Mad Science
Chapter 12
 
By IceMan
 
>The blinding white sunlight floods down through the windows as you lay staring at the ceiling, idle.
>You have a goal once again.
>A tangible goal.
>One that will get you out the predicament that has plagued you for almost four months now.
>And, yet, you don’t have much drive to achieve that anymore.
>Obviously, the immortal lord of chaos is not likely to be trustworthy, and there’s no way to make certain whether he is or not.
>You roll over onto your stomach and sigh.
“What to do. What to do,” you mutter to yourself.
>The clack of a hoof on wood breaks you out of your thoughts.
>Instinctively, you turn your head over to find the source of the noise.
>Discord is pacing the floor, driving a shallow rut into the wood.
>You sit up on your bed.
“What do you want now?” you ask. “You’ve made your bargain. Now it is up to me whether I decide to finish it or not.”
>Discord stops pacing and flips around.
>“And good morning to you too! Yeesh, the nerve of some people...”
“I’m sorry. But in case you haven’t noticed yet, we’re not exactly pals.”
>“Hmph,” is all you get as a response.
“You still haven’t answered why you’re here.”
>“I’m here, Mr. Anonymous, because I’m afraid you still have some doubts concerning our bargain. Which is wise. Very wise indeed. Most of the little ponies around here are so quick to put their trust in others....”
“How’d you guess?”
>Discord flashes a toothy grin, but gives no response.
>He hops out of his rut and wipes it away with his lizard foot, as if he were trying to get a crushed spider off of it.
>“Here’s what you need to understand, little Annie – can I call you that?”
>You growl at him.
>“I guess not. I’m supposed to be reformed,” Discord says, making air quotes around the word “reformed.” “Really, all I’ve got to do is not cause too much trouble. Betraying you after making a fair deal would be...”
“Too much trouble.”
>“Good boy! Want a biscuit?”
>He summons a tin of treats labelled “Human Bites.”
>You give him a deadpan glare, and they disappear.
>“I don’t particularly want to end up back in the stony lonesome at the hands of six giant rainbow beams, so I have no reason to break our little deal. Kapeesh?”
“Understood.”
>“Now, go build me a magic reactor! And then you can get home!”
>Discord turns to head up the stairs to the library’s main floor, but pauses.
>“Also, I never answered how I knew you didn’t trust me yet.... Well, spoiler alert, this is a dream.”
>And then the bottom dropped out, and you were falling into the void, surrounded by Discord’s maniacal cackle.
>“That wimpy Princess Luna may be the guardian of ponies’ dreams, but I am their creator, their shaper. Every monster and every pleasure is the product of my whimsy. Ha ha!”
>Discord circles around, rolling with laughter, before wiping a tear from his eye and regaining composure.
>“See ya around, Anonymous!” he shouts, before opening a door in the void and stepping out through it.
>“Quick, catch him!” someone calls out of the darkness.
>Suddenly, your fall is stopped, and you notice a light blue aura around your body.
>The blackness melts away to reveal the blue-grey metal walls and faint booming emptiness of the inside of your mind.
>You are placed firmly on your feet.
“Thank you, princesses,” you say, nodding to the indigo and white mares in front of you. “I’m not certain what would have happened had I hit the bottom, but I have a feeling it would not have been good.”
>“You probably would have just woken up,” Luna says. “Discord does not seem to want you dead.... At least, not yet.”
“You knew he was here?”
>“We came as soon as we could,” Celestia answers. “My sister is very attuned to the dream realm, as you know. Well enough to sense when dreams are being distorted.”
“You need to lock him back in stone. His kindness to Twilight and her friends is merely an act.”
>Celestia and Luna look at each other.
>“That may be so for now,” Celestia begins. “But I believe that he can still be changed. Plus, don’t you need him?”
“That’s right,” you reply, frowning. “So, not yet.”
>“However, there is more we need to discuss than the actions of a particularly vexing
Draconequus,” Celestia says.
>“We... we have not given you the whole truth,” Luna says.
>You blink.
“What do you mean? Is there something important I should know?”
>“To be perfectly honest, we are a little surprised you did not find it out yourself, with all your research,” Luna says. “But, then again, there aren’t many books on the subject of inter-universal travel that have been written in the last few centuries.”
“I know. I read the only one. It was not very useful.”
>“The truth is, Anonymous, that we know of ways to create portals between dimensions. And direct where they go,” Celestia says.
>Silence.
“That’s impossible. You don’t have the technical capabilities, let alone the – ”
>“I know it’s possible because I participated in the research around it with Starswirl the Bearded himself. I travelled to many different, strange worlds and – ”
“But never Earth.”
>“No, I never visited the human world. But your friend Twilight has visited somewhere similar.”
 “Then I need to go there.”
>“You can’t,” Luna says, rejoining the conversation. “That portal is not controlled, and only opens rarely.”
“And, even if that world is similar to mine, I would still have to re-do all my work from scratch to build a portal back to my universe from there,” you realize. “There’s no point in pursuing that path.”
>Luna nods.
“And what about the other portal? The one you control?”
>“Its destination is dictated by using different incantations,” Celestia explains. “We could attempt to find one back to your homeworld.”
“How did you come up with the incantations for the worlds you visited?”
>“We made them up. Just at random. We never figured out a pattern to them.”
“I see.”
>Anger suddenly boils up like magma rising out of a volcano during an eruption.
“Why didn’t you tell me this before? Months of work on my last transporter are now down the drain, I’ve entered a deal with a complete madman, and now you come and tell me I could have avoided all of this strife by coming up with the right magic words? If I said please, would the portal send me home?”
>“Anonymous, we are both very sorry about what has happened to you and your work,” Luna
says. “But Twilight believed that you were so focused on getting home through your own means
that you might just outright ignore our suggestion. And, as my sister said, we still don’t know
what incantation would cause the portal to send you home.”
>You regain your composure.
“You’re right. But I will need to speak to... my supposed friend, when I wake up.”
>“There’s more, though,” Celestia says. “When one travels between dimensions and spends time in the new one, they can become linked to their counterpart in that dimension.”
“What do you mean by ‘linked?’”
>“If one of you were to become injured, the other might suffer the same fate. If one of you were to be destroyed....”
“Then the other might follow suit.”
>“Exactly.”
>A pause.
>“What exactly did Discord want you to construct for him, in return for sending you home?”
Luna asks.
“A magical reactor. I have no idea what it does but –”
>“Don’t build it,” Celestia orders. “He cannot be allowed to control that amount of magical power.”
“We don’t know –”
>“He is not to be trusted,” Celestia says. “At least, not yet. He may be planning on using it for something. He might send you home, then use the reactor to power a compass to find your counterpart and kill you.”
“Why would he do that?”
>“I don’t know!” Celestia fumes. “He’s completely unpredictable.”
“Well, of course. He’s the Lord of Chaos. Do you expect him to behave logically? And you said that he had been reformed.”
>“Well, yes, but....”
>“We still don’t know what Discord is planning to do with you. Your interaction with him has already thrown a wrench into several plans we have for my sister’s protégé,” Luna explains.
>“If you had some sort of bargain with him, Anonymous, consider it ended,” Celestia says.
“We will set our best magicians and spellcasters at work to find an incantation to send you home. I promise.”
“Very well,” you relent. “I will do as you say. But I think I need to speak with your precious student when I wake up. We’re going to have some things to discuss.”
>“I imagine so,” Luna says. “I hope you have pleasanter dreams than these, Anonymous the Human. Goodbye.”
>The sisters fade into the void, along with the steel interior and endless doors.
>Searching for your housemate the next morning, you find a note stating that she has gone out shopping.
>You had forgotten that it was Tuesday.
>She always went grocery shopping on Tuesday.
>Dashing out to the market, you find Twilight and Spike purchasing a bag of carrots, dropping three golden bits out of her money bag with the jingle of metal on metal.
>“Hi, Anonymous!” she greets you. “What brings you out? You never want to go shopping with me.”
“We have something to discuss,” you state. “Of some importance.”
>“Well, can it wait until we get home at least? Then I can get these groceries put away.”
“We can start on the way there.”
>“Alright. C’mon Spike, we’re going home.”
>Spike waddles over from a stand with a variety of large gems, licking a drop of saliva off his chin.
>“So, what’s on your mind?” Twilight asks.
“You’ve been keeping information from me.”
>“Whoa! That’s a harsh accusation, Anonymous. What are you talking about?”
“You never told me there were transporters to other dimensions in Equestria. Portals to worlds like my own. Portals to places that weren’t just floating eyeballs and rivers of blue-green fluid.”
>Twilight sighs.
>“Yes, I kept that from you – ”
“Why?”
>“Because I didn’t think it would matter to you! You were so caught up in trying to build your transporter back home, and you were so certain that it would work that I never thought you would even care about some portal to a world of freaks like you but with skin colors like ponies, or an alternate Equestria. Why would that even matter?”
“You could have at least told me there were people doing research on these topics.”
>“But you found out about that through your own volition, eventually. How did you even find out about those portals anyways?”
>You reach the door to Twilight’s tree and walk inside to the kitchen.
>Twilight sets down her bags on the counter.
“Celestia and Luna have been visiting me in my dreams. They told me. I guess they felt I deserved that information now.”
>You pause.
“It doesn’t really matter anyways. They also told me that one was practically useless and the other never led to a world like mine, and it was never figured out exactly how it directed its traveler to the dimension on the other side of the portal. Celestia and Luna said they’d start looking into that, though.”
>“Then why even bother telling me all this?”
“Because I don’t like it when people keep useful information from me.”
>“You’re mad that I kept this from you?”
“Yes.”
>“Well, look, Anonymous, I’m sorry. I didn’t think at the time that it would ever matter.”
“I don’t think a simple apology will cover this. What other things have you been keeping from me?”
>“Jeeze, Anonymous! I swear on Celestia’s name, I’m not keeping anything else from you.
Don’t be so distrustful. That’s not what friends do to each other.”
“Fine. But if I find out about anything else...”
>“You won’t. There isn’t anything else.”
>You sigh.
>“Something else?” Twilight asks.
“Yeah. I’m not in a good position right now. Your teacher has told me not to build that magical
reactor for Discord. Not that I was really sure of building it in the first place. I don’t trust him.”
>“Like you don’t trust me?”
“Far worse than that. I can tell that I’m just a cog in whatever he’s scheming. A means to an end.”
>“Well, whatever you do, Anonymous, I’m with you. That’s what friends are for, right?”
“Yes. That is what friends are for.”
>Twilight pulls an apple out from the bag and takes a bite out of it
>“Well, if you’re not going to be building another machine, what will you do?” she asks,
swallowing.
“Celestia and Luna mentioned something about counterparts between universes, and how, over
time, those counterparts can become linked. I think I’d like to try to find my counterpart. Who
knows? Maybe he can help me get home.”
>“Sounds good to me. I’m pretty sure the Princesses would be happy to help you with that, too.
I bet he’s some student at Canterlot University or something. Maybe you could start by looking
through their roster?”
“Yeah. Do you have it in the library?”
>“Well, er, no. You’d probably have to go to the University to get it.”
“Well, I’ve got plenty of time for that. I’ll get a train ticket to Canterlot for tomorrow. The
University would be closed to visitors if I left now.”
>“I’ve got some business to do in Canterlot anyways, so I might as well go with you.”
“Fine by me. It’ll be nice to get out of this town for a few days.”
>You head back out and head to the train station, a few coins in your pocket for your ticket.
>After buying your ticket, you notice three fillies, which you soon recognize as the Cutie Mark Crusaders, in the semaphore tower fighting over the controls, the station master having gone on lunch break.
>The bright red, yellow, and white signaling flags jump up and down wildly as the different levers are pulled in quick succession.
>Quickly checking to see if a train is coming down the track, you cross the rails and head into the control tower.
“What in God’s name are you three doing?” you demand. “You could cause an accident. Stop that.”
>“They started it!” Sweetie Belle whines, releasing one of the levers.
>“Hi, Mr. Anonymous,” Apple Bloom says, shoving Sweetie Belle out of the way to get to the lever she’s in front of. “We’re trying to earn our train conducting Cutie Marks.”
“Well, you’re not going to earn it like that. I told you to stop it, so stop! You could seriously cause an accident. You’re lucky there’s no train... coming.”
>As you say that, you hear the faint blast of a whistle.
“Quick! Reset the signals!”
>“Uh, how were they when we started again?” Scootaloo asks.
>“I don’t remember!” Sweetie Belle replies. “Just, uh, uh, maybe this one goes this way, and that one goes that way and –”
>“What’s going on in here? Oh. Oh!”
>The station master had come back from his break.
>“Get out of the way, you four shouldn’t be here!” he shouts.
>He knocks Sweetie Belle aside and starts pulling all the levers one by one rapidly.
>Another whistle sounds.
>The station master wipes the sweat off his forehead from rushing about and rests in his chair in front of the window.
“C’mon, girls, I think we should leave,” you tell the three fillies, gently guiding them towards the door.
>You close the door behind you with a clang of metal on metal, and walk down to the ground, hand pressed to your face.
“I can’t believe this. Do you realize how incredibly foolish that was?”
>“Who do you think you are, our brother?” Applebloom says.
“No, but I am friends with two of your sisters and one of your role models. What would they think of this?”
>“Rarity would say... that we were being really stupid,” Sweetie Belle says.
“Correct. What would have happened if two trains were coming in on the same track, but didn’t know that because the signals were messed up? People – or, uh, ponies – could have died.”
>“We’re sorry, Mr. Anonymous, truly,” Applebloom says.
>The others follow suit.
“Good. I think it’s time you maybe reconsider your search for your special talents, and maybe focus more on things you’re actually good at.”
>“But we don’t know what we’re good at,” Scootaloo says. “That’s why we’re searching.”
“Oh, come on. There has to be something you’re good at. What about riding around on your little scooter? I always see you on that, and you’re pretty good. And, Sweetie Belle, you’re a lovely singer. And Applebloom is great with farmwork.”
>“Yeah, but those things are boring,” Applebloom says. “We already know that we’re good at those, but they might not be our special talents.”
“Well, you might at least start there before you go off looking at random, and possibly dangerous, other jobs.”
>The fillies look at the ground, disappointed.
“Look, I know that’s not really what you want to hear. You’ve heard that a thousand times from other people, including me already a few months ago. But, look. I don’t even get a little image on my butt for the thing I’m good at. I just have to know in my mind that I’m a good scientist, and that’s my purpose in life. I don’t ever get any confirmation of that. I still don’t know if I’ve made the right decision, sometimes. Maybe I would’ve made a better cyclist, or a cook, or an artist. Humans have to decide our fate all on our own. And plenty of people end up in places they don’t want to. You girls should feel lucky that you get sign of what your path in life should be at such an early age.”
>They remain staring down.
“Well, I know it might not be the advice you wanted, but it’s all I’ve got for now. Just, stay out of places where people – er, ponies, could get hurt.”
>With that, you cross the tracks and head back to Twilight’s tree, spending the rest of the day reading a few books of interest until Twilight blows out the candles and forces you into your room in the basement.
>Gears.
>Cogs.
>Steel.
>Doors.
>Once again, you awaken in your inner mind.
>But something seems off.
>The air feels electrified and thick, as if a thunderstorm were about to erupt.
>And there’s now a small pot of violet petunias sitting in front of you, along with a clawed foot.
“Discord,” you mutter. “I thought I told you to stay out of my mind. Or, at least, those two sisters would have kept you out of here.”
>“Do you really think that those two can tame me, boy?” he asks. “Really? I thought you were smarter than that.”
>You fold your arms across your chest.
“What do you want now?”
>“I’m just making a little check up on you. Making sure everything’s moving along with our
little project, yes? You didn’t work too much today on it. I might renege on our deal if you don’t
pick up the pace.”
“You can forget about your ‘project.’ I won’t build it. I may be able to find the materials, but I don’t have the tools. There’s nothing you can say or do that will make me trust you.”
>Discord recoils back.
“Now, now, Anonymous, let’s not be hasty here. I can build you a whole laboratory to build this,
and whatever you want afterwards! And, after all, don’t you want to return home and – ”
“That doesn’t matter to me. If the cost of my happiness is the destruction of thousands of lives, then I’d rather be unhappy. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.”
>“Anonymous, no. No no no no no no! You completely misunderstand my intentions. I’m not trying to destroy lives. I’m trying to save them!”
>You frown.
“I’m listening.”
>“There is... a great force of evil awakening. Another demigod that the Princesses locked away long ago. They’re not very good at keeping us imprisoned, as you can probably tell. But, anyways, once he returns, they won’t be able to stop him. Not without a little more firepower. Now, to make sure that they can do that, I’m going to deliver a little device to them that can very easily put this evil back in chains where he belongs. And then I’ll have their trust, and I won’t have to worry about being put back in stone ever again!”
“I don’t believe you.”
>Discord steps back.
>“What? But, it’s true! I swear on... on my own life!”
“First of all, aren’t you immortal? And, second, why do you want to earn the sisters’ trust? So
you can go back to fucking with everyone again, ruining people’s lives? But, of course, when the
hammer drops on you, you’ll just call back that one time you saved everyone. That’s not what a
good person does. Or a trustworthy one.”
>“Please, Anonymous, you have to trust me,” Discord begs, getting down on his hands and
knees. “I guess I told you earlier that I was just pretending to be reformed, but I really am trying to be a better person for, well, for someone who I really want to like me, but it just never works out! Maybe, this time it will.”
“Then build the damn device yourself. I’m done with you.”
>Discord sniffles and wipes a tear from his eye.
>“If you won’t help me willingly,” he says. “Then maybe you’ll do it by coercion!”
>Like the Seattle Space Needle being driven into your forehead, a white-hot throbbing pain
pierces your skull.
>The steel is covered in neon pink and green checkerboards, or fluffy pillows with kittens on
them, or simply rusts away into nothingness.
>You scream but no sound comes out.
>“Stop this at once, Discord!”
>Abruptly, the pain ceases.
>You fall on the floor panting.
>“Sisters! I was just talking about you with little Anonymous here.”
>“This man has made his choice,” Luna says. “Leave him be or suffer our wrath. Surely you do not wish to be put back in a marble statue, hm?”
>You crawl to your knees to watch the scene in front of you.
>“You two don’t understand! I want to help! There’s a great force coming, greater than even I can defeat or control, and I fear for the safety of everyone.”
>Celestia and Luna look at each other, concerned.
>“We will deal with this threat when it becomes apparent, Discord. For now, you will go, or you will face imprisonment for failing to reform yourself for the better,” Celestia states.
>“Fine. I’ll leave,” Discord relents.
>He stomps out, throwing open a door into empty blackness.
>“But know this, Anonymous. If you think I’m the only one who schemes in this world, then you’re wrong. I’m not the only puppet master in these parts. There are others who have plans, some sinister, some not. Those two sisters have one for your friend Twilight, and it’s gonna cause just an awful mess between her and her friends, including you. I’m offering an escape for
her. Build my reactor, and you can help your friend!”
“Be quiet. I’ve already made my choice.”
>“Very well. Auf Wiedersehen, Anonymous.”
>Discord slams the door shut, and the room goes dark.