Just In Time

by spoiltcheese

I - For the Greater Good

“Tonight we celebrate, for the first time in Ponyville, the Summer Sun Celebration, brought to you by our very own Stinking Filthy Richmond-sorry, Samuel Fitch Richmond, in collaboration with the Apple Smith Farmsteed who has provided us with a wonderful dinner and drinks. Also we are glad to announce that the prom for this year’s Canterlot University graduates will now begin.”

Twilight had a strange sense of deja vu as her class cheered the beginning of the prom.
“Twi?”
She blinked.
“Helloooo? Anypony home?”
“Oh, sorry Moon.” The light purple mare replied. “I was thinking about memory spells…”
“Oh man – a bookworm till the very end.” Moon Prancer sighed. “The dance?”
“Celestia’s beard! I hope I can pick up a straggler…” Twilight ran off into the distance to look for unpartnered stallions.
Moon inched closer to Jack. “Ya gotta make the first move, Ash.” She whispered, “Hurry!”
“Now?” Jack asked excitedly. “In front of everypony?”
“You rather dance with the mop?”
Jack threw a sideways glance at the mop, still dripping wet from its last use. “I don’t think Twi has anypony to dance with.”
“So just ask her already!”
Jack gave a snort as he cantered down the hallway. She has me as my default. Who else could hope to win her heart?
Moon looked, as if knowing what was in Jack’s head. Silly pony, he thinks he can attract the girls just by existing?

--

Twilight glanced around as she tried to read the body language of the crowd. Look for the fidgeting stallions – glazed looks, scratching the floor with their hooves, looking out for others. She knew very well she had Jack as her fallback, but was loathe using the idea. They don’t call him Jackass for nothing.
She did not have to look far to spot a dark blue stallion chatting away with some of the rest of the boys. OK, easy. You’ve worked with them. Head high. Genuine smile. Confident speech.
“Oh, hi boys.” Twilight tried to sound as nonchalant as possible. “What’s up?”
Her target rolled his eyes, knowing full well her intent. “Oh, hey Twi. You need a date for the dance?”
“Sorry I didn’t see you back there Night Light.” She lied. “And just as well- I’d been so busy studying I totally forgot who to invite!”
“Ahem.” A deep voice sounded from the back. “I believe you deserve better than that.”
Twilight turned around to find Jack, arrogantly glaring at the other group as if Twilight were his prize. “So what’chu gonna do for the date? Square dancing? Sharing soggy slices of pizza? Playing your videogames till sunrise?” Jack spat. “The buck’s them newfangled ‘videogame’ anyway?”
Twilight could hear Night scowling even with her back facing him.
“Anyway, my girl Twilight Velvet will be having a most glorious evening dancing under the stars and having the best gourmet food, followed by a VIP view of the ceremony, of course.”
Twilight could hardly believe her ears. For the period she’d known Jack she’d seen his arrogant side but never manifested with such malice and hate.
“Jack.”
“Hmm?” Jack smiled, as if victory was assured.
“I’m going out with Night Light.”
Night’s jaw dropped, and Jack was taken aback. “Why?”
“Because he asked me first.” She said. And with that, she tapped on her date’s shoulder and the two walked past the shocked Jack. But he did not take long to regain his composure.
“I’m going to enjoy this…”

--

The clock tower stuck midnight.
“Summer’s finally here.” Night sighed.
Twilight turned to her partner. “You sound sad. Shouldn’t you be happy we finally graduated?”
“Exactly.” He declared. “But there’s still so much to learn – so many things to do…”
“Pah.” Twilight dismissed. “Let’s just enjoy the party.”
The two exited the moonlit square into the bustling where the crowd had just finished a rendition of Auld Lang Syne. “Don’t they sing that for New Year’s?” Night asked.
“It’s as good as one.” Twilight led Night into the crowd. “Not just a new year, too. New places, New relationships…”
“Why’d you accept my offer, anyway?” Night queried.
“What?”
“I mean, er, what I mean to say is –“ Night blushed, with no idea how to continue.
“Why’d I pick you to be my date tonight?”
There was a short pause.
“Yea, that.”
“Like I said to Jack – you asked me first.”
“Ugh, that’s not what I mean!” Night blushed harder. “What I was saying was you could have used any excuse to avoid Jack – why’d you have to dance with me?”
“You asked me.”
Night’s face had turned completely red. “Wait, you think me as your boyfriend?”
It was Twilight’s turn to blush. “Well… you are a boy… friend… thing…” She scratched the ground. “Yeah.”
Night tried to look away as if it would resolve the tension. “I mean we’ve been friends for so long but this is so sudden and you asked me to go to the dance and stargaze and all that-“
“Ooo, someone’s got a girlfriend.”
Twilight blushed as the Jack descended on the young couple like a vulture stalking the soon-to-be-dead.
“Hrah, pigs will fly.” Jack declared. “I could’ve sworn you were allergic to the female species, Nighty.”
“Horsefeathers.” Steam began to rise from Night’s face. “We just dance tonight, we watch the sun rise, we say good day.”
“Meh.” Jack turned to Twilight. “Why’re you hanging out with this deadbeat Earthborn, anyways?”
Night’s face hardened to stone. “I am as much a unicorn as you are, Jack!” He hissed. “What’s it to you, anyway?”
“Oh, nothing, nothing.” Jack never turned back to face Night. “I’d just hate to see Twi being sullied by a mudblood…”
Twilight gasped incredulously. Night looked like he would die of embarrassment on the spot.
“Jack!” Twilight yelled. “That’s enough!”
“Oh, sorry Twi.” Jack gave an apology dripping with insincerity. “My tongue slipped.”
Night bit his lip.
“I’ll just ask again politely then.” Jack continued, “What’s with you and Night?”
“Nothing! Nothing at all!”
“Then you wouldn’t mind if I had the next dance with you?”
Night gave a look that suggested he was contemplating throwing the punch (or a punch, for that matter) right into Jack’s face.
Twilight blew a rapid, high-pitched rasp. “Why, you don’t have a date?”
“I am hurt, Twi!” Jack declared sarcastically. “Can’t I decide to play the field a little?”
“Yea, play jerk for all I care.”
Jack gave a snort. “Ah well, I guess I’ll go with Moon then – she bombed out with her date.”
“Was he always this annoying?” Night ask, as Jack left.
“Only while drunk.” Twilight rolled her eyes.
“Showing his true colours, methinks.” Night exhaled. “I’ve heard rumours of him sprouting racist comments to some of the other boys.”
“You should come and see our side of the camp – the girls have tales that paint him as a player…”
“How bad?”
“Nothing serious, fortunately. Just the occasional flirt peppered with flowery language.”
“I’d hate to see what you think as a ‘serious’ player.”
Twilight shook her head. “I thought Jack was just trying to be funny, first time I met him. He’d be somewhat annoying one minute and say the funniest stuff the next.”
“Kind of like freshman year for everypony else.”
“Yeah, but he always stayed fresh. Like he never wanted to grow up.”
The two fell silent.
“None of us really want to grow up, deep down in our hearts.” Night spoke. “Just that some of us exhibit it in more obvious ways…”
“Not true.” Twilight rebutted. “You already got yourself a girlfriend.”
“R-really?” Night stammered. “You want to date me?”
“Why not?” Twilight shrugged. “We already know each other so long – and I daresay the feeling is mutual.”
“Heh.” Night blushed again. “I bet that’ll throw a spanner into Jack’s plans.”

--

“Wow.”
With the sun raised over Ponyville, the crowd cheered as Princess Celestia prepared for her speech.
“The sunrise?” Twilight questioned.
“And everything before that.” Night replied. “I had a great date with you.”
“Oh, you.” Twilight smiled coyly.
“Filles and gentlecolts – Princess Celestia.”
“Thank you.” The ruler stepped up to the podium to begin her speech. “Never since Nightmare Moon was banished has there been such a wonderful Summer Sun celebration.”
I bet she says that to everypony. Twilight thought she could hear jack mutter under his breath.
“Ponyville and their citizens have been stellar in their performance for last night’s celebrations. Let’s give them a big hoof.”
After a brief round of applause, the princess continued. “Also, I would like to congratulate our graduates from Canterlot University for all their hard work. May their future endeavors be as bright as the sun above us.”
More applause.
“I will be giving my Summer speech in a moments time, for those who would like to listen. Naturally, a transcript will be made available tomorrow at the Equestrian Daily. A few last words for those leaving: may you always find love and peace, and good day.”
The crowd burst into cheer and Celestia stepped down for the poidium.
“Ponyville residents, please exit through the front door. Passengers to the Canterlot Express, please take the west exit. The next train will arrive in half an hour.”

“So… problem solved?”
Back stage, a pair of ponies looked relieved beyond measure over the successful night.
“I don’t feel like dying, at the very least…” The dark purple mare gasped.
Her brown-coated companion glared at her. “Don’t joke around. Your well-being is paramount to our mission…”
“… and our mission involves the very integrity of the timeline.” The mare huffed, as if having just ran a marathon. “Glad Celestia recommended you for the job then, Time Turner.”
“Please, call me Doctor Hooves.” The brown stallion blushed. “You need not address me by my assumed name.” He looked around. “Not that anypony would know any of this.”
Sure is humble for a doctor in quantum physics, the purple mare mused. “As you wish, Doctor.” She stood up to help herself to a glass of punch. “I thought the timeline was supposed to be circular to interference, like the Tuesday incident?”
“Timestream, Miss Sparkle.” The stallion corrected. “Our existence is surprisingly resilient to distortion; splitting into little streams and rejoining the main flow –“
The purple mare choked on her punch, spitting liquid on the floor.
“- but not entirely invulnerable to corruption.” Hooves concluded darkly. “We are not out of danger.”

Comments

[Wisher]

I see that you're new here, young sapling. I know this isn't very constructive but trust me when I say that you wanna go ahead and change the name Time Turner in the description (at least) to Doctor Hooves. Otherwise people who read it will just get annoyed and instantly dislike the story because the name has been fanon for so long that they'll just think you're ignorant/a troll. Hope you can pull this one through that way

[spoiltcheese]

1707425

OK, got it.

The Tuner/Hooves distinction is of some importance to the plot, though, (it's something about assumed identities).

EDIT: Oh wow, you weren't kidding about the instant dislikes. Not the best way to get started!

[Regidar]

Terrible adaptation of Back to the Future. This is not what I needed to see on my birthday.

[Cinnamon Pop]

1707745 Happy birthday!

[Regidar]

1707750

[Roobles]

1707745

i.imgur.com/RFouD.png

[spoiltcheese]

1707745

The "Back to the Future" reference was meant as a start point, not its main focus.

I'm sorry if I ruined your birthday due to this. I'd like to understand though: are you disagreeing with the idea as a whole, or specifics in its execution?

[Regidar]

1707765 Nah, it didn't ruin my birthday. Only Courtney Love and 246 Blue midgets could do that.

The execution was a "meh", and kinda killed the whole thing. Which it should.

But yes, this story wasn't the worst thing ever.

1707764
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