Black Mirror

by Electuroo

Chapter 7: The Years That Stood Still Part 4

Black Mirror
Chapter 7: The Years That Stood Still Part 4

1 month 3 days after Goldenmare's Victory

Starlight went to the aid of the ponies being Twilight and her friends under some pieces of her home. “Party Favor, Night Glider help me!” She called out and they quickly came to her aid, with them restored to their truesleves they managed to remove the debris.

Double Diamond help some of them to their hooves. “Are you all ok?”

“Yeah...” Twilight took his hoof and got back up on hers. “How are you?”

“Feeling pretty good being back to normal. The vault most of been shattered from that explosion. What exactly was that?” Double Diamond turn to the ruins of Starlight Glimmer's home.

Starlight continue to aid others and answered. “That was Electuroo's cutie mark exploding...”

Sugar Belle blinked. “Wh-what? How can a cutie mark explode?”

“Because they was right and I knew...” Starlight answered again.

“WHAT!?” Rainbow Dash screamed out. “How can you know and still do this!?”

Starlight glared at her stomping her hoof hard. “I had to! If I didn't none of this would happen and who knows what would happen if I didn't!”

“What the heck does that mean?” Applejack now asked. “Yer better make sense sugarcube.”

Twilight was curious now walking up to the unicorn. “What do you mean you had to?”

Starlight sighed sitting down on her rump looking over to her ruined home. “I don't have time to explain all I can say is that Rainbow Dash need to take Electuroo right now and fly fast as you can, no slowing down, just go faster and faster.”

“What?” Rainbow Dash lower Electuroo's still body off her and got onto her hooves. “How can that help me!?”

“The connection of the magic mirrors are one path, when you touched the energy of two became one for a second and in that transferences of magical energy and life force a part of him stayed within you, how I can't say for sure but with all that extra magical energy in you at the moment you could maybe use your speed to do something impossible.” Starlight Glimmer explained to Rainbow Dash looking directly at Electuroo as she spoke.

“Yo-”

“If there a chance it is now, the more time we waste chatting the less chance you have to bring back Electuroo. What have you got to lose?” Starlight Glimmer interrupted Rainbow Dash instantly looking directly into the eyes of the cyan pegasi. “Worst case I am wrong and you do whatever you wish of me...”

Fluttershy took the chance to speak with the silence that came right after with at first none of the ponies saying anything even the guard ponies and the two brothers, Flim and Flam. “Rainbow Dash I-I... Think it worth a try...”

“You really think so?” Rainbow Dash asked her best friend from Cloudsdale.

“Y-yes...”

“Ah have to agree Rainbow it worth a shot. Ah'll get some ropes to...”

Rainbow Dash flapping her wings hovered over Electuroo with both forelegs over and under each of Electuroo's. “No time Applejack, if you all think I got to do this and the chance of saving Electuroo's life. Then I will take it.” Rainbow Dash flapping her wings a few strong beats lift him up with simple ease.

Gold Wing look around at the sky quickly and pulled out one of his feathers and give it to Rainbow Dash. “This should help create a stable magical field around you when you go faster then sound itself.”

Dash looked at the feather in her mane that he placed there. “How is a gold feather going to do that?”

“Trust me I haven't got a clue. At the end it magic so don't question it and do it now before we flap around and chat all day. You got a coltfriend to save.” He grinned as she blushed heavily. “Skittles.”

Rainbow Dash grumbled under her breath. “I'll get you back for that Gold Wing.” Rainbow Dash gains more height looking around the town with a smirk came to her snout. “I'll be back before ya know it everypony! See ya soon!” With a few powerful flaps she takes off in a blinding speed into the distance creating a Sonic Rainboom soon afterwards.

Rarity with a hoof over her eyes watch Rainbow Dash disappear into the horizon. “Darling how would we know it worked?”

Twilight shrugs. “I don't know, whatever this have to do with Rainbow Dash flying faster and faster got me beat. I am trying to figure it out and it driving me nuts!” Twilight screeched a little at the end.

The ponies all talking about it all looking at the sky for anything as well, minutes past and nothing seem to happen. Starlight Glimmer stood in front of what was her home now only the foundations and the hidden passage exposed. “Well I hope this stupid plan was worth it, not only I lost my home but everything I worked for a better place...” She grumbled.

Twilight walked up alongside her. “What exactly was this plan?”

Starlight caught glimpse of the elderly stallion. “Why don't you ask the jackass behind the plan himself...”

“Huh?” Twilight turn her head to the left seeing nothing then to the right to see a brown unicorn with grey hooves, white mane, tail and bread with a purple cape standing before her. “You got Starlight Glimmer to do that to Rainbow Dash!?”

“Indeed my dear young friend. It had to happen or this wouldn't have happened.” The elderly unicorn answered calmly to the enraged pony about to charge at him but frozen in place.

“Merlin!?”

“Yes it me and the reason behind this outrageous plan is about to fly over in ten seconds.”

Twilight frowned at the words he gave her and about to protest when she turn to the direct he was looking at. On cue of ten exact seconds a rainbow streak shot right over at blinding speeds and just as fast it came it was gone. “Sweet Celestia! She flying faster then I ever seen her fly before!”

Merlin chuckled lightly. “She be crossing over again in about 30 seconds or so and then less time after that and then less after that. After about seven trips she be catching up to her own rainbow trail and over it take it.”

“Ho-how do you know this!?”

Starlight was about to ask this as well but her jaw just dropped at what was walking up to them behind Twilight. “N-no way...”

Twilight quickly spun around and gasped. Standing before her was no other then Rainbow Dash and Electuroo both wearing red puffer sleeveless jackets with sunglasses on their heads. “Guess who back from the future!” Both said together with smirks on their faces.

The other ponies saw the rainbow streak go over again faster this time and fading not as fast as before. But what shocked them even more was seeing Rainbow Dash and Electuroo, Pinkie Pie bounced over to them and gave Electuroo a huge hug. “Oh gosh Electuroo! Your alive! Your breathing!”

Electuroo hugged her back. “Pretty much.” He answered and let go. “Been alive for over a year or two.” He said looking at each of them. “It going to be tricky to explain but we arrived back about a month ago.”

“Month ago? Sugarcube how is that even possible?”

Merlin step up between the two pegasi. “Time and dimensional travel Miss Applejack.”

Applejack looked at him dead in the eyes. “Yer that old pony that came by Sweet Apple Acres two weeks ago. Ah know those eyes.”

“Indeed I am, 'guilty as charged' as you youngsters say it.” Merlin smiled putting his hoof on her right shoulder. “As for how I am really here and a Unicorn that because of Miss Dash here.”

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “Merlin we been through this so many times already! It Dash, Rainbow Dash or Rainbow. Not Miss Dash!”

Merlin looked around as the crowd gather. “Twilight are you ok?”

Rainbow Dash smirked seeing that twitch in her eye. “T-time travel... Dim-dimensional tr-travel... Brought back...” Twilight eyes rolled up and she fell over backwards with a hind leg twitching after the fall.

Electuroo just shook his head. “Rainbow I own you ten bits.”

“Yep you do.” Rainbow Dash replied and they watch another streak and followed by another. “Whelp, let get Twi into a bed and we will explain what happened.”

“I am for one that want to know because I was put through all this and it was part of you three plan!” Starlight Glimmer stomped her hoof hard. “This was all part of your stupid plan to get him back alive and I want to know why it had to cost what I was doing here!”

Electuroo and Rainbow Dash looked to each other and back at Starlight. “Because fear of not getting another friend over gaining a cutie mark and moving on isn't the answer your seeking Starlight. You got friends here.” Electuroo said calmly to her.

Starlight blinked. “H-how...”

“You told me.” Electuroo pulled out with his hoof a pair of bands and toss it over to her.

Starlight caught them with her magic and looked at it. “Wait this is one of my mane bands from when I was a child. But I got them right here.” She showed the pair and looked at the others. “The other me from this other Equestria wasn't it?”

“Pretty much. Took some crazy time events when you was trying to change history from Rainbow Dash's Sonic Rainboom to finally come to terms and have new friends.” Electuroo said making the ponies look at each other talking quietly. “But that was you there and not here.”

“Don't bother trying to get your head around this time travel dimensional thingy, I been through it from going to that Equestria to getting home and arriving a month before all this.” Rainbow Dash pull out her hoof to the land around and looked up. “Wow so that what it looked like from down here. Never thought I see myself flying.”

“Sugarcube ya have no idea how weird it is for us.” Applejack step up to Electuroo. “But it good to see it did work Electuroo.”

Electuroo flap his wings a little before resting them against his sides. “It was weird for me too waking up at the Wonderbolt Academy after I should have been dead. Magic just something I can't understand, just one of those things you go along with and keep a open mind.” Electuroo gave her a hug. “But it good to see you again Applejack, same to all of you.”

“Oh darling it is.” Rarity next hugged him and pulled away looking at both him and Rainbow Dash. “Those outfits what exactly are they?”

“Back to the Future. It something Electuroo said about and we got Rarity in the other Equestria to make them for us before we returned.” Rainbow Dash smirked. “It is your hoof work.”

“Indeed I can see.” Rarity replied taking a good look at their jackets. “It good to know the plan worked.”

Fluttershy next hugged Electuroo and Rainbow Dash. “I am glad you two are ok. And now we got a new friend. It makes me feel warm.”

“Indeed it does Miss Flutershy.” Merlin bow his head slightly as the speed of the past Dash was now so fast it seem there was many of her. “The ring is forming and soon she will crash into me.”

“Oh so that why I been getting that weird feeling in my tongue and back legs since it begun! It a new Pinkie Sense I had a month ago! I couldn't just place it and now I know!” Pinkie Pie giggled.

All of the ponies part from Twilight who was out cold watch the rainbow ring glow brighter till it exploded in two directions in the sky rippling outwards across the sky and over their heads, the two waves fading as they travel beyond the horizon.

Double Diamond notice Rainbow Dash had zoomed off and returned with a scruff tossing it at him. “Here I believe it yours.”

He looked at it resting on his front hooves. “It is! I left this with my skis back on the slope when I first met Starlight! Thank you Rainbow Dash.”

“Don't sweat it!”

Starlight put the bands with the others. “Till Twilight recovers how about we clean up this place? And afterwards you three can explain everything that happened to you.”

“Sure.”

“I got no problem with that.” Electuroo answered after Rainbow Dash.

Merlin nod a little. “Indeed Miss Glimmer I believe we do have a lot to discuss. And I believe I got everything we need to get this place cleaned up in no time at all.” Merlin levitated a bag over to him and open it up.

“No disrespect darling, how is a tacky blue bag going to help us?” Rarity asked.

Merlin looked into it. “Now where is those brooms, I know I put them right here.” He pulled out a staff from the bag making many ponies just wide eyed stare at what came out of the bag. “Nope that my staff.” He put it to the side and pulls out a globe that increased in size afterwards then came out some books and finally a set of brooms. “Finally!” He put the other stuff back in and they shrunk as they entered the bag.

Rarity quickly looked inside it and found nothing but a empty bag. “H-huh!? I just saw you pull out a library of books, a set of brooms, a staff, globe, thread, a cape and that hat!”

Merlin close the bag up and in a flash disappeared before their eyes with a glow of his horn. “That Miss Rarity is magic that is mine alone. The only one that can understand it is Pinkie Pie.”

“Yep I do!” She giggle bouncing on the spot. “After we done cleaning up let have a party!”

Electuroo took a good look around. “It good to be back.”

“Yeah it is. Even it not all roses and sunshine like the other one we left, but we still got our friends.” Rainbow Dash replied as they joined in on the cleaning up of the town.

Flim and Flam stood on the outskirts of town looking down from the mountain pass. “Are you sure we to go this way brother?” Flam asked Flim.

Flim sighed. “I do not know brother of mine. The further we are from anypony the better.”

“Indeed. I agree. Shall we go?”

“Yes let go.” Both brothers turn and walk away heading across the stone bridge to the mountain pass not looking back as they adventure off.

A few hours past with the mess rapidly cleaned up mostly by those with their internal magic now returned, pegasi lifting up pieces of Starlight's home and setting them down on a ever growing pile, Earth Ponies carrying their own loads of pieces of wood, glass and metal in wagons.

Unicorns with the aid of Starlight Glimmer used their magic to compact the pile into a much smaller cube that be easier to place out of harms way. The work being done between the whole town even Rarity and the few without magic was a sign of friendship that touched Starlight more ways then one, she felt happy doing this, happier then in a long time.

Merlin stood beside her as Rainbow Dash with the help of the local pegasi lift the cube of rubbish with ropes to take it away to the dump site not to far out of town. “I noticed something that I did not see right away from your counter part Miss Glimmer.”

Starlight turn slightly to look at the elderly pony. “And what would that be?”

“You are truly happy within one's self are you not? The feel of helping and being just yourself and not pretending to be equal when in fact you just hid your cutie mark from them.” Merlin made her stare at him directly now with shock and surprise but then recall her counter part so he must known about it.

With a smile she turn back to the empty slot that was her home. “So what does that make you and me?”

“Friends Miss Glimmer, it not always about the cutie mark, but much about yourself. The fear and pain you had when you was a child is enough to cloud one's mind. I also made mistakes I regret. I took it upon myself 6000 years ago to banish my dark mirror counter part, I could of destroyed the mirror and none of this would be happening now.” Marlin walks to Double Diamond's house with ponies now enjoying themselves having a party.

“What we regret is what we have to learn to live with and move on. Sticking to the past will only aid that darkness within and blind you to the word around you.” He continued to speak as she joined him, ponies calling out to say hi to Shimmer and she returning it with a warm smile. “As you can see in this time of events no pony knows that truth you hid, that is your choice to tell and not mine.”

She stopped at the door with Rainbow Dash landing beside them. “So once we go in the story of what happened be told about you, Rainbow Dash and Electuroo?”

Rainbow Dash sighed. “We did say didn't we? Not like I flew faster then the speed of light, time and whatever the dimensional barrier made of to save Electuroo's life and pull in an extra.” Rainbow Dash walked up to the door pushing it open.

Merlin just came out with two words that countered her words against him. “Miss Skittles.” He walks in seeing the red under her eyes and alongside the anger that appeared.

“Gah!” She stomped hard with her right hoof. “That wizard is so annoying with being formal and using that damn nickname Electuroo gave me! I so going to make them both sorry!”

“And how exactly will you get your back on them?” Starlight asked.

Rainbow Dash thought about it and smirked. “Oh I got a idea, how would you like to get on the act Starlight?”

Starlight Glimmer thought about it and a smile creep up on her snout. “What do you have in mind?”

“How are you in illusions?”

“Very.”

Electuroo finished making some tea by the time Starlight and Rainbow entered the house and joined the others sitting down at any aviabiable spot left in the living room of Double Diamond, sitting by the sofa was a set of skis and helmet with four boots.

He scooped it up with his wings and placed it before Twilight sitting at the table who had finally recovered from her shock, taking it with her hooves she sipped some of the tea. “Before we say anything your not going to bloody spas out and faint because something that shouldn't be possible happened right?”

Twilight took some deep breaths and took another sip of her tea. “I'll try, but I can't promise you I won't freak out.” Twilight looked over to him. “You being alive when all that you are was destroyed with your cutie mark. Yet your here and cutie mark.”

Applejack leaning against a wall on her hind legs with forelegs crossed nod to this and many others also nod. “Ah have to agree with Twi there, seein' ya sittin' as if yer a spring chicken isn't what ah had it mind. How exactly are ya alive?”

Electuroo looked over to Merlin and over to Rainbow Dash before returning to Applejack and Twilight to answer their question. “I haven't got a clue about that, nor as Rainbow or Merlin. In fact Merlin shouldn't even be a unicorn so think how we felt in your hooves when we found out about it.”

Rainbow Dash didn't answer right away and got a nudge from Starlight. “Hmm? Oh right! Talk about erm...”

“Creepy?” Pinkie Pie chimed in.

“Yeah that...”

Electuroo chuckled. “Always with the right words huh Pinkie?” Starlight sighed slightly.

Pinkie Pie giggled. “Sure am! So how did you get your exact cutie mark back? We all saw the lightning blast it created when it went boom!” She pull out her hooves either way making a explosion sound as well.

Electuroo rubbed his head. “After all that time we never got a solid answer nor followed it up because of the place we was in.” He glance at the cutie mark. “But all I can saw it just like any pony cutie mark now, somehow I am not even human inside anymore, I am a pony through and through. Try to work that out.”

Twilight open her month for a second and closed it with her eyes drifting away rubbing her underside of the snout for any idea to solve this. “I might have a idea.” Sugar Belle spoke up.

“Hmm?” Twilight and the others look to the unicorn.

Sugar Belle took a look at Rainbow Dash first. “From what I saw and this talk of magical overload thanks to whatever happened.”

“How...”

“Pinkie Pie told me while we was making some baked goods. She said that there two others so I thought if that the case.” She look directly at Electuroo. “The energy that these mirrors had to turn him into a pony left enough of his human in Rainbow Dash, only a tiny bit and with the magic overload thanks to Goldenmare it resulted in something like making a cake.”

“How exactly does a cake come into this?” Rarity asked.

“I like to know. If that ok?” Fluttershy was curious herself.

Sugar Belle using her magic brought up the cake on the table and show it them. “Sometimes when you have too much of something the little bit that isn't even there becomes there. So let say the egg and water or milk with the flour to make the cake base is Rainbow Dash.” They watch as the icing and the rest is pulled away from the base. “Now at first you have little bit of icing there not much for a cake that big right?” They nod. “Now add more icing and you get the perfect amount.”

“But it doesn't explain Merlin.” Party Favor point to the old unicorn. “If he some 6000 year old wizard that lost his body to something back then how is it he got one?”

Sugar Belle use her magic to place the remaining layer between the cake and place it back on the plate complete. “He somehow became the connection needed to transfer magic from Rainbow Dash to Electuroo. He was the focal point.”

“Crashing into me resulting in a dimensional and temporal shift as well bring me back to the living world within the Dream Realm. Interesting Miss Belle.” Merlin looked right at Starlight. “Don't you agree Miss Skittles.”

“Dash! Rainbow Dash not-” Starlight created a outburst and cup her mouth. “Ah buck...”

Electuroo blinked a few times. “Rainbow Dash?”

“Hehe yep it me.” The illusion disappeared and both appear back to normal. “Had ya fooled right?”

“Ya sure did RD, but how come Merlin wasn't?” Applejack now curious as the elder chuckled softly.

Merlin put his hoof on his bread and rubbed it slightly. “That Miss Apple is something a wizard such as I don't disclose. I been enjoying the last year or so with this body and got to taste the fruits of living, breathing and sleeping. It been quite enjoyable as well teasing Miss Dash here.”

Rainbow Dash snorts. “It either RD, Dash, Rainbow or Rainbow Dash! Not Miss Dash or Miss Skittles!” Rainbow Dash grunts with forelegs crossed and the anger showing.

“As it is Miss Dash.”

“GAH! You bucking old unicorn! Why do you keep call everypony miss and mr part from Celestia and Luna!?”

“That because I am over 6000 years and believe that no matter how irritable it is to you and others to call you such it amusing to see you get angered so easily and yet we still friends are we not?” Merlin said calmly with a soft smile.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “Yeah yeah old timer whatever you say.”

“And we come to full circle once again.”

Twilight rubbing her head. “Right... To the point of this...”

“Can you tell us how it was like in the other Equestria you was at?” Night Glider asked.

“Yeah tell us! Please I like to know!” Double Diamond was curious.

Rainbow Dash smirked. “We sure can, right boys?”

“Indeed.”

“I'm cool with that.”

“This be interesting to hear.” Starlight Glimmer attention was caught and now hooked to know this tale.

Rainbow Dash jump up and hovering over them she begins to tell them. “As I took off holding Electuroo I flew faster then I ever had before! So fast that I thought I was seeing more of myself moving that slightly slower and all I cared about at that time was doing whatever it takes to get Electuroo back! I had no idea what would happen when I did it and...”

Author's Note:

The story behind this is going to be a side story. I am currently working on it and next chapter be a direct link to it. So stay tuned :D

Comments

[Starlight Nova]

So when do the evil and opposite versions of the main six appear?