Three days had passed since Twilight had entered his mind. Three days filled with nothing but study into the more obscure texts regarding ritual magic. Twilight on the other hand (or was it hoof?) had spent the time digging around in his subconscious, and every once in a while he would receive a question from her asking him to better explain whatever it was she had come across.

Fortunately he had managed to limit what kind of information she had access to, most of which consisted of information stored within his procedural memory.

“This is so amazing! You work really differently from how we do, but at the same time we also have so much in common.”

Once more his reading was disturbed by the compulsively curious unicorn. He had honestly expected more respectfulness from her considering his studies were entirely for her benefit, but it seemed she was unable to contain herself now that she was safe and out of the void.

After all, the reason she had gotten into this mess was to investigate other worlds and the creatures in them, and technically that attempt was now a success.

“I am so glad that you find my basic functions so delightful, but do I really need to remind you that if I don't get this research done you will never see your home again?" he commented with mild annoyance.

“I know, but I'm safe here with you. Besides, after all the danger I've gone trough to get here, I wouldn't want to go back without at least having done as much research as I can about this place. I don't think I'll ever attempt that spell again once I get back home.”

That last part had a distinct tone of sadness to it that the mage had learned to recognize, she was thinking of the ponies back home missing her.

He sighed deeply and put the book he'd been reading away, then rested his chin against his folded hands and gently asked.

“Do you want to talk about them little unicorn?”

“My name is Twilight Sparkle!"

“You are also a tiny unicorn. Now, do you want to talk about it?”

“Fine, but why do you ask? We've been together for almost three days now and all you've done so far is lock away most of your mind from me and tried to ignore all of my questions no matter how nicely I asked.”

The mage rubbed his forehead. He could clearly feel a headache forming from the all chatter inside his mind. Maybe he should just have kept quiet.

“Well maybe I care a little after all, and I haven't been ignoring you. I have tried to HELP you by researching ways to get you HOME. Remember that? No matter, I can feel how much you miss them and that it pains you, and since your pain is my pain, I would rather it get resolved.”

She seem surprised at his honesty. Then again considering his behaviour these last few days he couldn't have made that much of a good impression on her.

“Well all of my friends must be very worried about me. The spell was only supposed to make me go to sleep and let my mind out of Equestria...so I guess that my body is still back there sleeping. But it's been several days since then, and before that I don't know how long I was stuck in that....place.”

Without thinking the mage responded.

“It was the void. Time has no meaning in a place where time does not exist. It could have been mere seconds or thousands of years might have passed. I doubt that last one though. Loke said that you still had a body and a connection to it. Otherwise this entire endeavour is doomed to fail. And if your body is still preserved that means the time is limited to your natural life cycle – assuming that someone is taking care of all its needs. That is unless someone put you in some kind of static field allowing you to remain unaffected by time. If that's the case, then I guess there is no limit to the time that might have passed.”

It was only until after the mage said, well thought it, that he realized that maybe he wasn't comforting her as much as he believed. He felt how the presence in his mind shied away from his words and grew quiet and unmoving. After a couple of minutes of total silence he could hear her making a mental sniff.

“All my friends...gone? But I never even said goodbye before I left...”

The mage could feel that she was mere moments away from having some kind of breakdown and hastily added to his previous statement.

“ Whoa, hold on there. Yes it is possible but I really really doubt it. This whole thing is Loke's game, and he is a trickster and a rebel but no outright sadist. There would be no point to all of this if you were to return home only to find that you had lost everything. Don't worry about it. At most, a few weeks might have passed before your return.”

He heard her sniff a couple of times before she answered back in a shaky voice.

“You really think so? I didn't always have friends, and now that I do I can't imagine what life would be like without them.”

The mage leaned back in the couch. He was intrigued by how she could manage the life of a magic student and still have an active social life. Not many can do both and it's usually hard. He himself had not even tried.

“Tell me about them.”

The next few hours were spent on the couch listening to Twilight talk about her home and the ponies in it. She spoke of her early life studying and how it took a direct order from royalty and the return of an ancient threat for her to make friends. The mage chuckled a bit at that part.

She went on about her studies into the “magic of friendship” as she called it and all the threats they had faced together. From napping dragons to Discord's escape, to a more resent event where a pony named Applejack refused to return home out of shame.

It did not take long for the mage to get into the tale of Twilight's adventures, and for some reason he found them to be quite captivating. Her world certainly had its fair share of trouble, and the fact that they were responsible for the weather and the seasons was more than a little curious in his eyes, but there was more to it than just that.

Not even once did these tales lead up to an ending with death, suffering or loss. Her world had, despite its troubles, maintained a steadfast presence of  naïve innocence. Unspoiled, uncorrupted and untouched by the darker forces in the universe.

It made the mage curious about the more ... mature aspects of life and how they viewed all of that. Animals had no problem with it. They live in harmony with nature and all natural aspects of life. But Twilight and her fellow ponies were not mere animals. They were as evolved as humans in a way, even though pony evolution had gone much differently than their own.

“So little unicorn, how does the pony world view such things as mating?”

Twilight had been in the middle of telling the mage about her take on the infatuation the dragon baby she took care of had with one of her friends when he asked the question.

Total and utter silence followed.

"You still in there? Didn't scare you away did I?”

The question was rhetorical. He could still feel her presence inside his mind but she was obviously shocked, more than shocked. The feeling emanating out of her could best be described as mortified.

Finally she answered. “Why would you ask me that?” He could feel her concern. Maybe they took this subject far more personally than his kind did.

“Curiosity mainly.”

“Well, that's just not the kind of thing one pony asks another without good reason! It's personal.”

“Well, honestly little unicorn, I have been kind enough to grant you access to some of my memories and answered quite a few questions from you. I think it is your turn to indulge me now.”

“Fine, but only if you let me look into more of your memory!”

“Agreed. Now tell me.”

“Well...”

Was the unicorn's mental projection blushing? It certainly felt that way.

How adorable.

“This is so embarrassing...”

“I take it you're a virgin?”

“WHAT!? “

“You heard me. A virgin. Someone who has not yet mated with anyone.”

“That is none of your business!”

“The unicorn's never done IT, the unicorn's never done IT!”

“Stop, please stop.”

“Fine, but unless you answer my question I am going to start composing lyrics and an associated dance to it.”

“Garh, fine. Are all humans as impossible as you?”

“I like to think I have taken impossibility one step further.”

“I don't know what you mean by that but.....Well, mating to us is very personal, and usually most ponies wait a long time before they do it so they know for sure that their mate will not leave them when they have a foal.”

“So you only mate to produce offspring?”

“No, sometimes we mate when we really love someone, but most of the time it is if the pony couple wants a foal since they otherwise might get one before they are ready for it.”

“So you never mate simply for....pleasure?”

“Not that I have heard, no. Why would you do that?”

“...Because it's pleasurable.”

“Lots of things are. I don't know why anypony would do something so personal when there are so many other things they can do for pleasure.”

The mage was becoming frustrated with this turn of events. He could buy the fact that their entire world was hopelessly naïve and innocent, but he had hoped that meant they were laid back and didn't judge such things. It bothered him immensely for some reason.

“How old are you little unicorn? And is that considered old enough to be viewed as an adult where you're from?”

“I'm seventeen and yes, but that it is still pretty young in most pony's eyes.”

“Good to know. Well I guess you answered my question so hold on a second and I'll join you.”

“What do you mean?”

“You'll see, just wait a few moments.”

The mage shifted his body and pulled his legs onto the couch so that he was laying down. He tried to make himself as comfortable as possible, and once satisfied he closed his eyes and slowed his breath. After a few minutes his body had relaxed and he began counting down.

“Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, for, three, two, one, here we go.”

**************************************************************************************************

He stood in an almost exact replica of his living room. The walls were lined with bookshelves and on the floor piles of more books and couches competed for space with each other. It was the kind of organized chaos that the mage loved, but in the middle of it all a very surprised pony stood on one of the couches before noticing the mage standing on the other side of the room.

“Where are we?” she asked looking around herself,“It looks like the room you were sitting in.”

“Yes, this is what I like to call my real home. It is an interactive projection of my subconscious. Quite handy when I want to check up on something I can't consciously remember, or for when I need to give instructions to parts of myself that are otherwise outside of my control.”

“That sounds amazing! I had no idea anypony could do this.”

“I'm no pony little unicorn. Anyway, the short version is this: each of these books represent one particular topic or subject, and within each is all of the information that I possess about it.”

“That sounds fantastic, but....isn't this room a bit small to hold everything you know? I mean there are plenty of books around but still, I thought you knew about a lot more than just this.”

“Oh, this is just the antechamber.”

“The what?”

The mage sighed. “Think of it as the entrance. Follow me.”

He spun around and promptly walked to a wall and stretched out his hand. When his hand pressed against the wall it swung open revealing a doorway leading into another room from which a pleasant golden glow shone.

“You coming?” he asked before entering.

Twilight looked at the door surprised for a moment, then jumped down from the couch and tried to reach the door without tripping over any of the book piles. It was far harder than it sounds but she eventually managed to reach the door and let out a gasp of surprise and wonder before walking through.

It was a library, but it was bigger than any library she had ever seen. Enormous bookcases stretched down hallways that looked to go on forever. Looking up she could see several additional levels each one with just as many books. At very the top of the ceiling there hung a huge chandelier giving off a light almost as bright as the sun.

After quickly closing her mouth, she turned to the mage that stood beside her smiling down with knowing eyes.

“I know how you feel. Imagine walking in to this place one day and realizing that your mind contains all of it.”

“I..I wouldn't know how to react. There's just so much.”

“I'm well aware. Now let me give you a quick tour before leaving you to roam free.”

“You mean I get to explore whatever I want in here!?!”

“No!” The tone of his voice had taken on a iron hard quality and he looked down on the unicorn with angry eyes before pointing his finger up towards the ceiling.

“The top floor is the one containing my personal memories. All I have ever felt, thought or done is stored up there. You will not come near it. If you do, I will throw you out of my mind and back into the void. Are we clear?”

After voicing his threat, Twilight could barely move or respond. She couldn't go back there, she just couldn't. She didn't even want to be inside this place if it meant there was a risk she would be sent back.

“Calm down, calm down,” the mage gently added, “I was hasty with my words. What I meant is that you are forbidden to go there. Hold on a second.”

The mage put a finger to his temple and looked to be deep in thought for a moment, before a loud clamouring could be heard high above them. He lowered his hand and smiled to her.

“There, now it's shut down tight. Feel free to read anything you can get your hands – I mean hooves – on. Anything I don't want you to read is outside of your reach now.”

“Are you sure? I don't want to do anything that you're not comfortable with.”

“I'm sure. This entire event came from your curiosity about beings outside of your world. Might as well make sure you have as much knowledge to take back with you as possible.”

A small laugh escaped him before he turned to a hallway to their right and walked towards it.

“Speaking of uncomfortable, please follow me,” he called back in an amused voice before disappearing out of sight behind a bookcase.

Twilight took a brief, longing look at the books around herself before trotting off after the mage. He was standing far down the hallway looking at her with a curious stare. The section he was standing in wasn't illuminated with the usual golden glow but was more scarlet in colour. As the unicorn came closer to where he was standing, she could hear odd music coming from all around her.

“What's this music I'm hearing?” she asked when she reached the mage, who for some reason had the largest grin she'd ever seen on his face.

“Oh, that's just Barry White. Anyway, you asked me earlier why anyone or anypony would mate just for pleasure's sake right?”

“Yes...” Twilight wasn't sure she liked where this was heading.

“Well here's the answer,” he proudly stated while indicating the book cases at his right side.

“W..what do you mean?"

“What I mean is that here you have my collected knowledge about all that is related to the art of love making, sex, mating whatever you want to call it that isn't a part of my personal memory or experience. You have most editions of the Kama Sutra, and several other works in tantra dealing with the subject. Also plenty of books from Taoists. They know what they're talking about. Also theres plenty of works from western sexologists of all kinds.”

He turned to look at the unicorn who looked to have turned into a deep shade of red instead of her usual purple, and her mouth once more hung open in shock.

“You mean that all of these books......ALL of them...deals with mating? HOW?! How can there be so many books written about it? It's ridiculous.”

“Oh trust me, this is barely a Cliff's note compared to all that is out there. We humans have made the act of mating into an art form. So...which one do you wish to read first?”

“None of them! I don't even know why you brought me here. When I did the spell to find out more about other kinds of creatures living in other worlds, I didn't want to research about their MATING habits!”

“Fine, fine. Whatever you say little unicorn, but you have no idea what you're missing.”

“And I'm fine with that. Could we please just leave now?”

“Yes let's head back. There should be a table and some cushions for you there now. I take it based on your anatomy that you don't use chairs?”

“You mean those weird constructs you sit down on? No, ponies don't have them.”

The mage merely nodded and they walked in silence back to the centre of the library. In the middle of the room right below the chandelier now stood a large table with several comfy looking cushions placed around it. Twilight gave the mage a quick look of gratitude and rushed over and sat down on one of the cushions with a satisfied look.

She looked back at the mage watching her and simply said, “Thank you.”

He shrugged in return and said. “Well, the library is now yours to explore. If you don't mind I can summon some random books dealing with things like our societies, beliefs, technology and so forth that might be interesting for you.”

“I would love that, and thank you so much for letting me do this. You've done so much for me already. I feel a little bad for not doing anything in return.”

She looked down when she said it, a tiny sad smile on her lips and those huge beautiful eyes. He'd been right the first time, she really was kinda cute.

“Don't mention it Twilight. I'm glad I can help.”

Her head twitched up and her tiny smile broke out into a huge grin as she looked him straight in the eyes and started giggling.

“What?” the mage asked confused.

“You called me Twilight. That's the first time I can remember you used my name instead of just calling me 'unicorn' or something.”

He was at first surprised with himself, but then he returned the unicorn's happy smile.

“Don't get used to it. Now, I promised you some books I believe,” he snapped his fingers and a pile of books appeared on the table.

Twilight looked at it and made a little squeal of delight as her horn began to glow, and the book at the top of the pile gently floated down and opened up before her.

The mage stood watching Twilight with the smile still on his face. After a sudden thought the smile became mischievous and he silently snapped his fingers once more, and unseen by Twilight another book was added to the bottom of the pile. It was a special modern edition of the Kama Sutra with additional information dealing with philosophy and other things that had been added since it first was created. The mage's last thought before he woke himself up was if she would have enough time to get down to the bottom of the pile before it would be time for her to leave.

   ***************************************************************************************

Three more days had passed. Three more days where the now frustrated mage had done nothing but research day and night. There were so many variables to take into consideration with something this unusual, and so far none of the books had been helpful. He had even called upon various spirits down in the laboratory in his basement, but as soon as he had explained what he wanted help with they had refused to even speak with him.

None of them wanted to take the risk of angering the great powers, even if they wouldn't help to break the rules in any direct way. All information on the subject was slim, which wasn't really that surprising since the only beings that would know about these kind of things were beings like Loke. And they didn't go around making the information available to anyone.

At least Twilight hadn't disturbed him while in the middle of his research again, he actually hadn't heard from her since he allowed her into his “inner library”. Maybe he had gone too far in that last joke with the Kama Sutra? Or maybe it managed to get her attention and she was busy exploring the adult section of the library.

The thought made him smile. He knew she wasn't but it was still an amusing thought. Unfortunately, it only lasted for a while before the reality of his situation settled in.

He would have to improvise.

It would be dangerous. Not for him, but for Twilight. He knew how to navigate the void, in theory anyway – the time when he picked up Twilight had actually been his first attempt at doing so – but she didn't need to know that.

He actually started to feel a lot better after the decision was made. No need to search trough his collection of books looking for some helpful hint or clue. No, it was time for the practical works.

He ran down into his basement feeling more and more excited as he got to his table and grabbed a few sheets of paper and a pencil. He began going over all the needed tools or symbols to direct the forces in an aligned pattern, but which at the same time would still allow him to manipulate everything in real time.

It took a while, but after hours of fervent scribbling, cursing, roaring and the occasional outcry of eureka he dropped the pencil and leaned back in his chair. Gently clutching the paper before him.

It appeared to calculate all the possible variables and how they would interact. And it did not once show any signs of disrupting his ability to control the energy streams that would take place. All the symbols needed had been identified and the ingredients for the incense located.

One problem remained though.

The ritual design so far was perfect as far as such things go. One could think of it as building a spaceship. It's structure and functioning was flawless and would also allow him to control where it went. One part of this metaphorical spaceship was missing though.

The fuel.

The ritual would allow him to separate Twilight's mind from his own and give her a temporary home in the construct the ritual would create. It would then guide itself back to her body where she would once more become whole again. But the link back to her home was dangerously thin and wouldn't work. He needed to supercharge it to the point where it would stretch across the void without faltering in its strength at any point or they wouldn't find their way.

He didn't have access to that kind of power.

Well, unless he maybe sacrificed one or two people on an altar, but he didn't really approve of that strategy ... without a really good reason.

The mage knew what he had to do, but he really didn't look forward to it. He needed to gain access to more power than he had. And he needed it from a willing source so it wouldn't just deplete itself or get cut off in the middle of the ritual.

He needed Loke.

“Damn it,” the mage muttered to himself, the god would not give his help for free and owing a favour to a god whose sphere was literally that of trickery and deceit did not conjure happy thoughts.

But he had accepted this task and he would complete it, even if he had to go to extreme levels to succeed.

He still remembered those beautiful eyes filled with so much fear yet still daring to hope, waiting for him to save or condemn.

The mage got out of the chair and went to the circle. It really wasn't necessary but it gave him an illusion of control and he needed that for the moment.

Silencing his mind he drew upon his power and called out in a summoning.

“From home of stone and cold

From a heart in need

I call upon thee

Deceiver, trickster

Cunning and sly

Oh Loke you

Of darkest machinations

Answer my calling

Answer my calling.”

The mage waited a while before calling out again louder this time.

“Loke get over here you pompous fuck!”

“Why? Your first calling didn't even rhyme and the second was just crude.”

Looking behind himself, the mage saw Loke standing there with his arms crossed and an annoyed look on his face.

“I thought I was a trickster and didn't need to play by the strictest of rules any more?”

“First of all, bending not breaking rules remember? Secondly, there is a difference with being free spirited and plain rude.”

“Fine...Uhrm. Oh great and powerful Loke thou has come in answer to my pleas. Please I beg most humbly of thee to assist me in this my most dire of hour of need.”

“Now your also making me uncomfortable. What do you want?”

“You know what I want,” the mage growled, “I need more energy than I can draw upon for the ritual. I need a second field to charge from.”

“So you called me here in a most unimaginative then rude manner and followed that by insulting me with sarcasm. All to butter me up so you can ask for my help?”

“This whole thing was your doing from the beginning Loke. Just tell me what you want in return so I can start preparing for the ritual.”

The god's face split in a grin and he slowly answered in a drawled out voice.

“When you are done the ritual, I will give you an order and you may under no circumstances disobey. Whatever I say you must do no matter what it is and no matter how much time passes. This order will stand until I release you from it.”

The mage did not like it, not one bit, but he had very little choice at the moment unless he went out and kidnapped some random people...

No, he wasn't there quite yet. Getting close though. Besides, it was in the middle of winter and the nearest town was hours away, he'd get cold and carrying bodies was heavy work.

Not that he had any experience with such things.

“Fine, I agree to your terms.”

“Excellent,” the god said in a thrilled voice, “Now I will go, simply call on me when it's time and I will be here.”

And with that the god vanished.

The mage slumped down on the cold floor in defeat and began imagining all the millions upon millions of possible things the god could order him to do. It was just too much, he needed a distraction.

He stood up and noticed his hands had started shaking. He took a deep breath and tried calming himself, then went over to the mattress in the corner. He gently lowered himself down on it and began his usual routine to relax his body.

It took twice as long as it usually did and he had to count out loud.

“....two, one, Twilight....”

    *******************************************************************************

He stood in the so called antechamber once more and quickly made his way to the wall and opened the hidden door.

When he went trough he saw Twilight sitting at the exact same spot he had left her, only this time there was a pile of books on the floor next to her and new ones on the table. She was busy reading and hadn't noticed him come in. He smiled a little at the sight of the small creature so utterly enraptured with the knowledge stored within the depths of his mind. He felt almost flattered by it.

He watched the unicorn for a few more minutes before silently walking up behind her, but he stopped himself before making her aware of his presence and smiled as he decided to play a little prank.

He took a step back and tried to look surprised.

“Oh this dream again, this is starting to get a little bit old.”

The unicorn turned around with a surprised look as well and was about to say something when the mage continued.

“Oh well might as well enjoy it. I sure have enjoyed the ones before.”

“Wait, what are you talking about?” The unicorn managed to ask before the mage walked up to her, fell on his knees and started gently stroking her face and neck.

“Oh you know exactly what I am talking about my sweet Twilight,” he chuckled and went on.

”I am quite glad that the real Twilight don't have access to my dreams. I wonder what she would say if she knew she was in them and what we are doing.”

“W..Wha...”

“Shhhh, no more talk, time to see what more you have learned about mating. You have been a quick learner so far.”

The mage said it all in a voice that almost made it sound like he was purring before he leaned in against Twilight's face as if he was about to kiss her.

The startled unicorn yelped and flung herself backwards as hard as she could and managed to knock over the table behind her in the process. All the books on it flew away in every direction but one of them managed to fall down on her head with perfect precision with an audible thud.

It was just too much.

Between the terrified hyperventilating unicorn's face and the comedic fall of books the mage just fell back clutching his stomach and howled with laughter. He laughed and laughed and tears started trickling down his face as he went on. It felt so good. He hadn't laughed like this in years and it felt wonderful. So much weight upon his heart that he hadn't even noticed simply fell off as he continued laughing.

For a brief moment he loved this terrified little unicorn for making him feel this way, it had been so long.

But nothing lasts forever and his laughter began to subside and with a final bit of giggling he sat up and looked at the victim of his joke.

She did not look pleased.

She had bitten her lower lip and her eyebrows were so tightly knit they looked as one. And her eyes, her eyes looked like they wanted to strangle him or something equally unpleasant.

He hadn't believed her capable of that before. Of course he doubted any guy, pony or human, had treated her this way before either.

“You...you....you......” The words were spat out and she seemed unable to find words for whatever she was thinking.

“What's the matter lover?” he asked with a suggestive smile.

“GARH, you are the most unbelievably selfish foal I have ever met. That wasn't funny!”

“Yes it was, and I'm sorry if you don't feel that way but I had to try it out. After all we might not see each other again after today.”

Her anger was gone like it had never been there, and she hesitantly looked at him before daring to ask.

“What do you mean? Have you...?”

“Yes, I think I have managed to make all the preparations needed for the ritual to send you home. I just came in here to get you.”

Twilight gave off a happy little scream before rushing over and hugging the mage's waist and just said, “Thankyouthankyouthankyou,” over and over again.

After enjoying that for a few moments – she was kinda cute after all – he grabbed her arms and released her hold of him. She went back on all fours and looked up at him with the most joyful eyes he had seen in his life.

Those eyes...

“Uhrm yes, well I can't guarantee that it will work. Much of the execution is something I will have to improvise but the preparations themselves are ready. So ... just tell me when you want to go."

“Oh okay, well do you think we could do it now? I don't want to be ungrateful or anything but I really want to see my friends again. They must be worried sick by now.”

“You're sure you are done with your research then?”

“Yes, I have learned much about your kind now, and I don't think I could possibly fit anything more into my head at the moment even if I tried.”

“I know the feeling. Let me just put the books back in their place and then we'll begin the ritual.”

“Mhm.”

The mage went over to the table and snapped his finger and it disappeared, then he began going over to the books spread out around the floor and looked at each one before snapping his finger and they went back to their rightful place.

He didn't need to do this, he could have just snapped his fingers and everything would have gone back to its original place.

But he wanted to see what books she had read.

Mostly it was just information on society, religion, philosophy, technology, language, history and some geography. But there were some unique books, one on behavioural psychology, one on martial arts traditions and even one called “Fishing”. The last one was thin. The mage did not know very much about fishing beyond the basics.

But there was one book that gave him pause and made him smile in delight. It was the Kama Sutra he had left at the bottom of the pile last time. The books weren't really books but stores of information, and he could feel that this one had been opened and read from front to cover.

He contained his mirth as well as he could. Her curiosity had won out in the end as he had hoped.

He silently laughed to himself as he realized he would be sending Twilight back with knowledge definitely a little more mature than what would be the norm for her world. Maybe it would even inspire a few ideas for her. It seemed the trickster in him was starting to take shape after all.

He had seen enough and simply snapped his fingers and all the remaining books vanished and he went over to the eagerly waiting Twilight.

“So, did you enjoy all the books you read?”

“Oh yes I definitely did. I had no idea there were so many different areas in which humans had done research.”

“Oh yes. Some of the research done can be quite graphic in their explanation.”

Was that a faint blush he saw? He hoped it was.

He stretched out his hand and looked at the unicorn expectantly. She understood and put her hoof in his hand and they both returned to his consciousness.

******************************************************************************

The mage woke up and for once his head felt without strain, maybe it was all that laughing but he couldn't help but feel good. He had been enjoying his time spent with Twilight and he would now help her return to her home. He was doing something good and that felt ... good.

How curious.

“Hello, you in there Twilight?”

“I'm here. Do you think this will really work?”

“Yes, yes I do.”

“I hope you're right.”

“Getting tired of spending time in my head are you?”

“You know what I mean.”

“I know ... I will miss you, I think.”

“You THINK you'll miss me?”

“Fine, I WILL miss you, happy?”

“Yes, I'll miss you too ... You haven't even told me your name.”

“I know, and I wont.”

“Why?”

“Never mind that. Ready to go home?”

“Yes,” she answered but he could feel how his refusal to tell her his name had given the goodbye a sour tone.

“Very well, I will begin the ritual now. You can under no circumstances distract me so if you want to say anything before leaving do it now.”

“Okay, I just want to say ... Thank you.”

The mage didn't answer it. All that could be said had been said. All that remained now was to get on with it. He wasn't angry, he was doing the right thing by sending her home. She wanted to go home.

He wasn't angry.

He took a deep breath and prepared for the ritual. He drew some symbols with chalk, others with salt and some he drew with some kind of sticky liquid that locked disturbingly similar to preserved blood. He went over to a brazier and lit it before throwing in various herbs and waiting for the smell of the incense to fill the basement.

Preparations complete, now for the extra juice he needed.

“Loke it's time,” he simple said in a normal conversation tone.

“Well then let's get started.”

The mage didn't flinch when he heard the voice come from right behind him. He simply nodded and fetched a drum standing on the table laden with tools before going over to the ritual area he had created. He sat down cross legged in the middle of all the symbols, then took a deep breath before he grabbed the drum and began beating it.

It was a steady rhythm, two hits each aligned with the beating of his heart.

Soon enough he could feel the drum and heart synchronize and he began beating faster and faster, feeling his pulse following his tempo. He began a rhythmic chant and his energy began building. He knew he could sit here and continue for days and it still wouldn't be enough to send Twilight over, but then another voice joined in the chant.

Loke stood unimpressed and looked at the mage slowly falling into a trance with an eyebrow raised, his mouth was closed but a chant echoed out of him anyway.

Soon the mage could feel how Loke's chanting opened up a doorway from which the mage could draw all the necessary power to complete the ritual.

With a final bang on the drum the mage shouted and a huge torrent of pure undiluted energy, energy from a being that had walked alongside and played with humans for centuries crashed into him. But the ritual held and the power was directed by its careful design. With one satisfied smirk, the mage allowed himself to be swept up by the torrent and fell unconscious.

Loke could feel that power was still being drawn from him through a rainbow coloured cord that led into the unconscious mage's body then out again leading to the unicorn's.

He went over to the slumped body with its missing mind and smiled to himself.

He had been waiting for this.

As the god placed his hands on the body it exploded into a miasma of colors and a blast of power spread out from it in all directions.

After a few moments the body was gone and all left was a cloud of energy hanging in the air, slowly decreasing in size as its power was drawn into a rainbow hued cord leading away from it once more. But this time, no cord existed between the god and cloud of energy that had but moments ago been the mage's body.

The god was pleased and with a quick bow to an unseen audience he disappeared.

In a small town, two hours walk from the solitary mage's home, an old man was sitting in a bar enjoying a fine glass of whiskey.

His enjoyment was cut short as he felt a wave of energy pass over him and promptly the power in the bar went out, quickly followed by annoyed cries of “Hey!” or “What the hell!”

The old man himself remained quiet, and after a brief moment of thought he emptied his glass and walked out of the bar. He looked around outside and saw that the entire town had lost all power and was dark. Looking up at the sky the moon was full and not a cloud in sky.

“It will have to do,”the old man thought and began heading north. He needed to check up on a sneaking suspicion he had.

What has my stupid apprentice gotten himself into now?”

****************************************************************************************

The mage was soaring at an unbelievable speed, he could feel Twilight still connected to him but they were now of separate minds. What joined them now was the ritual itself and nothing more.

He wasn't supposed to follow her all the way home but it seemed the power had been too strong and he was now going alongside her.

It did not matter though. He could find his own way back home to his body.

The power that had gone into strengthening Twilight's cord was amazing. With it he could easily have destroyed a medium sized city or made an entire forest bloom in the middle of the winter.

But just as he was thinking about that the power went out, and for the briefest of moments there was no power being channelled into the cord. He felt panic begin to form but it didn't have time to appear fully before power flowed into the cord  again, directing the route they were following.

Was it just him or did the energy feel different now?

Didn't matter, he could feel they were nearing the end. All around him the void stretched in all directions but for a rainbow colored line of energy leading towards Twilight's world.

He could feel it coming closer.

There were no visual indications but he knew they would soon be there. He started the preparations to separate himself completely from the unicorn and throw her back into her own world. He would remain here in the void and return home following the cord that stretched between his and her body.

Just as he felt how they were in the right place and was about to send Twilight away at last, the cord snapped.

Not from Twilights body but from his!

“No! This can't happen!” he screamed before he realized that he was in worse trouble then he first thought.

The cord that had stretched between his and Twilight's body had needed to be massive and strong to guide him all the way trough unknown territory, if one needed to put this in physical terms one could imagine it as a giant bungee cord. The more power, the more taut the cord was.

There had been a lot of power in this one.

Before the mage could think of something, the collective power from the entire cord he had already passed slammed into him and sent him spiralling down what was left of it.

Which led him straight towards Twilight's body.

Twilight herself was panicking. She could feel something was wrong but didn't understand it.

The mage could see how they moved up trough different dimensions, as if someone had taken several sheets of paper and was now flipping them over until they hit the right one and went into it. Feeling dread course over him the mage tried to separate himself from Twilight, unless he did he would be the one following Twilight into her body, and there was no chance she had the skill to do what he had done for her.

With one final effort he felt himself break free, and the most curious sensation of falling into all directions at once came over him.

All the power from the cord they had left behind coursed into him. At least Twilight had managed to make it back home, the remainder of the cord that was still attached to her body would prove easy enough to follow.

She would be fine.

The mage couldn't see anything, but he started to gain more and more sensations as the energy of the broken cord flooded into him.

He felt it was nearing its end, and he would soon have absorbed all traces of it.

This wasn't supposed to have happened. What had gone wrong?

As the last remainder of the cord seeped into him, it felt like something had pushed him and he was now only falling in one direction instead of several.

It felt like downwards.

But with that last sensation came the distant echo of a laugh and the flashing image of someone taking a bow.

As the mage felt himself becoming more and more solid he managed to give one angry cry before everything went dark.

"LOKE!"

Next Chapter: Chapter 3: A brave new world Estimated time remaining: 27 Hours, 10 Minutes