Note: i dont own mlp:fim
An elderly grey stallion with a trio of gears on his flank sat by his fireplace tinkering with a strange brass machine when a knock was heard from his front door. Sighing he arose from his crounch next to the odd machine and slowly made his way over to the door, looked through the peep hole to see who was there. seeing a young griffin yet another sigh fell from his lips.
The stallion stepped back to hit a button on the wall that disengaged the locks he had put up to keep annoyances out when he was working..like the little griffin, but he had learned that the young one would not leave till his curiosity was satiated.
Outside upon hearing the locks disengage the little griffin broke out into a large, genuine smile, pushed open the heavy brass door and leapt into the workshop with a cry of joy "gandpa!" The little one jumped up and wrapped his wings around the old stallion eliciting a rare momentary grin from his lips. Motioning with his hoof for the little griffin to follow him he began to make his way deep into his shop to a little sitting room with a pleasant fire already burning cheerfully in the corner.
Once he had made his way to his couch and laid out on it he spoke with a mild stalliongrad accent even after all these years away from equestria "so little one, what is it that you wanted to know this time?" he asked with a bit of a quirk in his eyebrows.
Suddenly shy, the little griffin looked down debating on whether or not to ask what he intedned to ask, seeing this the old stallion said "I promise I won't be angry with you for interrupting my work with all those questions you always seem to have" after a moments pause he continued "you know...I was much the same way when i was your age"
Gathering all of his courage the little griffin looked at him and asked "can you tell me your story? Moma said she wouldn't tell me." from his seat on the floor the griffin looked up imploringly
The question gave the old stallion pause. looking around at a few of the little souvenirs of the travels from his younger years he smiled and slowly began "so...you want to hear a story, one about adventure and self discovery." picking up speed he laughs "haha! have i got a story for you!"
settling down and getting comfortable he waited for the griffin to do the same, he hit another button on the couch that put a pot of water to boil. "well, my story begins in the far off land of Equestria, a land of peace and love, a veritable Utopian society"
The grey earth pony stallion Gearbox looked upon his shop for the first time, it wasn't much but it was all he could afford on what little savings he had, but he loved it all the same, taking a deep breath and savoring the scent of oil and tools he slowly walked to his small mill and began work on his first project in the city of stalliongrad, a small steam engine to help power some of his tools at the little shop
a little ring of the door bell alerted him to the presence of someone else in his shop, 'a customer? already? this must be a good sign' he thought when he made it to the door he was surprised to see a unicorn with a snooty expression at the door looking around with disdain. "So you are the engineer that thought they could make a living making machines that do what a unicorn could easily do himself? how...quaint."
making a snap decision right there to hate this pony for all time Gearbox sneered and said "well yeah, but it'll cost folks half what you would charge for one of those fancy spell gems for one of my steam machines"
with an angry glint in his eyes the unicorn lit his horn and Gearbox felt himself rooted to the ground, the unicorn strode closer and whispered into his ear "let me make this perfectly clear, i am superior. magic can solve all of my problems while you wallow in your grease. Make and enemy of me and I will grind your little...business into the dirt, do we understand one other?"
nodding with a pale face gearbox was released from the unicorns spell. looking him up and down the unicorn turned and strode out saying "don't get any ideas of moving up in the world"
as he left Gearbox went back to his work but no matter what he did he couldn't get what had happened off his mind. it was then and there he decided he didn't want to feel helpless in the face of magic ever again. putting down his tools he went to his drafting bench and began drawing up plans.
as he worked he mumbled to himself "show him who's 'superior'" he worked with a feverish intensity he was unused to. he stopped only once to eat a meal so he wouldn't get food on his plans.
finally finishing he looked outside to see he had lost track of time and it was well past midnight, he was surprised to find he didn't care anymore. looking at his plans he got a smile, it was an ugly smile, one that spoke of pain and perhaps even an unstable mind.
Moving to his work bench he took up his tools and began to work. his drill making a perfect hole dead center of a rather thick steel cylinder. still with that evil smile Gearbox went to his forge and began to heat it, all the while thinking about how his creation would work and how not even a unicorn could stand before it. seeing his forge burn with an almost unholy heat he brought overthe metals he would melt together to make the needed alloy and the mold for the casting he was about to make.
before he could pour the casting he thought 'is it worth it? i'm making a lethal weapon in clear violation of the law...maybe..no. I need to be able to fight back against anyone that may, or may not, come after me
as he set the mold filled with molten metal on the ground to cool he walked over to his clock and with a flick of his hoof opened the face, reached in and pulled out a sizable chunk of lead. looking around he carefully put it next to the steam engine powering all the assorted tools and things in his shop and attacked a very special machine to the engine. it looked like a strange pen with a gem tip, carefully holding it in his mouth he lowered it to the slab of soft metal he focused hard on what he wanted to form and with a sound akin to reality being torn asunder and a flash brighter than the sun the soft led transmuted itsel into cylindrical slugs with a bit of...well, magic for lack of a better word at the base.
smiling to himself as he stood up, "looks like fathers gift came in handy already" he said. still smiling he walked over to his bed and lay down, tired from the days exertions, he let his mind fall into slumber.
"well i think that's enough for one night little one, better get going before your mother gets mad at us both eh?" the old stallion said with a smile.
"awwwwww" moaned the little griffin, but dutifully he left none the less.
"Alright, now where were we?" asked the old steel grey stallion as he looked at eh young griffin sitting before him
"You had just gone to bed after your first day grandpa", said the young one.
"Well, i think it may be best to continue before you burst with question little one" said the old stallion, his eyes misting over.
As Gearbox awoke he looked around at his disheveled workshop he sighed and began picking things up and putting tools back in their proper place. About half way through his work the bell above his door jingled softly singaling someone entering.
Warily going to the door to see who it was. As he approached he woried it would be the unicorn from the previous day to amek good on his threat.
With a sigh of relife Gearbox saw that it was a mint colored female pegesus looking around with curiosity. When she saw him her eyes lit up nd she smiled, "are you the Engineer that makes the steam engines?" she asked hopefully.
"That i am" he replied. "How can i help you today? if-
"Grandpa can you skip this part, it sounds boring" whined the young griffin.
With a confused look on his face he stutered"W-what? this is an improtant part of the story, be quite. Now, as i was sa-"
the little griffin was bouncing with excitement at this point, making his desires known "that's just normal stuff, i want to hear about your adventures! fighting dragons, and the old kingdom and-"
frustrated the old pony groaned "urgh, fine, fine. now back to the story."
A year had gone by since Gearbox opended his workshop, it was now quite a renowned establishment in the city and as such he was always on guard against attack from the unicorn who had frightened him enough to go against his pacifying equine nature to forge a weapon. The weapon that now sat unused in his desk gathering dust.
It was now, on the anniversary of his first day that he arose and looked over his shoulder and saw his wife laying there, incedentally she had been the first one to ever buy any of his engines. He had asked he to dinner that day, and things had gone from there as they tend to do with these things.
Smiling he kissed the top of her head lovingly and got out of bed to start cleaning up the shop.
Not much had changed in the little shop. Looking around one wouldn't suspect that the steam engine produced in this small workshop powered a fair chunk of the homes in the city.
With a soft jingle the door opened Gearbox began making his way to the door walking around machines when he reached the door what he saw froze him in his tracks. Standing there at the front of his shop was that unicorn stallion wearing an evil smirk as more ponies poured in after him.
"Well well well. it would seem as if you have endangered my business", he said in that horrible snide voice of his and he lit up his horn. "I believe you know what that means, don't you"
Feeling the magic bind him in place Gearbox paled as he strained to move his limbs. All the while the group of ponies around him laughed
"Go, burn the place to the ground" said the unicorn, and at his command the other ponies split up and begane pouring flammable liquid over everything.
Gearbox's mind was on one thing and one thing only, his wife, still laying in bed sleeping peacefully. A shrill scream echoed thought the shop as they found her
One of the thugs brought her forward and the unicorn looked at her, "well what have we here? Someone else that's a threat? Well we can't have that now can we?" he said coldly "what to do with you...perhaps i could let her go" at that Gearbox felt a flare of hope in his chest, she might yet live if he cooperated.
"I release you from this ordeal" said the unicorn as his horn flashed. When the light died down where once his wife had been was now oly a scorch mark. As Gearbox looked at the scorch mark he felt himself break. His mind snapped.
With a look of scorn the unicorn mentioned for his men to leave. With that done he looked at Gearbox and smiled an evil smile. and said "why don't you try fixing this" as a single spark shot from his horn to the recesses of the shop. with a large FWOOSH confirming ignition he left and released the spell on Gearbox but not before barring the door, ensuring his demise.
First Gearbox ran to the spot where his wife had been, checking to confirm his fears...they were true, she was gone. There would be time to mourn later but now he had to escape, and avenge his wife.
Looking around for something he could use, he grabbed a small steam engine and his transmuter tool. fighting the heat he quickly made his way to his desk he pulled the drawer open and activated his weapon, with a whir it attached itself to his shoulder, eliciting a cry of intense pain as the hot metal bonded to his flesh and becoming one with his mind.
Loading the weapon he faced the door and with his mind sent an order to the small machine fire. With that one thought a blue mave of force rolled out of the barrel obliterating the wall and allowing him to escape
Once out of the flames he looked around. His emotion caught up to him and as he saw his shop burn to the ground, and thought of his wife he fell to the ground and wept, he wept for all he had lost, he wept for the loss of his beloved wife, and, though he didn't know it, his sanity.
scant minutes passed before he heard it. the whistle of a steam engine that had ruptured. his eyes widened realizing what was about to happen he fled. before he could even rise the workshop exploded with force enough to knock out the hardy earthpony before he could feel the searing heat of boiling water splash on his body
when he woke he looked around and saw he was in a strange white room that had a "sterile" feel to it. then with a suddenness he had yet to experience, his memories crashed into his mind and the tears began to flow again.
