//------------------------------// // Experiments // Story: Sparkle Dash Family: TMP Stories // by ssjgokillo //------------------------------// The Sparkle Dash Family Prompt 368: Twilight experiments on Pinkie. Disclaimer:  I do not own My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic         Most ponies don’t know that the Golden Oaks Library has a basement.  Even the current caretaker, Twilight Sparkle, did not know the building had a basement for the first few weeks she lived there.  Once she had discovered the underground room she had quickly transformed it, from a place of storage to a bastion of science.  Now the basement held all kinds of experiments Twilight was running, and equipment she may need for future endeavors.         Twilight looked at a steady stream of papers being printed by one of the machines with a critical eye.  Behind her strapped to a table was her friend, Pinkie Pie.  She was bound to the point where she couldn’t move easily, with a bowl shaped device covered in blinking lights on her head.  There were various wires attached to different parts on her body.  She had complained to Twilight that they were tickling her when they were being attached but Twilight had paid it no mind.         “Alright Pinkie, let’s try this again.”  Twilight said after taking the printouts she had finished reading and set them in a pile.  There were three more such piles next to it, all just as tall.         Now, Pinkie Pie was generally an easy going mare.  She loved making her friends happy, and when Twilight had asked her for a favor she had been all too happy to agree.  However after being forcibly held in place for over three hours while Twilight asked her questions, Pinkie Pie was starting to get bored.         “Okie doki Twilight.”  Pinkie said.  It was a testament to Twilight’s distraction that she did not pick up on the monotone in Pinkie’s voice.           “Alright.  Just like before I’ll press this button, and a water balloon will fall down after a random amount of time has passed.  When you feel your ‘Pinkie Sense’ kick in, let me know.”  Twilight said.         Pinkie nodded.  They had been through this multiple times already.  Twilight would press the button, a water balloon would fall down the chute above her, and she’d tell Twilight if her Pinkie Sense warned her about it.  Then Twilight would cast a spell to dry Pinkie Pie and go check her readings and make notes.         In all honesty, Pinkie Pie was starting to wish that Twilight didn’t believe in her Pinkie Sense again.         Twilight pressed the button and Pinkie Pie waited.  She waited and she waited and she got a little bored of waiting so she started thinking of a new cake recipe made with those awesome little candies that Twilight had given her that popped in her mouth and maybe she could sing a song about the yumminess that those cakes would bring and...         Oh!  There was the twitchy tail.         “It’s coming Twilight!”  Pinkie said.  Sure enough a red water balloon fell from the chute.  It landed against Pinkie’s muzzle and burst, drenching her mane and fur.  A moment later she felt the warm tingly sensation of Twilight’s magic, and she was dry again.         Twilight was already busy checking the readouts, so Pinkie decided now was the perfect time to make her escape.  She pulled her hooves straight out of the restraints, despite the fact that just a moment ago they had held her securely.  She took off the strange helmet and set it on the table, then she began tip-hoofing towards the basement stairs.         Just when she thought freedom was in sight she felt the grasp of Twilight’s magic wrapping around her body.  She heaved a sigh as she was levitated back towards the table.         “Sorry Pinkie, we just need to run the test a few more times.  I have to be absolutely sure of the data.”  Twilight said.         Pinkie struggled in Twilight’s telekinetic grip.  “But Twiiiiiliiiiight!  I don’t want to do this anymore!  You just keep getting me wet over and over again!”  Pinkie complained, even as Twilight began strapping her back to the table.         “Excuse me?!”  A raspy voice called from the top of the stairs.  Twilight whirled around, giving Pinkie Pie enough time to release herself from the restraints and look at the pony who had just saved her from boring science.         “R-Rainbow Dash!  You’re home early.”  Twilight said.  She offered her marefriend a small embarrassed smile.         “Yeah, I finished up weather duty really fast, so I have the rest of the day off.  What’s going on down here?”  Rainbow Dash asked as she walked down the stairs.  She suddenly found herself in the crushing embrace of Pinkie Pie.         “Dashieyoutotallysavedme!”  Pinkie Pie’s voice flew by as fast as Rainbow typically did.  “SoI’mgonnagonowbeforeTwilightgoesallmadscientistagainbye!”  Rainbow Dash suddenly found herself sitting on the ground as Pinkie dropped her and then disappeared, leaving behind a cloud of dust that strangely held her shape before it dissipated.           “Ooookay... What exactly were you doing to Pinkie Pie, Twilight?”  Rainbow asked as she picked herself up off the ground.         “Oh, I was just studying her Pinkie Sense...”  Twilight said.  She was trying to avoid Rainbow Dash’s gaze, busying herself by putting away the equipment that had been attached to Pinkie Pie.         “Why?”  Rainbow Dash asked.  She looked over the papers that had been piled around, but couldn’t make heads or tails of them.  “I thought you already believed in her Pinkie Sense.”         “Oh I do!  That’s why I wanted to know if...”  Twilight gave a small gasp and quickly shut her mouth.         “If?  If what Twi?”  Rainbow Dash was starting to feel a bit apprehensive.  Twilight wasn’t normally a very secretive pony after all.         Twilight gave a sigh and turned to face Rainbow Dash.  “I was hoping that I’d be able to figure out the secret behind her Pinkie Sense, that way I could try and replicate it to let me know if Spike or Scootaloo are in danger.”  She said, casting a guilty look at the ground.         “Wha?  How would that even work?”  Rainbow asked.         Twilight threw her hooves in the air in frustration.  “I don’t know!  The readings that I get from her Pinkie Sense are never the same twice.  It doesn’t make any sense.”           “Okay... I don’t really get it, but why would you go through all this trouble.”         “Remember the other day when Scootaloo ran out and we couldn’t find her?  I was really worried.  What if she had gotten hurt?  And then I started thinking about all the things that could happen to her and Spike when we’re not around.  I just couldn’t take it, so I started trying to think of ways I could look out for them.”  Twilight was rambling.  It was something she often did when she knew she had gone a little overboard with something.         Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes even as she gave Twilight a loving smile.  She should’ve known.  “Listen Twi, I understand what you’re trying to do and where you’re coming from.  But you can’t let it get to you like this.”         “What do you mean?”  That didn’t make any sense to Twilight.  How could she not let the possibility of danger to her children get to her?         “Look Twi, foals are going to do stupid things.  They’re going to get scrapes and bruises, it’s all part of growing up.  Hay, when I was a filly I hurt my wings like every couple months while pulling stunts.”  Rainbow Dash said, wrapping one of said wings over Twilight and pulling her against Rainbow’s side.  “My parent’s always freaked out about it of course, but they never tried to stop me.”         Twilight relaxed into Rainbow’s side.  “So what do we do then?”  She asked in a tired voice.         Rainbow gave a small shrug.  “You just teach them, help them learn how to avoid things that could hurt them, and be there for them when they get hurt.  Make sure they always know that you’re there for them, I think that’s the best thing you can do.”         Twilight smiled, and gave Rainbow Dash a small kiss on her cheek.  “Thanks Rainbow, that actually sounds like good advice.  When did you get so smart?”         Rainbow grinned back at Twilight.  “I think it was when I decided to ask this librarian on a date.  At least, that seemed pretty smart at the time.  Now I’m starting to wonder...”  She trailed off, her tone teasing.         Twilight playfully shoved Rainbow Dash away.  “Very funny featherbrain.  Come on, I should probably go apologize to Pinkie Pie for putting her through all that.”  She said as she walked towards the stairs.  Rainbow Dash followed closely behind, muttering about abusive librarians who doubled as mad scientists.         When the two mares exited the basement they were greeted by quite the sight.  Standing in the center of the library were Scootaloo and Spike.  Well, Spike was standing.  Scootaloo had somehow gotten her back stuck to his.  It was clear that they were both covered in tree sap, and various scratches running along their bodies.         Twilight just rolled her eyes.  While Rainbow’s advice did make sense, maybe it wouldn’t hurt to take another look at her research on Pinkie Sense, just in case.