Science Is Magic

Employment is Magic

After sprinting through the orchard to the point that he felt that it was safe Evan stopped to rest. His heavy breathes and thumping heart where pumping oxygen and adrenalin to all of the panicked man’s extremities from his “fight or flight” impulse.

“OK… what… was that?” he got out between gasps. He turned around and walked over to a tree to sit and grunted as the pain returned while doing so. When he caught his breath he continued.

“Alright let’s think this through. I have been transported to some kind of... eco bubble lab? Where ponies and other animals where injected with a reproduction of Aldaphedrapsychomean XIII and given sentence… No, that's not possible because if that where true I'd be dead... UUH! This makes NO sense! What happened! Last I knew I was captured at the forest edge in Washington surrounded by special-ops! How in the world did I get to this strange reality? Did I die and this is some kind of weird joke god plays on the recent dead? That is if there even is a god! UUH!”

He continued to list the different options as to what happened but found that all the explanations where just as completely fruitless and outlandish as the next. After all the bickering he did with himself he finally came to a conclusion. He gave another painful grunt as he got up from the ground.

“One thing I can deduce is that this apple farm belongs to that pony… so in essence I should probably apologize and offer my services… man this is going to be awkward and weird.” the white haired biped turned and froze standing before him was the farmer pony looking straight at him.

“You’re tellin’ me,” said Big Mac eyeing the stranger.

Big Macintosh had realized much sooner the foalishness of running from something that could speak. After all, there are lots of creatures that can, and just because he hadn’t seen this one before didn’t mean he should be frightened by it. Therefore he chased it back down to give it a stern talking to… or buck it to paste, whichever was more necessary. Red pony had over heard a bit of the alien’s ranting before it had finished. However the unfamiliar creature was using all kinds of different words that Big Mac did not know and some he considered where a different language all-together. But from what the pony could understand from the ape’s jabber is that it was more understanding and willing to be reasonable with the red farmer. Evan on the other hand had been to confused, frustrated, and plain freaked out to keep his senses sharp enough to notice. Big Mac weighed his options then got a smirk on his face when he came to his decision on what to do with this apple thief.

“Whell do ya eat that much all the time?”

The scientist was jolted from his frozen position “What?”

“Because Ah don’t think that we could afford to feed you if that twas the case.”

Evan stared off into space for a second to process the situation and mentally face palmed when he understood. “You’d let me stay here and work for what I had ate?”

“We don’t take kindly to thieves but honest and hard working’ ponies we can respect. Now answer the question!” replied Big Mac with a stern look.

Wow… just wow. “Well, no. This was a special case. I was starving when I came from the woods.”

“Whell sense ya ate all the apples ah was supposed to harvest, then ya can come with me an we can see what ya can do ta work off your debt. Ah hope that ya don’t mind stay’n in a barn.” The red pony turned and walked back in the direction of his empty applecart. The yellow-eyed scientist was stunned and confused at the strange trustworthiness and forgiveness the equine had shown, and as such was frozen in place. Sure he had the intention to get to that point but expected a whole lot of persuasion and groveling before he got there. The farmer pony turned around and shouted “Hay are ya comi’n willi’nly or am ah gona have to make ya?” the threat snapped the scientist out of his stupor to make a limping run to catch up to his new employer.

They walked a very long walk in silence until they got to the empty cart, both creatures being very weary of each other. Although Evan didn’t trust the equine regardless of its good nature, but the human found the uncomfortable silence to be unbearable so as Big Mac started to hook himself up to the cart, “So… ah… What’s your name?”

“Names Big Mac.” Came the reply, not even turning to respond as he was finishing the last fastenings. It took all that the human could not to laugh out loud at the name that reminded him of a fast food drive through. Though he failed in stifling it completely as he let out a snort.

“Find mah name funny?” said the burly pony, turning his head with a sneer lifting a leg ready to buck the strange creature that had followed him. This sobered the scientist right up.

“Oh! um, its more that your name holds a paradox in which an ordered meal in accordance with a fast food establishment is named homogeneously to a maroon equine in another inconceivable trans dimensional universe.” The human rambled quickly in a nervous fit.

Big Mac’s head tilted. “… Uh… what?”

The scientist quickly calmed down at his companion’s confusion. “It means I like your name. I just found it ironic.”

The red pony still looked confused but lowered his leg nonetheless. “So what are you? Ah can’ say ah’ve ever seen your like before.”

Well... scratch off all the theories that involved experimentation. Thought the still cautious human.

“Well I am what is called a homo sapiens or human for short. My name is Evan though so just call me that. If you have never seen me or any of my kind before then that is either absurd or lucid.”

The one named after a McDonalds meal gave a confused look and shrugged it off saying “Evan, you sure talk funny. But ya don’t seem to be a bad pony er- uhhh?”

“Person.”

“Yah that.” Big Mac chuckled

Big Mac finished hooking himself to the cart and it was then that the oblivious intruder noticed a tattoo on the flank of the red equine farmer. It was a green apple sliced in half, which greatly stood out from the red coat.

Evan pondered curiously as to how he had missed it this entire time when he said, “Nice ink. When did you get it and how did you get the dye in the fur?”

Big Mac gave another curious look at the human as he said, “uh…”

Evan pointed at the symbol on the red pony’s flank. “Tattoo.”

Big Mac spun his head to look at the mark on his backside, “oh, I got it while I was work’n”

Evan was completely confused as to how you could get a tattoo done while working with the exception of slacking off, and big mac did not look the type. “How did you get that and work at the same time?”

Big Mac looked at the man with distaste as he said, “That’s a personal question.”

Evan gave a sheepish apology and dropped the subject. How could he possibly know what the customs of these ponies where? In fact he found it fascinating that they seemed to have not only the same language (which was nearly a statistical impossibility when you plug it into the infinite universes theorem by itself), but they also seemed to have similar body language and social norms.

The scientist wanted to ask more questions to get more information of this fascinating new species but thought better of it. Big Mac did not seem the interview type.

They walked the rest of the way in more awkward silence while avoiding each other’s gaze. Evan pushed hard to avoid the thoughts and questions he wanted to ask and moved on to different subjects to question. It hadn’t worked until he found one that always brought one emotion stronger then others… anxiety.

What could have possibly happened? I wonder when the government will try and find me again. The scientist continued to think as he walked while staring into space. Every time I escape they end up finding me in no more then a few hours. So either this pony is one of there cohorts and they are studying me in a contained bunker underground. Where they sent drug failures while lying to us about their destruction. Or I am definitely not anywhere near the governments reach. And if either theory is correct they wont be following me here unless they want to risk my escape or, by some miracle, invent interdimensional travel. Hell, I took physics and know that is decades to centuries away! The largest of smiles grew on his face. I’m free! This seemed like a complete impossibility for the escapee. He burst into laughter from the sheer joy and relief given by the freedom that he discovered, and pushed through the pain that his poor ribs complained with.

Big Mac was a little concerned for the sanity of the Human when he asked, “are you ahlright?”

Evan wiped a joyful tear from his eye as he looked at his four-legged companion and reconsidered the earlier conceived theory of this reality being heaven. “Never better.”

Both Evan and Big Mack arrived to the farmhouse in little to no time at all. The white-hared man was curious what it was the burly pony was going to force him to do.

Big Mack unhooked the cart and trotted over to Evan. “So what are you going to have me do?” Evan said, still in a good mood from his recent revelation.

“Whel ah think it’s ah good idea to set ya up in the barn first. We’ll worry about tha work tomorrow.” The red pony then turned without another word and started heading for a big red barn. Evan followed and got lost in his own thoughts.

Well I suppose that would be a good idea. Don’t want to freak this guy out further. Wait should I use my abilities here? I don’t want what happened back home to happen here, but at the same time it’s been a part of who I am for so long now. I don’t even know if it will stay a secret considering I don’t have a real handle on my abilities yet.

Flashes of memories danced in front of Evan’s mind of all the grief that had come to his life because people knew and shuddered at the thought of that happening again. Well I have no other choice then. Ill just have to do things like a normal person would… yah this may be hard… While someone’s watching anyway. He thought as they both entered the large barn.

It was mostly empty to Evan’s surprise. There was hay in one corner and bushels of apples in the other in the back of the storage building. When his yellow eyes turned to the sides of the building, he saw tools of all types (which baffled the human due to ponies having no hands to use them) and an extremely large tarp. The interior of the barn was almost identical in color to the outside. Excluding the ceiling, which had no paint covering the crossbeams and roofing. All things considered it was a rather nice place to stay.

“whel what ya think?”

“You got a nice place here Big Mac. I still can’t believe that you’re letting me stay here. I was expecting begging and a great amount of apology for everything… sorry for that by the way,” he said while pointing at the slight swell that should have looked much worse by now.

Big Mac waved his hoof as he said, “think nothin’ of it.”

“Thanks. I just have one question.”

“What’s that?”

“How did you build all this without hands?”

Big Mac looked at Evan like he was crazy, then chuckled.

“ha, I’ll see you tomorrow.” The farmer pony trotted out the door, leaving a still confused human standing in a building made by hooves. As the man was contemplating the possibilities the stallion retuned through the doors he had left through just seconds before. “By the way don’t leave the barn. Don’t want ya scarin’ no pony.” This was very strange to hear. Why would he, a human, scare ponies? Before Evan could ask the question the red equine was gone. The man tucked the question in with the other mass of questions that could be asked later and gave the barn another look around. There was a lot of room. The barn was a good 30X80 square foot at least, with only eight apple bushels and four barrels in the right corner of it and three bails of hay with a whole haystack in the left corner. Must be the off-season as unbelievable as that is, thought the human as he turned to see tools that he recognized. There where brooms, rakes, and other farm tools that could only be functional is if they where used by hands. He walked over to the hay to sit and contemplated how could horses come up with the same human ingenuity without hands? Even more so, how could they even know English?

After a few minutes of frustration he thought, “You know what? Best not to think about it now. Don’t want to go crazy from questions that could be answered with a quick sit down with a local. I’ll get my answers sooner or later. I just need to be patient.”

Evan then laid down on a bail of hay and looked through his bag that he had packed while rather rushed. In the back pocket he grabbed his IPod touch that had been put in on a pervious trip with it. Excluding his charger and headphones the pocket was otherwise empty.

“Maybe that’s how they tracked me.” he thought as he pulled out his Bose headphones.

“Well if it is I’ve either been captured or in a place that cant track it. No harm in using it now.” He said aloud as started it up and slipped in the headphones to play his favorite playlist. He would have to find a source of electricity or at least make one to keep it charged because he luckily always brought his charger with it. That would be later though. Sure he could play the songs from memory. In fact he would never need to have an iPod or other music device again. It could all be played in his head and accessed just as easily. But listening that way had very little emotion to it. It was like analyzing the information rather then actually enjoying it. He made himself comfortable on the haystack and relaxed to the tunes played from the tiny speakers.

Big Mac exited the barn the second time letting loose the warning to the strange creature and walked toward the farmhouse. The human (or so it called itself) confused the large stallion in more ways then one. The very fact that it had called itself a human confused him. The one thing that was tied to that word for him, was not a detailed explanation or rational thought. The only thing that accompanied that word was a single feeling that he couldn’t shake off.

Fear.

It wasn’t the fact that Big Mac was scared of Evan, for the man had been rather friendly to the brawny pony, despite their little spat. And he felt that he could win in a fight if the human would get out of line. The larger bruise that Big Mac caused could be seen forming from his front kick earlier could attest to that, despite his punch that left a smaller mark. It was just a feeling that accompanied the word “human”, and since then made Big Mac weary of every move the human made. It seemed stupid to Big Mac that he was scared of a word, so he shoved the instinct out of his mind.

Now the thing that filled it was a way to get back at his sister. She would pay for making him walk down Stirrup Street in granny’s girdle, when the deal was that SHE, and only she, would get the apples in the barn by lunchtime. In the end she had her friend help harvest the apples with magic. Well now was payback because he had his own ace up his sleeve.

The red pony walked into the farmhouse to see his granny and two sisters preparing dinner for the evening.

“Haya big brother!” Applebloom jumped off the stool and ran across the wood flooring to tackle hug Big Mac. The towering brother fell over on purpose and returned the hug.

“haha haya Applebloom. How was school?”

Applebloom’s face grew sheepish.

“Well… me and the Cutie Mark Crusaders tried to get our cutie marks in pranking…it didn’t turn out well… How’d ya get that though Big Mac?” Said Applebloom pointing at the bruise in question.

“Ah… Well-”

“Sugarcube,” interrupted Applejack “why not go help Granny with the fixins me an your brother need ta have a talk.”

“Aww~! No pony tells me anything!” Applebloom stated as she trotted back to Granny Smiths side.

“Whell ah can’t imagine you got that from apple buckin’. What happened?” asked Applejack as Big Mackintosh got up from his place on the floor.

“Whell somethin ate all the apples in the part of the field ready fer piken.”

Applejack’s eyes narrowed at the thought of her precious family being denied their livelihood. “Did ya get tha varmints?”

“Ah took care of it Applejack. Now ah would like ta make you a proposition.”

“Oh?” Applejacks mood instantly changed. “What kinda proposition?”

Big Mac smiled a mischievous grin at the consequences that would befall Applejack and the foolproof plan that he had come up with on the way home walking with his new human friend.

May 3rd 2014

Evvn awoke in the morning refreshed and ready to tackle the day. He rose from bed not struggling at all with any hint of exhaustion or wiriness. The well-rested man walked over to the window and looked out to see the beautiful view. The large evergreen trees where truly a site to behold and the mountains made the most beautiful backdrop. Evan had had no success in finding out more of what he can do. There was a lot from what he could tell but he was running out of ideas that he could test. That is why he went to this beautiful resort, to try and relax and get a fresh start. Hopefully he could think with a clear mind on how he could test himself and learn something new. Unfortunately today was the day he was to go home and he was not able to think of anything while here, but he was still hopeful.

He turned from his view at the window and looked at his phone on the nightstand. The resort visitor sighed from disappointment. He had received a call from his father last night saying that he would be in the aria sometime this afternoon. As luck would have it his flight was in the afternoon and he would be gone by the time the truck driver would get there. Evan’s father said he would try to make it in the morning and spend time with him, and the Scientist highly doubted it. This wasn’t the first time his father had not been there, but Evan loved him all the same.

Evan picked up his phone and checked the time. He had slept in. The disappointed experiment grabbed his bags and walked down to the receptionist desk to check out of the resort. The receptionist was at the desk ready to do all that she was needed to do.

“Why hello Mr. Kelly. How was your stay here?” she had only seen him a handful of times and had memorized his name. Evan wondered who it really was that had the drug injected in there brain.

“It was wonderful Mell. Can you pull my car around?” They’re where other easier ways for Evan to get around then by car but he felt he needed some normalcy in his life.

“Of course! You know I’ve never met anyone who could remember names as good as I can but you seem to have changed that.” Mell said while leaning over her desk showing off her bountiful *ahem* assets as she called the valet to pull the car around. She never took her eyes off Evan during the whole conversation.

“Man she is laying it on thick. All she needs is to flutter her eye lashes make this… yep there it is. Man she is a tease.” Evan thought as Mell spoke more with body then her words. She finished her call to which Evan said “Well I’d love to stay but I need to head out. Can’t miss my flight.” This made Mell drop her smile, fold her arms in defeat, and sigh.

“Have a safe trip.”

Evan chuckled in his mind thinking, “Such tricks. Won’t work. On me… Temptress.”

“Will do.” The ex-tenant exclaimed as he left to wait for his car. He killed some time by pulling his phone out and reading some books. The exceptionally fast learner had read MEANY books over the years, from making food to advanced engineering. He looked up to check for his car and saw that it was parked in front; the valet was playing with his phone and leaning against his rental. “I must have been reading longer then I thought.” thought Evan. The distracted kid didn’t notice that Evan was approaching and even when he was right next to him. “Whacha playin?” The young man jumped and almost dropped his phone.

“Oh I’m so sorry! Here let me get that!” said the apologetic young one as he fumbled at the car door to let the amused costumer in. he succeeded albeit rushed and flustered.

“No worries. Just don’t do that round the up-tight costumers ok? Id hate for you to get in trouble or, heaven forbid, loose your job over something like that.” The young man visibly relaxed.

“Thanks man. I need this job to help me get through school.” Evan smiled at the mixed up young man. The scientist looked much younger then he really was. He was 21 and still looked like a teenager so the valet treated him as such “What did you do to be able to come out here?” said the confused valet.

The science experiment bent down and sat in the seat of his rental car before he turned and replied with a serious glare, “You don’t want to know.” Without another word Evan closed the door and drove off leaving an even more confused valet driver standing in the drive entrance of the spa resort.

Down a twisted back road there drove a white haired man who was trying to get to his flight. He had plenty of time so he decided to take the scenic route, the trees where quite a beautiful scenery for the evolved human. Also a strange fact is that no mater what the man drove, he always got great gas mileage while in a good mood. Unfortunately he had already reported that. He was still worried that he hadn’t come up with any new ideas and currently had that on his mind.

The concerned driver noticed a place to pull off with beautiful scenery of a mountain. He pulled off the rode and parked the car. After getting out of the car he walked over to the guard railing and looked out at the beauty of nature as he continued his musing.

“What will I do if I don’t have anything to write to Dr. Cooper for my monthly report?”

No ideas came to him that could solve this problem so he decided to push it off and listen to his music to relax. He pulled out his Iphone and listened to his playlist with calming music on it. A song came on that was extremely calming and due to his time at the spa, he was able to melt his worries into the music. He closed his eyes and imagined himself flying with this song in the background. This brought him to a relaxed euphoria that he never wanted to leave. Unfortunately everyone must wake up to the reality that is the world and thus as the song was at an end he slowly opened his eyes to view the relaxing view of the mountain. He was graced with the beautiful view of his eyes had previously promised but something was different.

This being, that the rocks and gravel on the ground where floating upward as if gravity had been turned off. The dumb struck man’s mouth dropped in utter disbelief at the defiance of gravity. After thirty seconds of complete awe he closed his jaw and turned to where the car sat to investigate this strange phenomenon. He walked from his place on the guard railing to the car. The rocks where still in a free spin going skyward. The bewildered man reached out a cautious finger and slowly poked one of the rocks nearby. The rock floated away from him from him no longer floating upward but in the opposite direction of the force of contact.

As Evan continued to watch the rock, he let out a sigh. As his powers where found he was discovering that they where tied to some kind of emotion or telepathy; which was the only power that he could now trigger at will, as long as he wasn’t feeling any intense emotion. Somehow the feeling of relaxed happiness or ecstasy was tied to the ability to reverse the pull of gravity. He learned a new ability. The scientist smiled and stood back at the new discovery and laughed at his luck. He now had something to report.

As fate would have it standing back was not a good idea, for due to his mirth he did not notice that he was now standing in the road and failed see or hear the semi truck coming around the corner until the driver blew the horn.

Evan awoke to a free fall into the bail of hay made bed as other miscellaneous items clattered to the ground, making a mess of the barn. Evan rubbed his face and groaned at the problem his dream had caused. The human didn’t often have dreams about his past but every now and then the past would haunt him, and his dreams. He got up from where he landed feeling quit a bit better from yesterday despite his fall from the tree and just now. He looked around the barn for any damage he might have caused. The apples, hay, tools, and very large tarp where strewn all over the barn as a huge mess, but otherwise no damage seemed to be done. He let out a large growl and rubbed his face because of the mess his awaking had caused. His annoyance was broken when the barn door slammed open making him jump at the suddenness of the noise. Standing in the frame was a large red pony with a sneer that could curdle dairy.

“What in tarnation did you do in here!?” Evan froze from a feeling the accusing stares from the farmer.

“I-I-I… I’ll clean it.” Stammered the frightened mess maker.

“Ya better!” snarled the angry farmer. “Or next time ya wake up, It’ll be in a hospital bed!”

The farmer was about to storm off, when there came a call from outside. “Big Mac! What was that? Varmints in tha barn again?” Evan could hear clopping from outside as, what he assumed, was another pony approaching the barn. His eyes searched for a hiding place so he could avoid suspicion. The eyes of the human saw his salvation behind the inward swung barn door. He rushed behind it narrowly avoiding the gaze of whoever it was that was heard.

“What in tarnation happened here?” Evan could tell that the voice was female.

“Like brother like sister,” thought the hiding human.

“Some varmint musta got in. It’ll be cleaned!” Said Big Mac putting emphasis on the hiding vandal’s job.

“Whell ill trust ya brother. But ah doubt that ya can get everything done if’n ya wana win.” They’re where more hoof steps that grew distant as the new pony trotted off.

Evan came out of his hiding place behind the door and looked around it to see the backside of an orange pony with blond hair in the distance. His view became obstructed by red as the farmer he knew stepped in his line of sight, a scowl still firmly in place. In return Evan gave a sheepish smile and a shrug. Big Mac’s expression never changed as he said, “I’ll show Ya what yer gona do taday. But ya get no breakfast for causen me grief.” He trotted off in the direction of apple trees. The sheepish human got up and heard a protest from his stomach before he ignored it and followed after.

“You want me to WHAT!?” before the two beings laid an enormous apple orchard full with apples. It was easily 10 times larger then the orchard Evan found himself in, and Big Mac had just asked him to clear out half the field.

“What? Ya where able ta pick an eat half a’ our other field, what’s the problem?”

Evan rolled his eyes and rubbed the back of his neck, “thanks for the guilt trip. I just wasn’t expecting something THIS big.”

“whell ya need ta get every last apple. You’ll be free ta go when its done.”

“So let me get this straight. I pick half these apples, and I’m debt free?”

“That’s tha short of it.” The biped mentally sighed. It would take him forever if he had the farmer watching him at all the times, which he was bound to do considering he had just met him.

“I want one more thing before we start.”

“What?”

“I have a boatload of question’s and I want them answered.”

“Ah’ll have some pony answer yer question’s when yer done.” Evan frowned at Big Mac’s reply “First lets see what ya can do.”

Evan gave the quadruped a perplexed look “Oookaaaay?” Why does he want to see what I can do when he’ll be watching me all day? The confused human walked up to the tree and started picking. Big Mac watched as the yellow-eyed creature easily reached each apple on the tree and placed them in the buckets. It was simple but hard work. When the scientist was finished he wiped his brow and looked over to his critic “Well, how did I do?”

“Ahlright.” was the immediate response.

“Well that was expected. How could I expect less from someone doing this all their life?” Thought Evan as he moved to the next tree. That is until he noticed Big Mac was walking away.

“Uh, where are you going?”

The burly pony gave Evan the same perplexed look he had given him not but a few minutes ago. “Ah have work ta do to. Ah don’t have time ta watch your sorry flank all day.”

Evan was baffled. “You trust me not to steal apples?”

“Where would ya take em?” Said the burly one with a raised eyebrow.

“The farmer has a point… Touché good sir.” The Human smiled a big smile as his load had been lifted considerably and he could be much faster with his work. “Well I’ll see ya.” Evan said as he started a farce of picking more apples.

When the evolved man felt that the red farm pony was far enough away he looked at his watch to see the time. “7:14 huh.” The scientist laughed. “Lets see how I do now.”

Evan started to think of things that have depressed him from his past and that would do so in general. Being dumped, names people have called him, the Green Lantern movie, anything that would have really put him in a slump. As a result he increased the pull that gravity had on the hanging fruits just enough to not fall.

Evan had learned that some of his powers where easier to control then others. While some powers only worked on instinct, other he could slightly trigger with memories to bring up emotions. However these where false emotions so the result was rather marginal to the real thing. But it worked for now.

The product of science walked at the first row of trees and slowly gave each tree a slap, knocking the waited fruit from them. After taking two and a half hours to get through the whole monster of an orchard he sighed that that part was over. It’s hard to do something while trying to keep yourself in a somewhat foul mood on purpose. He surveyed the orchard to see how his work had gone. The apples where scattered on the ground throughout the entire orchard. It was an enormous mess of scattered apples that had no order to it. There was not a single apple on a tree when Evan was finished. All he needed to do was gather them.

“Well now what do I do?” He said trying to recover from forced depression. “I need a way to gather all these quickly but how… I could make them float but then I’d need something to catch them, like a net. But where am I going to get a net?”

The scientist thought more on his conundrum until it hit him like a ton of bricks. “Well I suppose ill be running back to the farm a little sooner then expected.” He ran back to the barn for the needed items for his plan.