In the Beginning......by ArnChaptersCoveredGamesHis Character, His RoleSoldiering OnThe Sparking Cauldron.Life on the edgeStake of the CoinThe SeedAs Saved from the FireIn the beginning...for Smuggie PieThe WordCoveredIn the Beginning Covered The Unicorn found the earth pony sitting up. “Feeling better?”the unicorn asked trotting into the room. The pony there, sitting on a cot, looked at him cross eyed, as if not quite sure how they worked.“Um, would you mind turning to face me.”he said to the back of the pony’s head.”You’re freaking me out doing that.” As soon as the earth pony swung his head around to regard the unicorn with one eye, he spoke. “I have something for you…”He then magicked something out of his saddle bag and it landed in the earth ponies hooves. ”There you go, sunny boy.” The pony's eyes opened wide as he pawed the cover and then opened the book.He then smiled thoughtfully, and closed it again."Hello old friend."he said eyes watery, voice dry. If he had really understood what that book said, he had carried around with him everywhere, what it really said, then maybe none of this would have ever happened. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Confused sounds, darkness crowded place, stifling.Then pushing, pulling shoved to a more open area good to have room to stretch. “Stop struggling!"said a voice in the dark. "You want to cut off circulation you foal!” “Well what is he?”asked another. “Uni…kick me again, and I’ll grab you where it hurts, hollow horn! Unicorn!” said a third. “Great! Another for remedial training: Easy as 1,2,3…"shoop boom"yahh..watch it you nearly started a fire!Give me that inhibitor ring!It goes on like this.” There was a ringing sound, like metal scraping something, then a dull thud. “Uh!Glubble nunkly blloof!”spat said unicorn. “Power surges and baby talk! Awww...Don’t worry! You’ll figure how to talk. Ha! soon you'll be floating things everywhere! Well Doc, how is he?....hoomp!”the third voice said again. “Screeee!!” “I'm serious...look me in the eye !Did I not tell thee?! I said, ‘Stop struggling!’ You nearly hit somepony’s head with your ugly untrimmed hooves and my leg!” third grumpily said. “Sorry! My bad! I shouldn't have touched there! My fault.” said the doctor.”Nice healthy specimen!”the doctor said. More struggling. "Move again and I might accidentally go into the quick ans that will hurt!" the third voice said. There was a scrapping sound. “There! Your pedicure is finished! Trim done,sir!" He said in mock tones." Guys, send him on. You’re going with the Unicorns! Lucky fellow, I wish I were so young, eligible and single……Oh! And buck you!!.” “Ha! Now.Now. Better him than us! I tire so of explaining, having run and run, out of breath, for my life, to my misses, why I’m always late home this time of year!” the voice said. "Ha!Take the ground."said another laughing."She's control and she knows!" “One is enough for me! Can’t you see? Stop chasing me! From hearth and home! Leave me be! Maybe now everymare can have her own! Then they can leave us, Ruggedly handsome, gaurdponies, alone!” Unicorn. Pegasus. Pegasus, earth pony. Unicorn. Earth pony. Unicorn. Earth Pony. Pegisus, no earth pony…”They sang as they sorted the new arrivals. And the sorting continued, divided and segregated into pen like areas. Huge: big enough to almost be mistaken for the arena in Rome…with amenities. “Wow. This guys a is built like a big one. Be ready! What? No fight? You’re not going to fight?No struggle? Hmm..OK then….um…I will be your valet, today.”He then introduced himself as the others snickered. “Guys stop that and help me get these rags of him!Parts of his body are turning purple! There we go! Isn’t that better? Well built…What you shy?” The pony closed his eyes tightly. “Guys quit starring! You’re making him nervous…come on! Don't do that! Don’t turn red!,tch! Boy, your embarrassing us.” “Hey! He has a cutie mark! Funny one.” as one pointed a hoof at the strange dusk like cloud on his flank with light behind it looking as if something were hidden, bright golden rays shining beyond. The untrained eye looked him over.”Is the sun rising or setting? Wow.Doc he’s perfectly healthy, muscular but not SheSun if you know what I mean!” “I’ll take him up to the office for a less evasive examination and an intelligence test, you know. Test for comeliness! My assistants can examine the others. Celestia’s spell was perfect! I’ll consider him a random sampling. If he’s ok then they’re all good, everything we need! Come on big boy! Follow me! Good, nice to see one of them with some manners to follow commands!”The Doctor said. He then went on ahead. The unicorn,mumbling to himself, walking a little too far ahead. A unicorn! The pony following him became separated having stopped with a gruffle, his mind rebelling, realizing he was staring the tail end of a unicorn in front of him. Keeping pace as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Staring at its butt!!!! He turned red again. Horses, he though as he slowly swept his head back and forth, horses everywhere! Talking....horses...doing things with their hooves! Floating things; wings?I'm...a....horse!...ok...now what? Think differently or act differently? He chewed quickly on his lip.He then put on a big horsey smile,crossing his eyes his mind going non sequetor, tilt. He had decided. Until he had something to prove this was real....He rejoiced in his common sense, as his head nodded up and down like bobble bird. He just wouldn't think!Yes. Oh and don't be rude. ......and stop thinking about the unicorn's butt picture!!!! The pony wandered aimlessly about. Looking around at everything making sure he was gawking off to the side as to not bring attention to himself, a habit he had developed over time. Really,he had never gotten used to where he was or what he was and now he was somewhere else as something else! The realization hadn't quite clicked yet. “Funny bird” he was,he believed himself, a different situation always led to new and a different reaction!Right now,he had put himself on automatic, he was running on age old habits and observation. All these picture of a Mare in the Sun! Then the necessities of life began to tap on his somewhat questionably lucid mind. He watched the ponies tested a gate and then randomized it with the different walks he saw. Author's Note Where has our Stallion found himself, what was he before? GamesTypical day: Get up, read the book, clean up, breakfast, go to work, have lunch, read the book, finished work, shop for groceries, or go to the library or the mall, stop on a bench read, watched his fellow beings go home, make dinner(for one), entertain one’s self, ready for bed, read the book, fall asleep.Busy, busy day, whoop... Then, one day, everything changed. As he got up and he cleaned up, he kept forgetting to take his book.Several trips back in and out of his house, later, he finally clutched it firmly, beginning his day. He put the book in his locker, starting his work. He was late. As the day progressed work became harder and harder, his feet, hands and eye lids, heavier and heavier. Feeling stuck on the hands of a clock like a worker in "Metropolis". Time for lunch at long last arrived; he just sat in his seat and held his book. Every time he put it down a sense of panic would wash over him. Well, the book was just small enough to conceal it his body as he worked. Another feeling washed over him. A feeling of looking, being confused, as if it had misplaced something important, something valuable…him! His strength began cascade back.He felt like a kid winning at hide and seek He put it out of his mind. Through the rest of his work day, he continued with renewed strength and vigor. After work he went to the mall; people watching, by his favorite seat near the fountain.The mall's Merry-go-round turning round and round behind him with its cacophonous tune,"She Loves You", by the Beatles. It came back! That feeling! He sat there in impending dread.Like it had been hiding behind an object waiting for him, having used an instrument to bring him into focus.He dared not turn around in fear. A figures on the Merry-Go-Round slowly detached itself from the carriage frame. It casually stepped off onto the mall floor. It bounded, coming toward him. A predator on a pogo stick! Leaping over the guard ropes, up and down, over the mall floor, in a great steeple chase. Children in their parents hands gasped and laughed with delight as they saw it pawing at stars with every high jump falling next to the waxed floor for another bounce, kicking reality away behind it in sideways bubbles! It got closer and closer! It reared up on it hind legs behind him, wings spread full! Turn around! Block it with your shield! His mind screamed. “Gotcha!”Tagged, game over! He felt his every aspect examined, by the eye of this unseen voyeur, being turned over and over in its sight. Too late, too late. His mind said. Then, a feeling of satisfaction upon whatever it did or did not find, a tsunami of concentration, will and power washed over him, enveloped him, like being slipped in a draw string bag. He felt heavy, then went limp, as his eyes like massive gates swung closed revolving him out into somewhere else. His seat was empty, no one had noticed him disappear. As the Merry-Go-Round turned round and round playing its cacophonous tune, "Eleanor Rigby" by the Beatles! Author's Note So the stallion came from our would and was a human being. Stranger things have happened. If you feel bad. Stay away from Merry-go-rounds. His Character, His RoleThe pony came to what looked like a snack bar. “What can I get you?”asked the clerk,another pony. ....pony...pony.... stop it brain!He thought. “May, may, I have…"he ask hesitantly to focus his mind."a simple glass of, water, please?” “Sure thing bub, you guys sure working hard. Glad Celestia organized this!"he ducked under the counter to get a glass. "Without you soldiers this would be a mess!"placing the glass on the wood counter and he poured from some kind of crystal canter. "It’s like these guys don’t know basic equis or something. Glad to see some of you take a break…wow. You really work out.”A pony just like himself, all that movement it was a bit scary to watch. The stallion eyed him strangely, then at the glass of water placed in front of him and then the others who were eating and drinking,now what?Do I do this on three legs? thinking to himself Taking a deep breath he let out a sigh. He moved, deliberately and slowly picking up the glass, another look and then slowly began to drink.He finished and looked at the glass in his hoof. What was he afraid of? He knew he could do it! After all, he was a home scholar! Feeling accomplished, he set the glass down. Now came the difficult part, getting information. “Yes…..”he said slowly as he listened and adjusted his voice and mouth accordingly, moving the tongue around inside with a click.Come off cool, nonchalant: his next question, always a gamble, just a little for a little more. A little more to play the part expected by others. Not too much, just a little: else it would seem sarcasm. ”Speaking of Celestia,"he asked. "do you have a favorite picture of her? I have some artistic talent and I’m always curious of others opinion.” “I like that one.” The clerk pointed to a picture of a winged and horned mare obviously leading the sun through the sky. Dear God! His mind grasped at straws. Unadulterated paganism! What’s going on? What is this Celestia, a sun god? The stallion smiled brightly with twinkling eyes.Focus,focus...don't start shaking! ”I just got in."big smile: laugh lightly, hides nerves and shaking." Haven’t been through orientation yet, after all, Celestia’s still….having… more troops to spell of those already here, can’t say much more, hush, hush, you know.” The clerk nodded while cleaning a glass.Good, clean the inside of the glass first! “They said for me to work where they are disposing of the ahh…"he tapped his hoof to his chin."what’s the most polite term for them?” “Strangers…"the clerks voice lowered, just a little."Celestia’s sake! Honestly! You have the manners of a Unicorn!”the clerks cheery attitude changed and he cleaned the glass slower. “Then I suppose it is deserved that I be dispatched to trash detail!"Our stallion looked downcast and sad, not to sad. "Hanging out with unicorns! Showing up late, sleeping in, losing my uniform and missing orientation! Serves me right!" stand up make heartfelt sigh. "Please, just tell me where they are disposing of the rags so I don’t get into anymore trouble!” “Ha! I knew you were lying!” said the pony clerk proud of himself for discovering a fraudster.”I bet your not even an artist! How else would you not be impressed by that a classic masterpiece by Fennel Sort! Finish you’re water and go straight down the hall, you can’t miss it.” “Don’t worry about it.” said a pegisi. ”there was a mix up, lots of new enlisted lost their uniforms.” his smile, a mouth full of shields as the impressive Pegisus rose casually and wandered over toward the pony. “Err..thanks…”said the pony,had his cocern about being caught out flashed on his face or was it something else? “ATTENTION!!”It was almost as if someone had thrown a switch. The Pegasus was right in the Pony’s face snorting with fiery eyes. It was something else! The pony obeyed. Straight as a board on four legs ! Author's Note Oh dear. Our pony caught out pretending he is something he is not.What will happen? Soldiering OnTo the pony standing at attention came naturally. Before, when younger, he and his brother pretended to be soldiers. It was a game of poise, who could stand the straightest, be most erect, and be the best most soldierly and most soldierly soldier, upon called to attention. They practiced at it for hours, watched many war films( Gunga Din) and parades and military men and realized the movies were wrong except for the documentaries and military channel. One day a teacher found both boys pretending to be soldiers and told them it was wrong, bad. She then preceded to explaining all the inconceivable adult reasons, her position, and air her opinions to the minds of two children who couldn't possibly wrap there minds around such complicated reasoning. They politely just nodded up and down. The two brothers didn't want to offend teach; but they didn't want to affront those who had sacrificed so much of what they held dear to serve the country in its time of need. After the teacher finished her say and left the scene on her cue to do other thingsat the school.The brothers sat dejected. "What are we going to play now?" asked one brother. "I know!"said the other. "Super!" "Cybernetic!" "Horsey!" "Hyper..." "force!" "Yay!!!!!"the yelled together in exuberance. So the two brothers instead pretended to be intelligent horse soldiers!Cyborgs in a future war! Imagining themselves war horses, living tanks, who could understand their commanders! Standing like statues gleaming in the sun! XXXXXXXXXXXXXX “How dare you impersonate somepony important!"The Pegisus Snorted." What is your name?”his voice was like grating gravel. “I…er…um…please…I already…trouble…SIR!”the pony said truly afraid of this alien in front of him. “Pour him another glass of water!”growled the Pegasus. The pony at the bar did so grinning ear to ear. “Finish your water.” he said eye to eye nose to nose.“Did I tell you to stand down!”pressing in even closer. The Pegisus walked around the pony looking him over.“..Up that gut! Drink!”a sharp ribbing not a hard one just to get the pony's attention. Like a kick but not really. The pony drank. “Glass down!Did I tell you to fumble?Put it back on the counter!" He did so in the most soldierly way he could think . Are we nice and hydrated, hmm?”He said with a horsey grin. “YES SIR!” “Good!"said the Pegisus. "Salute!!! ” The poor pony clumsily hit his head with his hoof. Clompf! “HAW!HAW!HAW!"the Pegisus gave a hearty if less than cheery laugh. "Much better! Still, good try!What a new recruit indeed! You have a long way to go before you make rank, newbie! Get more experience before you try and bluff griffons you hear! Now,get out of here newbie!” As the pony ran he stopped and looked back. ”Get on before I report you! So help me,Sargent Captain's, you had better be in orientation with the others in the morning or I will find you…do this again and throwing out the trash will be a high position for you!!” The Pony stumbled looking back over his shoulder several times as he hurried down the hall mumbling something about flying horses and Griffons. The Pegasus went over to the counter to pay his bill.Something about said pony wasn't right. He looking a bit manic, but that was to be expected, for a newly recruited soldier! But that was what was wrong. It was too much like what the pegisi expected, too perfectly wrong! "Shouldn't you go with him?"asked the clerk. "Naw."said Captains."He can't get out that way, he'll be closed in, if he starts to wander others will notice." The clerk and the Sargent looked at each other. “Excuse me,"said the Sargent" but I need to see a guy about a pony!” Going on automatic, though the pony, why did he always do that.Why did he somehow think that was a good idea? He always got in trouble when he went on automatic! Always! When the Pegasus was out of sight, the pony stopped, before he could slouch and let out a sigh he turned his head. He noticed a door looking most familiar! A welcome distraction!He opened and went in.His brain was needling him. As if to say that he couldn't not think forever, realization will occur, like it or not. He could still run away in a fugitive cloud! Yes, indefinitely! Oh, but this! So very welcome and familiar indeed!The perfect distraction indeed! He calmed down looking at the sinks. Exactly as they should be! He then found and trotted into a stall, closed the door and with a click drew the bolt and a sighed, “Porcelain and tile!” As he had turned around, he then realized something. “ Why can’t I remember my name?Is this somepony, somepony…some..pony’s, som..e….po..ny…’s…”he blinked. Why was he saying that? “What is this dream about?What must I prove?” Then the top of his head gently rested on the door.It felt to real to be a dream. He let out a sad sound.“I've stolen valor!”the sound, like a sob of realization. Soldiers had enough trouble.Such behavior! He was alarmed. By doing such things,was he losing his soul? Was he in hell? He bit his lip and closed his eyes. No…he wasn’t in torment, he felt all over his body, no. Purgetory? Pftt…There is no purgatory in the book! That would be Abraham’s bosom and…….. Then he realized in horror. The book! “My book! I hid it in my clothes! They’re on the way to the garbage!" He was going to where the garbage was because there had to be an exit there! After all garbage in garbage out. Now he had a new mission! I’ve got to find it! Of course! I must prove my devotion, my devotion to His word! Once I do, find my book, my devotion will be assured! This dream will end…everything will be okay! Everything will be okay! Everything will be okay! Everything will be okay…..Okay, kay.Kay? My head!” His head felt hot and he was feeling feverish. Author's Note Will our pony find his book? The Sparking Cauldron.Fire was ultimately fair. Soldiers, of unquestionable character, in protective garments and breathing apparatus, threw things in without regard for what they were, to be burned up. Anything the strangers really wanted to keep they were allowed, making special note of whatever was clutched or clung.The soot and ash would be processed later. What ever metal remained, melted. As soldiers continued throwing the articles wood,plastic,what not, and smelly rags into the flames they failed to notice an earth pony watching from the shadows listlessly. As one article was reveled and about to be chucked over the edge into the flames, and billowing darkness of smoke, the shadow became animated with agitation and galloped forward quicker than lightning. “Mine!MINE!!!!! You can’t have it! It’s mine!!!Cough.Cough.” As he grabbed the article, a book, from a pony tearing the cover off in the process, spinning around till he was on the edge of the precipice perched on his hind legs. ”This isn’t,cough,cough, real! This isn’t me! ISN”T! ISN’T! ISN’T!NOPE!!!HA!HAH!HAW!” another fit of coughing as he stood there precariously shaking his head and mane wildly."A mad dream!"he screamed. ”NOT ,cough, real, nope, can’t be real!!!” A manic grin went across his face.”I’m…cough,I’m not standing here right now! Yes! That’s it! I remember! Some dream; cough to wake up? I know! My book is real!”He held the book out, its torn cover where he had grabbed it from the guards.”I can feel the fire behind me!I can smell the smoke, cough, plastic! So that must be the way out…cough.So I’ll just follow my book,and just like a dream…and I’ll be out!!!cough.” The guards who were throwing items and articles and clothing stood in shocked silence at this mad pony twitching, his eyes watery as they rolled around like marbles, his ears laid flat on against his head popping up individually and laying down again. As if he didn't know how to use his face. This stallion might actually throw himself into a fire! Xxxxxxxxxxx “I can’t go back, can I?” “No. It’s,uh, a one way trip. As time goes on, you’ll begin to remember less and less of it.”All Wishes said. The pony clutched the book tighter to his trunk. Closed tightened, shedding a single tear. “Hey! Don’t be sad.”All Wishes said. “Things are going to look pretty good to you tomorrow morning! I promise! All snug and warmly…a tangle of legs…”he said with a grin and a chuckle that the earth pony didn’t like and followed by a sigh through his nose. “A name will be needed. A name to be cried out to the arching sky! What might that name be?” The earth pony opened his eyes, then opened his mouth closed it then and put his hoof to his chin and thought. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx “Hey! Pony!!!!” He turned and was startled to see a floating pot before his face, sputtering sparks smoke and flame, a desperate Unicorn stallion beyond. “That’s him, doctor!” said the Pegasus from the bar earlier. “I knew his story was fishy!” ”Tell me about them…”the unicorn whispered to more knowledgeable one who had just trotted from behind, the doctor ,from before, wheezing and out of breath. “Tribal/ primitive. Hunters and gathers.” said the unicorn panting. That was all he needed to know. “Be careful!” the doctor said putting a hoof on All Wishes shoulder. “He looks feverish, hysteric and the smoke causing his head to fill with with unbalanced miasma!” All Wishes started a prayer in his mind, then a darkness came! Such a darkness.The moon was passing over the sun. Stay calm. It had been announced in the papers for weeks. A necessary calibration Celestia had to perform, thanks to her sisters fit centuries ago! The darkness, it interrupted his mind. The sun was hidden, to the unicorns perspective, Celestia, the all seeing goddess, had been blinded, from this excluded!The darkness felt confining, stifling. The smoke didn't help. All Wishes coughed involuntarily. “Please.Alert clarity of thought me!Some, any, help!”were the Unicorn’s thoughts. A light, a spark! The words came raw, shaped by him remembering his diplomatic meetings with griffins, like dough being kneaded they had to sound coherent at least! “We are both meat!”he said.”By this fire, we are made equals: You and I!" All Wishes proclaimed. "This pot, passing between us, is a sealing of an agreement, a promise, to a greater power. I swear by it! I swear by this fire, because you say it is the only thing that is real to you, tried by fire. By a greater power: I promise. I promise you will be great! You will have descendants. Come over here, beyond this flaming pot. Come over with us, to life!” The unicorn stallion smiled.The statement punctuated by coughing, his eyes watering. The pony hesitated. “Being alive is very good!” “cough I don’t believe in you, phantom! This book! This book is what I believe in! Sometimes you have to rebuke a nightmare for it to end! Sometimes you have to die to self to live!cough.” said the earth pony tensing his body to jump. Author's Note He has his book back. What next? Life on the edgeAs the pony sat in the infirmary, he thought. What from his book could he use as a name? An idea! “They will be saved but be as if they had the smell of smoke about them!” “How about, Smokey?”the pony said thoughtfully. All Wishes raised an eyebrow. As if he agreed with some unknown familiar voice saying, ”Certainly not!” "Meh, no."The Unicorn smiled,“Let’s think about it some more.” XXXXXXX All wishes voice clenched an d croaked do to the smoke.“This isn't a dream! cough.Over there…isn’t life,sniffle,um its,neither life,um,huh, nor,nor,um a life more abundantly!” All Wishes cried out desperately. The startling turn of the pony’s head to stare at him was like whiplash. Locking eyes onto the unicorn his mouth hung open. Good he had his attention. What could he use? What could he use?? As he coughed.His eyes fell on the torn book in his hooves. “Snorful.Hey, friend, that book, it’s your buddy, right, right? See, it’s important, you swear by it! Why, I bet you that book, that old book, those words would give anything to be alive…cough..to be with you! I’m sure, that book,cough, that book, cares just as deeply for you as you care for..cough…for...him! Him! Boy! It sure looks old,cough,cough, I bet it talked to you friend first!” That makes no sense! thought All Wishes.Oh dear! Wrong thing to say. Did he just see his eye twitch?Maybe it was the smoke. Can't be sure.So stupid! Tread lightly! Keep going All Wishes, keep going. “Uh-hum! In order for it to speak, I bet he did come to life, those words, Life! Yes!”All Wishes licked his lips he was seeing a reaction. The pony was paying attention. “That word came to life …sniffle..and he walked with you! That’s right! Cough!Walked in your markets and in your temples with your ancestors, and told hypocrites what for!” The pony’s jaw dropped open even wider with deep rasping breaths. Stake of the Coin“We do call this book the word. How did you know?”The pony asked. “Ah, it was my gran. She was a reformed fortune teller. She stopped because some ponies got hurt believing she could actually tell the future. She realized to believe in a pony like that was wrong." “If it is wrong, how do you know the skill?”The pony asked. “She told me.’ If you look at a coin you can usually tell where it has been. …I cannot tell you how important in my life and profession my Gran’s teaching has been to me! For the skill being right or wrong, well, she said she was told in a dream to teach me.I don't think an aquired provable skill is wrong”” Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx “Two coins.” Gran held two coins.“Tell me about these two coins.” “If you look at a pony. You can usually tell what they’re thinking.If you say enough. They’ll tell you everything! Their body will tell its language.”All wishes answered. “That coin. One with Celestia’s picture on it? Celestia! For taxes, for deeds great and small. The other? Good things! For the unseen! Something greater!” “Very good!” She gave the coins to All Wishes."Now. I trust you. Go and pay the tax!" xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx “…and…and he would say,cough,cough, ’Brother, come away from the fire! Follow me! Follow me into life…into light…into…into…”All Wishes felt light headed. “The open sky,” said a pegis he met before at the snack bar beside the unicorn, stepping into the pony's view unaffected by the smoke. ”up!”The pegisis pointed a hoof into the sky.” Into the cool air, ‘meet me in the clouds, the cool refreshing clouds!’He would say! ‘We can look at all the sky, you and I! We’ll perch on a soft clouds, you and I.A plain ordinary, common, cloud.Nothing special, but the view is tremendous!Then I can show you the land that spreads on before you, hilly and green.’ None too steep to climb and plains to run for miles and miles…”the Pegisi beckoned the pony toward him. the pony shook his head and refocused on the unicorn.“But the hypocrites would kill him…” No! No! No! Get him back, get him back, draw his attention back! “What? Can you kill an idea? Cough.He would come back! They would pierce his mortal flesh but he would come back! They would throw him into a hole dug into the ground and put a rock on top, but he would come back! Push his way up and throw the rock of his back,as if it were nothing! Most assuredly he would come…he would come for you! He would say,’ See, I have come back! I have come back because you did not lovelessly throw yourself to the fire. Now, you live for me! Do good! For if you love me you do good. I am strong but see how light my yoke is? If you do good, you love me and love is life, love is my law! Even a foal could take it with no trouble.” The pony's head and face moved wrong in the dark.He became more erect. His voice went slimmy.It was if he were a different pony.“You ssswear by sssomething greater?Hmmm?…Is he…”he looked to the sky at the great eclipsed ring, “greater than the sun?"his hoof shot up and pointed at the blind orb in a way that made All Wishes wince." Ha,ha!"The laugh airy coming from the back of the pony's throat.He turned and looked at All Wishes unvervingly. "Make it worth my time to sstay,little pony!Better wages. "The pony's eyes rolled to the top of his head then rolled back."Something tasty..."His mouth opened with a smack."We have not had Osier in a long, long age,hmmp,hmm,hmm"the pony chuckled"...swear by Celestia!”the pony said with a truly unnatural grin. The unicorn swallowed.His pupils shrank and his ears lay flat against his head. What he saw! It weas if time had stopped and he was alone with this predator thing! This thing in the dark! His eye’s! The pony’s eyes flashing like two shinning coins,like embers, reflecting a dying, hateful flame! That "thing" did not belong here! That wasn’t right here!It made All Wishes want to run away screaming! At least he would be safe.He, Celestia and the other ponies.... But what of the pony in front of him? Something had just raised the stakes of the game and only All Wishes could see! He would talk to priests and scholars and telalogians later but what had Celestia brought into their world? The SeedThe young All Wishes obediently took Celestia’s coin and paid the taxes, he kept the other as was per tradition and that coin, a present passed down in his family. He liked the idea of there being something greater, and no it wasn't “the mare in the moon” or the stars! On his way home. He met an earth pony, she told him about planting. That a seed grew into something bigger.What a wonderful gift! Like a story, getting bigger as you told it! Could he do it with this coin? Grow interest like a big tree, and give gifts to everyone? While talking with her he learned her father was very sick, his heart felt sad, he liked her. As he passed a bank he took his coin to a banker hoping it was worth something so he could help the Philly's father. The banker told him it was worthless. When the colt heard this he was crushed. He went to a nearby cliff and looked beyond it toward the horizon across the sea. To cheer himself up he recalled a story his Gran had told him. Beyond the sun's corona there was a land where the fire flowers grew! The king of the deer, the eldest, had gone there to show he was worthy to be king. For his bravery a servant of the highest awarded him a heart shaped bottle containing their juices. The El-deer always wore this around his neck, for the healing of the sick. He joarned far and wide to help others. He wanted to help but All Wishes just stared out across the sea. He had an idea! He looked beyond the sun to the blue sky, then he begged. “He who knows himself to be, he who is, to a highest power to life, to light !"he called out."Please! Take my coin, it is valuable to me but I will take it in trade for something valuable to you!…I want to, let me, do something good with it! I have kept it safe but it isn't worth anything.If you give me something that you value I can get interest, I want to make it grow…please take my coin…make it grow!”he threw it. Something caught it. There wasn't a voice, per se, but he did hear it. “A little seed sowed then harvesters to the field! To Celestia, to the rulers, to the rightful powers: taxes, honor, respect…You, to me!”it disappeared as if an eye lid with lashes closed around it. All wishes closed his eyes as something gently came across his head like a breeze, scratched behind his ears and was gone. When he opened his eyes again there was a shining blank coin at his hooves. He picked it up, it was slippery. The coin glowed golden and was bubbled like a circus mirror, completely distorting his face until he looked directly upon it. He ran home and told his Gran what happened. She took All Wishes and raced directly to the bank. The banker took the coin, and was stunned! The quality of gold! The craft ship of the coin. Then All Wishes took a small loan against the coin, and invested it. He was then able to take care of his Gran, give gifts to his friends and help those less fortunate: for the sickness of the filly’s father! He found her in the fields planting. Face to face he told everything! He then told her, indeed she was right! Interest was like a little plant and banking and building wealth was like farming! She smiled and she agreed with him as they lay on their bellies in the dirt facing each other. A few moments later a little sprout grew between them tickling their muzzles. They laughed together! This pony was like the coin. Xxxxxxxxxxx Answer him correctly or he will think himself greater than the Sun!! “Yes.” He swallowed.”I will swear by…by…He who is greater than the sun! Than the sky! Greater than every seen and unseen real thing here and beyond… beyond the universe!”he looked into the ponies eyes. He swallowed again.”I swear by one: who rose from the dead! He went into the sky! He took my coin! He expects interest back! His book you hold tightly, like a spirit, its words must live in you, be known in your core! A treasure: a sword, a coin, a deposit! It is like a deposit, an investment, seeds in the grown by the plow shear! He is not ready to collect, not ready to harvest, tis still green! How angry would he be if you came due before the promised maturity date!”it was come into his mind on the fly. At this the earth pony stallion’s eyes bugged out, then blinked. First one eye then the other: the glowing left his eyes. One coin for Celestia and one for the greater!He coughed and coughed and coughed and shook. His frame began to colapse. There isn't much time. ” Come here. Come to me.” All Wishes, beckoning the stallion. "Wa? Where, where am I?" Another fit of coughing. The pony looked longingly into the flames and spoke,"I was going home."His head wobbled around."This book says to love your neighbor as yourself...." "I am your neighbor! I do not want "my self" to be burned alive in the flames! I am also a servant, like you. I have unicorns and Pegisi and earth ponies under my command. By higher authority I say, ’Come!’ and he comes. I say, ’Go!’ and he goes. I tell my servant, my fellow pony, who helps my family, my friend, ‘Do this!’ and he does it willingly! Here there is life! You have a chance to be somepony, over here you have a chance, over here there is love. In that fire? What kind of wages would you receive? What do you gain without love in the fire? You gain nothing, you won’t be anything: not a lord, nor will you be a king! The loveless fire will just shriveling you up, wasted to wither away, and just be, regret, an object of scorn, a thing tormented day and night never seeing the sun or the moon. Nothing but food for the fire, that thing that never says: ‘Enough!’ "Here you can be somepony, great! There…you’re less than meat, a nothing!” “Please. Come here!” The Pony realized he had seized up, he twinged back and forth toward the unicorn on now unsteady legs. It was obvious he was trying to obey, to move away from the fiery pit, between increasing coughing. “I can’t!Cough,cough.” the pony said still trying."Help me!cough, cough.Can't breath!"as the erect frame began to shake. All Wishes nodded.“Cough.I'll meet you half way. Let me come and get you.” as he put the pot down. Please help me.The unicorn thought. As Saved from the Fire“Smokie huh? That name, it does match your cutie mark, but tell me, seriously. Do you really want to be known as Smokey the Pony, for the rest of your life?” xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx The stallion began to collapse due to the heat. He was yanked away from the fire by the unicorn. In doing so the book fell out of his hooves. “No!!!!” All Wishes ran and was at the edge to catch the book with his magic. Sweet matted his fur from the heat as he struggled to grab the barely visible book through the smoke and flames.Difficult to breath without coughing fits. The book slid through his aura like a shuttle through weaver's threads! His magic wouldn't apply properly. Almost as if, as if, the book were, laughing? at him.It flitted around like a sparrow or a dove in his attempts. Then sun burst forth from behind the moon all its radiance blinding the unicorn! Opening his eyes, he thought he lost it as it disappeared. Others drug the All Wishes from the edge of the pit.He pulled free, but it was too late! In despair he fell on his rump and put out his front legs.Why? HE HAD PROMISED! WHY? WHAT WOULD HE TELL THE PONY ABOUT HIS BOOK! He was about to wail, then, like a good practical joke, the book suddenly fell right into his hooves with a plop. It could have fallen on your helmet with a clang, my captain! All Wishes regained his composure. “How is he?” he asked the doctor as he starred down at the book apprehensively. The pony was murmuring something about the image over and over again. “He has the sweats; he’s feverish like I said.Don't know what the smoke's done to his lungs....hope the miasma in this brain will clear... It’s a lot to take. We’ll take him to the infirmary."A he gave his hurredly Assesed diagnosis. "Hope he recovers tonight, we have a scheduled to keep. For Celestia’s sake, All Wishes! You should have let that raggedy thing go!”the doctor chided. "Still think he's a good random sampling?"asked All Wishes of the doctor. Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx “How about Imago Dei?” asked the pony. “Amigo! Friends! You and I!Yes....”All Wishes was pleased then looked concerned, not realizing he had misheard the stallion. “Wait.Are you sure? Amigo Pie sounds a little funny."the unicorn scratched his chin in thought."Do we really don’t want the general public to know you were formally meat eaters?” “Ah yes, that would be awkward explaining it all the time. Latin and all....Wait!"The pony realized something. "Can I still eat fish?” xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx “And What? Break my promise?To our new friend? Why,to break a promise is the quickest way to lose a friend, you see!” “Forever..” the fire seemed to hiss. All wishes gave the flaming pit a stare.Then rubbed his ear with a hoof. Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx “Ok then. How about Smuggie, Smuggie Pie!” Smuggie said triumphant. “Hmm...Yes. A perfectly good pony name!"All Wishes clicked his hooves together. "The perfect name for you to give to give a filly friend to pass on!” “Wait? What?Excuse me?”Smuggie said looking up from the book cover again. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx “Yeah, I’ll just take this book and have it inspected for latent magic."All Wishes said as he tucked into a saddle bag pocket. If there is nothing there I’ll give it back to him. Besides, I might as well get a new cover for it, restitch the binding, repair and clean the pages....” All Wishes already knew the best book binder to take it too. Just to get a look at this book, how it was made, would reduce the price considerably.Twas the trade, curacy for curacy, barter for barter, information exchanged for currency and barter at a fair price. He could already see the look on his face, pawing through its gossamer pages. Memorizing the letters form from each page to make an exact copy. Who knew? The pony might lose his and need another to replace it. “Well, little book,"he patted the saddle pocket where it was remembering its sooted pages. "it appears you went through the flames so he wouldn't have too!” With book in his bag,he began to trot of. He stopped. He felt something on his head. It covered around his horn. Like when his mother would nuzzle the top of his head before his horn became so pronounced. How he longed to have that feeling again! Even his wife couldn't do it.he craned his neck up to get at it. Then there was more! It scratched him behind the ears for what seamed an eternity of bliss then it was gone as if he had imagined it. Everyone had stopped the work to gawk at the commotion of the pony on the edge of the pit and accompanying action scenes. “Ok guys back to work! Show’s over."All Wishes knuckled his hoof up and pointed behind him. "Celestia said she wanted every bit of those ape rags gone, like before yesterday, move.cough!” In the beginning...for Smuggie PieThere was a quiet in the room as the sun rose. Beautiful sunrise. Celestia outdid herself this morning, in All Wishes opinion, as he looked out the window. He looked at Smuggie, his eyes closed. He looked very intense as whispered things to himself, inaudible .These Ponies indeed had strange ways All Wishes thought.Yes.He would leave him to think until the chime. Smuggie gently disturbed the quiet as he opened his eyes and spoke.''I understand now. I didn't before. To understand is to reject evil. You understood, you could have let me die in the garbage fire pit.'' Smuggie said. ''That would have been unseemly, and yes that would have been very evil! Well, anyone who likes books can't be all bad and...my token.''he tossed Smuggie a gold coin that landed on the stalion’s upturned frog. ''...I think that you are a good investment. '' Smuggie was stunned silent. IT was a beautifully made coin but that wasn't what made Smuggie stare at the reflective surface. ''Beautiful isn't it?”All Wishes said confusing the look in Smuggie’s eye for awe. ”A treasure,oh.'' The unicorn magicked it away.''You can't have it. I have a loan against it. It provides me income for my real treasure, my family and those in need." tucking the coin into its own small draw string bag around his neck".I work it hard and has already paid for itself ten times!” he said to the gawking pony. Inside the clinic, a chime rose to their ears attention. The doctor on duty rushed in“Hurry,hurry!He’s going to be late, he can’t be late!” “But I have lots of questions…there is this thing I need to tell you about my book....!” “Too bad, some filly else will have to listen and answer them…hope they can between breaths.” All wishes said with another strange grin and chuckle."Oh, yeah something I've working on since yesterday at the fire.Watch now!" they popped away in at telaportic bubble. Smuggie was now really disorientated and staggering around in circles making disjointed sounds as he stumbled. “Pretty neat!Don’t worry, it’ll pass.”said All Wishes.”Oh! and I have something else for you.” grabbing the stallion to steady him,he slapped some saddle bags on Smuggie's back.”For your book! Also:necessary id papers and documentation. Somemare’s else will help you fill them out, much,much latter…” he said with that same cherub smile and licked his lips. “Just have a lot of fun you two! You’ll know what to do! Think of it as a honeymoon gift.” All Wishes shoved Smuggie towards a heavily guarded door. Custody was changed to a Pegius. ”So you finally made it to orientation, soldier!"said sergeant Captains lashing his tail with that grin of warriors shields. "Told you I'd see you there and here I am! On your way! Here’s another one for you boys.”He pushed Smuggie through the doors,"Do your duty!" He laughed, the door slamming behind before Smuggie could ask what the unicorn or Pegasus were on about.Something itching his mind again. No! He had something important to tell them.Vital and lifesaving!They had to know. He rushed to the door.Looking for a doorknob...realizing he didn't have hands! "Wait! All Wishes, Captains, Doc! I...I finally understand...about the book! Your coin! It all makes sense sirs, its tetelestai!"He pounded the door with his hoof." Tetelistai...don't you..don't... you..see..."He stopped and looked down."How can you know... unless your told....tetelisti...paid in full! Can't you, can't you..."Smuggie pawed the door."I know now...I understand.."His hoof and head dropped"..too slow... he who hesitates...another opportunity....gone...and...and... another bad steward is afraid." He looked downcast as he turned and trudged, head down, in the direction to where he saw a gathering of ponies."Time for average pony to join the herd!Grumble..." He became aware of a defining silence that reined inside, he finally noticed and turned up. All eyes were on him, Smuggie swallowed. An earth pony trudged up and came face to face,glaring daggers at him.The other stallion snorted. “What do you understand of foot ball.” he said glowering, towering over him.Had he been that loud yelling at the gate? Smuggie swallowed, ”Uhm, well, um,yes. Do you mean,um, American football or European football, perhaps: like soccer? Of course, American football,yes.Um, it looks like a peanut, is officially at fifteen pounds per square inch air…”he burbled. The stallion looked down at Smuggie unimpressed. “Not a fan? Close enough.” he grumbled. The speaking resumed as Smuggie joined the audience. He looked around, the large pen reminding him of a stadium. The crowd was focused on speakers who were saying stirring things, one speaker campaigning for leader due to his more compelling oratory. It all reminded Smuggie of a 1920 workers film where the speakers acted like windup toys, scream over and over, ”Unite, unite, unite, unite!” He smiled as he thought back on All Wishes treasure. What made him stare so intently at his coin? In its bubbled surface everything shown distorted until looked straight on. He did. He saw his face! His human face. Then he turns his head, left or right he couldn't remember, he’d disappeared, merge into a distorted background of techno colored flarings. Straight on again. His face was back. He dwelt on this. “Eyes forward Smuggie, look neither to the left nor to the right. What lies ahead along the path straight ahead,hmm?” As all in the mob, but he, gave rousing cheers in solidarity for those addressing them, Smuggie took his book out and read the cover."They're writing their story, reading their book!" "Well, this is my book! And I'm gonna read it!" His eyes focused on the page.“In the beginning…”he read. At that moment the gates opened. Smuggie absentmindedly looked up. Three very well groomed mares came in confidently, one might say striding elegantly,sultry,sed....No!Smuggie chewed his lower lip.He closed his book and held it so tightly, if he had hands they would have been white knuckled. "Leave us rugged handsome gaurdponies alone!" ""You'll feel better in the morning." "So eligible." "A tangle of legs." "Between breathes." "A name to be screamed to the sky. Do your duty!" His ears laid back and his irises became pinpricks."They can't be serious!!"Smuggie's breath came out in huffs."I just got saved!" "At last! Representatives! The ambassador are here."said one of the three stallions said ,as they made confident strides towards the slowly walking mares, now paying them their undivided attention. Smuggie turned and moved for his life."Their minds must still be a little foggy!"HE though again. Pleased, the herd said, "We'll find out what's what about."As they watched, assured of a quick resolution. Smuggie ran around the crowded outskirts till he found a large crack in the wall. He squeezed inside till he popped through like a wine cork. Starring out with trepidation, concealed within the darkness, with big round eyes. "Those aren't ambassadors!"his mind screamed. Author's Note Last chapter. Whew! The Word“The word..is that what those three collection of letters say?” The Unicorn asked. “Is that why you chose those words to put on the cover?"The pony asked in return. "Love the swirling and flowing script on the front, by the way….beautiful table of contents tittles with their page numbers…perfect,just beautiful.” “Well, most of the front of the book was torn away in the struggle, and the book binder liked how those words arranged. ” the unicorn opened it up again.“Look here! He gave it some pages in front and repaired the first page. There! I hope that’s the title of the first chapter…”he pointed to the top of the first chapter page. “Yes he did right…”the pony said flatly. “.....then he decided to fancy up those other words after it putting the title above. You know, the ones he put on the cover.”the unicorn continued. “Yes. It's very nice.”I toss the ball back to you, thought the pony. “He signed his name at the front…as restorer”the unicorn smiled and was getting excited,bouncing a little. “Ok…”What are you doing? The unicorn continued“…and I hope you don’t mind, I signed my name, who I am beside.”the unicorn said trying to drop a strong hint. “A good book is often dedicated by others…”replied the pony looking at the strange foreign letters written inside as if evaluating the books monetary worth. “By friends!…"Big smile.Stepped back. Flourish from the ceiling to the floor with his hoof. How was he doing that without dislocating a shoulder? The pony thought. The unicorn introduced himself with a nod."My name is All Wishes!"he returned to the pony's side raising his hoof back to the book. "Of her magistrates regiment EUPD: Princess Cellestia. Rank: Captain. "As he tapped each foreign word."What’s yours?” The earth pony paused and looked dumbly into the unicorns eyes.“I don’t remember…”he frowned. “That’s good!"All wishes said patting him on the shoulder. The pony looked at the unicorn blankly.How do they, we, moving like that?He raised an eyebrow. The unicorn backed a little to give the pony personal space then spoke with a smile."Tis a good start! A good start indeed! A good start out to a new life!Starting off on the first page.” Closing his eyes, the pony drew the book to himself with a sigh. Author's Note What is this book?
CoveredIn the Beginning Covered The Unicorn found the earth pony sitting up. “Feeling better?”the unicorn asked trotting into the room. The pony there, sitting on a cot, looked at him cross eyed, as if not quite sure how they worked.“Um, would you mind turning to face me.”he said to the back of the pony’s head.”You’re freaking me out doing that.” As soon as the earth pony swung his head around to regard the unicorn with one eye, he spoke. “I have something for you…”He then magicked something out of his saddle bag and it landed in the earth ponies hooves. ”There you go, sunny boy.” The pony's eyes opened wide as he pawed the cover and then opened the book.He then smiled thoughtfully, and closed it again."Hello old friend."he said eyes watery, voice dry. If he had really understood what that book said, he had carried around with him everywhere, what it really said, then maybe none of this would have ever happened. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Confused sounds, darkness crowded place, stifling.Then pushing, pulling shoved to a more open area good to have room to stretch. “Stop struggling!"said a voice in the dark. "You want to cut off circulation you foal!” “Well what is he?”asked another. “Uni…kick me again, and I’ll grab you where it hurts, hollow horn! Unicorn!” said a third. “Great! Another for remedial training: Easy as 1,2,3…"shoop boom"yahh..watch it you nearly started a fire!Give me that inhibitor ring!It goes on like this.” There was a ringing sound, like metal scraping something, then a dull thud. “Uh!Glubble nunkly blloof!”spat said unicorn. “Power surges and baby talk! Awww...Don’t worry! You’ll figure how to talk. Ha! soon you'll be floating things everywhere! Well Doc, how is he?....hoomp!”the third voice said again. “Screeee!!” “I'm serious...look me in the eye !Did I not tell thee?! I said, ‘Stop struggling!’ You nearly hit somepony’s head with your ugly untrimmed hooves and my leg!” third grumpily said. “Sorry! My bad! I shouldn't have touched there! My fault.” said the doctor.”Nice healthy specimen!”the doctor said. More struggling. "Move again and I might accidentally go into the quick ans that will hurt!" the third voice said. There was a scrapping sound. “There! Your pedicure is finished! Trim done,sir!" He said in mock tones." Guys, send him on. You’re going with the Unicorns! Lucky fellow, I wish I were so young, eligible and single……Oh! And buck you!!.” “Ha! Now.Now. Better him than us! I tire so of explaining, having run and run, out of breath, for my life, to my misses, why I’m always late home this time of year!” the voice said. "Ha!Take the ground."said another laughing."She's control and she knows!" “One is enough for me! Can’t you see? Stop chasing me! From hearth and home! Leave me be! Maybe now everymare can have her own! Then they can leave us, Ruggedly handsome, gaurdponies, alone!” Unicorn. Pegasus. Pegasus, earth pony. Unicorn. Earth pony. Unicorn. Earth Pony. Pegisus, no earth pony…”They sang as they sorted the new arrivals. And the sorting continued, divided and segregated into pen like areas. Huge: big enough to almost be mistaken for the arena in Rome…with amenities. “Wow. This guys a is built like a big one. Be ready! What? No fight? You’re not going to fight?No struggle? Hmm..OK then….um…I will be your valet, today.”He then introduced himself as the others snickered. “Guys stop that and help me get these rags of him!Parts of his body are turning purple! There we go! Isn’t that better? Well built…What you shy?” The pony closed his eyes tightly. “Guys quit starring! You’re making him nervous…come on! Don't do that! Don’t turn red!,tch! Boy, your embarrassing us.” “Hey! He has a cutie mark! Funny one.” as one pointed a hoof at the strange dusk like cloud on his flank with light behind it looking as if something were hidden, bright golden rays shining beyond. The untrained eye looked him over.”Is the sun rising or setting? Wow.Doc he’s perfectly healthy, muscular but not SheSun if you know what I mean!” “I’ll take him up to the office for a less evasive examination and an intelligence test, you know. Test for comeliness! My assistants can examine the others. Celestia’s spell was perfect! I’ll consider him a random sampling. If he’s ok then they’re all good, everything we need! Come on big boy! Follow me! Good, nice to see one of them with some manners to follow commands!”The Doctor said. He then went on ahead. The unicorn,mumbling to himself, walking a little too far ahead. A unicorn! The pony following him became separated having stopped with a gruffle, his mind rebelling, realizing he was staring the tail end of a unicorn in front of him. Keeping pace as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Staring at its butt!!!! He turned red again. Horses, he though as he slowly swept his head back and forth, horses everywhere! Talking....horses...doing things with their hooves! Floating things; wings?I'm...a....horse!...ok...now what? Think differently or act differently? He chewed quickly on his lip.He then put on a big horsey smile,crossing his eyes his mind going non sequetor, tilt. He had decided. Until he had something to prove this was real....He rejoiced in his common sense, as his head nodded up and down like bobble bird. He just wouldn't think!Yes. Oh and don't be rude. ......and stop thinking about the unicorn's butt picture!!!! The pony wandered aimlessly about. Looking around at everything making sure he was gawking off to the side as to not bring attention to himself, a habit he had developed over time. Really,he had never gotten used to where he was or what he was and now he was somewhere else as something else! The realization hadn't quite clicked yet. “Funny bird” he was,he believed himself, a different situation always led to new and a different reaction!Right now,he had put himself on automatic, he was running on age old habits and observation. All these picture of a Mare in the Sun! Then the necessities of life began to tap on his somewhat questionably lucid mind. He watched the ponies tested a gate and then randomized it with the different walks he saw. Author's Note Where has our Stallion found himself, what was he before?
GamesTypical day: Get up, read the book, clean up, breakfast, go to work, have lunch, read the book, finished work, shop for groceries, or go to the library or the mall, stop on a bench read, watched his fellow beings go home, make dinner(for one), entertain one’s self, ready for bed, read the book, fall asleep.Busy, busy day, whoop... Then, one day, everything changed. As he got up and he cleaned up, he kept forgetting to take his book.Several trips back in and out of his house, later, he finally clutched it firmly, beginning his day. He put the book in his locker, starting his work. He was late. As the day progressed work became harder and harder, his feet, hands and eye lids, heavier and heavier. Feeling stuck on the hands of a clock like a worker in "Metropolis". Time for lunch at long last arrived; he just sat in his seat and held his book. Every time he put it down a sense of panic would wash over him. Well, the book was just small enough to conceal it his body as he worked. Another feeling washed over him. A feeling of looking, being confused, as if it had misplaced something important, something valuable…him! His strength began cascade back.He felt like a kid winning at hide and seek He put it out of his mind. Through the rest of his work day, he continued with renewed strength and vigor. After work he went to the mall; people watching, by his favorite seat near the fountain.The mall's Merry-go-round turning round and round behind him with its cacophonous tune,"She Loves You", by the Beatles. It came back! That feeling! He sat there in impending dread.Like it had been hiding behind an object waiting for him, having used an instrument to bring him into focus.He dared not turn around in fear. A figures on the Merry-Go-Round slowly detached itself from the carriage frame. It casually stepped off onto the mall floor. It bounded, coming toward him. A predator on a pogo stick! Leaping over the guard ropes, up and down, over the mall floor, in a great steeple chase. Children in their parents hands gasped and laughed with delight as they saw it pawing at stars with every high jump falling next to the waxed floor for another bounce, kicking reality away behind it in sideways bubbles! It got closer and closer! It reared up on it hind legs behind him, wings spread full! Turn around! Block it with your shield! His mind screamed. “Gotcha!”Tagged, game over! He felt his every aspect examined, by the eye of this unseen voyeur, being turned over and over in its sight. Too late, too late. His mind said. Then, a feeling of satisfaction upon whatever it did or did not find, a tsunami of concentration, will and power washed over him, enveloped him, like being slipped in a draw string bag. He felt heavy, then went limp, as his eyes like massive gates swung closed revolving him out into somewhere else. His seat was empty, no one had noticed him disappear. As the Merry-Go-Round turned round and round playing its cacophonous tune, "Eleanor Rigby" by the Beatles! Author's Note So the stallion came from our would and was a human being. Stranger things have happened. If you feel bad. Stay away from Merry-go-rounds.
His Character, His RoleThe pony came to what looked like a snack bar. “What can I get you?”asked the clerk,another pony. ....pony...pony.... stop it brain!He thought. “May, may, I have…"he ask hesitantly to focus his mind."a simple glass of, water, please?” “Sure thing bub, you guys sure working hard. Glad Celestia organized this!"he ducked under the counter to get a glass. "Without you soldiers this would be a mess!"placing the glass on the wood counter and he poured from some kind of crystal canter. "It’s like these guys don’t know basic equis or something. Glad to see some of you take a break…wow. You really work out.”A pony just like himself, all that movement it was a bit scary to watch. The stallion eyed him strangely, then at the glass of water placed in front of him and then the others who were eating and drinking,now what?Do I do this on three legs? thinking to himself Taking a deep breath he let out a sigh. He moved, deliberately and slowly picking up the glass, another look and then slowly began to drink.He finished and looked at the glass in his hoof. What was he afraid of? He knew he could do it! After all, he was a home scholar! Feeling accomplished, he set the glass down. Now came the difficult part, getting information. “Yes…..”he said slowly as he listened and adjusted his voice and mouth accordingly, moving the tongue around inside with a click.Come off cool, nonchalant: his next question, always a gamble, just a little for a little more. A little more to play the part expected by others. Not too much, just a little: else it would seem sarcasm. ”Speaking of Celestia,"he asked. "do you have a favorite picture of her? I have some artistic talent and I’m always curious of others opinion.” “I like that one.” The clerk pointed to a picture of a winged and horned mare obviously leading the sun through the sky. Dear God! His mind grasped at straws. Unadulterated paganism! What’s going on? What is this Celestia, a sun god? The stallion smiled brightly with twinkling eyes.Focus,focus...don't start shaking! ”I just got in."big smile: laugh lightly, hides nerves and shaking." Haven’t been through orientation yet, after all, Celestia’s still….having… more troops to spell of those already here, can’t say much more, hush, hush, you know.” The clerk nodded while cleaning a glass.Good, clean the inside of the glass first! “They said for me to work where they are disposing of the ahh…"he tapped his hoof to his chin."what’s the most polite term for them?” “Strangers…"the clerks voice lowered, just a little."Celestia’s sake! Honestly! You have the manners of a Unicorn!”the clerks cheery attitude changed and he cleaned the glass slower. “Then I suppose it is deserved that I be dispatched to trash detail!"Our stallion looked downcast and sad, not to sad. "Hanging out with unicorns! Showing up late, sleeping in, losing my uniform and missing orientation! Serves me right!" stand up make heartfelt sigh. "Please, just tell me where they are disposing of the rags so I don’t get into anymore trouble!” “Ha! I knew you were lying!” said the pony clerk proud of himself for discovering a fraudster.”I bet your not even an artist! How else would you not be impressed by that a classic masterpiece by Fennel Sort! Finish you’re water and go straight down the hall, you can’t miss it.” “Don’t worry about it.” said a pegisi. ”there was a mix up, lots of new enlisted lost their uniforms.” his smile, a mouth full of shields as the impressive Pegisus rose casually and wandered over toward the pony. “Err..thanks…”said the pony,had his cocern about being caught out flashed on his face or was it something else? “ATTENTION!!”It was almost as if someone had thrown a switch. The Pegasus was right in the Pony’s face snorting with fiery eyes. It was something else! The pony obeyed. Straight as a board on four legs ! Author's Note Oh dear. Our pony caught out pretending he is something he is not.What will happen?
Soldiering OnTo the pony standing at attention came naturally. Before, when younger, he and his brother pretended to be soldiers. It was a game of poise, who could stand the straightest, be most erect, and be the best most soldierly and most soldierly soldier, upon called to attention. They practiced at it for hours, watched many war films( Gunga Din) and parades and military men and realized the movies were wrong except for the documentaries and military channel. One day a teacher found both boys pretending to be soldiers and told them it was wrong, bad. She then preceded to explaining all the inconceivable adult reasons, her position, and air her opinions to the minds of two children who couldn't possibly wrap there minds around such complicated reasoning. They politely just nodded up and down. The two brothers didn't want to offend teach; but they didn't want to affront those who had sacrificed so much of what they held dear to serve the country in its time of need. After the teacher finished her say and left the scene on her cue to do other thingsat the school.The brothers sat dejected. "What are we going to play now?" asked one brother. "I know!"said the other. "Super!" "Cybernetic!" "Horsey!" "Hyper..." "force!" "Yay!!!!!"the yelled together in exuberance. So the two brothers instead pretended to be intelligent horse soldiers!Cyborgs in a future war! Imagining themselves war horses, living tanks, who could understand their commanders! Standing like statues gleaming in the sun! XXXXXXXXXXXXXX “How dare you impersonate somepony important!"The Pegisus Snorted." What is your name?”his voice was like grating gravel. “I…er…um…please…I already…trouble…SIR!”the pony said truly afraid of this alien in front of him. “Pour him another glass of water!”growled the Pegasus. The pony at the bar did so grinning ear to ear. “Finish your water.” he said eye to eye nose to nose.“Did I tell you to stand down!”pressing in even closer. The Pegisus walked around the pony looking him over.“..Up that gut! Drink!”a sharp ribbing not a hard one just to get the pony's attention. Like a kick but not really. The pony drank. “Glass down!Did I tell you to fumble?Put it back on the counter!" He did so in the most soldierly way he could think . Are we nice and hydrated, hmm?”He said with a horsey grin. “YES SIR!” “Good!"said the Pegisus. "Salute!!! ” The poor pony clumsily hit his head with his hoof. Clompf! “HAW!HAW!HAW!"the Pegisus gave a hearty if less than cheery laugh. "Much better! Still, good try!What a new recruit indeed! You have a long way to go before you make rank, newbie! Get more experience before you try and bluff griffons you hear! Now,get out of here newbie!” As the pony ran he stopped and looked back. ”Get on before I report you! So help me,Sargent Captain's, you had better be in orientation with the others in the morning or I will find you…do this again and throwing out the trash will be a high position for you!!” The Pony stumbled looking back over his shoulder several times as he hurried down the hall mumbling something about flying horses and Griffons. The Pegasus went over to the counter to pay his bill.Something about said pony wasn't right. He looking a bit manic, but that was to be expected, for a newly recruited soldier! But that was what was wrong. It was too much like what the pegisi expected, too perfectly wrong! "Shouldn't you go with him?"asked the clerk. "Naw."said Captains."He can't get out that way, he'll be closed in, if he starts to wander others will notice." The clerk and the Sargent looked at each other. “Excuse me,"said the Sargent" but I need to see a guy about a pony!” Going on automatic, though the pony, why did he always do that.Why did he somehow think that was a good idea? He always got in trouble when he went on automatic! Always! When the Pegasus was out of sight, the pony stopped, before he could slouch and let out a sigh he turned his head. He noticed a door looking most familiar! A welcome distraction!He opened and went in.His brain was needling him. As if to say that he couldn't not think forever, realization will occur, like it or not. He could still run away in a fugitive cloud! Yes, indefinitely! Oh, but this! So very welcome and familiar indeed!The perfect distraction indeed! He calmed down looking at the sinks. Exactly as they should be! He then found and trotted into a stall, closed the door and with a click drew the bolt and a sighed, “Porcelain and tile!” As he had turned around, he then realized something. “ Why can’t I remember my name?Is this somepony, somepony…some..pony’s, som..e….po..ny…’s…”he blinked. Why was he saying that? “What is this dream about?What must I prove?” Then the top of his head gently rested on the door.It felt to real to be a dream. He let out a sad sound.“I've stolen valor!”the sound, like a sob of realization. Soldiers had enough trouble.Such behavior! He was alarmed. By doing such things,was he losing his soul? Was he in hell? He bit his lip and closed his eyes. No…he wasn’t in torment, he felt all over his body, no. Purgetory? Pftt…There is no purgatory in the book! That would be Abraham’s bosom and…….. Then he realized in horror. The book! “My book! I hid it in my clothes! They’re on the way to the garbage!" He was going to where the garbage was because there had to be an exit there! After all garbage in garbage out. Now he had a new mission! I’ve got to find it! Of course! I must prove my devotion, my devotion to His word! Once I do, find my book, my devotion will be assured! This dream will end…everything will be okay! Everything will be okay! Everything will be okay! Everything will be okay…..Okay, kay.Kay? My head!” His head felt hot and he was feeling feverish. Author's Note Will our pony find his book?
The Sparking Cauldron.Fire was ultimately fair. Soldiers, of unquestionable character, in protective garments and breathing apparatus, threw things in without regard for what they were, to be burned up. Anything the strangers really wanted to keep they were allowed, making special note of whatever was clutched or clung.The soot and ash would be processed later. What ever metal remained, melted. As soldiers continued throwing the articles wood,plastic,what not, and smelly rags into the flames they failed to notice an earth pony watching from the shadows listlessly. As one article was reveled and about to be chucked over the edge into the flames, and billowing darkness of smoke, the shadow became animated with agitation and galloped forward quicker than lightning. “Mine!MINE!!!!! You can’t have it! It’s mine!!!Cough.Cough.” As he grabbed the article, a book, from a pony tearing the cover off in the process, spinning around till he was on the edge of the precipice perched on his hind legs. ”This isn’t,cough,cough, real! This isn’t me! ISN”T! ISN’T! ISN’T!NOPE!!!HA!HAH!HAW!” another fit of coughing as he stood there precariously shaking his head and mane wildly."A mad dream!"he screamed. ”NOT ,cough, real, nope, can’t be real!!!” A manic grin went across his face.”I’m…cough,I’m not standing here right now! Yes! That’s it! I remember! Some dream; cough to wake up? I know! My book is real!”He held the book out, its torn cover where he had grabbed it from the guards.”I can feel the fire behind me!I can smell the smoke, cough, plastic! So that must be the way out…cough.So I’ll just follow my book,and just like a dream…and I’ll be out!!!cough.” The guards who were throwing items and articles and clothing stood in shocked silence at this mad pony twitching, his eyes watery as they rolled around like marbles, his ears laid flat on against his head popping up individually and laying down again. As if he didn't know how to use his face. This stallion might actually throw himself into a fire! Xxxxxxxxxxx “I can’t go back, can I?” “No. It’s,uh, a one way trip. As time goes on, you’ll begin to remember less and less of it.”All Wishes said. The pony clutched the book tighter to his trunk. Closed tightened, shedding a single tear. “Hey! Don’t be sad.”All Wishes said. “Things are going to look pretty good to you tomorrow morning! I promise! All snug and warmly…a tangle of legs…”he said with a grin and a chuckle that the earth pony didn’t like and followed by a sigh through his nose. “A name will be needed. A name to be cried out to the arching sky! What might that name be?” The earth pony opened his eyes, then opened his mouth closed it then and put his hoof to his chin and thought. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx “Hey! Pony!!!!” He turned and was startled to see a floating pot before his face, sputtering sparks smoke and flame, a desperate Unicorn stallion beyond. “That’s him, doctor!” said the Pegasus from the bar earlier. “I knew his story was fishy!” ”Tell me about them…”the unicorn whispered to more knowledgeable one who had just trotted from behind, the doctor ,from before, wheezing and out of breath. “Tribal/ primitive. Hunters and gathers.” said the unicorn panting. That was all he needed to know. “Be careful!” the doctor said putting a hoof on All Wishes shoulder. “He looks feverish, hysteric and the smoke causing his head to fill with with unbalanced miasma!” All Wishes started a prayer in his mind, then a darkness came! Such a darkness.The moon was passing over the sun. Stay calm. It had been announced in the papers for weeks. A necessary calibration Celestia had to perform, thanks to her sisters fit centuries ago! The darkness, it interrupted his mind. The sun was hidden, to the unicorns perspective, Celestia, the all seeing goddess, had been blinded, from this excluded!The darkness felt confining, stifling. The smoke didn't help. All Wishes coughed involuntarily. “Please.Alert clarity of thought me!Some, any, help!”were the Unicorn’s thoughts. A light, a spark! The words came raw, shaped by him remembering his diplomatic meetings with griffins, like dough being kneaded they had to sound coherent at least! “We are both meat!”he said.”By this fire, we are made equals: You and I!" All Wishes proclaimed. "This pot, passing between us, is a sealing of an agreement, a promise, to a greater power. I swear by it! I swear by this fire, because you say it is the only thing that is real to you, tried by fire. By a greater power: I promise. I promise you will be great! You will have descendants. Come over here, beyond this flaming pot. Come over with us, to life!” The unicorn stallion smiled.The statement punctuated by coughing, his eyes watering. The pony hesitated. “Being alive is very good!” “cough I don’t believe in you, phantom! This book! This book is what I believe in! Sometimes you have to rebuke a nightmare for it to end! Sometimes you have to die to self to live!cough.” said the earth pony tensing his body to jump. Author's Note He has his book back. What next?
Life on the edgeAs the pony sat in the infirmary, he thought. What from his book could he use as a name? An idea! “They will be saved but be as if they had the smell of smoke about them!” “How about, Smokey?”the pony said thoughtfully. All Wishes raised an eyebrow. As if he agreed with some unknown familiar voice saying, ”Certainly not!” "Meh, no."The Unicorn smiled,“Let’s think about it some more.” XXXXXXX All wishes voice clenched an d croaked do to the smoke.“This isn't a dream! cough.Over there…isn’t life,sniffle,um its,neither life,um,huh, nor,nor,um a life more abundantly!” All Wishes cried out desperately. The startling turn of the pony’s head to stare at him was like whiplash. Locking eyes onto the unicorn his mouth hung open. Good he had his attention. What could he use? What could he use?? As he coughed.His eyes fell on the torn book in his hooves. “Snorful.Hey, friend, that book, it’s your buddy, right, right? See, it’s important, you swear by it! Why, I bet you that book, that old book, those words would give anything to be alive…cough..to be with you! I’m sure, that book,cough, that book, cares just as deeply for you as you care for..cough…for...him! Him! Boy! It sure looks old,cough,cough, I bet it talked to you friend first!” That makes no sense! thought All Wishes.Oh dear! Wrong thing to say. Did he just see his eye twitch?Maybe it was the smoke. Can't be sure.So stupid! Tread lightly! Keep going All Wishes, keep going. “Uh-hum! In order for it to speak, I bet he did come to life, those words, Life! Yes!”All Wishes licked his lips he was seeing a reaction. The pony was paying attention. “That word came to life …sniffle..and he walked with you! That’s right! Cough!Walked in your markets and in your temples with your ancestors, and told hypocrites what for!” The pony’s jaw dropped open even wider with deep rasping breaths.
Stake of the Coin“We do call this book the word. How did you know?”The pony asked. “Ah, it was my gran. She was a reformed fortune teller. She stopped because some ponies got hurt believing she could actually tell the future. She realized to believe in a pony like that was wrong." “If it is wrong, how do you know the skill?”The pony asked. “She told me.’ If you look at a coin you can usually tell where it has been. …I cannot tell you how important in my life and profession my Gran’s teaching has been to me! For the skill being right or wrong, well, she said she was told in a dream to teach me.I don't think an aquired provable skill is wrong”” Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx “Two coins.” Gran held two coins.“Tell me about these two coins.” “If you look at a pony. You can usually tell what they’re thinking.If you say enough. They’ll tell you everything! Their body will tell its language.”All wishes answered. “That coin. One with Celestia’s picture on it? Celestia! For taxes, for deeds great and small. The other? Good things! For the unseen! Something greater!” “Very good!” She gave the coins to All Wishes."Now. I trust you. Go and pay the tax!" xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx “…and…and he would say,cough,cough, ’Brother, come away from the fire! Follow me! Follow me into life…into light…into…into…”All Wishes felt light headed. “The open sky,” said a pegis he met before at the snack bar beside the unicorn, stepping into the pony's view unaffected by the smoke. ”up!”The pegisis pointed a hoof into the sky.” Into the cool air, ‘meet me in the clouds, the cool refreshing clouds!’He would say! ‘We can look at all the sky, you and I! We’ll perch on a soft clouds, you and I.A plain ordinary, common, cloud.Nothing special, but the view is tremendous!Then I can show you the land that spreads on before you, hilly and green.’ None too steep to climb and plains to run for miles and miles…”the Pegisi beckoned the pony toward him. the pony shook his head and refocused on the unicorn.“But the hypocrites would kill him…” No! No! No! Get him back, get him back, draw his attention back! “What? Can you kill an idea? Cough.He would come back! They would pierce his mortal flesh but he would come back! They would throw him into a hole dug into the ground and put a rock on top, but he would come back! Push his way up and throw the rock of his back,as if it were nothing! Most assuredly he would come…he would come for you! He would say,’ See, I have come back! I have come back because you did not lovelessly throw yourself to the fire. Now, you live for me! Do good! For if you love me you do good. I am strong but see how light my yoke is? If you do good, you love me and love is life, love is my law! Even a foal could take it with no trouble.” The pony's head and face moved wrong in the dark.He became more erect. His voice went slimmy.It was if he were a different pony.“You ssswear by sssomething greater?Hmmm?…Is he…”he looked to the sky at the great eclipsed ring, “greater than the sun?"his hoof shot up and pointed at the blind orb in a way that made All Wishes wince." Ha,ha!"The laugh airy coming from the back of the pony's throat.He turned and looked at All Wishes unvervingly. "Make it worth my time to sstay,little pony!Better wages. "The pony's eyes rolled to the top of his head then rolled back."Something tasty..."His mouth opened with a smack."We have not had Osier in a long, long age,hmmp,hmm,hmm"the pony chuckled"...swear by Celestia!”the pony said with a truly unnatural grin. The unicorn swallowed.His pupils shrank and his ears lay flat against his head. What he saw! It weas if time had stopped and he was alone with this predator thing! This thing in the dark! His eye’s! The pony’s eyes flashing like two shinning coins,like embers, reflecting a dying, hateful flame! That "thing" did not belong here! That wasn’t right here!It made All Wishes want to run away screaming! At least he would be safe.He, Celestia and the other ponies.... But what of the pony in front of him? Something had just raised the stakes of the game and only All Wishes could see! He would talk to priests and scholars and telalogians later but what had Celestia brought into their world?
The SeedThe young All Wishes obediently took Celestia’s coin and paid the taxes, he kept the other as was per tradition and that coin, a present passed down in his family. He liked the idea of there being something greater, and no it wasn't “the mare in the moon” or the stars! On his way home. He met an earth pony, she told him about planting. That a seed grew into something bigger.What a wonderful gift! Like a story, getting bigger as you told it! Could he do it with this coin? Grow interest like a big tree, and give gifts to everyone? While talking with her he learned her father was very sick, his heart felt sad, he liked her. As he passed a bank he took his coin to a banker hoping it was worth something so he could help the Philly's father. The banker told him it was worthless. When the colt heard this he was crushed. He went to a nearby cliff and looked beyond it toward the horizon across the sea. To cheer himself up he recalled a story his Gran had told him. Beyond the sun's corona there was a land where the fire flowers grew! The king of the deer, the eldest, had gone there to show he was worthy to be king. For his bravery a servant of the highest awarded him a heart shaped bottle containing their juices. The El-deer always wore this around his neck, for the healing of the sick. He joarned far and wide to help others. He wanted to help but All Wishes just stared out across the sea. He had an idea! He looked beyond the sun to the blue sky, then he begged. “He who knows himself to be, he who is, to a highest power to life, to light !"he called out."Please! Take my coin, it is valuable to me but I will take it in trade for something valuable to you!…I want to, let me, do something good with it! I have kept it safe but it isn't worth anything.If you give me something that you value I can get interest, I want to make it grow…please take my coin…make it grow!”he threw it. Something caught it. There wasn't a voice, per se, but he did hear it. “A little seed sowed then harvesters to the field! To Celestia, to the rulers, to the rightful powers: taxes, honor, respect…You, to me!”it disappeared as if an eye lid with lashes closed around it. All wishes closed his eyes as something gently came across his head like a breeze, scratched behind his ears and was gone. When he opened his eyes again there was a shining blank coin at his hooves. He picked it up, it was slippery. The coin glowed golden and was bubbled like a circus mirror, completely distorting his face until he looked directly upon it. He ran home and told his Gran what happened. She took All Wishes and raced directly to the bank. The banker took the coin, and was stunned! The quality of gold! The craft ship of the coin. Then All Wishes took a small loan against the coin, and invested it. He was then able to take care of his Gran, give gifts to his friends and help those less fortunate: for the sickness of the filly’s father! He found her in the fields planting. Face to face he told everything! He then told her, indeed she was right! Interest was like a little plant and banking and building wealth was like farming! She smiled and she agreed with him as they lay on their bellies in the dirt facing each other. A few moments later a little sprout grew between them tickling their muzzles. They laughed together! This pony was like the coin. Xxxxxxxxxxx Answer him correctly or he will think himself greater than the Sun!! “Yes.” He swallowed.”I will swear by…by…He who is greater than the sun! Than the sky! Greater than every seen and unseen real thing here and beyond… beyond the universe!”he looked into the ponies eyes. He swallowed again.”I swear by one: who rose from the dead! He went into the sky! He took my coin! He expects interest back! His book you hold tightly, like a spirit, its words must live in you, be known in your core! A treasure: a sword, a coin, a deposit! It is like a deposit, an investment, seeds in the grown by the plow shear! He is not ready to collect, not ready to harvest, tis still green! How angry would he be if you came due before the promised maturity date!”it was come into his mind on the fly. At this the earth pony stallion’s eyes bugged out, then blinked. First one eye then the other: the glowing left his eyes. One coin for Celestia and one for the greater!He coughed and coughed and coughed and shook. His frame began to colapse. There isn't much time. ” Come here. Come to me.” All Wishes, beckoning the stallion. "Wa? Where, where am I?" Another fit of coughing. The pony looked longingly into the flames and spoke,"I was going home."His head wobbled around."This book says to love your neighbor as yourself...." "I am your neighbor! I do not want "my self" to be burned alive in the flames! I am also a servant, like you. I have unicorns and Pegisi and earth ponies under my command. By higher authority I say, ’Come!’ and he comes. I say, ’Go!’ and he goes. I tell my servant, my fellow pony, who helps my family, my friend, ‘Do this!’ and he does it willingly! Here there is life! You have a chance to be somepony, over here you have a chance, over here there is love. In that fire? What kind of wages would you receive? What do you gain without love in the fire? You gain nothing, you won’t be anything: not a lord, nor will you be a king! The loveless fire will just shriveling you up, wasted to wither away, and just be, regret, an object of scorn, a thing tormented day and night never seeing the sun or the moon. Nothing but food for the fire, that thing that never says: ‘Enough!’ "Here you can be somepony, great! There…you’re less than meat, a nothing!” “Please. Come here!” The Pony realized he had seized up, he twinged back and forth toward the unicorn on now unsteady legs. It was obvious he was trying to obey, to move away from the fiery pit, between increasing coughing. “I can’t!Cough,cough.” the pony said still trying."Help me!cough, cough.Can't breath!"as the erect frame began to shake. All Wishes nodded.“Cough.I'll meet you half way. Let me come and get you.” as he put the pot down. Please help me.The unicorn thought.
As Saved from the Fire“Smokie huh? That name, it does match your cutie mark, but tell me, seriously. Do you really want to be known as Smokey the Pony, for the rest of your life?” xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx The stallion began to collapse due to the heat. He was yanked away from the fire by the unicorn. In doing so the book fell out of his hooves. “No!!!!” All Wishes ran and was at the edge to catch the book with his magic. Sweet matted his fur from the heat as he struggled to grab the barely visible book through the smoke and flames.Difficult to breath without coughing fits. The book slid through his aura like a shuttle through weaver's threads! His magic wouldn't apply properly. Almost as if, as if, the book were, laughing? at him.It flitted around like a sparrow or a dove in his attempts. Then sun burst forth from behind the moon all its radiance blinding the unicorn! Opening his eyes, he thought he lost it as it disappeared. Others drug the All Wishes from the edge of the pit.He pulled free, but it was too late! In despair he fell on his rump and put out his front legs.Why? HE HAD PROMISED! WHY? WHAT WOULD HE TELL THE PONY ABOUT HIS BOOK! He was about to wail, then, like a good practical joke, the book suddenly fell right into his hooves with a plop. It could have fallen on your helmet with a clang, my captain! All Wishes regained his composure. “How is he?” he asked the doctor as he starred down at the book apprehensively. The pony was murmuring something about the image over and over again. “He has the sweats; he’s feverish like I said.Don't know what the smoke's done to his lungs....hope the miasma in this brain will clear... It’s a lot to take. We’ll take him to the infirmary."A he gave his hurredly Assesed diagnosis. "Hope he recovers tonight, we have a scheduled to keep. For Celestia’s sake, All Wishes! You should have let that raggedy thing go!”the doctor chided. "Still think he's a good random sampling?"asked All Wishes of the doctor. Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx “How about Imago Dei?” asked the pony. “Amigo! Friends! You and I!Yes....”All Wishes was pleased then looked concerned, not realizing he had misheard the stallion. “Wait.Are you sure? Amigo Pie sounds a little funny."the unicorn scratched his chin in thought."Do we really don’t want the general public to know you were formally meat eaters?” “Ah yes, that would be awkward explaining it all the time. Latin and all....Wait!"The pony realized something. "Can I still eat fish?” xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx “And What? Break my promise?To our new friend? Why,to break a promise is the quickest way to lose a friend, you see!” “Forever..” the fire seemed to hiss. All wishes gave the flaming pit a stare.Then rubbed his ear with a hoof. Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx “Ok then. How about Smuggie, Smuggie Pie!” Smuggie said triumphant. “Hmm...Yes. A perfectly good pony name!"All Wishes clicked his hooves together. "The perfect name for you to give to give a filly friend to pass on!” “Wait? What?Excuse me?”Smuggie said looking up from the book cover again. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx “Yeah, I’ll just take this book and have it inspected for latent magic."All Wishes said as he tucked into a saddle bag pocket. If there is nothing there I’ll give it back to him. Besides, I might as well get a new cover for it, restitch the binding, repair and clean the pages....” All Wishes already knew the best book binder to take it too. Just to get a look at this book, how it was made, would reduce the price considerably.Twas the trade, curacy for curacy, barter for barter, information exchanged for currency and barter at a fair price. He could already see the look on his face, pawing through its gossamer pages. Memorizing the letters form from each page to make an exact copy. Who knew? The pony might lose his and need another to replace it. “Well, little book,"he patted the saddle pocket where it was remembering its sooted pages. "it appears you went through the flames so he wouldn't have too!” With book in his bag,he began to trot of. He stopped. He felt something on his head. It covered around his horn. Like when his mother would nuzzle the top of his head before his horn became so pronounced. How he longed to have that feeling again! Even his wife couldn't do it.he craned his neck up to get at it. Then there was more! It scratched him behind the ears for what seamed an eternity of bliss then it was gone as if he had imagined it. Everyone had stopped the work to gawk at the commotion of the pony on the edge of the pit and accompanying action scenes. “Ok guys back to work! Show’s over."All Wishes knuckled his hoof up and pointed behind him. "Celestia said she wanted every bit of those ape rags gone, like before yesterday, move.cough!”
In the beginning...for Smuggie PieThere was a quiet in the room as the sun rose. Beautiful sunrise. Celestia outdid herself this morning, in All Wishes opinion, as he looked out the window. He looked at Smuggie, his eyes closed. He looked very intense as whispered things to himself, inaudible .These Ponies indeed had strange ways All Wishes thought.Yes.He would leave him to think until the chime. Smuggie gently disturbed the quiet as he opened his eyes and spoke.''I understand now. I didn't before. To understand is to reject evil. You understood, you could have let me die in the garbage fire pit.'' Smuggie said. ''That would have been unseemly, and yes that would have been very evil! Well, anyone who likes books can't be all bad and...my token.''he tossed Smuggie a gold coin that landed on the stalion’s upturned frog. ''...I think that you are a good investment. '' Smuggie was stunned silent. IT was a beautifully made coin but that wasn't what made Smuggie stare at the reflective surface. ''Beautiful isn't it?”All Wishes said confusing the look in Smuggie’s eye for awe. ”A treasure,oh.'' The unicorn magicked it away.''You can't have it. I have a loan against it. It provides me income for my real treasure, my family and those in need." tucking the coin into its own small draw string bag around his neck".I work it hard and has already paid for itself ten times!” he said to the gawking pony. Inside the clinic, a chime rose to their ears attention. The doctor on duty rushed in“Hurry,hurry!He’s going to be late, he can’t be late!” “But I have lots of questions…there is this thing I need to tell you about my book....!” “Too bad, some filly else will have to listen and answer them…hope they can between breaths.” All wishes said with another strange grin and chuckle."Oh, yeah something I've working on since yesterday at the fire.Watch now!" they popped away in at telaportic bubble. Smuggie was now really disorientated and staggering around in circles making disjointed sounds as he stumbled. “Pretty neat!Don’t worry, it’ll pass.”said All Wishes.”Oh! and I have something else for you.” grabbing the stallion to steady him,he slapped some saddle bags on Smuggie's back.”For your book! Also:necessary id papers and documentation. Somemare’s else will help you fill them out, much,much latter…” he said with that same cherub smile and licked his lips. “Just have a lot of fun you two! You’ll know what to do! Think of it as a honeymoon gift.” All Wishes shoved Smuggie towards a heavily guarded door. Custody was changed to a Pegius. ”So you finally made it to orientation, soldier!"said sergeant Captains lashing his tail with that grin of warriors shields. "Told you I'd see you there and here I am! On your way! Here’s another one for you boys.”He pushed Smuggie through the doors,"Do your duty!" He laughed, the door slamming behind before Smuggie could ask what the unicorn or Pegasus were on about.Something itching his mind again. No! He had something important to tell them.Vital and lifesaving!They had to know. He rushed to the door.Looking for a doorknob...realizing he didn't have hands! "Wait! All Wishes, Captains, Doc! I...I finally understand...about the book! Your coin! It all makes sense sirs, its tetelestai!"He pounded the door with his hoof." Tetelistai...don't you..don't... you..see..."He stopped and looked down."How can you know... unless your told....tetelisti...paid in full! Can't you, can't you..."Smuggie pawed the door."I know now...I understand.."His hoof and head dropped"..too slow... he who hesitates...another opportunity....gone...and...and... another bad steward is afraid." He looked downcast as he turned and trudged, head down, in the direction to where he saw a gathering of ponies."Time for average pony to join the herd!Grumble..." He became aware of a defining silence that reined inside, he finally noticed and turned up. All eyes were on him, Smuggie swallowed. An earth pony trudged up and came face to face,glaring daggers at him.The other stallion snorted. “What do you understand of foot ball.” he said glowering, towering over him.Had he been that loud yelling at the gate? Smuggie swallowed, ”Uhm, well, um,yes. Do you mean,um, American football or European football, perhaps: like soccer? Of course, American football,yes.Um, it looks like a peanut, is officially at fifteen pounds per square inch air…”he burbled. The stallion looked down at Smuggie unimpressed. “Not a fan? Close enough.” he grumbled. The speaking resumed as Smuggie joined the audience. He looked around, the large pen reminding him of a stadium. The crowd was focused on speakers who were saying stirring things, one speaker campaigning for leader due to his more compelling oratory. It all reminded Smuggie of a 1920 workers film where the speakers acted like windup toys, scream over and over, ”Unite, unite, unite, unite!” He smiled as he thought back on All Wishes treasure. What made him stare so intently at his coin? In its bubbled surface everything shown distorted until looked straight on. He did. He saw his face! His human face. Then he turns his head, left or right he couldn't remember, he’d disappeared, merge into a distorted background of techno colored flarings. Straight on again. His face was back. He dwelt on this. “Eyes forward Smuggie, look neither to the left nor to the right. What lies ahead along the path straight ahead,hmm?” As all in the mob, but he, gave rousing cheers in solidarity for those addressing them, Smuggie took his book out and read the cover."They're writing their story, reading their book!" "Well, this is my book! And I'm gonna read it!" His eyes focused on the page.“In the beginning…”he read. At that moment the gates opened. Smuggie absentmindedly looked up. Three very well groomed mares came in confidently, one might say striding elegantly,sultry,sed....No!Smuggie chewed his lower lip.He closed his book and held it so tightly, if he had hands they would have been white knuckled. "Leave us rugged handsome gaurdponies alone!" ""You'll feel better in the morning." "So eligible." "A tangle of legs." "Between breathes." "A name to be screamed to the sky. Do your duty!" His ears laid back and his irises became pinpricks."They can't be serious!!"Smuggie's breath came out in huffs."I just got saved!" "At last! Representatives! The ambassador are here."said one of the three stallions said ,as they made confident strides towards the slowly walking mares, now paying them their undivided attention. Smuggie turned and moved for his life."Their minds must still be a little foggy!"HE though again. Pleased, the herd said, "We'll find out what's what about."As they watched, assured of a quick resolution. Smuggie ran around the crowded outskirts till he found a large crack in the wall. He squeezed inside till he popped through like a wine cork. Starring out with trepidation, concealed within the darkness, with big round eyes. "Those aren't ambassadors!"his mind screamed. Author's Note Last chapter. Whew!
The Word“The word..is that what those three collection of letters say?” The Unicorn asked. “Is that why you chose those words to put on the cover?"The pony asked in return. "Love the swirling and flowing script on the front, by the way….beautiful table of contents tittles with their page numbers…perfect,just beautiful.” “Well, most of the front of the book was torn away in the struggle, and the book binder liked how those words arranged. ” the unicorn opened it up again.“Look here! He gave it some pages in front and repaired the first page. There! I hope that’s the title of the first chapter…”he pointed to the top of the first chapter page. “Yes he did right…”the pony said flatly. “.....then he decided to fancy up those other words after it putting the title above. You know, the ones he put on the cover.”the unicorn continued. “Yes. It's very nice.”I toss the ball back to you, thought the pony. “He signed his name at the front…as restorer”the unicorn smiled and was getting excited,bouncing a little. “Ok…”What are you doing? The unicorn continued“…and I hope you don’t mind, I signed my name, who I am beside.”the unicorn said trying to drop a strong hint. “A good book is often dedicated by others…”replied the pony looking at the strange foreign letters written inside as if evaluating the books monetary worth. “By friends!…"Big smile.Stepped back. Flourish from the ceiling to the floor with his hoof. How was he doing that without dislocating a shoulder? The pony thought. The unicorn introduced himself with a nod."My name is All Wishes!"he returned to the pony's side raising his hoof back to the book. "Of her magistrates regiment EUPD: Princess Cellestia. Rank: Captain. "As he tapped each foreign word."What’s yours?” The earth pony paused and looked dumbly into the unicorns eyes.“I don’t remember…”he frowned. “That’s good!"All wishes said patting him on the shoulder. The pony looked at the unicorn blankly.How do they, we, moving like that?He raised an eyebrow. The unicorn backed a little to give the pony personal space then spoke with a smile."Tis a good start! A good start indeed! A good start out to a new life!Starting off on the first page.” Closing his eyes, the pony drew the book to himself with a sigh. Author's Note What is this book?
