A Gizmonk in Ponyville

by Moheart7

Chapter 13 - One Week Later

A week had passed since the incident with the Diamond Dogs and the news of what had happened in their caverns spread quickly. Or, to be more accurate, once Pinkie Pie had blabbed the events to every pony in town, the fact that Goggles was fully capable of speech has become a hot-topic for gossip. Not wanting to deal with the masses for the moment, the Gizmonk in question had decided to avoid the public and locked himself away in the barn, even going as far as to put his business on hold due to his fear of how his clients would react. However while he may not have been selling anything at the moment, Goggles continued to invent, mostly just to keep himself from getting bored and to give Trixie something to do as well. One morning, while the Apple Family was out of the house, Goggles was met with a surprise when Trixie came through the door of the barn.

“Goggles!” she called out. “Mr Silver Lining is here to see you!”

Goggles almost jumped behind his invention of fear and instinct, however knowing that there was no way no avoid his business partner for long, he simply sighed and turned towards the stallion in question

“Goggles, my good fellow!” he said cheerfully, keeping his gaze upon the Gizmonk as he approached him. “Now, don’t bother with the notepad, my daughter has told me everything, especially the fact that you can speak perfectly.”

Goggle didn’t realise at first but he had indeed took his notepad out of his vest pocket, a habit that he had gotten quite used to over the years. However things had now changed, and there was really no need for it anymore, with sigh he placed the notepad back into his pocket.

“So you know huh?” he said, crossing his arms.

“Well I’m not surprised,” Trixie chimed in as she walked by carrying a box of materials from Goggles’ work-bench. “I suppose the whole of Ponyville has heard about the talking monkey by now.”

At first Goggle glared at her, however after spending several days in the same lab at her he had grown used to Trixie’s comments and sarcasm. Shrugging it off, he turned back toward Silver Lining

“I suppose you’re here to cancel our deal?” he said, fearing the worst.

However Silver Lining was taken aback by Goggles’ words, if only for a moment, he then proceeded to chuckle.

“On the contrary my good sir,” he said. “I’m here to discuss additional clauses for it.”

Needless to say this surprised Goggles quite a bit, even Trixie widened her eye with surprise once her ears had picked up what Silver Lining had just said.

“What?” Goggles said confusingly. “Why?”

“Because my boy, now we can actually have a decent conversation without the need for paperwork,” Silver Lining sniggered, placing a hoof on Goggles’ shoulder. “Not only can that, but now you and I can now talk things over so we can make this business even better, that’s why I came to discuss a few changes to our contract.”

Goggle couldn’t believe a word he was hearing, first Applejack accepts him and now Silver Lining? Was there no end to the kindness of these Equestrian ponies?

“You’re not upset that your business partner has been keeping secrets?” Goggles asked nervously.

However Silver Lining only chuckled.

“Upset? Certainly not,” he replied. “Every pony has secrets my boy, and as far as I know your particular secret doesn’t affect your working the slightest. Besides, I’m certain you’ve had your reasons for keeping such a secret, correct?

“You can say that,” Goggles said with a shrug, smiling back at the Earth Pony.

“Is there anything ELSE I ought to know?” Silver Lining said, continuing his chuckle “Don't tell me you can fly too.”

“Not unless I invent a way sprout myself wings,” Goggle laughed. “Care for a cup of tea?”

At those words, Silver Lining stopped laughing and straightened his glasses.

“Certainly,” he said as Goggles turned to his work-bench and put the kettle on. “Tell me, were you able to learn to speak as quickly as ponies do?”

“Quicker actually,” Goggles responded as he poured two cups of tea. “We Gizmonks have extremely high intelligence even from the first year of life.”

Silver Lining smiled at that.

“Most impressive,” he said as Goggles brought over his cup of tea. “And are ALL your people so tech-savvy?”

Goggles was taken aback at those words, in fact the second they left Silver Lining’s mouth, he felt saddened.

“Yeah,” he said with a heavy sigh. “They were.”

At first Silver Lining was confused as to why Goggles was acting like this all of a sudden, however he then had something whispered into his ear by Trixie, who had been listening into the conversation. Before long Silver Lining knew what Goggles had told her and the Apples about the fate of his species. Needless to say, he had thought himself foolish for bringing up such a sensitive subject.

“Oh dear, I am so sorry, I didn't know,” he said to the dismayed Gizmonk. “Please forgive me,”

But Goggle only lifted up his head and forced a smile.

“There's nothing to forgive my friend,” he said, giving Silver Lining his tea and trying to find a way to change the subject. “So anyway, you were talking about making changes to our contract?”

#

Meanwhile in the Golden Oaks Library, another meeting was taking place, one that consisted of Applejack, Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and of course Spike who kept himself busy by handing out refreshments for the Mane Six.

“Thank y’all for coming every pony,” Applejack said, clearing her throat. “And thanks again for allowing us to meet here Twilight.”

“No problem Applejack,” Twilight said with a smile. “I’m always happy to help.”

“So what’s this all about, AJ?” Rainbow Dash asked impatiently.

“Well as you’re probably already know by now,” Applejack began, her eyes directed at Pinkie Pie. “The family’s new house pet-turned-business tycoon has been keeping a certain secret from every pony.”

“I assume you are referring to the fact that he is capable of speech?” Rarity questioned, earning a few nods of agreement from the other ponies.

“Ah am,” Applejack said plainly. “Ah suppose it came as shock to y’all as much as it were for me?”

“Well I must admit, it is a fascinating piece of news,” Twilight said, tapping her chin with thought. “But I just assumed that it was just mindless gossip.”

“Oh I assure you that it’s quite true, Twilight,” Rarity explained. “Pinkie Pie and I heard him ourselves, not to mention the half dozen ponies standing nearby when he did.”

“Yeah,” Pinkie Pie added cheerfully. “Although why wouldn’t he speak until now? Maybe he took a vow of silence, or maybe he’s a spy! Sent here to steal Ponyville’s secrets.”

Every pony else couldn’t help but deadpan at that.

“Yeah, I highly doubt that monkey’s a spy for anyone,” Rainbow Dash said rolling her eyes, only to have Pinkie Pie lean in close into her ear.

“That means his plan is working,” she whispered, almost creepily.

Deciding to brush of Pinkie Pie’s usual moment of randomness, every pony else decided to get back on track.

“Maybe he was just shy?” Fluttershy suggested nervously. “He WAS a little on edge when Apple Bloom brought him to my cottage.”

However Applejack shook her head at that.

“No he weren’t nervous or anything like that,” she said, gaining everyone’s attention. “The little feller just simply had a code to live by.”

“A code?” Twilight asked with a raised eyebrow.

“What kind of code could he have?” Spike added.

At any other time Applejack would have swooned at Spike’s curiosity, but since this was a serious moment she tried her best to keep her focus

“It was something he said last week,” she explained. “When the family confronted him he said that the reason he didn’t speak was because it was part of a code he lived by, one that was to help him survive in his homeland, Kappan I think he said it was.”

At the mention of the word “Kappan” Twilight’s eyes widened, she had heard the name of that country before. Before any pony else could blink, she ran upstairs to her room, coming back down a minute later with a rolled up piece of parchment.

“What’s that Twilight?” Fluttershy asked curiously.

It’s a letter from Princess Celestia that arrived this morning, I think you all should read this.

Leaning over each other to get a look at the letter, every pony listened intently as Twilight began to read it aloud:

My Dearest Twilight,

How have you been? I trust that taking up all this extra studying has put your mind at such a stressful state. But you needn’t worry for I have the information you have requested on the creature you called a Gizmonk.
However as you would probably guess, this information does not come in the form of any book or scroll since I’m afraid that there was none to be found. It was actually quite astounding that you were able to acquire any information regarding them in your own library due to the rarity of such a book.
The information I am able to give is the record of a meeting that I had 100 years ago, when a group of Ponies that had arrived from the Country of Kappan arrived here in Canterlot seeking assistance to deal with a “Population Problem” As the meeting continued, I came to learn that they we speaking of another breed of creature that populated their land at the time, creatures known as Gizmonks. From what the Kappanese Ponies told me, the Gizmonks rivalled them in intelligence and they feared that they would one day usurp them as the dominant species.
However the methods they had in mind were so savage I dare not even write them in this letter, so as you could imagine I refused to take part in such an action against the poor creatures. After that I had never heard from those ponies again after they returned to Kappan, I could only hope that they didn’t do anything rash since Kappan was out of my jurisdiction. While I may be the one to raise the sun, the ponies who rule Kappan have a different set of laws that even I must abide to, less risk open confrontation between the two countries.
I hope this information was useful to you Twilight, please write me again if you find out more.

Your friend and mentor,
Princess Celestia

When Twilight finished reading the letter every pony was left speechless, especially Applejack, who knew what some of the information meant. Finally Twilight broke the silence.

“Well the book I had was accurate when it said that Gizmonks came from the Far East anyway,” she said. “Just not so accurate as to say which country though, at least we know something more about the little guy right?”

“I guess,” Rainbow Dash said rubbing her head. “What else did Goggles tell you AJ? AJ?

However Applejack seemed to be lost in thought, it took several minutes before some pony was able to get through to her, or to be more accurate, before Pinkie Pie yelled her name through a bull-horn.

“HELLLLLLLLOOOOOOO???” she yelled, almost deafening everyone in the room. “IS ANY PONY HOME!?!”

“Pinkie!!!” Applejack snapped, taking the bull-horn off the hyperactive Earth Pony.

“What’s wrong Applejack?” Twilight asked with concern. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“Those Kappanese ponies DID do something Twi,” Applejack replied, her mind still stininging form the realisation.

“What do you mean AJ?” Rainbow dash asked.

With a heavy sigh, Applejack proceeded to explain what Goggles had told her and her family in more detail, more specifically the fact that the ponies for Kappan did indeed wipe out almost all the Gizmonks there. By the time she was finished, every pony’s face was riddled with horror, however Fluttershy seemed to be the one taking it the hardest since she was soon on the verge of tears.

“By Celestia, that’s… that’s awful!” she wept, her caring nature for animals seeping out with every tear.

“How could any pony do such a thing!?!” Twilight snapped. “It’s genocide!!!”

“Ah didn’t want to believe it at first either,” Applejack sighed. “But with what Princess Celestia wrote in that letter, it only confirms Goggles’ story.”

“Poor guy,” Spike said, gripping his arm with shame, he had no idea that Goggles had it so rough before he came to Ponyville.

“So THAT’S why he didn’t say anything before now,” Rarity added. “That code was the only thing keeping him alive his whole life. I suppose it was a habit that he couldn’t break even after coming here.”

“And the worst part is that now that his secret’s out, he feels ashamed for keeping it from us,” Applejack pointed out. “The poor guy’s been hiding away in his lab for a week now, even Apple Bloom couldn’t get him out, keeps saying that ponies might not react well now that every pony knows about it.“

“And did they?” Rainbow Dash asked inquisitively.

At those words, Applejack pondered for a moment, try to figure out the best choice of words.

“Ah have talked to many ponies around town this last week,” he said, tapping her chip with her hoof. “Kinda hard not to with all the questions going around town. Ponies seem to be fine with it, but that Gizmonk is one stubborn critter.”

The room once again became silent for a moment, no pony really knowing what to say next, finally Spike spoke up.

“Maybe we should do something for him,” he suggested. “Show him that he’s still welcome here.”

Applejack could have sworn she felt her heart skip a beat at that moment, she always loved it when Spike showed his generous side, after all that was what made him one of a kind. Needless to say every pony thought that his suggestion was a brilliant idea, however none more so than Pinkie Pie.

“We should totally throw him a Welcome-to-Ponyville party!” she said in her usual cheerful manner, added with her signature smile. “I’ll bet he’d REALLY like that.”

However Twilight shook her head at that.

“Let’s just call that plan B,” she suggest calmly. “It’s probably better if we ease him into it rather than just throw something big in his face. After all we don’t want to spook the little guy.”

“Aaaaaawwwwwwwwwwww!” Pinkie Pie moaned, clearly disappointed.

However Applejack couldn’t help but smile, upon seeing that her friends were willing to help she felt her soul fill with pride for having known them.

“Alright every Pony,” she said happily. “Let’s start putting our heads together,”

And with that they all crowded up together to discuss what to do.

#

Back in Goggles’ lab, Silver Lining and Trixie were baring witness to the unveiling of the Gizmonk’s newest creation. After going over the new details of their contract, Silver Lining and Goggles had come to the agreement that he should expand his talents further and begin testing out new things, which luckily enough, he had already started doing anyway. To prove his abilities, Goggles felt it was necessary to show his business partner his latest project.

“Gem-induced lasers?” Trixie asked with a raised eyebrow, not having the slightest clue as to what she was looking at.

The machine Goggles was showing off was indeed an interesting looking device, it was a short, octagon tube, with a padded handle and a somewhat large red ruby fitted into its centre, at first glance it looked as though it were only made for someone with paws to hold, however Goggles reassured the two ponies that this was just the prototype and adjustments would be made later.

“So what exactly is the device purposed for?” Silver Lining questioned as he looked over the details of the device. “If I may be so bold to ask.”

“Well basically, it’s a very powerful source of light,” Goggle explained. “With some magnetic confinement for ultra-precision. Upon further study of the gems from the Diamond Dog mines, I’ve deducted that each and every one has its own source of magical power. I figured that if that power could be harnessed, then the possible uses of them could be endless, for example…”

Before Goggles decided to finish his sentence, he turned towards his work-bench and picked up an emerald from the pile of gems he had, with one quick burst of movement, he threw the emerald in the air, pushed a button on his new device and swung at the gem as it came down, slicing the stone in two with a small beam of red light.

“…A dandy cutting tool.” Goggles said triumphal as he held up the device and turned it off.

Needless to say, both ponies were impressed, in fact it took Trixie a few moments before she could get her jaw to stop hanging.

“Incredible,” Silver Lining chuckled. “This has to be your finest work yet.”

Goggles couldn’t help but blush at that, after all he was always happy whenever his creations were appreciated. However Trixie couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow upon looking closer at Goggles’ new cutting tool.

“Where’d you even find the materials to make this?” she asked inquisitively. “I’m no expert, but I doubt you would have been able to create something like this with just metal and lumber this guy’s giving you. No offence.”

“None taken,” Silver Lining said with a shrug, he too would like to know more about the invention.

Luckily Goggles had an answer for Trixie’s question.

“Some pony named Korwin or Kracker... or whatever his name was, came through town last week, trying to sell off some scrap metal for extra cash,” he explained, trying to recollect the events. “I’m still a little surprised he was trying to get rid of such high-tech, even if some of it was damaged. Probably just some crackpot who went out of business and was trying to clear out his stuff, wore a weird black coat covered in all sorts of junk. Still, at least he gave me the starting point of a new endeavour, with what I’ve been able to learn from the tech he sold me I now have ton of new ideas bristling in my head, however I will need different materials if I want to make them.”

Silver Lining couldn’t help but chuckle at Goggles’ enthusiasm, the Gizmonk had the exact same happy look on his face that he had when Silver Lining had first came to the Apple Family’s home.

“Well then write me a list and I’ll have them delivered post-haste,” he said, trying to hold back his laughter. “You really don’t know when to stop do you?”

At those words, Goggles chuckled too.

“Well what else would you expect from a genius like me?” he smirked. “You expect me to just sit on my rump all day eating bananas?”

“Still full of yourself as ever I see,” Silver Lining bantered.

“Hey, I like to take pride in my creations, is that so wrong?” Goggles playfully retorted.

At those words, Trixie rolled her eyes.

“No, but there is such a thing as humility,” she said, though it was laughable since she had only just started to realise the meaning of the word.

“I have humility!” Goggles argued. “It’s just that my creative spark sort of drowns it out from time to time.”

“Try ALL the time,” Trixie muttered under her breath.

“What was that?” goggles inquired, catching a slight whisper of the Unicorn’s last comment.

“Nothing!” Trixie quickly responded.

However Trixie wasn’t done speaking just yet, she may not have been the kindest of ponies in the past, but she felt that she at least owed Goggles a small favour for giving her a job. And due to recent events, she knew just how to help him out.

“Although it would be pointless to get new materials if no pony is going to buy the new creations,” she said in a sly manner, grabbing both Goggles’ and Silver Lining’s attention.

Of course Silver Lining knew that Trixie had a point and decided to say his piece too.

“She does have a point my boy,” he said. “You know you can’t hide forever.”

At those words, Goggle merely crossed his armed and sighed in slight defeat.

“I know,” he admitted. “But throughout my entire life, my first instinct was to run and hide from any danger, I guess you can say I’m terrified of what ponies will think of me now that my secret’s out.”

Silver Lining of course responded with Goggles’ sentence with a look of sympathy, however Trixie merely scoffed.

“You think YOU got problems?” she snapped, much to the surprise of Goggles and Silver Lining. “I still have to put up with many angry looks from ponies whenever I go to the market in town, along with the occasional food pelting now and then. But I still go out there because I know that I can get through it, and I’m pretty sure you can too.”

Trixie certainly knew how to make her words cut deep, so much so that Goggles seemed almost intimidated by Trixie’s judgment. What made it worse was when Silver Lining decided to add to her sentence.

“I’d listen to your assistant dear boy,” he said. “After all if you don’t go out there, then there won’t be a business anymore, since you don’t have any customers to interact with and therefore, no pony to sell to.”

Goggles thought hard upon hearing this, for the last week ponies have been trying to coax him out of hiding, Applejack tried the same reasoning Silver Lining had pointed out, even Apple Bloom tried by saying that she and the CMC miss him. And now Trixie, the most well-known egotistical boaster in Ponyville was giving him a lecture. If this many ponies really wanted him to come outside then maybe there was a chance that ponies will in fact, accept him. Finally Goggles spoke.

“Alright, I’ll go,” he said, suddenly fixing his gaze towards his assistant. “But only if you come with me Trixie.”

Needless to say, Trixie scoffed at that remark too.

“The Great and Powerful Trixie is not your mother!” she protested, resulting in a slight chuckle from Silver Lining “Does she have to hold your paw too!?!”

However after knowing Trixie for a good while now, Goggles knew exactly how to respond to that, with a smirk he cross his arms and spoke again.

“Do it or you don’t get paid,” he said.

As expected, she growled with irritated defeat and utter a single sentence in response.

“I hate you,”

Author's Note:

The character Korwin (mentioned by Goggles) is the Brony OC by Noble-six-rulez on DA + special thanks to him for helping write this chapter

Image of Korwin: http://noble-six-rulez.deviantart.com/art/Me-Korwin-as-a-pegasus-444624793

Comments

[solartiger]

poor goggles

[Moheart7]

5536066 Indeed