The Strange and Secret Life of Lumen Sky

-Twilight-

It was a little early for a walk but today was different. I was about to run a very, very important test but I had broken my last stirring rod (which by the way are glass) and I really did not want to bother Celestia, Luna, or anypony else for that matter, so I went out to get it myself. I also was just a very small amount of tired of being inside my castle. So, I left around seven o'clock and strolled down to town not knowing where I was to get the rod because Celestia usually took care of that. I ended up almost to the edge of town when I saw a small shop boasting it sale of lab glassware. I strolled over and opened the door and entered the slightly musty shop. I heard a bell and I looked up and saw the bell several inches away from the edge of the door frame. I noted that and wandered through the aisles of glass trinkets and apparel. There were many different statuettes and only those in a row were the same shape but none had the same paint or color scheme. This shop was starting to make me doubt the sale of lab glassware.

I eventually reached the front counter where a rather odd pony sat blowing a small glass statuette. He had a grey coat, a brown mane and tail, had a small build, and was wearing a welding mask. He sat in front of a torch spouting a beautifully violet flame behind a small plexiglass shield where a small desk stood with all kinds of tools used for shaping the glass into shapes.

"How can I help you?" he said without looking up. That was when I realized he was a unicorn because he was sitting next to three identical torches where more glass art was being made. It was surrounded by a very violent blue hue and both were very similar to the one the the young stallion was crafting.

"How can I help you?" He said again.

"Oh, yes. Do you have any stirring rods, the glass ones?" I asked.

"Yes, how long, 20 centimeters or 30 centimeters?" I noticed the arid smell coming from the glass that was burning as he crafted.

"How about 30?"

"Sure, that will....." He looked up and lifted the visor on his mask to reveal two very large brown eyes. I was surprised that he knew I was standing there without looking up and how he almost melted the glass statuette when he looked up. He said, "You are Princess Twilight," as he came around the front of the counter and knelt. "I am very sorry your majesty."

"Oh it's fine." I replied, very boggled by this young stallion that had just gone from completely inattentive to very alert.

"Let me go get you your rod." With that he disappeared into a back room and started rummaging around.

"Might I ask, what are you going to use this for?"

"Oh, just a test I was going to run," I absent-mindedly replied as I looked around the shop just taking in all the strange things he had on display.

"Hmmm, I sometimes I will do a few myself when I have the time." Came his muffled voice from the backroom.

"Do any involve this," I said, pointing to a beaker of purple liquid perched atop a shelf as he emerged.

"Gaaaaaa! Don't touch that!" He shouted as he placed the parcel he had on the counter and rushed over.

"What is it? Is it part of an experiment?"

"If I tell you, do you promise not to tell anypony, even your friends," he said as he hastily whisked the beaker off the counter and into the air looking at me with his wide eyes he greeted me with.

"Why not my friends?" I asked, wondering why he would say that.

"Everything I do that is not part of my shop is extremely top secret. If word got out I would either have a museum or a notice to vacate the premises on Celestia's orders. I really don't want any of those. I can see if your friends are ready with time, if you want, but you must make the decision."

I stood thinking for a moment, what would a glass blower be doing that he would want to hide from all of Equestria? There was no way that I was going to keep secrets from my friends. Not now, not ever.

"No, I don't want to keep secrets from my friends. Wouldn't you know that we don't do that?"

"No. I wouldn't know because I have only a few friends, if you count Dr. Whooves, but The Doctor is more of an acquaintance than anything." He sat down on the floor and looked up at me as very small drops of tears began to become visible at the corners of his eyes. I could have sworn he was straining himself not to cry. His eyes could have looked into the deepest part of my soul if they belonged to a foal, but they didn't.

"So this lab of your's, is it all just a way to get attention?"

"What, no. It is for science, I make friends without it."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Who are your friends?"

"Okay, you got me. Yes, sometimes I will try to use it like that."

"Wow. You really need to get out there and make some friends. Without the lab's help."

"Fine I will. But when, how, and most importantly, who?" He was starting to come back to his senses and was looking at me like he worked for me.

"Hmmmm. How about some of my friends. You have to get along with at least one of them other than me."

"But who?"

"I really don't know. I need to figure out your personality more first."

"Okay. So, after that how are we going to keep in touch?" He stood back up.

"Well, I could send you letters through Dragon's Breath. Oh wait, you don't know any dragon willing to send a letter, do you?"

"Well no but, you know transfiguration right?"

"Yes, why?"

"Well, I have been reading about that and, well, found out how to breath fire."

"Are you kidding me?! That is one of the most unstable forms of magic and it can ruin your body! What were you thinking?" I glared at him and he flinched.

"Well, I have been doing it for about a year now and, well, I'm fine." He was starting to click his hooves on the floor in a surprisingly rhythmic way.

"Fine. Before this takes too long, are we going to see this oh so special lab?"

"Why, of course!" He turned and closed his shop and walked over to the gate separating the store from the area behind the counter and storeroom and pulled the pin up and swung it open. We walked through the doorway to the storeroom and there were five furnaces lined against the wall with more tools to create glass art. There were also glass blowing and molding supplies along the wall like large glass marbles and fine glass sand. There were also several large metal shelves where many parcels sat much like the one he brought out earlier.

He opened a wooden door and walked into his house. I looked up and saw a sign above the door on the inside that said,

Make a Joyful Noise

"What is that for," I said looking at the very professional looking sign.

"What that. That is just something I made to test my woodworking skills. Do you like it?"

"Yes." That sign was very different than anything else I have ever seen before, but it was just a little suspicious. "You have a very nice home," I said this with a lot of appreciation, it was very nice for somepony who relied on a shop for an income. It smelled very remotely of cinnamon and everything was in order and clean. He even had a small potted fern in the corner in front of the window down the hall that extended to our left. There was something odd about the lights though. Naturally me curious mind went to work. Were they new, a different foreign brand perhaps? Wait, they were none of those, they were just, too different.

"Do you like the lights? I designed them with Dr. Whooves, they consume almost seventy percent less power than the normal incandescent bulbs and last about fifty times longer. Both of us use them in our labs and homes, they save so much money it can blow your mind." He was looking at the small light fixture over the kitchen sink with me.

"Well, those couldn't cause problems, they are just light bulbs."

"Heh. Well, they wouldn't if they didn't use very sophisticated technology that does not exist yet. Maybe one day, one day..." He turned to look at the window as sunlight began to stream in great golden ribbons.

"Well then, while you have a moment with your lights I will continue to the lab."

"Oh, of course." He continued walking and we crossed through the living room. There was a TV hanging on the wall with a small computer processor next to it. Then...

"Why in Equestria do you have a sword hanging over your fireplace?!" He jumped a little and turned around to look at me and then realized what I had said.

"Oh, that. Um, well, I made it and put it there. Don't worry it can't kill ponies, it only stuns them, unless..."

"Okay, I get the idea. But why do you have it?"

"Well you know when the Changlings invaded? Well, I made that sword to protect myself and others in the event of another invasion. I also have a shield and armor that go with it." His ears were starting to quiver and was starting to tap his hooves on the carpet floor again.

"Where are they?" I looked at him as I furrowed my brow.

"They are in my basement and we have to pass through there anyways soooo." He strode over to a door and opened it revealing a stairwell that led down into darkness.

"After you," he said as he gestured towards the doorway to darkness. I glanced at him and lit my horn, stepping into the darkness.