//------------------------------//
// Chapter 04 - Dinner & Talking 1 
// Story: Backyard Anomaly 
// by Marmo 
//------------------------------//


The Backyard Anomaly

Chapter 4 – Dinner & Talking 1






“Hey Michael, have you heard about the reports and calls we got about that new anomaly?” Says Kyle with excitement. He is Michaels college who works on the same projects with him. Both are wearing a haz-mat suit while working on some probes of a mutated creature. Right in front them were two long tentacles. They apparently belong to a huge octopus’ creature which is able to secrete acids which can even dissolve the strongest steel.

Michael uses his scalpel and cuts into the flesh. Some green substance sizzles out of the tentacle and as he retracts his blade, it’s already gone, the green acid clearly still a hazard. He sighs and grabs a laser scalpel and continues working with that device.

“Huh? A new anomaly?” Michael is more focused on his work than with his colleague. He carefully cuts out a cross section of the tentacle arm with precision.

“Well haven’t you seen the pictures? It’s some sort of weird horse with wings and a horn. Isn’t that crazy?”

Michael jerks and the laser beam of his device connects swiftly with his haz mat suit, burning a hole into the finger portion and burning his skin below.

“Aww fuck!”

The electronics in his suit immediately start beeping as pressure is lost. Calmly, he reaches for a duct tape dispenser below the desk and repairs the leak in his suit as if it wasn’t a big deal. The haz-mat suits were usually a bit overkill, so there was no need for panic. But it’s a safety procedure, which the higher-ups installed after a few… incidents.

“Michael, you alright?” Retorts Kyle with a chuckle as he turns towards Michael. “You seem to be a bit distracted today, mate.”

“Yea, I’m fine. So did they catch this horse-anomaly?” Michael soon feels his suit heating up more than usually, tiny pearls of sweat starting to form on his forehead.

“Not yet, but reports from various people indicate that this creature seems to have psychokinetic capabilities, like levitating objects and other crazy things! Vogel already thinks about using its power for various inventions (Vogel is the boss of their local ACASC branch where Michael happens to work. (Yes, he’s German))

Michael looks town towards his probe in front of his workdesk, not moving much.

“Whatever this creature is, studying it and understanding how it works and what its made of could be the discovery of the decade! I’m so excited.”

“Yea you are right. That really is quite something huh?”

Kyle nods and then looks at the clock on the wall of the lab.

“You wanna grab a pint later? The local pub has a football night.”

“Oh, I’d love to. But I have some relatives over, and they need my help with… something.” Michael is glad that he still is in his suit since he is a bad liar, and he knows it. The suit practically hides his facial features and even some aspects of his unsure voice.

“Ahhh sucks, mate!” Kyle walks into the airlock. “Well see you on Monday, maybe by then our searchers have already found this new anomaly.

“Yea, I bet!” he gives off a fake laugh and picks the tray with his probe up, putting it into a freezer.

“Have a great weekend, mate.”

“You too, Kyle.”

Michael waits until his colleague exits the airlock fully, he then mutters silently under his breath. 

“Bloody fuck…”

He turns around and gives the security camera mounted on the ceiling a glimpse. Then Michael also walks towards the airlock. He pushes a button, and he immediately gets sanitized with UV light and some substance being sprayed all over him.

While driving home from work, he is in deep thought. Was it really a good idea to keep Celestia in his home? He could get in real trouble. Then he thinks about Vogel and his desire for knowledge. Every last bit had to be squeezed out. May it be for profits or for the simple fact that he gains political powers with the inventions his researchers come up with. Usually, they are beneficial for the world, but he knows that the higher-up’s in the ACASC have quite their methods to get what they want.

Michael gasps in shock and steers back into his lane as he almost crashed into an oncoming car from the other lane. He was in such deep thought that he almost made an accident. A lethal one. A shiver runs down his spine and he grips the steering wheel firmly, carefully paying attention to the road now.

Soon his car rolls into the driveway of his posh home. Letting out a sigh, he exits the car and walks towards his front door.

-The house seems to be still intact.-

“So far so good…” He mutters under his breath.

Putting the key into the lock, he slowly opens his door and steps carefully inside. With paranoia, he looks over his shoulder to check if anyone is there while closing the door firmly. He then locks it with his head turned over his shoulder, looking for the alien horse.

“Celestia?” He calls into the seemingly empty house. It is now that he realizes that there is something off. Not off in a bad way. Not at all. His entire living room seems to sparkle with cleanliness. He carefully walks over the shiny-clean linoleum towards his favorite recliner.

“Woha… What happened here?” He mutters in disbelief, a smile on his lips as he notices his kitchen in its former glory.
The mess from this morning seems to be fully gone. The stove and every last bit of charcoal and fire extinguisher powder seem to have vanished. The surfaces are shiny and a smell of lemon could be noticed as he walks towards the kitchen area.



“Hello, Michael. I’m here.” Celestia answers towards him, her voice coming from the room upstairs which they were in yesterday.

“Have you had a good day?”

Michael blinks a few times, wondering why this alien horse is so comfortable with him… So casual.

“Uhm, yes. It was alright.”

Soon he hears the clip-clop noises and Celestia trots down the stairs carefully. It was now that he saw her in proper condition. Her coat is snow-white and pristine. Her mane and tail seem to wave gently as if a wind would blow through them and he could already smell his own shampoo in the air. Apparently, she took another shower after the mess in the morning.

She looks like an entirely different creature right now. She gives Michael a smile, clearly proud and happy that the state of his house is to his liking.

“What happened here? Did you…?”

Celestia gives him a nod and a soft smile.

“How?! The kitchen looked like a bomb went off!” He exclaims in disbelief.

She gives him a happy smirk. “Well, I used some of my magic. Like yesterday with the… window incident.” She is now smiling sheepishly at him.

Michael is still quite blown away. Never ever has his house been this clean. Even the windows are crystal clear like the freshest spring water.

“Well, it looks amazing. Thank you, Celestia… really.”

“It’s the least I could have done after… the little incident this morning.” 

“Oh wait! I have something for you.”

Michael takes off his backpack from work and opens it, searching for something inside.

“I feel like we had a rough start. And I kind of felt bad after screaming at you like that earlier today.”

Celestia eyes him in curiosity as he pulls out a cardboard box from his backpack. She takes a sniff and her eyes open wide, already getting excited.

“It’s just a few slices of cake from the nearby bakery at my workplace. I didn’t know what you like so I just got chocolate, raspberry and a tiny apple pie.”

He looks back into her eyes with a neutral but friendly expression.

“I thought maybe we could eat some dinner and have this as a dessert. And maybe get to know each other a bit better since we kinda live in the same house for the next few days or weeks or how long it takes for your magic to heal up. Uhm, you do eat cake, or do you not have them back in your world?”

Celestia nods eagerly, a smile on her face while she licks her lips. “That sounds wonderful. I am quite curious to know more about you humans and this world. And yes, we do have various cakes and pastries back home. I myself happen to have a bit of a sweet tooth.”

Michael grins as he imagines the pony princess demolishing a cake.

“Wonderful how about we start cooking? I bet you are hungry.”

“I indeed am.”

Michael leads Celestia into the now pristine and perfectly clean kitchen. Taking out some ingredients from his fridge he places them onto the counter. Celestia curiously looks at them and hen gazes back towards Michael.

“Well, first question. What do ponies usually eat?”

“Pretty much any vegetables, fruit and corn or weeds.”

“What about humans?” she questions back.

“Actually, the same. But with meat and without the weeds.”

Celestia nods understandingly. She figured so, since noticing his canines pointing out a bit while talking. “Ah, I see.”

Michael then grabs a bag of spaghetti from a cupboard.

“This is Pasta. It’s basically flour with eggs and some other things. We could make a tomato sauce with vegetables. How does that sound to you?”

Yes of course it is. Spaghetti is actually my favorite dish! Sometimes when I want to treat myself I go to a wonderful ponetalian restaurant with my sister. Their pasta dishes are splendid!”

“So, your world has pasta too? And what about the vegetables here? You have them too?” he asks in disbelief, somehow not buying it.

“Yes, we do! Our worlds seem to be quite similar. Isn’t this remarkable?”

“Indeed. It’s remarkable.”

Michael grins excitedly, taking out a knife and looking at Celestia. 

“Can you work with a knife?”

Celestia doesn’t know whether she should be insulted or not. She gently grabs the knife with her magic and snorts.

“I am a grown alicorn, Michael. I think I am certainly old enough to wield a kitchen knife.”

Michael cringes at this. “S-Sorry.”

“Well, how old are you if I may know?” Michael quickly adds while throwing a piece of carrot into his mouth, checking its taste.

Celestia is already cutting some vegetables as well, skillfully wielding the kitchen knife in her golden magic. Michael stops cutting and looks at the floating knife, listening to the gentle wind chime noises coming from her horn right next to his ear.

Celestia huffs as if she would not know her own age. “Hmmm. Let me see…”

She cuts a few more vegetables while thinking and then answers him. “ I am a bit over two thousand years old. 2064 years to be exact. What about you, Michael?”

Celestia quickly turns her head towards him as he emits some gurgling noises.
Michael is choking on a piece of carrot now. Coughing it up and swallowing it quickly, he looks with a ‘you be shitting me’ expression towards the pony next to him.

“I’m 29! Are you bloody serious?”

“Celestia sighs. We alicorns live with a curse. While the other pony races live up to about a century, we live several millennia.”

He just stares at her with his eyes open wide.

“T-that’s nuts! You…” Michael is trying to compare her looks with one of a woman’s. Now it is not easy but looking over her spotless and symmetrical face and healthy fur and eyes, he would guess she is not beyond thirty or forty. She looked fresh and healthy. He also just noticed that she also smells good, unlike yesterday. “You don’t really look old at all!”

Celestia giggles sheepishly and continues cutting. “Why thank you, Michael. As far as I can tell you don’t look a day over 25.”

Michael is now blushing a little.   

-Did this pony princess compliment my looks?

“T-Thanks, heh.”

-Wait. Did I just compliment this centuries-old but cute pony on her looks?-

He mentally slaps himself a few times, getting back to cutting the remaining vegetables. He quickly fills a pot of water, adds some salt, and sets the stove to high. After putting the tomato sauce and vegetables into a different pot, he turns towards Celestia.

“You want to go to the couch and wait there?”

Celestia nods and the two make their way towards the living room. Michael sits on the couch and Celestia does as well, tuckering her both forelegs between her hindlegs. She looks like a dog like this. A big white furry dog with wings a horn and fluffy cat ears. Michael can’t help but emit a soft chuckle.

“So, you mentioned that you have a sister?”

She nods with a smile.

“Indeed, she is a bit younger than me and quite the rebel.” She looks away, a hint of sadness on her muzzle.  “We… We had our difficulties recently, but she is quite dear to me and… I already miss her a bit it seems. I hope she is doing well without mel.” She looks towards the sky through the windows. It’s dusk and a few stars could be seen glimmering in the evening sky. She then looks back to the human, hiding a yawn behind one of her hoofs.

“What about you? Do you have any siblings?”

He shakes his head slowly, his facial expressions stoic. “I… I had a little brother. But they…  he…” He finds himself unable to speak as he has a quick flashback.

“I see” Answers Celestia with her soft voice. “My consoles, my dear human.”

“It.. It’s okay.” Answers Michael thoughtfully but still clearly mentally affected by it.

He looks towards the garden and waits for Celestia to ask him something, but she remains silent. Only a few noises coming from the kitchen could be heard. Not trying to let it get awkward, he grabs the remote control of his TV and points it towards the huge 70’ inch flatscreen next to the big windows. With a click the entire black surface springs to life, displaying some sort of nature Documentary.

“What in the maker's name!” gasps Celestia in shock, almost falling from the couch. She gazes with surprise and curiosity towards the sudden moving picture in Michaels living room. “H-How did you do that?”

Quickly standing up from the couch she takes a few careful steps towards the TV. She looks back towards Michael and then once again towards the big TV.

“Is this some sort of complex spell?”

Michael laughs and looks at the pony with her facial features all bewildered.

“It’s just a TV, Princess. I started it up with my remote control.”

Celestia walks a bit closer towards the TV screen and then gazes at the crystal-clear moving pictures of Western Sahara. The surround sound system is gently mimicking the noises of a desert. Occasionally the narrator brabbles something about the local ecosystem. She now slowly closes her muzzle which has been hanging open.

“Fascinating.” She whispers carefully, one of her forelegs slowly and carefully touching the flatscreen a smile forming on her muzzle.

“You claim to have no magic, but yet, you possess a moving theatre right inside your own living room?  I see you have not been entirely truthful with me, Michael.”

She elicits a burst of snorty laughter from him.

“It’s just technology! No magic.” He chuckles with a grin on his face. 

“Look there’s nothing to it. Just press this button and you can switch to the next station.”

He walks towards Celestia and shows her the remote control and the right button. 

The pony carefully uses her hoof to press down the button while Michael is still holding the remote control. The TV immediately changes to the next station. Celestia's eyes jerk a little but then she looks with a beaming grin towards the TV.

“T-This is incredible. I truly cannot feel any magic coming from this device, yet it functions so impressively! My dear Twilight would be so thrilled to meet you, Michael.

“Oh, is this Twilight a friend of yours?”

She nods and follows him back towards the couch, sitting down. “Yes, she is a dear friend of mine and my former student.”

“Oh, so besides being a princess, you are also a teacher? Quite impressive.”

“Why, thank you, Michael.” She gives him a happy smile, tucking in her forelegs between her hindlegs once again.

“So, what kind of technology do you guys have back in ponyland?”

Celestia snorts while flaring her nostrils a bit.

“My home is called Equestria. And I would say the telegraph and our newest high-velocity steam engines make me and my sister quite proud.”

Michael smiles at the princess like an adult who smiles at a cute little girl who is proud of her shitty drawing.

“T-That’s really cute- uhm I mean nice! That’s… impressive.”

Celestia looks at him with a stinky eye, her head tilted quite a bit.

"You are lucky that you are talking to me, Mister Keller. My sister would surely lash out at you right now. It took us a long time to figure out the needed technologies for these inventions.” 

“Yea you are right. That was uncalled for, sorry…” Michael awkwardly rubs his neck and looks away, a bit ashamed of himself.

She huffs a bit annoyedly and turns herself a bit away from him. Then she looks with a pensive look towards the TV which is still running. If he takes this invention for granted, she wonders what else these humans have come up with.

“Well, what is the pinnacle of human technology then? It certainly seems like you are much further ahead than we are when it comes to technology.”

Michael gives her a smile and excitement is visible in his eyes. He wonders what he should tell her first, but then he hears a beeping noise coming from his stove.

“Well, it looks like dinner is ready.”

“Let’s eat and then we can talk more about technology.”

“Agreed!” She smiles. Standing up, her belly growls rather strongly. Celestia blushes a bit and just trots towards the kitchen while Michael looks after her with a grin on his face.

-This ancient pony princess surely is quite something.-