Moments in Time

by Shingo

Potions Produced by a Pink Pony to Prevent Petering Out

When Twilight walked into the kitchen of Sugar Cube Corner, she expected to see what would commonly be seen in a bakery: multiple ovens, mixing bowls, ladles, egg beaters, etc., etc. To say what she found was unexpected would be an understatement. All around the bakery were beakers and jars full of unknown liquids and substances. Crucibles full of glowing powders and mortars were scattered around the surface of a nearby table. Standing at the table was a pink earth pony with goggles over her eyes. She was busy putting a blue powder and a bright yellow berry into a mortar. After she was done, she grabbed a clean pestle and began mixing the ingredients together.

“Pinkie, what is all of this?” Twilight asked. The pink pony continued mixing the mortar.

“This,” Pinkie began. “Is my laboratory. Well, it’s the kitchen of Sugar Cube Corner, but it’s also my laboratory where I mix ingredients together to create wonderful things! Then again, a kitchen does that as well seeing as a pony can mix ingredients together to make food. Hmm… if a kitchen is like a laboratory, then…”

“I get it,” Twilight said. “Why do you have all of these potion making tools?” Pinkie pushed the mixture in her mortar into a nearby volumetric flask.

“Because I’m a potion master,” she said. The flask was filled with a small amount of a green liquid. Pinkie lifted the bottle and swirled its contents. “Actually, technically I’m an alchemist. But I prefer to work with potions.”

“You,” a purple hoof pointed to Pinkie. “You’re an alchemist. As in, a certified alchemist with a PhD and everything?” Pinkie nodded.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t believe you,” the flask was set down on the table. A door underneath it was opened revealing a picture frame. Inside it was a diploma with Pinkie’s full name on it. Twilight gawked. “Well, that silenced any disbelieving voices in my head.”

“You have voices in your head?” Pinkie asked closing the door. “You should probably see a psychiatrist about that.” Twilight opened her mouth but was stopped by the flask being pushed in front of her.

“Help me out, will you?” Pinkie asked.

“Before I do, two questions,” Twilight pushed the flask aside. “First, what exactly do you need me to do, and second, what exactly are you doing?”

“I’m making a new kind of potion,” Pinkie said filling a series of bottles with a purple liquid. “I’ve decided to add a new potion to the ones I already have available. The only problem is that I need somepony to test it.”

“So I’m a guinea pig?” each of the bottles had a cork placed in them.

“Yes and no,” Pinkie placed each of the bottles in a nearby box. “Before you came to town, I had never had the chance to work with S-Class unicorn magic. I always had Rarity to help me with potions, but her magic level is B-Class at best. Even with B-Class magic, I’ve been limited in what I can create. But with your magic, I can make pretty much anything I can imagine!” The lid of the box was closed and tapped shut.

“So here’s what I’m thinking,” Pinkie lifted her goggles. “I’ll give you access to all of my equipment and materials to make potions. In exchange, you help me test my concoctions and provide magical energy for them. How does that sound to you?” Twilight looked around the room. All around her was equipment that she had no access to. She did have access to what was in the library’s basement, but those things were barely suited for a foal’s first science experiment. If she took Pinkie’s offer, she would be able to do science. Not just regular science either, Science with a capital ‘S’. A smile grew on her face.

“Alright, Pinkie,” she said. “I’ll help you.”

“Yay!” Pinkie grabbed the volumetric flask. “I need you to put magical energy into this until I say stop.” Twilight’s horn lit up. The liquid inside the flask had a purple aura surround it. As the aura moved around the liquid, it bubbled. As each second passed, the liquid became brighter and brighter.

“Stop,” Twilight’s horn stopped glowing. She looked at the flask in Pinkie’s hooves with curiosity in her eyes. Inside the flask was a neon green liquid. It gave off a bright glow that nearly mirrored the light of a fire. “Thanks, Twilight.” Pinkie took the liquid and poured it into a shot glass.

“I probably should have asked this first,” Twilight said staring at the glass. “But what are you making?”

“A rejuvenation potion,” Pinkie said. “Well, that’s not exactly true. It does rejuvenate a pony, but not physically. This is designed to enhance alertness.”

“So, an energy potion?” Pinkie shrugged.

“Well sure, if you want to go with the boring name for it,” the shot glass was pushed in front of Twilight. “Go ahead, try it.” The glass was covered in a purple aura and lifted off the table.

“This isn’t going to kill me is it?” Pinkie in response opened a nearby drawer. She pulled out a black sack with a golden feather embedded into it.

“If you do die, I can always bring you back with this,” she said tapping the bag. “I made some Phoenix Powder last week.”

“Isn’t Phoenix Powder illegal?” Pinkie put a hoof to her lips. Shushing came from her as she did so. “I see. Well, bottoms up.” The contents of the glass were thrown down Twilight’s throat. She set the glass down on the table as soon as it was empty. Twilight smacked her lips together.

“Mmm, tasty,” she said. “How long is it going to take before it takes effe…” Twilight’s eyes widened. Her pupils shrunk to the size of pin pricks as she looked at the pink pony in front of her. The entire world seemed to be moving at a snail’s pace for her.

“Twilight?” Pinkie asked. “Are you okay?” The words that came out of Pinkie’s mouth seemed to be moving a hundred times slower than they normally would.

“HOLYCRAP!THISISINCREDIBLE!EVERYTHINGISMOVINGSOSLOW!” Twilight shouted. “ICAN’TBELIEVEIT!IFI’MMOVINGTHISFASTTHENICANREADEVERYBOOKINTHELIBRARYANDSTILLHAVETIMETOVISITEVERYPONY!THANKSFORTHEPOTIONPINKIE!I’MGOINGTOHOLDYOUTOYOUROFFERANDUSEYOURLABAFTERI’MDONEREADINGALLOFTHEBOOKSINTHELIBRARYANDDOINGMYCHORES.SOUNDGOOD?OKAYTHANKSBYE!” A purple blur burst through the kitchen and into Sugar Cube Corner’s show room. Pinkie could hear confused shouts and Mr. Cake saying a string of impolite words as the sound of a door breaking reached her ears. She walked to the end of the table and opened up a notebook. Before she could begin writing, Twilight appeared beside her.

“HIPINKIE!” she shouted. Pinkie jumped in the air.

“AH!” she screamed. “Oh, Twilight, you scared me. I thought you had to read all of the library’s books and do chores before coming back.”

“IDIDALLOFTHOSETHINGSALREADY!” Twilight giggled. “ITONLYTOOKMETHIRTYSECONDS!ANDTHAT’STWENTYNINESECONDSTOOLONG!CANIUSEYOUREQUIPMENTNOW?CANI?CANI?CANI?CANI?” Pinkie stepped back from the vibrating pony.

“Um, yes?”

“HOORAY!THANKSPINKIE!” Twilight moved around the kitchen at a pace faster than Pinkie thought physically possible. The sounds of glass moving and mortars being used could be heard all around her. She returned to the notebook and began writing.

S-Class Hyper Potion

-creation successful

-causes pony move a thousand times faster than they normally would

-whether or not there will be a crash will be determined once their energy runs out

-memo to self, must figure out how long the energy lasts