Gray Joy and the Secret Calamity

Chapters

Chapter 1 - The Last Day, And the Mysterious Book
Chapter 2 - Nightmares, Warnings and Reunions
Chapter 3 - Familiar Family Familiars
Chapter 4 - Pulling the Thread

Chapter 1 - The Last Day, And the Mysterious Book

Gray Joy, son of a former navy pegasus and a mysterious Zebra mare who kept well to herself. Brother to a well-respected pegasus Major in Celestia's Royal Guard. A respected, yet low ranking, a stallion in Luna's Royal Guard. Or he was, at least. Today was his last day and it was nearly over. Here he stood, flanked by several colleagues, likewise former Luna guards, all going their separate ways. Two of them into continued service, but not Gray Joy. He was heading home after 6 years of service, honorably discharged. Honored even more than he felt he deserved, handed his decoration of meritorious service by Princess Luna herself. He knew he must've flushed when the Princess announced his name among the others. One of a list of names but he was humbled to be honored like that. He had never done anything but quietly and faithfully, serve Equestria. His friends rolled their eyes as they marched into the Canterlot library, hooves clicking gently on the floors as they walked inside. Gray Joy's eyes lit up as they scanned over the huge, towering walls of books, smiling brightly as his eyes scanned over the other ponies in the room including a cute little unicorn in a chair that was much too big for her, surrounded by books. Only visible over the edge of the book, because of the adorable ribbon in her mane and the small glowing horn that poked up in front over it. The pony looked quite young but the titles around her were true classics of the greatest pony authors in Equestrian history. He mouthed the word "wow" toward the librarian who gave a twinkle-eyed grin as she looked at the little ribbon-wearing unicorn and nodded with a truly affectionate look as if that little unicorn were her favorite part of the library. Gray trotted to her and asked very softly for directions to the old archives, not needing to explain why as he still wore his Luna Guard armor. She checked a memorandum nearby and, her eyes filling with knowing recognition, she smiled.

"Private First Class, or… is it just… Mister?" She paused.

"Just Mister is fine Miss," he replied with a soft respectful tone and a slight blush.

"Mister Gray Joy." She nodded, blushing slightly as well.

After a pause, broken by Gray Joy's mare companion clearing her throat, the librarian and Gray Joy both blushed and shifted slightly. Then slowly, quietly, she nodded and pointed toward his destination, indicating directional signs on the wall as well

After only a moment of trotting, Gray Joy found and began slowly walking through, the oldest archive of the Canterlot library. His armor clanked so loudly that he finally stopped and carefully removed it, placing it in a neat pile near a bookshelf on the floor. Then he continued browsing, afforded this chance to take, and keep, a single book from the archives in recognition for his time in service. Slowly, carefully, he looked at the shelves. His hoof trailed along the shelf itself, under a line of books until he finally saw one labeled

Clover the Clever

Recalling the name made him pause and he pulled it out, to take a peek.

And the Trouble with Tribbles

He shrugged, moving to put it back but paused as he noticed a book on its side behind the others. He carefully sat the first book down and pulled out a few more so he could slide the fallen book out. The spine was blank, but beautiful, in the binding of leather with ornate gold inlaid in lines across it. He turned over to the cover and looked carefully. The only thing on the cover was an intricate design. It looked like a cutie mark forged from some sort of metal and embedded in the leather of the cover. A large golden rimmed purple heart with the golden profile of a regal Alicorn stallion in the center of it wreathed in matching golden laurels. Tilting his head, he opened it to read the first page, where he found, in a beautiful golden script:

Here follows the account of the Alicorn General Starheart & his service to the Royal Sisters

Then in beautiful golden print under that

Dictated by
Starswirl the Bearded
Princess Luna
Princess Celestia
General Starheart.

all lined up in a column in the center of the page. Then, under all that even further still, at the bottom of the page

Scribed by Clover the Clever

Gray Joy's eyes widened in shock, and without thinking, he muttered aloud "Who is this General Starheart? What could he have done with such famous ponies?!" Suddenly he heard a noise like a pony clearing their throat and turned to look. His colleagues, the orange mare named Lily and a light brown stallion named Flash. He put the book down and replaced the others on the shelf before then scurrying back over to put his armor back on and put the strange book in his saddlebag. "R-right. Sorry you two," he said sheepishly. "Let's get going." As they walked together he looked at them. "You two didn't have to come with me. I know you're still gonna be guards for some time." He perked, smiling a bit. "By the way, Flash, did you get that transfer yet?"

Grinning broadly, Flash smiled. "Yep, I'm gonna be transferred up to the Crystal Empire with Captain Armor." He beamed.
Lily rolled her eyes. "Oh sure, you're just happy you get to ogle Princess Cadance," she said with a scoff and a little huff. The slightest hint of a blush visible through the visor on her helmet

Both the stallions stared at her for a moment and grinned. Gray Joy nudging Lily slightly "Careful there, Lily. Your jealousy is showing."

She blushed darkly and started to protest but both of the stallions took off at once galloping away. "Y-YOU JERKS!" she barked as she started to run after them to the chagrin, stern looks, and sounds of harsh shushing echoing after the three.
_____________
Sometime Later...

Gray Joy had packed the last of his things into his last box and said farewell to his colleagues, both off to their new posts. Dwelling on this thought whimsically, he picked up the box and carried it outside, stacking it with the other boxes outside the door of his quarters to wait for his carriage to arrive. After only a moment a very sturdy, mildly menacing, stallion with an eye patch appeared, pulling a large heavy carriage and smoking a cigar. He paused, pulling the cigar out of his mouth. He exhaled and looked at Gray Joy.

"Kept you waiting, huh?" he asked in a deep gravelly voice as he moved to unhitch himself and help Gray Joy load the boxes into the carriage. When it was secured, both he and the gruff stallion trotted around, Gray climbing into the carriage, and the stallion hitching himself back up. With a soft grunt, the driver took off.

"You sure it's not too far, sir?" Gray Joy asked.

The very sturdy stallion turned his head. "No problem. I've run the Iditarod for years, and besides, you're paid up enough to go to Manehatten and back twice."

Gray Joy gave a sheepish grin. "Oh? Who paid my fare?"

The stallion looked back forward again "One of your fans," he said calmly. Then with a friendly nod, the stallion pulling the carriage took off at a brisk trot, pulling Gray Joy along.

Gray Joy remembered the book and retrieved it from his saddlebag, then opened it to start reading. His eyes fixed on the words, he could feel a strange tingle in his hoof as it trailed across the page.
_____________________
"Stop playing with that thing."

"I've just got to adjust this."

"Bring me the enchantment calculations, NOW!"

"They're already done."

"I think...it was raining. The day I met the General. He came from the same land the sisters came from. Though despite years of questioning none of them would reveal any details of the land of their birth. Only that the sisters had ways of communication with those who stayed behind."

"Sir, the quill is taking down everything you're saying and there is only so much ink."

"Ahem, right. Well, it was only a few weeks ago now. The Calamity that was a blight on Equestria. It seemed to appear out of nowhere, sweeping in from some other world. A horrible, sentient creature of pure malignancy like some sort of repugnant ooze. A blob of pure evil that could sap the very life and joy out of a pony's heart. At least that's what he told me. That it felt like being dragged into the depths of all that is cold and barren, like frozen pitch-black quicksand. 'The very warmth of my blood seems stolen away,' he told me. It was pure, all-consuming, devastation. Unfiltered and undeterred by anything like a consciousness. Traditional weapons did not affect the creature, and any pony who made physical contact with the creature later told us something just like The General. It wasn't like feeling sad or depressed. It was deeper. Like the very concept of love, happiness, and joy were being drained out of them to leave only the very worst feelings and memories behind."
"I don't understand, sir, how could something like that be-"

"Please, Clover. I'll get to that. Let me finish."

"Y-yes, sir."

"The sisters. They saw the devastation, the aftermath. The land… everything the creature touched was scorched, lifeless. The ponies utterly hollowed by the encounter. It took a combination of magic, Eastern potions, and the combined efforts of Alicorns and Zebras to undo the effects. The sisters knew that they needed to take care of the Calamity fast but do so in a way that minimized further pony harm. They sent for me and the General..."
______________________________
The carriage slammed over a bump and Gray Joy was jolted out of reading the words on the page. Or… He paused, trying to figure out if he had read them or if they read themselves to him. He took a peek at the stallion pulling the cart. The question on his lips, but he simply swallowed the words back down. "I just got a little into it, It happens all the time with a good book," he thought. Sometimes it feels like the words are just reading themselves off the page to you. "They must've used, some kinda enchanted quill to just write everything they were saying." He grinned happily, intrigued by the idea, rubbing his hoof over the letters on the page carefully. "Was this Clover and Starswirl talking?" He mused, looking off at the scenery on one side of the road. As the road from Canterlot to his mother's residence passed by, his eyes grew heavy. He barely managed to slip the book back into his bag before he fell asleep.

Author's Note

A new , completely reimagined take on the world of An old story I wrote long ago. From a completely different perspective. I Hope you all enjoy it.

Andddd, I hope you like all the subtle, and some NOT so subtle References and homages I make to favorite things I have sprinked all throughout the story.

Chapter 2 - Nightmares, Warnings and Reunions

It was black. Pitch black. Like the kind you only find when you stare at the inside of your eyelids, trying to drift off into sleep. But it was clear he wasn't in bed. There was a wild rushing in his ears like the fiercest wind he could imagine and he felt like he was falling, rocketing out of the sky toward the earth. His heart clenched tight and he felt his mind starting to race. "How did I get up this high?… Earth ponies can't fly!" He wanted to scream but he couldn't control his body at all. "WAKE UP!" he screamed in his mind and, with a blinding flash, his eyes shot open. It was daytime again, but he was in a place he'd never seen before. This was nothing like where his mother lived, nothing like any part of Equestria he'd ever seen. The landscape was vast and natural. He couldn't see anything but trees, grass, and mountains. "Where is Canterlot, or Ponyville, or the train tracks?" He asked desperately as if knowing his location would somehow stop him from falling. His body moved on its own. Rolling and righting itself. "This isn't right… this isn't my body at all… It has wings! I'm...I'm flying!" He gasped, suddenly trying to take in the sensation and get a feeling for this strange new body. No… it's not his… he wasn't controlling it at all. He was only seeing through its eyes. "Whose eyes…" His thoughts were interrupted when the body jolted to a stop in mid-air and his head turned on its own.

"What devilry is this?!" The unfamiliar voice spat in disgust and before he could see what the strange pony's eyes were fixed on, the vision went black.

He was lost again. When the darkness faded, his eyes were lower. On the ground now, he was in a room this time, a castle he'd never stood in before. The brim of a large hat obscuring his vision as voices sounded around him. It was distant, hazy, muffled, like trying to listen from far away.

"A spell…" someone nearby said… or maybe it was from the pony whose eyes he was seeing through. The conversation was choppy but he tried to concentrate to make out was being said and suddenly a whisper started to sound. So soft at first he wasn't sure if it was real. Then as the voice started to clear and sound more loudly the vision dimmed dulled to darkness.

"Such a lust for revenge," it said.

"Who? Who what?" Gray Joy stammered in the darkness

"Who?" the voice asked softly, he felt the voice was familiar but was sure he'd never really heard it before.

"Gray-" he tried to reply.

"WHOOOOOO" the voice screamed so loudly Gray Joy wanted to cover his ears with his hooves but his body still wouldn't move.

"What have you done?" another strangely familiar voice demanded shortly. "You can't be here!" it declared.

"Turn back, stranger," yet another voice warned deeply. "Turn back before it's too late," the voice added dangerously.

Gray felt as if something were grabbing him in the darkness, and all the voices fell away. It was dark and bone-chillingly cold now. This feeling was not like hooves at all, more like an ocean of swamp muck trying to swallow him whole. As he tried to pull away, he felt his heart racing but he only grew colder even as his heart pumped fiercely, and he could feel a panic in his body. As if his heart racing only made the cold spread, growing more intense. Then a vast lidless eye fixed on him. He felt himself lock into place as if he were frozen, a fear like nothing he'd ever felt in his entire life. Then another eye seemed to appear, another, yet another, and still more opened. Soon all he could see were eyes in a sea of darkness, all fixed on him… unblinking and cold. The achingly cold darkness threatened to pull him deeper. He tried to scream. The silence seemed to echo around him even as his breath erupted in an icy wisp of mist from his lips and his body shivered. It was as if his words froze in his throat. Only the heat of his breath escaped. Just as the thick ocean of darkness reached his flank, he jolted awake.

The stallion's hooves pulled back cautiously as he looked at Gray Joy. "Hey... buddy," the gruff stallion said with a look of awkward concern. "We're uh… we're here," he said softly. "And uh…you were making some pretty weird noises. So I…"
"He came to get me," said a cool, soothing voice that seemed to come from the back of the carriage. Soon the Zebra came into view, smiling. "Thank you, my good sir," she said coolly, reaching up to drop a few more bits into the gruff stallion's hoof. "I'll take him from here, Mister Pliskin," she added calmly. Then she turned and took Gray's hoof. "Come now son," she said pulling him gently.

Gray was still a little shaken and pale, his body a bit sweaty as he swallowed dryly and nodded, shaking as he took his mother's hoof and moved off the carriage.

Pliskin hitched himself back up. Then with a cautious look back at Gray and the Zebra, he nodded and rushed off. Making a big u-turn and starting back toward Canterlot.

As Gray watched the stallion race away, he caught his breath and looked to his mother.

"Mom," he said a little shakily. Looking at his hoof in hers and immediately his body seemed to come under control. And his breathing steadied. "I'm glad I'm back here." He looked at his mother with a mild concern in his eyes. "I think I may have found a cursed book in the Canterlot library."

His mother gave him a careful look of inspection. Then she grinned "A cursed book you say?" She seemed to get an excited look in her eyes and started to pull Gray Joy along toward her home. "Well, it sounds like we might have more fun than I expected," She says playfully. "Well," she said, pulling away and trotting down her front walk. "Come on lazy bones," she said gently, smiling brightly as she stopped and turned in her door. "The critters have been missing you," she added as she rushed inside and pushed the door closed, barely catching the sounds of meowing from inside.

Gray chuckles softly and moves to follow her. Not surprised she was excited by the news. "Mother always did love any excuse to use her potions, powders, and magic," he said aloud to no one.

He hurried along to the door and pressed a hoof to the door.

"Turn back, stranger. Turn back before it's too late."

The words echoed in his mind. Making him pause in place. He closed his eyes, as he inhaled deeply, steadying himself. Finally, after a moment, he opened his eyes with a new determination. "Mom, Get your stuff ready. We need to check this book for magic," he said calmly as he pushed inside and closed the door behind him.

"At least retirement… promises not to be boring," he mused with a grin.

“What devilry is this?!" The unfamiliar voice spat in disgust and before he could see what the strange pony's eyes were fixed on, the vision went black.

He was lost again. When the dark faded, his eyes were lower. On the ground now, he was in a room this time, a castle he’d never stood in before. The brim of a large hat obscuring his vision as voices sounded around him. It was distant, hazy, muffled, like trying to listen from far away.

“A spell…” someone nearby said… or maybe it was from the pony whose eyes he was seeing through. The conversation was choppy but he tried to concentrate to make out was was being said and suddenly a soft whisper started to sound. So soft at first he wasn’t sure if it was real. Then as the voice started to clear and sound more loudly the vision dimmed dulled to darkness. “Such a lust for revenge,” it said.

“Who? Who what?” Gray Joy stammered in the darkness

“Who?” the voice asked softly, he felt the voice was familiar, but was sure he’d never really heard it before.

“Gray-” he tried to reply.

“WHOOOOOO” the voice screamed so loudly Gray Joy wanted to cover his ears with his hooves but his body still wouldn’t move.

“What have you done?” another strangely familiar voice demanded shortly. “You can’t be here!” it declared.

“Turn back, stranger,” yet another voice warned deeply. “Turn back before it’s too late,” the voice added dangerously.

Gray felt as if something were grabbing him in the darkness, and all the voices fell away. It was dark and bone chillingly cold now. This feeling was not like hooves at all, more like an ocean of swamp muck trying to swallow him whole. As he tried to pull away, he felt his heart racing but he only grew colder even as his heart pumped fiercely, and he could feel a panic in his body. As if his heart racing only made the cold spread, growing more intense. Then a vast lidless eye fixed on him. He felt himself lock into place as if he were frozen, a fear like nothing he’d ever felt in his entire life. Then another eye seemed to appear, another, yet another, and still more opened. Soon all he could see were eyes in a sea of darkness, all fixed on him… unblinking and cold. The achingly cold darkness threatened to pull him deeper. He tried to scream. Silence seemed to echo around him even as his breath erupted in an icy wisp of mist from his lips and his body shivered. It was as if his words froze in his throat. Only the heat of his breath escaped. Just as the thick ocean of darkness reached his flank, he jolted awake.

The stallion's hooves pulled back cautiously as he looked at Gray Joy. “Hey... buddy,” the gruff stallion said with a look of awkward concern. “We’re uh… we’re here,” he said softly. “And uh…you were making some pretty weird noises. So I…”

“He came to get me,” said a cool, soothing voice that seemed to come from the back of the carriage. Soon the Zebra came into view, smiling. “Thank you, my good sir,” she said coolly, reaching up to drop a few more bits into the gruff stallion's hoof. “I’ll take him from here, Mister Pliskin,” she added calmly. Then she turned and took Gray’s hoof. “Come now son,” she said pulling him gently.

Gray was still a little shaken and pale, his body a bit sweaty as he swallowed dryly and nodded, shaking as he took his mother’s hoof and moved off the carriage.

Pliskin hitched himself back up. Then with a cautious look back at Gray and the Zebra, he nodded and rushed off. Making a big u-turn and starting back toward Canterlot.

As Gray watched the stallion race away, he caught his breath and looked to his mother.

“Mom,” he said a little shakily. Looking at his hoof in hers and immediately his body seemed to come under control. And his breathing steadied. “I’m glad I’m back here.” He looked at his mother with a mild concern in his eyes. “I think I may have found a cursed book in the Canterlot library.”

His mother gave him a careful look of inspection. Then she grinned “A cursed book you say?” She seemed to get an excited look in her eyes and started to pull Gray Joy along toward her home. “Well it sounds like we might have more fun than I expected,” She says playfully. “Well,” she said, pulling away and trotting down her front walk. “Come on lazy bones,” she said gently, smiling bright as she stopped and turned in her door. “The critters have been missing you,” she added as she rushed inside and pushed the door closed, barely catching the sounds of meowing from inside.

Gray chuckles softly and moves to follow her. Not surprised she was excited by the news. “Mother always did love any excuse to use her potions, powders, and magic,” he said aloud to no one.

He hurried along to the door and pressed a hoof against it.

“Turn back, stranger. Turn back before it’s too late.”

The words echoed in his mind. Making him pause in place. He closed his eyes, as he inhaled deeply, steadying himself. Finally, after a moment, he opened his eyes with a new determination. “Mom, Get your stuff ready. We need to check this book for magic,” he said calmly as he pushed inside and closed the door behind him.

“At least retirement… promises not to be boring,” he mused with a grin.

Author's Note

More references abound in this chapter. But more than that I hope you'll start to enjoy all the Original characters and scenarios in this tale.

Chapter 3 - Familiar Family Familiars

Gray Joy stepped into the house and was greeted by numerous things all at once. First the Barricade of 2 massive house cats, that barely looked small enough to be called such. One like a large Tiger cub with a slightly golden tinting to his patterns and a perfectly groomed white underbelly. Giving a very happy grin as Gray Joy came into view. As Gray Joy reached out a Hoof The Golden Tiger Cat Rose to meet it sniffing at it eagerly. Raised on his hind-legs the cat almost reached Gray Joy's chin. Chuckling Gray Joy nodded. "Alright, Alright easy Rolly". He said digging into his saddlebag and fishing out an entire roast Fish and handing it to the Massive cat who took it eagerly and devoured it in a flash with an expectant look. "Sorry Buddy Only one fish per cat this time I'm afraid" He almost seemed to pout at this but Gray Had already turned to the other equally massive feline blinking at him slowly. "Hawkeye," he said gently rubbing the large gray tiger-striped beast under his chin. "You've been crying again, haven't you? You poor se-" He tried to say but was cut off by a blur of sleek black fur almost as large as the two tigerlike felines, but this one is the very picture of a miniature panther nuzzling its body against him. "Hello Klinger." he chuckles. Barely managing to slip the melancholy looking gray tiger his fish before being cuddled aggressively into a sitting position by the affectionate little panther. "Easy girl," he said petting her gently and then granting her a fish as well. Which she took eagerly and bounded off with. Giving him the chance to follow behind her flanked by the small tigers. Greeted by one last Feline laying in the hall. The only one who looked the part in terms of size. A white and gray little cat, who looked very sweet grooming herself. Gray grinned at her. "Fuca," He said gently offering her his hoof. She regarded him with a look of recognition but still only sniffed his hoof at first. Then she rolled over onto her back and stretched luxuriously. Smiling he rubbed her belly gently with his hoof and quickly gave her the last fish from his pack. Much to the disbelief of the Golden Tiger at his side.

"What's taking you so long?" his mother shouted from somewhere that sounded quite far away despite the house being relatively small.

"I had to give my offerings to the guardians." He replied gently. Hearing distant laughter in return. Proceeding down the hall he quickly reached a 3-way intersection. One way looked like it was a living room. Which is where the tigers split off and wandered into each claiming a space, the golden tiger sprawling on the couch nearly covering half of it, the gray tiger claiming a chair, and the little panther in the window sill stretched out and cleaning herself happily. Fuca moved past him as well, joining the others lounging in the living room. Smiling he turned to look to the other side and see a large Kitchen. With a strange shimmering barrier that seemed to be holding an odd noise inside. And Mops dancing across the floor followed by a line of towels instantly mopping and drying the floor as they went. Making quick work of the floor and then wringing themselves out and zipping over to a closet on the edge of the Kitchen. As they did. A small instrument seemed to slowly lay itself down and the barrier seemed to pop like a bubble. Gray moved into the now free part of the kitchen and turned to see his mother in a different Bubble one near the sink and stove. A trumpet played inside the bubble she stood inside. Where dishes were doing themselves and she was expertly cooking something. Turning around she looked at him and grinned.

"Don't tell me you forgot what it's like at home?" She said in a muffled voice over very soft distant music, questioning his look. As she carried the skillet she was cooking it right through the barrier and set it carefully down on a special circular pad on the table. "The dishes seem to have developed a taste for the trumpet, but as usual the mops love their gentle harp music" She seemed to shrug, it's a little tough to explain, some of these enchantments are stubborn and set in their ways. While others get a mind of their own. She said putting down a cup of a dark brown liquid for Gray Joy and tapping her hoof on the table as she glared at a large sugar-bowl. That quickly bounced to life, The handles on each side seeming to turn into little arms. As it moved it shouldered a Spoon like a soldier's spear and scurried over to the cup, lifting its lid it started to scoop in spoonfuls of sugar.

"WHEN! WHEN" he cried out very clearly after only 3 spoonfuls. Leaping back, the sugar-bowl, despite having no eyes or face. Somehow looked offended to be shouted at, with an indignant looking motion, it marched back to its place at the center of the table with the spoon. He glared at the bowl and looked to his mother. "I see the sugar bowl still has an attitude problem"

She gave him a sheepish grin. "Well you see, he had improved for a while… but then I accidentally put salt in him instead of sugar. He's been a bit bitter ever since."

Gray Joy suddenly broke into a fit of chuckles. Quickly joined by his mother. The sugar-bowl looked quite indignant. After a moment of laughing together, his mother broke the silence.

"It's good to have you home again Gray," she said softly as Rolly joined them at the table in his chair. "The babies don't appreciate my sense of humor as you do," she said giving Rolly and affectionate look. "This one seems to be obsessed with f-" her words were cut off by a loud melancholy cry right next to her in another chair where Hawkeye had settled. To the uninitiated, you might think the cat was in great pain from the sound but here he sat completely unharmed looking at Gray and his mother expectantly "And you remember Hawkeye" she said with a sheepish expression. "Yes he is, still quite the drama queen"

"MAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOWWWW" he cried again. And this time Gray's mother began to stroke his head with a hoof gently petting him. In no time at all, he was moved over onto her lap being cradled like an infant in her hooves.

"I suppose I spoil them." she said smiling down at the purring feline cradled in her hooves affectionately "But they do keep me company out here. That and more" she said smiling brightly at him. Suppressing a laugh as she noticed that Rolly had claimed Gray's lap and was getting his belly rubbed. Sprawled out on him purring loudly. "Well…" she said looking up as she continued to pet Hawkeye "tell me about this book. The one you found in the library, and about the nightmare." she added with a knowing look at her son.

Not at all shocked by the fact that she knew he had a nightmare on the way over. He placed his saddlebags up on the table and pulled out the book. Laying it between them so his mother could inspect it. "It's old but I've never heard one of the names written in it, all the others are famous ponies from history except that one strange one," he said softly.

She stared at the book for a long time, in silence as if her eyes were turning it over and unlocking all its secrets without ever touching it. Finally, the book seemed to jolt a little and she grinned with an excited look in her eyes. "Ohhh this is quite a find my little Gray Joy," she said happily. "This book is enchanted, and it has wardings on it as well. Not simple ones at that. Whoever enchanted this book, they used very powerful ancient magic to do it. The kind of things that even the village elders back in the zebra homeland would only speak of in hushed whispers. Most of it was long forgotten. However" she grinned secretively. "Your mother knows a few tricks" she nodded with an air of confidence. "I can't promise I can break the wardings completely. But I'm confident that I can loosen them enough that something interesting might happen"

As her voice fell silent, the room was filled with the faint garbled sound of the music playing for the dishes finally ending as the dished loaded themselves back into the cabinet. And loud purring from the cats on Gray and his mother's laps. "So, you're saying. That the book, WILL read itself to you?" he asked softly.

She nodded nuzzling Hawkeyes fuzzy face gently "Yes ~," she said in a melodic tone
"But not every word. It seems like something is missing, or some parts of it are forbidden. Like whoever enchanted this book, blocked more than just being tampered with magically, the information in this book wasn't meant to be found by just anypony." she said in a rather blunt and clear tone. "Whatever this book is about. Or Whomever." she added "It's clear that it's not meant to be part of -" she made quote gestures with her free hoof "official," she said smiling at Hawkeye "History"

Gray considered this as he rubbed the purring, incredibly soft, plump belly of the huge cat on his lap examining the information in his mind and turning it over to inspect it thoroughly. "If this is such a secret… why did I find the book, in a public library in Canterlot"

The book seemed to jolt again on the table making the cats jump and bolt away in surprise. Gray Joy's mother didn't flinch she instead put a hoof on the book and closed her eyes listening carefully.

"Stolen," said a voice, from the book softly.

"Stolen?" Gray's mother asked softly opening her eyes. "It was stolen," she said softly looking at Gray. "I got a glimpse of somepony. Somepony from olden times. Maybe they wanted everypony to know?"

“Maybe..” Gray said softly. “But it’s still hard to believe that no pony else ever found it.” he pulled his hooves away from Rolly to reach over and open the cover, pointing to the named ponies on the page. “I mean Starswirl, Clover the clever. Those are ponies that, for most of our lives were only spoken of in Myths and legends right? Most of us didn’t even know Starswirl was real until he returned a few years ago.” he pulls his hoof away. “Why now?”

"Maybe it's your blood," she said softly. "Surely it was even rarer whenever this book was written. Zebra and ponies breeding with one another. You and your brother, you're not typical ponies. You have different blood from most. Maybe the book was meant to be found by somepony of an exceedingly rare type of blood. One that the book thought might be you?" she mulled the idea over in her mind, letting it linger in the air. "Or perhaps, it was pure coincidence. The book could have been predestined to appear at a certain date, or time. And you just happened to be the lucky Pony who found it?" She grinned at him. "Time traveling literature." She chuckles "You always did have a fascination for time travel in books after all. Maybe that's why it appeared to you. Someone who could appreciate and believe the concept of time travel is possible."

Silence lingered in the air again for a long while.

Finally his mother moved “Well” she said tapping a hoof and making a figure on the table spring to life and begin to play a small violin, which made the still warm skillet move and a plate slid over to Gray joy. The food began to serve itself to him. “You eat, and I’ll go get some ingredients to crack these wardings a little bit. As well as prepare the back rooms wardings. Can’t crack these without a safety net after all. Who knows what might be contained in that old thing” she added with an excited look back at the strange old book on the table.

Author's Note

More References yet again. As you get to know Gray's Mother and her home. I hope you enjoy it.

Chapter 4 - Pulling the Thread

Zelenda left her son eating the meal she’d prepared. Instantly she was flanked by Hawkeye and Fuca, While Klinger hopped up on her back and lay there purring eagerly. Finally Rolly trotted up behind her to complete the quartet of feline escorts. She trotted through the living room and around toward the other door leading to the bedrooms and the back door. Giving a very specifically toned whistle that caused the heavy locks to snap open and the door to swing open as she moved. Entering the backyard of her home where the trees loomed ominously all around the clearing save for the free standing shack amongst them. She marched toward it and stepped inside. The shack was always something that made her smile. The way the trees framed the entrance had a way of making it look very small but that was by design. In truth the entryway was designed to look like a shack, to hide the large room she used for everything from mixing up old home cold remedies, to removing unicorn enchantments from artifacts. As they entered with her her feline companions marched away, to Large beds that waited for them on the edges of the circular chamber. Except for Klinger who remained on her back still purring and looking as majestic as she could with her sleek black coat of fur. She trotted to the center of the room rubbing her hoof in a bit of a white dust from a small sack on a pedestal nearby and sets to work drawing out a very large intricate circular design around a central table that was just the right size for the book. When she finished drawing she smiled.

“Alright my friends. Let’s finish the seal” she said and her feline companions returned to the center of the room. Klinger jumped off her back and moved around the edge of the seal sitting in a large circle she had drawn on the outer edge. The other two likewise took their places in circles while she carefully moved to it’s center. One feline in each of the 4 cardinal directions from her. “Let’s begin” She said in a suddenly serious tone. With a growing buzzing sound of magic the white she had drawn the symbol with began to spark. Her eyes and the eyes of all her feline companions began to glow in unison and she began to chant some ancient incantation. The feline friends around her seemed to be moving their lips in time with her words but all that could be heard was the sizzle of the chalk burning away and her mutterings. From each of the circles the chalk burned away more and more until the seal was burned darkly into the floor. Glowing like their eyes for a moment before returning to black. As the sizzle of magic faded and their eyes returned to normal she smiled happily at her friends, they all stepped back out of the circles and they eagerly rejoined her. She gave a whistle and a small stool seemed to waddle over to her from near a table on the wall. Digging her hoof into the jar on top of the stool she tossed all 4 of the cats a large fish smelling treat before resealing it and waving the stool away. “Thank you my friends” She said petting Fuca, Rolly, and Hawkeye. Then nuzzling against Klinger who had returned to her place on Zelenda’s back. “With that, I believe even if I accidentally break the warding on the book. We should be fine. Don’t you think?”

“Meow!” Klinger replied helpfully.

Zelenda laughed in earnest. “Thank you my silly girl” she said kissing the cats head gently. As soon as the others were done with their treats and Zelenda had marched out of the magic seal, her feline friends returned to their posts One on each of her sides, One behind, and finally one Atop her back. She marched back toward the house.

When she entered the house again and moved back through it, the feline friends broke off and wondered to their favorite places. Even Klinger leapt away and returned to her favorite spot in the window. When she entered the dining room she spotted an empty plate Gray Joy had left on the table. Zelenda only gave it a glare and rolled her eyes. She tapped a hoof 3 times in a rapid pattern on the wood floor of the kitchen. The same violin from before, which had fallen silent after serving Gray Joy the food sprang to life and the plate seemed to sprout legs, it hopped carefully down and rushed over to the counter , where it climbed up the cabinets using the numerous handles running along it, and placed itself in the sink. The violin falling silent again on the table. “GRAYYYY” she shouted but there was no answer. The book still lay on the table closed and mildly ominous with it’s interesting medal like design on the cover. She moved over and scooped it up. Moving through the house she could hear water running from the bathroom off her sons bedroom and nodded. Then she whistled to her Feline friends to join her again as she marched out to her work chamber. Before she could make it halfway across the yard she was flanked on 3 sides by her cats, and once again Klinger sat up on her back. She carried the book inside and walked over to place it up on its pedestal in the center of the black seal on the floor and then stepped back away from it. This time The four circles on the edge were occupied by her feline companions. And the Seal glowed powerfully on the floor. She nodded appreciatively and marched to a table nearby gathering a crystal on a leather string and putting it on. Slipping two silver and turquoise hoof bands on her front legs. A small bag of a ground crystal powder and a large shaman like staff with a combination of stones and leaves at its end, bound together by a large band of leather. She walked into the circle and opened the book hovering her now glowing staff over it and beginning to chant. Tossing a hoof full of the crystal powder at it’s pages the book reacted immediately, almost as if it were burned. The pages flipped wildly as if being moved by a fierce wind until they reached the center and the transparent image of an ancient bearded stallion appeared over it.

“STOP!” It said in a fierce commanding tone “The magicks used on this book were placed by none other than Starswirl the bearded. I have no idea how you came in possession of this book, or why you would tamper with it’s magic. Whomever you may be. I assure you, this book has much more than just a reading enchantment on it. I urge you not to tamper further with my wardings.” The face lingered for a moment in silence as if it were thinking or waiting for a response but it vanished before Zelenda recovered from her genuine surprise.

“How interesting. I’ve never seen a spell like that, even from unicorns” She rubbed her chin looking at the book which now sat silently. The four felines still make the seal glow beneath her hooves. She stared at the book for so long that the cats laid down in their circles and the seal turned black again, pulling her from her thoughts.

“Mom?” Gray Joy says standing at the door of the shed. “What in the name of Luna was that?” He says slowly moving into the room looking confused.

Zelenda grinned, turning to look at him. “Obviously it was a magical warning… It seems that this book is more than just enchanted to read itself. There is something beyond such a simple enchantment in this book. Otherwise why would this, Starswirl, have put such magical protections on it.” she goes silent for a moment looking toward her feline companions and then looks up at Gray once more. “Well if I’m gonna ignore that very clear warning. I’m gonna need a very powerful magical containment spell. Once I break the wards whatever is sealed in that book. I get the feeling we don’t want it to be loose.” She stamps a hoof as if to make sure Gray is paying attention. “And I don’t mean something simple like this 5 ring seal. I’m talking about ancient magic that predates the founding of Equestria…” She gives a smirk. “We will need to gather a few things… exceptionally rare things…” She pets at Klinger’s head softly. “You’d better go get some rest Gray Joy. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow. First stop… The home of Miss Fluttershy.” She grins as if she were quite excited. “We need the tears, of a draconequus...”

Author's Note

Been a while. The truth is I've had this written for some time but forgot to post it ^_^;; Been more focused on Reading than writing but I hope to get back to this asap.