I knew it, I knew it, I knew it, I knew it! I called that question before she even said it, though I did see the question coming due to it being the only critical one left unasked. Though how am I going to fit Celestia, some guards, and me into a single elevator? I mean seriously, the thing can only hold maybe three people at most, not to mention that I really don’t feel like having the elevator cable snap due to our weight. And I’m not saying that the guards and the princess are fat! Just that I would rather not take the risk. I’m ranting in my still aren’t I? I look up and see Celestia with an expectant look, so I nod my head quickly. “Yes, sure, um… i-it’s this way, but, just to make sure, are, uh, you okay with riding in an elevator?”
Why am I stuttering now of all times? I guess the anxiety of the situation is finally catching up to me; my only question is why it took so long. “An elevator you say? I am perfectly fine with riding in one but why do you have one, other than presumably transporting us to the ‘engine’. Would you care to explain?” Well at least she’s not claustrophobic, that’s a plus. “The reason for the elevator is, yes, to take me down to my workshop. The other reason is because I didn’t want to be forced to walk up and down five hundred feet of stairs.” Celestia nods her head, presumably in agreement, but just as she looks like shes about to speak again Twilight teleports right in front of Celestia and I, accompanied with a bright purple light and a popping sound. In an instant I went from standing to air borne, and then staring up at my ceiling. And I did not scream! It was a masculine yelp, there’s a difference.
I pick myself up quickly and see Celestia with a smile on her face, and Twilight was holding a hand over her mouth suppressing some laughter. It was not that funny! Stupid magic, and it’s teleporting nonsense. “Okay, first I’m going to deny that any of what just happened, happened, and secondly let’s get going to the work shop. The elevator is this way.” I quickly walk past the two, still amused, princesses to the elevator door/doors. The actual elevator doors are hidden behind a seemingly normal bedroom door, so I open the first door and hit the ‘call’ button to open the elevator and motion for the princesses, who were still smiling (!), into the elevator. Once they piled in, I walk into the very small space left and hit the down button.
Thank the heavens for some peace and, somewhat awkward, silence. “How far down dose this elevator go Panda?” Or not, of course Twilight had to ask a question. I look at the dial above the doors, we’re only half way there. “It goes down five hundred feet.” I answer it nice, clean, and simple so that I didn’t have to talk more than I wanted to, and just as a deterrent for more conversation I switched on the radio that plays from my personal collection of music because when I’m in an elevator I want some good music dang nab bit! So before Twilight, or Celestia, could ask another question a soft melody started to play. Oh, it’s one of my personal songs. Great.
I would love to get to know you, so you could know me.
A candle lit dinner, made for two,
One for a hopeless romantic, the other for you.
I forgot that I even made this song, though by made I only wrote it, I paid another composer to sing it since he had a deep old school voice, kind of like the singer in the Moonlight Cocktail. I look over to the Princesses to see their reactions, and color me surprised; they both seem to be swaying slightly to the music. Heh, royalty like my music.
A glass of wine, and a flower bouquet,
A round of dancing, to the fifties music I play,
A night on the town, we can go to the park,
Lie under the night sky, and watch the stars.
Again I look over to the Princesses and see Celestia still swaying slightly to the music with a small smile on her lips. As if remembering a cherished memory and Twilight is in what I would almost call a daze, or even a hopeful, boarding on a wanting, look.
I would love to get to know you, so you could know me,
A hopeless romantic, on a love sick spree,
Will you go on this loving date with me,
And make me happy for the rest of my life?
With that last sentence, the song finally came to a close, and right on time too, the elevator just stopped and opened its doors. I walked out of the elevator, thankful not to be in that cramped space any longer. I walk ahead, somewhat expecting the two princesses to be right behind me, but hear a distinct lack of footsteps behind me. So I turn around to see what’s holding them up, it’s not like they had to take off their shoes or anything, and surprisingly neither of them have moved. I don’t think they even know that the music and elevator stopped because they both still have those weird looks on their faces. So I fake a loud cough, and both princesses snap out of their dazes.
Both princesses mutter something but quickly step out of the elevator and into my workshop, and even though both looked like they wanted to ask me something, those questions died when they saw the workshop in all its technological glory. Though the thing that captured their attention the most is the massive amalgamation of wires, pipes, and metal that was the quote en quote engine. “Mr. Skies, I’m going to presume that this contraption is the engine?” Well at least Celestia is strait to the point, so I nod. “Yes, this – this technological wonder that I have created is the engine. I’m going to assume you’d both like to know how this operates.” They both nod, though Celestia looks more intrigued, while Twilight look like she’s in complete awe.
“Okay, I'm going to attempt to explain this is semi simple terms.The engine itself is what I call a Pebble-bed Reactor, or a PBR for short. Instead of having water to cool the quote en quote pebbles, the spaces between the pebbles allow pure carbon dioxide to flow through and cool the pebbles. The reactor itself can reach temperatures of up to two thousand degrees Celsius, but it would never reach the critical temperature due to this designs passive cooling. As for what the engine can do, and the operating conditions it can work under, almost anything. The reactor can be used to turn a turbine to run a machine, or produce electricity via a turbine with the excessive heat produced, and since my design is simplistic it can be used in extreme conditions like sub-zero temperatures and extreme heat. As for fuel consumption, you would have to replace the uranium beads at least once every year, and do a check ten times a year.” You know what? It’s actually fun explaining something like this, you get a sense of pride knowing that you made something that no one else has.
The silence is still going; I guess I kind of broke Twilight. She looks like she just died and came back after seeing some freaky stuff, while Celestia, on the other hand, is now looking at me with a thoughtful smile on her face. That still creeps me out. “I think I know exactly what to do with you Mr. Skies, though I have one question left to ask. Due to your knowledge on this engine, you will not be imprisoned, but you will be put under house arrest until I deem you fit to return to society. Further more you will have a warden, if you will, living with you. But first, Twilight are you sure that you and her are okay with doing this?” Wait, what does she mean by that? And who is ‘her’? “Now for the question I mentioned. How do you like Barb?”
I’m pretty sure my brain died, because it feels like I have no mental functions right now. “ I, uh, I-I mean shes nice, strong, uh, cute. W-wait! I didn’t mean to say that! I meant-uh…” Well, I’m pretty sure if I keep talking I’ll say even more that I don’t want to say, so I just snap my mouth shut in embarrassment while my face is burning. And no it’s not because I got set on fire by Celestia, though when I look up at her she’s just smiling away, while nodding softly. “Well at least you hold good regards for her, though you better keep certain comments to yourself because she’s your new warden, and your new roommate, as the kids these days say.”
Well there goes my brain. Bye bye.