The Story of Dr Sine

The Story of Dr Sine: 2

20 years later

A huge cheer rose from the whole crowd of ponies assembled outside Equestria’s top university, the successor to Celestia’s school for gifted unicorns. Amongst the ponies celebrating their success was 24 year old Lucius Sine, now to be known as Dr Sine. Despite his and his fathers hatred for Celestia for overshadowing the rightful princess of Equestria, he had been assured that Celestia’s connection to the school was only as its namesake. A doctor of science. It was his greatest dream come true. It had been years of hard work, and he had thought at some points that it would never end, but the relief at the work having paid off was overriding. If only Blaze could see him. It was a shame that Blaze had to stay at home, his new mechanical body was too big to move. Dr Sine had been offered a conditional job at Equestria Laboratories, the largest scientific research facility in the whole of Equestria, considering his dissertation was accepted, and now it had been. He would have the chance to work alongside the greatest minds of all time.

Looking out across the crowd of ponies gathered in the courtyard to watch the scholars collect their awards, he spied his mother and father at the back of them, and when the other ponies had dissipated, he rushed out to greet them. He was surprised they had come because his father had an appointment at Manehatten hospital for his heart. He was aging and his lifestyle wasn’t doing it any good. When his parents saw him, they turned from their talking to meet him. His mother met him with a warm embrace, and was suitably dressed for the occasion, she wore a pearl necklace and a large decorated hat. His father was wearing his normal tuxedo, and once Lucius’s mother finally released him, took his sons hoof in his own and shook it, strongly. His mother had tears in her eyes, and dabbed at them daintily with a small handkerchief. His father spoke to him in admiration.

“By Jove, my son, a doctor of science. You’ve made me proud son, and our whole family proud. You were always cleverer than me, and it’s not too late to turn back to my business, I’d rather a smart young man like yourself ran it that the spineless fools I’ve got back there…”

Lucius smiled and shook his head

“Thank you for the kind offer, but I’m going to have to decline father, Equestria Labs really is where I belong”

The older stallion smiled and shrugged. “If you ever change your mind, there’ll always be a place for you on the top! I’m sure if Miss Evangeline was with us now, she’d be so proud of what you’ve achieved”

Lucius was saddened at the memory of Evangeline, his previous house maid. She was hurt in an accident in Canterlot a fair few years ago and had been subjected to an experimental procedure in Equestria Laboratories to save her mind from her broken body. Though he’d never admit it, she was more of a mother to him than the mare stood next to him.

His mother piped in in her shrill voice,

“And Equestria Laboratories, my oh my, you’ll be famous!”

“Lucius, my boy, may I have a word with you over here?” Asked his father.

The two of them walked through the busting crowd of ponies celebrating, and they spoke in hushed tones.

“You and I both know what the Children of the Nightmare plan, and being inside that facility will give you the prime position to spy on her and find out when the tyrant is at her weakest. One of our trained operatives will assassinate her, and Luna will rule supreme. You have been blessed with this golden opportunity; don’t let her tell you otherwise.”

Lucius and his father returned from their short walk to find his mother conversing with Princess Luna.

“Your majesty” said Lucius’s father, bowing low enough to touch the floor “might I commend you on a simply stunning night last night. It truly took my breath away”

“You are too kind, George” replied Luna “Truly, there are not many ponies who see the night as you do. I sometimes feel that my sister is unfortunate as the rest of the kingdom never to see it”

There was a hint of bitterness in her voice. Suddenly the conversation was interrupted by Princess Celestia, who descended from the sky to stand with Luna. She turned to Dr Sine and smiled sweetly

“Ahh, you must be Dr Sine. I’ve been looking forward to meeting you, Luna has mentioned your name more than once. I hear you are coming to work at Equestria Laboratories? Well, I hope you are very happy, and find fulfilment in your work.”

She turned to mingle with the rest of the crowd. George Sine spat on the ground.

“A fly in your mouth, George?” She asked without turning round

Lucius’s father said nothing.

At the end of the festivities, Dr Sine’s parents left for Manehatten, and he headed out towards his new house hear Equestria Labs. It was on the outskirts of the city, and was prime real estate. It was smaller than his Manehatten apartment, but probably twice its value, because of its placement near the imperial capital city of Canterlot. He unpacked his boxes of books, virtually everything else was provided. The only thing he was missing was company. He was hoping that his colleagues at work the next day would be good company, or else he didn’t know what he’d do. As the day faded to night he finally finished stacking up his hundreds upon thousands of books, and climbed the spiral staircase. The one thing he had requested when choosing his place of residence was that it have a balcony. He stepped out onto the balcony and looked at his view.  It was of Canterlot Castle, illuminated by the pale white light of the moon, picking out only the edges of the pearly towers and the shimmering gold atop the spires. He unpacked the last item from its box, his old telescope. He blew off the dust and adjusted it to focus on the glowing crescent in the sky. The image had not lost any of the clarity it had 20 years earlier. No matter how much time passed, the moon never changed.

Sine dreamed that night that he was on the moon. He was being suffocated with no air, and was all on his own. However it was easy to move and despite the pain in his chest he could run and jump like a superpony. He woke up, but the last memory stuck with him. It would be easier to use muscles on the moon, because the gravity was weaker. The heart was a muscle. If he could send ponies with heart problems to the moon, their hearts would be under less pressure, and they’d recover quicker. Dr Sine was spurred onwards by the thought of his father, and his weakened heart. After getting ready for work, he vowed to raise the idea at the first think tank he was invited to.