There was sound of breaking glass, as a maniacal laughter rose from the room. There was slight groans as a guard furrow her brows and muttered out. “Damn it...he didn’t take the pills.” then told to her fellow guard. “Get his wife here...tell her ‘Pyro’ is back.” the other mare nodded, heading off to a pathway, grumbling to herself in agitation.

“Out of all the times, why is it that damn stallion forgot to take the pills?” giving more curses and mutters as once she reached to the stone-home of Periodic, she knocked loudly at the wooden door, waiting for a moment before seeing a rose coat mare, having red surprised filled eyes, platinum-blond mane down to her shoulders as the 5’4” unicorn stood there as the mare told. “You need to get ‘Pyro’ to take his pills.”

There was a gentle sigh as the unicorn said, “I knew he forgot something this morning.” Hand to her chin in thought before motioning, “It’s fine, wait here please.” Closing the door and going back inside. It slightly irritated the guard, even more with how long it seemed to take for the mare to get the pills.

When the door opened back up, the pony adjusted her dress and shirt some before giving a nod and beginning her walk, not at all looking in a rush. This alone, made the guard feel agitated at the near casual walk the unicorn was going at.

She took a low breath and told to the unicorn. “I don’t think you get the urgency of this, Crisp.” looking at the unicorn as she told. “Your husband is causing damage and wasting resources in the labs as Pyro, making all sorts of bombs-- bombs we don’t need right now. So maybe if you can pick up the pace-- we can get him to take the damn pills before he might decided to use those crystallines as a bomb for him to tinker with!”

With a sharp glance and stopping, Crisp turned around and addressed, “It would do you a good measure of respect to not address my husband like some maniac when he get’s like this.” Then pressed on, “He get’s enough unduly distress when trying to aid to the whole Resistance and it’s needs. The anxiety alone is challenging enough for him.”

Then took a breath in and said, “Pyro may get a little out of hand like this, but he won’t hurt anypony.” Then turned on hoof and continued on, walking briskly, but still not at the rushed pace the guard would rather want.

Taking another breath, she tried to remind herself that the unicorn was a civilian, as she walked with her, but pressed. “I think you sometimes forget that ‘Pyro’ does cause us lots of damage in resources being spent on bombs, on equipment being lost in his ‘outbursts’-- and his odd desires to make ‘combustible lemons’ into a actual weapon for Celestia's sake!”

“Well if he does succeed in the later, than we wouldn’t have to waste resources to buy expensive explosives, just crates of lemons.” Smiled Crisp.

Doing her best to stay calm, she told in a strain calm tone. “Miss. with all due respect? Your husband is a maniac. And we’re starting to get concern of the pills he’s not taking all the time like he should. Especially when he’s trying to stretch said pills as they’re slowly running out.”

“Well he wouldn’t need them as often if you all would not push for results so often.” Observed Crisp in a simple manner, “You’re ‘opinions’ of my husbands state is noted, but these pills are only needed because everypony else can’t accept the stallion I come to know and love.”

She turned her gaze forwards and kept her steady pace all the while, adding, “I’m giving him a chance to actually let out that creativity that’s locked in that head of his too often. He needs an outlet to release all that stress and anxiety.”

It took the guard a moment-- but she gnash her teeth, realizing the mare was purposely letting the stallion caused damage and loss of resources as she nearly shouted at her. “You’re letting him waste important and limited resources for his ‘creativity’!? Do you know how limited we are? We can’t afford to let him have a ‘outlet’ with him being that maniacal thing moving around and causing damage in the labs!”

“Now you know how much anxiety he has whenever pressed to make something for you all.” Crisp said with no small amount of pleasure in her tone. A smile in place as it made the mare simmer in place. “Now hush up, I have a stallion to talk to.” Seeing the building right in sight.

She wasted a little less time here, walking on ahead and opening the door to walk in. She cast her red eyes around, noting the utter mess and the scientist of pony and a few caribou-- all plastering themselves to a wall. She could tell they were the ‘new minds’ that the Overlord gave, and this must of been their first time seeing Pyro in his default chaotic state.

Speaking of said stallion, she turned her gaze to the stud that was slightly cackling to himself and had an assortment of things. She rolled her eyes and began her approach-- stepping over any broken glass in her path. She could see, from the corner of her eye, the scientists shaking their heads and waving their hands for her to stop-- but she didn’t.

Instead, Crisp smiled and spoke, “What are you making this time Pyro?” A brow raised in slight curiosity.

The stallion paused, as he was hunched over the things as he turn his head to look at her. Mane ragged all over, a wide toothy grin from his sides going all the way up-- and his dark red eyes, glasses nowhere to be seen, only spark with a desire to see explosions as he jump up in the air and told happily. “Why Crispy I am making a breakthrough!” pausing in his speech to hold her tight to him in a hug, kissing her passionately as his tongue rolled into her mouth before moving his head back as he told proudly.

“I’m making a bomb of glass, rocks, and powder soot all dangle up with tissues!” then added. “And then, I’ll make a rock bomb! With paint!”

She gave a slight laugh and shake of her head, and asked while rubbing her lips. “Did you have to break the glass on the floor and walls?” Then told in a semi serious tone, “The guards are getting antsy again.” Then sighed out and patted his back, “And if I would, I would love to see those ideas get out.”

Crisp then pointed back and told, “But, you need to settle down-- you’re scaring your new friends.” Mostly remarking to the semi-terrified ponies and caribou's trying to impersonate bugs on a wall. “I think you unsettled them a bit.”

Pouting some with flat ears, he whine. “But Crispy~, I didn’t mean to break the glass-- I just needed something sharp, and metal from scissors and blades aren’t around for me to use.” then look to the terrified scientists as he told in a apologetic tone. “Sorry for scaring you to the walls!” then thought and said to Crisp with a wide grin. “Maybe as a apology, I can make them art bombs! Everypony love those!”

Laughing, Crisp said, “Maybe later Pyro, but right now you really should clean up this mess.” Motioning around before glancing to the side. She moved and carefully stepped her way to where a pair of glasses were discarded, gently kneeling down to pick them up before moving back to him.

She glanced around and smiled at a bottle of water, picking that one up and checking the side for Periodic name before walking back to her stallion. She placed the glasses to the side on a table, and gave him the water before reaching into her pocket and held out a single pill.

She gave a somewhat stern look and told, “So for now? Please just take you pill and sit down for a bit. We’ll clean up, and later tonight?” She softened up and told more softly, “We can get to making those art bombs. Maybe some other kind of bombs too.”

He whimper, moving back some and shaking his head, it surprised some of the scientist that the mad stallion was acting like a colt. “Crispy~,” He said in a pitiful tone. “I don’t want to-- it makes me feel weird, like I’m in a cold cage. And it keeps getting smaller with it every day.”

“Shhh.” Vocalized the unicorn, moving in and gently hugging him, “Shh, shh, shh. I know Pyro, I don’t like it either. But you know how other ponies feel when you’re like this.” With a gentle nuzzle, she went on, “I promise. Later tonight when it wears off, we can do things you want to do. Maybe finish your art project right here.” Then backed up to place a hand to his cheek, and smile, “Please? I know it’s a lot to always ask, but sometimes we both have to do things we don’t like.”

The stallion look away, then sighed heavily. Looking back to her with a gentle smile as he nuzzled her and said. “Oh, alright...anything for you Crispy.” taking the pill to pop in his mouth, and the bottle water as he drink it down. After a few minutes, he slowly blinked, rubbing his face as he stumble some, hand reaching to position himself as he felt Crisp leading him to a chair, letting him rest in it for a while.

One of the stallions slowly came close, glancing to Periodic and to Crisp as he asked lowly. “I think I speak for all of us when I ask this...what in Tartarus was all of that?”

Gently combing and straightening out the red stallion’s mane and later reaching to take and place the glasses back onto his face, Crisp smiled and gave a chaste kiss to her stallion before standing. She gave a glance and told, “Just a mental condition. One Periodic been wrestling with for most of his life, honestly.”

She set her face to something akin to a firm sternness, and said, “Don’t hold it against him. His mental condition makes it difficult for him to keep a firm grasp of ‘who’ he is. Stress only adds to his troubles. He really means well, as Periodic or as Pyro.”

Glancing around, Crisp said, “Where are the brooms? We should start cleaning this mess up.” Then glanced to the ‘project’ and remarked, “And please find a box, I’m sure Periodic will want to finish his art project later on.”

They glance to the other, as while they slowly started getting brooms, a Caribou remarked. “It would explain how he’s immune in a sense, against our people mind-magic. It can’t work on the insane.” then glance to Crisp and asked. “Does he has a form of split personality disorder? Its the most logical thing I can get from this whole mental condition.”

“Oh no.” Crisp shook her head while moving to gather up the project’s parts. “It’s something else. Periodic and Pyro are very much the same person. His parents merely didn’t like how he seemed so… ‘unstable’, so used the pills to numb his mind a bit. ‘Stabilize him’, as they put it.” Then rolled her eyes, “I personally felt they were trying to keep appearances. He lived in Canterlot, and that puts a unduly amount of pressure on his parents.”

A mare thought over that and question while using a broom to sweep up the broken glass. “But it doesn’t fully explain how your husband thinks with two different personality, in a sense. You said both Periodic and Pyro were the same,” then glance around and admit. “No offense? But they are nothing like the other, in fact I say Periodic is the normal one and the stallion we saw belong in a mental asylum.”

“You would say that.” Crisp said with no small note of flatness in her voice. “To everyone else? They are two different people. Mostly because the pill’s he has to take separate his two sides-- his creativity and his more logical sides.” Then added in “And if you knew anything about creative minds, than you would know that they all belonged in the loony bin.” Then smiled a bit, “It’s said the greatest artists were insane, and I would agree with that.”

A Caribou thought over some...and asked. “But if Periodic really is Pyro-- then why didn’t you ponies figure a way to ‘balance’ them in a sense? Get the logical and creative meld in instead of using the pill to separate them? You had brilliant minds in Canterlot and all over Equestria-- this could of lead to a breakthrough in the mental mindset if done right.”

There was a fairly vocal laugh to that, and Crisp had to take a moment to calm down to say, “Oh, oh no. Trying to balance them is far from possible anymore, he’s too grown up.” Then took a settling breath and told, “And it wouldn’t do much. Periodic, or rather Pyro, has found a way to touch on that primal magic some earth ponies do. You know, the kind that can’t be explained with gaining items form seamlessly no place, or know things will happen without reason.”

She shook her head and further told, “Chaos magic can’t be tamed. It’s raw, unrelenting and wild. Why do you think pills are so needed now? Only way to ‘calm’ down his special case of magic.” Then rolled her eyes, “Granted, it’s nowhere near Discord level. Just enough to leave you wondering.” Then chuckled, “If others were a bit more accepting of Pyro, I would just let him be Pyro as much as he wanted to be.”

Dr. Larson thought over...and said. “But with what we witness of Pyro...it caused problem for the Resistance. In a sense.” but then furrow his brows and said. “But without a way to gain more of these pills, you might be having a limit supplies to calm him into Periodic, what happens when you run out of pills for him to take?”

Smiling, Crisp told, “I suppose we’ll have a extra large supply of varying kinds of explosives to use.”

A mare shook her head and said. “This must of come a shock to you back then, finding out your stallion was insane when he wasn’t on the pills.”

Gently laughing, Crisp told, “He was going to become my fiance when it finally went down. He tried so hard to not show his Pyro side.” Then shook her head, “His parents got it into his head that it just wouldn't do. And it was a shock, I almost thought about backing away until my best friend, Zealous Need, told me I’d just be proving his parents right that no one would accept him.”

Flicking an ear, she glanced to the slightly groaning stallion and told, “It took work… but I found Periodic in there. As Pyro. I just wasn’t looking in the right places when it first happened.” Then glanced up to one of the mare’s, “I think some of you know how you can’t judge your stud by bad impressions alone.”

The mare in question reached up to her black collar and gave a smile, moving up and leaning a bit on Larson. The Caribou blinked and glanced at Shine, right before sighing and giving a nod to that.

With a smile and a firm nod, Crisp told, “Now then, chop chop. We have a laboratory to clean up.” Motioning for them to do that, while she reached out and took a box form one of the passing ponies to pack up the unfinished explosive. She glanced and knew she had to talk to her stud in a moment, then after that, assure the twitchy guards nothing was going to blow up.

Another groan came from Periodic, as he rubbed his face, blinking some as he was aware of what was around him. He glance to take his glasses on the tableside, looking of the scientists cleaning up, and his wife holding a box full of...junk. He gave a low breath, looking to his wife as he slowly got up on his hooves as he asked solemnly. “How much damage did I do and did anything blow up?” the few scientists glance as one asked.

“You...don’t remember?” he shake his head as he explain.

“Whenever I’m...Pyro, everything is blacked out, I know Crisp was the one who made me take the pill, because she is usually the one who does it. But anything else? I simply don’t know.” then look to his wife as he asked. “And why do you have junk in that box?”

“I promised you would get to finish your art project later tonight.” She told simply before smiling, “Give it a night or two, I’m sure you’ll remember then.” Then hefted the box to add, “I’m thinking of stretching the pills out a bit more-- mostly for your sake. I can tell all this stress on you is making them last less longer, so I’m thinking of having your natural self out and about our home before needing to get back to work.”

Concern on his expression as he asked. “Are you sure, Crispy? You know I am needed in a meeting with the Heads soon, not to mention you know how I am when I’m Pyro, I liked to get out and find ‘new material’ to work with.” a mare tease to Periodic.

“She could distract you with her femininity beauty and a shake of her rump!” causing the stallion to splutter, then paused. Considering it as he remarked thoughtfully.

“Despite the crass and innuendo of that comment-- she makes a good point. We haven’t had time to…” glancing to Crisp with a wry smile. “Enjoy our relationship alone, Crispy.”

Rolling her eyes, she told, “Because those four keep being greedy in having you in their presents-- I’m starting to feel jealous those mare’s keep my stallion away so much.” Then told, “I’ll talk to you later about that. For now, I need to assure your guard nothing is detonating inside the laboratory again.” Turning and moving towards the front door.

As soon as Shine moved to open and close it, Larson remarked, “You have a interesting mare, Dr. Tables. I don’t know if I could have the same resolve she has to be around someone that enjoys making explosives.”

Taking a deep breath, he admitted. “I’m glad that my wife considered being wedded to me. If it wasn’t for Zealous-- I’m sure that I would be a single and more troublesome stallion that mares wouldn’t want to get near at all.” dusting himself off as a stallion tried to lighten the mood.

“I’m sure that you could of--” until Periodic reminded him harshly.

“You all just witness Pyro for the first time-- what was your exact response?”

Giving a look to that, Shine said, “I think he was going to remark about how things are now.” Gaining the stallions attention. “Mare’s can be bought and sold, Dr. Tables. I think we know it’s possible you could have just gotten one and found love that way.” Then added, “Maybe. I can’t really say.”

She sighed and told, “But, talking about what if’s doesn't matter. What does?” She used a hoof to gently kick at a small bit of broken glass, “Is cleaning up the mess and getting back to work.”

“Right, right, apologies.” said Periodic, getting a extra broom to dust. “I’m just a bit short after taking the pill, its like I’ve been pushed out of a small cell or something.” shaking his head as he told. “And to be honest, I think when I do run out of pills-- I might be kicked off by the Heads decisions, as I would be 'insane' and unfit to give my opinions-- when all I would be focus on would be blowing up the enemy with variations of bombs.”

“What is with your fascination with bombs anyway?” asked a Caribou as Periodic admit.

“I find them pretty.”

A few cast looks around to that with a stallion shaking his head, “For some reason… that scares me.”

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