//------------------------------//
// Tock 
// Story: The Realization of the Unbelievability of this Scenario Washes Over You Like a Golden Shower 
// by shortskirtsandexplosions 
//------------------------------//

"Wow...!"  Sunny Starscout grinned wide as she sauntered through the rustic wooden domain.  "Your house is full of so much cool stuff, Izzy!  Where'd you find the time to craft it all?!"

"Well, some of it I just find lying around in the dirt!" Izzy Moonbow exclaimed.  She reached her forelimb deep into a pile of partially-glittered junk and pulled out a tall metal cylinder.  "Like this, for example!"

"Ooooh!  Shiny!"  Pipp Petals leaned in, eyes sparkling.

Zipp hovered lower on flapping wings, squinting.  "Just what in the heck is it??"

"I'unno."  Izzy shrugged, gazing at her reflection in the red dais.  "A water heater or something."

Pipp reached forward and pressed the object's black button with a well-manicured hoof.

Tick-Tick-Tick-Tick-Tick.

Tick-Tick-Tick-Tick-Tick.

All of the ponies' muzzles scrunched in confusion.

"Huh..."  Zipp shrugged in mid-air.  "Must be busted."

"Pffft.  Probably."  Izzy tossed the item over her flank.  Crash!  "Anyways, who's for pizza?!?"

"Ooooh!  Pizza!"  Pipp and Sunny chanted in unison.

Hitch Trailblazer zoomed into view, existing.  "I love pizza!"

"I know just the place!"  Izzy led the stampede out the front door to her house.  "Onwarrrrd!"

"Wooohooo!"

"Yeah!!"

"Yaaaaay pizza!"

As the door slammed behind them...

...the metal device lay sideways in the corner of the room, settled between a blue-painted lawn flamingo and an empty cat carrier bespeckled with rhinestones.

Whirrrrrrrrr-SCHLUMP!

One ring shrank into the base, which began glowing with a faint crimson hue.

Tick-Tick-Tick-Tick.

Tick-Tick-Tick-Tick.