Revelations - Matters of Madness and Other Poisons

Viktor glared at the signpost for quite a long time.  Situated on the outskirts of town and painted upon with the brightest colors of the rainbow, the offending sign read “WELCOME TO PONYVILLE, HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY!”

It’s nighttime you stupid twats, thought Viktor sourly.  Extending a welcoming hoof to random strangers never did seem like a good idea to Splice.  Working on the most cutting-edge scientific projects and with the highest ranking individuals meant he had lots of enemies, as well as plenty of time to learn that trust was not something to be doled out so carelessly.  Nevertheless, the doctor needed supplies badly.  It’s the middle of the night.  Who in their right mind would be wandering the streets at this hour?  He blinked.  I’m wandering the streets.  And it’s safe to say I’m not the friendliest pony in the world.  If somepony is wandering the streets now, then that surely means they aren’t in their ‘right minds’.  Meeting a stranger at night is much more dangerous than doing so in the morning…  Pondering this only made him more wary of entering Ponyville.  Shaking his head and drawing in a deep breath to steady his thoughts, Viktor steeled himself for what he was about to do.  But just as he was about to enter town, the moonlight began to glimmer on a field of red in the distance.  Curious, Splice stepped off the road leading into town and made his way towards the alluring sight.

A light breeze interrupted the otherwise still night, causing the grassy fields to sway slightly.  Viktor allowed himself time to enjoy his walk, taking in the softness of the grass on his hooves and the coolness of the wind lapping at his mane.  For once in his life, he had found a land in Equestria that didn’t seem to be rotting at the core with the violence and cruelty he was so used to seeing.  Nowhere did he spot the bloodshed that accompanied ponies hacking each other to pieces, and not a scream could be heard for miles around.  Maybe I have been gone for quite some time.  This place seems… almost peaceful.  He sniffed the air, expecting the pungent aroma of gore to violate his nostrils, but was instead greeted by a much sweeter scent: apples.

Now the doctor was a pony of simple tastes.  Other than the astonishing amount of high-tech gadgetry and biochemical doodads he once had at his disposal, Viktor knew how to appreciate the finer things in life.  And the thought of a fine red apple, plucked fresh off the farm and eaten on the spot, drove him into an all-out sprint until he reached the edge of Sweet Apple Acres.  As he approached the first of the apple trees, the doctor drove his back hooves into the dirt and threw his front hooves forward, launching himself into the branches of the nearest tree.  He landed quite ungracefully, tangled up in a mess of twigs and leaves, but the sweet taste of the apples proved too rewarding for him to care.  Apple after apple disappeared down his throat as he satisfied his cravings.  The minutes came and went, but even after the first tree had been stripped of its fruit Viktor still felt hungry.  He instantly leapt to the next tree and began gnawing on an apple as a disturbing thought gnawed at his mind.  This is unfathomable.  At this rate, I’m going to eat my weight in apples and then some!  Just how long have I been gone to have worked up an appetite this large?  Juice stained his coat and his jaw began to ache from the constant chewing, but just as Viktor began to panic he felt his hunger subside.  Taking a last bite and chucking the core to the ground below, Splice leaned back and sighed contentedly.  Apples had never tasted so good in his life – except for maybe one exception.  Viktor leaned against the trunk of the tree and allowed himself to relish in the memory…

The afternoon sun beat down on the streets of Canterlot; not a cloud could be seen in the sky.  The elite liked to roam the streets at this time, most likely so average citizens could bask in their radiance as the sun reflected off their perfectly cleaned coats.  This seemed unnecessary in a town in which “average citizens” still occupied the upper ranks of Equestrian society.  The closest thing to low-class to be found was the occasional antisocial shut-in that was forced to leave the comfort of his or her own home to answer the beckoning call of hunger.  Unfortunately for Viktor Splice, that social misfit just happened to be him.  He walked through the streets of Canterlot donning his squared spectacles and signature lab coat.  Days spent indoors had given his fur a dull shadow, and his unkempt mane jutted out in every direction as through trying to escape the mess of a unicorn it was attached to.  Though his lab coat was usually a clean white, his recent breakthrough had required he spend many days locked in the lab.  This meant a mixture of sweat, chemicals, and various other fluids stained his clothing, and the mark of sleepless nights could be seen in the darkened circles beneath his eyes.  Keeping said eyes locked firmly ahead, Viktor took the judging glares of each passerby in stride as he continued to walk.  He had lived in Canterlot his whole life but still did not understand what drove a pony to act so pompous.  Sure they had money, but that didn’t mean they had to flaunt it about with their noses held high.  That money would serve a much greater purpose if it went towards those in need.  Hell, even buying a simple meal for a hungry foal could go a long way.   Viktor shook his head clear of such thoughts, allowing himself to be comforted by the fact that his research would aid society for generations while these wealthy pricks rotted in the ground.  His stomach grumbled as he walked into the marketplace and he was instantly reminded of the objective: get food and return to the lab ASAP.  He picked out some pears from a nearby stand and tossed them into his saddlebags.  Good thing he brought them this time – he didn’t even want to think about the tidal wave of food he had to carry with him by magic the last time he’d forgotten his saddlebags.  Just thinking about such a massive expenditure of energy made his stomach rumble again, and he shoved a banana in his mouth to placate it.  Strolling along, he quickly filled his bags with an assortment of fruits, vegetables, and various exotic plants imported from across Equestria.  After all, this was Canterlot, a place where only the best would suffice.  Viktor was just getting ready to return home when a rolling red object caught his eye.  An apple had fallen off of a nearby stand and was making its way towards Splice, who promptly captured it in his telekinetic grasp and made his way toward the stand.  He smiled at the large stallion behind the stack of apples and attempted to place the lost fruit amongst its own kind, but once the brutish shopkeeper noticed Viktor holding an apple his face contorted into an angry snarl.

“You putrid, slimy fuck!” shouted the produce-pony, “How dare you try to steal one of my apples!  I oughta rip yer fucking legs off!”  As the beast stormed out from behind the stalls Viktor became increasingly aware he could make good on his threat.  Despite being a fairly strong unicorn, Viktor had absolutely no way to fend off a vicious pony that stood twice his height and at least three times his weight.  And judging by the image of a stick of dynamite on his flank, this guy had an explosive temper.  Either that or he was some sort of miner.

“Y-you got it all wrong,” Viktor stammered.  The larger pony’s gaze bore straight into Viktor’s eyes as he attempted to explain himself.  “Th-this apple fell!  I’m returning it, honest!”

“Bullshit,” the beast spat.  By now, a crowd had begun forming about the two ponies, which only served to effectively entrap the frightened doctor.  But just as Splice was ready to enter fight-or-flight mode, a heavenly voice that made his heart stop sounded from over his shoulder.

“Excuse me, is there a problem here?”

Viktor swiveled around and his gaze fell upon the most stunning mare he had ever met.  She stood at Viktor’s height, which was slightly tall for an Earth pony such as herself, and her coat was a sleek white.  Her mane and tail were a soothing shade of aquamarine, and the black beret situated atop her head only served to accentuate her features.  On her flank (which Viktor noted to be quite shapely) appeared an image of a flowing chord progression.  Her hoof was outstretched, and upon it sat a pouch of bits.  But what caught Viktor’s attention the most were her bright pink eyes, which were gazing directly into his own even as she spoke to the fiendish stallion behind him.

“Will this be sufficient to pay for the ‘stolen’ apple?” she asked delicately…

Viktor’s eyes shot open and he sat upright in the tree.  His breathing came in short bursts and he had to shake his head to recompose himself.  He knew he hadn’t been asleep long – it was probably barely midnight – but he had to get going if he wanted to avoid being seen.  Splice hopped down from the tree and noticed a barn situated at the edge of the apple fields.  Grinning, he moved towards what was sure to be a warehouse full of necessities.  He kept low, choosing to walk under cover of the apple trees rather than the worn path that led straight towards the barn and its accompanying house.  If anypony should see him now, he would surely be driven from this village before any real work could be accomplished.  Upon reaching the barn, Viktor expressed no surprise at the presence of a lock on the door, choosing instead to glare at the one obstacle between him and his lab.  His horn flared up with a faint violet glow, and a blast of energy shot out towards the lock.  The lock, as well as the entire barn door, promptly melted.  WHOOPS.  Viktor grimaced at his work.  Oh well, at least he could now enter.

Viktor gasped.  The sheer amount of useful items inside this barn far surpassed even his highest expectations.  Wooden planks, saws, hammers, nails, paint, and a variety of other carpentry equipment lay scattered throughout the barn.  Splice was quite shocked to discover a pile of electrical wires and extra light bulbs stashed in one corner of the room.  Electrical technology was still in the pioneering stages when I was around!  Even though these wires are quite rudimentary compared to the work I did, it’s still unbelievable that a simple farm-pony would have something such as this.  He pondered this for a few more moments before fixing his gaze on a couple of large wagons situated near the entrance.  Perfect.  Wasting no time, he levitated all the contents of the barn into the carts, leaving nothing but the hay on the floor and the walls themselves.  Even if I don’t need it, I can break it apart and use it for something else, he told himself as he levitated over what appeared to be a yoke.  Once he was certain he had cleared the place out, Viktor focused all his energy on pushing the two carts out towards the fields.  He then busied himself filling the remaining space with as many apples as he could.  Developing a fruit cellar would be simple enough, and he felt confidant he was taking enough food to last quite some time.  Tossing one final apple into the second cart and placing another apple in his mouth, Viktor telekinetically grasped both wagons and began trotting home.  He had to be back before sunrise if he wanted to find the library.

Splice reentered Ponyville at two o’clock in the morning.  Trudging those carts through a heavily forested area proved no easy task, and more than once he had to levitate the carts over the trees entirely.  But now he stood before what he could only assume was the central location of congregation for the townsfolk.  To put it simply, Splice had found town hall, and he was currently examining a map of the entire town that had thoughtfully been erected in plain sight.  It’s almost as if they WANT me to ransack their town, Splice cackled as he reviewed Ponyville’s layout.  The library stood out so clearly that Splice berated himself for not having noticed it before – a giant tree that had been transmogrified to accommodate full-time residents.  Approaching the tree, Viktor found himself wondering why the citizens of this “Ponyville” seemed to place such little importance on knowledge itself.  While living in Canterlot, the doctor would never have been so ignorant as to place his entire stash of research papers and notes in the husk of a flammable plant.  These villagers just made it too easy for their enemies to get the upper hand on them!  These idiots are too trusting.  The welcome sign, the open field of apples, the map, and now this!  I cannot fathom how they have managed to survive thus far.  Opening the door proved simple – only the smallest flicker of magic was needed to pick the lock.  Viktor Splice breathed in the musty scent of aging texts, an aroma that seemed to push the tension right from his mind.  Finding himself surrounded by a plethora of information was a feeling he sorely missed, and he took a moment to just bask in the presence of the library’s contents.

Books upon books upon books upon books stood erect on the shelves, all organized and waiting to be read.  Wasting no time at all, Viktor pulled forth all works on science and Equestrian history he could.  First he sorted through current textbooks in the fields of mathematics and the sciences in general.  He was surprised to find basic knowledge had increased tenfold, and even more surprised to find that the more advanced research far outpaced that of his former colleagues.  The most advanced research nowadays still doesn’t come anywhere near the complexity of my work.  I guess that evil bitch really did keep my work under the radar.  Viktor flashed a devilish grin, revealing two rows of razor sharp teeth.  That actually kind of works for me.  If I can access my old files in the Canterlot Archives, I can be certain nopony will be able to stop me.  Hell, they still can’t figure out nuclear fusion!  Assured that science had only made minor progress since his disappearance (the length of which he was still unaware of), Viktor moved to the history books.  By now, the sun was close to rising, and he only had two hours to find out exactly how long ago he hid himself in that cave.  Starting with the most current issue and working backwards, Viktor searched frantically for the last major event he remembered.  Come on it has to be here somewhere.  It was a fucking war for crying out loud!  Finding nothing he laid back and sighed.  His eyes hurt from the strain and there remained less than an hour before sunrise.  This doesn’t make any sense, how long has it been??  An open book resting on a nearby table caught his attention just as he stood up and prepared to leave.  Being a book on ancient myths and folktales, Splice would normally have dismissed it as useless to his current work.  But something written at the top of the page caught his attention: The Mare in the Moon – Nightmare Moon’s Banishment.  Frantically, Viktor snatched the book in his magical grasp and began reading.  His mouth hung open and his eyes widened as he read.  THIS.  IS.  IMPOSSIBLE.