I watched the doors they exited through close.

Oh no.

Was it too late, could I not follow them now? I knew it certainly wasn't a good idea to open the doors two guard ponies just went through, with what was apparently some very important reading, mainly because it was overly suspicious, and the doors were quite large. I studied the room some more; was there another way out?

I saw nothing. I felt worried and anxious. Why was I feeling this way? It was just a cart. A cart of books.

That's what I kept telling myself.

They were just books. They were just books. They were just books.

Perhaps that was the reason for them being taken away by two Royal Guard ponies?

Were they dangerous?

Did they have some sort of curse?

When I think back on what I was thinking, I think it was stupid. I know now that curses do not exist.

(Refer to page 275 for studies on curses and voodoo.)

I sat quietly, staring at the menu on the table. Maybe I just needed some water and something to eat. Perhaps I was just overwhelmed by the crowd? At the time, it seemed the most likely explanation. (Page 234 for studies on crowds and crowd effects.)

The waiter had come around. He was surprisingly young for how aged his voice sounded. Perhaps a magical mishap? He had a nice, formal outfit on. Me and Joyole decided to start with an appetizer; garlic bread with artichoke dip. It was probably the only item on the menu that had the most taste. (NOTE: Most food prepared in the Canterlot Royal Castle is very mild, most likely to accommodate the older residents and workers.) He decided on a fountain drink, while I got my water. (See page 3 for studies on fountain drinks vs. purified water.)

Me and Joyole talked about Stalliongrad while we waited for our appetizer to arrive. I had never been there personally, but had seen pictures. It was a military city; massive walls around the city itself, 24/7 security...

It was a shining example of a militarized city. I loved the thought of it, and the look of it. It was always quite interesting to me. I hadn't done any studies on it yet, mainly because I had never gotten to see it up close.

I learned some very interesting things about it, mainly that it was producing vehicles capable of large-scale war. I knew that the Griffons had already developed such things, but had not a chance to use them. I also learned that the easiest way of getting into the city was an official pass from the Royal Castle. As Joyole had informed me, they were easy to get. Almost so easy, it was a little worrying.(Page 858 for details on this, which is about 23 pages back. I just noticed as I was writing this that this page has no numbering. Manufacturing error.)

Before our appetizers arrived, I heard a blood-curdling scream across the room, a female voice, elderly. I stood up, looking over all of the guard ponies who had also stopped what they were doing to investigate.

An elderly citizen pony was screaming at a younger pony, accusing her of attempting to steal a handbag. The younger one started yelling at the older one, calling her crazy and senile. A guard pony went to restrain the younger one to ensure nothing happened, but she had the upper hoof.

The younger one picked up a plate with her magic, and flung it at the approaching guard. It shattered, and the guard screamed; apparently, some of the glass shards got into his eyes, greatly obscuring his vision. The thought of it made me grimace.

Several others bolted from their seats, going for the young mare. The young one hurdled silverware, plates, and even several chairs at the quickening group. Several citizens jumped in, only managing to make the fight that much more hectic; it had turned into a riot in no time.

Joyole bolted from his chair, and went to go and try and help. I watched him from my seat, and the rioting crowd, which was growing from out of the corner of the room where it had started.

I'd seen riots before, even did some studies on them, which were lost, but I had never seen one form this fast before. I would have kept paying attention, but I had noticed something in the far back of the crowd.

Something that was flung, probably a chair, had completely shattered a window.

I suddenly got tense, sweaty, anxious.

The thought of those books flooded back. I could get out through the window unnoticed due to the riot, and return to the halls and track down that cart. Something took over my rational thought, and I started hauling for that window.

I pushed through the crowd, using my magic to even hurdle some ponies into the air and back down into the crowd. I needed to get to that cart, and fast. I grabbed a table and turned it, then grabbing a chair, I jumped onto the table, flung the chair to the end of it, and ran at it.

I did my best guess and hoped I could use the table and chair to give me enough height to reach the window and jump out without goring myself on the intact shards left over.

I jumped, and before I knew it, I was outside on grass, underbelly intact. I did a 90 degree turn to my left, and began running faster. I did a sharp left again, at a door which led inside, it was fairly small as I remember.

Inside, I was just outside the dining hall doors. In front of them was the cart, left there as if waiting for me.

Without hesitation, I jumped into it, and used my magic to propel it forward down the hall at high speeds.