Book 1 - The Behemoth came to Canterlot

by Equimorto

RRR

She studied the graphs splayed out on the table in front of her, adjusting her glasses. There had to be a pattern to them, right? She hoped so, at least, because it sure didn't look like there was one. Now that, that would have been annoying. And maybe even a problem. She'd need to keep charting them to be sure, of course. Unless she figured out a pattern.

She pulled her eyes away from the table and forced them onto the ceiling. It was so frustrating. Insightful, but frustrating nonetheless. Perhaps she should try to focus on the interesting results, not on those she wasn't having. For example, she'd never expected there to be so many of them. And she'd never thought one would be so near, she was honestly pretty surprised they'd never found that before then.

Although maybe someone had found it. In which case, she hoped they were alright. They probably were, maybe they just went around telling stories about it and no one believed them. But there was no guarantee of safety, it was why they were having to set up warning signs and fences around every one they found. Which admittedly drew some suspicions, but it was still a necessary precaution.

How many more were out there? How long would it take to find them? She had no idea, and it bothered her to no end. If she'd known what she was signing up for years before, she might've decided to go a completely different way in her life. Although... Her eyes wandered to the photographs she kept on her desk. True, the younger version of her probably wouldn't have thought that would be worth it. She had a different opinion on the matter.

Her gaze returned to the pile of papers on the table, pictures and maps and graphs and countless aimless attempts at equations and formulae that had come up short of any solution every single time. Frustration hit her like an improperly thrown brick, only with less nose bleeding and broken glasses. A cup of something that was halfway between coffee and chocolate levitated towards her in the glow of her telekinesis, and she downed it all as quickly as she could.

What time was it? She gave a look at the clock on the far wall. Just a few minutes away from one o'clock. In the morning. Maybe it was time to go to sleep. Leave her notes, take the whole issue out of her mind, hope stress would make her pass out before the caffeine kicked in. It was not the best of plans, but it was better than the one she was following in her attempts at studying the matter. So whatever, right?

Stepping away from the table, even as her mind refused to follow along, she headed towards the stairs. Yeah. Sleep did sound nice, and was probably needed. And maybe even a pause the day after. She had to go out and buy food anyway, maybe she could spend some time outside, maybe not alone. It never hurt to catch some sunlight, after all.

Author's Note:

Proofreading by IncongruousAndHarmonious

Comments

[FanOfMostEverything]

Hmm. A unicorn who's spent years trying to determine the distribution pattern of... something. Could be Behemoth scales, could be sources of new magic or other anomalous phenomena, could be just about anything physically extant and magically hazardous (so that rules out outbreaks of madness.) This may be Moondancer, but it's not certain. And the chapter title raises further questions...

You're really earning that Mystery tag, huh?