#144
Spring. Day ? Time of day? Location?

Still unsure how long I've been here. Ginger has been keeping me company as much as she can. Dagressa as well but far less. I finally got to meet Princess Luna in all her splendor as well. Turns out I had speaking with her as well as Aeron in my dreams. Kind of strange honestly. She's found the source of the shield that I theorized about, deep down in the lower levels of the tower. A large gaudy thing of lights and wires, buttons and blank screens. She noted the buttons and machines had writings similar to what I've written about.

I met her friend too. White with brown spots, pinto pattern, having a Trottingham accent and wearing an eye patch. Dressed like a sailor, spoke like one too. He was by no means, impolite. Quite fond of Luna too, he is. He's told me of the time they first met, Nightmare Night. A festivity involving dressing like things either scary or silly and going to doors in the neighborhood. Knocking on doors and saying some sort of words and getting candy in doing so. Not something that we've had in Clackerton. Told him I would have to stop by this upcoming fall. He's elated about that, I just hope I'll be able to. Pipsqueak is his name.

On another note, Bolt said I should be up and about within a few hours. Told me to take it slow, as I managed a few good scrapes on my legs. It seems the effects of Zecora's speed potion are still lingering about, thus speeding up the natural healing process. I also learned a bit more about Bolt as well. Seems that he was Ginseng's personal aid but kept an eye on Ginger when Nutmeg took the throne. At the end of our last conversation he gave me the pages of my journal back. More cleanly torn than I thought they would be. I've hid them away in a smaller pocket of my saddlebag, folded and tucked away. I sincerely hope I would never need to use those spells again.

#145
Spring. Day 160. Evening. Sky Spear's lower levels.

With some shoulder help, I was led down into the lower levels of the Sky Spear. A rickety elevator of cross-weaved and beamed steel held the four of us well. Luna as a guide, Pipsqueak her companion, Ginger holding half my weight. The elevator itself was fit for things far more heavier than us, however. The few pulleys and gears creaked and groaned as they sprung to life at the press of a button. Had black and yellow stripes marking where the gate closed shut. Caution, it read, denoted with a red triangle with an embedded exclamation mark.

It was a quiet ride down aside from the occasional creak. Every so often it jerked, a nervous twitch in the cable that refused to let us go further down. Nerve-raking though it was, we made it down here. Place is cold as any winter and it was alive with quiet whirs of fans spinning away. Sheltered away from our touch by cold aluminum casings. The floor's patterned in white squares, still feels like cement, smoothly leveled. The room itself was large and rather unassuming but the faint glimmer of beams and braided cords can be seen like veins under the skin. All of them routing to a central shaft in the ceiling all cloaked in darkness. It's hard to see past the rafters and beams of white light illuminating everything below, so nothing made a shadow.

The large boxes were aligned in grids and each unit had boards with little buttons, meant for textile placement of I think, fingers. Dusty things they are, amazing that they're not buried in the stuff. I suppose there's someone that keeps an eye on the place. I caught glimpses of letters on their surfaces, strikingly different than the script I'm used to seeing. However, it's similar to Equestrian.

Luna brought us to a console in the center of it all. She stepped aside and motioned me forward without a pip. Another console, much like the one Ginger and I had found at Bury. I read the single line engraved just below all the keys, bold font reading Planar. I repeated the the word and a quick thrust of light appeared from the console. A yawn, followed by a voice, “Ah, so you've arrived at Planar. I, The Designer, welcome the four of you.” The light pulsated as he spoke, brighter with his aching voice. “Looks like you've gotten into quite the scuffle, Letter.”

“If fighting brick and mortar counts, then yes, I have.”

The ancient voice laughed, “I've missed that sweet sound of humor.” A familiar groan of a chair came through. “Anyways, I've looked into this 'Rebirth', you mentioned. None of my notes mention it. That isn't to say I still can't help you.” Shuffling of paper. “I'll need to research more. Your mother hasn't done anything since she became whole again. I think she may be biding her time.”

“What is this, 'whole', thou speaks of?” Luna asked.

“Well, remember how you were Nightmare Moon for awhile?” she nodded. The Designer continued, “This is the opposite of that. There's a reason why I had to force it, I've told Letter already. My memory is hazy on the why. Surely you can understand that, Princess Luna.”

“I believe I do. If thou were to recall, would thou be willing to produce this memory?”

“You've always spoke in a funny manner, Luna. I don't blame you for it though. But yes, I would be able to. Letter would likely be the first to hear it, however.” The Designer yawned once more, Pip followed suit. “Now, this entire structure has worked far longer than I had intended it to. There's a reason behind the name, can you guess it?”

“Planar usually refers to planes and by extension, space.” I answered,

“Good. This tower is all one structure down to the cables that each outlying city is built upon and its function is to cloak or distort the naked eye. It has more than enough power to eclipsed the entire planet if I had done so. I began to tear the tower down to remove my traces. However, I was too slow at that. My body was frail, still is, and I've stayed here since. I can power the tower down and you three will have a quicker trip back to Equestria.”

“You couldn't power it down before?” I asked. “Seems a bit odd.”

“I locked myself out, partially. Only once the console is activated can I access them. I've made the things mostly localized for purposes you wouldn't understand. A grueling task, to be honest.” We heard him shift around in his chair and speak yet again, “The distortion field is down now. The tower will continue to power the cities above in what buildings actually use it. And Letter, don't be angry about Dream Seer. Hear her out.”

“I understand.”

“One last thing, then I must pay mind to my work. There's a safe under the console. Draw the code A-0-0-4-7 using the Designer script. A small thing that should lock away magic, however innate it might be.”

“Which means the spells I translated won't work, correct?”

“That is spot on.” With those last few words the screen of light fizzled and dropped back into console. The room was notably quieter from both that and whatever machinery he composed to sleep.

I looked under the console and found the safe neatly blended in with the backside of the silver column. Didn't budge, wasn't made to be moved. In small fine print, the size of ants, glowed blue on the face. Subtly distinct from the rest of it is the matte surface. I turned to my notes and gently traced the first digit. The surface appeared to ripple but it was still harder than stone. The interacting lights made that trickery. I traced the other digits in, only lifting my hoof to start the next.

The face slid to the right and revealed a dull silver bracelet, smaller than what a pony would wear. More like a ring that would be placed on the horn. I guessed the Designer was only taking unicorns into account. I reached for it and with a touch it sprung to life. Hopping from the safe and onto my face, where it then quickly made way to my ear. A sudden sharp pain surged through me followed by stinging. The safe snapped back closed and the glow went away.

Dazed, I called Ginger over as I fumbled to close my journal. “Looks like you're stuck with a nice looking piece of jewelry.” She jabbed, carrying me like before.

“Funny. Maybe I'll get the other side done too.”

“I can arrange that, you know.”