About one year ago.   >You were standing on a tall rock in the Rockies. >In your hands was a map of the area. >On your back, a backpack full of supplies. >And at your side was your beautiful wife. >"Anon?" >You look over to her, holding her own map, though her's looked like a bunch of weird shaped rings. "Yeah?" >She points at an area on her map. >"It looks like this pass here will take us up to the saddle." >You look over at her map to where she's pointing. >It look right but it will take you about a mile out of your way. >Whatever, no skin off your teeth. "Alright, let's go." >You begin walking, following a game trail worn through the underbrush. >Walking and walking. >Occasionally talking. >Oh look! A deer. >More walking. >You feel a tug on your boot and stop to look down and see that your laces have gotten tangled in a small bush. >Leaning down you disentangle the small string. >Once finished tying the boot you stand and look ahead. >Your wife is nowhere to be seen. >She must've gone ahead. "Better catch up." >You begin jogging up the path. >A short time later you come to a fork. >Looking left and right you stand there, exasperated. "Shit." >Looking down for some kind of footprints to give you some kind of clue as to where she went. >No luck. You're standing on thick stones. >Pulling out your map you shrug off your pack you look around for a tall tree. >Finding a tree of suitable size you begin your run-up. >As you reach the tree you brace your foot about waist height and throw yourself upwards at the lowest branch. >You grab ahold of the branch and swing yourself up. >Hand-over-hand you climb the tree. >Upon reaching the top you pull out your map and begin scanning the surrounding area for landmarks. >Picking out a few, you find them on the map to figure out where you are. >You whip out your compass to double check. "Okay, so… That way." >You point straight west. >Dropping from the tree, perhaps a little too hard, you sling your bag over your shoulders and head off. >A song pops into your head and you begin singing under your breath. "So dance fucker dance, man he never had a chance." "And no one even knew, it was really only you."   >About an hour later you're walking along, map in front of you, very confused. "I think I went the right way… I should have caught up by now." >You lower the map and look around. >Sighing you fold the map and stow in in your pocket. >You spin and begin backtracking. >A rustling noise and a snapping twig rip your attention off the path to the left. >You catch a glimpse of mint green. >Your wife's jacket is the same color. "Hun?" >You step forward and the blotch of color runs off into the rush. "Wait!" >Running after her as fast as you can, you find yourself being lead far away from the path. >Through the forest you sprint, wondering the whole time where she's taking you. >Tripping over bushes, slipping on gravel, running head long into trees, yet you still manage to keep up. >Across a small stream ahead you can see a clearing. >You've been going for a while now and the sun is starting to set. >In the clearing ahead you can see a soft glow. >Your wife is nowhere to be seen so you slow to a fast walk. >Pushing aside the brush in front of you, you enter the clearing. >The glow you saw before was coming from a hole in the center of the clearing. >Approaching the hole you look down to see... >Something. >You aren't sure what it is but it seems to be pulling at you. >It looks like a swirling mass of stars, suspended in glowing water. >You can smell a field, warm with summer and flowers. >A cool breeze seems to be flowing gently from the hole. >You look up from the hole and begin searching for your wife. >Turning you see a small, mint green creature running towards you. >It looks like a... >Pony? >But there's something jutting out of it's forehead, just above the eyes. >It keeps running at you and it shows no signs of stopping. >It jumps at you and you brace yourself on your back leg to catch the blow. >It hits you like a sac of potatoes. >Not really heavy but it pushes you back a little. >It jumps from your arms and spins to look at you. >"Sorry." >Wait did it just talk? >The thing on it's forehead flashes and you are sent flying backward. >Straight into the hole. >As you fall through the thing you feel a strange sensation across your body. >It feels as if every atom in your body is being pulled outward from the center. >Not painful, but not comfortable. >Then there is a rushing feeling and a flash of light and you suddenly aren't falling anymore. >You look down and around but find no ground or anything. >It's like you're suspended in the air. >There is a flash in front of you and the little green thing appears. >"SorrysorrysorryohmygoshI'msosorry." "Ah oh dear god!" >You try to back pedal but just end up flailing around. "Oh dear lord you're talking." >It, she? It sounded feminine, looks at you incredulously. >"Wel duh." >It is only then that you realize your situation. "What did you do?" >She winces. >"Ok, let me explain." >You shiver. >A talking pony is just, weird. >"My name is Lyra Heartstrings. I'm a researcher into the theory of alternate or parallel universes. I hit a breakthrough recently and was able to travel to your world but, I may have just accidentally broken a rule." "A rule? There are rules for inter dimensional travel?" >She looks away sheepishly. >"Yeah, rule number two. No contact with indigenous species." >Ok, you could see how that would make sense. "So, what exactly were you doing?" >She looks back at you. >"Well, studying. I was watching you, taking notes. Then you saw me and started chasing me and I panicked and oh no…" >She stops and her eyes go really wide. >Then she starts crying. >Great. Just what you need. "Whoa whoa, calm down. What's wrong?" >She sniffs and looks back at you, tears strewing down her face. >"I panicked *Sniff* and I threw you through *sob* the portal. And-and I don't know how to get you back." >What? >"Can't…get…back? >She shakes her head, breaking down into more sobbing. >Anger. >Hatred. >Loneliness. >Emotions begin coursing through your body. >But worst of all is the bone chilling fear. >Fear for yourself, and your future, and of the unknown world you're about to enter. >And fear for your wife, alone in the Rocky Mountains. >You will yourself forward and reach out for Lyra. >Wrapping her in a hug you shush her. >She wraps her forelegs around your chest and sobs into your shirt. "Shhh… It'll be fine." >You keep trying to comfort Lyra as you feel the pulling sensation start again. >Another rushing and a bright flash of light and you're sitting in a field with Lyra in your arms. >She sniffs again and stops crying so you let her go. >She stands and looks up at you. >"So, you aren't mad?" >You sigh. "I'm mad, but not at you. It wasn't exactly your fault. You made a mistake and I can tell you're going to try your best to fix it." >She wraps you in another hug. >"Thank you." >After a moment she back away from you and looks around. >"It looks like we're just outside Ponyville. C'mon." >Standing you follow her toward a small town. "So where are we going?" >She looks back at you and smiles. >"Well we need to find you a place to stay don't we?"   Present day.   >You step through the door into the Treebrary. >Twilight glances over her shoulder at you. >"Hello Anon. How are you?" "Fine, I just… Need to sit for a minute." >You make your way over to the couch in the corner and plop you butt down on it. >Twilight walks over to you, looking concerned. >"What's wrong Anon?" >You sigh. "Nothing really, I was just thinking about how I got here and how long it's been." >She looks at you, like she's trying to understand what you're feeling. >"Anon, I…" "Nope. Don't worry about it." >You stand, resolve filling you again. >You have a mission. >You have a goal. >You have no idea how you're going to accomplish it but by god you will. "Twilight. I need books."