//------------------------------// // "I refuse to call them the Bouncing Big Brass Balls, Pinkie" // Story: Thirty Minute Express Train to Story Town // by Predhack //------------------------------// Research Log #1852 Subject: The Rolling Metal Spheres, Identified by
Description: Two balls of some orange metal of unknown origin. Matches know modern metals by visual diagnosis. Chemical tests unavailable at this time. The balls are linked at a center point around which they revolve. The two balls turn around the center point as they roll around. They appear to an outside observer like to balls rolling around the others surface. Close observation has confirmed that the balls roll across the ground not each other. The surface of the balls are inscribed with minute incredibly detailed etchings that match no historical record. Drawings have been attached. The orbs appear to be aware of their surrounding as they move away from anypony that approaches them within touch distance and navigate around obstacles. Attempts to make physical contact have been futile. To this point. More detail on behavior in day log —- Day 1: The subject rolled into town this morning from the Everfree. The mayor has charged me with examination and observation of the foreign object and to determine whether it is dangerous. This has been made difficult as the subject avoids all contact with ponies and will move away until the pony gives up. Attempts to manipulate the object magically have failed. For unknown reasons the object is immune to at least most common magics. The subject currently stays in the center of the town square only moving to avoid ponies and objects directed at it. Researcher’s Note: Tell Pinkie it is not a toy and to stop chasing it. Day 2: No change. Further attempts have been made to apprehend the object and failed. Annotated list has been attached. Day 3: Annoyed ponies chased the subject clear out of town. Researcher did not interfere and observed no visible change in behavior from the orbs. Once out of town the ponies gave up the chase. Subject returned to its position in town square as soon as the chase ended. No other change. Day 4: Had Applejack herd subject into my lab. Subject demonstrated new ability to move up and down vertical surfaces with impunity. After finally chasing it into the library it retreated to the ceiling where it has remained. Further testing will begin tomorrow after I get some rest. Day 5: It somehow got through a double locked door without breaking or leaving it unlocked and is back in place in the center of town. No other changes. Day 6: Annotated list of attempted field experiments, all failed, has been attached, no changes. Day 7: No changes. Day 8: Mayor has ordered a fence put up around the subject and fillies and foals kept away from it after observers late last night saw that the subject had “turned into some sort metal knifey monster thing.” Witnesses said the subject didn’t take any action against them but merely went through a series of motions. They did not see the end of this behavior as the witnesses were inebriated and returned home. Researcher has remonstrated herself in her lack of due diligence in failing to observe subject’s night time behavior. Preparations are being made for night observation. Day 9: Night observations was undertaken, no change observed. Day 10: No changes. Day 11: Breakthrough! On a hunch the subject was observed at night under natural lighting rather than candle or lantern. At moonrise the subject was noted to undergo structural changes. The subject “Unfolded” into a multi-limbed creature bearing a resemblance to a pegasus pony made of various sizes of sharp crescent-shaped pieces of metal. The subject went through several repeated slow movements and did not respond to researcher except to step out of her way when she attempted to make contact. Movements continued until dawn. Sketches of movement have been attached. No visible means by which the object moves or powers itself magically. Continuous soft clicking heard may indicate subject is purely mechanical in nature! Day 12: Attempts to better view subject with artificial light sources have been confirmed to return the subject to its natural state. Use of refocused moonlight has allowed closer examination. Diagram for the mirror apparatus used for this has been attached along with detailed notes of structure. Day 13: Subject was not observed to make any change despite lack of any artificial light sources nearby. Instead subject merely turned in place clicking occasionally emitting a soft note similar to that from a music box. Closer inspection unavailable due to new moon creating lack of light. Day 14: No change. Day 15: No change. Day 16: No change. Day 17: Subject has returned to activity with minor changes. Subject now takes the form of a male pegasus pony instead of a female. Gender determined by slight changes in size and density of form assumed. In addition the movements taken have reversed and the crescents now favor an opposite connection to each other than those taken by its previous form. Further detailed observation attached. The recovery of subject has been timely as new moon phase has ended and moonlight is more available as a light source. Day 18: No change. Day 19: No change. Day 20: Center of town was raided by wild manticore. Before Fluttershy could be called to deal with it the Manticore encountered the subject. Subject responded violently. Manticore remains removed from town square to the Everfree. Three hours spent while the subject went to the nearest water source and cleaned itself. Assorted stiff metal brushes were deployed and used until subject shone as it did previously. After cleaning it assumed pegasus form in center of town as night had fallen. Notes attached. Day 21: Have sent findings so far to Celestia at mayor’s request despite researchers insistence that an incomplete report would not be helpful. Night time observation showed that the form has again changed, this time to a male unicorn. In addition the clicking in this form sounds half the time like musical notes. Fluttershy was coaxed into helping transcribe the tune and extrapolating possible full melody. Tune is unfamiliar to anypony. Day 22: Subject was taken away today by Princess Luna. Subject has been identified as Orb Guardian, an ancient ‘toy’ of the princesses that were largely lost during the Lunar Conflict. The orb is attuned to Princess Luna and was waiting in the place where she had used her magic most heavily last Nightmare Night. Princess Luna explained that the Orbs acted as companions and guards for the princesses in ages past. At night they would change from orb form to dance in various shapes for the princess while playing tunes like a music box. Music box function had apparently degraded significantly while self maintenance retained the Orb Guardian’s ability to dance, albeit slowly along with its last schedule, set to coincide with Lunar phases. Repair quoted as “unlikely.” Further explanation of various behavior has been attached, research log closed.