When it came to sleep, I was always an odd one, of course, that was just a speculation, but from everything I heard, from madness to peace, I forever will take the took the crown. Unlike most people, I don't dream, I never do and never have in over twenty years. There is no time of peace and rest; it was always just awakening from one moment to another... But for me to have an average slumber was perhaps even more so of a surprise than to find out how much emotional pain someone can be exposed to before one would crumble.

The realm of dreams was perhaps just different here than it was home, after all, I was a 'talking' unicorn in a world of magic, was this really so much of a stretch now? I don't know, but I am determined to one day find an answer.

Through an ocean of clouds, in a world of light but without sun and moon and land, I floated through this vast nothingness, occasionally popping a few clouds, making them puff in their cottony glory. The realm was at peace, even though it all felt sluggish. I could not think in this space, but rarely thought of mine would echo in this land of skies.

Why am I not having Nightmares?

Was this all just a dream?

Who am I anymore?

At first, these voices, I could not recognize them, they sounded so unlike me, young, childish and softly, it was only a few moments later that I realized that that voice was mine, or would be one day. What would happen tomorrow, the day after, and all those that followed? No one could answer that question, but the hope that an answer might be granted to me was more worth than all the gold in the world.

My thoughts, I could've spent a little eternity wandering with them while floating through this realm, but fate chose otherwise. Before me, there where before a cluster of clouds was blocking my path, a rift out which a pale blue light shone opened, the contrast of these two worlds was like night and day.

I am unsure why I chose to close the distance between the crack in reality and me, but the light was soothing me in a way, allowing me to see clearly as if the tendrils that slowed me down would burn away and decrease their grasp upon me. The light, this wonderful source of illumination dawned ever so close to me, embracing me as I came into touch with it and stealing me away from this dreamland.

A gentle light, kind and yet cold, attempted to pry its path through the steep and tight chasm that resembled the little space between my eyelids. The tiredness, this unending fatigue pressed my form deeper into the soft and warm fabric beneath me, wishing me not to leave its warm radiance, but the calling, these wishes of the light didn't seize their attempts. Like a little caterpillar enjoying its stay in its cocoon, so did I yearn to remain in this form, yet the desire of curiosity to dare and see the great beyond of these walls was what eventually persuaded me out of the comfort of these blankets.

Slowly lifting myself, feeling these soothing tendrils let go of me, the sensation of the coldness flooding the formerly empty space caused a shiver to run down my spine, awakening me and prying my eyes wide open. I took a deep breath, savoring this feeling of emptiness. There were no emotions, no horrible nightmares harboring dark intentions, or any good thought praying to do the bidings of light, just this vacuuming caused by a great conflict in which both sides bitterly lost. In any other situation, I would've simply described it as feeling like shit, but this sensation was undeserving of such a simple title. The joy or pure harmony I felt when I merged with the Game balanced itself out with the horrific pain I felt ravaging my mind, in a sense, I was feeling fresh, young and the feeling of being lost was replaced with the desire to carve a new path a moment later. Yet, it made me wonder what chose to awaken me at such an hour, to honor me with such a power, to feel the grace of equal force of both sides of the weight, and embrace me with its gratitude. What?

I shook my head slightly, the weird emotions combine with this alien sensation caused quite a stir whitin me. The deep breath I had taken now left me as my head rose to greet my unknown guest, yet never could have a dream been able to reveal as sight so beautiful to me, one that even my wildest imagination paled in comparison.

I saw something that in my many hours wandering through districts and streets would faintly, rarely, make itself apparent. Something, that I many years ago, believed to have seen all of, but now I was proven not only wrong but happy at being so. An ocean of lights spread across the blue heavens, not this black skies polluted by light and fumes, but a clear ocean of colors. Perhaps to the creatures of this world, who had the privilege to see this, perhaps, mundane sight, it was nothing special or unique, but for me, it was a joy like few others. Gems, shining like miracles, illuminated the swirls and brushes in the sky like a paint none could ever replicate. Perhaps someone could if they dedicated their life to it, I didn't know, but if there was someone like that, I'd love to meet them. I let out an infertile hum as I felt this sense of awe wash over me. Yet as I gazed at the stars, the moon did not remain noticed. It wasn't like the rock I knew that orbited the earth, this one was shining like a pearl, yet under this serene rarity, behind the shadow of a unicorn's head which was eternally imprinted on it, I felt a twinge of sadness permeate this delightful sight with bitterness.

"...Wow..." I said softly under my breath. The first word I spoke since my arrival, and it justifies all the praise it deserved to be the first of many, just like this was the first time I ever saw a sky filled with stars, so I hoped that both of these events would take place more often than I could imagine.

"Do you like the sight?" A familiar voice rang from behind me, soothing and calming in nature, yet I couldn't help but tense up, my form freezing and limbs stiffen upon hearing of her awakening as if I was face to face with a predator. "No, don't mind me; I wish to watch it too." Gentle Touch spoke as she redirected her form and blankets to match my position, allowing her to rest beside me with the soft covers shielding both of us from the cold. Neither party spoke, both dreamers merely gazing into the starry sky.

A quiet chuckle escaped her lips, ratting the blanket that was drafted over my form quite vigorously. "I've been thinking about a name for a while now." She spoke, pausing her speech for a few moments. "You probably don't understand me, but I think I found the perfect name for you."

Oh, a name? I've been wondering what my new form's title would be, it would be a brandmark for the rest of my days on this world, with the emphasis of 'on this world' brought to new heights. Whatever the name might be, I would always be John Weaver, not age or time, form and place would be able to take that away from me.

"Star Touch."

My ears, those weird flaps of meat and skin, rotated abruptly into the direction of the mare next to me, taking the words in like a net, deciphering and decoding in an attempt to fully understand her words. Star Touch. Perhaps one day, I will live up to that name, and my stats will indeed touch the stars.

There is no 'if', only a when. One day those skies, the land, and seas of any world of any time could be yours as you desire. Any dream or thought will just be one wish away from being fulfilled.

Hello game, its nice to see you too. I'm assuming you approve of the name? He did not speak, but I could feel his desire of the name, or perhaps it was just my ego being inflated by his words.

"It seems as if you like the name too..." She thought loudly, even if her voice was as silent as that of a mouse. "Yes, my little Star Touch. I don't know why, but I feel like you are destined to do great things."

You couldn't be more right, horse mother.

No more thought went through either head, two souls now bound together, simply wasting their time away in the dim moonlight of the night until both of them, from both stress and fatigue, of mental and physical nature, fallen into the realm of dreams yet again.

"You are the most unique foal I have ever seen." Spoke Gentle Touch as she moved her hooves in a circular motion, slow and carefully kneading the soap into my hair, significant accumulations of bubbles rested across my entire body. At the same time, several of these bubbly soap-bergs swam around me.

I let out a sigh as I leaned into her touch. Warm water, I could barely even remember what it was like to bathe and these mild scents assaulted my nerves, never did I imagine that something could smell this good, or perhaps that was just the nose of a pony. You could not afford a warm washing unless you were rather wealthy; instead, you got a cheap deep cleaning shampoo that cleaned everything it touched. Of course, I sometimes had the joy of feeling warm water, but that was only through the process of decontamination of some really picky contractors. A small sigh, followed by a light chuckle escaping my little lips as my new caretaker began to massage my scalp.

"Who likes that? Who likes that? You like it!" She baby talked to me, a broad grin spreading across me as she leaned closer and bumping my nose with her's. That was a reoccurring theme with this pony. I decided to play along to heighten her mood and perhaps motivate her massage skills, even more. A giggle escaped me while my miniature form shook like jelly.

Her smile deepened, almost even looking humane in the way her eyes glittered as she moved to wash the rest of my body. Perhaps someone with a slither of dignity would strive to resist and try to escape the horse's grasp, but I was not that dumb. Any attempt to escape would, if it succeeded, end with me on the street and scouring for food, in the forest with animals attempting to make me their dinner or in the hooves of another pony and if that was the case, there was no guarantee that it would be a good one. Staying here was the most optimal decision as long as it didn't interfere with my actual plans, besides, I owed the mare the joy of taking care of a foal, even if that one was over three decades old and would one day be strong enough to bear the title of Atlas.

A greek titan who supposedly was strong enough to lift the weight of the world. Yes, should you not die during the process, you might be able to lift a planet, but that assumption is based on the weight and amount of Aether of the world as any pony can lift a world as long as they find the least heavy one.

I shuddered horribly as the horse lifted me out of the water and began to dry me, the cold assaulting me like predators do with the weakest link in the herd. A towel was wrapped around me several times and coating me with a thick layer of cotton. Initially thought that drying me would take an eternity, given the- in comparison to my human form -excessive amounts of fur, but the process was considerably shorter than I initially believed. A minute or two later, the fabric was removed from me, leaving me with a dry coat standing on a soft carpet.

"All clean and shiny, much better, don't you think?" She asked as she looked down at me, figuratively, of course, as these creatures towered me. Of course, the size difference was nothing unusual given that I was only about a day old, but still, having to nearly break my neck just to look an adult in the face would get annoying really fast. "Oh, you don't have to look at me like that, one day you will be even bigger than me." It took all my concentration to keep my ears from straightening, a baby at this year cannot understand pony language, but at the very least they could stand an hour after birth.

Sadly my talents at walking were unintentionally hidden away by the world when Gentle Touch ignited her horn, and a blue aura gravitated me closer to the magician, her lower stomach to be exact, as she sat down. I was again faced with this situation. I hesitated, I found it disgusting to just drink milk from the source, especially when a consumer is a middle-aged man and the source could have a small talk with you. Shyly I slowly opened my mouth, the lack of my gag reflex activating, making this only so more disturbing as I was yet again forced to feed. I shrunk slightly in discomfort when I heard her cooing in rhythm to my sucking, making me shudder. Despite the experience, I did not stop, my body just kept doing this action, even going so far and moving to the other teat. The sheer quantity was disturbing, and what otherwise only should've taken up two minutes had a duration of nearly six, just how much milk did she have?

At the end of this self ensued torture that hopefully allowed me to take a breath from nursing more for at least a few hours of freedom of this blasted act, she took me over her shoulder and patted me on the back. I cannot fathom how a foal could burp this loud, but for a moment, I feared that I had shattered her windows. A sigh escaped me as the sheer mass of 'food' made me feel like a water balloon, I seriously need to find a way to control my gluttonous self.

"My oh my, aren't you one hungry colt?" She sweetly asked and levitated me in front of her to face her face, I forced a happy smile of my own just to create the illusion of actually being jolly. She didn't need any reason to think that I might not be well; the last thing I need is a doctor discovering that her baby is, in truth, an alien from outer space.

After this little encounter, she took me to the kitchen and set me into a large toddler seat- again, where did she get all that stuff!? - while she ate two apples and stroking my back the whole time, each stroke sending shivers down my spine, never had I wanted and hated something so badly in the entirety of my two lives. After finishing her breakfast, core, stalk, and everything, she pulled me in one more hug before laying me down into my crib and saying her goodbyes.

"Be good little foal, will you? Mommy has some very important business to do." Those were her last words before she left me, the sound of her hooves hitting the floor and the impactful closing of the door signalizing the breaking of a new rule over my life.

'Game-!' I started with an excited tone mixed with relive, but I could not finish the sentence in my mind before I was bombarded with textboxes.

Through the unique action of seeing the night sky for the first time and philosophizing about it, you've gained two points in Wisdome.

Inventory has been unlocked.

Dungeons are now available.

The first Dungeon will automatically be entered in five minutes.

' What?!' My own voice, the dull and boring human sound, rang through my skull and hopefully making the Game aware of the apparent fact that what he was doing was completely and utterly insane! 'Have you lost your damn mind, I can't take on monsters yet, I'm half dead foal and not a trained adventure!' And then, my breathing calmed down, the effects of [GAMER's MIND] setting in, and then I remembered a few vital information with scary precision of what it said to me. 'You're not actually going to throw me into a damp monster-filled cave now, right?'

That is true, having us die on the second day would be quiet disappointing. Although the name of our destination is called a 'dungeon,' it is more of a place to train your powers instead of exposing you to dangers. The Game spoke calmly, soothing my nightmares of doing raiding in games, which would often end horribly even with over forty players.

'You really scared me there buddy, thought the point still stands, I'm in the body of a deformed horse baby, I doubt that I'll be able to do more than crawling.' I said in my head before a critical error burned itself into my thoughts. 'Won't the ponies notice if I vanish from the face of this world?'

That is a valid concern, but be put to ease by the fact that your physical form will remain in this realm. Your spiritual form is supported and stabilized in these artificially created pocket dimensions, but can't stay there for long periods of times as otherwise, it would start to degrade from being separated from your body for an extended duration of time. Your physical form would simply burst apart if it were to come in touch with a realm possessing so much Aether energy and thus will be put in a state of sleep while we are not present. The Teacher explained eagerly to the student how the string worked in the game of life.

'Oh cool... but doesn't that mean I can't die and can just repetitively clear these dungeons with no fear of getting harmed?' I asked all of this sounded too perfect to be true, my baby face twisting slightly in agreement. Although the information of my body not vanishing was more than useful and meant that at night I slay monsters and at the day I would be but an average... albeit less healthy, foal.

Three minutes remaining. You are still able to die in these dungeons. The damages received will not be visible to the mortal eye, but if you were hurt seriously enough, then even a slight clap to the side would be enough to end your life despite being physically in peak condition. Entering dungeons in your spiritual form will also result in a slower and more natural adaption of your body to the newly acquired power. The Game spoke, making me already shiver in discomfort at the thought of being this easily murdered after successfully conquering a dungeon. Two more minutes is remaining before the dungeon will be entered, I advise to use the skill [Observe] on the entity pigeon located near the window, as well as any other object you that may catch your eye

?

My gaze quickly wandered away from the ceiling and locked onto the window, a powerful beam of the morning sun radiated through the glass panel, but this sight was sadly ruined by a fat bird sitting in front of it. Not giving the situation much thought, I simply used the skill [Observe] on the feathered animal.

Flying Rat

... I mean... it's not wrong through...

[Observe] leveled up!
[Observe] leveled up!

!

You surprise is quite amusing, if I may say so. It is very much so plausible that the first time use of [Observe] on an animal, any living creature for that matter, would be far more rewarding than using it on an everyday object. It would be quiet saddening if an ancient ruin were to give as much progress as a simple pencil. Remember, your gain of power is tied to your memories and how memorable something is, which is quite fortunate as this allows you to gain power without having to be anywhere physical, and that memories will remain forever due to the Aether, as well as me. The Game explained thoroughly, and while the Information was saved in my head for later review, I gave it little through while spamming the [Observe Skill] continuously at the nearest items possible. The moment he stopped talking, I bombarded every object near me and often not even letting the poor description finish.

Its a rooking chair-
This item can be used to-
A soft, cuddly and-
a cloth representation of-

And this went on for a few seconds until familiar sound sent down pleasureful shivers down my spine. This feeling, it like a mix of adrenalin injection, as well as a deep sense of happiness.

[Observe] has leveled up!

The skill [Observe] is now able to give an accurate description of items, creatures, and events of the rank: Common and Below.

That upgrade came with a great surprise that even halted my train of thoughts and inner celebration, which then became a curiosity. Often you didn't need to understand a thing or entity to know how it ticks; you just needed to know how to figure it out, and the better you were, the more complicated riddles you could solve. It is also good to know that this skill is not tied to any stat, as otherwise, a mage would most likely be the most potent enemy to face as he or she could just find out your weakness and destroy you. A little smirk showed itself for a moment as the information was crucial, seeing that I needed to gain strength and endurance fast to no longer look like a corpse and be a slap away from being sent to the other side. Seeing as the seconds trickled down, I decided to try it one more time.

'Observe' I thought while looking at the bird.

Name: Pigeon
Level: 6
Class: None
Race: Pigeon
HP: 10
MP: (Unable to use magic)
SP: 150
STR: 4
END: 15
DEX: 17
INT: 2
WIS: 1
CHA: 7
LCK: 12

It a common Pidgeon found in cities. Is more information required?

At the very least, it spared me from having to read a Wikipedia entry about Pigeons. Why did it deeply sadden me to see that a common bird had better stats than me? That was the last thought I was able to muster before my head sank into the pillow, my form comfortably resting under the warm blanket as my eyes shut themselves and I fell 'asleep.'

Smirk. I have traveled a lot in my life, although not in any fancy way other than crawling across megacities and rarely through untamed wilds, this took the crown. In a matter of days, I have traveled through the realms of space, reality, form, and in a way, time and as much as the thought hurt, I never had so much excitement in my life before, but if I would have fun was still up to decide.

An endless ocean of white greeted me, but it was different than the inside of the Game, no, this was like a blank piece of parchment, brimming with potential and power, as if I stranded on land made of legos or perhaps even clay. I cannot fathom what god-like creature created this realm, or even The Game, or what spirits whispered these thoughts into my mind... But as if my body understood these ancient murmurs and moved on its own and- no, I acted with the guidance of the game -an image of what I would do began to form within my mind.

I looked down, I was in my human form again, this feeling of familiarity and homeliness fulfilling me with pride and joy, but these emotions were overshadowed by a wish to create. My bronze hand slowly closed, as if an invisible force was being crushed and formed in my grasp, particles, dust-like shards of liquid energy began to flow in streams, drawing lines of light in the air and eventually landing in a vortex that gathered in grasp. A glowing crystal, formed from all those individual pieces, brimmed and radiated with force and pulsated, a smile began to grow, for the first time in my whole life, I felt the sensation of power, to decide something so much bigger than myself. My smile reached its limits, and so did the catalyst of creation before I shattered it on the ground with my fist. Arcane energy waves burst like an unstoppable force in all directions, guided by my vision to create a place of growth and peace, the white wasteland slowly growing into place otherwise only seen in movies. The scenery changing so fast that I barely was able to take in such movements, like a pulse, the world was replaced by something else.

I breathed heavily as I slowly rose to my full height again, adrenalin was pumping through my 'veins' as I admired the realms before me. It was a small valley, perhaps just a considerable dent in the landscape, seeing the natural mountain walls surrounding me. A waterfall flowed into the little space and mounded into a peaceful small river flowing straight through the middle and into a cave illuminated by glowing crystals. Green grass grew around me as well as a few trees, those two things I haven't seen in nearly eight years, how time flies past one. Other than nature's beauty, there was also a comprehensive arrangement of training tools, and a pavement leading to a little wooden hut.

A deep sense of pride filled me, but that feeling only graced me with its joy for so long before it dawned upon me what just happened. A gasp escaped my lips, and my hands shot to my face upon the realization that I just used witchery, but the memory was so exhilarating, even more addictive than growing my powers; for a second, I thought that I stood above all. I need to be careful and not lose myself; otherwise, I might do something really dumb. Argh, I'm still a nobody, just a human in a pony foal body, be patient, and everything will go alright.

My breathing slowed down eventually, and as much as I, my body, or even both yearned to be drunken of power, I had no desire to lose control.

...

"Game? Hello? Hello!? Game, answer me!?" I asked calmy, which evolved quickly into a shout as my voice was unheard. "Great... just throw me into the cold water, I guess." I sighed before looking forward, the stone in front of the waterfall catching my eyes on instinct, most of them were wet, but few were far away enough and seemed to be warmed by the sun.

My eyes flickered into concentration and faded away just as quickly my mind switched between thinking and acting rapidly, unsure if I should try an idea or not. "Ain't gonna blow up so might as well try it," I whispered to myself, the lack of game, despite having it only for such a short time, had already manifested itself to firmly into me without making me feel like half myself when it isn't present. With little thought given, I walked towards the dry stone near the small waterfall, resting solidly in the riverbed.

I knew that all around me was but an illusion, a construct of the mind, but it was a damn well done. The fresh summer breeze flowing passed my hair, the sweet scents, a welcomed change to the smell of fumes and smog of the city. The light of the phantom sun radiating its warmth upon me, not too warm or cold, just right.

I halted upon reaching the edge of the water and stripped my body down to my trousers as I didn't want to make them wet, or perhaps it was just an excuse to be half-naked 'outside.' The first dip in the water with my foot was... blissful. It was cold, and the pull of the stream was calming, but I ignored it and walked towards the rock through the water that barely reached the middle of my shinbone.

My reflection in the water was as expected. A middle-aged man that looked like he has been stranded on an island in the carabiners for a weak and decided to keep the one shirt he had on the whole time. In other words, my torso was only slightly browned compared to my light copper body.

The particular rock was flat and smooth as if it was explicitly done so, but all that remained in my mind was the overwhelming thrill and unending hunger for power. Shaking my head, I sat down onto the rocky seat, the warmth assaulting my four letters as I crossed my legs, closed my eyes, and rested my hands on my lap.

I once heard that doing this would somehow strengthen body and soul, a man who was publicly known as 'Steel fist' said so, his name came from the fact that he was able to punch through sheets of steel, but no explanation was ever brought to light. Perhaps he was able to accumulate Aether and master its control? If so, then I wanted to do the same, and with such power, there would not be much left to stand in my path... Well, unless my opponent had a gun or was able to use witchery as well because then I'd be screwed.

I sat there for minutes waiting for any results, but boredom and fatigue decided to not show themselves, and an alien sensation began to slowly reveal its face. Something was happening within me...

A smile spread across my muzzle, and a little tune coming from my lips lifted my mood even higher. A new feeling of joy and energy was giving ever step more power as I walked through the cobbled streets of Canterlot.

The city was a beautiful sight for any creature of any origins. The lower levels were where the common folk lived, was decorated in ways seen nowhere else, various cultures mixing with one another as house after home, and shop, and after stand followed one another, various rustic-looking dwellings, as well as a few modern houses made up this part of the city. The real crown jewel that the capital of Equestria was located higher up the city that rested on the side of mount Canterhorn. The Higher levels was where the wealthy and noble lived, those buildings mostly consisted of lavish mansions and high-class stores where jewels of the highest quality and exotic foods were sold. Above those rich ponies was the castle, A titanic construct with towers that reached the skies, a monument of gold and marble, the place where the princess rested and ruled the land, rasing the sun and answering even the most commons ponies requests.

A sigh escaped me as the long path was slowly wearing me down; the extra weight resting on my belly really needed to be dealt with; otherwise, I might need a wagon to move me around.

"Gentle Touch, Is that you?" asked a familiar voice, making me turn around. A welcomed sight greeted me in the form of a friend of mine, A pegasus mare named Summer Breeze. Her orange fur seemingly gleaming in the sun, but the shine was extinguished by her azure mane in a way that made her seem soft in the light in away. Although the city mostly consisted of Unicorns, Pegasi were needed even here to regulate the weather.

"Summer!" I half-shouted toward her happily and took her into a hug, my right hoof over her neck and released her shortly after. "It's been ages, how are you?"

"Oh, you know, this and that. Weather will probably be exhausting in a few weeks since a thunderstorm is planned, but that is not important right now." She spoke happily, her head leaning from side to side and making several gestures with her large wings. "What I wanted to ask you was, what put you in such a good mood."

"Oh, nothing special," I spoke lightly in an attempt to hide my excitement.

"Come on, girl, you can talk with your old pal," spoke Summer Breeze as she leaned closer to my face, already anticipating an answer.

"Come closer." I quietly said as I motion at her with my hoof to which she complied. I was barely able to contain my joy, but I somehow managed not to let the whole world know about my deed. "I adopted a foal."

Breeze looked at me with a blank expression, worrying me, but her silence quickly evolved into a screeching noise of excitement. "I'm so happy for your Gentle!" She spoke happily as she nuzzled my neck in joy. "How old is the filly? Or is it a colt? What colors is the fur? Did you even get any sleep?" Her barrage of questions seemingly never stopping until I gently- heh -put my hoof on her shoulder.

"Summer, please not so loud," I told her calmly, stopping her chaos and making her notice the ponies around us starring at the two of us. Summer blushed like fire as she hid her face behind her wings. "I'm quickly going to sign the final papers; if you wait here for me, I can show him to you, but please listen to me while we go back to my place; otherwise, you might get to see an unpleasant surprise."

Summer looked at me with a confused expression, before suddenly tilting her head to the left like a bird and her ears twitching in curiosity, but a nod finished this most awkward this conversation before she went towards the local tea place. The shop was the most popular location to hang out for those with lower income, and the name being Golden Leaf was very much so worth its name is given the quality of the beverages they sold.

Without giving the situation much more thought, I continued my way towards the place I worked at. A simple hospital with rates cheap enough that it didn't take a leg to fix another, though it did make me wonder how many skeletons this place's closets had. I did not work there for long, just about two years because my previous working place closed down after it came out that a nurse was specifically giving overdoses to ponies paying extra, which resulted in the location closing down. Back then, I thought that this was the epidemy of walking the dark path on the medical way, but after yesterday I realized that things can be much crueler than that. How many foals did die there?

I halted as a shiver went down my spine, and a gruesome taste in my mouth began to spread like a poison. I shook my head violently, kicking these dark thoughts out of my head and entered the building in front of me.

Once Inside I greeted the secretary, a white unicorn mare, she turned her head toward me, her long white mane nearly knocking the items behind her over. She narrowed her eyes to slits before adjusting her glasses and smiling at me. "Ah, Gentle Touch, dear! how are you?"

"Oh, hello, Scribble Note, I'm feeling great actually, but I am sure someone as observant as you already know the reason," I said happily, the old mare was despite her age still working harder than two ponies half her age.

"Yeah, I already heard about it. Tough Love was fuming the rest of the day like crazy, you wouldn't believe it. She really needs to step down from all the anger, or she won't get anywhere near my age!" Scribble chuckled as she sorted a few papers, her grip on the material so firm that it seemed like they froze in the very air. "But, are you sure that was a wise decision to just take a foal to your home? I had my fair share of memories with the eight foals I had, and that ain't no easy task." Her voice lowering and dipped in worry.

"I know that it seemed like a bad choice, but now I am sure I made the right call. He's actually really easy to handle and only cried once after I brought home, not even realizing he was born but an hour later." I explained to the mare who's curiosity spiked upon hearing a description of such a quiet foal. "And you know what would've happened if I didn't do anything."

"Aye, the foal would've been yet another victim of Silver Soul's law of mercy. Damn those nobles and their view on 'mercy.'" The old mare snarled quietly but forced herself to calm down to keep her heart beating for another day. "Huff, anyways dear, don't let the words of an old mare bother you. Doctor Goodwill is expecting you in his office, you know the way." Her voice quickly fading back into professionalism.

"Thanks, I wish you a good day."

"You too, dear."

The little chat with dear granny Scribble gave me a much-needed boost in confidence to face the significant hurdle in front of me. The Hospital's interior was actually very nice, given its budget. Long colorful carpets, plenty sitting opportunities, and an array of pictures to lighten the mood of its patients. Unlike most hospitals, this place was not infested with the familiar 'Hospital smell' but rather the scent of orange; no one knew how or why, but that was just the flow of things.

I halted my walk and stared at a large oak door with the name Doctor's name tapped onto it's front. I took a deep breath, calming my nerves that have been set ablaze in our last confrontation before knocking against the wood. "Come in!" Was what immediately followed, not panic or surprise, just a calm reply.

'He knows it's me...' I thought with dread, a sigh escaping my lips before I entered.

His room was rather fancy, given the financial situation this location was in. A large spruce desk nearly ranged from one side of the room to another, four bookshelves, two on each side, contained dozens of heavy books. A shelf filled to the brim with various models and collection items ranging from gemstones to pony bones was displayed there. Behind the table was a large oil painting of the capital and the mountain from afar, and in front of the image sat Doctor Goodwill with a shy smile, but everyone could see that it was not because of actual worry to say something wrong.

"Ahh, miss Gentle Touch, come in, we have much to discuss." Spoke doctor Goodwill calmly as he went to his chair, he previously was watching out of the window with interest, was he looking out for me? He then motioning at me to take a seat on a large cushion. Real chairs were never on sale when there was money left, and the hospital never did any saving.

"Sure..." I slowly told him with an unsure look before taking a seat. The cushion was, as expected, comfortable even if it felt a tad flat when it came to the filling of the thing.

"Good, good." He said, before looking under his table, the shifting of papers filling the silence of us before he pulled out a single sheet, the color nearly pressing through the object.

'Must've been written not long ago...' I thought, any other pony might consider this to be a good omen to have something done specially for them, but for me it only made me wonder if this was perhaps the first case that an unhealthy foal made it out alive out of this facility. Birth for any creature was always dangerous, even with the help of magic.

"This is the formula for the adoption of... Ehem, while we are at the topic already, how are you going to name it?" Goodwill spoke as he pushed the document in front of me. There were various stains of ink and a spilling mark, the only reason that I didn't worry about this not being a real document was the large official stamp of the high court of Canterlot. "Do not worry about the imperfection, my desk is simply not the tidiest place at the moment."

"I see..." I said and diverted my attention away from the stallion in front of me and instead chose to inspect the paper. "Is that all, shouldn't there be any background checks or at the very least a few questions asked?"

"No, miss Gentle Touch, that are all the documents needed for the adoption of a foal, a true blessing for my wallet." He calmly spoke, it was nearly worrisome how he could speak confidently and comfortably with his professional voice at all times, the chuckle at the end did not ease my nerves.

"That is quite troubling..."

"Oh, finally something we can agree upon, but you must understand that Canterlot's- or rather in all of Equestria -orphanages and other facilities that take care of parentless children are overfilled to the brim to the point that officials believe that anywhere is better than on the street." Goodwill examined. It was a sad reality when it came to that topic, but that was just the truth. Even I had gotten several flyers to adopt a foal, colt, or filly when I have gotten pregnant, given my good financial situation at the time.

It chose not to answer the doctor's reply, Star Touch's fist real day should not consist of being all alone. The upper half of the document consisted of merely stating that you are responsible for the foal and all the damages it might cause, as well as you had to take care and raise it. Nothing surprising. The lower half was made out of questions that asked for your background, such as if you had to take medicine, had any illnesses, and how many bits you made a month. Those had strangely been already filled in.

"Do not worry, I have already written the answers to save the time of both of us, but please look over them just in case. I wish not to have to pay for another document."

I took him by the word and levitated the paper closer to me and scanned every single letter, even casting a spell to find anything out of the ordinary. My cutie mark being a soft white Feather did not just mean that my touch was light, but also was able to pick up nearly everything with both physical and magical touch. The paper was not affected by any strings or dirty tricks. My eyes then slowly lowered themselves to the last three free fields. On each side was about the parent consent, the second one was already crossed through, a painful reminder of what had happened... The last question was in between the signature of the soon-to-be-guardian(s) was the foal's name. I swiftly wrote my signature and carefully the name of my foal. Star Touch. Perhaps I was too afraid to make an error, but given that this would be the name he would be known for, it was better to be extra cautious than evidently name him Stare Touch. Once finished, I looked over it once more just to be sure, before sliding the paper back to the Stallion in front of me.

Doctor Goodwill read through the paper, making sure if every answer was filled out correctly, and then burst into a chuckle. "Ohh~ Ahaha... ha... oh, this is just too good to be true." his rant finished with a snort. "Anyways, I think everything is in order. I see you in three months, ma'am, please await the payment for your maternity leave as well as the pay for the 'incident' for the Incident in the following days."

"What was so funny?" I asked slowly, I did not know why I've gotten angry over his amusement, but I did not wish to simply let go of someone making fun about my foal, any for that matter.

"Oh, nothing-nothing, Just thought how fitting its name is given his health conditions. Nothing more."

"I see..."

I did not say another word, I just stood up, and left, leaving behind the doctor and the hospital, ignoring everyone calling me by my name or anything else related to my presence. His words managed to sour my mood in a way I never felt before given who said that. A stallion who made jokes a total of three times in his whole career if Scribble's word is to be believed, all made at the expense of other ponies sorrow.

This feeling inside of me, I can actually describe it in a way that sounded calm, rational, and understandable. In the darkness of my mind, I could see without my eyes, various lines of light slowly drawing in this vast emptiness, connecting and intwining with another. It was some sort of net, pipes perhaps or just a small game to entertain me? This state that I was in, it was like I sat in an ancient and slow train out of which you could jump out without having to worry about being hurt, but I had no destination. I had no rush to escape this journey, yet I knew nothing was holding me back to leave; for me, time passed slowly, but the world around me shot passed me. The lines of energy, I could gradually make out their meaning, the purpose of this web, and soon I could see it. As the last line connected with another, the whole construct lit up, blinking withing radiance before dimming, allowing the dots of energy flowing down these rails inside the silhouette that slowly revealed itself. It was the flow of energy, the leylines, and power, coursing through my body that was, somehow, before me in my mind. The most striking detail was perhaps the single little pear within my center, in the middle of my chest cavity from were seemingly all energy was drawn and distributed from and to.

This state I was in was pure calmness once the puzzle was complete, it was not peace or harmony, but it was close to it. It was like order, and yet it wasn't. My state could be described as stability within motion and change, refraining from choosing the path of stagnation. No thought was inside my mind during the whole ordeal, at the very least, not for long, but now I could not help but think about something with a precision I knew not before. For once, I could feel the power of Aether and the actual effect it had on me. Despite my rather boney and fragile form, I doubt that an average man with no weapons would be able to stand before me, even with the low stats I had. I cannot fathom, but somehow, I felt like I could probably break human bones with little to no effort, but that couldn't be true, right? Even the Pigeon had nearly as much as strength as I do, or perhaps I only now began to understand the real power of Aether and why I should be preparing myself for the nightmares to come.

*Ping*
*Ping*
*Ping*
*Ping*
*Ping*
*Ping*

"AHHH!"

*Splash*

Five times did this blasphemous sound ripple through my mind, and as skittish and fearsome, I was of the situation and quest standing before me, it was not what shocked me. The second I was ripped out of my state of concentration, I felt a lightning course through me, as if the ground and world me would shatter, the walls breaking in and the cold, yet hot air burst in from the pressure difference, flooding the space.

My eyes simply stared up the mountain wall up, while my form laid motionless in the creak, the cold water bothering my little, the flow of the water even less so as it rushed passed my skin. The sheer state of being I was in... The faint memory feeling like the afterthought of an incredibly deep massage that left you laying for hours to come after having turned you to clay, still accompanied me as I stared at the textbox above me, rotated in the perfect way for me to see the words.

The name 'No Name' has become 'Star Touch.'

Through the unique action of finding your magic core, you've gained the skill 'Meditation.'

Meditation - Level 1
This skill doesn't require any resources
A serene state of Mind and Body where you fully become one with yourself. It lets you faster recover from fatigue and wounds and Increase the Rate at which you Replenish your Spirit. This skill will occasionally also allow the user to passively gain Wisdom points if they remain in this state long enough by becoming one with the ambient Aether around them.
* Health regeneration increased by 10%
* Mana regeneration increased by 10%

You have gained three points in Wisdome for finding your magic core, creating the ability [Meditation], and using the aforementioned skill.

You have been meditating for two hours, twenty-six minutes, and twelve seconds.

"The Fuck?!" I shouted out before quickly closing my mouth, only to realize that I am, in fact, the only being in this whole plane of existence. The information that my name had become precisely what the animal told me yesterday was no big surprise to me, the rest, on the other hand, was! How was I able to just sit there for nearly two and a half hours without even noticing it?! And then there was the fact that I gained another skill. Perhaps it was the after effect of the calmness I was drowned in, but even I could see the usefulness of this particular ability. This would allow me to heal faster should I ever get seriously injured; in other words, broken bones would be even less of a problem than it originally was already. Then there was also the fact this ability would allow for my mana to have a shorter restocking time, as well as a longer duration of use should I ever find something to use this resource on. This skill literally involves me doing nothing and would allow me to use level skills even faster, the ultimate leveling tool once it reached a higher rang, but that did not excuse the fact how long I was gone!

"Game, answer me this question, how was it possible for me to just lose so much time!?" I shouted into the air, questioning the celestial being inside of me.

This space already has time-manipulating power, so warping of perception might be an occurring side effect. The time in this chamber flows a little over three times than the world outside, only about forty-five minutes have passed while you were gone. The question you wish to ask concerning my sudden disappearance has to do with the fact that you created a space of peace where you would not be disturbed, banning me from interfering unless you allowed me to do so. While you previously did call my name, it did not give me an allowance to interfere and telling me to answer you didn't allow me to speak unless you had asked a question beforehand. Remember, you are in control while my purpose is merely to accompany you. The Game finally returned in his usual Morgan Freeman ways.

"I! You! Ah screw this, did the horsewoman return yet?" I asked after calming myself, again, the skills I already owned were basic but incredibly powerful, given what they did to me physically and mentally. That did not mean I wanted to stop or was satisfied; no, I would not consider stopping until I could create stuff out of thin air, and even then, the answer would be no.

Your adaption to the situation, as well as your cunningness to use the means you were provided with, is impressive. The skill [Meditation] was by my creator's words supposed to be seen as unappealing to my host and required an explanation, which you didn't need. Congratulations, you have fulfilled a quest that I haven't even revealed yet, the reward is yours.

ID Create - Level 1
This skill doesn't require any resources
Used to create Instant Dungeons.
Stronger Instant Dungeons may be created at higher levels.
Currently available ID list:
1. Training Realm
2. Locked until a certain power threshold has been reached

ID Escape - Level Max
This skill doesn't require any resources
Used to escape the Dungeons you have created. Be aware that sometimes the dungeons you create have special rules or conditions that may interfere with leaving the realm.

"Ohh, well, thank you for your praise, even if this [ID Escape] skill sounds rather ominous and foreshadowing," I said, my joy of being applauded at slowly mounding into suspicion and skepticism. "Does time in those other dungeons also move on as fast as now, or is it different?" I asked I wanted a full rundown even if it was months in advance, but I knew that the path to the horror hospital wasn't that far away, and it would only be a matter of time before Gentle Touch was back.

Generaly, the time in this world will move even slower as the dungeons you create will be closer to The Nightmare Realm as it will contain monsters to fight due to the weight of the Aether. This training realm will also have a faster flow of time, the more powerful you become. The Gamer said, his voice dipping slightly into excitement if I heard it right, was he anticipating myself getting beaten up or has he become genocidal and I was his superweapon.

"Wait!? What do you mean with the weight of the Aether- that sounds like something really damn important and-" I startled myself with my conclusion, and as I asked the Gamer for another dose of answers, I was cut off.

More information will be available at a later point of time, there is nothing I can do to fasten the gain of crucial information, though be put to ease when I tell you that no need of this information will require in the following years. Entity Gentle Touch has entered a one hundred meter radius. Please use the skill [ID Escape] to return to your physical form. The Game sounded as if his words were forced out, again so robotic, only his addition that information will not be of use for the time being contained emotion, albeit with a forced tone. His request to urge me to return to the real world, on the other hand, sounded a bit more demanding.

"Sigh... ade old form of mine and back to the prison I call- what the hell is wrong with me and poetry this day!? Screw this, [ID Escape]!" I shouted loudly to free myself from the dreadful tendrils of Culture, attempting to make me civil. Blegh!

The entire realm around my shattered into shards, vanishing like dust in the air, but instead of being greeted by the vast white again, I only saw the familiar ceiling again, and my senses slowly became familiar with my form and position. I was about to ask a question, what, I cannot remember, but it wasn't necessary. A loud clicking noise rang through the empty apartment, and I heard two female voices talking with another.

"Oh, Gentle Dear, I cannot wait to see the little one!" An awfully high pitched voice squealed in ways that made me question the rules of frequency in this world.

"I am sure you're gonna love him, just try not to gobble him up," I spoke the voice belonging to Gentle Touch and unintentional nearly making me barf if it wasn't for the game having gained control over my gag reflex.

'Great... another horse monster that will either love me to death or be disgusted at me...' I begrudgingly thought in my head and mentally crossed my arms.

Your assumptions are far more severe than they actually are. The breast milk you consumed, a rather large quantity, was complemented with the Aether energy you absorbed during your stay in the Instant Dungeon while using the skill [Meditate]. This caused your fur to grow out more and for you to gain enough weight to merely appear as slightly underweight. Although the damages this body had did not have any effect on your performance, they did heal as the body was yet too fresh to undergo such drastic changes, as well as prying eyes would've taken notice of your sudden development. This does, of course, not overwrite the flaw [Weak], and should you wish to gain a more appealing form, then you should consider leveling charisma.

'Wait, Charisma does more than just sweet talk idiots?! You need to give me a rundown of them the next time we are in the Training space.' I thought and demanded with surprise and shock as I heard this crucial information. I was not going to waste point on that stat, at least, if that was how it worked, but I am sure it would be beneficial to have a silver tongue if I were to make this place my home.

Affirmative

"And here he is!" said Gentle as she entered the room, not sparring me a second to collect myself as she hastily levitated me towards her and the other horse. I am no expert, but I am sure any other baby would've cried from being handled in careful Darth Vader style.

"Aww, he is so cute! Can I hold him!?" Asked the Gentle Touch's friend? I had absolutely no idea who the hell that was supposed to be, but I knew one thing, her colors did not make me wish to wear sunglasses inside for reasons other than being cool. Sure, her coloration made me think of a special edition Fanta, but her orange fur and the blue mane looked rather delightful, not forgetting the large wings which she used to hold and squish my face. Damn, those things were dexterous.

"Sure, just be careful. Although he doesn't cry a lot, I really don't want to tempt fate." Gentle told the Pegasus. You are saying that after you gave me away to a creature with wings?

The Pegasus did not waste a second to promptly put her butt on the ground and scoop me out of the air with her hooves. As it turned out, Pegasi had a large tuff of fluffy fur on their chest, the fact that she used to cover the rest of me with her incredible soft wings was just a bonus. If I ever were to live alone, then I needed to have a pillow, or even a bed out of that stuff.

"Awww, who's the cutest little colt? Who is it? Who is it? You are!" the mare cooed loudly in my face, and my body, on its own, began to giggle, although I believe Game said something about this form not being completely under control, or that was just my senses as a human baby being brought back to life. Urgh.

"I don't know what you were talking about, he looks fine to me!" The Pegasus exclaimed loudly as she poked my little stomach with a large feather on her wing's top, nearly feeling like an actual finger. Again, my infant form burst into a giggle. Gentle Touch now also took notice of my change, though she was seemingly too overjoyed by my sudden rise in health than the phenomenon.

"I swore he looked much worse before I left, do you think he had a magical surge and accidentally caused a healing spell!?" blurted out as if she had caught onto a trail to the holy grail five years ago. Yes, It was found, and it was inside a huge oak tree.

"No idea..." She mumbled as she hugged me tighter, but with all that fur and puff, I couldn't be crushed. "I heard that one filly once managed to turn her parent's saving into stone during an extra powerful surge even though no one ever saw it happen, although the Mare and Stallion were just a couple of steps away. But I am no reliable source for such stuff, I am a Pegasus, not a Unicorn."

Yess... feed me with your knowledge on how to cover up shit I might do in the future, pony whose name I still don't know... wait! I can just use [Observe!]

Summer Breeze ???
???

That was to be expected, but at the very least, I have a name, but that does not explain why they all call themselves after one noun and an adjective or verb. Really, you can't tell me that they are all separated into actual tribes when the house is decorated as if I was in England just before or after the industrial revolution.

"You're right, it doesn't matter, I am just happy that he's well." Gentle Touch spoke softly before she took me back into her Hooves, much to Summer's dismay, though she did close the distance herself by walking next to Gentle Touch. "I knew that you were meant to reach great, and overcoming that doctor's expectations was just the first step." She spoke proudly and highly of me, just wait until the IQ test comes or elementary school before you can claim for me to have overcome others' expectations.

As tranquil as the whole ordeal seemed, it was ruined by a massive and powerful knocking against the door. Let's just hope that the first boss didn't just appear.

Author's Note

I might not show the stat window in every chapter despite the Main character gaining new points, but if you wish to track his growth then simply look at the 'Character sheet' chapter to stay informed.