Cradle of Dreams

by AterHut

Chapter Four — Shooting Stars

As I calmed down a little, I began to read the book from the very beginning, including the title page.

Collection of notes for my little dream. Author Mountainhoof.

My great-grandpa was a very romantic pony or a huge weirdo.

I recalled his size from an old photo in archives.

“Literally huge, huh?”

Сhuckling a little from my own joke, I continued reading.

Dedicated to my little dream that once visited and saved me.

Now when I have time to think about this…

“That once visited me?”

I couldn’t possibly meet my great-grandpa ever. Ponies don’t live that long!

“Which means…”

That book definitely doesn’t belong to me.

“I mean, the pony who it belongs to is most likely gone for a long time already. They wouldn’t mind me reading it, right?”

I still felt slightly bad for reading notes that were meant for another pony but I just couldn’t help myself.

If that book can improve my magic abilities in short amounts of time - I’ll read it. It doesn't seem like it has any personal information anyways.

“Contents.”

It's still the same.

“That seventh paragraph still worries me as much as that “warning” that I can’t open.”

But I can’t do anything about this, at least for now.

“Chapter one.”

Chapter One. How to use that book.

“Surprise me.”

Come to think about that, if you read this then you’ve already got how to do it...

You must be kidding me.

So, instead, I’ll leave here a short description of how it works.

“Like I even care!”

. . .

“So it opened only from my magic because the magic crystal inside reacts to the exact magic type?”

I’ve heard something similar from my old magic teacher, but he was rambling so fast that I barely remember anything. Except the fact that different ponies are kindred to different elements or something like that.

“I thought it was about difference between earthpony, pegasi and unicorns magic, but Mom and Mr Waver weren’t able to open this book…”

Was Mrs Waver able to open this thing tho?

“Meh, whatever.”

But I didn’t see any crystals when I checked the book.

“Uhm… Crystal page?”

No effect. I was curious so checked the book once again and found a little orange crystal between the pages and the book spine.

“Here you are. To think that such a small gem can lock the book and do all that invisible text stuff. Magic is way more amazing than I was taught!”

I really hope that I’ll be able to do amazing things like that too!

Well, that’s why I read that book, right?

I need to improve my magic in order to clear that place in time.

“Alright Rettie. Time to focus on the book's contents.”

Pages flipped and opened the “Contents” page.

“...Seriously?”

. . .

Few pages later my eyes felt heavy.

“For some reason reading that book feels tiring.”

Does that damn crystal thing absorb my magic in order to show the text?

“I really hope it doesn’t because I have a LOT of work to do.”

Come to think about that. Half of the day has already passed and I haven't made any progress at all.

“Dang it! You’d better worth the time I’ve spent on you, stupid book!”

…Actually there’s only a few pages left until that magic-improving chapter.

“I feel like I’m at that old stallion's history lessons again. For real, that man didn’t knew anything so all I was doing was reading!”

I’ve spent ten more minutes complaining into nowhere till I’ve caught myself on that.

“Oh. Right. Back to reading.”

Well, at least my eyes got a little break. Or that’s what I’ll keep telling myself to don’t feel bad about my own rambling.

... this way the same crystal catches vibrations of your voice and uses it to navigate you through pages.

...making the material softer, allowing you to freely use the book…

...using the earth element to pigmentate it and reveal the text at the pages.

“Oh wow. That thing is even more complicated than I expected!”

Long story short - that damn book isn’t even a book, but some solid lightweight rock! My great-grandpa made crystal soften the layered structure of the stone to make pages off it!

“That explains why others weren't able to open it, even if there’s no lock on this book.”

He even liquefied transparent crystals dust to make invisible ink off that!

“Really, really impressive!”

But I still have one question left.

“But what for?!”

That damn crystal actually absorbs your magic to function! And a LOT of it!

“So I wasn't imagining that I was getting tired way faster than from a regular book.”

Speaking of tiredness.

“Fuaaaa”

I took a long yawn.

“I think a quick midday nap won’t hurt, right?”

Even if I still didn’t do a thing in the library today.

“That book.. better be worth it…”

With those words I passed off.

. . .

I woke up with another long yawn. I'm definitely yawning a lot lately.

It took me a second to get where I am.

“Ah, right…”

I checked the clock. It’s 7pm.

“...”

IT’S 7 PM!

“For Celestia’s sake…”

I actually lost a whole day making no progress at all.

“Not good.”

I stood up and noticed something falling off me.

“Huh?”

It was a light but warm blanket.

Very nice of you, mister black pegasus.

Come to think about this, I still don’t even know his name.

“I should ask him about it the next time I see him.”

“Who?”

“YOU-”

Screaming after waking up while your throat is dry is never a good idea.

I started coughing. It gave me time to remind myself that he covered me while I slept.

“What’s *cough* your name?”

“My name is Black, Miss Rettie. Why?”

Wait. His name is ACTUALLY Black?!

Now my cough is mixed with a chuckle.

He was looking really confused about that.

“Is something wrong?”

Black pegasus titled his head while asking that. That made his black hair fall off his black neck only to mix with the black suit he was wearing.

The Amount of black in front of me made me laugh even harder.

I rolled on the floor laughing like an idiot from that situation.

Even his damn hoofs were black!

The floor was still dusty so not only my laugh but my coughing was getting stronger and stronger, forcing me to stand up and calm down while I still had at least some air in my lungs.

When I looked back at Black I barely held myself from laughing once again.

“It’s… Pfft… It’s nothing!”

Unlike my mouth my eyes were wet after all that laughter.

“Just wanted to thank you for watching after me while I slept.”

Okay that sounded like he’s some kind of weirdo watching fillies sleeping, but I hope he got the point.”

“Taking care of the residents of the mansion is part of my job, Miss.”

He relaxed a little when it came to work.

“Still thanks, it was very nice of you.”

I looked into his eyes saying that. At his BLACK eyes.

“Pffft…”

I had to turn around to prevent myself from laughing again. It’s just too much for me! I don’t remember anypony else who has only one colour! Now I wonder if his mark is also black!

“You sure you’re alright, Miss?”

I can’t tell him the reason why I can’t stop laughing!

“That’s.. Pft, that’s fine! I just had a really-pfft funny dream!”

I’m awful at lying, aren't I?

“That explains your... behaviour. Then, if that’s all, I’ll go back to work. Don’t stay up late here. Your parents will be worried.”

Saying this, he bowed as usual and flew away.

“Is it just me or his speech became a little bit less official?”

Nah, I just haven't woken up fully yet.

I turned my gaze to the library. Some of its corners were pitch-black.

...I couldn't help myself and started laughing again.

. . .

When I finally calm down (for the last time for today, I hope) I’ve checked my condition.

Still tired, but not as much as before.

Which means that I’m ready for another round of that book reading. And this time, finally…

“Chapter two!”

Pages flipped once again. This time I could feel how it absorbs part of my magic before starting to move.

Chapter Two. How to improve your magic in a short amount of time.

“Here we go. You better justify your title.”

To be honest, there’s not much to say without digging deep in theory, which I don’t know…

“You won’t bucking dare…”

Just think about your magic as about, you know, actual magic! Imagine the spell you wanna cast…

“He must be kidding me! Imagine magic? Is it some fillie's storybook?!”

I felt a strong urge to burn that book in the garden and bury the remains, but then remembered that that book is a damn solid stone affected by magic. So he should know at least something, right? Right?!

“There must be an explanation. I just need to read it further.”

You’ve probably used to think about your magic as a physical object, but it isn’t! You don’t have to interact with it as much! Just keep it on a leash from your horn so you can control it and you will be fine!

Oh it’d help a lot! For a filly who only starts to use magic! It's the basics you know?!

“Don’t sound like I can just “throw” my telekinesis into an object and pull it to myself!”

Saying this, I imagined exactly what I said, trying to pick up the book lying three metres away from me.

That's way further than I possibly can reach at my level.

Surprisingly, the book got pulled towards me and fell on the ground.

“Wha-”

Okay, maybe I’m dumb one here and that book is actually helpful.

It took five attempts, but a book that was three metres away now floats in front of me.

It’s more than three times better than my personal record!

I put the book I sweared at in front of me and, bowing deeply, asked for forgiveness from the bottom of my heart.

Even for myself it felt weird but that book deserves it only because of that little piece of advice.

And there’s fifty-two more pages of that stuff!

Now the real question.

“Do I keep practising that trick or read further?”

That’s a tough one… That trick alone will help me to finish cleaning in two weeks with no problems at all.

But, of course, only if I'll master it. But at the next page I could get advice that would help me even more!

“It’d be way easier if you would stop sucking magic off me when I read you, you know?”

Book ignored my complaints.

Time to make a deal with myself then. I will practise that trick for a few days, and will read more when I feel comfortable using it. This way I’ll be on a safe side and would be able to stop reading and focus on work at any moment.

“Alright, sounds like a plan!”

I’ve closed the book and put it in my saddlebags. It’s almost 8 PM so I don’t have much time left for practice.

“Well, not much energy either.”

That book is definitely for someone with way bigger magic capacity than I am.

“I wonder if I can improve that too. Or increase its recovery rate…”

No. Stop Rettie. You need to focus on what you’ve learnt today.

I’ve looked at my saddlebags.

“Nah, I really should get some practice first.”

But those thoughts don’t let me focus!

“Ughhhh, I wanna read one more page!”

But it was too late, I already made a deal with myself.

“Dang you, me!”

Regretting my own decisions I began my little practice session. At least It will guarantee some progress... Hopefully.

. . .

“Closer… Further… Closer… Further…Phew!”

Feeling myself like one of those big strong earthponies who push weights, I pushed one tiny little book back and forth, trying to keep my telekinesis field stable. Turns out that it isn’t enough to keep it on a “leash”, but requires to “feed” the magic in it.

“So it’s more like a magic vein, isn’t it?”

Yes, it’ll be way easier to think that way for now.

Moving an object further than one metre away from me causes noticeable pain in my horn and makes me sweat like I’m under sun in the middle of the summer. I mean, it is summer, but only the beginning of it! And it’s evening! And I’m inside of the building!

“Is it really supposed to heat that much?”

I tried to touch my horn.

“Ouch.”

Maybe I couldn’t boil water on it yet, but it’s definitely hot enough to get a slight burn if I'll hold it for long enough.

“Alright, I think that’s my limit. I got a little bit too carried away today.”

I was about to start packing my stuff when realisation striked me.

I can’t keep using magic or I will burn my horn.

But neither can I use my hoofs while I’m at the library area.

“Okay, maybe I got too carried away today.”

I didn’t want to leave my stuff here. Even if it’s a safe place. I began to feel some kind of connection to this book and was worried about leaving it unattended. Cheating and using my hoofs is out of the question, for some reason I was sure that Black would know if I’d even try to do that.

“Well, I have nothing to do then, but wait till it cools up at least a little.”

I went outside and sat on the grass to let the wind do its thing.

I took a deep breath of the clear air.

“Amazing.”

It's a very pleasant and refreshing feeling when you don't have to breathe in small portions so you don't inhale too much dust.

The sun had already disappeared below the horizon, so I watched the stars slowly appear in the sky.

For some reason I always enjoyed looking at the stars after hard days.

“They just feel so…”

“Kindred?”

“Mhm.”

I have no clue when did Black appeared here. Neither if he reads my thoughts or just caught the same vibe. To be honest I didn't care about things like this.

“Just seeing their shine makes me feel like I can do anything.”

I closed my eyes to just enjoy the moment.

“Don’t.”

Wha-

“Why?!”

Can't I get some rest? I mean, I slept for half a day, but...

“Look.”

He pointed somewhere towards the night sky.

"There are a couple of shooting stars."

I had to strain my eyes to see that, but he was right. There actually were a couple of falling stars that were shining brighter and brighter as they were getting closer to each other.

“Woah!”

That’s not something you will see everyday!.. Every night?

“Don’t you want to make a wish?”

“A wish?”

He nodded.

"There's a legend that shooting stars deliver our wishes to Princess Luna and she will make ones from good ponies come true"

“I mean, I heard this one but…”

“Those are for little fillies?”

Did he just try to tease me?

“No, I just… don’t think that I have one.”

Well, maybe except wishing to deal with that dumb library as soon as possible. But I'll take care of that by myself.

“That’s rare for ponies of your age not having any wishes.”

Why does this old man make such an accent on my age all of sudden?

“Does that mean that you had one at my age?”

I tried to tease him back.

“Yes, I did.”

“And what was that?”

He smiled. That probably was the first time I saw him smiling.

“As any other young pegasi. I wanted to soar in endless blue skies and travel all over the world on pair of my faithful wings.”

His smile got a bit bitter.

“But I've become too attached to this place before I knew it. I just don’t want to leave. I bet you will understand what I mean when you grow up a little.”

He rubbed the bridge of his nose.

“But enough about me. You don’t have much time left. Are you sure that you don’t want to wish for anything? Seeing two shooting stars at the same time isn’t an often event.”

I watched the couple of stars getting closer and closer to each other. Few more seconds and they will cross each other.

“A wish?..”

“Just don’t say it outloud, remember?”

“I know alright?”

Geez, don’t ruin the mood!

But maybe…

Maybe it would be nice to grant wishes too? Seeing other pony smiling faces, as you help their dreams come true. If even such a moody pony as Black smiled, reminding his own dreams, then maybe it’s a worthy one to wish for?

Two stars crossed the sky and illuminated the surroundings with their bright shine.

Or, to be more accurate, they collided with each other and exploded.

“Oh, come on!”

I shouted. Seriously?! I’ve got all sentimental here just to get THIS?!

“Well, maybe not having a dream is a good thing. I’d feel pretty awful if I’d wished for something and that would happen. Anyways, I still have stuff to do, so won’t disturb you any longer.”

He stood up, bowed and flew away.

For some reason I was sure that he did it on purpose. Even if I’m even more sure that he couldn’t anyhow predict or make two stars fall and explode right now. I just want to blame him for that.

I just sat here shocked once again. All I wanted at that moment was to bury my head underground for some reason.

“Well, at least I cooled my horn?”

Comments

[ProgAltRocker]

Heh, Rettie is getting some good practice and progress in magic now