Chapter 1
"Hmm, so , if we take the leyline chart from the Age of Wonder into account, it's obvious that the nexus points where two or more lines cross have altered over the last thous-thank you Deasly," said DawnChaser as he stared into a new book. This one was quite a bit older than he was used to, coming from the Canterlot Library in the Royal Palace, and so he had to read it quick so it could be returned before something happened that caused it to decay any farther. Still, it was teaching him new things. Of course, learning something new meant he was forgetting about the old stuff, like taking care of himself, so it was lucky that he had assistants like Deasly to remind him to eat. The young unicorn placed a bowl of snacks onto the table in front of him, and DawnChaser levitated one to his mouth absently, chewing it a little before swallowing it down.
"Are you going to need any more help tonight?" asked the assistant, and DawnChaser didn't even think before shaking his head no. He shouldn't, anyway, but before he could think farther on that subject, he got to a line about the use of nexus points, and magical things called Mana Crystals, that completely blew his concentration. Apparently, back then, such concentrations of magic through the leylines would congeal into physical form, not like the Princesses' sun and moon, but instead shiny gems. That explained why there were so many all over Equestria then, remnants from the war, but those small shards barely had any magic. According to the book, entire buildings had been carved out of some of the largest, and a unicorn or other magic user casting spells inside one could affect entire continents, and maybe even challenge the Princesses for control.
Unseen by DawnChaser, Deasly walked out of the room to clean up, wondering idly if his mentor would remember that they had a date tonight with a few of the Magisters, the most powerful unicorns in all of Equestria. The esteemed group wanted to ask the Professor's thoughts on some new discoveries, and apparently one of them claimed to have been detecting 'holes' in the world. What lay beyond these holes was anypony's guess, but he seemed really excited about it in the letter he sent. Deasly would provide his own perspective, both as an Apprentice Level Magister, and as one who had contact with DawnChaser on a semi regular basis, the latter being among the best theoreticians in the group.
Thinking big thoughts like that was enough to make one hungry, and he took a peek into the kitchen, and then, after going through the pantry for a few moments, took a peek out. The Professor had been on an eating binge the night before, and had eaten most of their stock, including several cabinets, part of one wall, two chairs, and a table. That was one of the disadvantages, and sometimes dangers, of living with a stallion that could change size, and sometimes did so without thinking about it. Deasly, meanwhile, did think about changing size, and seeing as those biscuits were now the only food available, he might as well have some. He didn't want to deprive DawnChaser of his first meal since last night though, especially since, considering he had a new book, he was just as likely to forget to bathe, eat, or sleep for a few days as the thought over the new material.
With that idea in hoof, Deasly walked over to the table, and shrank as he leapt into the air, landing with a light clatter of hooves on the wood. Looking up, he saw the Professor getting a pad out, as he neared the end of the book, getting ready to write something down, the big purple stallion not even noticing his tiny assistant. Shaking his head that the obliviousness of his mentor, Deasly made his way over to the bowl, and hopped upward, landing on one of his favorite types of baked goods, and digging in. He really was an excellent baker, he had to admit to himself. He hadn't burned any in this batch, and considering it was a random mixture of types, that was an achievement.
As he munched away, however, the Professor began writing charting out leylines, nexus points, and Celestia knew what else as he continued to read the dusty old tome. Absently he used his magic to grab at another cookie, and Deasly suddenly found himself pressed into the biscuit by a shimmering wall of silver light that then lifted him and the treat upward. Turning his head, he saw the open mouth of his mentor rushing up to meet him, and he tried to shout to him, but before he could, he was placed inside that huge maw, his tail getting caught between the lips, and holding him there as the teeth slammed shut around him, pushing his body nearly flat between them as they chewed the baked goods, and coated his body in saliva as DawnChaser obliviously made a meal of him.
After only a bit of chewing, the lips released him, his tail getting slurped inside with the rest of him, and he landed on the long, flat tongue as it undulated, a wave of flesh that pushed him backwards towards the throat. Not that he was worried, even going 'Wee!' as he slipped over the taste buds, and fell off the back of the tongue, landing in a hammock made of soft flesh that closed around him and the bits of biscuit that had followed him out of DawnChaser's mouth. Now sealed in a sac of flesh, he heard and felt the gulp that passed him down the Professor's throat as a small bulge, which would soon vanish into the purple stallion's chest. DawnChaser, licking his lips, made a mental note to thank Deasly for the tasty cookies, as he had another, while also drawing a diagram of leylines around Canterlot.