//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: The Arrival // Story: The Wings of Time // by Lightning_Striker //------------------------------// Chapter 1: The Arrival The four ponies fell through time, in a vortex. They landed right where the Cutie Map would have been, but it had not appeared yet. It was nighttime in Equestria as well. Trixie rubber her head. "Did it work?" she asked. Starlight looked around her, and lit up her horn. "Well, considering there's no map, for one, I would think so, but I just confirmed it. We have arrived at least a in a month's window before the temporal fluctuation occurred, which means we have time to go find it and what happened," Starlight explained. "Why a within a month? Could you not get us any closer?" Flurry asked. "Well, nopony knows the exact date of when it happened, and I didn't want to undershoot, leaving us after it. And besides, I'm still in shock and grief," Starlight explained. "Well, let's hope it's sooner rather than later, I'd rather not be caught in a paradox that would cause me not to exist," Sunburst said. "Our very being here breaks every conceived law of time, but at least we have a good reason." "The Great and Powerful Trixie would rather not be the non-existent Trixie," Trixie concurred. "So basically, we stay out of our parents lives until we fix this mess," Flurry said. "Yeah, that might be prudent," Starlight said. However, right after she said that, the door to the future Map room opened. An amber unicorn walked in with her horn glowing teal. "Who's there? I have magic, and I'm not afraid to use it," said Sunset Shimmer, much younger than the one they had just left. Starlight could only stare. There was her Mum, standing right in front of her, alive, and much younger than how she saw her a few minutes ago. Starlight didn't realize it, but she started to shake. Sunset looked around the room at the four intruders. "All unicorns," Sunset started, before looking at Flurry Hearts wings and gasping. "Correction, three unicorns and one alicorn. How did you four get past Twilight's defenses? And what are you doing here?" she demanded. Starlight normally would be the one who would answer things like that, but she was unable to, so Flurry Heart stepped up. "Miss Shimmer, I'm afraid we cannot explain that, but can only say that we are on a mission of the upmost importance, and must be leaving at once," she said firmly. "No. I will not allow you to hurt my friend," Sunset said. Starlight collapsed to the floor, unable to even hold herself up anymore, and passed out. The strain of time travel, the shock of seeing her Mum die in front of her eyes and then suddenly seeing her again was too much for her. "Or, if you really are here for the sake of an important mission that will help Equestria, then we must at least get your friend here checked out," Sunset stated. "So, you could just come with me, let me and Twilight look at your friend, or you could go to the dungeon, the hard way," she threatened. Trixie looked at Flurry after walking over and checking out Starlight. "She needs help," she said. Flurry turned back to Sunset. "Then, I suppose that you could help her. Our mission is to help Equestria, but, as part of that mission, we can say no more. She's been through a lot today," she said. "Alright, I'll lead you to one of the guest rooms," Sunset said. "And I'm going to get Twilight on the way, so don't try anything." "I don't think we'll be trying anything," Sunburst confirmed. "Good, now follow me," Sunset said, as she turned around, and walked out the door, continually looking back to make sure that they were following her. Flurry was carrying Starlight on her back, following Sunset. When they arrived at Twilight's room, Sunset said, "Stay here, and don't do anything, I'm going to get Twilight." After a few minutes, she returned with a tired alicorn. "Sunset, who are these ponies, and why are they here?" Twilight asked groggily. "I already told you, Twilight. Apparently their on some important mission, and one of them is hurt in some way. She passed out," Sunset replied. "Oh, right. Where are we taking them?" Twilight asked. "One of the spare bedrooms, since this castle doesn't have a medical bay that I know of. I'll lead the way," Sunset said. "Okay," Twilight yawned. As they made their way to the bedroom, the three newcomers recognized the way. They were going to what would become Starlight's bedroom. When they arrived, Flurry put Starlight on the bed. Twilight had finally woken up some more, so she was now more alert. Twilight lit up her horn and scanned Starlight. "There appear to be no external injuries," she said. "It appears her problem is fatigue, and maybe even shock, though I can't know for sure." She turned to the other three newcomers. "Alright, I need your names, and an explanation of how you got into my castle with all of the new counter spells and wards I've put up." Flurry sighed, she was afraid of this, that they would have to reveal their names. So, she decided to tell at least part of the truth, at least enough that Twilight wouldn't interfere. From what she knew of her aunt, she knew that Twilight would do her best to stay out of time travel and paradoxes. "Well, my name is Flurry Heart, these are Sunburst and Trixie, and the pony who now lies before you is Starlight. And I'm pretty sure your wards do not work against time travel," Flurry explained. That should be just enough to keep the timeline intact, and keep Twilight for looking any further into it, as well as answering Twilight's question. "Time travel? I find that very hard to believe, considering that no one's even heard of you, and that Starswirl's spell only lasts a few minutes, right Twilight?" Sunset said. "Right, and it only goes back a week, and causes a temporal loop, causing the events that lead to the time travel. But, given the fact that you are an alicorn," Twilight pointed to Flurry. "And the fact that I was the most recent to ascend, you could have ascended in the next week. Tenses are so confusing. But how? If you were using Starswirl's spell, you would have been sent back to the future already?" Starlight had started to regain consciousness. "Because I modified it," she muttered. Twilight turned back to Starlight. "You're awake," she stated. "Now, how did you get your hooves on the time travel spell in the first place?" "Maybe it's because of who-" Starlight started. "Her friend is," Flurry cut in, trying to avoid any paradoxes. "I am an alicorn after all. I have access to it." "Well, I suppose that makes sense," Twilight said. "But if you modified it, what else does that mean?" Starlight was able to sit up in the bed she was in now, and somehow able to keep her composure. "It means that we can change the timeline, which also unfortunately means that we could inadvertently erase ourselves from existence. This didn't happen before, I know that," Starlight explained. "But then why would you come to this time and place?" Sunset asked. Starlight trembled a little, before calming herself down. "We came back a little before the most recent temporal fluctuation," Starlight said. "As for the place, I suppose that since we didn't have a particular destination in space, it just dropped up where we came from." "You came from my castle?" Twilight asked. "But that would mean you had access in the future. If you came from far in the future, enough so that you are not born yet, as shown by your statement about being erased from existence, maybe one of you is my foal, if not all of you, or some of you." "Twilight," Flurry said. "It could just be because I'm a fellow alicorn who you are friends with. We cannot reveal anything more. Just know that we come to defeat a great evil, and that we have a good purpose in being here, to save the future. We wouldn't risk ourselves otherwise. Besides, we're all tired, and could use some rest." "I suppose that's true, but how are we to truly know that you are from the future?" Sunset questioned. Flurry thought for a moment. "Because nopony else in this time besides a select few know that you went to another world, and that you changed there, after being saved by Twilight, and helped defeat an evil there," she said. "Okay, that's good enough for me," Sunset said, before yawning. "I agree with Flurry, we should all get a good night's sleep, we all could use it, and maybe tomorrow you can figure out how to change the future," Twilight said, before leaving the room with Sunset. "Well, buck," Starlight said. "Day one and I already encountered my future parents. Let's hope this doesn't mess anything up." "Considering you're still here, I don't think it has, but I don't know how this works," Sunburst said. "Worry not, dear Starlight. Once we all are rested up tomorrow, the Great and Powerful Trixie will help keep things on track." "Good to know," Starlight said. "But they were right, we do need sleep." She then turned over to go to sleep, and the others followed suit.