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// Chapter 1: Start Thinking With Portals 
// Story: Equestrian Science Innovations Laboratories 
// by GuyInTheCorner 
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	“Equestrian Science?” Applejack said, taking a bite out of a hay sandwich. “Ah can’t say Ah’ve ever heard of it, sugercube.” She chewed the sandwich slowly. 
“I really don’t care about it,” Rainbow said dryly, a bored look on her face. “Science is for eggheads.” She stared up at the sky, watching some clouds being pushed around by a group of weather ponies. She leaned down and took a bite out of some cake before looking back her latest Daring Do book, “Daring Do and the Journey to Pearl Pyramid.”  It was bound in a silky material Rarity had given to her for the sole purpose of protecting her books. She turned the page gently, not even thinking about the consequences of tearing a single page in her perfectly awesome book. 
“That’s what you said about that book,” Twilight said, rolling her eyes and pointing a hoof at Dash’s book. “Just let me finish. It’s a really neat place. It’s developed some of the most advanced technology in Equestria.” She lifted her own sandwich with some magic and took a delicate bite out of it, chewing slowly. Cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, some peppers…no need to rush the sandwich. She had learned to make an almost perfect sandwich the day before, thanks to the book “The Art of the Sandwich, Vol. 1.” A ridiculous book, but she liked it anyway. Written by somepony by the name of Loudspeaker? Apparently he liked sandwiches enough to make a Ten-volume series about the perfect sandwich. 
The three friends sat around a picnic blanket on a hill, overlooking their town. Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy weren’t able to make it on this given day. Rarity was too busy with an order from Fancypants, Pinkie was foal sitting Pumpkin and Poundcake, and Fluttershy was helping her out. In front of the group of friends sat a picnic basket filled with sandwiches, pastries, and other confections and snack. Pinkie had been kind enough to bake the three some cakes before they left, and Applejack had cooked up some apple pie and other apple-related products, of course. After spending about 15 minutes eating and talking about their days, and a little more, Twilight had  decided to bring up a real subject and struck up a conversation about a science lab not too far from Canterlot she had visited the other day. 
“Science is for eggheads,” Rainbow Dash repeated, using a strong tone, usually not used unless telling somepony a family member had a terrible accident or informing them of some other tragic event. “I prefer adventure.  You know, something that’s not boring. Ever heard of it?” She looked Twilight in the eye, raising one eyebrow. “Science is boring.” She continued using a forceful tone, making sure her point got across. 
“Well, not Equestrian Science Innovations Laboratories,” Twilight responded, emphasizing each and every word in the long name, making sure not to miss anything. “They like to use ponies as test groups. You go there, they stick you in a large testing area with some equipment, and you start moving through testing chambers. I tried a few last week.” She put her sandwich down, now caught up with their conversation. “Ever heard of a Hoof-Held Portal Device? Or maybe the Gel-Cannon?” 
Rainbow looked at her, dumbfounded. Applejack, taking a large bite out of an apple, looked to Twilight as well. “Ah never have. They sound fancy-like. What are they?” 
Twilight smiled at the orange cowpony. “I’m glad you asked.” She picked back up her snack and took another bite, making sure to swallow before she opened her mouth to talk again. “They are Equestrian Labs prized inventions, followed by their Artificial Intelligence robots. The Hoof-held Aperture Quantum Portal Device—or Portal Gun, as testers call it—generates two colored quantum wormholes on any flat surface. No matter the distance between them, any object passed through one will come out the other almost spontaneously. No matter the distance between the portals, any object the right size will pass through either seamlessly, retaining any speed, momentum, or other motion forces that were applied to them during or before entrance of the portals. In other words, flying through one at sonic speed would result in you coming out the other at the same speed. Or, on a more realistic scale, jumping off a cliff into a portal on the flat ground and coming out one next to it would result in you flying out the second one retaining the speed from the fall.”  Applejack and Rainbow looked at the studios unicorn with shock and awe on their faces, jaws dropped so unrealistically that it would make Pinkie Pie proud. 
“What?” The earth pony and Pegasus said together.  
Twilight laughed. “I didn’t really expect you to even understand that. But you get the main idea, right?” She looked at the two, swapping glances from one to the other. 
“Um…kind of?” Rainbow said. “But I guess it does sound kinda…” She trailed off, becoming inaudible. 
“What was that? I couldn’t hear you.” The unicorn put a hoof to her ear and raised her brow. 
“It said it was…” The rainbow-manned pegasus trailed off again. He eyes darted around. “I guess its kina…” She gulped. “Cool…” 
“I thought that’s what you would say,” Twilight stated proudly, a smile on her face. “But there’s more! They also built the Hoof-Held Gel Cannon. To date, Equestrian Science has manufactured over seven kinds of special gels, each with a different effect from a range of exploding to being bouncy. Each of these gels are stored in a Gel Cannon, each being capable of being fired from the cannon, which highly resembles a Portal Gun. You follow?” 
Her two friends nodded. “Uh, Twilight?” AJ interrupted. “Where are yah goin’ with this?” she asked. 
“Easy!” The unicorn exclaimed loudly. “How would you two like to go with me tomorrow as test subjects!?” She smiled widely, looked intensely at her two friends, awaiting an answer.
“Sugercube,” Applejack said. “Ah’d love to, but Sweet Apple Acres is goin through some financial troubles. Ah need to stay here and work overtime—”
“Did I mention they pay their test subjects?” Twilight interrupted. She took a bite of her sandwich.
AJ stared back at her. “Cash or Credit?” 
“They’re in between banks. So cash.” Twilight took another bite. 
“Um…Ah guess Ah’ll go.” AJ nodded at her friend. “And what about ya, Rainbow?”
“Um…” Rainbow looked at her friends, conflicted. Science? Adventure? She didn’t know if the two could be combined. “Um…uh…” She was the Element of Loyalty. The choice should be obvious. She took a deep breath.
“I’ll go,” she said. She sighed.
“Yay!” Twilight said, clapping her hooves. “This is going to be so much fun!” She squeed. “I have to go get myself ready! Bye girls!” Twilight picket up her stuff telepathically and galloped off homeward, giggling with excitement all the way. 
“What have we done?” Rainbow said.