When A Scientist Becomes A Pony

by SamParks10

Some Digging

I sighed as I rolled around the narrow bed, utterly bored out of my mind.
There was nothing left for me to do after the guard watching me had left to do his other guardly duties.

The cold, eerily quiet cell made me even miss my former cellmate....

....Well almost miss her.

I jumped out off the bed and started pacing around the confined space, restlessly.

I had already gotten my two hours of sleep and didn't feel like spending all my time here simply laying in bed.

That would simply be an inefficient and unproductive use of my precious time.

Even Ratty seemed bored, as it scurried around, chasing the shadows that danced within the cell as the faint light filtered through the bars.

I wonder if there was a way I could use magic in here despite the magic resistant barrier...

With nothing better to do with my time, I decided to experiment on the use of magic within the restrictive barriers.

I focused my energy, attempting to cast a simple levitation spell on a small rock I had noticed lying on the cold, stone floor.

To my surprise, the magical energy flowed through me with a peculiar ease, yet there was an odd sensation, akin to pushing against a weak but resilient force. It was as if the very air inside the dungeon had a different quality, allowing my magic to move more freely within its confines. The resistance was there, but it was weaker than what I was accustomed to, like trying to push against a soft breeze rather than a solid wall.

I assume it must be because I was used to using magic despite the gems naturally resistant nature.

The gems resistant ability were much more powerful then the restrictive magic barriers surrounding the dungeon.

Intrigued, I continued my experiments, testing the boundaries of the dungeon's restrictions.

"Want to volunteer as a test subject?" I asked Ratty who gave an excited squeak as it scurried towards me.

Lifting it with my magic required more force then the stone and I could feel something try to force itself against my horn.

I ignored the slight migraine in my head and gently placed Ratty down despite the growing pressure that made me want to cut off my magic immediately.

I felt slightly nauseous but it was still manageable.

I tried lifting the bed next with my magic which was the heaviest object within the cell, and I immediately felt the resistance grow exponentially.

It felt like trying to push through a dense fog, each attempt met with a searing pain in my head, as if it were being compressed and strained.

I cut off the magic immediately as I tried to catch my breath. My mind was a mushy, hazy mess and I couldn't think clearly.

With a heavy sigh, I leaned back against the cold wall, and shut my eyes trying to
stop my rapidly increasing headache.

I glanced outside the cell.
My curiosity was greater then the pain I would have to endure.

I wonder if I could escape....

I knew and understood the basic mechanics of how a lock worked so perhaps it wouldn't be impossible to simply pick the lock with my magic.

I glanced around outside the bars cautiously but saw no guards nearby.

"This is a terrible idea." I looked at Ratty who simple scurried right through the bars as if encouraging me to try.

"You are a terrible influence, my friend." I couldn't help but laugh.

I took a deep breath before channelling my magic within the lock in the form of a tension wrench and a rake.

As my magic passed through the confines of the cell, a peculiar sensation washed over me.

It felt similar to being inebriated and hungover simultaneously, just without the fun parts.

It was more like a disorienting blend of lack of coordination, blurred vision and nausea.

The magic, restricted by the cell's enchantments, swirled against me like a violent storm trapped inside a fragile bottle.

Even the slightest attempt felt like trying to control a wild river with bare hands – unpredictable, uncontrollable, and extremely overwhelming.

A strong force coursed through me, causing my head to spin and my senses to blur.

It was like waking up with the worst hangover imaginable. My thoughts became muddled, and my focus wavered, leaving me in a state of disarray.

"H...how do I stop?" I panicked at the inability to control my magic as I saw several clones of Ratty approach me.

I managed to cut off my magic flow as I lost focus of the lock and tried to focus on the rat instead.

Everything in the room seemed to have duplicated.
I lifted one of my hoof and saw two...no, perhaps four hooves.

I sighed as I began to count, trying to figure how long the effects last.

"Let's just take a break." I gave Ratty a gentle pat, as it looked up at me with it's worried beady eyes.

It was actually surprising how expressive animals in this world could be.

I quickly try to maintain a composed expression hiding how uncoordinated and exhausted I felt as I heard the sound of approaching hoofsteps.

"Lunch." A guard with a stony expression slid a tray towards me.

The glop looked inedible and I had no idea what it was supposed to be.

Lunch was an unrecognizable glop, water and a piece of hard bread.

"Thanks, I was starving. This looks delicious." I grumbled sarcastically.

Boredom was making me feel really impatient and annoyed.
I chewed at the glop uncertainly trying to figure out what it was supposed to be.

It didn't taste too bad surprisingly....

"Better then grass." I muttered as I softened the hard bread with some water and shared it with Ratty.

Ratty happily nibbled the softened bread.

"Grass?" The poker faced guard looked at me with a curious expression.

"Yeah, Used to graze on grass where I lived." I shrugged as I wondered if the blob was supposed to be a mixture of potatoes and something else.

"YOU USED TO EAT PLAIN GRASS?!" The guard sounded horrified.

I glanced at him in confusion.
Don't horses normally eat grass? Was it really that strange?

"Hmm...Is it really that strange?" I really couldn't understand why he seemed so shocked.

I smiled warmly and shake my head at Ratty who offered me a piece of its share of the bread.

"Maybe in the old times when food was scarce....But nopony eats grass anymore unless they really have nothing else." He looked at me with a look of absolute pity.

I sighed feeling slightly annoyed.
"Well there was nothing else I could eat in the Everfree forest that wouldn't kill me, now could I?"

I remember Fluttershy tell me about the forest being called as 'The Everfree'.

"WHAT?! YOU USED TO LIVE IN THE EVERFREE FOREST?!" The guard's jaw almost fell.

"Yeah what about it?" I asked, sipping the cold water slowly.

This guard was way too loud.
I wonder if I could ask for a replacement...

"B...but The Everfree forest is a dangerous place. It's filled with dangerous creatures and poisonous flowers, the clouds move on their own, and the plants grow by themselves." He shuddered.

"Sounds about right." I shrugged as I slid the empty tray back towards him.

I understood his concerns about the poisonous flowers, but the creatures weren't dangerous at all.

I also couldn't really understand why he was so bothered by the idea of clouds moving on their own or plants growing themselves.

Wasn't that simply nature doing its thing?

He glanced at me with a worried expression as he took the tray away.

"Hang in there for now. Princess Celestia said that she wasn't attacked, and you broke in just to save your pet, so you will only be questioned about attacking the Captain of the Royal guard." He assured me in surprisingly gentle voice.

Oh good....They didn't know I was wanted for tax evasion yet.

"Is Shining Armor alright?" I asked curiously.

I had a better chance of getting out of this if his injury wasn't too severe.
Causing grievous hurt would end up being a more serious offense then simple hurt.

"The captain is unfortunately still unconscious but the doctors say he should wake up soon enough." The guard informed me with a slight nod, before leaving.

I heard some rustling under the sink and was surprised to find Ratty had dug a small hole in the wall that seemed to lead towards a tunnel below.

"Are you thinking what I am thinking?" I grinned at Ratty as I told it of my plan.

Rats are far intelligent creatures then they are given credit for and can easily crawl through narrow spaces.

They also had excellent abilities to see clearly in the dark, which made Ratty just perfect for the idea I had in mind.

"Once you manage to dig your way out of the castle, I can teleport you to Fluttershy." I explained.

"Let her know what's going on."
I knew Fluttershy had a strange ability to actually understand what animals were saying, so I figured Ratty could be used to deliver my message to her.

I really didn't want Fluttershy and Rainbow to be too worried about me since I was the only one who couldn't teleport back safely.

I felt like I needed to send Ratty to deliver my message before Rainbow tries to do something ridiculously impulsive like breaking into the castle just to rescue me.

I was certain that I would be able to use magic freely when it was in an area outside the castle.

"Alright. Stay still Ratty." I focused my senses on Ratty to share its vision.

I had done it before on the other animals to locate them when they were far away.

"Doesn't get any less disorienting." I smile as I see the world from a rat's point of view.

While Ratty didn't have as good as a vision as me, and couldn't identify as many colours, it was a nocturnal animal which made it excellent in seeing things that I wouldn't be able to due to the darkness.

"Alright. You can go in now." I glance at the tunnel and tilt my head slightly.
A rat would be able to perfectly pass through such small spaces.

With an excited squeak Ratty went through the small space and easily began to navigate the dark tunnels.

Using a combination of magical signals and subtle taps of my will, I directed the rat's movements, as if I were manipulating a high-tech surveillance device.

While the use of magic was slightly difficult since it was technically still within the castle, it was much more manageable due to being underground.

Tapping the mental controls to the right, I guided the rat through the shadowy tunnels, its keen senses picking up the faintest of vibrations. Each tap to the left or right translated into a precise turn, navigating the creature through the winding labyrinth of the dungeon.

I could easily visualize the dark, dank tunnels beneath the castle, mapping out the twists and turns in my mind.

With the help of my magical signals, I guided the rat, instructing it to navigate the labyrinthine passages. With each movement, I could feel the rat's senses – the dampness of the earth, the faint scent of moss, and the echoes of distant hoofsteps.

Wait....Hoofsteps?!
Why would anypony be moving about in the castle's hidden underground tunnels?

It couldn't be helped....
I was just too curious.

"Time for a little detour, Ratty..." I mutter to myself as I signal it to explore the area where the sounds originated from.

"It better not be Rainbow...." I groaned, hoping she didn't plan on doing something foolish like breaking me out.

I really didn't want to add jailbreak to my other charges....

In the dim underground chamber, a figure emerged from the shadows, its form shifting and undulating like liquid darkness. Its body, sleek and insect-like, bore a pearlescent sheen that glimmered in the faint light filtering through the cracks in the walls. Its eyes, multifaceted and glowing with an otherworldly hue, observed Ratty with a calculating expression.

I sighed in relief.
I didn't know what this creature was supposed to be but at least it wasn't Rainbow.

It looked similar to a pony but didn't feel like one.
It was a different creature.

It appeared to be a bizarre fusion of pony and insect, a strange creature that seemed to be sentient.

Its chitinous exoskeleton clung tightly to its sinewy frame, and translucent wings twitched occasionally, as if eager to take flight. It moved with an eerie grace, its movements fluid and unhurried, like a predator patiently waiting for the right moment to strike.

I couldn't help but stare, captivated and slightly unsettled by this enigmatic being, for reasons I couldn't explain myself.

The creature shrugged, realizing Ratty wasn't a threat, before buzzing away doing whatever it was doing down here.

"Alright....back to what we were doing."
I figured they were simply a breed of underground ponies perhaps.

While I would like to study the creature and perhaps engage in conversation, should it be capable of communication, I knew that the time before I was sent for interrogation was short.

I had to send Ratty to Fluttershy without getting distracted by anymore unusual underground creatures, no matter how captivating they seemed.

I didn't even need to direct Ratty anymore to move towards the direction I wanted it to go since it knew exactly what it was doing.

I had a more panoramic view of its surroundings, due to its eyes being located at the side of its head which was very convinient to map out the routes.

I couldn't help but grin as it finally wriggled and squeezed itself up towards open air.

It worked!
Ratty was free!

"Good luck Ratty!" I whisper as I teleport it safely towards Fluttershy.

I knew I could count on Ratty to deliver my message.

My ears flicked slightly as I heard approaching hoofsteps.

I quickly cut off the connection between me and Ratty and glanced at the guard approaching me with a bored expression, hoping she couldn't hear my racing heart.

It was a good thing I didn't stall any longer with distractions since I had managed to make it just in time.

If it was any second late, the guard would have caught me in the act of using magic within the dungeon, and orchestrating a covert communication channel that I had established to send a message outside without any prior permission.

That wouldn't have ended well at all....

I raised my eyes, peering at the approaching guard with an air of casual indifference, masking the tumultuous fluttering in my chest. As she unlocked the cell door with a jingle of keys, I straightened, attempting to maintain an outward appearance of composure while inwardly wrestling with a surge of nerves.

"Time for for your interrogation," the guard stated flatly, gesturing for me to step out of the cell. With an air of forced nonchalance, I complied, walking alongside her as we traversed the dimly lit corridors of the dungeon.

"So who's going to be interrogating me?" I ask warily, unsure what to expect.

"Princess Cadance." The guard said simply while maintaining her neutral expression.

"Princess Cadance?" I ask worriedly, not recognizing that name.

Just how many princesses did this place have.....

"Yes. She came to visit Captain Shining Armor, when she received news of the assault......" The guard glanced at me with a concerned expression before masking it quickly.

"She was understandably worried since the Captain still hasn't woken up and insisted on handling the interrogation of the perpetrator herself." The guard sighed before stopping in front of a door.

"Ready?" She nods towards me.

I should have probably broken out of here when I had the chance.....

Not only was the victim still unconscious but a member of royalty had decided to question me herself.

This wasn't looking good for me.

"Yes. Let's just get this over with." is what I say instead as I keep my eyes fixed at the door ahead, trying hide my unease.

Author's Note:

Yes, yes....
I know I am terribly late with this update guys 👀

Was busy travelling during vacations and totally forgot about this.

But yeah....I am still alive and this story won't be dropped randomly so don't worry!

Comments

[SamParks10]

11780390
Thank you! And will do! ^^

[Poparakelis]

Look who's alive

[Aiwhisper]

Oh changelings, fun. Also WB glad you’re continuing.

[LoserkidUwU]

Nice

[Moonlight_Mist]

When you name your story 'when a scientist becomes a pony', people expect to read about a scientist. This guy is not a scientist. I don't care what you told us he did in his past life, he's not a scientist.

Not only is he not a scientist, he's really stupid.

[EggBaguette]

nice

[Luckyfanisaac]

I keep my eyes fixed at the door ahead, trying to hide my unease.

[Chill my dude]

LETS GOOOO

[Lord Headcheez]

11800084
I agree.

Don't get me wrong, I love the story and I look forward to where it's going, but that title seems to be false advertising.

[Doctor House]

Top

[Twilight_the_spy]

Well this story has been quite amusing, can't wait for more.

Though I do agree with the others that the scientist is acting a bit off. A bit too cartoonish perhaps?

[SRY]

11800084
Well scientists are just people too... some of them lack common sense or a wider sense of knowledge. Also, some are really just not as bright as you would think. Some do some really stupid or emotional stuff too.
Source: I am actually a scientist.

[Moonlight_Mist]

11829028
He's not following standard procedure for his so-called 'experiments' (actually, he didn't follow standard procedure for his 'experiment', singular), nor is he taking any time to observe the world around him. Even if he's supposed to be a scientist, he's not being a scientist. I don't think I'm alone in having expected a reasoned, logical, scientific approach to/account of having been isekaied to Equestria.

[SRY]

11829238
That is a fair criticism and I agree.

I don't think I'm alone in having expected a reasoned, logical, scientific approach to/account of having been isekaied to Equestria.

I would actually also like to see a story like this, a much harder to write story though.

[FridayPie]

11829986
That would look like something similar to Zelazni's "Wild magic", which technically was an isekai of sorts.

[FridayPie]

11829238
Tony Stark in Equestria

[Chrome Masquerade]

11836402
11836414
My point stands.