Tracy didn’t have to ask for directions to the library this time. Though with the way it towered over Ponyville, he’d have to be blind to miss it.
He didn’t hurry, and more than once considered turning back and abandoning this crazy idea completely. But he’d already made a few steps towards insanity—there was no turning back now. If I don’t find something, my real life will fall apart before this fake one has a chance to go anywhere interesting. Maybe Shane had the right idea after all—cross into Equestria and never look back.
He suppressed a yawn as he climbed the library stairs, one of the few people inside this early. It was just him and a few bored-looking guards.
Eventually he reached the top, and the rows of identical books on those incredible crystal glass shelves. He passed several empty reading nooks, scanning the labels between each section. This library might be primitive compared to even his old hometown, but at least they still separated books by section.
“Hey,” said a familiar voice, startling him. Not the princess, thankfully. He turned, and was face to face with the little purple dragon. “You need help finding something?”
You people must be bored. But then, there wasn’t anyone reading today. He couldn’t complain. “Maybe. I need something about… medicine, I guess? Or magic. I’m not sure. I’m looking for something that might not exist in your world, and I’m not even sure where to start.”
At first Spike had barely been listening—but then he perked up, settling his scroll aside on a nearby table. Tracy caught a glimpse of colorful comic book pages hidden behind it before the dragon spread his wings, concealing it. “Right, I remember hearing something about… visiting creatures from another world. You’re the one who had all those weird law questions. The deal with Discord?”
“Yep.” He slumped into a nearby cushion. “I’m not sure if what I’m looking for even exists. Maybe you could tell me if this sounds crazy? If I spend all night searching for something that doesn’t exist, I’ll feel even stupider at work tomorrow.”
“All night, huh?” Spike nodded knowingly. “Alright, bat from another world. What are you looking for? I’ll have you know that not even Twilight knows these shelves as well as I do—not since she’s so busy being princess. It’s kinda technically my hoard or whatever? But most of it is boring, so I don’t mind lending it out.”
“Right.” He looked up. “So suppose I’m having trouble with needing to… sleep. I have to do things in my world, or else my life is ruined. But I want to do things in Equestria too. The way things lined up, your day is twelve hours ahead of mine. So every time I come here I’m only a few hours before bed. I can’t stay to do things with my… new friends without ruining life on the other side. Is there anything I can…”
Something struck him then, a memory of something months old. He probably should’ve ignored it, knowing the source. But not after what had just happened between him and Rose. “I think I remember something… I was supposed to see a doctor about a prescription? Are there any books about real drugs?”
“Maybe.” Spike rose, turning down the shelves apparently at random. But he strode with purpose, and Tracy had no choice but to follow close behind. “I don’t know the first thing about sleep, but it sounds like that came from a potions manual. I’m guessing one for the ‘exotic tribes.’” He lowered his voice, wings folding. “No offence. Old writers didn’t really think they were making things for anyone but the three biggest pony tribes.”
Like the menu. “I’m not offended or anything. I don’t even really look like this, so I can’t complain.”
Spike slowed, glancing over his shoulder. “Really? Didn’t you just say you were a visiting bat?”
“Not exactly, but…” He hesitated. “Close enough. I’d probably stay up all night and sleep all day if I didn’t have a nine-to-five. Does that count?”
Spike only nodded knowingly. “Living by a pony schedule is a terrible burden. I know your pain.” Eventually the little dragon took them to a rolling ladder attached to the shelves, and slid along to “Medicine.” He clambered up the shelves, emerging with three hefty titles in his arms. “If you’re gonna find anything about it, try these. First one is the biggest, so… answer’s probably there. The older and bigger the book, the more useful it’ll be.”
I’m gonna need three magical shots of espresso to make it to work at this rate. Tracy couldn’t take all three books at once, not without balancing them on his back. Somehow he doubted the dragon would appreciate him damaging part of the “hoard.” Spike helped him to a table, then took a few steps back. “I’m not as good with research, that’s more Twilight’s thing. But you should look at the indexes and go from there.”
“Thanks.” Tracy waved a friendly bat wing. “I’ll see what I can find.”
“Just don’t get your hopes up,” Spike warned. “It kinda sounds like you’re looking for a cure for having to sleep. If there were a way to do that, Twilight would’ve started years ago. She’d never give up all that extra reading time.”
“Yeah, I know.” He spread the books out on one of the reading tables. “Where I come from we have ways some people try to use to sleep less. But there’s nothing perfect, and nothing that really sticks. Coffee can do a lot, but it isn’t magic.”
“Don’t tell Pinkie,” the dragon muttered, wandering back to his slow circuit of the mostly empty library.
Tracy selected the largest and oldest as Spike had suggested. If this were anything like medicine on Earth, that advice would probably be the worst he could receive: the more up to date the medical information, the more likely it would help. Maybe that’s still true, and dragons are superstitious?
But it wasn’t like Tracy would be fooled by pony homeopathy, even if the rest of their world seemed magical.
There was nothing in the oldest book—mostly it was techniques for treatment of various strange injuries. Torn bat wings, shattered crystal limbs, and ingrown scales… probably all useful stuff, though the illustrations were detailed enough to make his stomach turn worse than eating bugs.
The second book was more promising. Practical Potions for the Globetrotter was made using the same printing and crude block techniques of the other books he’d seen so far, but the paper was fresher, and it lacked the musty smell. Much more importantly, there was a drug about sleep listed in the index.
He flipped to the page, and there it was. Everwake was apparently a potion, “taken primarily by thestral ponies to minimize the hormonal difficulties caused by a diurnal lifestyle.”
There was no advice to see a doctor—this was the actual recipe, which he was probably better off not seeing. Lots of plant names he’d never heard of, and various apparently magical things to be added in a particular way. He skimmed past all that to the description of effects and purpose. After a few flowery paragraphs of background and origin, he found what he was looking for.
“Once prepared, a modest dose of Everwake grants the user full alertness so long as it remains in the body, usually about twelve hours. It can be taken when rising to join diurnal creatures for their activities, while postponing the requirement for rest. Creatures who require a longer shift must consume another dose when drowsiness returns, but not before it fully sets in.
“This should not be seen as a means to avoid sleep entirely, however, but a way of rapidly inducing an alternate rhythm of waking and sleep. Unlike nonmagical methods, the debt of missed sleep while consuming Everwake will accumulate, at a rate approximately equal to three hours per dose. After even a few consecutive doses, the user will become completely incapacitated and fall into a semi-vegetative state until the debt is paid.
“Users are thus encouraged to avoid long-term consumption of Everwake, particularly for extended periods. It is most effective as an aid for nocturnal creatures while transitioning to interact with the rest of Equestria.”
There was more detail, though Tracy didn’t need it. It seemed completely impossible, but no more than anything else he’d seen in Equestria so far. If castles could rise up into the clouds and his friends could change briefly into little horses, why not a magical potion to put off sleeping until later.
Discord was the one who told me to see a doctor about this. The same creature who tried to trap the souls of my friends here for breaking a lock. Using this probably helps his plans, somehow. It was no mystery why the princess didn’t rely on this stuff to study all night. It didn’t cure his need to sleep, just put it off. I could try to last until the weekend…
This would be so much easier to deal with if he knew what Discord was trying to get from him. Obviously, it was more than just rent. You wanted me to take this from day one. What’s the angle? If he used magical stimulants for a whole year, how long would he sleep?
He packed things up, settling the books one at a time on a return shelf before heading back out. He could bring a phone and take a few pictures of the books next time, but he didn’t think for a second he could actually craft something like that. Trusting the medical science of another universe was one thing, but trying to recreate it himself was a bridge too far.
“Did you find what you needed?” Spike asked, waving him down near the entrance. “I thought you’d be here for hours.”
“Yeah, I… I might have.” He slowed, hesitating. But he’d ridden this parade of mistakes so far, he might as well stay on a little longer. “Is there somewhere I can buy potions in Ponyville? I’d like to see if they’re selling it.”
“Only one. Zebra named Zecora visits once a week, usually sets up with stuff to sell in the market. Can’t miss her. If you want more selection, you’d probably have to mail order out to Canterlot or Manehattan. Kinda like for these.” He pushed the scroll to the side, exposing the comic he was actually reading. “Can’t buy anything fun in Ponyville. Barnyard Bargains has a catalogue. The big barn by the train station?”
“Thanks.”
It was almost noon by the time he finally exited the library back into Ponyville proper. Another hour to place an order wouldn’t make things much worse. He stared off towards the train station, and could even make out the peak of a barn roof between the adorable Ponyville homes.
His pockets were heavy with bits, were they enough to buy potions? Yes, as it turned out. He expected the absurdly named proprietor to laugh when he asked for help placing an order for a “potion,” but Filthy Rich didn’t bat an eye. He dug around under the counter, emerging with an oversized folio of “medicinal curatives wondrous and mundane”. The Everwake was on an early page, beside a picture of a relieved-looking bat.
Tracy had barely enough bits for two weeks’ worth, the smallest quantity he could order.
“You can stop by with Friday’s train to pick up your order,” Filthy said, passing him a yellow slip of paper. “I’ll remember your face either way, but having that number handy will make it go quicker. Thanks for shopping with us!”
He slipped the paper away, wandering slowly out the way he’d come.
This will end horribly
Well, that raises some questions. What's Spike's preferred activity cycle?
Funnily enough, we hit on one of the bigger mysteries in comic books: When does Batman sleep? Tracy's double life has him trying to have his cake and eat it too, and even with Everwake, something has to give. The question is what, when, and how badly.
10438779
Cue Roseluck crying over Tracy's comatose body due to crippling Everwake withdrawal.
You know, a thought occurs. Everwake has been used by thestrals, but has it ever been tested by humans? What side effects would a magical potion have on a non-magical being?
I get the feeling Discord wants Tracy to permanently move to Equestria.
Sleep is an enemy of research!
10438779
Officially Bruce Wayne uses a custom meditation/self-hypnosis technique to enter the deepest level of sleep instantly combined with having Lucius Fox cover him so he can take naps at work.
Looking closer at the potions' effects, it looks like he's just going make it so he has to sleep while at work.
Well, I guess Tracy has to have his share of bad ideas. Sure, he'll gain a few hours or even days of wakefulness but his sleep debt will add up and he'll have to pay up eventually. Weekends might not be enough. Tracy is heading into a different kind of hell than the one he's already been through.
They're both your real life. You'll just have prioritize one over the other.
We all know how Tracy will use this.
Tracy needs to learn to set aside four or five hours sleep a day. Burning the vandal at both ends!
Tracy, you idiot. You know, people WORK, they understand that you can't spend much time with them due to your schedule. Spend 10 hours working and commuting in earth, sleep 8 hours in equestria, the other 6 you enjoy there too. And on weekends you take the potion to sleep at night in equestria, leaving mondays to sleep a little more during the day - 4 hours should do it, considering he'd only actually stay one 12-hour period awake beyond his schedule.
That is if his commuting is one hour each way. If it's less it becomes even easier.
10438784
That was my first thought as well. Something, somewhere, is going to go horribly wrong.
I dow onder how this is all going to work out. At first I thought he wanted to use it to be more alert at work but given the other comments I am likely wrong about that. I do wonder about the date he has planned with Rose in his world. I wouldn't be surprised if that went wrong because of the everwake.
That's what I'd do in a fix like this.
10438779
Probably includes things like 1 year naps. Just dragon things. Climb on your hoard and only awaken when disturbed.
What I'd suggest, if it DID exist in Equestria...
https://www.chronowiki.org/wiki/Enertron
I've worked with people who used stimulants to cheat the need for sleep. Going a week without sleep, two weeks without sleep, would come with a crash that could last several days. Typically something like 48 hours of solid sleep. Tracy is far better off just getting his sleep.
Well... that's not strictly true, but i get the idea.
It's probably also watered down.
10438775
In all likelihood.
dude just budget your time
Dear lord, I just keep loving this more and more.
If I may just make one suggestion— I vaguely recall you saying you're always at least a few chapters ahead of the ones you publish (and I know at least one since your patrons get to see them before you publish here), so going back and making alterations might be obnoxious as all heck, but if you're quoting something that isn't actually dialogue, use single quotes instead of full quotations. Otherwise it can get confusing trying to determine if something is being quoted (like a book entry) or somebody is actually speaking.
10438842
I think the biggest problem with that is that Tracy has discovered—if you look back at previous chapters—that he really needs to be able to socialize with his coworkers on Earth, too, so spending all of his final six hours in Equestria after that math doesn't really work. He'd need to split three hours with both, and that isn't really enough time for either side.
3 hours per dose x 365.25 (days in year) / 24 (hours in a day = 45.65625
So if he took it for a year, it would come with a 45 day, 15 hour, and 45 minute recharge coma at the end of it
Well, this can only end badly. (Or in an awkward hospital in human world).
Also, alas it seems Equestria unfortunately seems to have America’s standards for medical billing. Come stuffed with bits...but barely able to afford 2 weeks....
Careful, Tracy. Your corporate cynicism is showing.
Hey Tracy, sooner or later the debt comes due. The thing even warned you about it. All you are going to do is kick the can down the road a bit. I am sure that this will backfire and he ends up passing out at work or something.
Now Tracy, let's be smart about this, you don't need the full day on both sides. Take a tiny pep up, then sleep on the train or whatever. If you overdo it (and everyone seems to think you will), your pain will only increase...
10438775 Well, if he doesn't follow the instructions. And being a guy.... Ok, you're right. He's doomed.
10438790
Actually sleep is often the best friend of research. New ideas flow after sleep reorganizes things. It is enough that taking a nap or two during the day can help such go faster.
10438936
The biggest deal for his coworkers appears to be going to the bar on Fridays. That only requires Neece's plan to be tweaked slightly. Sleep extra Monday, bar with coworkers Friday, rest of the week, and weekends in Equestria.
I see Tracy is cruising for a bruising with those anti-sleep aids.
Dang, he really is jumping into this with all hooves. It was only a mere few chapters back that he thought such an idea ludicrous or at least unwise. Now he's actually starting to give it some serious thought.
Guess Roseluck's left more of an impression on him than previously realized. She's definitely given him a reason to consider it, at least.
But then that means that...if it doesn't work out with Roseluck...
No, just friendly. Friendship is magic and all that.
Well, that's not totally true--we know that Spike likes to sleep and knows a few tidbits on napping, after all.
Not everybody studies like Twilight, Spike--sometimes they just need to get the specific details, not read up on the whole subject in its entirety while they're at it.
See, I'm really worried about that, that he's going to go to all this effort only for it to either backfire or just not pay off and ultimately not help.
I also worry if he's overthinking some of these problems too and that the solutions are actually just simpler and more obvious than he gives it credit for...
If he's going to make this work with Roseluck, though, then he really needs to sit her down and explain to her the full depth of his situation, because, tellingly, that's something he's not really done yet, not in depth. There's plenty about his life that Roseluck keeps assuming is equivalent to hers or other ponies she knows when it's very much not. Do that much, then if Roseluck's really "the one," then she'll be willing to accommodate when and how she can to these trials, if not help him find the solutions he's clearly looking for. She knows this world far better than he does, after all. Give her that needed context for Tracy's world, and she might be able to figure out how to fit it altogether in ways Tracy could not.
That's what I'd do if I were Tracy, at least.
10438784
Ooh, that's a good thought...but considering the portal seems to compensate for the difference nicely once it's already ingested, it might be just as simple a thing as Tracy making sure he takes it before he goes through the portal back to the human world. So long as he doesn't have to top up again before going back to Equestria, I'd assume he'd be fairly safe.
Of course, magical potions are a whole different ball of wax from the contrasting diets and foods, so maybe not a guarantee, all of that.
Frankly, though, I'm less worried about the cross-dimensional compatibility and more worried about the consequences of using it at all, because I agree with everybody else--turning to the Everwake as aid for his problems can only end in disaster...unless Tracy's smart about it and chooses to use it sparingly, because he fully knows it's no quick-fix much less a long term solution, but it doesn't sound like that's his plan.
10438811
Personally, if I were him, I'd use it not for staying awake at Equestria, but for staying awake while at work. That'd be smarter, or at least as "smart" as this crazy plan could ever get beyond the obvious "don't do it at all," but seeing we're already past that point...
10438886
It could be referring how dragons altogether seem to be a fairly chill race that prefer not to operate on a predetermined schedule at all and just do whatever whenever they feel like and not sooner, e.g. if they want to sleep in til noon, then by golly they're gonna, if they're going to just laze around munching on gems all day, then you'd better believe they're gonna, and so on.
10438913
I agree...but at the same time I can also see why Tracy doesn't seem to think it's that simple, as on his time schedule, he just doesn't get a night, and he wants to still have full days both in the human world and in Equestria. Managing his time accordingly means that he can't spend as much time working his job or hanging out with Roseluck as much as he wants to, and he seems to think that's unacceptable. To his credit, though, we already know he's on thin ice at his job so he can't afford to slack off there, while at the same time, he knows he could very well have a very limited time left with Roseluck so he wants to make the most of every moment he has left with her while he can.
Maybe what he really should do is find a way to get in touch with Discord (I believe it was mentioned at some point that the contract included contact information of some sort) and ask if he can just renew his lease once it expires at the end of the year. If Discord answers yes, then Tracy can just bank on staying in Equestria indefinitely, and that'd at least relieve him of the pressure of a limited time frame to be there.
But then that assumes that's what Discord wants. Unlike some, I'm not so convinced that's actually the case...
10438944
Except he wouldn't even get that far--the book explicitly states that the user will reach a near-vegetable state after only a few consecutive doses, so more likely he'd only get as far as maybe four days to a full week tops before "the debt becomes due," so to speak.
10439191
I believe Neece edited the weekend part of his plan after I commented and before you saw it. Looking at it now, yes, it does indeed work.
10439249
I didn't edit it, but nice to know it was appreciated
Silly boy - this is already your life.
10439427
Really?
Huh. Must've misread the first time, then.
Or, you could suck it up like the rest of us who work a night shift and accept that you're not going to get the use of week-day daylight hours.
I'll wager he ends up collapsing into a coma at work and gives his boss a right proper heart attack.
10439493
yes that would be funny xD
10439493
Brother preach! Yeah, I took 9 days off so I could do stuff like go shopping instead of just running in, buying what I need and rushing to the checkout, go for a walk in the daylight hours... vacuum instead of just sweeping at 2:30am.
You know, loud daytime things.
10439493
Hey! No dying on company time! Do you know how long it will take to replace you?
This is not gonna go well. I suspect that Tracy is going to end up losing his job. Trust me, I've been there. A mental state of trying to do it all at once will only lead to an eventual crash.
I don't know if this is a good idea, Tracy.
Kind of a ho-hum transitional chapter.
Barely qualifies as a chapter - normally, those are between 3–5K
(Yes, I know - Pirene was an early work and its 15K chapters were unacceptably long.)
My bet? He's not going to manage his medication properly, and have a forcedcrash either at work, or worse, on his way home.
At which point Rose is forced to venture into the human world, with hher sisters/friends/smile agents/elements probably, to find him.
I would call Tracy abjectly stupid in this chapter - and he is being so - but he is also exhausted and overwhelmed, and worried (if not outright frightened) and people do seem to get stupid with that particular combination. This is going to be a disaster... but one, I think, that will cause Tracy to learn something important about what truly matters to him.
I hope we don’t end up with Tracy taking too much magic meth and doing a Rip van Winkle in Equestria.
This will certainly work flawlessly. What could possibly go wrong??
10439493
This could somehow end up being a plot device that leads to him turning into a bat pony in the human world. I don't know why it would do that, but it would certainly be narratively interesting.
10439640
That doesn't work. They'd need to spend that time finding a replacement no matter where he died. An employer with that kind of attitude would be more worried about reputation-threatening rumors or a deadline that won't be met if they're suddenly down a staff member.
It would be interesting to see the chemical analysis on Everwake. It probably would be illegal, and/or you would fail a drug test while on it.
10445693
"What do you mean I failed the drug test?"
"You tested positive for all of the drugs."
"What?"
"Every single one."