Chronicles of Luna: Future Past Equation

by Pony of Science

Chapter 5: Variables

Chapter 5: Variables

Chamber 12 of 19; Luna had been solving the chambers at a brisk pace, and had gotten to this point in an hour.

Part of Luna wondered how much scientific progress could be made from an Alicorn completing a series of tests intended for earth ponies 30 years ago, but then another part was just happy Gladiola didn’t arbitrarily change the course she was on.

That fact, more than likely, was due to the fact Gladiola’s attention had been primarily focused on chastising and browbeating her sister.

Luna had to wonder how much of what she overheard sounded like her before, or even during, her transformation into Nightmare Moon.

It seemed with each test chamber Sunflower successfully passed; she was simply castigated, while Luna received if anything a compulsory recognition that she even achieved the goal.

“ Yeesh, It’s amazing how much trouble two sisters can cause another, especially for ones who’ve been separated for so long.” Velvet Violet responded, listening intently.

“ If ya’ll caught the live show, ahmazin’ wouldn’t quite be the word for it.” Silver Rose answered.

“ We aren’t now?” Luna asked as she walked toward the mechanical springboard, like the ones she’d encountered from the last test chamber.

Neither Rose nor Velvet had an answer for the question, so Luna simply jumped onto the springboard to begin the sequential chain.

True, she could have simply used her wings, but Luna thought that wouldn’t be in the spirit of the test; plus that might further upset Gladiola, and that would be unwise under the circumstances. It was also rather fun soaring through the room without her wings.

After crossing to the end platform, Luna’s earpiece gave the now familiar incoming call ring. “Princess Luna, This is Lead Balloon, Head of the Royal Canterlot Science Commission. I hope your well?”

“ About as well as one can be, though I don’t find the fact that I’ve been drafted into the service of science very pleasant. Fortunately I’m not the focus of Platinum Gladiola’s wrath. Not yet anyway.”

Lead Balloon responded to Luna“ Ah, I see you’ve been catching up on the family drama, and unfortunately, that may just be the beginning of our problems.I’ll be frank: If this can’t be resolved, the whole of Equestria science, if not Equestria itself, could be in jeopardy. As much as I hate to impose, I’m afraid that task is up to you. As the only outside party involved in this, you’re our best chance to stop Gladiola and keep this from escalating.”

Luna took a moment before responding. “ I understand that keeping Platinum Gladiola from exacting her revenge is in the best interest of herself, her family, and the staff; but what do you mean by escalating the situation?”

Lead Balloon explained, a tone of concern clearly in his voice. “ Gladiola’s long unresolved emotional and personal issues, coupled with what seems to be the decades of wrongful imprisonment in her own facility, clearly hasn’t done her disposition any good. If she truly is as powerful in that facility as we theorize, she quite likely isn’t going to stop with Quark and her sister. We have to consider the possibility that her sanity may begin to fall apart due to the long period of solitary confinement. All of Equestria could be forced to experience her pain as a result. This unfortunate turn of events could be the beginning. ”

After a long pause, Luna started up the conversation again “Ms. Velvet Violet, Ms. Silver Rose, would that be an accurate guess?”

Velvet cued up a response first. “ Based on my experience and research, many ponies can suffer from severe mental issues due to long periods of confinement and isolation. While I can guess how she’s managed to keep herself in a functioning mental state, how long she can remain so without help or intervention is completely unknown.”

Rose spoke up next” Ah may not have my niece’s expertise, but one thing I know about Gladiola: She haides everything. Her work, her life, her emotions; even before all this, we had little to no clue about it. If ya’ll want to stop her, ya’ll have to get her to open up, no matter how much she may not want to, no matter how much it may hurt.”

“Ah ha, that explains it, have we been having a nice chat?” Gladiola’s voice interrupted, to the surprise and dismay of all those involved.” I had been wondering why my star test subject had suddenly stopped after making such excellent progress. I take it Lead Balloon has been doing his ‘worst case scenario’ spiel.”

“Can you honestly say that it isn’t unwarranted? I haven’t exactly seen anything of your current behavior that would prove otherwise. Speaking of proof; what exactly do you hope to accomplish by dragooning an old, scared mare from your past to testing on old track? “ Luna responded.

She was taking was Rose had said the most to heart, and by trying to get Gladiola to use hers, she may be able to get her to stop. Granted, Luna did so with unmistakable Royal authority.

“ Ah realize….I realize that, despite my earlier statement every pony is your royal duty to keep all the residents of Equestria safe, but her test is much more about personal obligation and responsibility on her part; a fact that, while she might not appreciate my methods, are within my legal capacity. And despite how it may appear, she is in no danger of personal harm. She may get her feelings hurt, due to criticism, but that’s not entire undeserved.”

Luna noted that the accent had crept back more noticeably, if briefly. Perhaps exposure to her sisters had a hoof in that.

Another point, one perhaps more telling, was Gladiola’s more cooperative nature. Most likely she had listened in on the conversation regarding her psychological state, and acted accordingly.

Luna had to wonder if Gladiola’s technological omniscience would be as easy to relinquish; would she be able to stop being an entity with such power and influence, to go back to being who she was so long ago, even with all the help she could receive?

“ Speaking of undeserved and hurt feelings, Gossamer Shield, how many more nicknames have you come up with in my absence?” Gladiola continued, clearly taking the opportunity to air additional grievances.

Unfortunately, Sunflower decided that it was her turn to do the same. “Ahll right Gladiola, ah’ve had just enough of your harangue; ah admit that mah behavior was bad, but…”

“But bad doesn’t even begin to cover it.” Gladiola retorted.

But Sunflower continued, despite what a obviously poor decision it was.

“Yer being unfair, sure the cake thing was an awful thing to do, but what could ah have done that could stand out to deserve this.” Rose and Velvet could practically feel the answer coming.

“Ball.Point.” Was all Gladiola said.

“I’m going to take a guess, the ex fiancée?” Luna asked.

Rose added, grimly “And Sunflowers ex-husband.”

Luna could feel a headache coming again after that information was relayed. “Yes, that would be enough for any pony” Luna replied.

Sunflower continued to defend her actions “ Y,ya’ll said it didn’t matter. Ah admit it was wrong to steal him from ya, but ya’ll said…”

“ I said I knew you couldn’t stop yourself. You could never let me have something you can’t. You did it to try t hurt me again, and I knew it. I said You didn’t matter.” Gladiola corrected.

Offended, Sunflower attempted to answer her sister’s cold reassessment. “ Ah, Ah… That is completely… You. ..Ah’ll have ya’ll know that it only lasted three years. He said ah was a fraud, his lawyer made me look like a liar and a stupid fool.”

“ And I’d say he was right on the bits with that. I have to wonder, which promise did you fail to deliver at that finally drove him away?” Gladiola wasn’t surprised by the fact that her marriage didn’t last, but even a stallion like Ball Point had a limit to his patience and understanding.

Sunflower was at the point of tears. “ Ya’ll are the worst pony evuh, Gladiola. Ah can’t believe ya’ll could be that heartless.”

“Pot and the Kettle, Dear. And what are you on about? I haven’t exactly been in the loop, thanks in part to you after all. Or did the past three decades erode what’s left of your mind” Gladiola had clearly touched a nerve.

“ Ah didn’t know, how could ah have known. Everything ah tried fell apart, but ah thought I could make it work. Our mothuh nevah had a marriage that lasted, all four ended in divorce. Rose wus lucky, at least in that respect. Ah happy marriage, loving husband, two foals, successful career. Then there’s you; the smart one, the prodigy. Where does that leave me? Failed marriage, failed career, faded looks, no…no… Ya’ll don’t know what it’s like! Mothuh put everything she hoped for herself into mah head, and ah could nevah make it work.” Sunflower clearly was on a roll with her rant.

Gladiola wasn’t sure were this was going, but when Sunflower got like this, she had a nasty tendency to say things she’d regret.

“ And now, here ah am, forced to participate in this twisted game because of another mistake, one that wasn’t even mah idea, so that ya’ll can air every grievance since foalhood. Ya’ll know what, ah ain’t doin’ it anymore. And If ya’ll don’t like it, too bad, cuz there ain’t nuthin’ ya’ll can do about it, Gladicake!”