One bookworm and egghead, taking refuge in the construction of Fort Book, to hide away from the teasing of others. What comes next, is the effect of a coincidental summoning of the inventor of the fort. The worth of a Dragon’s hoard.
A girl gathers a stack of books into what she refers to, as Fort Book; hidden in the furthermost corner of the archive. Where none is expected to search, and find her.
Incidentally, the design of the fort and a stack of books is summoning the inventor and architect.
Who is this mysterious individual?
In Twilight, everything is possible; to Twilight, everything sparkles. Is this, where it all went wrong?
The keep of the castle, where the lord of books had been summoned. As they say; Friendship is Magic, but what kind of magic is emerging?
PoE
For the glory of contrived conveniences piled sky high.
I am a bookworm, an egghead. I am tired of being teased for it. Now I had hidden away in the deepest and most sacred of places; the archive of all the old and heavy tomes. Knowledge, from the dark and deep past, where books were worth something.
With all the heavy tomes gathered and piled up into what is to pass for my very own and private Fort Book, I can hide and feel safe and secure. Hidden in the sub level of the archive basement, I doubt anyone would find me.
Just gathering the books had taken me hours, building the fort several more ours.
I ended up with a large stack of interesting books, I had not had the energy or time to sort out; in what is passing for a pile, similar to that of the dragons hoard of gems. I had no idea, this could possibly make any difference or be of any significance. How could it? While books may be important to me, but these are just regular, physical books with no powers of their own. Or? Am I so utterly wrong?
What is a pile of assorted books?
Fantastic, Fort Book is large enough; to have several, separate rooms. One of which is currently housing the stack of books, yet assorted. Another is hiding me, from the world above, and the world at large in general. There is the front room, or lobby; for those who prefer these kinds of expressions and locals. That room is not particularly useful.
I had fallen asleep, exhausted; now laying prone on the floor of dusty old tomes. I never had the time to bother; dusting these treasures of books of, after the construction of my precious Fort Book.
Wearing only my school-uniform, I had fallen asleep. A top, a skirt, panties, socks and shoes; this is all I wear. White cotton and the blue; signifying my grade at school.
Apparently, I do have a few apples and carrots in the back-back; I left that in the room by the books. No books, no nothing; I had left it elsewhere; feeling no urge, or reason to bring it down with me. You bring no books, to the Fort Book, castle of all books.
Exhausted, I had not even noticed, that I had fallen asleep. I had not cared, how much of a mess I had left elsewhere. No energy left, for care or tidying up.
As I wake up, to the distinct noises of unsteady books moving; momentarily panicking, afraid the fort was to come tumbling down over me. Maybe I am no architect, or skilled at construction.
I blink; once, twice, thrice. There it is again, the sound of books moving. Someone is in the fort. Another had found Fort Book? Not someone, but some Pony. Technically speaking; she had not found the fort, she is summoned. Now she is stirring from her slumber, thus causing the noises and the commotion in the other room.
Of course, she is just as startled; to find herself on the pile of books, deep within Fort Book. While she had managed to fall asleep, on just such a hoard of books; a pile of hoarded knowledge, but it is not her prefered resting place.
Exhausted, I had simply fallen asleep, where I lay; on the floor of large books, deep within my fort of heavy books. Now I had been woken up, by the unexpected sounds; created by the rousing of the pony, summoned by the coincidental structural design. The fort of books, and the pile of books, hoarded in a single place.
While it does not make any difference, I am still happy; I am wearing something, even if my clothes are less than presentable. My clothes are wrinkled and in a mess. Yet, I am at least dressed.
I manage to get to my feet, before I am starting to walk towards the commotion. At its center, there lay a purple unicorn named Twilight. She is still struggling with her situation within the fort, on the top of the hoard of books. The situation, a shock to her.
“Welcome, to Fort Book!” I greet her.
“Hi!” she whispers, in surprise.
“Fort Book, you say?” she then inquires, as the name calls out to her and calls her to the here and now in which she had found herself.
“Fort Book! Why does this feel so familiar, to me?” she ponders.
“Of course! I built the entire fort, out of books!” I respond.
“Are you saying; that we are literally walking, on books?” she inquires.
“Of course, the floor had to be made out of books! The floor, the walls, the ceiling; everything is built out of books! At least, we are safe from rain, down here; in the archive, which is why these books are so readily available!” I respond.
Of course, by now she had managed to climb down from her hoard of books; standing on the firm ground, safely and comfortably.
“I recall, building a structure just like this; my Fort Book, was just a bit smaller than this!” she exclaims, as the memory clears before her.
“Did you by any chance, fall asleep on a pile of books, at any time?” I inquire, in an attempt at clearing the picture of how and why she had ended up here.
“Now, as you mentioned it; as a matter of fact, I did fall asleep on a pile of books! Once, when I was dead tired; after planning and organizing a summit, I did fall asleep on a pile of books! It is a bit embarrassing, but I did need the sleep something terrible!” she responds.
“I guess the cards are lining up, for how you ended up here, with me!” I exclaim.
“You liked books, over ponies too?” I inquire.
“As a filly; yes, I did!” she responds, giggling nervously.
“Here, in Fort Book; you do not need to be embarrassed, about such things!” I point out.
“Just as you do not need to be embarrassed, over what you wear, or do not wear?” she adds.
“Considering, how you do wear exactly nothing; feeling completely comfortable, I guess that would be a correct observation!” I respond.
“I couldn’t call myself a fashionista, if I was the last pony alive!” she giggles.
“I guess we could just split it even and have a fiest?” the girl responds, giggling.
“We could, but at least we can share it; with no worries about how the other feels about what the you enjoy to have!” I respond.
“Oh, yeah; you are a horse, so you would enjoy most vegetables?” she responds.
“A pony, technically! I have never seen an actual horse, though!” I clarify, more for the sake of clearing the ground and avoiding needless confusion.
“While I can’t bring in a real horse, or any other animal; but I could find the books, and show you pictures!” she suggests.
“You do have a wealth of books, here; so that seems the easier way, to bridge the gap!” I respond.
“By the way; a pony is just a smaller horse, isn’t it?” she points out.
“Oh, it is?” I inquire; “Where I come from, there are no horses; but, a unicorn like me is still a pony!” I explain.
She manages to find a book, illustrating equines. She is flipping pages; pointing at the pictures. Horses, zebras and donkeys. Of course, there are mules, zorses and zedonks in the mix, even if these are not truly separate species, but hybrids.
She picks up another book, pointing at pictures of unicorns, pegasi, centaurs and numerous other familiar creatures.
“Myths of Ancient Greece!” I read, on the cover of the second book.
“Are we merely myths, in this world?” I ponder, without saying anything about it.
“Of course, we do not have humans; where I live, so I guess that is quite fair!” I realize.
“At least, you know what I am!” I mumble.
I hold on to these books, stacking them up in a corner of the room; for later references, and some late night studies of my own. I have more books here, I can read; but since I was notified of these two, I will have to read up on these items.
“Books, books, books; so many books!” I mumble, to myself.
“If and when I do get back, home; I will simply have to tell my friends, of this place and all its marvelous wonders I have already seen!” I ponder, quietly.
If, indeed. Returning, requires I am missed, where I came from; not to mention, there is a way to get back to where I came from. Where, exactly; am I, right now? She never really explained, where this place is.
Once the two books I had deemed of worth had been stacked away in the corner where I could find them; I follow the girl, from one room and to the next one. It appears, everything in the fort consists of books. Even the table had been crafted out of books, she had scavenged in the building under which this archive had been installed.
“Another room?” I inquire; “And another, and another!” I add, pondering the situation.
“If you had access to this many books, you already have hoarded; do you have more books available? Could we go and see them, after the meal? Or, could you pick up another book, at any point, soon?” I inquire.
The archive is just consisting of the books people never read, too valuable to burn!” she points out
While we should be safe, here at Fort Book; mainly due to the protection, provided by the heavy tomes. I would not brave to walk out, now; during the dark hours of the night. I suspect; there is some kind of security system with surveillance, monitoring the building. Even if I could be lucky, and they have no surveillance of the archive!” she points out.
“I hear nothing, from outside your fort, and I can sense no movement; other than that of the two of us! It may be these walls shielding my senses, just as it may be shielding their effort in monitoring this room!” I respond, as I follow her around.
“Fort Book itself, and the hoard of books is strangely comforting to me!” I realize.
Once we reach, what is to pass for the makeshift kitchen; she is extracting the vegetables she had promised. I watch, as she stack the food on a table; crafted out of heavy books, hoarded away down here.
“Bon Appetite!” she offers, as she had placed a few apples and carrots in a stack for me.
“Thank you!” I respond, as I pick up the first apple in the grasp of my magic.
She had watched me, with large eyes; as a small orb of deep purple light of my magic formed at the tip of my horn; growing as I focus and reach the point, where it flow down the length of my horn like an avalanche. This is, when I had focused on the apple before me; the light had reached out and picked up the fruit.
I watch her eat, in silence; while I chew on the apples and carrots my meal consists of. Aside from how fresh the fruit looks, it is clearly nothing wrong with them. Something I could have served other ponies, back home in Ponyville, where I came from. The very same Ponyville, where I recall I had been; just as late as the last night, as I went to bed in my library.
The Golden Oak Library had been my home, since the day I had moved to Ponyville; the fateful day Princess Celestia sent me on the mission, of overseeing the preparations of the Summer-Sun celebration. It was that day, I had met the ponies I now call my friends; the very same ponies, I would trust implicitly with my life.
Will I ever see any of them, other than as pictures in a book?
The apples are reminding me of Applejack, harvesting her apples at the Sweet Apple Acres. The care and effort she is putting into her work, providing the village with fresh, sweet and juicy apples.
The apples she had offered me, were delicious; I will have to give her, as much.
I had seen, there are several more rooms in the fort. Fort Book is far larger, than I had dared to expect or hope. My old version, as a filly; had never been this large, this is not a mere filly’s stack of books. It is a mature structure, built out of books beyond the hopes and dreams of a mere filly.
Is it silly of me, to choose the room beside hers? I had chosen the room, nonetheless. Maybe I just desire the sense of companionship, or the protection, in her company? Yet, I had chosen this room.
My room, just as hers, is far from the outer gate, as well as from the outer wall of our castle. A castle, built by a little girl, walls consisting of nothing but the books out of an archive. All that keeps the books in place, is her hopes and dreams. Of course, now I add mine; in order to strengthen and reinforce the structure for the good of the both of us.
In friendship, I trust; just as I had trusted, in the wisdom of the books
With nothing but books, that is what I am using to build my bed. I have no sheets, or bed covers. At least, now I have a more proper bed. Of course, she does have nothing more, than what I have.
I had used the books, I had found least useful, when I had built my bed, hoping she had done the same. A book, stuck in the structure of the fort, is lost to us. Unless we are willing and able to replace the original book; stuck in the structure of the fort or the furniture.
Even with my magic, I am not willingly taking the risk. I do not feel overly eager to find myself under the rubble of the fort; in case it would be tumbling down upon me. Just as I do not want, to risk the girl’s life in the process.
Am I too reverent of the books, these books used in the construction of the structure referred to as; Fort Book. I have always had a close relation and intimate reverence for books. Maybe, just maybe this is why I built my very own version of this fort. As a matter of fact; I fear, this is why I accepted the call and the summoning in the first place.
Now I am here, at Fort Book. She lets me have a room, one of many rooms in her wondrous fort. It is almost, as if I am reliving a fantasy from my foalhood.
She summoned me, knowingly or not, but she summoned me; she gave me a room of my own, and I chose this one room as my own. I live in the room, next to hers.
The floor on which I trot is the sides of books, just as the walls surrounding and protecting me; are the backs of books. No, not mere books; heavy, ageless, invaluable tomes of worth beyond measure. Maybe books do have personality, and powers; beyond what mere humans and ponies could have imagined? I dread, I fret; yet, I feel a desire stirring in my chest, deep withing me. A desire, to explore and learn of the powers. Magic, arcane and impenetrable.
In the perspective of a fort; is the room, where these books are stored the armory? I was never a guard or in the millitary, that was my brother’s part to play; just as I don’t see this girl, as part of military either. Not just because she is too young, but it is not in her personality.
Save the two books I had chosen, after she introduced me to them, demonstrating them to me, I move the entire stack of books to the room next to mine. Now I have her room on one side, and the armory on the other side of my room. Everything, collected close by. I can’t move the kitchen, or any other facility; but then again, I had no hoof in the construction of this Fort Book.
Am I envious, not having a hoof in this construction; or, should I have been envious? I do not know, but for now do not care. Should I?
I guess I am content, living with the girl. I can make due, with what I have. No point, in worrying about anything I do not have, or can not fix by myself.
I don’t have anything to complain about; she is sharing what she has with me freely; both her books and her food. While I guess I still do miss my old friends of Ponyville.
“Imagine it; I desire the companionship and company, of one such as her!” I ponder; “But is she so different; from when I accepted the Dragon, I now know as Spike?” I realize
They may be of two entirely different worlds and cultures, but they are taking up a position in my heart; not too dissimilar, when you examine the context of it all.
“Is this something, I need to be sleepless over; spending hours of waken time, wondering and worrying about?” I ponder; “Of course not, what a preposterous notion you are presenting!” I answer my own question, finding satisfaction in the response.
Why do I fret, or worry? There is nothing I could do, just as there is nothing I could change; at this point, when I am already here.
“While I do not particularly enjoy a situation, where there is nothing I could possibly do; but if I have someone I can ask and rely upon, I guess I will just have to make due!” I ponder
I have a room, and a friend with whom I can share everything I have; just as she is sharing everything she has, with me. At least, it is what I see. If this is not so, she is certainly hiding it well.
Lunch was good, I had shared a few of her apples. I like apples; they remind me of all the times I had with Applejack, and her family in the past. A past, to which I can never go back. Maybe I can find a way back to the Equestria I came from? Yet, in this case I may have to leave a friend behind. I do not like leaving a friend behind and I do not wish to leave her behind.
While the fort is large an expansive, it is still very small for me to live in and spend the rest of my life in.
“I am going out, in order to explore the room around the fort! I will leave everything behind, with you; while I make this excursion, but I intend to come back as soon as possible!” she explains.
“Lighten the load? Nothing to lead back to the fort where I hide!” I respond.
“We will need more food, soon enough, and you know it!” she points out.
“Yes, I understand! While I could have helped you, to carry what ever you find; I could probably defend you against what ever is out there, but I understand that if I am seen now, I could be the cause of the danger!” I respond.
“Thank you, Twilight!" she offers, as she is walking along the hall to the lobby.
I do not follow her. Not so much, because I fret; it is just no point. I trot towards my room, as I see her leave our shared home.
“Maybe I could spend some quality time, with that book; reading about these mythological Hordes she mentioned, earlier the other day!” I ponder, while I am trotting towards my room.
“While I do not know, exactly how long it will take her to get back; but, I will have more than enough time on my hooves, reading in the days ahead!” I ponder.
“The book can stand to wait, a few more minutes to an hour, while I am doing a bit of exploration!” I tell myself.
Just because this fort is much larger than my original Fort Book, back hone; does not mean it is unlimited, or that I will wonder off and get lost in a complicated maze of halls and scattered about rooms no end.
Her room is empty; since she had left the food in the kitchen and carry the back pack with her.
My room is empty, short of the two books I was taking from the Dragon’s hoard, when she showed me what a Horse is.
The third, fourth and fifth rooms are basically deserted, beyond Spartan in exactly everything.
When I enter the final room on the black, I am a bit carried away. I light my horn and illuminate the room; with everything I am worth, barely stopping myself before any of the book is blazing. I feel the floor smoldering, in a deep purple glow, but nothing does catch fire- Thankfully.
Seemingly at random, I stop at a particular book in the middle of the room; stopping and scrutinizing it, intensely willing it to reveal something deep under and hidden beneath.
All of a sudden, the books creaks and lifts up from the floor; with a set of other books, in the form of a door like the one I fell into at the Sweet-apple Acres, so many years ago. That was the day, when I had been following Pinkie Pie, in the vain hopes of proving a fallacy in her claims. I had paid for this, in pain and intense humiliation. I will not repeat the mistake, even if I am offered a chance to see her in Ponyville. Ever.
There is a whooshing sound of what appears to be escaping air, then a sirens call is heard from deep within the space created by opening the door. A call, from what appears to be a filly in the age one is about to head for one’s first class. Only it feels as if the filly is my daughter or a younger version of my very self. The contradiction tears at my very soul.
What am I to do?
As I look at the books, making up the door; it looks as if they had been coated by clear, mate rubber, and it feels coarse and sticky to the touch.
As I look down, it looks as if there is a path leading down to the next floor, the basement or it is a sub level.
“A sub level!” I ponder, trying to grasp the full meaning and weight of what I am seeing and the expression behind it.
These books, looks as if coated in clear glass, tainted in the purple hue of my coat, feeling slick and sleek, almost slippery to the touch. Only when I place my right fore-hoof on the surface; it feels as if I wear suction-cup boots with incredible suction I almost grasp the control of. As if I am supposed to be walking down with ease, no matter what the direction of the floor beneath my hooves may be. It feels as if I am trotting down on a level floor. It is not as if I am trotting down in a deep, dark whole in the ground.
Of course, I am not wearing any such boots; I am in fact, still as nude as I had been from the instant I had woken up here.
“Since the path is safely more than two feet wide, there is no problem for me to trot down there. The path is probably closer to five feet wide; I could take my new friend by my side, and still have more room fore safety to spare.
“Speaking of which, or, is it Witches? Maybe I should wait, and wait for her to return; before we go down and explore this discovery, together!” I ponder.
I leave the door open, just in case. For now, I take the chance of leaving it open; rather than leaving it, taking the chance I could not find this again when she comes back. With what ever she manages to find on her little adventure, out there.
“If she is not jealous of this, I still do want her by my side; when I go down there, exploring!” I ponder.
“Of course; I could read my book, or sort the pile of books in our Armory! But, I think I will save these, for later!” I consider.
I do not know how long I will be staying here, so I could as well pace myself. If I gallop off on the adventure now; and I have nothing more to explore, I would be very bored in a month or so.
If I went down, and either found a way home, or just vanished without a trace; she would be feeling abandoned and sad, even if she never had expected to see me here in the first place. Of course; maybe I should never have been here, but now I am. I had been summoned by a convergence of coincidences. Two of which had been pointed out and the third very likely one.
Since I knew, I could not go down and explore this now and alone; I had left the entrance open and trotted out of the room. I trot down the hall, leading me to the lobby; sitting down in the middle of the room, waiting for her to return. Of course, I had known she had to go and that I could not safely follow her, at this point.
I make myself as comfortable as I can, while I wait.
“She knows she is awaited!” I ponder, where I sit, quietly and wait for the girl.
Should I have been surprised, to find the gate at the entrance of my fort? Either way, there it is.
“Just look; at what the magic has done, to my precious Fort Book!” I ponder.
I manage to open the gate, even without the help of my new friend; Twilight Sparkle, the purple Unicorn Pony. Opening the gate, from inside; is not hard, or much of a challenge. I am inside of the keep; opening the gate from outside, will be an entirely different matter.
“Good thing; Twilight Sparkle is inside, waiting for me!” I ponder, as I step out of Fort Book.
As I turn back, for a short look; I discover something else, about the appearance of the fort.
“Why do the walls look more like solid, heavy rock; than old and weathered bound leather backs?” I ponder.
Upon the unexpected discovery, I walk to the wall on the right side of my fort. What I feel under my hands; is exactly the rock face, my eyes had just told me is there. I continue along the side of the wall, further and further along the wall. I continue, until I am back on the other side of the gate.
“I would imagine, Twilight would love to hear about my discovery! The fort is indeed as real, as could have been expecting, Fort Book will not come tumbling down over us in the middle of the night!” I ponder.
Why, oh why; is the wall much larger on the outside; than the stack of books, I had originally been putting into it.
On second thought, the path to the gate had been laid with heavy stone, like you read about in the books of the original, real olden forts.
“Why is there a bright Sun, on the sky?” I exclaim, feeling its warmth on my back.
“So of course, there is green grass under my still bare feet!” I continue, in exulted surprise.
What Daemon has taken possession of my Fort Book? Who else, other than a Daemon could possibly have performed these changes to the world of which I had come from? There are no books in sight, none to be seen for miles.
While I do enjoy the grass under my bare feet, I still choose to take the road; finding it the logical path to see, where I am and where it could possibly take me. Assuming it is not taking me away from Fort Book and my new friend Twilight Sparkle, of course.
Naturally, this could as easily have been one of these raving mad dreams you sometimes have., A dream, where nothing makes sense, yet makes perfect sense within the confines of that one isolated dream.
Nothing to see, and none to see for miles on end.
“Wait, maybe this could have explained; why she could sense nothing, from outside Fort Book?” I ponder.
After walking for a few minutes, I come across a road sign.
“The Cross Roads!” it reads.
Bravely, I walk past the road sign for several more steps; turning around, in the blind hopes of seeing what the sign said on its back.
“Fort Book: 01” it reads.
“Oh, okay; then I guess, I am still safe!” I ponder.
“One mile, to Fort Book; that is not so bad, at least I have a point of reference now!” I ponder.
Of course, I am still a bit stubbed, by just how large the world is; under the ground, and inside the building where the Library Archive had originally been housed.
I follow the road, towards the promised destination; The Cross Roads, whatever that could possibly be. I just have nowhere else to go. If I do not choose to just go back to Fort Book, where I had just come from.
I could assume it had all just been a bad dream, or a joke in bad taste; such things has happened to me, in the past.
With the Sun behind my back, and the coarse stones just comfortably hot; the road does not feel overwhelming, but rather comforting and even to a point fun.
“The Cross Roads!” I read on the sign, after walking for several minutes.
As I walk past the sign, I soon come across a crossroads. There is a sign to the right and left, aside from the one before me. Naturally, there is a fourth sign behind me.
“Library: Archive 05!” the first sign before me reads.
“Does this road take me, to the Library Archives; from which I came?” I ponder.
“Orchard Square 02!” reads the sign on my right.
“That is; where I could find the apples, I am looking for!” I exclaim.
“Fort Book Village!” reads the third sign, on my left.
“Now, that is curious!” I exclaim, as I examine the sign.
“Fort Book Castle!” I read, on the sign behind me.
“Now, isn’t that impressive?” I exclaim.
Since food is my first priority, I choose to go towards the orchards; in the hopes of finding something edible, I could share with Twilight. Any food, I could share with her, I could find here; is the advantage of not going up, topside where I could not take Twilight Sparkle. Outside, I would have to use up my rare and dwindling resources; just to pay for some meager supplies, like Apples and Carrots. If I could avoid it, I choose to search here, first.
Maybe the original layout had been an advantage, in traveling time and distance, but now I may be free to take Twilight with me. She needs to go out, to see the Sun in the sky and feel the rejuvenating breeze in her mane. She is a Pony, not an Office Monkey.
“Apples, Cherries, Pears, Plums..” I read on the right side of the road.
"Strawberries, Blueberries, Currant, Gooseberries..” I read on the left side of the road.
“No Carrots!” I ponder, but realize these are not grown on an orchard.
Since some fruits had fallen onto the road, I choose to pick a few of these. The ripe fruit on the road would not stay fresh, long enough for anyone who is not happen to pass by just after the fruit had fallen. On the road, I consider them free for the picking.
A few apples, cherries and a pear and a plum. While the berries had not fallen off, or onto the street; but a handful of each, just to compliment the fruit should be acceptable. I don’t stray up into the fields, but make due with what I can reach from the road.
Since I purposefully left my backpack at home; I will have to make due with what I can carry on my shirt.
I am not in the mood to run, or hurry; so I just walk back in a fairly measured gait, once I had inspected the orchards to the end of the road.
Strangely enough; No-one, and No-pony is in sight. I can’t see anyone around.
“Whatever spell is in the working here, responsible for materializing everything I have seen; apparently has not had the time to produce People, or choose not to. Unless it is outright incapable of creations on that level, of course
Since I had reached the end of the orchards, I turn back the way I came; following the road towards the crossroads, only stopping by the sign at the actual crossroads for a moment,. At the crossroads, I take a moment, to examine the signs and read them once more. The signs had not changed in the least, for which I am eternally thankful. Had any of these signs changed, or been changed; that would indicate that other things could change at will, which I am not comfortable with. Maybe this is not a dream, after all.
I do not know how long I have been out, so I choose to assume that Twilight could start to worry at any time, now. I choose, not to explore any of the roads towards the Library, or to the Village. I assume they are as empty, as the orchard I had just left.
At least, now I have food with me. Aside from the tale of my exploits to share with her, when I do get back.
I continue to walk down the path towards Fort Book, just following the road I had walked before. Just a few miles to walk.
Of course, I can see the fort, when I pass the crossroads. The distance is not all that great and Fort Book is still a rather imposing building all by itself. There is nothing to compare with, when the surroundings are just covered with short grass.
In surprise, I realize one thing had actually changed. I have a mote and a gate over. Reinforced oaken boards, now down over the mote. I step onto the makeshift bridge, feeling smooth wood, as heavy and durable as it may be.
I see a new building behind the mote, adjacent to the actual fort. The stainless steel gate is clearly up and Twilight is standing before me, waiting. She had been awaiting me, for quite some time.
On second thought, as I arrive; I notice a wide grin spread all over her face. She is not just happy to see me, while she had found something interesting and exciting she wishes to share with me.
“Greetings!” Twilight pronounces, as I am leaving the bridge behind me.
"Hi, you have not been waiting for too long?” I inquire.
“Since you are here; no! You did find something edible, with which to strengthen our previously rather week supplies of food; I take it!” she responds.
“Yes, I picked up several Apples, and some other vegetables!” I respond.
“Let’s get the food to the kitchen, then we can sample the food? After that, there is something else; I think you may like to see!” she points out.
“Of course; lead the way! I hope nothing has changed, while I was out!” I put forth.
“Changed, why and how?” she inquires.
“I do not know, but I had the impression that things have changed, while I was out! You can see for yourself; I believe it will be safe for you to go out, if and when you choose!” I respond.
“Just don’t tell me, the room outside is no longer the room you left as you stepped into your little fort?” she offers.
“The fort is built out of solid stone, and there are fields of grass to explore; even before you enjoy to trot down the road from Fort Book!” I explain.
“Grass, and roads?” she ponders; “Now; this, I will just have to see!” she exclaims.
“I thought, you would say something like that! I imagine you would be feeling a bit cooped up, in here; by now!” I respond.
“An actual table!” she explains, as she is stepping into the kitchen.
“Fridge, freezer and room for all the food we could eat in days and weeks!” I respond.
“I guess, now it is an actual kitchen; not just another room, we choose to call the kitchen!” she offers.
“It would seem that way!” I respond, as I leave my bounty on the table.
I pick up an apple for myself, and toss another her way.
Now, what was the discovery you mentioned? And, where is it?” I put forth.
“It is in the last room of the hall, considering your room as the first!” she explains; “A door to somewhere else, but apparently under Fort Book!” she adds.
”Right this way!” she exclaims, as I lead her towards the door of the last room in the hall.
“Since I did not have a saddle bag, she is carrying a few apples in her back pack; she did recall to take it with her, this time. Of course, we do not expect to see any one, or any Pony this time.
The door is open, as we step into the room, just as I had left it.
I feel the change, as I hear the first squeak from my hooves; directly as I am entering the still rather small room, with her in tow.
“That is odd!” she responds, giggling at the sounds of my hooves.
“I know, I just hope this will not bother you!” I respond.
Once she enters the room, just two steps behind me; she realizes, just how fun and funny these squeaking noises are. Her feet are picking up the same exact effect.
“Equestrian rubber squeaks, of the local variety of Ponyville!” I point out, as I hear her walking over the floor in the room.
"Feels as if the souls of my feet had been given a generous coating of your rubber!” she suggests.
“Then I don’t need to worry; you falling off of the edge of the world, when we go down to see where this path is leading!” I point out.
“That is convenient, I don’t want you to worry about me, falling down and hurt myself!” she responds.
“With some practice; you could walk around the room, like a fly!” I offer; teasing her and giggle at the silly image I just painted up, before myself.
“Are you saying; that I could learn to walk upside down, in the ceiling?” she inquires.
“While you only have two feet, but yes; I imagine you could, if you put in the effort!” I explain.
“I don’t know, but for now, I am happy with sticking to the path before us!” she responds.
“Just do not take that too literal!” I warn her.
With that, I set hoof on the path down, under the fort.
She quickly follows me, walking to stay by my side.
On equine hooves;, the suction effect does not change the perspective of the ground, as much as it does for her; since she has soft feet to walk on.
The squeaks are following us down the path, as we continue down; as we explore, where this path is about to take us. First; I only notice how the path is spiraling down, downwards towards what appears to be the basement of her Fort Book. Little by little, I soon realize; how the path is twisting the perspective, as we are walking upside down, just as the Flies I had mentioned earlier. Just that the gravity is pulling me down, towards the floor under my very hooves. The sensation is exactly the same for my companion.
With what feels like a downwards spiral and a floor tilting more and more inwards; I would have feared, I would have been slipping off of the floor. Now I feel the suction holding my hooves steadily in place and the coarse surface under my hooves preventing me from slipping or sliding.
After several minutes, I see a light before me, a door open for us to step through. On the other side, we are no longer in the fort we had enjoyed. Now we are in Equestria. At least, nominally speaking. Maybe this would explain the changes we had experienced topside, in the room we had just left?
“Wait, where are we?” she inquires; Are we still in the Fort Book, or have we gone to a different place, entirely?” she continues.
“I think we may be at Fort Book, still; but the probability of stepping over the border to another realm, is overwhelming..” I respond, now snickering.
Looking around, the room we had just entered looks exactly like the one we had just left. Just that this is upside down. As if we had walked, or trotted all the way through the Earth; ending up on the other side of the world.
“Maybe the border between our respective worlds was never quite as great a divide as one may have thought?” I ponder.
“Assuming we have traveled over the border to your world; exactly where in Equestria are we, on this side of the tunnel?” she inquires.
“I have no idea..” I respond; “but I would love to think, we have managed to get home to Equestria!” I offer.
“Since you were before me, maybe the tunnel leads back to your home?” she is suggesting, walking over the floor.
On closer inspection; the floor is still the same stone tiles that had replaced the books of the now former Fort Book. Where had the books gone, unless they had just been turned into stone. However; pulling the books out, would have destroyed Fort Book in any event. The investment had been made, at the construction of Fort Book. Every book forfeit; unless they could safely be replaced.
While the frog of each of my hooves had been covered or coated with the crystal-clear Equestrian Rubber, just as the souls of her feet had been as we entered the tunnel; now the palms of her hands had been subject to the same treatment.
“Clip, clop; clip, clop; clip, clop... “ is heard, as I continue to trot over the floor with my friend in tow a mere step behind and to the right.
Naturally, there is a faint squeak to her steps, just as a bounce had been added to her step in the process; as the rubbery coating had been applied to the souls of her feet. It would be unavoidable.
“Wait, what?” she exclaims, just as she notices the crystal-clear coat of rubber covering the palms of her hands; “when did that happen?” she inquires; “I did not notice it, until now…” she then concludes.
“I hope it is not inconveniencing you..” I respond; “I can but guess it happened as you transferred from bipedal to quadruped locale!” I suggest.
“Are you suggesting; this manifested, once I stepped over the border to your realm?” she inquires.
“Most likely..” I respond; “Unless it reverts back, if you traverse back; there will be no way to know!” I put forth.
“Since it does not feel different, I only realized it; once I saw it, the first time after we stepped up on this side!” she puts forth.
“I don’t feel it, unless I expressively engage it; so I can trot over the floor, without even noticing the difference!” I suggest.
“Oh!!” she exclaims, as my observation is sinking in.
“While this would normally be embarrassing, but I have been carrying Spike on my back so many times I don’t even notice it; maybe you could try to jump up onto my back, for a short ride?” I offer.
“Yes, but of course you can..” she merely responds, with a generous snicker to her voice.
“Since you are offering, I guess I can accept!” I respond; as I am stepping up behind her, placing the palms of my hands firmly just in front of her tail and jump up onto her.
As I focus on holding on, I feel my hands sticking to the purple fur covering her back; before I slip up onto her back, soon finding myself sitting comfortably behind her neck.
“This brings back fond memories, from when Spike was small enough to sit on my back exactly where you’re sitting right now..” she puts forth, reminiscing.
“I hope I am not intruding, on her memories now..” I ponder; “It’s surprisingly comfortable, to sit on your back in this fashion..” I put forth.
“Thank you!” she merely responds, snickering as she remembers Spike sitting just like this.
While my hands stick to the fur covering her back, effortlessly; I am by no means stuck on her back, if and when I choose to jump off of her. I just choose, to stay on her back at the moment. Well, why not; when it is comfortable, and she had after all invited me to try it.
It isn’t, as if my hands are sticky in the traditional sense; it is more like magic, acting as magnetic attraction. It is a weird sensation and experience, at first; but comforting me, more than I had been prepared to acknowledge or accept. Only now, it had become an integral part of who I am. This explains, how we had manage to move so freely and unhindered; as I was following her, down the path taking us here.
If this is Equestria, her Equestria; but it is a place, brimming with the Magic she is used to. The magic she had been born to. Now, I had found myself adjusted and adapting to it and its workings.
I find it surprisingly comfortable on her back, my rump resting lightly on the lean muscles of her lower back; my hands resting before me, as I have crossed my legs to acquire the most comfortable position.
“Well, why shouldn’t I find it comfortable?” I ponder, giggling at myself.
Just as on the other side, the door is in the middle of the room; facing the door out of the room, it had been placed in. Of course, it is the only logical choice. Isn’t it?
It is almost, and just almost; as if it had been the same room, I had just left. Only now, it is the Equestrian version of this room; in place of the version on Earth, I had just left. Is it obvious? Yet, this room is essentially identical to the one room I had just left. But, why shouldn’t it be?
While the room is identical, and both I and my friend: Twilight Sparkle are just as we had been, on the other side of the tunnel. It is, as if we had just dug a tunnel under a national border; the entrance is identical to the exit, yet the laws are still different.
On Earth: where I come from, we have no Magic. Whereas Equestria, where we are now; there is plentiful and Powerful Magic, permeating the very fabric of existence. No point in denying it. Even if I had not yet noticed or realized it.
Once I had jumped up onto her back, finding my comfortable position; she starts to trot towards the door, in a measured gait; “Clip, clop; clip, clop..”
Just as she closes in on the door, I can see her horn flaring up; the purple magic forming on the tip, slowly growing in size and intensity until it floods down the entire length of her horn. The next moment, the door slides up, as on cue; just in time, for her to trot out of the room, into the long hallway in the Castle of Friendship.
If I look back, I can see the door to a small cleaning supply closet; the door soon closing behind us, just as she had trotted out of the room.
The floor is a smooth purple, as if the floor had just been one single solid Amethyst. Likewise, the walls and the ceiling are made out of the same crystal.
As Twilight is trotting down the hall, a spectre appears before us. This is the Avatar of the Castle, in the shape of Twilight Sparkle. Just that this is an Alicorn.
The Pony on whose back I am sitting, is still the same Unicorn as she had been as she appeared before me. I had unwittingly summoned her, as the converging coincidences reached critical mass. Forming the pile of books in the structure of books I named Fort book had successfully reached the required critical mass. Now, I have my friend with me; while she currently is trotting along the hall of the Castle of Friendship.
This is a sub-level of her basement; where she stores the book archive, containing her most prized books. But of course, how appropriate.
“A Ghost..” I exclaim, whispering in her ear.
“Greetings, Twilight Sparkle and Miss Sparks; I am the Avatar of the Tree of Harmony!” she is presenting herself in a formal greeting.
“Miss Sparks..” I mumble to myself, snickering.
“I guess you truly are in Equestria, Miss Sparks!” Twilight offers me, as way of explanation.
Aside from the change incurred by walking through the tunnel, I do not feel as if I had changed at all; I am exactly the same Human Girl I had always been, even if I had entered Equestria without even knowing it. Still, I could as well go along with presenting myself as Miss Sparks, even if this never had been my name before.
Why complain? It isn’t as if it is a bad name here in Ponyville. Some Ponies already have weird enough names, so it isn’t as if I were to stick out now.
“Since we are Friends, Twilight; please, call me Miss?” I suggest.
“Of course, Miss; I hate formalities, anyway..” she responds; “besides; we are friends!” she concludes.
“Should we call our ethereal friend; Avatar, then?” I inquire, snickering for a moment.
“Sounds about right..” she merely responds, reciprocating the feeling with a snicker of her very own.