8 - Overload
Chapter 8: Overload
It took me a while to gently extricate myself from the woefully apologetic children-err-foals. In the process I was blinded by Celestia a couple of times when she claimed she was trying to use a ‘healing spell’ on me. She nearly poked out my eye from the way her horn tip just kept getting closer and closer to my face. I was just glad that the excessive thumping and noise hadn’t woken up Discord. Then again, we both played pretty hard so I hope he’s sleeping like a log.
Meanwhile, I gently pointed out that my injuries were getting worse and it would probably be better if I treated them soon.
I couldn’t bring myself to scold or lecture them because their intentions weren’t malicious and also because they did that thing with their eyes and mouths that sort of freezes your heart and required roughly two thousand volts to start again.
…I might need to invest in an ICD.
I managed to treat my burns, which were pretty superficial, under cold running water. I pinched my bleeding nose with some gauze I found in the medicine cabinet within the bathroom. My voice was a mite nasally but other than that I was fine and there weren’t any serious injuries. The girls kept apologising profusely even though I said it was okay.
“Sowwy!” I heard again. I looked up to see Luna’s mouth quivering.
“It’s alright Luna, and that goes for all of you," I extended, taking in the wilting forms of Celestia and Cadance.
I sighed, then smiled.
“I didn’t think you three would be back so fast, so I haven’t really prepared anything," I explained, moving over to the pantry and rooting around for some snacks. There were just crackers and jars of peanut butter. We needed to restock soon, or I would be eaten out of our supply by children.
I took out the crackers and the peanut butter anyway.
Luna’s ears perked up adorably when she saw the peanut butter.
She heaved herself up onto a chair and flopped onto the table, waving her hooves in the air.
“Yay, uhm, pea-nut butter!” She cooed happily as I pushed the jar towards her.
“Don’t eat it straight out of the jar," I warned as Luna froze guiltily halfway, her hoof almost in the jar. She withdrew the hoof and placed her head on the table.
“Okay," she mumbled miserably as Celestia and Cadance clambered onto the chair with her. It was a tight fit but they clung on, keeping close to each other. I quickly shifted another chair so they wouldn't fall off.
I hummed to myself as I moved about the kitchen, finding cheese in the fridge and an assortment of lettuce, carrots, tomatoes and cucumbers. Some of the cucumbers were starting to go off, so I chucked them away, washing and cutting the rest.
The three little foals shared the crackers between themselves, occasionally helping themselves to peanut butter. After some chopping and slicing, shaking and dicing, I served salad. Usually I’d throw in pasta but I was feeling a little lazy and more than a little exhausted. Also, since the last experiment incident with my Dad, there was no pasta in the pantry anyway. Don’t ask.
I served up four bowls of salad and placed a fork next to each one.
The girls stared at the forks and then at the food and then back at the forks. Then they just dove into their food using their hooves and their mouths.
I shrugged, to each their own. Maybe Tempora could tell me how to feed her children, later.
As the three girls continued to happily munch away, I excused myself to quickly check on Discord.
He’s your responsibility. I thought to myself, echoing Tempora’s words.
I approached the door to my room, taking note of the scratches in the wood. I smiled, they never failed to cheer me up. You may think it was strange but I once had a massive fight with my Dad about Mom. Crazy, I know. We were holed up in my room with creatures from another realm trying to seek passage into our last bastion, our gazes fixed on the incessant scratching and screeching coming from the other side.
——
This morning my Dad had locked himself in the basement all day, only to burst out of it with tentacled abominations chasing after him. After a moment’s hesitation, I leapt into my room with him and locked the door.
We had a heart-to-heart in the middle of a crisis.
“Son," my Dad began, as I searched around the room for weapons to use.
“Not now Dad, we’re kinda in the middle of fighting for our lives," I replied testily, I tossed a baseball bat at my Dad.
“Thanks. Listen I really need to say this, in case we don’t make it," he spoke urgently, quite uncharacteristically, too.
“I don’t want to know right now, and you need to get your priorities straight!” I hissed back, rummaging for some sort of pole or something to swing. I glanced at my curtains, eh, good enough.
“Son, really, listen," he growled, placing his hands on my shoulders and spinning me around to face him. He relaxed his grip.
“Look, I’m really, really, sorry about the way I handled that, uhm, conversation we had before.” He stared at the ground, shifting uncomfortably. “You know I’m not the best with, uhm, talking.”
He laughed suddenly.
“You’re much better than me at that. I think you get it from your mother," he said, patting me on the shoulders.
I sighed.
Can’t pick your family.
“Okay, Dad," I replied, giving him a small smile. “Can we talk about this later when we’ve gotten rid of your latest experiment?”
My Dad grinned at me stupidly. I yanked my curtain rod and held it at the ready.
“It’s Father-Son Bonding Time!” He yelled opening the door and smacking the first thing that stood out there.
“Oww!” The abomination yelped.
What?
“Aww you guys are mean, we’re going back," the assorted tentacled masses sulked and started slithering away. My Dad was frozen for a moment and then dropped the baseball bat.
“Hey! Wait! I’m sorry! My name is Dr. Maximilian-" Was all I heard from my Dad as he disappeared down the hallway to chase down the apparently intelligent creatures.
I sighed and dropped my curtain rod with a thud. Typical day at my house.
——
I gently opened the door to my room, peeking in.
Seeing the chaos of my room completely undisturbed, I smiled, approaching Discord while he slept. The draconequus was curled up with his tail in front of his snout and his small body rose and fell with every soft breath he pulled. Discord had kicked off the bedsheets I had tucked him in with so I gently shifted them back.
He awoke with a start.
“Har-mon-y," he croaked, groggily.
“Shh-shh," I cooed, laying a gentle hand on his head. “It’s alright, just making sure you don’t get cold, sleep now.”
“Thanks," I heard him barely mutter. “I don’t… like… being cold…”
I sat on the side of the bed, stroking his mane until he fell soundly asleep again. Perhaps one day I will find out what happened to his parents. If they were alive, they better have an excuse to match the Universe, because nothing within it would stop me from making it an unpleasant encounter.
I left Discord on the bed and headed back down to the girls. They were playing some sort of three way hand-err-hoof game. Nearing the bottom of the stairs, I approached quietly, not wishing to disturb their play.
“Okay Cadance, your turn," Celestia chirped, handing a small pebble to Cadance. I saw Cadance’s tongue protrude slightly as she sat down and centred the pebble on her hoof. She took a moment to compose herself before she launched into a small song, tossing the pebble into the air from one hoof to the other.
“There once was stone, big and round,
Grew up in the mountains, oh so bound!
Then one day,
It knew the way,
Down and down,
To the ground.
Came to a stop,
In front of a shop!
A kind, kind mare,
Took it in her lair,
And that’s where this has come from!”
With the last word Cadance threw the pebble high in the air and did a roll before catching it in her hooves again. She grinned ecstatically as Celestia and Luna stamped their hooves in approval.
When Luna took the pebble she looked doubtful.
“I don’t think I can beat that," Luna mumbled, looking at the small, round stone. Cadance and Celestia both gave words of encouragement, urging Luna to try.
With a smile, Luna began the small game. Singing the same rhyme before throwing the pebble into the air. This time though, she reached up, balancing on her hind hooves before catching it, almost falling backwards in the process.
Cadance and Celestia stomped their hooves again and I realised it was some sort of applause. Ah, the aim of the game was to show off with a trick and catch the pebble before it hit the ground. A clever game to improve hoof-eye coordination. It was a good thing the pebble was small but I didn’t know where these three would have gotten it from… I looked to the front door. Somehow they’ve gotten it open. Oh well, I did take some time to check on Discord but these girls wander about like roaming wolves.
“Hey, I’m back," I announced as the girls whipped around and smiled.
“HARMONY!” They all yelled as I clutched my ears.
“Okay," I chuckled as they darted forward to hug my legs. I bent down to give them all a good mane tussle.
I consulted my watch for the time. It read 6:34 AM. I peeked at a window. The sun was beginning to set. I sighed. Well so much for that. I wonder if any pony had a clock system similar to ours that I could synchronise to.
“It’s getting late, girls so I’m going to head to the castle and maybe find our parents and ask them if they need any help. Do you three want to come?”
“Okay!”
“Yes!”
“Uhuh!”
“Right!” I exclaimed, scooping them up. Luna clambered to my shoulders again. “Let’s have an adventure!”
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I did send you the message that I would gladly pre read for you (even if I do live in the UK)
Also Happy birthday!
5088444 Thank you so much!
If he needs to sync his watch up to the local time, he should set it to noon when the sun is at it's zenith. That should bring him to fairly close alignment (assuming the days are the same length)
5088462 your welcome btw where in Australia do you live so I can put the timezone on my phone?
Also I really need to go to sleep now
Sorry for not keeping up with comments, I really like to respond to practically all the comments, I don't like ignoring people. If I can't keep up, know that that time has been put into writing the fic instead, which is what I'm guessing you're here for haha.
Thank you for all these comments, and thank you for taking the time to read this!
5088478 Sydney, actually and cheers!
5088467 True, very true.
5088232 It has begun!
5087998 The speculation! Perhaps...
5087220 Thank you so much! You've been a wonderful reader.
5087199 And I grant you, one chapter more.
5087133 Thanks!
5086876 Aww, I appreciate it!
5086629 They are the darndest things.
5086508 More action will follow...
5086138 Quite possibly the universe, too!
5085603 An understandable reaction.
5085132 RE: Apocalypse.
5084598 Thank you for the well wishes!
5084596 It is a partnership for the history books.
5084474 Now that's a title I would read in a newspaper!
5084462 You are correct in your postulation. The age does not follow relative canon age. Otherwise Cadance would be negative in age compared to Luna and Celestia. Man, that age difference.
5084232 There are darker undercurrents which will be further explored. Happiness doesn't last forever...
5083621 And now you are right!
5088545 Little Much on the responses, ya think? Still, good story.
5088780 Perhaps a little too dedicated haha? Thanks for reading!
Getting drunk sucks. I accidentally consumed vodka after a basketball game... I thought it was water....
5088844 Well, ya listen to feedback. So do us all a favor:
CONTIUE THIS STORY OR I SHALL UNLEASH A TANK BATTALION ON YOU!!!!
AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE!!!!
5089148 ...Oi Oi Oi?
I think that you are doinvited fine without one, but I'm going to go and volunteer just for the sake of getting to read something before it's out.
5089442 AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE
AUSTRALIA?!?! YES!!! Finally someone who has almost the same time as me (Philippines)!
-I like your writing style, so don't delay the chapters to find an editor.
-I already got my headcanon on his name so... I'm good... (My Headcanon on the Name)
-Happy Birthday!
Perhaps, one might consider the surname, "Masters". Dr. Maximilian Masters is quite the impression leaver, in vocal terms. The name Harmony Masters would be an even bigger tease, plot wise. I suggest you consider this route. Enjoy your day!
5090373 OZZIE OI OZZIE OI OZZIE OI !!!!! god its good to be australian
5090587 Best country in the world once you get used to the killer spiders, snakes, and 3 meter crocs.
5090671 yeah but because of all that we Australians are tough as you can get
5090705 Well wrestling 3 meter croc's FOR SCIENCE and FOR BRAGGING RIGHTS normally does that to a population.
5089442 I am content.
...
Well, not quite.
What's your state.
Just realized something...
Ch 1 Just
Ch 2 Roll
Ch 3 With
Ch 4 It
Ch 5 Momentous
Ch 6 Occassions
Ch 7 Cuteness
Ch 8 Overload
5088844 I wonder what'll happen if you dump a junkie into the MLP universe while he/she is high?
Is Pop busy with Tempora? Because I think that is the only way she'd forget to lower the sun last night.
I'll pre-read!
I'll preread, but I don't know if I'll be available 'every' day.
anyway, such adorableness, much dawwwww.
that is all.
5098536 oh, I live in the US, so it might not compatible in that respect.
Something doesn't seem quite right here. But I'm not quite sure what *cough* times *cough*
But seriously since when does the sun set at 6:34 AM?
5106733 the point of that was to show that his watch isn't synched with equestrian time
Hey, where did all my squids go?
>Ecocat<
baby luna is best pony
WARNING! WARNING! Cuteness overload! I repeat: Cuteness overload! The daw-meter can't take much more of this! It is on the brink of exploding! If it goes, so dose the ability to perceive cuteness without dieing!
Typo. It is PM. Not AM. if it is sunset
5555357 As mentioned somewhere in the preceding chapters, the watch doesn't work in Equestia, or at least it hasn't been synced yet.
A bit late to this party but...
"-Roivas. I am a clinical psychologist. I am also dead. "
So, that is 24 hours then... since he father woke him up at 6:30am and they made their transition to another dimension Max forgot to mention to much contention at 7:30am? Harmony really should have pulled an obtension to voice his dissension to this transition to another dimension that lacked mention and seek consension for an extension.