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// Sparkle's Study on Preventative Measures 
// Story: Bound Elemental 
// by Kendallonian 
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Series of experiments conducted by Twilight Sparkle, August 10, 1120, to determine the viability of industrial oven mitts as a fire-retardant measure for the subject ‘Emerald Flare’ to use in daily interactions.

Experiment 1: Control
A blank journal of 100 pages was introduced into the subject’s enclosure. Subject was instructed to pick it up, flip through a few pages, and put it back down.

Result: Subject picked up the book with her bare hooves. Approximately 1.2 seconds after initial exposure, the book burst into flames.

Notes: No need for the sarcastic looks, Emerald. The control group is an important part of any scientific test, no matter how obvious the inevitable outcome may be.







Experiment 2: 
A blank journal of 100 pages was introduced into the subject’s enclosure. Subject was instructed to don preventative measures in the form of a pair of industrial-grade oven mitts, and then pick up the book, flip through it’s pages, and put it back down.

Result: Subject donned preventative measures and picked up the book as instructed. Subject became unresponsive as she stared at the book in her hooves for approximately 3.5 seconds before the subject rapidly swallowed the book whole, destroying it.

Notes: That’s… disappointing. I may have been overly-optimistic with the effectiveness of these safety measures. Still, the oven mitts are theoretically effective; the book’s survival time almost tripled before Emerald couldn't restrain themselves any longer;







Experiment 3: 
A plush toy resembling a rabbit was introduced into the subject’s enclosure. Subject was instructed to don preventative measures as previously described and interact with the object.

Result: Subject picked up the toy and proceeded to hug it to their uncovered chest, causing it to burst into flames within 1.6 seconds of initial exposure.

Notes: I thought that something cuter might cause Emerald to hesitate before destroying it. I was incorrect. After the test I held out hope that Emerald might have simply forgotten that her chest lacked any preventative measures, but Emerald herself said that she never had any intention of sparing the plush toy. Back to the drawing board, I suppose.







Experiment 4:
A blank journal of 100 pages was introduced into the subject’s enclosure. Subject was instructed to don preventative measures as previously described, then close their eyes for the duration of the test. The journal was then placed into their hooves via telekinesis and the subject was instructed to flip through a few pages and then drop the book without otherwise interacting.

Result: Experiment progressed as laid out until the subject began flipping pages. After the first page was flipped, the subject then crammed the entire open book through their mouth and swallowed it, destroying it 10.4 seconds after initial exposure.

Notes: We’re making a small amount of progress; being unable to see the book in her hooves increased Emerald’s resistance significantly, but according to her the sound of the pages turning broke the illusion and caused her to lose control again.








Additional notes: After the conclusion of these tests, Subject appears to display shuddering motions similar to those of an adrenaline rush; Even hours afterward the subject seems to display reduced self-control, as she has burned all of the parchments I’ve introduced to her cell as a part of my previous ongoing experiment. For this reason, I think I’ll have to delay any further experiments until the Subject gains additional mental discipline. It’s disappointing, but for now I think I’ll have to accept defeat.

Comment by the subject: “Honestly, this whole thing went better than I thought it would. Now can I say ‘I told you so’?”