The Time Ponies (Fail to) Take a Vacation

by My name is R

Digging Up Trouble: Catching Up

Have you ever had a dream? Not like ‘I left my purse at home so when I bought a purple tomato I was arrested and forced to peel every potato in Equestria’ type dreams, I mean a wish. Well, Emerald had a dream of going on an adventure right out of her novels. She had enjoyed helping to save an alternate version of Equestria from the changelings with her friends, but it wasn’t quite what she had been looking for.

And so it was that our scene opens with Emerald walking down the streets of Ponyville dressed like Daring Do, albeit with the addition of heavy saddlebags that would have hindered the flight of a pegasus.

She stepped into the simply named Ponyville Café and walked up to the table where Derpy and The Doctor were eating. “Hi. Mind if I join you?”

“Not at all,” Turner answered while Derpy smiled and waved. “The more the merrier, though I am curious why you’re in Ponyville at all?”

Emerald was about to respond when she noticed the waiter looking down at her. “Oh, I’ll have a small salad.” The waiter left and she turned back to her friends. “I’m here because I want to go on an adventure in…” she looked around and saw nopony who looked like they were paying attention. Even so she lowered her voice and leaned in. “You know the place.” Then she leaned back and returned to her normal tone. “I was wondering if you would let me take a trip?”

“Well, I suppose it wouldn’t hurt… What sort of an adventure?”

“I wanted to go check out the old castle. I’m hoping for some booby traps and hidden passageways and the like. It’ll be just like a real Daring Do adventure.”

“Can I come too?” Derpy asked, her eyes wide and both pointed right at Emerald. “I can bring my costume!”

Emerald thought back to the time that she and Derpy had gone to a Daring Do convention together, and inwardly cringed at Derpy’s idea of a cosplay. “What if I help find you something that isn’t specifically Dr. Caballeron, since he’s been seen around there?”

Derpy nodded. “Sure!”

---

After several minutes of debating whether her E.U.P. reserve armor was appropriate attire for an adventurer/explorer/archeologist, Derpy decided that it was, but only if she also had a mysterious hooded cloak to hide the armor, in case they needed to blend in. As Emerald had pointed out: ‘That’s not very likely to be a problem on our particular adventure, but I like the thematic element. The right costume really helps you get into character.’

Finally they were in the basement waiting for the Doctor to turn on the machine. “Hey Doctor, does your fancy portal machine have a name?” Emerald asked. “I keep thinking ‘the machine’, but you’ve got a couple in here.”

“It most certainly does,” he answered. “I named it the Temporal Alterations and Realignment of Dimensions Interface Station, or TARDIS for short.”

“Why? You could just name it the time and plane machine.”

“Because I thought T.A.R.D.I.S. sounded cool. Anyway, are you sure you don’t want me to join you? I’ve been to the castle before, so I might help you avoid some of the dangers.”

“And that’s exactly why I don’t want you to join us,” Emerald answered. “It would be a huge immersion breaker if you already knew things going in. Remember, this time there are no stakes riding on a successful mission, we’re just taking a bit of a vacation. Doing it in style is more important than doing it well.”

“Yes, but what if one of you does trigger a trap, and you get hurt?”

“Don’t worry Doc, we’ll be extra super careful,” Derpy spoke up. “No traps are gonna get us, I’ll be keeping an eye on everything!”

“Alright, I suppose if you’re both quite sure.” He pulled the lever and with a bright flash the T.A.R.D.I.S. opened a portal into the land of adventure.

Emerald turned to Derpy. “Let’s go live every Daring Do fan’s second greatest dream.”

“Is swimming in a pool of muffins somehow related to Daring Do?”

---

Rarity had grown up in Ponyville, and even though she had moved to Canterlot years ago she still felt a special connection to her hometown. She wanted to help it get back on its hooves, but every time she thought of a way that she could help, it ended in disaster. First she had decided to make easily carried cold weather gear to help in case of the wandering blizzards, but then the Wendigos were banished in a multi-species Hearths Warming remembrance celebration. Then she decided to help organize a militia for fighting off wild beasts from the Everfree, only to find out that Fluttershy had already taken responsibility for the animals and was training them not to attack ponies.

Today she was staring at the map of Equestria that had appeared sometime during the Day of Winter, wondering whether there was anything else she could do beyond simply helping with construction.

Just as she was about to turn away she saw a slight ripple pass over the map, causing the images to flicker. She took a few steps back and dropped into a ready stance, waiting for the map to do anything else. After a few tense moments two ponies flew out of it, cheering their heads off like it was some kind of roller coaster until they fell back to the ground in a pile.

“Excuse me, but are you both quite alright?” Rarity asked.

The unicorn looked up and quickly disentangled herself, standing up and dusting herself off while trying to act casual. “Hm-hm. Yes, we’re doing just fine.” She looked at Rarity closely. “You’re one of the Element bearers we rescued in Canterlot, right?”

Rarity nodded her head. “Yes, though I’m afraid I don’t remember you. I’m Rarity.”

“And I’m Emerald, and this is Derpy.” Derpy waved vigorously. “We’re here to do some sightseeing and exploring for a few days, and thought we’d start in Ponyville.”

“Why don’t we go invite the others to join us and we can have a nice chat at the local tavern to start you off, hmm?”

“That sounds like an excellent way to start our adventure,” Emerald agreed, following Rarity as she began trotting towards their destination.

“Adventure?”

“We’ll fill you in once everypony’s together. No sense in going over it more than once.”

---

A few minutes later Derpy, Emerald, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie, Rainbow, and Applejack were gathered around a large table, various beverages at hoof.

“It’s nice ta meet y'all properly,” Applejack said, shaking hooves with Emerald, then Derpy. “We haven’t seen hide nor hair from y’all since the big shindig in Canterlot. Why ain’t none a ya come over sooner? There’ve been plenty of barn raisings ya could’a joined us for.”

“Well, we decided to let the timelines synchronize before crossing over again,” Emerald answered, before taking her first sip of ale.

“Not all of us speak egghead,” Rainbow admonished. Then she went back to using her best puppy eyes on Applejack to beg for a refill of her cider.

“I believe she said that they wished to let us catch up to the same time in our world as it was in theirs before they came back,” Rarity answered, setting down her teacup. “I believe they had some way to change the flow of time, though I never received the details.”

“Yep!” Derpy piped up. “I think it was just to keep things straight, not for time science reasons.”

“Chronomancy,” Emerald offered. “Anyway, sorry we’ve been gone so long, but we’re here now. What’s been going on with you?”

“Well, I’ve been leadin’ work on clearin’ the fields,” Applejack answered. “Some of our kin came down ta help last year, though most of ‘em went back after winter ended.”

“And I’ve been leading the fight against The Everfree’s weather!” Rainbow shouted enthusiastically. “You wouldn’t believe the storms the forest can cook up all on its own.”

“Oh Oh! Me next!” Pinkie interrupted. “Since the Cakes decided not to move back to Ponyville, they let me take over Sugarcube Corner! It’s been a little hectic, but I’ve been able to double our output from the pre-winter days to help feed everypony. Like this.” She held up her pitcher. “It’s a special drink I made from poison joke. It tastes different each time you take a sip.” She nodded at Fluttershy, who set down her bottle of maple syrup she had been adding to her cup.

“And I’ve been teaching the local predators not to attack anypony. So far I’ve managed to convince all of them to leave the town alone, though some of them will still attack anypony they run across outside of town.”

“What about you Rarity?” Derpy asked while refilling her mug. “Are you getting your boutique ready for business?”

“I’m afraid not dear. There isn’t much of a market for fashion while the town is still being rebuilt. I’ve tried a few things, but I haven’t found a way I can help much.” She smiled and stirred a salt cube into her tea, but paused before taking a sip. “What about you two? What sort of adventure are you on?”

“We’re gonna play Daring Do and explore the castle!” Derpy answered.

“In that case you should check out the team that’s heading there tomorrow,” Fluttershy said. “They’re going to do some surveying for a restoration project.”

“Somepony’s going to restore The Castle of the Two Sisters?” Emerald asked. “Really?”

“That’s what I’ve heard,” Fluttershy answered. “Maybe after we’re done here you should go see them?”

“That sounds like a plan,” Emerald agreed. Fluttershy took a sip of her drink and nodded. “Say, what are you drinking with your syrup?”

“Vodka. It has a bit of an unsavory taste by itself, but it goes well with some maple sap.”

---

“Ah think Ah’ve made a mistake,” Emerald said as she narrowly avoided tripping over her own hooves for the third time on their way down three blocks.

“How so?” Derpy asked, steadying her once more.

“I definitely shoulda stopped on my second mug a’ ale.” She stopped walking. “Derpy, Ah jus’ wanna say how proud Ah am o' you, fer not drinkin’ jus cause the res a us were. It takes guts to resist the social pressure and do what ya feel is right.”

“What are you talking about? I drank too?”

“Has anypony ever told you how adorable you are? I mean real drinkin’, like with alky-hol an' evryfin'.”

“Emerald, I had the same drink you did.”

“Whaaat? No way. Yer pullin’ on my leg.”

Derpy looked down. “Nope, I’m pushing on your shoulder.”

“But you had as much as me. How’re you able ta walk?”

“Well, you’re smaller than me. Plus I’m really tough.”

Hic. “Yep. You’re super tough, like nails and glue and iron all got mashed together.” Emerald blinked slowly. “Where are we goin’?”

Derpy’s eyes started drifting apart, and she shook her head once, before immediately sitting down and holding her head in her hooves. “Bad idea.”

“Ah know, what if we ask somepony in there?” Emerald pointed at town hall.

“Oh yeah, we were looking for town hall. You found it,” Derpy cheered quietly. “Great job.”

“Oh, right.” Emerald tried to walk over to it, and fell on her face. Derpy helped her to her hooves and they slowly crossed the road. Then Derpy knocked on the door.

“Come in, come in,” somepony called from inside, so Derpy led the way into the building.

Inside there were around a dozen ponies with sleeping bags, reading, writing, or trying to sleep. At a small desk facing them was the older stallion from the group traveling with Daring Do. “Hello. We’re hoping to join the trip to the castle. Is this where we sign up?” Derpy asked.

“Indeed. And who are the two of you?”

Derpy looked to Emerald, letting her do the talking, but she had fallen asleep and was quietly snoring on the floor. “Emerald, wake up.” She nudged her with a hoof.

“No haggling,” Emerald mumbled. “Listed price is final.”

“Is she your employer?”

“Well, I guess she’s the leader of the two of us, but we’re more partners.”

“Well, since she is indisposed, why don’t you tell me about the two of you?”

“We came from our world to stop the changelings, and now we want to explore The Castle of the Two Sisters and pretend like Daring Do. It’ll be fun.”

“Well, I don’t usually like to hire rookies, but if you’re telling the truth about being part of the team that saved Equestria I suppose I can make an exception. Who was your leader?”

“Well, I guess that would be Starlight, or maybe Doc.”

“Hmm. Very well, how about I’ll provide the supplies and no payment will be rendered?”

“Sounds great.”

Author's Note:

Vodka is a rather stiff drink, and I’ve heard that even those that like it don’t care for the taste. If it turns out that mixing it with maple for sweetener is a terrible idea then that’s on me, I thought it was a good idea at the time. We’ll just pretend that is a perfectly good thing to do. Maybe it is, I don’t know.

And that's what I decided Fluttershy would be drinking primarily because it's Russian. We'll be seeing more of Commieshy in later books, but things are still in flux here.

Anyway, I’m going to release a new chapter every 2 weeks, except between tales.

Comments

[My name is R]

Today is Indiana Jones' birthday, by the way. That's how I chose today.
I've finished writing the first two stories. I'm confident that I'll have the third up by the time I get there. After that we'll see.

[Golden_Reflection]

Nice to see more of the Time Ponies, and great way to get the T.A.R.D.I.S name in there for Doc.