//------------------------------//
// The waiting game 
// Story: Mad genius 
// by TheLocoPony 
//------------------------------//

It took us another forty minutes to get back to the throne room and three guards giving directions.

Finally, we found ourselves in front of the huge golden doors to the throne room. Luna used her magic to pull on the two handles and open the doors. Inside Celestia sat on her throne holding a stack of papers in a golden aura. Luna entered first and I followed just behind, until once again the pink barrier flared up and I was sent flying backwards head over heels.

I stopped when I collided with the wall "Goddammit, turn that thing off!" I shouted

Luna walked back towards me. She looked down on me for a second before firing off a small bolt of lightning which hit me right on the nose.

I whirled backwards, hooves flying in front of my face "And stop that as well. I'm not a damn changeling or whatever you accuse me of!"

Luna snorted and walked back towards the room. This time leaving a small gap in the shield in her wake. I carefully stepped through afterwards, still nursing my stinging nose.

Celestia sighed. "Could you two please stop fighting. Now Luna, what was the test you asked of him?"

Luna shifted awkwardly "Um, we had him look at patient 006, Amber Glass."

Celestia shook her head slightly "Not a very fair test then. It's alright Stein, I'll think of another way to test your science skills."

Luna muttered to one side before answering, resigned "Actually, he passed, exceptionally well."

Celestia blinked a few times "He passed?"

"Yes, he cured her, after five minutes."

Celestia smiled warmly at me "Well, I thank you Stein, we had no idea how to cure her and had begun to run out of hope."

"It was nothing really. If it pleases you, I am eager to begin work on studying this world and how it differs from my own. I would like to first examine the three different races of ponies that have been mentioned." I replied

Luna coughed "I do believe Twilight and her friends would be best suited for this. If he is new to this world, then wouldn't it do him to well to learn of the magic of friendship"

What?! "You were being serious!?" I took a step backwards

"What is going on here Luna?"

Luna sighed "He doesn't believe friends can have any special benefit and the idea of them actually forming power is beyond ridiculous. His words, not ours of course."

Celestia smiled that same damn warm smile of hers "Of course. You sound like Twilight before she discovered the power of friendship."

I groaned "Can't I just analyse their biological make up instead?"

"In this world society is based on the six elements of friendship, you would do well to learn them. I will ask them to come at their earliest convenience. In the meantime you may wait in the private meeting room. it would probably be best if you met them one or two at a time."

"Very well, as you command, your majesty." Along with a sarcastic bow

Celestia frowned slightly "Guard, please escort Mr Stein to the meeting room."

A guard in golden armor came up beside me "Very well Princess." He turned and started walking towards the door.

"One more thing before I leave. Do you have my lab coat?" I half glared at the two horses.

Celestia had a good poker face, I'll giver her that. It would take someone like me to spot that tiny eye movement that betrayed her true opinion on the lab coat. "Of course, here it is." Her horn started glowing the colour of the sun and a few seconds later my lab coat came flying out in an aura of the same golden glow. It hovered over me for a second before dropping down.

"Ahh that's better, I felt naked without it. Well, I was naked, but I felt naked. It makes sense" I demanded. How convenient, this coat still fits me perfectly, but I have to put my front legs into the sleeves. I reach into a pocket and pull out a scalpel, and not just any scalpel, my favorite one, for dissections. The handle is of perfect steel, unblemished and criss-crossed lightly for extra grip. The blade itself is like a shard of moonlight, glinting and shockingly sharp. Also I was holding it, in a flat hoof.

"How am I doing this?" I say with a frown to Celestia.

She let out a controlled smile "All ponies posses their own unique magic, one that is common among all of them is the ability to pick up objects as such. We're not sure precisely how it works, but some scientists believe it's something to do with a magnetic field. Even though it works on non metal items as well"

I stroke a hoof to my chin (it helps me concentrate) "Possibly, if it created a strong enough field it may be able to hold the electrons of the atoms allowing you effectively to pick up any type of object..."

Celestia is eyeing my closely, guess this is what she was concerned about. Regardless, her feelings on the matter don't in fact, matter.

I turn and followed the guard to the door. He opened it with his own brand of orange magic. Which reminds me, I do need to learn about my own magic, but I suppose that's what I'm meeting a unicorn for.

He walked straight through the door while I got fried by a pink barrier.







Bored, bored, bored. How long do they expect to keep me waiting. By the sounds of it I thought this Twilight (stupid name, I pray to all the gods it isn't anything to do with the books) and her friends were nearby, like in the castle or a town nearby or something.

Right now I'm in a small room with two large red sofa's of unbelievable softness. The walls are painted a dark crimson with small stripes of an even darker red. A painting on the wall shows Celestia standing on a cliff dramatically, with the sun rising behind her and hair flapping in the the wind and all that typical nonsense. These poor stupid ponies must believe those two to be deities. Just because they're big and have wings and horn doesn't mean they're goddesses. The strange thing is, out of all the images I have seen in this castle, there are almost non of Luna. The few windows or paintings that do show her are all relatively new, less than a few years. And then there is 'Nightmare Moon' An Alicorn of dark blue colour that strikes a resemblance to Luna. Could the two be related? Possibly. But how? I'll need more information before I can come up with a proper logical answer.

This does still leave me with the case of being bored. I look the left of the sofa I'm on and see a nice red lamp on a small wooden table. There's another one on a table to the right of the sofa opposite.

I have a brilliant plan. Well, all my plans are brilliant, but I digress.

I reach over and pull the lamp down onto the sofa. Using my completely illogical holding power I take it apart, piece by piece. With all the pieces scattered before me, I pull out a small metal ball. No doubt this had whatever inept scientists Celestia uses completely stumped. It is in fact a microphone camera. By shouting a command phrase it activates, picking up voices and complete recording of all sides in video.

If I was ever attacked or kidnapped, I can shout out useful information and it can record the attackers faces etc. It will then activate wi-fi or phone signal to a group of people on call ready to rescue me at any time. It's useless of course in this world, but I can make good use of it.

Slowly taking it apart I set to work, and my beloved friend, science.







Roughly half an hour later I heard voices coming. Foolish Celestia, she shouldn't have left me alone, let alone make me wait on other people. She severely underestimates me. I look down at the device in front of my. It looks like a disfigured and horribly mutated metal spider. Inelegant,, but it will get the job done.

In essence, using the lamp for parts and to use the lead to feed it a constant power source (not electricity in the plug though, could these devices possibly run on magic? It works in the same way as electricity, this requires further study). If I position it just right, there. I just manage to get it stuck into the corner, the nine legs (I know I described it as a spider, but more legs equal more grip) all stuck firmly into the wall. It now provides full surveillance of the room as well as sound. 

If this is the royal meeting room, then no doubt all kinds of important guest come here. And with this footage I can collect later, a little black mail can always come in handy, especially of people in high power (does this world have Lords? or Sirs? What counts as important here?). Just as I am jumping onto that sofa (My God how much I want to sleep on it) A pony enters the room

She is a pale mulberry (purple) with violet eyes and her hair (mane, whatever, who cares?) was moderate sapphire blue with moderate violet and brilliant rose streaks, or purple, purple and pink. On her head sat the typical twisted purple horn of a unicorn. On her flank was a light purple/dark pink star with small white stars surrounding it, with another in the background behind the main star.

And on her back was...was...