//------------------------------//
// Chapter 115: Crystal War 
// Story: My Little Pony, Friendship is Magic: Stallion Edition 
// by SuperPinkBrony12 
//------------------------------//

Just like the last one, the time bubble spit both Shining and Spike out before long. But as soon as they'd gotten their bearings, they could tell that things were not right. Where a big shiny castle should be, there was instead only a rut in the ground and the table map.

"What happened to the castle?!" Spike wondered aloud. "And where's Twilight and everypony else?!"

"I don't know, Spike," Shining glumly acknowledged, as his attention was drawn to other things. "But take a look at the map. Something's definitely not right here, the Crystal Empire takes up half of the entire map!"

"So does that mean we're in an alternative timeline or something? And does that explain why nothing is familiar?" Spike asked Shining.

"It sure looks that way, Spike," Shining nodded. "I just wish I knew why the table map is still here. If what Starlight did changed the past and erased the castle from existence, then the table map shouldn't exist either. And for the record, there should be a path leading into Ponyville from here, but I can't see anything."

"Then, what are we supposed to do? I mean, there's gotta be a way back to our own timeline," Spike said firmly, practically begging Shining. "Please! There has to be a way! I don't want to be stuck in some alternative timeline I know nothing about! What if none of my friends exist in this timeline?! Heck, what if I'm not supposed to exist in this timeline?!"

Shining said nothing at first, he had no answers himself. "Well, one thing's for sure, we're not gonna find the answers just sitting around here. We've gotta go into town and find someone who can help us. Or someone who can at least explain more about this timeline."

So the two set off, quickly making their way into Ponyville. But to their dismay, they found that the town wasn't as they remembered it. It seemed to be much more heavily industrial, like it was one giant factory. Even familiar places like Sugarcube Corner and Carousel Boutique were unrecognizable, as they had traded in the bright colors they bore (or perhaps once bore, depending on how things worked in this timeline) for dull shades of red, grey, brown, and black.

"Okay, now I know something's not right here!" Shining remarked, as his eyes scanned the buildings.

"Well, unless this is all some elaborate prank the town's pulling on us or something," Spike commented, though his tone of voice conveyed he didn't really believe that possibly explanation. "But just how in Equestria did Ponyville end up like this? Why would such a peaceful town turn into this sooty factory like place?"

"I don't know, Spike. But I know there's one place that could never change no matter what!" Shining vowed with fiery determination. "Come on, we need to get to Sweet Apple Acres! Big Macintosh and Applejack should be able to tell us what the hay's going on."





But to the dismay of both Shining and Spike, even Sweet Apple Acres had changed. What had been known to them as a charming little farm and barn, had been turned into a factory that now sold canned apple products, with the barn having been turned into some sort of mini factory. Both Big Macintosh and Applejack were dressed in garish work clothes, and had to wear masks in order to avoid breathing in the noxious fumes generated by the noisy machines.

Suddenly, a steam whistle sounded, and Spike and Shining watched as they saw Big Macintosh step outside. Meanwhile, Applejack was busy rolling a barrel of what appeared to be cider along the ground, towards a wagon.

"What?! Prowlers?!" The familiar voice of Big Macintosh suddenly exclaimed, drawing the attention of both Shining Armor and Spike!

"H-hey, we're not prowlers! We come in peace!" Spike hastily insisted, throwing his claws up in the air!

"I'll be the judge of that," Big Macintosh snarled, glaring at the intruders. He soon took notice of Shining Armor's horn and wings. "Hey, what's the meanin' of this?! You tryin' to pull some kind of stunt on me or somethin'?!"

Shining found himself going from startled, to confused. "Whatever do you mean?" He reluctantly asked.

"I'm talkin' 'bout the fact that you look like an alicorn, like one of them princesses! But that can't be, the only princess I've ever seen is Princess Celestia, and I know you ain't her!" Big Macintosh explained with a growl. "And I ain't ever seen a dragon that small before! Just who in the hay are you, and why am I gettin' this naggin' feelin' like I should know you or somethin'?"

Spike quickly spoke up and told Big Macintosh. "We're time travelers! We've come from a present in which you and Shining Armor, along with Soarin, Thunderlane, Fancy Pants, and Braeburn are all friends, and you've helped save Equestria from multiple evil threats like Nightmare Moon, Discord, Queen Chrysalis, King Sombra, and even Lord Tirek! Heck, you and I play Ogres and Oubliettes on guys nights, when we're not busy talking about hoofball cards."

Big Macintosh only frowned. "Did you go and bump your head on a crate of cider or somethin', boy? What kind of fool do you think I am? And just who in tarnation are Soarilane and Thunderpants?! The only name I recognize of that lot is Braeburn, and last I heard my Appleloosan cousin went off to fight in the war."

"The war?!" Spike exclaimed, this was the first he'd ever heard of such a thing.

"The war against King Sombra, that ring any bells for ya?" Big Macintosh inquired, only to receive blank looks in reply. "Where have you two been? And tell me the truth this time, I ain't in the mood for games. Heck, if my little sister comes by and catches me talkin' to you, I'm gonna get an earful. We ain't exactly supposed to be chattin' with strangers when there's work to be done."

In a stroke of sudden genius, Shining Armor stepped forward and told Big Mac. "Well, we're not from around these parts. We are travelers, from another land. But this is the first we've ever heard of any kind of war."

"You absolutely sure 'bout that? You ain't by chance one of them enemy spies come to sabotage the war effort, are you?" Big Mac asked with a raised eyebrow.

"If we were trying to do that, why would we come all the way here?" Shining replied. "Even if this is a factory, there's got to be higher priority ones in bigger cities. What good would sabotaging this particular factory do, instead of the big ones?"

Big Mac was silent for a couple of moments, as he pondered this proposed statement. Then at last he said. "You make a good point, I'll concede that. I can't quite put my hoof on it, but you seem to have that air of familiarity. I guess at the least it can't hurt for you to know 'bout the war, specially seein' as my folks went off to the front lines, and we just got word that they died in the line of duty."

"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry to hear that, really!" Shining exclaimed, as he and Spike followed Big Macintosh around to the back of the barn.

"It's alright, you couldn't have known. Besides, Ma and Pa knew the risks when they signed up," Big Mac explained, even as he fought back a lone tear. He then set to work on fiddling with a projector. "Just a little somethin' I've been workin' on in my spare time. It's my hope that someday, it'll find its way into more widespread useage. Nowadays, it's only really good at tellin' the news. It ain't much, but the only other way is through the papers or the occasional telegraph if they can keep a line up long enough. Ah, here we go, this should explain things."

With the flick of a switch, the projector began to glow, and soon images started to be displayed on the barn wall. They showed a figure that both Shining Armor and Spike were very familiar with, King Sombra! "Of course! Should've figured he'd be behind all of this!" Shining thought, as he felt his blood boil a little at the recollection of his memories of Sombra from his own timeline.

This Sombra seemed none the less sinister, as he looked out over the battlefield of the Frozen North, and laughed as soldiers that were clearly brainwashed, marched into battle on his behalf. "Show no mercy, give no quarter!" The tyrant barked out. "We won't stop until all of Equestria bows down before its new king!"

"My fellow subjects," The voice of Princess Celestia played over the clips showing Sombra's army advancing almost unstopped. "These are troubling times for our society, our very way of life is under attack like never before. But we must all be vigilant."

Some clips depicted ponies fighting Sombra's soldiers head on, including the likes of Soarin and Thunderlane who bore wounds, scars, and in Soarin's case a metal wing on his right side, as the voice of Princess Celestia continued. "Many of our bravest subjects have signed up to fight back this would be oppressor and his army. And though the toll continues to show day after day, we won't rest until we've beaten Sombra and ensured an unconditional surrender that restores Equestria's rightful borders to our control."

The clips then transitioned to cities and towns all across Equestria, depicting ponies like Fancy Pants who were working on making clothes for the army, or helping to send food, drinks, and medical supplies to the front lines. The voice added. "But many more of you have bravely stepped up to aid our army, by sending whatever you can. Every little bit helps. Together, with the magic of friendship, and the guidance of the almighty creator above, we'll secure a brighter future for Equestria. With your help, we will not end up like the Crystal Empire, and the pain and suffering of Sombra's regime will be stopped!"





"So, there you have it," Big Macintosh commented, switching off the projector. "Not a pretty sight, huh? Well, it's war, no one ever said it was pretty. And now that you know what's goin' on, I hope you'll leave me to get back to my duties. Or have you come here askin' for jobs? We're a little short hoofed here at Sweet Apple Acres at the moment, Granny Smith took Apple Bloom and left for Hayseed Swamp, couldn't stomach the idea of seein' her family's legacy be converted for the sake of the war effort."

But at that moment, Shining Armor stepped in front of Big Mac and said to him. "What if I told you, I can show you something that'll prove we're not supposed to be here? That we're actually from another timeline?"

"What are you on about now? Can't you see I'm busy?!" Big Mac snorted.

"Trust me, once you see what I'm about to show you, it'll all make sense!" Shining said seriously, grabbing Big Mac's hoof! "Come on, I promise this won't take long!"

A short time later, Big Mac found himself staring down at the same table map that Shining and Spike were used to seeing a lot. "Okay, I'm very impressed. I ain't ever seen anythin' like this," He commented. "But what does this have to do with me?"

"In another timeline, the timeline I come from, you and I are friends," Shining Armor explained. "Together, we help to save Equestria from the likes of King Sombra. But recently, a mare by the name of Starlight Glimmer used the map to travel back in time and change the course of history. And when she did, she sent Spike and I here, to this timeline. And now, we're trying to figure out just how we're gonna get back to our own timeline."

"Did I mention that in the timeline we're from, this place is a huge castle that sprang up from this big old tree?!" Spike boasted. "Trust me, it's quite a sight!"

"Well, that's all fine and dandy, but I don't see how I'm supposed to help you with that," Big Mac frowned. "I'm sorry. I wish I knew more about what you're talkin' bout, but to me it all seems like fiction. Still, if you are who you say you are, I wish you luck in gettin' back to your own time."

But at that very moment, a light bulb went off inside Shining's mind! With a gasp, he proudly exclaimed! "That's it! Why didn't I think of it before?!" Pointing to the map, he told Spike and Big Macintosh! "The map didn't disappear because it's tied to the Tree of Harmony, it must sense that something's wrong! And if Starlight can use it to travel back in time, then so can we! Which means, we can go back even earlier in time, and stop Starlight before any of this ever happens!"

"Guess it's a good thing I pocketed that scroll she discarded," Spike spoke up, pulling the piece of parchment out from seemingly nowhere. "You don't wanna know where I'm keeping this."

"Great thinking, Spike! This is just what we need!" Shining smiled. "Remind me to tell Twilight to dig up some red gems for you when this is all over!" And he began to light up his horn, aiming it at the table map.





Big Macintosh (who had started to trot off back to the farm) turned around briefly. And that was when he saw a time bubble suddenly appear over the table map. At that moment, all his previous doubts were erased. "Those strangers were telling the truth! Time travel does exist!" He realized! And then he quickly asked. "Wait a second, sirs. Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure, ask away." Shining nodded.

Big Mac cleared his throat, and after a bit of stuttering he explained. "Uh, in that timeline you mentioned. Are my folks well, you know... alive?"

But Shining shook his head. "No, they're still dead I'm afraid. Not because of war, though I can't give you the exact reason, because I haven't got all the details myself."

Big Mac just wiped a few tears from his eyes as he replied. "That's alright, I kind of figured that was the case. I guess some things don't change no matter what timeline we're talkin' 'bout. Still, at least I'm glad to know that there's a timeline where this isn't the norm."

"Well, it was nice to see you, Big Macintosh," Shining replied, as he and Spike began to vanish into the time bubble. "And thank you. You've been more of a help than you probably realize." A second later, there was a great big flash, and both Shining Armor and Spike were gone, as if they'd never existed in the first place.