CH.4-The Mad Scientist and his... Pegasus?

"MWAHAHAHAHA!"

Eli laughed maniacally as some lightning struck outside the house at random. No one (or almost no one) paid any attention; they were…semi-used to it. Everyone (or almost everyone) was too busy removing a sleeping Dan from their area.

Rainbow Dash, however…

“W-what is this guy? He's as random as Pinkie! And he's putting on some doctor outfit and writing... something. I'm guessing this is that Sy-inse thing he was talking about.”

Finally deciding to shove Dan to the floor, Cherry, John, and Liem glanced at one another, unamused by his seemingly unstoppable snoring. The same unamused gazes then turned to Eli, who didn’t stop laughing until he realized that they weren’t going to stop staring at him.

He ended his fit of hysteria with a hacking cough before grumbling, fixing his glasses and turning to Rainbow.
"So, Rainbow Dash,” he began, “from the data I've collected so far, it has come to my attention that you have not yet explained how you actually came here. Or, more importantly, why you actually came here.”

"No duh, genius!” John called over, smirking. “You’re supposed to be the smart one in this group, so act like it!" Rainbow giggled deliriously to herself.

“If he's the smart one, I'm definitely doomed.” She laughed quietly at her own joke, not realizing that she had whispered the statement out loud. John's ears pricked to the sound of her mirth.

"Hey! He may be short…and oblivious sometimes…but he's one of the smartest people I know!" He winced. “Alright, maybe not the smartest. The…No! I promised I would never remember past lives! I just need to focus on helping this...mare get back to her own world.”

As John looked back up, he saw Rainbow staring at him with her muzzle wide open, wondering how he'd heard her. Evidently, she had noticed the glare he was shooting her. However, Liem hissed and scowled irritatedly before he could say anything.

"Can we please just get this over with? I want this hor- pegasus out of my life NOW.” Cherry made an attempt to calm him, but the angry smoke which had started spouting from his head showed no signs of relenting. Eli laughed halfheartedly, then frowned and leaned towards Rainbow. She was starting to fidget with the thing on her head.

"Well then, how about we start with an easy question. What was the last thing you remember before today?" Rainbow stopped playing with her helmet when she noticed that all eyes were on her. She swallowed, pondering the question. Suddenly, she grinned and the lightbulb embedded in her helmet turned on.
“I remember! I had just finished helping Twilight with this spell of hers and I was flying home to get some shuteye. I would have done some awesome tricks but my fans were crowding around too much.”

"Suuuure they were,” John interjected mentally. However, he couldn’t stop the corners of his mouth from twitching.

“I had just flopped down on my bed and passed out. Next thing I knew, I was waking up at the foot of John's bed.” She winced. “Uh, sorry about that by the way.” Everyone frowned in confusion but John simply nodded in approval.

"Wait, back up,” Eli said sharply. “Did you say you were helping Twilight with a spell? What kind?” His glasses flashed as he fixed them. “A numerical amount will give me the data needed to come up with a conclusion!”

"Wha?" Rainbow’s stare became so wall-eyed that Derpy would have been proud.

“What spell?” Eli pressed. Rainbow swallowed nervously.

“Uh…well, I think she said…tele-por-ty-ness…or something." Eli’s face exploded into a smile.

"Teleportation! Of course, that's what it is. Now I just need an amount of times she cast the spell on you!”
“Um…I don't know. She shot me once…then a ton of other times, over and over." Cherry shot her a sympathetic glance.

"Well, I hope she didn't hurt you…or herself,” she said gently. Rainbow grinned smugly.

"Puh-lease. I'm too awesome to be brought down by something that puny! And Twilight's a princess; she probably didn't even break a sweat." She bit her lip, downcast.
“But then again, Spike did say something about her working 24/7 all through the week.”

Her expression brightened and she chuckled as she remembered Applejack’s crush on Spike. “Applejack,” she murmured absently, “as soon as I get back you are going to be on the receiving end of a non-stop barrage of pranks!”

Meanwhile, Eli was writing away so fast that no one knew what he could possibly be doing. John cringed.

"Gah! That sound hurts! Make it stop!” Teeth gritted, he glanced over to Rainbow, then to Cherry and Liem, who were busy staring at each other. Not the cute kind of stare; their eyes were wide open and worried…it was how they showed they care. He turned back to Rainbow, one eyebrow tilted in amusement.

"So, what's up with Applejack? You can tell me - I'm trustworthy." Rainbow's jaw literally hit the ground before rolling itself back into place.

"How did he know? Can he read minds or something?”

"No, nothing like that,” Johns said casually, startling Rainbow once again. “I mean I know you speak your thoughts really quietly, but definitely not quietly enough to stop me from hearing them.” Rainbow's eyes went wide, but she quickly regained her composure with a smirk.

"I'm guessing it comes with the ears, right?" John stood up and pulled his hood close to his head, ignoring the blue sweat-drop decorating his forehead.
"What are you talking about?” he said loudly, his voice an octave higher than usual. “What ears? I have perfectly normal human ears like every other human!" He looked frantically side-to-side. Rainbow groaned; clearly, she wasn’t going to get through to this guy anytime soon.

"Ugh, whatever!” she snapped. “I don't care”
“The questions I have are KILLING ME.”
“Why did I even bother asking? I’m leaving soon anyway!”

John’s unsaid words were cut off as Eli dove to the floor between the two, startling Rainbow in the process and causing her to yelp.
“Actually,” he said. “You might want to rethink the whole soon thing.” He pointed to the chalkboard, then the wall, and then the ceiling. All were full of random scribbles and unreadable words. John’s mouth fell open.

“I swear, he's probably a doctor,” he thought numbly through his shock.

Cherry stopped staring at Liem and yelped as she noticed the new decor.
"ELI!" she yelled. Daniel promptly snorted and woke - Cherry’s scream could rival the royal Canterlot voice. "Why did you have to write all over John’s…er… everything! That'll take him months to”- She was suddenly cut off by John who raised a hand to stop her.

"It doesn't matter,” he smiled, “as long as it helps Rainbow get home." Eli swallowed anxiously before continuing.

“Well, see, a-according to my data, there is…” he hesitated and shut his eyes. Rainbow raised an eyebrow.

“What?” Eli swallowed again.

“There’s no way that I can send you back!” he babbled hysterically. “I'm sorry!” Rainbow looked down and groaned as John winced and unstrapped her from the medieval torture chair.

"Seriously, where does he pull these things from? His ass?" She brightened.
“It's fine,” she realized. “Twilight'll probably notice I'm gone and find a way to get me home." Eli just offered her a terrified smile.

“A-actually…I did some data analysis and…well, they most likely won't even notice you’re gone for at least another week or so. And then they won't look for you in other worlds for a while, so the estimated time you'll be stuck here is..." Everyone leaned forward in anticipation, but Eli said nothing, preferring to cower until John scowled.

"Before I'm on my 6th life, please!" Eli giggled hysterically and mumbled something under his breath. John sighed. “Could you repeat that?” Eli licked his lips nervously.

"Five months."

Several things happened at once. Cherry fainted onto Liem, who fell onto Dan, who slammed into John's hand as he pushed all of them back onto the couch. Rainbow almost fell out of the air, but just managed to hover in her place.

"F-five months? Oh my Celestia, I can't be here for five months! Who’ll feed Tank?" Dan was happy to answer that.

“Fluttershy. Duh." Rainbow fell back to the ground with a sheepish smile.

“Oh…right.” Liem stood up furiously and stalked over to Eli, pointing a finger at Rainbow.

"No, she is not staying here. I can't handle that bitch! I say we throw her out onto the streets." Cherry gasped.

"Liem! How could you say that? She didn't mean anything she did wrong!" She turned to Rainbow for confirmation: "Right?" Rainbow nodded, but Liem simply sighed in frustration, rubbing his temples.

“Fine,” he sighed. “I'm sorry, sweetie.” He shot a poisonous glare towards Rainbow. “But I'll tell you one thing - she’s not staying with you and me." Rainbow glared back at him.

“I sure as hell hope not.” Eli soon bit his lip worriedly.

"Well, then who's going to take her in? We can't just leave her on the streets…and anyway, it’s clear she can't be seen in public." Dan grinned at Eli with pure glee.

"Aww YEAH! A real life Rainbow Dash is gonna live with me. This. Is. Awesome! I want to learn everything about everyone,” he said, grinning and jumping up and down on the spot. Rainbow took one look at Dan, then glanced frantically at Eli.

"Please don't make me live with him. I really don’t want him to know more than he already does.” Eli simply shrugged.

“Well, he's your only chance left, I'd take you in but I don't have any room... I'd get ready for some questions if I were you."John, who had been watching the scene unfold, suddenly spoke up.

"I'll take her in." Everyone turned to John, their expressions ranging from confusion to anger. Cherry was the first to speak up.

"Sweetie, you’re broke! You have barely any food and no place for her to sleep! What do you plan on doing?" John turned to her, his expression masked.

"I don't care. I can work with it and sleep on the floor. She’ll take my bed, I'll gather the money to get her some good food…and I'll make sure Dan doesn't pester her." He then turned to Dan and squinted his eyes menacingly. He immediately yelped and cowered behind Eli.

"Well, it's settled then!” Eli said cheerfully, unperturbed. “Rainbow Dash, you’re living with John here. You two should probably get to know each other..." He looked outside, realizing that night had fallen… “tomorrow.” John nodded.

“Good idea.”

After a round of good nights, good lucks and forcing his four good friends to leave, John turned to Rainbow who was still processing what had happened.

“This guy's broke? That explains a lot, but why would he do this for me? Shouldn't he try to hurt me?" She yelped as John waved a hand in front of her face. ”If I'm gonna be stuck here for 5 months, I'm gonna need to understand this guy. It’s question time.”

“Why?” she asked. “Why are you helping me? Aren't you mad at me for everything I did to you and your friends?" John laughed at that, then turned back to Rainbow with a slight smile.

"You should be one of the many to know that forgiving is good, y’know." He looked down, hood shifting as his ears drooped. "I guess I can tell you that it also has to do with my past." He shook his head ruefully. "But that's enough from me…you should get some sleep." Rainbow tilted her head then flew up the stairs, before turning and shoving John's hood from his head. His furry ears sprang into view and he yipped in surprise.

"Hah! Now you can't deny that you have those cat-ear-things,” Rainbow proclaimed triumphantly, her words laced with glee. John glared at her reproachfully, then sighed.

"Well, I guess earlier is better." He turned to look directly at Rainbow, who gasped lightly; one of his eyes was covered in duct tape. "I won't go into detail…no one should have to deal with my past. But my father was a human and my mother was a cat.” He rolled his eyes as Rainbow opened her mouth questioningly. “Don't ask me how it worked, it just did." Rainbow tilted her head curiously and John instantly answered her unasked question.

"No. The duct tape is there for a reason and no one has ever nor will ever see my eye."

"Oh come on! This is killing me!"

"Now then…why don't you go upstairs to sleep? I'll go to bed later.” Rainbow stared at him in confusion, then rolled her eyes.

“Fine! But you’d better tell me about this past of yours. I mean, you said something about your seventh life? Oh, and Applejack has a crush on Spike since you’re so curious. See? This is how communication works!” she said exasperatedly. “I give a little you give a little!” She growled. “Your bed better be like sleeping on a cloud or I'll come down and clobber you!" John backed up, chuckling.

"Okay, okay. Just...I need a moment. My past isn’t that great and I don’t really like talking about it.” He turned quickly to the kitchen, but not before Rainbow realized that his visible eye was tearing up. She bit her lip.

"Do I feel sorry for him? I hope he isn't a Rarity in disguise. I.e, a complete drama queen.” She soared up to the single room upstairs but was so distracted that she ended up slamming into the glass door like a bird. She climbed to her feet, disoriented.

“Graceful!” John yelled from downstairs. She grumbled before opening the door and lying on top of the bed. She sighed.

"Just like a cloud... a fur-ridden cloud..."
"Oh Celestia, he sheds.”

"Oh shit, I forgot to wipe my fur off the bed."

Author's Note

Comments and and Criticism are always welcomed!

Any questions will be answered!

Thank you for reading!