to be introduced so it still worked.

4453956

Thanks for the spelling!

And hopefully people will like the next chapter. Luna and Björn turned out to be... interesting when put into the same room.

4453532

Ouch!

The worst bit is that Harry/Björn has few enough scruples about fighting dirty that he'd probably do it if he'd heard the whole story of Nightmare Moon.

4453189

I've wondered how Luna would react to a lucid dreamer since I saw that Scootaloo episode whose name eludes me at the moment.

Not sure even right now how many are going to like the next chapter, but it has been interesting to write at least.

4452305

I'm trying, but my inspiration is very start-stop, sadly.

Sometimes the words just fly out of me, and other times I can barely put a pen to the metaphorical paper. Irritating, but not much I can do about it.

Oh, and I cheated and used Google translate. It did not go well.

4452202

Chapter 3.5 will spell it out, but since it is such a minor spoiler...

Celestia came to visit Twilight on her sick-bed. Björn had to walk for three days, remember?

[Xanathar]

That means less costumers, so

consumers
What's with you and costumes? One in the previous chapter and now here. Thinking of the marshmallow ponies too much?

Sometimes the words just fly out of me, and other times I can barely put a pen to the metaphorical paper. Irritating, but not much I can do about it.

I am never given prophetic inspiration
If my stomach isn't first sated to repletion;
But when Bacchus holds his sway in my mental fortress,
Phoebus rushes into me and pronounces wonders.

Archpoet, XII century.

[Lord Of Dorkness]

4470372

Actually, the word I was going for was customers.

But thanks so much for pointing that one out, because I wouldn't have spotted that one wrong letter in a million years.

Still I will admit that was a rather fitting misspelling for the premise of this fic.

I am never given prophetic inspiration
If my stomach isn't first sated to repletion;
But when Bacchus holds his sway in my mental fortress,
Phoebus rushes into me and pronounces wonders.

In other words: "I can't write for shit unless I'm drunk."

Ah, poets...

I kid, but i truly do envy a bit how some may make such banal things sound profound.

[Violet Hearn]

Caught a few typos in my second read through.

lay line

This is used several times. Should be "ley line."

a few I want appreasaid
knee him in the crutch
and fire for the gall, though

gal

at the touch of my focus

punctuation is missing.

WIth a final wave

Extra capitalization.

I do enjoy the fact that Harry is making friends and acquaintances with the locals. Hopefully a few will actually look at the situation if the Princesses try to smite him.

[Dragonlover553]

First response to seeing the update:

Yes! Yes!

Second reponse:

Praise be to God!

Third response: Post this comment.

[Dragonlover553]

Hell, even none-wizards can do it with just their finger and a bit of will; that’s how simple a spell it is.

Is that cannon?

[Dragonlover553]

That is beyond foolish of Luna, it's just plain stupid. She just blasted someone who is currently a all powerful god at the moment, who may or may not be able to kill her with a snap of his fingers.

[DuskProwler]

Not sure if you know this but Dresden had his left hand burned, not his right

[Lord Of Dorkness]

4498714

Butters did it as early as in Dead Beat. It even saved his life that time.

The really nifty thing is that it's more or less simply ripped from real occultism. There is a lot of crap in European folklore that cant stand circles, especially if reinforced with salt or holy words.

[Lord Of Dorkness]

4526627

Not sure if you know this but Dresden had his left hand burned, not his right

So it was. Fixed.

Had to admit, I needed a bit of digging to confirm that one. Thanks so much for pointing it out!

[Snow]

4538196

Even a non-practitioner can do it... by using a drop of their blood to close the circle.

[Balewood]

Was rereading and stumbled across a few spelling error's
"Salt, vinegar, a dude with a trumped marching around something"
Believe you meant trumpet
"Hell, even none-wizards can do it with just their finger and a bit of will"
non-wizards perhaps

[Ranakastrasz]

I took a moment to stare down at the A5 sized thing, and then the huge talons of its owner.
Clearcut just grinned toothily at me. “What? A dragon isn’t allowed to have a neat, tidy hand?”

Aside from how I don't personally know what a A5 size is, "A neat, tidy hand" isn't immediately obvious in it's meaning. My guess is it is about handwriting and ability to have high precision in a small space, assuming A5 is a very small size.

For the part where he makes the mini-sun, I find Requiem for a Dream to be a very appropriate piece. Its a bit too slow, but if you speed it up around 30-40%, it is very thematically appropriate. Starting loosely at the "Magic and knowledge is a wonderful thing...", albiet not at the start of the song.

[AppleTank]

For a "non-violent" species, they sure like to attack first.

[AppleTank]

1) A lay line is
ley
2) there; A place where
Period
3) There was two huge lay lines
ley
4) I only saw a few, but there seemed to be a distant cousin to the ponies of this place.
a few and "there" don't have nouns describing what they are. It is not bad... but a bit disorienting.
5) To his credit, be just chuckled
he
6) I re-pocketed the raegent while
reagent
7) You ran into that many cocatrices
cockatrices
8) I found a few I want appreasaid
appraised
9) but it keeps it to those that take this business seriously.”
eh.... wordings a bit funky. You can keep it or try this sentence
but it makes sure those in the business take this seriously
10) showing clear haws for just
haws.... what? you mean "jaws"?
11) dragons apparently where civilized
were
12)him in the crutch
crotch
13) matters when it riffles through
rifles
14) under his counter and throw me a note-pad
threw
15) I was being wierd,
weird
16) a dude with a trumped
trumpet (heh. Foreshadowing)
Offtopic: I personally always say magic circles extending upwards like a sphere or a ellipsoid. It seems otherwise to be a rather dangerous anti magic laser cannon, if you draw one sideways.
17) diverting entire lay lines,
ley
18) I throw the thing
threw
19) I feed more and
fed
20) not the ‘raegent’ so to
reagent
21) out at the touch of my focus
missing period at end.
22) similarly fantastic armaments may peirce.
pierce
23) loffa
Whats a loffa?
24) above me as bellow aside
below
25) ever so brightly just made
extra space

Boop

[Fionn]

Hmm, good chapter and i really like the scene at the gate. But i have to wonder why Black Heart hasn't adopted Heart of Night as a "use name"?
Great character BTW, a Pega-pony who can use at least a little Unicorn magic is pretty badass and has to be very determined.
I also liked the bit about magical gems and the look at how magic works in equestria. The bit where "Harry" uses Soulfire makes me wonder who in the Nine realms "Harry's" teacher was that he was able to give that power,

[Lord Of Dorkness]

5784057

Hmm, good chapter and i really like the scene at the gate. But i have to wonder why Black Heart hasn't adopted Heart of Night as a "use name"?
Great character BTW, a Pega-pony who can use at least a little Unicorn magic is pretty badass and has to be very determined.

Thank you.

It hasn't been much more than hinted at yet, but I'm going for that ponies see names as capital I Important... just not for the same reasons as in the Dresden Files.

Poor Black just happened to have a rather unflattering joke nickname be repeated enough times that it stuck.

I also liked the bit about magical gems and the look at how magic works in equestria.

Glad to hear it. Always puzzles me that crossovers so often have magic work exactly the same between 'systems,' and I'm really happy with the response so far with the mix in this story.

The bit where "Harry" uses Soulfire makes me wonder who in the Nine realms "Harry's" teacher was that he was able to give that power,

Slight spoiler, but the name he gave was quite intentional.

Seppo Ilmarinen AKA The Eternal Hammerer. The god of Smiths and Artificers in Finnish mythology; forger of among other things, the sky.

Just seemed like the type of 'dude' that like poking mortals now and then to see how they react at a shot at actual power, while still having at least some morals about it.

And with some added artistic flair, of course.

[Dragonlover553]

Last time I got into the Displaced stories, I hadn't read the Nasuverse. Now I realize: the Merchant is Zelretch: Second True Magician( the Operator of Parallel Worlds), 4th Dead Apostle Ancestor, and ultra-prankster. His idea of a joke is to grab you, drop you in a parallel universe where they never invented clothes and everyone is obese and particularly hairy... And then abandon you there for a few months. He also happens to be a wicked powerful mage( he moved the fucking MOON) and one of the best teachers of magecraft around... if you can survive his personality... it fits perfectly.

[The Wind King]

So we've got Fire Rubies, Shadow Onyxes, Earth Zircon, and Water Sapphires.

What else exists? Lightning Quartz? Frost Diamonds? Star'light' Sapphires? Wind Beryl? (Yeah it was hard to come up with a gemstone for wind)