The skies over Ponyville were dark. This was highly unusual to happen by itself, much more so on a warm Tuesday morning, and even more so just a few days after the last thunderstorm. Even if the Sun would be unrivaled by any clouds for its place in the sky however, nopony would enjoy it. One pony in particular wouldn't react even if the Sun came crashing down onto Equestria, though seeing the weather unfold filled her with an odd glee. She quickly dashed back into the library and into the basement. There, she didn't waste any time hitting buttons and pulling levers to turn on all of the machinery that had kept her busy for the past days. Soon, all would work out, she'd reap the rewards for her efforts, and Ponyville would stop calling her crazy, at least for some time. Everything would be just fine again. She went through the procedure one last time, simultaneously reading it from the textbook to ensure she hadn't missed a mistake in the circuitry the first forty-nine times she had checked it. Everything had to be perfect the first time, for she didn't dare imagine the consequences if it weren't. Everything was in order, though. Lights shone, two protocolling machines produced yet steady graphs, and beeps, well, beeped. She wasn't entirely comfortable surrounded by such machinery, she had to admit. Neither would she ever have imagined voluntarily teaching herself any scientific procedure, much less with the help of books. She yawned and turned up the lights to help her stay attentive. There couldn't be a screwup now, even though she hadn't slept in forty hours. They would forgive her for it, but she wouldn't be able to forgive herself. The time had come, she could feel it. Her pacing through the circular room was rudely interrupted when she stumbled over something on the ground and nearly knocked over the sleeping beauty in the middle of the room. It hadn't been theft, she thought. After all, it was impossible to steal something that belonged to her, if anypony at all. Almost enraged, she turned to see what had made her trip was a book on general electronics that she no longer needed. As punishment for its sins, she kicked it across the room, where it slid down a wall, behind a table and out of sight. Tripping hazards were a luxury she simply couldn't afford. Suddenly, one of the machines started blinking its lights and ringing its alarms. This was the moment which she had both been awaiting for an eternity and hoped would never come. Still, no matter how fast anxiety and fear made her heart beat, there was no more backing out any more. She pulled the lever to lower a mysterious rod into the room, then hit the button to deisolate the wires connected to it. It was about to happen, a matter of seconds, she could feel it. Her heart was beating fast enough for two ponies. Everything was ready. Now the only thing she could do was wait. And wait. And wait. Just when she wanted to reopen her eyes, cursing the seconds for taking so long to pass, all of her wishes were fulfilled. Despite isolation, the bang that resulted was deafening, ricocheting off the walls, creating a cascade that went on for far longer than it should. While researching the concerning theory in ancient scrolls, she had read up something that lightning apparently also struck in the magical plane simultaneously, adding an essence blast to the physical one. She hadn't bothered with it for too long, though, discarding it as soon as it proved unhelpful to her cause. Now, however, she had to admit that there was something to the theory as she was thrown backwards with her head hitting the wall, managing to stay conscious only through pure willpower. The moment was far too precious for her to miss it. Forcing herself up and running back to the table, she quickly went through every nonpositive emotion available upon discovering her experiment didn't seem to have had any effect.
"How can this be? Maybe they were right, maybe it's impossible... maybe I just have to kiss it awake..." After whispering to herself, she quickly, but gently, pressed her lips onto her subject. She didn't want it to have failed, she didn't want to let go. However, those doubts slowly came to her as the seconds passed one by one with their muzzles still in firm contact with each other. She just had to face it, she was no electrician, much less a scientist or engineer. She was just a silly little mare afraid to face reality. She stepped back, leaving the table and what was on it stained in hot tears, and mentally prepared to begin unbuilding everything. Just when she had turned her back though, she heard a sound that hadn't been there before. It was faint, perhaps even imagined, but that was enough for her. Instantly, she whirled around. "Ah, what am I telling myself, it's just reactions to the electricity. Why did I even think this would work in the first- whoa, did it just?"
The sound returned and increased in strength, becoming clearly noticeable even over the noise of all the devices in the background. Anything she had felt while bent over the table was now gone from her heart, replaced with pure rapture. She couldn't believe she had actually done it. It was working.
Canterlot Castle was flooded. Other occasions, such as the Grand Galloping Gala, had seen it full already, but none of them could hold any comparison to this. Oddly enough, nopony out of the entire crowd really knew why they were there. They had been summoned on behalf of Princess Celestia's prized student, but there had been no information beyond that, even though some rumors had arisen. They wouldn't have to wait for much longer in any case. Every head in the room turned forwards as Twilight Sparkle stepped towards the veiled podest.
"Good evening fillies and gentlecolts. I'm glad to see you all collected here as I present to you something that I am sure will change Equestria forever. Behold..." she pulled off the cloth covering the device, "the triple toaster!"
