Doctor Stein's Peculiar Device
With a hiss and some grinning, the tram pulled into the station. A tall, lanky man with his legs resting over the seat next to him with his shoes dangling into the aisle, turned his head in mild interest to see what station he was in. Focusing his eyes he noticed this was his stop and he had to get off.
The weatherman failed to mention that it would rain enough to make an ocean look dry today.
Letting out a loud groan, he forced himself from the chair. Casting a glance at the rest of the carriage he took note of the amount of people bunched up at the back of the carriage. A women with at least eight shopping bags had decided to sit as close to the rest of the passengers as she could in order to keep the five rows that divided him from the rest of the carriage intact.
Nobody wanted to sit near him and he didn't want to sit near anyone either, they had the perfect silent arrangement.
As he turned his back to the rest of the passengers, something hard smacked into the back of his head. The sound of the tin can hitting the floor besides his feet accompanied by the chuckling of the teenage culprits make his hands clench into fists. Taking the moral high ground he ignored them and silently walked off the tram.
As the tram slowly began trucking along, people were already celebrating his departure and shuffling up to occupy the seats that he was previously quarantined behind. They watched him as the tram departed from the station, cold glares and angry eyes were directed at him, some even mouthing things like 'I hate you' to him, as if the safety of the glass gave them courage.
He couldn't blame them really, after all, he was a absolute monster of a man.
Spinning on his heels again, he began walking home. His bony hands already finding shelter in his pockets from the mini storm that was going on. In less than a minute his clothes were already soaked through and shivers already coursing down his spine. Cars seemingly sped up at the sight of him and drove closer to the curb in an attempted to splash him with muddy water.
They weren't failing.
After a few brisk minutes of walking, he began recognizing landmarks and familiar sights. He slowed down to admire one of them for the last time. A large, red brick factory, with massive smokestacks towering high into the sky and large fancy windows letting in warm sunlight. Now the smokestacks blew no smoke and the windows had been smashed and cracked from angry citizens with stones. The factory had a small chain-link fence around it in a futile attempted to keep people out.
They never did work.
On the gate, a large metal sign had been attached to it. Saying that the factory had been repossessed and was now owned by the 'community'. The windows were easily repairable, but the graffiti was a different story.
'Murderer', 'You monster', 'I lost my son because of you', were a few of the words that would be forever engraved into his memory.
He put his fingers through the holes in the fence, a few sobs escaping his lips as he thought back to the 'good' times. Once upon a time people would be crawling over each other in a attempted to talk to him, now the only thing he got was hatred from them. His factory was the most successful and productive in the whole country! He was literally rolling in shiny coins and pristine notes, now he only had what was in his pocket. A few measly coins.
How times changed...
Looking up to the clouds, his tears mixing with the rain. “I tried big brother... I really did try... but I mess it up, didn't I?” he cried out, hoping something was listening. No point grovelling the past, he had a future to create from the nothingness.
He moved on, only having a few hours left until he landlord kicked him out and he had to pick up what little possession he had at his apartment.
Reaching his apartment door, ripping off the reminder from the landlord and struggling to turn the key in the lock until the door gave a rusty clicking noise. A small room with a single window, a bed, a mini fridge, a secure safe under a desk and a bathroom, what more did he need? Laid out on the table was his already packed bag, everything that wasn't sold or deemed too valuable to get rid of were inside.
The bag was very light to carry.
He spun the dial on the safe until it opened, once filled with money and sentimental treasures, now was empty besides one thing. Something that would take up his whole wrist if he wore in, like a big bracelet except it had a big, red button on it. The best part about it was that he had no idea what it did and he was the one who made the thing!
He was a part time inventor back in his youth, his once young mind teaming with quirky ideas and pointless contraptions. On one night, when the moon was high and bright, he had a dream about a device that would give him everything he wanted. The dream told him everything, what parts he needed, what when where, down to the closest detail. When he awoke his mind remembered everything so he quickly rushed down everything on paper, making blueprints and lists on everything he needed to make this device.
When he finished it, he didn't know what to do with it. He had no use of a machine that gave him everything he wanted because he already had everything he wanted. So he put it in the safe and left it to gather dust, until now.
He put it on. The leather padding feeling really soft on his damp skin. A strange sense of excitement overcame him, what did this thing do? How was it going to give him everything? So many question with the answer just a button press away.
He moved the peculiar device closer, a whisper escaping his lips. “I wish to start again, a new life,”, then before any hesitation slipped in, he pressed the button. Nothing happened.
He huffed, feeling rather disappointed, so much effort put into making the bloody thing and it didn't do anything. In the back of his mind he could hear the giggling of a higher being mocking him.
A determined frown grew on his face, he was not going to be beaten that easy. He began spamming the button as hard as he could. Then after tiring out his finger, the device exploded into a sparky haze of light .
The feeling of falling overcame him, everything went dark and the sound of strong winds as if he fell off a tall building surrounded him. His mouth opened to scream but nothing came out, he began flaying he arms and legs in a attempted to grab a ledge that he couldn't see with no such luck.
Then pain erupted over his whole body. Opening he eyes slightly revealed he had landed on a white marble floor, face first. The gentle tickle of sunlight pinched at the back of his neck, strange, it was sun set when he got home.
He began looking around curiously, turning to the side and straightening out his crunched nose revealed the sunlight was coming through stain glass windows depicting strange creatures doing even strangers things. Directing he head forward so the ground was at his chin, he saw something that made him flicker his eyes several times in disbelief.
Something that vaguely resembled a horse, though with a long horn and feathery wings, was 'holding' a mug of something hot and a plate with a slice of chocolaty cake on it. Crumbs dotted around her face and a slight brown mustache stained her upper lip, all were clearly visible against her pure white coat. Her illusive hair blew in a imaginary wind and her eyes mimicked his own, opening and closing in shock.
Both stared at each other with mouths wide, each wondering what the hell was in front of them. He recovered first, standing up and brushing he clothes clean before addressing the creature, the whole time the horse eyed him with her head cocked like a dog.
He pointed a finger at her, causing her to filch back slightly, “What the hell are you!?” he demanded, unsure if the creature even knew what he was saying.
“Guards!” the creature responded, instantly the sound of footsteps galloping towards them and the shouts to 'get down' or 'surrender' where already echoing towards him. More of the creatures burst in, all in a vast array of colors and responses to him.
The 'guards' quickly surrounded him, pointy spears directed at him and several of the creatures angrily staring at him. The largest of the creatures, who had already lowered her cake and cup, was looking at him with a blank expression. “Do you have anything to say for yourself?” she asked, clearly female by her modulated voice.
He looked back down to the ring of sharp, scary spears, poking one in curiosity reveal it to be very, very sharp. “Oh crap...”
Doctor Stein's Peculiar Device
Twilight trotted eagerly through the castle's many hallways and doorways. Letters from Princess Celestia were rare. So rare, that everything she was doing before was pointless compared to reading that letter. Normally they were pleas for help, that Equestria needed her or her element and this one was no exception. What caught her attention the most was Celestia's urging that she wasn't to rush to the castle, that she could take as long as she liked in responding to the letter.
It intrigued her so much that she dropped everything she was doing in order to respond to her former teacher in person.
She soon made it to the throne room, where her ex-teacher was discussing matter with some wealthy nobles. When she spotted Twilight, she quickly wrapped up her conversation and dismissed them politely. It was no surprise for Twilight to show up so early despite telling her multiple times that it wasn't necessary, after all, she was never, ever, tardy.
“Good morning Twilight, I trust your journey was pleasant,” she greeted, stepping down from her throne to meet her former student.
When she got close enough, both pulled in for a loving nuzzle. “It's good to see you Celestia, it seems we only see each other when there's a emergency running about,”
Celestia began leading the way slowly, “There's no emergency here Twilight, just something strange that I would like another opinion on,” she said, taking Twilight out into the courtyard.
Twilight lowered her head, looking a bit crestfallen. She kind of liked the danger and adventure that normally came with Celestia's letters, but curiosity quickly grew instead.
“'Something strange'? What is it?”
“A few days ago, we had a break in,” Celestia began, letting her words sink in for a few moments before continuing. “However, this was no normal break in, he did not pick any locks or scale any walls, he just... appeared in front of me,”
“Appeared... is he a unicorn?”
“No... in fact I have no idea what he is, though I'm certain he is not of this world,”
Twilight's curiosity peeked, “What happened to him?”
“As soon as he arrived, he was arrested and put into the tower,” Celestia gestured to one of the highest towers in the castle. “He showed no resistance, only asking for three things to keep him occupied... A pencil, lots of paper and a peculiar device that we confiscated on his arrival,”
Twilight had heard enough, she wanted to see this anomaly for herself, “Can I see him?” she asked, Celestia nodded.
Using their flight, they quickly bypassed the stairs and landed onto the balcony. A single guard waited outside the iron door, at the sight of the two princesses he quickly saluted to them.
“Open up...” Celestia commanded, the guard nodded and pulled out a set of keys, unlocking the door and holding open for the princesses to pass through.
Twilight was the first to step in, without paying attention to the floor she accidentally trampled several sheets of paper under her hoof. On first glance the paper appeared to be cover with random letters and numbers, but on closer inspection it turned out they were actually advanced physics equations.
The prisoner must have been a massive nerd.
A wave of excitement rushed over Twilight. She had faced tyrannical rulers, monsters and gods, but never an evil mastermind. Quickly looking up, her head darted around the room, quickly scanning over the cell for the prisoner.
He had his back to them, head poking out the bars of the cell's window and hand wound up around the two metal beams that divided him for a long fall. He wore a brown flight jacket and black jeans, on his feet were a pair of dark trainers with red trims.
He spun round to look at the intruders, started more by the rustling of paper rather than the door opening. Noticing that the purple pony had picked up some of his paper and was looking intensely at it, he quickly covered the distance and snatched the paper from her magical grasp.
“Don't touch that! You aren't smart enough to know the important of these equations,” he hissed, trying his best to un-crumple the sheet from where she stepped on it.
“You sure about that, because it looks like your trying to learn how to fly...” she countered, ignoring his rudeness so that she could flaunt some of her knowledge. Maybe he'll feel more comfortable around other intelligent lifeforms.
His eyes widened in surprise, clearly not expecting her to understand his workings or handwriting but to actually know what it all meant was impressive (Though he didn't let it show). “N-Nevermind that, what do you want?” he pointed a finger at her.
Now that he was closer to her, she was able to get a good look at his face. Black hair that had mostly faded into a silvery white was pulled back into an messy quiff. Green eyes watched her from their darkened pits and a light stubble had covered his face, giving him a very rough and slightly intimidating appearance.
“I just wanted to introduce myself, I'm Twilight Sparkle, princess of Equestria and part time librarian,” she said. He raised an eyebrow, looking between Celestia and Twilight in a attempt to spot any similarities or signs of them being siblings. He found nothing, in fact Celestia looked old enough to be Twilight's mum.
“Ok... Hello Twilight Sparkle-” he said in a mocking tone and began waving his hand in front of her, fanning air into her face, “-happy now, can you leave me to finish my work in peace or are you going to pester me further?”
“Actually, can I ask what it is your working on?” She asked with a sheepish smile, her inner geek showing.
He rubbed his eyes before continuing. “Just some stuff, I've been in here for... a couple of days now, it nice to have some quiet time without any interruptions, well, until now at least,” he growled, not hiding his dislike for her presences.
“I suppose we should get down to business then,” Celestia intervened, stepping in between the two. She turned to the creature first, “Now...” she began, until she paused, “I'm sorry, I can't seem to recall your name,”
He stared blankly at her, knowing that she had never asked for his name before nor ever saying his name when she was around. “I'm a Doctor Isaac Stein, you can just call me Isaac, everyone else did,”
“Right, Isaac, I know you're probably anxious to leave this cell,” she assumed, he turned away from the two princesses and floated back to the window.
“Yes, I must say your world has a strange appeal to it, I am rather excited to explore some of it,” he admitted. Being so high up he got a good view of the land and its' beauty, he felt the old cogs of inspiration turning again when looking out that window, sparking many ideas in his head like the old days.
“Good... now I am willing to let you leave here and do some exploring on one condition,” she bargained, Isaac waited for her to continue without any recognition, although he was already fearing where this was going.
She turned to Twilight, “This is where you come it Twilight, if its' no problem with you, is it possible for Isaac to use your spare room,” she leaned in closer to whisper into her ear, “Just to keep an eye on him,”
Twilight smiled, “I would love to let you stay at my home Isaac,”
He began to panic, he couldn't stay at her house. She would ask questions and never stop pestering him. Worse, there would no doubt be maids and butlers everywhere, touching and moving all his stuff without permission. He spun on he's heels, putting his finger to his chin and span his eyes around the room as if he was in deep thought. “You know what princess, I've actually grown attached to this... room, the stone is... charming and the view is wonderful, I don't need to leave yet,” he gave a nervous chuckle.
Twilight quickly moved over to him and began hugging his legs, nuzzling the side of her face into his hip. “Don't worry, you'll love it in Ponyville, I'm sure you'll make lots of friends,” she reassured.
Isaac looked over to Celestia with a look that just screamed 'Kill me now'.