Chapter 3: The Power of Gems
When I awoke, I still felt very tired from yesterday’s events. Clearly, I would have to use my magic sparingly today. I got up and made my bed and headed down into the kitchen, my hooves dragging the entire way. After feeding Ashes, I ate a couple of apples for my breakfast. I’ve begun to note that I haven’t been eating much in recent days; I seem to get too caught up in my experiments to remember to eat.
My workshop was just as it had been when I left it the previous day. I opened my safe and retrieved the gems. They still glowed as bright as they had yesterday, but their appearance had changed. The energy sphere that had formed within them during the charging process had dissipated and the energy had spread throughout each gem. Clearly it had been a good idea to wait a day to test them. I constructed a small machine that should react when the gems are inserted. The machine itself was a small grey rectangle with runic patterns carved into and a small crevice on top, shaped so that the gems fit perfectly inside. The machine was wired to a fluorescent light bulb in a circuit, allowing the energy to flow through the wires to the bulb and back to the machine if the energy in the gems can be harnessed.
I decided to stick with the order I had used yesterday to charge the gems with the ruby being tested first. The gem fit snugly into the crevice. The runic patterns on the machine’s sides and top began to glow with the color of my magical aura. The light bulb did nothing at first. Soon it slowly began to flicker. Then it began to glow very brightly.
I reveled in my imagined success only for a few moments; I still had to test the sapphire and the emerald. I removed the ruby from the machine and placed the sapphire in its place. The result was the same. The emerald yielded the same result as the others. My hypothesis had been proven, the gems had worked and the potential it had was limitless. My jubilation was so great that I had to share it with others. I had to go to Ponyville. I kid you not, I took the machine in a saddlebag and I SPRINTED down the trail into town.
It was late afternoon by time I had reached Ponyville. The streets were still bustling with activity. I was skipping down the main road like a school-filly in my joy. “Hi Crankshaft, What’cha doin’, is it a game?” I heard a voice to my right say. Ms. Pinkie Pie had appeared out of nowhere and began skipping along side me. I told her that I had just made a huge discovery. She disappeared just like that and I knew a party was in the works. Hopefully, she remembers that I don’t like large parties. I made a mental note to visit Sugarcube Corner later.
My first destination was Ms. Twilight’s Library, to return the books and share my discovery with someone who understands how I speak. My first urge was to just run in and tell her the good news, but I realized that I should have some fun with her before I told her about it. I styled my hair as though it had been blown back by an explosion and took some soot from one of my steam engines in the shop and covered myself in it. I practiced my limping and made sure I had an expression that conveyed that I was depressed and in pain. I opened the door slowly and limped into the library.
Ms. Twilight’s back was to the door at the moment, perfect. I limped over and faked having a coughing fit to get her attention. I would be unable to recreate the expression she had when she saw me. I took the books out of my bag and said “I would like to return these books, I don’t need them anymore” in a very hoarse voice. “Oh my goodness!” Twilight exclaimed” Crankshaft, what happened?” “My experiment exploded. You were right, I should have been more careful.” I said, with fake tears in my eyes. “I’ve become a danger to myself and others and, as such, I am leaving Ponyville”. Twilight was shocked “Crankshaft, I know your machines blow up every once in a while, but you shouldn’t let that keep you from doing what you love.” I was beginning to have serious trouble suppressing my laughter by that point so I just gave up.
After I had finished laughing, which took a fairly long time, I told Ms. Twilight about what I had done and showed her the machine and demonstrated it. I had explained to her some of the ideas I planned to try next with this technology. Twilight cautioned me to be careful, if I exerted myself too much while charging the gems I could deplete my man reserves and die. I decided to take that into account should I make more gem batteries.
I left the library as the sun was beginning to set. I headed to Sugarcube Corner and, sure enough, there was a surprise party with all my friends. High Fever, Ms. Derpy Hooves, my brother Shiny Badge, Ms. Twilight, Ms. Applejack, Ms. Fluttershy, Ms. Rarity and Ms. Pinkie Pie. Ms. Rainbow Dash was there too, but I had a sneaking suspicion that she was there for the cider more than anything else, she never showed the slightest interest in my work. Sugarcube Corner was wonderfully decorated and treats abounded. It was truly a night to remember but I don’t remember much after that.