JAN 29 Saturday.

I flip through another page of notes and copy a few things before nodding to myself, closing the notebook and putting it away.

The last few weeks have lapsed into my normal routines and it's been an uninteresting time. Winter Wrap-Up is almost over and the snow is all gone from the city even though Everfree is mostly snow-free while the weather is getting warmer. It's still odd that it changes in less than a month, but I am enjoying the beginning of spring.

The last month has been a mix of finishing up two projects and continuing my endless grind. I had my normal meetings with Celestia and a meeting with Cadance that ended with a sparring match with Shining. On a similar note, I got another letter from Twilight.

It was a bit more friendly than the last one she sent and she talked about where they were going for vacation. It turns out her family is going to Manehattan, someplace I myself might visit in the future. I hope it gives her the space and fun she needs before we next meet.

The two projects I finished were the Frost Potato and the Frost Cabbage, along with modifying a fireball spell as best I could. I knew Celestia would want any combat spells I improved so I sent it along with the new crops, and I received a lovely thank-you letter in return.

Beyond that, I've kept breeding my plants, but most of my time was spent studying healing and the new combat spells. All of which has gone rather well, but I've noticed that I haven't really invented anything recently, so after a lot of thought I found something I could work on.

Heat retention, may sound odd but stick with me. For your everyday pony having a spell to keep something warm longer is a nice little thing, it's not life-changing but a restaurant or just a pony moving food around with them would find some use out of it, but that's not what made me think of this.

All metal used by ponies is forged, there are a few places that use mills to help but everything is hoof forged by smiths. It's part of the reason metal items are so expensive, and a large cost of forging things is the material required to heat metal and keep it heated for forging.

So if you could cast a spell that keeps the metal heated for longer or the forge itself heated for longer, you'd be cutting some of that price out along with making the work easier to do. There are also probably a few other things that could probably do with keeping warm, but you get the idea and I need to make the spell itself.

I grab a few books and flip to a blank page to start to go through notes and my runic library. There are two main ways I think I could do this, a shield of some sort, or I could add it as some form of temporary effect to an object, but I think the best place to start is with fire runes and preservation runes.

I spent a while looking through runes before finding a few good runes. A rune of Contain, and a rune of Continuation, along with a rune of Fire. The rune of Fire is mostly normal but this specific rune of Fire lends itself well to this project because of its Runic Context. After some more thought, I decided to use both of the other runes for different purposes.

The Contain rune will probably work better for improving a forge and the Continuation runes seem to work best on a small scale. After a little more thinking I decide to start on the spell that will be used for forges as it will be more complex, I bring over yet another notebook with shield spells.

This one will be for the forge and I think a shield will work best for a stationary object mostly because making the spell an effect is less stable and weaker. I start to draw out the spell in the air and use a basic shield as a base before working on the heat retaining part.

The math isn't too hard but working around the runes Runic Context took a little extra time, but after a few hours the spell is roughly functioning. I stare at a piece of paper with the spell matrix, "How to test you? Hmm." I mumble out before an idea pops into my head and I walk into my main room.

I spend a while grinding down some wheat and start to make some bread dough while I find my well-used baking pan. I turn the knob that starts to heat my oven with the enchantments on it and leave the bread to rise while continuing my work on the new spells.

This time I work on the more simple version of the spell for everyday use. Making the spell create a temporary effect on an object is less stable like I said, but it's not too magically expensive depending on how long you want the spell to last. I ponder for a moment and start to draw things out again.

I use the Continuation rune and start to fiddle around but take my time as this spell won't be an enchantment and needs to be as magically efficient as possible. It needs to be that way as this is for the common pony, although, maybe I should make it compatible as an enchantment on the second through. It might take more magic but this way more than just unicorns can have easy access to it.

After an hour the dough is ready and I place it in the oven to bake while I take a little break to trim up my mane a bit along with my chin fluff. I look at myself in the mirror and smile as I'm once again a bit taller than a few months ago, it's slowed down a lot though.

Puberty is still hitting me but a lot of the growth seems to be over, or at least slowing down. Even with that though I'm still in it, hell I still have problems looking at mares in public. Although I have better self-control, my necklace enchantment has helped a lot so far.

I sigh after a moment and move my mind away from that topic so I don't start hanging low in my apartment again. There is also the fact that my mind is still a horny bastard. I splash some cold water on my face before my body can mess with me anymore.

I walk out and focus on my work again to try and keep my mind off of all of that... Stuff. I continue my spell work until the bread is done, I take it out and put it to the side before casting the shield version of the Heat Retention spell after adjusting the size of the area needed. I've used this oven for years so I know how long it takes to cool down when the door is open or closed, so I check the time and leave the oven door open to cool.

Entropy watches me curiously while wearing her cute scarf as Philomena sits next to her asleep, those two are adorable. I try some bread and smile a bit, it's not bad and I think I've become a decent baker. I continue to snack on my bread while finishing up the rough version of the personal Heat Retention spell.

I check the oven and push my hoof inside past the shield to feel that it's still warm, not massively but it's been almost an hour since it was left open. It seems it's a success, I'll need more testing but this proves that it does at least work as intended. I wrap up the rest of the bread and sit there for a few moments looking out of the window.

I want to do something, I think. but what? I could go exploring. But I don't want to deal with the busy city or the Everfree right now, and certainly not Ponyville. After a little thought, I realize I have far more options than just that. It's near the end of the day and I turn to Entropy. "Hey Girl, training time," I say and she flies right over to me.

We are both used to the routine and a few moments later we're standing in a great grass plain with rolling hills. "Hey Girl?" She turns to me before she can take us back home. "Want to grab some dinner?" Her wagging tail is the only answer I need.

"YES." She eagerly agrees to an early meal and I chuckle while casting two spells in quick succession, an illusion over her and one to give me wings. We're currently somewhere in the western part of Equestria and unlike the eastern half, this place has many large grass plains and smaller forests.

I've continued to push Entropy and her travel distance is still increasing. Around two weeks ago we moved our destination to this grass plain as it is far from anything, roads, towns, or cities, it's isolated enough for our uses. After my wings are formed I flex them before beating them several times to get into the air.

Entropy flies up next to me as I level off high in the air. When traveling to get here we passed a small town, smaller than even Ponyville, but it should at least be enough to find a good meal and spend some time somewhere new. I still have an hour or so of daylight left and I should be able to get there before dark.

As I fly I let my mind wander to something I've been debating with myself. My upcoming vacation time, it's something I haven't decided on yet and I'm not really sure where I want to go. I have several options, but I'm actually thinking of doing something unexpected.

I could do my own trip, or I could follow along with Cadance on another trip she mentioned in passing. It may sound odd after what happened last time, but this trip will be to a completely different place and if I went I would probably be able to just go as a scribe, at least I think so because I have no idea if they'd let me join.

I don't actually know where she's going because I never asked, but I do know she's not leaving Equestria. There are a few places she might go but I suspect the east coast to negotiate with the cities that have seen a large increase in trade with the Griffon city-states.

Apparently, it's expanded beyond just Griffonstone as other city-states have seen the new products we have as an opportunity to ship things further inland on their continent and make some money at the same time. Either way, it's more trade for us.

After some thought, I decided to send a letter to Celestia asking if it's possible for me to come before making any plans and leave my thoughts as I see the town I was looking for. It's a small place largely made from wood and only has dirt roads around it.

After a few moments of flying above it, I see something that looks like an inn and land on the street with Entropy right behind me. There is still some snow out here but it's in small amounts and the weather is warmer than expected, pony weather control is really something else.

I wait a moment after landing as Entropy lands on my back before I start to walk over to what is definitely an inn. I look up at the sign above the door as I enter, Straws Rest, yup definitely a pony name. I chuckle at the sign and walk inside to see a busy but jovial interior.

It's mostly Pegasi inside but a few Griffons and the other tribes are mixed in. Everypony is talking, drinking and just enjoying themselves as the sun sets outside the windows. All around there are tables and a bar with stools, and to another side are a few empty tables.

Normally I'd sit at a table but some ponies are eating at the bar so I just find an empty spot and take a seat. It didn't take long for an older mare to move over to me, Entropy decided to sit on the bar in front of me so she looked at her for a moment before looking at me. "They know how to behave?"

I nod after a moment. "Yes."

She stares at me for another beat before nodding back. "They break anything you're paying for it, now what can I get you?" That was simple enough I guess.

"Anything's good, along with some juice if you have it. And something for her." The older mare just nods and walks off before coming back with a mug of apple juice not long after. "Thank you." She just nods and walks off leaving me alone. I take a long swig of the juice and enjoy the pleasant taste.

The atmosphere is nice here, there is plenty of banter and talk while somepony is playing a guitar in the corner. But after a minute or so I smell something that switches the mood a bit.

Light N.S.F.W Begins here.

I recognize the smell as my sheath tries to move, I quickly activate the enchantment in my necklace and the smell fades, thankfully. I look around and quickly see that I'm not the only stallion that noticed. A pegasus mare around twenty or so walked in not long ago and it seems she's in heat.

An interesting fact about pony culture when it comes to heat is that stallions are expected to control themselves, along with the mare in heat. Basically, while this happens and nopony really cares, you can not just give into instinct and fuck in public, take that somewhere private.

For stallions specifically, though, we're expected to just deal with this happening. A mare can't control when they are in heat, some do choose to quarantine but many don't. As a stallion when a mare in heat is around we're expected to just ignore it and not ask her to leave or bother her about it.

It's a bit of a gender role thing, although there are some places where a mare can't go while in heat so it kind of balances itself out if you put it in full context. I laugh a little as the poor stallions in the room start to make occasional smacking noises and a few younger stallions look embarrassed.

They all have their cocks hanging out and while a few leave most stay and soon enough there are a few jokes thrown their way. It's nothing rude or mean, just some good old banter at their expense, and in her defense, the mare in heat also looks a little embarrassed as she starts to wait on the tables and sometimes lifts her tail up by instinct, I have to divert my eyes anytime that happens and take a few deep breaths.

After a while, the older mare gives me my food before walking over to the waiter mare in heat and seemingly assigning her behind the bar to save her some embarrassment. I just focus on my food after that but as the pegasus mare works behind the bar she glances at me on occasion with a little confusion, it's not hard to guess why as I'm not hard.

I just ignore that, I still have my wings out, and even without them I look old enough to be an adult, mostly because I am almost an adult. But after I finish my food and a few more ponies leave as the night winds down the mare walks over and takes my plate. I nod to her. "Thanks, can I get a refill on apple juice?" I ask politely.

I catch her eyes glancing down at my sheath and balls as they were pressed against the stool I'm on, she looks intrigued and nods after averting her gaze. "Sure, be back in a minute." Her tone is friendly enough, but it just seems like a tone you'd use for a customer.

Light N.S.F.W Ends here.

She returns quickly and her mane is now hanging down instead of being tied back while she has a slight sway to her walk. I just hope she doesn't notice me staring. I take the juice she brings. "Thank you."

She nods again. "So, are you passing through?" I raise a brow at that. She smirks a bit, "We get a lot of couriers and some traders that pass through. You just seem like the type to travel a lot." I wasn't expecting the small talk but don't really mind as long as it's not too intrusive, I did come here to find and do new things.

I tilt my head back and forth. "No, but good guess, I travel a fair amount. At least when I can, I'm just passing through." I answer ruefully but keep everything vague and try to be casual, if Celestia can get out of her comfort zone I can as well.

She smiles as I answer. "You get a feel for it after a while, many of you have the same look when in a new place. So, what brings you to Good Berry?" I give her a slightly confused look and she chuckles after a moment. "You don't even know where you are? What kind of journey have you been on?" She asks, cracking up a bit.

I feel a slight blush creep onto my cheeks as I'm a bit embarrassed, I'm at least able to keep a straight face. "The type that's had me flying for a bit too long I guess." I lie to deflect her question and pass it off as a joke.

She keeps that smile that shows her teeth. "You must be tired then, we have a few free rooms if you'd like?" That kicks my mind into shape as she says it with a little excitement and a slightly flirty tone. :OH, not again, are these wings fucking cursed?: Now that I think about it her interest in me seemed like more than just curiosity.

I decided to just nip this in the bud and leave it be. "Well, I do have places to be and I wa-" That is the moment my thoughts grind to a halt as something large moves quickly in my senses. I focus my senses for a moment even though the mare is confused at my abrupt cut-off.

I turn with most of the other ponies inside the inn when the door abruptly opens to show something tall walking inside. Dull gray scales and a snarl on their face, at the door, standing taller than any pony is a human-sized dragon. I stare at the pissed look on the dragon's face and let out a sigh. :Fuck my life:

Author's Note

Thanks for reading. :}
Current year is 995

I'm still debating the element question I asked, but we have plenty on time for that later. Where do you think Shade should go for his trip? Join Cadance or do his own thing? And where should Candace be going?