Beyond the Gates of Time...
Immortally…most mortals dream of it, especially when they contemplate the cold greeting of death. Yet those few who achieve it…regret it. Even fewer know how to spend their endless time. There is one immortal who at first worked to better his kind through technology however after many endless frustrations he now questions his purpose, his reason. Wondering why he bothers reducing himself to a lifeless stupor.
This is the tale of how two small glimmers of light taught him how to live again.
Many years after world war two in Europe, Wales…..
Near an old ruined seaside monastery there was a strange metal house that some travelers would describe to have a squid like shape with a metallic viewing tower, and a wide entrance from the lawn leading to a big dome with round steps. This was the home of an inventor and sage named Roger Bacon. For Roger, a particular event was about to happen. Inside his home in the lower levels underneath a metal pad Roger had finally finished one of his greatest inventions, the Instantaneous Matter Transporter. He could not wait for its next test run. Roger loved his work as he always had plenty of time, being an immortal although lately he felt like it was more of a curse than a blessing.
While tuning the machine, he began to remember his life before all this started…six hundred years ago.
Roger enrolled in Oxford when he was age thirteen, although many of his teachers said that he lacked wisdom, he had a good heart. After graduating many years later, he began publishing numerous books on natural science and technology, which caught the attention of the Vatican and the Pope. When he met with the Vatican officials he was asked to transcribe an ancient text into a new copy for the Vatican.
Through many rumors Roger heard of these secret texts…it was a collection of ancient rituals that described resurrecting the dead. This had Roger interested, and so he agreed to transcribe the text. The process took him five years to complete. During this time, Bacon used the text to gain immortality in order to pass his knowledge on to future generations. After completing the ritual, Roger erased it from the manuscript, so it could not be abused by others. Upon his completion, Roger was sentenced to death by the Vatican in order to keep knowledge of the document secret. He managed to escape from the Vatican and hid from them for many years.
Roger thought about the ‘what if’ of the memory as he worked on his machine. What if he never agreed to transcribe that evil text, what if he just said no…but those would be unanswered questions. He was glad to live long enough to meet many wonderful people and travel most of the world, but that book…the Émigré Manuscript, which creates life from death has caused so much sorrow and death that the guilt of preserving such vile knowledge weighs heavily on him.
The little shriveled man crawled from underneath the platform of the transporter, face covered in muck and oil. After grabbing a towel and wiping the mess off his face, he hit a switch on the wall, a red light above turned on, and he began to speak into an old microphone.
“Record number one hundred and one…This is Roger Bacon, I have finished my alterations on the transporter. I now record the final test of the project I’ve started, to see if I can use the device to teleport objects to my lab from anywhere in the world. The object in question is radiating an odd magical field, and I intend to find out what is.”
Roger moved over to the control panel and began to type into the large computer the sequence code, half mathematical data, half magical dialect. Then he quickly pulled a large lever and hit a red button on the panel.
The Instantaneous Matter Transporter filed with both electricity from Roger’s large generators and elemental magic from the earth magical pumps. The old magic seal on the flat metal platform glowed a brilliant golden color. Roger seemed pleased that the machine was working properly; however, something went wrong as the transporter overloaded, filling the room with the same golden light and caused Roger’s home to shake violently, knocking Roger unconscious. After a few minutes, the light quickly dimmed until it vanished.
Roger awoke with a massive headache, which in retrospect was better than being dead. Roger lifted himself off the ground to see that the control panel was fried.
“Well that’s no good, at least it didn’t explode this time,” he thought ruefully to himself. Roger moved closer to the transporter to see if it was also damaged.
As the smoke cleared, Roger heard an odd noise coming from the transporter, like little hooves hitting metal. Roger prayed that he didn’t bring a monster in his home as the smoke cleared.
When the smoke finally cleared, what Roger saw was very…confusing. There on the transporter pad were two strange creatures that Roger could only describe as little baby horses. One had pure white fur with a brilliant rainbow colored mane and tail, the other was dark blue with starlight blue color mane and tail. Each of them had a small horn and a pair of wings. These creatures seemed…alien to this world as they were so colorful and full of life, definitely nothing this world could ever produce.
“This is definitely new,” Roger’s voice caught the attention of the little fillies who stared at him with their cute colorful eyes. By the way, they acted it seems they had no idea they were, like infants. They looked up to Roger with much confusion in their eyes as they tries to process what was happening. For a few minute they stare at each other.
“Well, seeing as my transporter is ruined for now, I guess I can see about finding you two some food.” To which Roger picked up the two little fillies that seemed not to mind as he carried them to the kitchen. After a minute to find some food to settle the fillies little tummies, Roger took a closer look at them as they sat on the kitchen table eating some applesauce Roger managed to find. Roger was known as one of the world's greatest magician, so he had a knack for knowing if something had the potential to use magic and these creatures radiating a powerful Magic. He feared that his transporter may have taken them from the home, even there world. Roger had to fix this, but first he needed to fix the transporter and that may take awhile.
“Until I repair my machine, I guess I’ll watch over you till then…” The fillies ears pick up and they smiled at Roger who admitted to himself that they were quite cute.
After they finished eating the last of the applesauce, Roger picks them up and takes them all over his house, hoping they understood the places they weren’t supposed to be in. He then places them inside his guest room, a small furnished room with one queen size bed thinking it will work for sometime. After Roger puts them on the bed, the fillies find a comfy spot, lie down and began to sleep next to each other. Roger gives them a small blanket to wrap themselves in, due to the fact Roger never fixed the heater.
Roger honestly expected himself to be wide awake due to such an odd event, but after the long hours of working on the transporter his old body decided it was time for some rest. So the worn out man found his old red and blue checkered easy chair and fell asleep. Roger wasn’t sure how long he was out before he awoke as he feels something on his lap. He looks and sleeping on him were the small fillies.
The fillies laying there, sleeping and curled up beside him made Roger feel something in his ancient heart…peace, a warm peace he hadn’t felt in ages. Roger like this feeling as he slowly went back to sleep.
. . . .
“Record number zero thirteen of Equine log…this is Roger Bacon … It has been only six months since my Instantaneous Matter Transporter brought two creatures I believe are unique ponies, equine, into my life. Since their arrival I had to brush up on my animal research to know how to tend to their needs and to my surprise they have grown quite faster than originally theories predicted. Hopefully when I get the transporter ready they won’t be too big to fit in on it.”
Roger moved to his desk and began to review out loud what he had writing days ago.
“Theses two ponies are fascinating, as early on I discovered they can perform magic with their horns as a magic implement, as they pick up their food and toys with this magic, which in retrospect I should have guessed as much giving how my life seems to be entangled in magic.”
“But I digress…thanks to some simple test I now know that they are sisters, the white coat one being older than the dark coated one. They seem fond of me and rely on my help quite a bit. Thanks to another test I am positive that they can speak, and I am doing my best to help them learn to speak and read human speech. I think I should name them…just to make the record simpler.”
Roger stopped the record and moved into the metal hallway to find the two fillies playing together, the dark one cashing the white one with joy on their faces. Roger followed them to the living quarters and spoke…
“Little ones, pleases come here for a minute.” The two fillies quickly stopped their play and ran to Roger, setting in front of him like children.
“I think it’s time to give you two proper names.”
“I’ll call you…Tia.” Roger pointed at the white filly who smiled at the name.
“And you will be…Lulu.” The dark filly smiled too with joy.
Roger guessed at random for the names, but it seemed to work out. Both Tia and Lulu went back to playing as Roger walked to the transporter room to work on it, he hoped he would find the problem soon.
. . . .
Sometime later after Roger taught the fillies English he decided to teach Tia and Lulu some basic information most humans learn at a young age as he could not see the harm in giving them an education.
“Okay Tia, can you tell me who this is?” Roger held a picture of an old bearded man in his hand in front of the young filly in a makeshift classroom in the living quarters.
“Leonardo da Vinci.” Tia said to which Roger nodded his head.
“Okay now it's your turn Lulu, who is this?” Roger held up a picture of a different old man to the dark blue filly.
“Michelangelo?” Again Roger nodded making Lulu smile.
. . . .
It had been a year and two months now as outside of Roger’s home the fall weather was setting it as it rained for few days, flooding some parts of Roger’s lawn. This didn’t bother Tia or Lulu as they bounced and played in the puddles while wearing small yellow raincoats that Roger had made them a while back. Roger was with them, keeping a watchful eye on them as he sat on his wooden lawn chair.
Roger began to take some notes on his clipboard of his little princesses as he now calls them sometimes.
‘Since I known them, Tia and Lulu have made his old heap feels more alive than ever. Each day when I see them laughing, playing, and being young my ancient heart feels lighter and more at peace. It seems to my surprise that I love them like they were my children.’ ‘The transporter seems to be fine except for the earth magica pumps aren’t working properly, making Tia and Lulu’s stay here a bit longer than planned.’
Roger stopped writing and began to think, what if he can’t fix the transporter, he could just raise his princesses as his own kin. Roger quickly dashed the thought as he still didn’t know where they are from, they may have real parents looking high and low for them and keeping them here would be selfish.
After a few hours as the sun was setting, Roger gathered his princesses and took them inside, so they wouldn’t catch a cold. They eat a vegetarian supper as Roger did not want to eat meat in front of his princesses which didn't bother him as he eventually got used to it, Later that night after telling them stories and playing math games they were very tired, so Roger carried them to their room then he tucked them into their newly refurbished bed under the pink covers, he kissed their heads and wished them a goodnight. Then he heard them say something that…complicated things.
“Goodnight Father, we love you!” Tia yelled
“Goodnight daddy!” Lulu added in.
The fillies soon fell asleep as Roger closed the metal door.
Roger stood outside the room for minutes. He didn't know what to say or what to do. He had never been in this sort of situation before. Heck he can’t even remember his own parents and now he was a pseudo father. He had seen the edge of the beyond, played god more than once, and helped persevered knowledge that should be forgotten. Now he was there father, not by blood but by his bond to them and vise versa. Roger was worried but then after thinking about it for some time he realized he may be the best person in this world to take care of them for the time being.
Much later in the last part of winter Roger decided to try and explain that he was just taking care of them until he could get them home, to which they understood but still told him that they love him dearly and didn't matter that he wasn't there real father. On Christmas day of the year as Roger and his princesses were exchanging gifts he noticed that they had strange symbols on their flanks, a sun on Tia and a moon on Lulu. Roger thought about it for some time until he realized he could not think of the ‘why’ of the question. However Roger eventually forgot about it as he was distracted by seeing the happy faces of his princesses.
. . . .
Roger, after another year with Tia and Lulu had began to teach them…well anything he could think of. Magic, science, philosophy, astrology, and more as Roger loved to teach and expand another’s knowledge. It also helped that Tia and Lulu were his best students as they had a thirst for knowledge that reminded Roger of his younger self in Oxford.
Interesting as his princesses had different opinions when it came to what they wanted to learn. Tia loved political history and philosophy mostly to learn from others mistakes to improve the future of those around her. While Lulu loved astrology especially the moon, as every night she would stare at it for hours before going to bed. Roger noticed that they finally stopped growing, although he now questioned if they were ponies given the size.
One day while Roger was doing a small project, he almost forgot that Tia and Lulu had walked up into his workshop.
“Hello Father, what are you working on today? Asked Tia as she and Lulu watched Roger fixing a strange metal box.
“Oh hello there my princesses, I'm working on a prototype of a device called the microwave that should help many people in the United States and the world, the only problem is I need to leave it somewhere for someone to discover.”
“Why don't you just present this as your own invention, why have someone else claim it? Asked Lulu.
“You see the future belongs to the young, and I'm merely a remnant of the past, but that doesn't mean the past can help the future along. Besides this, what do you two want to talk to me about?”
Tia and Lulu had nervous looks on their faces eventually Tia found the will to ask Roger a question.
“Me and Lulu love our home, but we've been here all are lives only knowing of the outside world through your books and maps. I know we’re not of this world, but we would like to see what wonders the world has to offer.”
“So you want to leave and travel the world, I can understand that being as young as you two are. Okay you two can travel, but I’m going with you.” Which Tia and Lulu were very surprised at the quick response.
Roger after finishing his microwave led his princesses to an old elevator that they never went near before, to which Roger used to go down several levels with his princesses to a room they've never been into. Roger turned on the lights to reveal a strange silver airship in a large plane hanger.
“If we all going to travel the world, were going to travel in style,” Roger said as he motioned for to get inside the airship which they quickly trotted inside.
Roger showed his princesses the special seating made for them and buckled them in as they both smiled greatly with excitement. Roger then took his seat at the helm and begins to turn on the great machines engines which roared like thunder. The old hangar doors slowly opened as Roger prepared the airship for lunch, within minutes the hangar doors were fully opened and Roger pressed the large red button propelling the airship forward at surprising speed. Within seconds the ship was in the sky soaring like a majestic eagle which the two sisters greatly enjoyed as they have never flown this fast before, as the clouds passed by them Roger tells them that their first stop is Paris, France.
. . . .
It had been almost eight years since Roger meet Tia and Lulu. Roger had to admit to himself that it was the happiest years of his endless life as a travel the world seeing new sights and meeting interesting people, of course thanks to Roger's spell everyone that saw the sisters assumed that they were human which put Roger’s mind at ease. From Paris to Rome and Shanghai to New York the trio of travel by airship, teaching the sisters much about the world, both good and bad. At the end of their travels, they returned back to Wales, the sisters having the time of their lives as Roger needed to continue his work on the transport.
With the turn of one bolt Roger finally fixed the transporter which gave him a mixture of both anguish and happiness, for he was now able to complete his promise he made to his princesses however he would never see them again. It was a quiet day as Roger told his princesses that he was ready to send them back to their home, as expected they didn't want to leave Roger.
“Please father, can’t we stay here? This is our home!” Tia begged.
“Isn't it our choice to stay?!” Lulu added
“You have to understand that you're not meant for this world or for me to be your father. You have real parents may be looking for you desperately or creatures like yourselves that depend on you. Keeping you both here will be selfish to you and selfish for the people that you belong to.” After about an hour, Roger had finally swayed them to realize that they needed to go not because he didn't want them, but because it was the right thing to do.
Before the two sisters stepped on the transporter pad Roger took an old camera and had a picture with them so that he would never forget them. Then with tears in their eyes the sisters said goodbye to Roger and waited as Roger painfully hit a red button on the side panel of the transporter. The Instantaneous Matter Transporter filed with both electricity from Roger’s refurbished generators and elemental magic from the improved earth magica pumps as the old magic seal on the flat platform pad glowed a bright golden color.
“Goodbye my Princesses..” The room filled with a golden color as the transporter worked it magic. However, it overloaded again but this time the light grew until the entire house was wrapped in a golden glow. The metal house felt like it was in the violet earthquake as Roger lost his balance and hit his head on the control panel, the last thing he saw before he lost consciousness was his beloved princesses vanishing into thin air.
Roger awoke with a massive headache to find that Tia and Lulu were indeed gone. Roger got off his lab floor tears in his eyes, he felt that he needed some fresh air to hopefully relieve his poor heart. Roger opened his front door and was…confused. His strange house was now in a vibrant green field between an old forest and what appears to be a colorful quaint village. Roger quickly walked out of his house in the feel the magic radiating from the ground and the air. He quickly realized that he was not on earth especially when Roger saw two familiar figures approach his house, as they got closer Roger had a large smile on his face as Tia and Lulu came running to him. They meet with a great hug and smiles all around. After a minute Roger realized that behind his princesses in the distance were to his surprise more pony creatures with looks of surprise on their faces to which Roger said to his princesses.
“I guess my transporter needs some more work….”
