The Classicist

Far out! This is kind of like that one dream I had a while back.

Me and Thunderlane were making our way through the Everfree, wailing on timberwolves and manticores left and right! We had these really cool metal sticks that would make things explode and we had some sick metal armor on - the type you see on the knights in those kiddie adventure books. I felt like a legit action hero!

I guess this isn't exactly the same thing. There's timberwolves and manticores, but I don’t have a metal stick. Also I'm completely alone...

Who’d thought somepony could have a dream this weird anyways? I mean, I woke up alone in the house and Thunderlane never leaves without telling me first. We’re bros like that. Anyways, I checked around to see if anypony had seen him lately but get this. Nopony was around to ask. They were all just gone! I made my way over to school - Miss Cherilee seems to know a lot of things. She even visited late at night that one time! I figured she might know where he was.

Nopony was home so I stayed for a bit hoping she would come. When I looked outside, there were a bunch of timberwolves and manticores! I locked the doors so they couldn’t get in - even if they did, I would be able to handle them. I mean, I did in that other dream so why not this one?

But it's still just a dream, right? I mean, obviously! I don't even know why I'm writing this down, it's all in my head. All I need to do is jump off the side of the school, and I'll wake up right before I hit the ground.

Harmony peeked over the edge of the schoolhouse. She didn’t stay looking for long. Her chest clenched painfully and she felt an emotion she hadn’t felt in a long time bubble within her: Sadness.

She shook her head, walking back over to the ladder that led down into the school building. The musty, dark room met her, the darkness enveloping her fully until her horn brightened, countering the inky blackness with a light spell.

She maneuvered around the many splintered, overturned desks littered along her path to the door. Again, nothing of interest but this time, she was left completely empty handed. The library had at least yielded up several names of importance: Twilight Sparkle, Princess Celestia, etc… Several books on the old empire she had skimmed through back home had mentioned these names as well. This simple account possibly confirmed the truth of such writings. But what she found here… it meant nothing. It brought her no closer to an understanding than she was before.

Her hoof glided into the sack wrapped around her midsection, pulling out a ration bar, a slip of paper, and a pencil. Her hunger-driven hooves made short work of the wrapper, leaving it to flutter down to the floor. She took her first bite and looked at the paper, the pencil floating up into writing position.

Looks like I’m off to the mountain! - I didn’t find anything useful at the schoolhouse. It’s getting dark so I’ll probably find some place to stay for the night before I head out…

It gets a little lonely out here in the sticks - nopony to talk to, nopony to watch my back on the road. On the brightside, at least I don’t have to worry about some highwaymare robbing me of my meager possessions.

-Harmony

She finished the bar and magicked all of her tools back into her bag.

Time to find someplace to sleep.