Chapter 5: Science Fun and a Mad Tea Party.
After the lunch and the story, James brought the six ponies down to the basement lab. "I want to show you guys what I've been working on.", James said, in excitement. He went to the door, typing in a password, thus opening the door. James entered, with Charlie trailing behind. Followed by the 6 manes. They soon saw what was in his basement.
Inside, there were three giant magnets, hooked up to machines, in which they were hooked up to a big machine. There were also motors, chemicals, and tools that were all on different tables.. There was a drawing table, littered with papers and blueprints. The desk had notebooks, Post-it notes, papers, pens, pencils, and a cup or two. There was a chalkboard with all types of writings, symbols, and equations on it. It also had papers pinned to it and Post-it notes stuck on certain parts.
"Welcome to my Laboratory. This is where I work on my latest inventions, and fix some of my old, broken ones." James said. Rainbow Dash looked around the place, then saw the giant magnets. "How powerful are these things?", she said. James looked at the giant magnets, then at Rainbow Dash. "Powerful enough to warp Physics into rubber." James said. Twilight Sparkle looked at him as if he was crazy. "That's impossible." she said. James looked at the machine, then back at her. "Improbable, would be the right word. And, well... Then again, so is talking ponies and different sub-species." James said. "Yes, but talking ponies make perfect sense." Twilight started. James stopped for a moment, then it occurred to him that Twilight was right.
James then walked back upstairs, heading for his room. The others soon followed back upstairs. "You should meet Princess Celestia. She needs to know about this." Twilight said. James seemed excited by this. "Oh? Good. Could you invite her over for a tea party?"
Princess Celestia was busy trying to work things out with the ponies. The pegasi reported a unexpected tornado that touched down near the edge of the forest. According to that said report, the entire twister looked like a column of wind that went straight up from the sky. She had the strangest feeling, as if there was a dimensional anomaly that was possibly that twister. She thought also that she was going mad.
Just when she thought everything was falling apart, all of a sudden, a letter flew in from Twilight Sparkle. She unfurled the letter, looking at it, only to find out that it wasn't Twilight Sparkle. It was instead the answer she was looking for. The answer to the maddening question she was looking for. She then closed up the letter, and turned to her sister. "Luna, I believe we have been invited to a tea party." "A tea party? I haven't been to one in a long time." Luna said. She thought it out for a second, then said in excitement, "Let's go!"
Flying high over the Everfree Forest, they soon felt the disturbance in the magnetic field. Thankfully, they had two internal compasses. So they knew where the true magnetic north was.
They soon saw the upside-down house, re-modified. They landed right in the middle of the clearing, seeing the mess left over from the twister. Both sisters looked at each other, then back at the odd place they've landed in. They looked around for a moment ,then they went up to the door, and knocked on it. The door opens to reveal a oddly dressed being. "Ah, you must be Princess Celestia and her sister, Princess Luna. Do come in.", James said. "Curiouser and curiouser?" Luna said. They soon entered the house, not noticing James snickering, as if they just told him a joke. James closed the door, followed by locking it. He soon ran to the table, jumping into a chair.
He was dressed in a suit vest, with a golden bowtie. He had a long overcoat, a pair of bright green converse shoes, and a hat with a label. It said, "10/6" on it.
"Come, come. Sit, sit.", James said. They both sat down at the table, as he started to prepare tea. "Half a cup?" "If you don't mind.", Celestia said. James nodded, then poured the tea. He then cut the cup with the tea in half. Both Celestia and Luna were amazed at the stranger's tricks. "Cream? Sugar?", he asked. Celestia nodded on the request, and he poured the creamer into the tea. He held out a sugarcube. "Two please.", she said, in amazement. He placed two into the "half-cup" and gave it to Celestia. "No creamer, two please.", Luna said. James nodded, placing two sugars in it, then gave the other "half-cup" to Luna. He then grabbed a teapot. "I usually like it any way. Sugar, creamer, or straight.", he said.
It was at this point, he poured out a saucer, teacup, tea, cream, and sugar. Then finally, the spoon. James smiled, looking at their surprised looks, then, after stirring the tea, he drank it. He then set the teacup and saucer down, then said, "Well, let's get down to business. Where shall we start?" he said, rubbing his hands.
Both sister looked at each other, then back at the hatter. "Do you know... Discord?", Celestia said. James was confused at the question. "Who?", James said. Luna's horn glowed, quickly skimming over James mind. She then said, "He doesn't know Discord. He's just doing this for our amusement.". James thought for a moment, then smacked his forehead, having a 'a duh!' moment. "If you guys think that I'm a threat, then you're mistaken.", he said. He then poured tea down his shirt, causing it to pour out of his sleeve. They were once again shocked. He then smirked, but it wasn't Discord's smirk. "First impressions are key to meeting a foreigner. Especially, with someone of royalty.", he said. He then sipped his tea, then spoke again. "This place is completely modified. The physics is all... rubber-y, because of super-powerful magnets underneath my home. The house is fixed so all rooms are right-side up, and my experiments are all in the basement.", he then sips his tea, finishing it completely, then he adds, "Questions?" He smiled at them, as if this was normal.
Both sisters' brains was trying to absorb the information. He then gets up, grabs a teapot, then cracks it like a egg, releasing the tea into the teacup. "Follow me.", he said. They nod, following the odd scientist. Heading downstairs, he types in his password, and the door opens. They soon were in surprise and awe at the laboratory. James went behind a device, hiding him to undress. He pulled a lever, flipped a switch, then pressed a button. Soon it started quickly undressing and redressing the scientist.
Both Celestia and Luna were surprised to see him dressed differently than before.
He was dressed in a pair of jeans, a pair of blue converse shoes were on his feet. He wore a button-up hawaiian shirt, a lab coat and a pair of aviation goggles were perched on top of his head.
"What species are you?", Luna asked. James thought for a moment, then said, "Well, the species I come from has many names. Scientists call us "Homo-sapiens". A male is called "man". A female is called "woman". But all around, we're called "humans"." This took Celestia and Luna by surprise, remembering a case in which a pony claimed about the truth about humans. 'Lyra, at least... I think that was her name-.' Celestia was soon interrupted in thought when a explosion happened.
"Whoops." he said, running towards the chemicals. He quickly poured a yellow liquid on the bubbling liquid in the glass cup. There was a pop, then it only started smoking. He placed a hat on his head, then he drank a sip of it. His eyes went wide, to which there was a lift as he took a deep breath, then a pop and the hat flew away.
He shook his head, then placed the stuff down. "Welcome to my Laboratory." James said. They looked around in awe, surprised at what he had. Turning around, they saw he was working on his chemistry, trying to get it to work. While boiling one, he stuck his hand in another. He then stuck it under a hot flame, catching it on fire. He did not scream out in pain, but instead, starting to write notes. Celestia and Luna looked surprised at what was happening. As soon as he was done with the notes, he then walked over to the two princesses. "Let's get started on the tour.", James said, then noticed the shocked looks on their faces. "What's wrong?", he asks. Luna, still in shock, pointed toward his right arm. He looked at it, then remembered. "Ahhh.", he said, in a relaxed realization, then blew out the flame, causing his arm to smoke. He then walked to the giant magnet machine.
Sitting on three separate machines were three giant magnets. One of them had a giant, four-bladed wisk, which spun rapidly. "This here regulates these giant electro-magnets. Thereby, it allows the house to hide in plain sight. It also warps reality a little bit, like rubber.", James said. He then shows them the Chemistry Lab. "Here, I test chemicals on me or my dog and partner, Charlie. From flameproof liquids, to transformation concoctions.", James said. James then grabbed the large beaker, full of stuff. "Luna, hold out your hoof.", he said. Luna looked at the scientist, then at her sister, who in turn nodded. She gulped, then held out her hoof. James rubbed her hoof and arm with the odd chemical. Then took a swig of alcohol, from his flask. They noticed it said, "Meh.", then turned their attention back as James lit a match. He then spat the alcohol, though the flame, causing Luna's arm to catch fire.
"Luna, don't panic.", James said. She started to, but then noticed that it didn't hurt. Celestia was intrigued, as well as Luna. James then pulled out a metal pole with three marshmallow on them, and held it over the flame. "The chemical appears to have removed the pain in your arm.", Celestia said. James just shook his head, then said, "Nope! Actually, it makes your sister, and anyone who puts this liquid on, Flame resistant.". He then pulled the marshmallows out and blew out the flame on Luna's arm. He pulled off one, then held out the stick, motioning to take one.
They did. He then held up the marshmallow, then said, "Here's to the future, may it be a bright one." The princess looked at eachother, then smiled, "Hear, hear." They clinked marshmallow, then ate them.