An Earthling Earth Pony at Celestia's School of Magic: Year One

It didn't take long to take notice of our shadow once we left the clinic. As Hannah said, he was very obvious. He kept a respectful distance, but always stayed within twenty feet of us. Glancing around, I spotted two other night ponies doing the same thing, indicating nearby students, even if I couldn't see the students. Did the school pay for this? Seemed like it would be expensive if they did. Although, I suppose they couldn't put a price on student safety.

Paths with low walls curved and crossed over the vast chasm that was the cave, and I could see bridges above us. Some of the paths were wide enough to be called streets, though these seemed more the exception than the rule. There seemed no barrier between business and residential areas, with houses being right up next to businesses—and some businesses probably doubling as the family home. While this was uncommon in Canterlot, it wasn't that uncommon in Equestria as a whole, or, at least, that's what I'd been told. I'd seen that sort of thing when I was visiting Ponyville. The big difference between Ponyville and here, other than what the buildings were made of, was that the area between buildings was more often than not wide open air and a swift drop into the chasm below. The glowing moss was everywhere in every color, giving off a rainbow of dim light.

"I can't imagine living in a place like this," Summer said as she looked around.

"It is built for ponies with wings. I imagine Cloudsdale would be just as weird for us," Hannah said. "I'm betting our watchers don't just watch us, but all the ponies that can't fly, whether they be earth ponies, unicorns, or night pony foals too young to fly. Seems like a unique business venture for cities like this. I wonder how profitable it is."

Bright stopped, walked over to the edge of one of the bridges, looked over the side, and quickly retreated.

"Yeah, that there's a big ol' drop. Ah can't even see the bottom. Wouldn't want a foal fallin' down there," he said.

"Probably not the school paying for it then. Guessing it is just standard. They likely fund it with taxes and such," Hannah said, humming, then sighed. "Not really profitable then. Just public service."

I smiled and rolled my eyes. Everything involved how profitable it was with her. It wasn't like this was a business she could get into.

"Look here! It looks like a pet store. Let's see what they have," Summer said excitedly, pointing a hoof.

I turned to look and gasped as I looked upon something that definitely wasn't a pet store.

Before me, a giant brass sphere twisted and turned. Connected to it by arms were smaller brass spheres, circling it like planets, and even smaller brass spheres were joined to those by arms. As I looked upon it, the walls and floor looked like they were brass as well. I wasn't looking upon something that was here. I was having a vision.

"Turnip? Something wrong?" Hannah asked.

"Don't distract me. I'm having a vision. If I look away I'll lose it," I said quickly.

"Oh—" Hannah replied in shock. "You haven't had one in a while. Try describing the details to us. That way we can all remember, just in case it is important."

That made sense. Sunflower had told me to keep a journal to help keep track of what I saw, but I didn't have that handy.

"It's some sort of large mechanical brass sphere with a bunch of other brass spheres attached to it by arms. Those spheres on the arms are moving around the big sphere really fast," I said.

"Like an orrery?" Bright asked.

"What the heck is an orrery?" Hannah asked.

"It's this big doohickie that the planetarium has," Bright replied. "It has Equestria in the center, and the sun and the moon are attracted to it by arms, and there are other planets attached to it, further out. Whole thing is clockwork or somethin'. It tracks movement of stuff in the sky."

I knew what he was talking about, and this did bear some resemblance to that, but these weren't the sun and planets.

"No, it is kind of shaped like that, but now that I'm looking at it closer each sphere is made up of lots of parts that are rotating as well. The arms aren't spinning them around in the same types of orbits as planets around a star, they're going in all kinds of weird orbitals. I think you'd be knocked silly by one of those spheres on the arms if you stood too close, and you wouldn't even see it coming," I replied. "Each of those little parts has runes that change as they rotate. The walls and floors have runes too, and those are rotating as well. The arms are spinning the other spheres around... I know what I'm looking at. It's a spell... or something that can display spells anyway... in mechanical form."

The way everything was constantly rotating, spinning, and changing made it hard to focus on any one thing. Everything was in constant motion and it was almost hypnotic to look at. There was a light within each sphere that I could see peeking through as each rotation and movement happened.

"There's something in the spheres, giving off light," I continued. "The floor... it is interlocking circles that keep spinning, presenting different runes, the ceiling as well. The walls just keep changing runes constantly."

Bile rose in my throat and I had to turn away and cough.

"Turnip!" Summer said, rushing over to me.

I wiped my mouth and looked back to where I had been looking beforehand. The vision was gone. Instead, I was looking at a building. The building was one story, off on its own pillar with a bridge connecting it. Hopefully the pets in there didn't go running off the side after they were adopted. Above the door was a painted sign showing a bird in a birdcage and some fish in a fishbowl.

"Ya okay, roomie?" Bright asked.

I nodded, licking my lips. "Yeah, that thing was just making me feel dizzy watching it. I don't know how anyone could stand in the same room as that thing without starting to feel sick because of all the movement. With so many parts moving, it made me feel like I was moving too."

"You said it was a mechanical spell?" Hannah asked. "Not sure I've ever heard of something like that."

I shook my head. "It was no single spell. The way the runes kept changing meant it couldn't be just one spell. Maybe something to display spells—and with how many moving parts there were, it would be displaying extremely complicated spells. We're talking hundreds... maybe thousands of separate runes."

Summer frowned. "That's more than complicated, that's practically impossible. Nopony can cast a spell with that many runes involved. There's too much to keep track of, and one wrong rune would destabilize the whole thing. It would blow up if something went wrong, like it did in class that one time. What would a spell that complicated even do?"

"Maybe that's what the thingamajig is supposed ta do, help ya cast super complicated spells," Bright suggested. "Can't rightly ponder what kind of spell ya'd be doin' though."

"Well, I'm guessing that must be a vision of the future then. I don't think anything like that exists. It sounds way too complicated for any spell mages have discovered," Hannah concluded.

"We should tell the professors about it," Summer said, then she sighed. "And I really wanted to see the pet store."

I looked at the building again. "We can tell them in a bit. It isn't that urgent."

"'Spose taking a gander at that there pet store wouldn't hurt anythin'," Bright agreed.

Summer frowned. "Are you sure?"

Hannah pulled her into a hug. "We're in this city to experience the culture and learn how they live. We can't very well do that if we're running back to the professors to tell about another one of Turnip's visions. Let's go see the pet store."

Summer smiled. "Okay. Let's see the cuddly pets!"

There were plenty of pets. Cuddly was not so abundant.

Summer looked at a large furry spider in a cage. "I'd pictured more cats, dogs, maybe bunnies."

"There's at least fish and birds," Hannah said, gazing into a fish tank at a bunch of multicolored fish.

Bright looked into another cage. "What even is in here?"

He jumped as the sand in the cage rustled and a huge beetle came scurrying out and right up to the glass.

I looked into a cage that had a bat hanging upside down from a perch. "This one's at least a mammal."

The bat unfolded its wings and turned to look at me at the sound of my voice. It let off a short excited squeak before releasing its grip, giving a sloppy flap of its wings to slow its fall, landing on the bottom of the cage, and then crawling over to me, letting off another squeak.

"It seems to be tame. Does it want food?" I asked.

A night pony mare came beside me and put a berry in the cage. The bat squeaked excitedly and grabbed the berry before stuffing it in its mouth. The night pony stuck the thumb from her wing in the cage and gently rubbed the bat's chin. The bat made odd little sounds as she rubbed, but they seemed like happy sounds.

"A little food and a little affection," the mare said. "That’s all this pup wants at the moment.” She stopped rubbing and reached for a small blanket that was in the cage and pulled it over the bat pup. I watched the bat fold its wings as the blanket was pulled over it but continued to chomp on the berry without objecting to the blanket. “This pup is only eight weeks old, freshly weaned. An ideal age still to bond with an owner, if you are interested."

I stepped back. "Sorry, we're just tourists. We were just looking around."

The mare chuckled. "I kind of guessed that. We don't have any unicorn or kirin foals around here, and I know all the earth pony foals. I've never actually seen a kirin outside an illustration before today. Nothing says a tourist can't adopt a new pet. I can include a guide book on proper care of a bat."

"We don't actually have any money," Hannah explained.

The mare frowned. "Disappointing to hear. Oh well, you are free to walk around and observe the animals. Please don't tap on cages or tanks—it upsets them. You wouldn't like someone banging on the walls where you live. If you have any questions about anything, feel free to ask."

"Ya keep bugs as pets?" Bright asked, looking back at the beetle cage.

The mare turned and looked at him. "They aren't the most popular, but some insects can live a long time, and they are easy to care for. Ponies mainly get them for the sake of wanting to say they have a pet, but don't want to invest much time into one. The beetle is at least interesting to watch, as are the fish—as long as you keep these fed and their tanks clean, they are low effort. If interested in more active pets that you socialize with, we have the bats, birds, mice, snakes, and some of the spiders."

Summer looked at the spider. "Spiders can be affectionate?"

The mare shook her head. "No, not really. They can get to where they are comfortable with you. They understand that you bring food, clean their tank, and don't intend to hurt them. After that, they will let you handle them and generally desire to stay near you and not hurt you. Snakes... it depends on the snake. Some of them can get affectionate, or what counts as affection with a snake, by actively seeking you out to cuddle with, but most are much like the spiders in that they merely tolerate you."

"Snakes cuddle?" Summer asked with interest.

"You've got body heat to share, and they know you won't hurt them, so they'll get close to you to get warm and safe. You will keep them safe and keep them warm, maybe feed them. It isn't about affection," the mare clarified.

“I heard snakes will protect their owners, is that true?” I asked.

The mare chewed on her lip. “Not in the way you think. If they are perched on you and you show signs you are being threatened by something—something that they identify as an outside threat—they will get defensive and may lash out at anyone or anything that tries to attack you. This isn’t because they care about you. They are protecting their territory, their safe area, that the invader is violating. It’s the same as if they were invading the snake’s nest to an extent. The snake doesn't care about the nest, but it is their territory and safe spot. It doesn’t like invaders threatening its safe spots—particularly if the snake is in the safe spot.”

It seemed like snakes were friends of convenience. I didn’t think I would care for a snake as a pet.

“The bats are great, I guess,” Summer said as she looked in the bat cage where the bat pup had finished its beery and was now happily curling up in its blanket. “But why are there no cuddly animals like cats, dogs, or bunnies?”

The shopkeeper blinked and pointed at the window. “Did you fail to notice a large fall outside? There is not much room for such pets to run around, and one wrong jump or misstep could send them plummeting to their deaths. Some of the earth ponies in the outer town keep them, but they’re also in green fields, not in the cave. We don’t dislike those animals, but they are not suited for this type of life. Bats are as cuddly as it gets here, and they are quite cuddly.”

The shopkeeper let off a weird squeaking noise and a bat came flapping out from some corner and landed on the counter next to her.

“See, quite loyal, and eager to be with their pony,” the shopkeeper said as she grabbed up a piece of fruit with her wing and offered it to the large bat perched on the counter. The bat let off a squeak and grabbed the piece of fruit, shoving it in its mouth. After it finished eating she extended a wing towards it and it crawled onto the wing. She lifted her wing and put the bat on her head. The bat accepted this perch with no complaint, blinking as it looked around from this new vantage.

“Probably not the best pet for you, Summer,” I said as I considered. “They seem friendly, but it might have trust issues if you suddenly caught fire while it was perched on you.”

Summer frowned. “Yeah, I can’t imagine it would like that at all. I have that issue with other pets. That’s why I try not to let them get on me to much. I have no idea how that kitten puts up with my mom. Ky mom starts showing signs of anger and the kitten will lean down from the top of her head and pop her on the nose.”

Bright chuckled. “Smart cat. Dies that work every time?”

Summer shook her head. “No, not every time. but it makes her hold her anger in check long enough to get her kitten safely off her during the times it doesn’t. The kitten knows to give her some space if she does this.”

"Pets learn their owners' mannerisms well," the shopmare agreed. "Bats aren't quite as smart as cats, so a little pup might not recognize the signs of an upcoming fireburst for what they are, and it would also likely get far more alarmed and terrified by a fire—which likely will hurt their eyes, even if they are clear of it, which they'd have a harder time doing than a cat. No, they wouldn't make you a good pet. I'm not sure what among my stock would be comfortable dealing with an owner who suddenly catches on fire, even if they become accustomed to it."

I walked over and gave Summer a light bump. "Not everything always works out. Let's go look around some more. Maybe there's a comic shop somewhere."

"What's a comic?" the shopmare asked in confusion.

"Think that's a big no on there being a comic shop," Hannah said with a smirk.

That was disappointing. I looked at the shopmare. "What do foals do for fun around here?"

"Climbing is the most common pastime—though none of you look like you can climb," the shopmare replied. "During the evening, some of them go to the outer town to play games with the earth pony foals. While in the caves we also do drawing, painting, and catching bugs. There's also the theater and the waterpark."

"Waterpark?!" Hannah exclaimed. "You have a waterpark?! Why didn't you lead with that?!"

"Where is this waterpark?" I asked. "I didn't see anything like that when I was looking around."

The mare pointed to the floor with a hoof. "You have to go down to the bottom of the chasm. For a night pony, it isn't a long trip, but for a day pony... you may be walking for a while."

“How long’s a while?” Bright asked.

The mare sat and considered. “If you know the way…maybe thirty minutes. If you don’t know the way…depends on how badly you get yourself lost.”

Summer frowned and swished her tail. “How far away is the theater?”

The mare pointed up and to the side. “Up one level and you can’t miss it since it is a large building. Admission is free to both the waterpark and the theater since they are among the primary ways we keep foals entertained and we don’t expect foals to have money. Refreshments and such do cost money.”

I sighed. “I guess we’re going to the theater.”

Hannah gaped. “But…waterpark…”

I shook my head. “I can already see the misadventure. We’d be wandering around for hours. unsure where we’re going. The professors would send out search parties for us. We’d get scolded. We’d all lose class rankings. After all that, we’d never find the waterpark. Do you want to go through that?”

“But…waterpark…” Hannah repeated.

“Turnip’s right, Han. We’d be fool ta go trapsin’ off lookin’ for it,” Bright said.

Hannah gave Summer a pleading look.

“I wasn’t really sure I wanted to get yelled at for turning some pool into a stream bath,” Summer said. “We can see the waterpark next time. The theater should be fun.”

Hannah let out a long, defeated, breath. “Fine. We can go see the theater. Won’t be as much fun being there knowing that there’s a waterpark.”

“Thanks for all your help, ma’am,” I said to the shopmare.

She waved a hoof. “It was a slow night. You gave me a little entertainment.”

Summer waved us all to the door. “Come on, let’s go see the theater.”