Chapter 1

“Please! I didn’t see anything!”

“Sorry, buddy, not a lot of options.”

“But I won’t say anything! I swear!”

“That’s what they all say.”

“I’m begging you! Don’t do this! This isn’t right!”

“See, that’s the thing about life. Doesn’t matter whether it’s right or wrong.”

Click

“You were just fated to die tonight.”

BANG!

I gasped and clutched my chest after waking up from a terrifying nightmare. My forehead was drenched in sweat as I hyperventilated and struggled to catch my breath. There was a ringing in my ears that made my vision a little blurry, which also made me feel like I was gonna vomit.

“O-One…t-t-two…three…f-four…” I silently counted to myself, and the ringing in my ear managed to die down.

As the ringing faded away and my vision started clearing up, I was able to gather my surroundings again to see that I was sitting in the back of a large bus, and I was the only one on board. The driver didn’t seem to notice I was awake as he kept driving along. I looked down to see my backpack in my lap and my suitcase was underneath the seats in front of me. I continued to count to myself and looked out the window to see the sun had just risen over the horizon. I was on the highway, and I could see a city in the distance as cars drove alongside the bus. The signs that we drove passed said that we would be arriving at the next city in a few miles. As I kept counting, I opened my backpack to make sure I still had all of my personal belongings with me. My laptop, tablet, notebooks, headphones, and glasses case were still inside, which eased my current anxious state.

“Ninety-six…ninety-seven…ninety-eight…ninety-nine…one hundred…” I said, finishing my counting and took a deep breath of relief. “Damnit…I hate that shitty dream…” I took out my phone from my pocket and tapped my contacts to call someone. I waited as the call tried to connect until someone managed to pick up.

“Hello, Dr. Grey’s office, this is Lemon Aid speaking,” I heard the receptionist say.

“Um…hello, Ms. Aid, it’s Roddy. Er…I mean, Rodney Dvorchack,” I told her.

“Oh! Hello, Mr. Dvorchack!” The woman said in a chipper tone. “You’re just in time! I was about to call you as soon as we opened our office this morning! How are you feeling? What can I do for you?”

“Well…not so good, at the moment,” I confessed. “Is Doc Grey there? I need to speak to him.”

“Oh, of course! I’ll patch you through right now, hon,” Ms. Aid said and put me on hold. I waited for about a minute before someone picked up the line again.

“Roddy? Are you there?” A man’s voice said.

“Hey, doc…” I said, unable to hide my sadness.

“Oh dear…I know that tone. You had the dream again, didn’t you?” The doctor asked.

“Yeah…first time in over a year,” I said.

“Are you having another episode?” The doc asked.

“Not really, no, just a minor anxiety attack,” I explained. “I used the old method to help calm me down but I’m still a little shaken up. I figured calling you was the best option.”

“And you did indeed do the right thing by calling me,” Doc Grey said. “Judging by what time it is, you should almost be there, right?”

“Just a few miles away,” I confirmed. “Although, I still don’t think this is a good idea.”

“Roddy, we’ve talked about this in our sessions,” Grey reminded me. “A change of scenery will help you overcome your trauma. Staying in your hometown was too big of a risk for your mental and psychological health. Your parents agreed to it and so did your school.”

“But what if this doesn’t work either, doc?” I asked. “I mean, moving away for a whole year far from home? To a place where I don’t know anybody, and I know nothing about?”

“That is not entirely true, Roddy, you’re going to live with your older brother who lives there,” Doc said.

“…even though I haven’t talked to my brother in years,” I said in a distant tone. “Not since the wedding. I don’t blame him since last I heard he has a kid now.”

“It was the only option we and your parents could come up with,” Doc said. “You’re only sixteen, after all, too young to live on your own. And besides, I recall overhearing your brother happily accepting the task of taking you in.”

“But it’ll be so awkward…” I complained. “Last I heard from my brother was when he got married and went to live with his new wife. It’ll be so fricken weird of me just showing up out of the blue.”

“Another topic we’ve covered, Roddy, is not always seeing the negatives in opportunities,” Doc said. “Look, it’s only for a year, and, as your therapist, I truly believe this will help you. Don’t you trust my judgment?”

“Of course I do,” I affirmed. “I wouldn’t be where I am now if not for you.”

“And I am glad to hear it,” Doc said. “I must go now. Call me again if you are having any trouble. I won’t hesitate to talk to you.”

“Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind,” I said. “We’ll talk soon.”

“Remember, Rodney, you, and only you, have the power to change,” Doc said, and the line hung up.

I put my phone away and sighed. Dr. Grey had been my therapist for a couple of years now, and he’s helped me in more ways than I care to admit. To be honest, moving away from home was the last thing I wanted but at the same time I knew he was also right about me not getting any better if I stayed. My friends back at my old school sure didn’t take the news about me moving well since we’d known each other since elementary school. I reached into my backpack and pulled out my lucky rubik’s cube to play with. I started flipping the sides in different directions to mix up the colors as much as I could before flipping them back to all complete sides. Playing with this cube always did help ease my nerves since it kept my mind focused on the many combos I could come up with to solve it. I played with my rubik’s cube for about another half hour before the bus made a lane change to drive towards an exit off the freeway.

“Next stop! Canterlot City!” The bus driver called out just as I finished solving the cube for the fifth time.

I put the cube away and looked out of the window again. We had been driving through the city for a few minutes now and the buildings towered over me. I gulped as the bus made a wide turn into the bus station where other buses were parked. Standing by the main building was a man who looked like he was in his late twenties wearing a hoodie, jeans, and sneakers. He had brown curly hair, and his skin was a bit pasty. He was talking on the phone, but I immediately recognized him as my older brother, Lance Dvorchack. When he saw my bus pull up, he hung up the phone and put on a big, excited smile. I sighed again and gathered my bags as the side door opened up. As soon as I stepped off the bus, I was met with a sudden bear hug from the man waiting for me.

“Oof!” I grunted. “H-Hey, Lance…”

“That’s it, hey Lance? C’mon man, it’s been years!” Lance exclaimed, squeezing me harder. “How you been, what’s been happening, and is this hug doing anything to make you happy to see me?”

“I’m happy to see you too, Lance,” I said as I gave him as best of a hug as I could. He released me and I got a good look at his face. He had bags under his eyes and a scruffy beard. “You look...good? Never seen you look so…so…”

“Messy, I know, I’m a mess, busy with work and a little one and all that, but hey, that don’t matter right now. What does matter is whether you’ve eaten or not,” Lance said, patting my arm before popping his neck with a small groan. “‘Cause if not, same here, the wife’ll make something real quick if we ask her.”

“It’s been five years since the wedding, hasn’t it?” I said as we walked towards his car. He helped put my suitcase in the trunk of the car after he opened it for me.

“Yes sir, on the dot, and two years since that little guy of mine popped up in our lives,” Lance said, pulling out one more bag before closing the trunk. “Been taking more shifts at work to take care of them, but I’m happy to do it if it means it’ll keep them happy.”

“Sounds nice,” I said. Lance looked me up and down before snorting softly and patted my arm again.

“Let’s go meet you nephew,” he said as he got into the driver’s side and me the passenger’s side. Lance started up his car and he pulled out of the parking lot.

“So, Canterlot City,” I said as we drove along the road, and I looked out the window. “I’ve only seen postcards about this place. What made you want to move all the way out here away from the east coast anyway?”

“Better school, cheaper houses, better opportunity for jobs, plus we wanted to be around other parents who are our age and also have kids so, it was the right choice,” Lance said.

“I see,” I said while nodding. “How’s…uh, how’s…?” Lance laughed a little when he could tell I was trying to remember his wife’s name.

“Berry Punch?” Lance said for me.

“Oh, right, Berry Punch,” I said, after remembering her name. “She was your college girlfriend, right?”

“She’s good, almost killed me when she was giving birth, but she’s a natural at parenting. The minute that little guy came home she became…just like Mom. It was kinda spooky,” Lance joked, chuckling to himself. “Y’know, Berry actually fed the baby, cleaned the house and got all her work done before it was even lunchtime! Insane! Haha!”

“Sounds like she’s a really great woman,” I said.

“The best, you’ll love her…again, heh,” he said happily. “Enough about me, man, what about you, kid? What’s been goin’ on?”

“Well…” I tried to say when we stopped at a red light. “You know why I’m really here, don’t you?”

Lance stayed silent a bit before sighing. “I do…but I wanted to hear it from you and not some ass on the phone,” he said, looking at me with concern.

“It’s just…been hard,” I admitted as I placed a hand on my arm. “I still have…episodes but my therapist has helped me keep them in check.”

“Is…he still in prison?” Lance boldly asked.

“They threw away the key,” I said with a hint of anger.

“Good, means we won’t see him again…and don’t worry, when you’re with me, you ain’t gotta be scared anymore,” Lance said reassuringly. “We’ll get you through this Plus, you’re going to a new school, gonna start fresh, meet some girls~,” he said with a smug grin, nudging me.

“Hey, come on, that ain’t funny,” I said sternly. “I don’t know a soul in this city. To them, I’ll be just a random kid from the suburbs. Speaking of which, what school will I be enrolling in?”

“Canterlot High School, best school around, and hey you never know. You might also meet your special somebody just like me and Berry did. Trust me, you’ll make friends, you’ll meet people, and you’ll meet a girl who could maybe help you loosen up a bit,” he said. “Heard the girls there are smart, and you know what they say about smart girls.”

“Yeah, yeah…” I rolled my eyes as the light turned green and we continued on, and I pulled out my phone.

I scrolled through my apps but then caught sight of a weird-looking app that I had never seen before. It was red and had some creepy eye in the middle and didn't even have a name under it.

“The hell did this come from…?” I wondered quietly. Not bothering to open it up, I quickly pressed down on it to delete it from my phone.

“Here we are!” Lance said as we turned another corner and arrived at a one-story house with a small open front lawn. “So, what do you think? “Not too bad, huh?” He continued as he pulled up and parked in the driveway.

“Yeah, not bad at all” I agreed, unbuckling myself.

As soon as we stepped out of the car, a woman walked out of the house. She wore an apron over her blue sundress and had her dark magenta hair tied up in a ponytail, and her eyes were light purple. In her arms, she carried a two-year-old toddler that wore a set of red overalls and a blue shirt underneath. His hair was curly like Lance’s and a mix of brown and dark purple, and his eyes were as brown as my brother’s.

“Hey babe!” The woman said in a cheerful tone. “Look, Freddy, daddy’s home!”

“There’s my little man, come say hello to your uncle!” Lance exclaimed happily, taking his son from Berry and handing him to me. “Ain’t that cute, holding him like a natural. This is your nephew, Roddy, Frederick Dvorchack.”

“Whoa, hey now, uuuhhh... hey, little guy,” I said, holding my nephew in my arms. The little boy just looked at me then lightly slapped his hand on my face out of curiosity.

“Aww, he likes you,” Berry said, giggling, seeing her son gently grab my hair and face.

“Ah, yeah, I guess he does…” I said, smiling a little. “It’s good to see you again, Berry. How’s married life been with my brother?”

“Aside from that bread, great,” Berry said, getting a gasp from Lance.

“But…you said you loved my beard,” Lance said but Berry rolled her eyes.

“Not when I kiss you, it makes my face itch, so shave it, or I’ll do it while you sleep,” Berry threatened with a smile before taking Freddy back in her arms. "So, Rodney, hungry?"

“Starving,” I nodded, and we headed inside the house.

“And then, Freddy pulled down his overalls and peed in the punch bowl!” Lance laughed out loud as we sat at the table eating brunch. “We were never invited to another BBQ party in the neighborhood ever since. At least until little Freddy is older.”

“I don’t know why you let him drink all that juice, or how you even got it past me is beyond me,” Berry said, feeding Freddy. “But at least he knew what to pee in, just not the right bowl.”

“Funniest day of my life,” Lance said, still laughing.

“Hard to believe this little guy can cause so much trouble,” I chuckled as I ate my sandwich.

“Momma! Potty!” Freddy said.

“Oop, alright, let me go take care of this. You boys talk amongst yourselves while I deal with this,” Berry said, grabbing Freddy and heading off.

“She’s a good mom,” I said. “And you’re right, she does act like Mom.”

“Told ya, I got a good one,” Lance said, eating a little more. “How do you like the food, kid?”

“It’s great,” I said. “She certainly knows how to cook too.”

“She picked up that skill from watching a bunch of online cooking videos,” Lance said. “Hey, soon as you’re done, we’ll go get you situated in your room. Hope you don’t mind, we set you up in the basement.”

“Basement?” I spoke.

“Yeah, sorry, Rod, there’s only so many rooms in the house but we made sure to clean it as best we could. We even built a cot for your bed,” Lance said.

After we finished our meal, Lance led me as I carried my bags with me towards a door that led to a downstairs level. The basement was the size of an average bedroom and a half. The cot they built for me sat in the corner, a nightstand right next to it, and there was a little window that could view the outside. On the other side of the basement was a three-decker shelf that sat on its own.

“Alright, home sweet home. Again, hope you don’t mind the basement,” Lance said, walking further into the room. “It’s not the comfiest bed but it’ll work.”

“Eh, reminds me of my old room,” I shrugged as we set my bags down. “I prefer my privacy anyway.”

“Well, that’s good. Oh yeah, you’re right below mine and Berry’s room so sorry for the noise,” Lance said with a shit-eating grin.

“Ugh! Lance!” I groaned and shoved him away as he laughed back at me.

“Okay, okay, I’m just kidding,” Lance said, still laughing. “One more thing. Hate to eat and run but we gotta get back on the road.’

“What for?” I asked.

“School starts next week, so we gotta make sure you’re enrolled,” Lance said. “I already called ahead before you arrived. The principal is expecting us today.”

“I see…” I said, sounding skeptical about already going to see my new school. “But really? That fast?” I asked.

“Well, me and Berry have known the principal for years so she was excited to meet you as soon as possible, you should remember her from the picture’s I’ve posted on my Instagram,” Lance said, pulling out his phone and showing me a photo of him, Berry, and a taller lady with bright colored hair. “The lady next to Berry is your new principal.”

Something I noticed about the principle was that her hair was also light green and shades of blue in it. She wore a yellow blazer with a sun pin attached, purple work pants, and yellow work shoes. She smiled at the camera with a warm-looking smile which made me feel oddly at ease the more I gazed at the photo.

“What’s her name?” I asked.

“Celestia,” Lance answered and swiped his phone to show him and Berry standing next to another woman with dark blue hair with light purple highlights. She wore a light purple collared shirt with a crescent moon pin attached on the collar, black jeans, and light purple work shoes.

“Who’s that lady?” I wondered.

“Luna, she’s her younger sister, and the vice-principal. Both very sweet people, you’ll be meeting both today,” Lance said, putting the phone away.

I nodded and followed Lance back up the stairs and towards the front door.

“Hey babe! Roddy and I will be right back! We’re going to CHS to enroll him!” Lance called out. “Might go to the store on the way back. Need anything?”

“Bring back some wine…and tell Celestia she still owes me for all those shots!” Berry yelled back; Lance chuckled.

“Shots?” I asked.

“Hey, we’re all human, even the nice ones,” Lance said before both walked out the house. “Ready to meet your school?”

“As I’ll ever be,” I shrugged.

The drive to the school only took about ten minutes as we pulled into the parking lot. I took one look at the building and found myself unable to look away at the extravagant-looking school.

“Has anyone ever mentioned how this place looks like a freaking castle?” I asked aloud.

“Every time. You should see the other school. It’s their only competition,” Lance said as the two began walking toward the building. “Excited, kid?”

“A little. Mainly overwhelmed by the sheer size of this place,” I admitted.

“Ah, you’ll be fine, trust me,” Lance reassured. “And it’s like I said, this place is super friendly, so you’ll definitely meet someone great.”

After Lance parked his car, we both made our way towards the school, and I couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous. I pulled out my phone to play on one of my apps but noticed the same weird red application from before.

“Didn’t I delete this?” I said to myself and deleted it again. “Weird…must be a glitch.”

“Deleted what?” Lance asked.

“Oh, nothing, just an app I didn’t want anymore,” I said, while it was a lie, it was also true.

We entered the building and I saw a few hallways leading to different parts of the school with rows and rows of lockers. There wasn’t a soul in sight as we made our way to the end of the main hall and Lance knocked on the door that had the words Principal’s Office etched on the glass window.

“Come in!” A woman called out from the other side Lance opened the door and revealed both Principal Celestia and Vice-Principal Luna standing side by side with welcoming smiles.

“Ah, Lance and who I believe is Rodney,” the taller woman said.

“Sure is. Meet my baby brother,” Lance said and nudged me forward towards the two women.

I gulped nervously as they smiled at me, and Celestia stepped forward to greet me. She had this warm vibe about her that made that calming sensation come back when I saw her photo.

“Um…nice to meet you ma’am,” I said, holding out my hand awkwardly for a shake.

“It is nice to meet you as well, Rodney, we are very excited to have you join our school,” Celestia said, taking my hand and shaking it.

“I’m also excited to attend,” I said, trying to sound glad.

“So, Rodney, tell us about yourself and how you feel about our school,” Celestia said as she let go of my hand and I shook Luna’s next.

“Well, to be honest, it’s a little too fancy-looking,” I admitted. “But Lance said it’s one of the best schools in the city, so I’ll take his word for it.”

“We’re glad you think so,” Celestia said with a giggle. “So, you’ll be enrolling for your junior year here at CHS, correct?”

“That’s the plan,” I nodded.

“There’s something else we wish to discuss with you, Mr. Dvorchack,” Luna said and walked past me to shut the door behind us. “We’re aware of why you transferred to our school, and about your…incident from over a year ago.”

I blinked in surprise before turning to Lance with a dirty look.

“I’m obligated to tell them as your legal guardian,” Lance said.

“Rodney,” Celestia said to me, placing a hand on my shoulder. “Words cannot describe how sorry I am for you going through something so traumatic. But know that since you’re going to be a student at this school, I as principal will do everything in my power to ensure your time here is both memorable and pleasant.”

“The same applies to me,” Luna said. “You can always come to us if you feel the need to discuss something that you wish to be accommodated for. It’s our duty as principal and vice-principal of CHS.”

“Sigh…Thank you,” I said, letting the anger fade, and turned back to the two. “I’m sure I’ll be fine being treated like any other student.”

“That can definitely be arranged,” Celestia assured me. “And again, we are excited to have you with us at Canterlot High, you will most definitely love this school.”

“Here’s hoping,” I nodded with a small smile.

Principal Celestia, Vice-Principal Luna, and I then sat down with Lance as we went over the paperwork for my enrollment at the school. They went over my grades, what classes I’ll be taking, what my schedule will be, and even gave me a t-shirt with the school’s logo on it as a welcome gift. After all the proper arrangements were made, vice principal Luna handed me my official school ID with my name on it.

“You are now a Canterlot High Wonderbolt, Rodney,” Principal Celestia said proudly.

“We look forward to your first day,” Luna said with a warm smile. I looked at my school ID and awkwardly smiled at it.

“Can’t have cold feet now, kid, I am not signing any more papers today, thank you very much. Oh yeah, Berry says you still owe her for those shots the other night,” Lance said, making Celestia almost have a heart attack.

“Lance, we are at my job and in front of a student, you cannot just spout out what I do in my personal time out of work!” Celestia scolded the man, who grinned sheepishly. “But…tell Berry I’ll pay for her next time.”

“I have several questions, but I’ll choose not to dwell on it,” I shook my head.

I picked up my papers and we left the office after saying our goodbyes. As we walked towards the entrance, I heard some kind of commotion at the end of the hall. There was a guy wearing this dumb bowtie, gray collared button up shirt, blue slacks, and brown loafers. He had dirty blonde hair that reached past his shoulders, and his eyes were light blue. Behind him were two other boys, one kinda pudgy wearing a black shirt with a pair of scissors on it and jeans, and another lanky kid wearing a green long-sleeve with a picture of a snail on it and tan pants. In front of them was a guy with spiky blue hair wearing a black jacket, white t-shirt, blue jeans with the cuffs curled up, and black and white sneakers. As we walked closer, it sounded like they were having some kind of argument.

“Would you back the hell off, Blueblood? I’m just here to pick up my schedule,” the guy in the jacket grumbled.

“And why should you, peasant? I was here first so you should get behind me. That’s all you’re good for anyways,” the guy called Blueblood said with an eye roll and a dismissive hand.

“There you go again with that peasant bullshit!” The guy in the jacket snarled. “Who do you think you are?! You’re not as hot shit as you make yourself out to be!”

“Please, as if a peon like you can truly understand the level I’m at,” Blueblood said, boredom crossing his face. “I could always tell auntie to deal with you if you try anything. So, take this little kindness I will bestow upon your lowly ears. Don’t,” he said.

“Tch! You’re nothing but a wannabe king of a castle,” the guy in the jacket said bitterly as we passed them by.

“Sheesh…” I said and looked at Lance. “Are all kids like them?”

“Eh, not all of them, I think just him,” Lance said. “C’mon, let’s get home.”

I nodded and followed my brother out of the school. I glanced behind me to see those guys still arguing and I wondered if things were going to be alright during my stay here. I guess only time will tell, and I had a whole year of it.

“So, what’d you think of the school and the principals?” Lance asked.

“Well, it seems like a nice place,” I said as we got back in the car. “And those ladies are good people.” Lance could tell I was still a little skeptical about the whole new environment. He smiled at me and placed a hand on my shoulder.

“Hey man, it’s gonna be fine, trust me you’ll feel better here than you did back home, guarantee,” Lance assured me.

“Yeah…thanks,” I said to my brother as we drove home.

After what seemed like the longest day of my life, the sun had finally set, and I was ready to get some much-needed shuteye. Berry had made a wonderful pasta dinner, and I helped clean the dishes with Lance while she changed Freddy’s diaper. Once the dishes were cleaned, I excused myself to turn in early for the night and I was in the middle of slipping into the realm of dreams. The cot was surprisingly way more comfortable than I had anticipated as I had managed to fall asleep a lot sooner. As I awaited whatever weird dream manifested in my head, I suddenly heard a loud chime that sounded like it came from a grandfather clock. When I opened my eyes, I was met with an unfamiliar sight. I was surrounded by extremely large bookcases that had hundreds or thousands of books that seemingly kept stretching on and on with more books stacked on each row. I blinked once and looked down to see I wasn’t laying in my cot but a large velvet sofa.

“Finally awake, are we? Well, no matter, let us go,” a woman’s voice said,

I looked toward the voice and saw a woman that was standing by me. She was wearing a librarian’s uniform, had pale white skin with long smooth blonde hair and reading glasses hanging from her neck.

“You deaf, boy? There is someone who wants to talk with you, and it is rude to keep them waiting,” she scolded.

I couldn’t speak as I got up from the sofa and followed her. I’m not sure why I was following her, and it felt like my body was moving on its own.

“Um…” I tried speaking, my voice sounding like an echo. “Who…are you?”

“My name is Jacqueline, but you may refer to me as miss or ma’am. Understand?” Jacqueline instructed to which I nodded. “Keep up, we’re almost there,” she said as we continued walking.

It was as if I couldn’t ignore her demands as I followed close behind. The rows of books were seemingly endless, and I noticed there weren’t any titles on the spines. The woman, Jacqueline, kept her steadfast pace and didn’t bother to look behind her. It was as if she was more focused on getting to wherever we needed to go. After about a few more minutes of walking, I saw a light at the end of the rows of books. We eventually arrived at an open circular clearing surrounded by multiple rows of books leading in different directions. Hanging in midair was a lamp that illuminated the clearing, and I noticed it shined down the letter V in some very fancy font. In the middle of the clearing was a short long-nosed man wearing a black suit and gloves. He grinned widely at me as Jacqueline walked over to him and stood next to his desk.

“What the…?” I said subtly.

“Welcome, dear guest, to the Velvet Room!” The man said in an eerie yet welcoming tone. “My name is Igor.”

“Uh, hey... I’m Rodney,” I said, not sure if this guy was real or not. “What is the Velvet room?”

“I already know who you are, Rodney Dvorchack,” Igor said to me. “I am delighted to make your acquaintance. To answer your question, this place exists between dream and reality, mind and matter. It is a room that only those who are bound by a contract may enter.”

“Contract?” I repeated. “But…I never signed anything.”

“Do not interrupt the master as he speaks,” Jacqueline snapped at me.

“But what fricken contract is he talking about? I didn’t sign anything!” I exclaimed. Igor chuckled then whipped his finger up, taking my phone out of my pocket with some magical force.

“Oh, but you did. Do you see this icon on your device? That itself is the contract,” Igor explained. I grabbed my phone and saw the weird app icon from before.

“But I deleted this. Why’s it back?” I asked.

“All shall be explained in due time, young one,” Igor told me as I tucked my phone back in my pocket. “For now, we have more pressing matters to discuss. You, Mr. Dvorchack, are still coping with a tragedy that befell you in days gone by. A tragedy that still weighs heavily on your state-of-mind.”

“What do you know about that?” I asked, becoming more skeptical.

“Hmm, you know, this is quite interesting,” Igor said, completely ignoring me, as he looked around at the rows of books that surrounded us. “The state of this room reflects the state of your own heart. Since it has taken the form of a library, I assume there is a book depicting your very life. By that logic, each and every one of these books represents a person’s life as well.”

“Shall I search for it master?” Jacqueline asked.

“Hmm, no, we shall let Mr. Dvorchack search for the book. He will be able to find it much faster,” Igor said with a grin.

“You want me to search for a book?” I said with a groan, still unable to process what was happening. “But there’s hundreds, if not thousands, of books here. How am I supposed to find one specific book?” I asked, gesturing to the infinite number of books in this library.

“You will know when you see it,” Igor told me. “If you have to, you may look through every book here. Trust me…you will have plenty of time to search upon your stay here,” Igor said and gestured to me to start looking.

Before I could say anything more, I heard what sounded like a bell ringing and the world around me began to fade away.

“It would seem our time has come to an end,” Igor said. “But fret not, young one, for we shall meet again in the foreseeable future.”

One Week Later

My eyelids flutter open, my heart racing as I snap out of the depths of sleep. My hair is plastered to my forehead with sweat, and I slowly push myself up from my tangled sheets. The remnants of the dream I had last week clung to my mind like cobwebs, refusing to let go. Ever since having the dream, I haven’t had a decent night’s sleep. Even during the days after, I sometimes thought I was going crazy because of odd events happening around me. Whenever I went shopping with Lance, it felt like time came to a complete stop, and I could see some kind of monster in the distance on fire. When I tried to tell Lance, he just gave me a weird look, and everything started moving again. Not only that but I also have been suffering from headaches from time to time. I tried drinking massive amounts of water, took meds, and even tried attempting that meditation shit but nothing worked.

With a sigh, I trudged upstairs to begin my day despite feeling another headache come on. “Damn dream…this week has sucked ass,” I muttered to myself, trying to shake off the lingering unease. “But it felt so vivid and real.”

My footsteps echoed on the wooden stairs as I made my way towards the kitchen, still unable to shake the strange images that had danced in my subconscious over the past week.

“Morning, sleepy head,” Lance said to me as he fed Freddy and Berry was making me scrambled eggs. “Ready for your first day of school?”

“Yeah, sure,” I said, forcing a smile.

I sat down at the table, grabbed a fork and began eating my eggs, trying to keep my thoughts in check. After all, school was supposed to be a fresh start, and I couldn’t let that dream get to me. As the morning progressed, I began to forget the details of the dream, telling myself that it was just another strange dream, like so many others.

“Hi, Woddy!” Freddy said to me with a mouth covered in applesauce. I smiled at him and leaned over to tussle my nephew’s curly hair with my hand.

I couldn’t help but feel unnerved as I continued eating my breakfast, my thoughts lingering on the strange yet vivid dream I had about an otherworldly library and the enigmatic figure of Igor.

“Hey man, what’s up?” Lance asked. “You’ve been quiet all morning. Something on your mind?”

I shrugged, trying to shake off the uneasy feeling that still clung to me. “Just a weird dream I had last week. That’s all,” I replied, taking another bite of my eggs. “Been bugging me ever since.”

“Must be the new kid syndrome,” Berry said as she sat with us. “All new kids get nervous on their first day of school. I know I was when I first moved here from up north.”

“Maybe,” I said, finishing up my breakfast.

“Hey, Roddy, listen to me,” Lance said, patting my shoulder. “Everything’s gonna be okay. It’s a fresh start at a new school, and you’ll make tons of friends. Now, you should get a move on. The bus will be here soon to pick you up.”

I nodded, a small smile forming on my lips. Lance was right, it was a new start. I took one last sip of my tea and stood up, readying myself for the day ahead.

After a quick shower and throwing on some clothes that made me look presentable, I grabbed my backpack and walked towards the door.

“See ya later, guys!” I said.

“Have fun, little bro! I look forward to hearing all about your first day!” Lance said.

“Bye-bye, Woddy!” I heard Freddy yell.

I stepped out of the front door, a sense of anticipation and uncertainty danced within me. Today marked the beginning of a new chapter in my life, yet remnants of a vivid dream lingered in the back of my mind, leaving behind an unsettling feeling. Was I truly prepared for this fresh start, or was there something more to it that I couldn’t quite grasp?

The sound of the approaching bus jolted me out of my thoughts as it pulled up in front of me. The driver opened the door for me and I climbed aboard. The bus driver smiled at me and even tipped his hat.

“Mornin’, new kid,” the bus driver greeted.

“How’d you-?” I wondered.

“Ain’t seen you before, so I already knew you’re new around here,” he said with a smirk. “Go on and take a seat.”

I nodded and took a seat by the window towards the middle of the bus. The familiar rumble of the engine filled my ears as we set off towards the new school. Outside, the world zipped by in a blur of colorful houses and bustling streets. Laughter and chatter echoed through the bus from the other kids but I sat in silence, watching the scenery pass by with a mix of excitement and trepidation.

I pulled out my phone to play some games in order to clear my head when I once again saw the same weird app on my phone.

“Oh, for the love of-!” I grumbled to myself. “I gotta get this thing fixed if this weird-ass app keeps popping up.”

That itself is a contract, Igor’s voice echoed in my head.

“No it’s fuckin’ not…” I grumbled as I once again deleted the app.

The bus then came to another stop as more students piled in. I glanced up to see one of the kids walk up to me with a bored expression.

“This seat taken?” He asked.

“Oh, uh, no. Go ahead,” I nodded and scooted towards the window, and he sat next to me.

“Are you new here?” he asked, making casual conversation.

I glanced at him, trying to gauge his intentions. But something about his easy demeanor put me at ease. “Yeah, just moved here a week ago,” I replied.

His eyebrows raised in surprise. “Oh wow, that’s cool. What brought you here?”

“Personal reasons…” I answered shyly.

“Fair enough,” the guy said. “But I feel like I’ve seen you somewhere before.” He tapped his chin in thought before it hit him. “Oh, I remember. I saw you talking with the principal and vice-principal last week.

“Yep, that’s me,” I nodded. “My name’s Rodney, or Roddy for short.”

‘Nice to meet you,” the kid said with a grin. “The name’s Flash…I’m Canterlot High’s cool guy.”

“Cool guy, huh?” I laughed a little. “Then you must be pretty popular.’

“Well, I don’t mean to toot my own horn but I’m pretty well-known at CHS,” Flash said.

“Could’ve fooled me, considering how I saw you arguing with that guy before my brother and I left the school,” I said while scrolling through my phone. “Who was he anyway?” That question seemed to sour his mood, making him cross his arms.

A guttural grunt escaped Flash’s lips as he let out a groan of frustration. “His name is Blueblood,” he spat, his tone laced with disdain. “And that arrogant jerk thinks he’s the king of his own castle.” His fists clenched at his sides, ready to defend himself against any further insults from the entitled prick.

“Man, you must really hate him for being so mad,” I commented, and he shook his head.

“You should know that I’m not the only one who hates that bastard’s guts," Flash said to me. “The whole school can’t stand him. But we can’t do anything about it because he’s Principal Celestia and Vice-Principal Luna’s nephew.”

“Wow, that’s…” I trailed off, not knowing what to say. “I guess that does make things a little complicated.”

Flash gave me a half-smile. ‘Yeah, but don’t worry about it. Just remember to stay on his good side, or you’ll be the one who’ll be dealing with his wrath.”

As the bus continued on the route to pick up more students, I was having a fun time making small talk with Flash. He was fun to talk with in his own way, and I felt at ease in his presence. Although, I worried about this Blueblood guy he was on about. If what he said was true, then I needed to remind myself to stay clear of him. Our bus ride eventually made it to the school, and my talk with Flash allowed me to flush any lingering worries away. However, just as I was about to stand up, Flash gently grabbed my shoulder as he was glaring out of the window.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“Crap…” Flash growled as I followed his gaze spotting the very person they were talking about. “Blueblood and his cronies are waiting at the entrance.”

“Oh no…” I gulped nervously. “What should we do?”

As we both looked out the window at Blueblood and his group of friends, I could feel the tension in the air. Flash took a deep breath, trying to steady himself before turning to me with a determined look.

“Listen, Roddy,” he said. “I know we just met but I don’t want any trouble for you on your first day. Let’s just stick together, keep our heads down, and make our way to class. It’s not worth getting mixed up with him.”

I nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. “Got it,” I replied. “I’ll follow your lead, Flash.”

As we stepped off the bus, Blueblood shot us a smug glance, his entourage snickering behind him. Flash kept his gaze forward, avoiding any unnecessary interaction. As we approached the school entrance, Blueblood made a comment loud enough for us to hear.

“Well, well, if it isn’t Canterlot High’s newest loser hanging out with the troublemaker,’ he smirked, his cronies laughing along with him.

“Hey Blueblood,” Flash said when he stopped in his tracks.

“What do you want, los-”

WHACK!

I blinked in complete shock when Flash reeled his fist back and slugged Blueblood square in the face. The last thing I ever expected him to do was give Blueblood a fresh one right in front of me. Blueblood yelled in pain as he fell on his ass on the ground before Flash grabbed my arm and pulled me away.

“Come on! Let’s get outta here!” Flash laughed.

“Gah! You ingrate! Get him!” Blueblood ordered his cronies.

I ran with Flash, still completely shocked at what had happened as his cronies ran after us. Flash led me around the school towards what looked like a football field and we ran under the bleachers. I had to catch my breath as I wheezed heavily, and I saw the two cronies run the other way.

“What…the hell was that?!” I yelled. “Your first instinct was to slug him?!”

Flash leaned against the metal framework, his expression a mix of adrenaline and a hint of triumph.

“Sorry about that but I couldn’t just stand there and let that guy talk to you like that,” Flash panted, a fiery determination burning in his eyes. “Trust me, Blueblood’s a complete prick who’s got this messed up idea that Canterlot High is his own personal castle, and he treats everyone else like they're just there to serve him.”

“Result Found!” a computerized voice sounded from my pocket. “Your destination has a hit. Beginning navigation.”

“Huh? What was that?” Flash said.

“Ugh, it’s my stupid phone,” I grumbled, pulling it out and saw the app I had just deleted not even a minute ago. “I got this weird app on it that just appeared out of nowhere. The weirdest part is that no matter how many times I try to delete it, it just keeps reappearing on my phone. I think it’s some kind of bug.”

“You have arrived at your destination,” my phone said which confused me.

“Weird. Well, let’s get back to the building before…ugh,” Flash suddenly groaned when he held his head. Just then, my own head began to hurt a bit and I had to rub my eyes.

“The hell…?” I said. “Must’ve run too fast.”

“Hey, let’s get back to the school,” Flash told me and shook his head. “The bell’s probably about to ring.”

I nodded and followed Flash from under the bleachers.

A sense of urgency pulsed through my veins as we made our way back to the school, and I couldn’t help but notice that the sky had darkened overhead. The air also became a little thick, making me take deeper breaths. Suddenly, Flash came to a halt in front of me, his eyes widening in shock.

“What the hell?!” he exclaimed, causing me to look up and take in my surroundings.

Following his gaze, my own eyes widened as I took in the sight before us. A majestic golden castle stood tall, its towers reaching towards the sky and glinting in the fading sunlight. The walls stretched on for what seemed like miles, a gleaming barrier of protection. The intricate details of the architecture were mesmerizing, with grand arches and sweeping curves.

The castle is like something out of a fairytale, golden in all its glory. The setting sun glints off its towers, giving it an ethereal glow. Its walls, stretching on for what seems like eternity, are adorned with intricate carvings and designs. The air shimmers with an otherworldly energy, adding to the magical aura of the castle.

“What…is that?” I stammered, my voice barely audible over the sound of my pounding heart.

“I…I don’t know,” Flash whispered, his voice equally shaken. “But whatever it is, it doesn’t seem like it belongs here. We need to get back to the school.”

I looked around then saw something that made my heart almost stop.

“F-Flash?” I said, raising a shaky hand and pointing my finger.

Flash looked at me and followed where I was pointing to see a sign that read, Canterlot High School.

As we continued to stare in disbelief, it slowly dawned on me that this was no ordinary high school. Somehow, it had transformed into this towering structure that seemed to defy all logic and reason. For a moment, I couldn’t help but question if I was dreaming or if some kind of magic was at play.

But with a deep breath and a determined look exchanged between Flash and myself, we silently agreed that we must investigate this phenomenon further. Stepping forward cautiously, I couldn't help but notice that the surroundings seemed somewhat distorted, as if the very fabric of reality had been altered. This only added to the mystery of this strange transformation, and I knew we were in for an adventure unlike any other.

Author's Note

And so begins another story of the Trickster.

Side Note:
Since I have hit a wall with my other stories, I figured I would make another story to try and get my inspiration going again. Let me know if you all enjoy this new story!

Hope you enjoyed!

~WurkyWilk has left the building…