In The Name Of Science

'Keep an eye on this one; one day he will make the world speak of him.'

                                         Mozart's words on hearing the 17 year old Beethoven.

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Daniel was lying there, his body as still as a statue. Both of his eyes were closed and his hands were clenched onto his chest, as if he had just been stabbed. As Lyra waited patiently, Twilight couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt for Daniel. He looked so sad and cold. She took a glance at her green friend, who simply sat there with the same smile she had when they casted the spell. Twilight wasn't sure what to think of this strange mare.

"Lyra?"

Lyra's ears perked up. "Yes Twi?"

"What are you planning on really doing with this human?" she asked, her head tilting slightly.

"Well I was hoping to get some information about its abilities," she said matter-of-factly.

"And what exactly are the abilities that you want to study?"

"You know. How high it can jump, how strong it is and can become, how fast it is." They sat there in silence for a few minutes until Lyra spoke up again. "Oh, there was another thing I wanted to try."

"And that is?"

She sat there and pondered the question for a moment. "I'm wondering if there were any ways to crossbreed with it."

Twilight's eyes widened. "Y-you mean you want to...."

"WHAT!? NO!" She raised her hoofs in defense. "I meant to switch another creature's DNA with this creature."

Lyra couldn't be serious. Crossbreeding like that could be dangerous for the creature or worse, the ponies around them. If they created something extremely dangerous and it escaped, who knows what would happen then? No, this is where she would draw the line.

"No Lyra, there is no way I'm letting you go that far." Lyra looked back at her purple friend with a pleading expression.

"Please Twi," she said with puppy dog eyes, "I'll only mix it with a bird or-or a lizard or something."

Lyra's eyes bore deep into Twilight's soul. But instead of feeling uncomfortable, she felt.....well, she couldn't really describe it. She sat there for a long time just admiring her beautiful.....golden-

"Twi?"

Twilight snapped back to reality. Hiding her blushing face, she quickly looked at the unconscious human inside the containment chamber. Before she could respond, the human started to stir awake.

"Lyra," she whispered.

"Yeah?"

"It's waking up."

They both watched the human wake up from the effects of the spell. After stirring for a minute, he laid still. Both mares scooted up to the screen. Suddenly both of its eyes jolted open, causing the two mares to jump back. Both unicorns stared in fright, wondering what it would do next. But instead of doing anything it just sat there with its eyes wide open.

"Where am I?" he asked, this time without fear in his voice.

Lyra returned to her full height in order to address the creature. "You're, um, in Equestria," she said in a nervous tone, "H-how are you feeling?"

He waited a moment before answering, "Nothing."

Twilight was now standing at her full height now, "Did he say nothing?"

"Yes! Oh, this means the spell worked perfectly!"

"Perfectly?! That spell was only meant to take his memories away. Not make him feel absolutely nothing!" she screamed. But Lyra was too excited to pay attention.

"Just watch Twi," she said in a hushed tone. Her horn lit up in a green aurora, and the chains restraining the creature rose up, only to shatter as Lyra wrenched them apart with her magic. As the metal shards hit the floor, Daniel remained silent and still.

"Stand, human."

Obeying, he stood at his full height. An astonishing two and a half feet taller than the two mares, making him intimidating even compared to Big Macintosh.

"What did we do to it?" Twilight asked.

"That spell didn't just make him lose his memories, it practically erased who he was, and what he was," she said like it was something she did every other day. "Watch this, human!" Daniel did not move from his place. "What are you?" she asked.

"Human."

"What do you feel?"

"Nothing."

"What is your place in this world?"

"I do not know."

"Are you scared?"

"I feel no fear."

"Do you feel brave?"

"I feel no braveness."

"Do you feel courageous?"

"I feel no courage."

"...do you miss your family?"

"I do not have a family."

That last answer left a disgusting feeling in the pit of Twilights stomach. Lyra continued with her questions.

"Will you use your strength?"

"I will when my strength is needed."

"Who are you?"

"I am no one, nothing. Is this the last of your questions?" it asked, a dull tone to its voice.

"Yes, human, please sit down," she said. Obeying, the human sat down, leant its head against the wall, and closed its eyes.

Twilight leaned towards Lyra and whispered; "What is it now?" Lyra kept staring at the human with the same crazed smile she had been wearing all night. She leans back in her chair and smiles.

''Its empty."

The hum of a violin reached his ears. He shifted to try and ignore the noise and fall back asleep. HUMMMMM, where is that noise coming from? HUMMMM DUUUMMM SCREEEAACCHHH! "Damn this thing to hell,'' and an unfamiliar voice. Daniel sits up and looks around at his surroundings. Darkness, nothing but darkness. DUUUUUMMM HUMMMMM DUMMMMM "Ah, that's better." Where is that voice coming from?

"Hello?" he said.

"Behind you, friend,'' Daniel turned around to find a man in who looked to be in his forties sat on a stool. This man wore a large, powdered wig upon his head and wore strange clothes that looked to be from the 1600's. In one hand was a golden violin, in the other he held a bow.

"Who are you?" Daniel asked, standing up. Smiling, the strange man placed the bow on the lowest string of his violin.

"I'll answer that later. For now; just listen, friend." *DUMMMMMM* As he played the low note, ten men holding bronze violins appeared behind him. All wearing similar clothing, and sitting in stools of their own. Simultaneously they started to play the same note. The note started off as piano (soft) and gradually they took a crescendo into forte (loud) and then stopped abruptly. Suddenly hundreds of men and women appeared in an orchestra (or whatever you want to call it.)

Every string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instrument was in this orchestra. The man now stood in front of his band. He raised his arms, violin gone, replaced by a baton. Ever so slightly, he flicked his arms in an upward motion......

and they started to play.

Just then a bright flash of light blinded Daniel. In an instant he found himself in a car with three other men. 'Finally some people,' he thought to himself. Though he didn't know who they were. Stranger, he could still hear the music. As he opened his mouth to say something, another flash of light blinded him. Opening his eyes he saw that he was inside of a unfamiliar bar. All around there were people dancing, getting drunk, and getting laid. In another flash he found himself back in the car with the, now drunk, strangers. Laughing uncontrollably the man in the drivers seat took a left turn towards a large tree. Daniel reached over the seat to grab the wheel, but was surprised when his hand passed through its surface and out the other end. He looked the driver in the face and suddenly recognized him.

It was Daniel driving the car. Suddenly he remembered what had happened; he and two other friends had taken a ride down to a local bar, got drunk, and left, but that's all he could remember before the car was slammed into the trunk of a tree. Daniel hadn't moved an inch, sitting in the same spot as before. The other Daniel didn't look as good. His duplicates head lay on the blood drenched steering wheel. Still the music remained in a happy tune.

And suddenly he was yanked back into the dark room with the strange composer guy...thingy.

"So, did you remember? Or am I going to have to run through that song again?" The stranger said.

"Why am I here? Am I in hell, or is death fucking with me?" Daniel said, ignoring the mans questions. Bringing his hands to his face, he sat down. "Can you help me with this instead of memories?" The man placed a hand on Daniels shoulder.

"Daniel, I can help you remember your past, but I cannot help you with your present problems. That is up to you, but for now, you must return."

"Wait..how did you know my naaaMMMEEEE!!!???" he wailed as the sensation of falling set in.

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"EEEEEE" The human burst back to life screaming, scaring the two unicorns. "TWILIGHT!" Lyra yelped as she proceeded to jump into Twilights arms. Twilight struggled under her wait and both mares fell hard on the ground.

"Well I guess its awake," Twilight said with a chuckle.