//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: Paradoxes and Breakfast // Story: The Wings of Time // by Lightning_Striker //------------------------------// Chapter 2: Paradoxes and Breakfast Starlight Glimmer awoke with a small headache. She rolled over to see that the sun was out. "I overslept again, didn't I?" she said to nopony in particular. She didn't even think about what happened until she looked down at her covers. "Well, buck." Of course it couldn't have just been a dream. Besides, Luna would have stopped it anyways. She then got up, and looked around the bare room. "Did they really take me to my future bedroom? How freaky is that?" She then decided to go and eat, she hadn't eaten in a while. Probably over a day. When she got to the kitchen, she saw her three friends in there, as well as her future parents. This was going to be hard to think about. "Good morning, everypony," she said groggily. "Good morning," Sunset said. "Starlight, was it?" "Yes, my name is Starlight," she said before glancing at Flurry. "I thought I would give them just enough information to get them off our backs and keep the timeline intact. Knowing our names shouldn't really affect the timeline, at least I don't think so," Flurry defended herself. "So, just to be clear, these events didn't happen before, and we never actually found you in your original timeline?" Twilight asked. "No, you didn't," Starlight responded. "And, in the future, my Mum," Starlight began, before stopping. "Your mum?" Sunset asked. "Yeah, she said that if we went back it should change the timeline. And no, I am not revealing who my Mum is. I do not wish to endanger the timeline. From what I've studied about time, is that it wants to happen, but the more that is revealed, the bigger the consequences become. Actually, our plan was to avoid everypony, and to only deal with whatever caused, well, what we came back to prevent," Starlight said. "Well, now that you've talked to us, maybe we could help," Twilight said excitedly. "I don't think that would be a good idea," Starlight said while getting a cup of coffee. "It would be best if you just forgot we even came here and stayed on your current course of events." "But we have no plans," Twilight countered. Sunset was standing closer to Starlight than she was to Twilight. "Well, we would," she said under her breath, but still just loud enough for Starlight to hear. "Wait, what day is today?" Starlight asked. "Hearts and Hooves Day," Twilight said. "And, since neither Sunset or I are dating anypony, we both should be available." Starlight cursed under her breath, and then looked at Twilight and Sunset. "Could you give us a minute?" she asked them. "Sure thing," Sunset said, and then proceeded to step out of the kitchen with Twilight. "What's wrong?" asked Trixie. "What's wrong is that today is the first Hearts and Hooves day that my parents are together! Today is the day that my Mum was supposed to ask out Mom, during their morning coffee! And then we stumble in not giving her the chance," Starlight spat out. "So, how are we supposed to fix this? Clearly it's not set in yet, as you still are here, and not fading from existence," Sunburst said. "That's the problem, we don't know how it's going to affect us. This is experimental time magic. We don't know if the original timeline still exists, and we have just created a parallel universe, if it will take days for me to start fading out of existence, if we just will be stuck in the past, or even with our meddling with time the universe would implode!" "If the universe were to implode, it would have happened already," Sunburst pointed out. "Besides, could not the very danger we are trying to prevent somehow be an indirect cause for at least one of our existences? Also there is a slight possibility that we are indeed in a horseshoe paradox, and your parents just lied." Flurry asked. "Trixie would rather not think of that." "Saving Equestria is our top priority, while our secondary is preventing ourselves from being erased," Starlight said. "We are putting our lives at risk, just like any other time anypony has had to save Equestria. Only this time, there is a much higher risk. I highly doubt that we are in a horseshoe paradox, because my Mum said that we could save her." "So basically, don't do anything that would put any of us in too much danger," Flurry summarized. "So, how important do you think your parents' date is?" "I really want to put it up there. I mean, I know that there could be other times that they could hook up, but they went stargazing. They told me that if it wasn't for that night, they might not have named me Starlight. On the other hoof, even if they went stargazing tonight, they might be too worried to actually enjoy the date, and history is screwed anyways. Them helping us would be a big plus, and they did say that their adventures together are what helped them fall in love. They know the time, and if we can make sure that they both get out of this alive, I still should exist," Starlight said. "So basically, what Trixie is hearing, is that your future parents can still be your future parents and still help us, as well as perhaps getting them closer. Trixie would hate to lose her best friend." "Why do you usually talk in the third person, anyways, Trixie?" Sunburst asked. "Because it's not as boring. Besides, when she got back, my mom always used to use the royal we. Trixie should have a trait like that, too. Only different." "Also, it's kinda cute when she does it," Starlight said. "See, the Great and Powerful Trixie's best friend likes it!" "So, then, it's agreed. Twilight and Sunset may accompany us, but we are to not let them die, for then we might suffer two casualties," Flurry said. "I don't think I could go through that again," Starlight said with a somber look on her face. "But anyways, could we please get something to eat. I'm starved!" "Yes, but don't shouldn't we let a couple other ponies in the kitchen?" Trixie asked. "Nope!" Starlight said. "I messed up their date tonight, so I may as well treat them to breakfast. And besides, I know just what they like. Now, could somepony pass me the pancake mix? Oh, and we might want somepony to tell Sunset and Twilight, ahg, it's so weird calling them that, that they should make their way to the dining room, and that breakfast will be right out." Starlight had made a good and hearty breakfast that everypony enjoyed, especially Twilight and Sunset. "So, what you're telling me is that we can help you?" Twilight asked. "Yes. But, for reasons we cannot tell you, neither of you are allowed to sacrifice yourself for any one of us. Time may want to happen, but any death not meant to be can vastly change the timeline. At least I think so. The Princesses deemed it too dangerous to be used except in an emergency. I was the only one allowed to study time magic, well, me and a select few others. When my Mum came back to tell me about using it, she had to have known that the temporal fluctuation here in the past had something to do with what was happening," Starlight, however she tried, could not keep a steady face on that last part, and it drooped. "Did something happen? To your mum?" Sunset asked. Starlight sighed. "Well, I suppose I can tell you, since it is one of the events we want undone. We don't know where she went or what she did, but when she returned, she was all bloodied and bruised. She exhorted me to use the time spell and to save Equestria, right before she died." "I'm so sorry," Sunset said. "My father passed when I was a filly, so I, in a way, know how you feel." "But now, I have a chance to save her," Starlight replied. "So there is hope." "Okay, what can you tell us?" Twilight asked. "I would hate going after a great evil unprepared. Maybe I should make a list!" Starlight chuckled, as did everypony else in the room. "Apparently you're still known for making lists, even in the future," Sunset laughed. "You can say that again," Starlight said. Twilight rolled her eyes. "I know you might not want to reveal this, but who are all of your parents? We should keep them safe at all costs." Starlight spoke up, "You do not need to know who they are. We believe that the temporal fluctuation only came via Starswirl's original spell, and thus was in a closed time loop. Our parents can handle themselves pretty well." "Okay. What about how Equestria is in danger? What happened?" Twilight asked. "Well, again, since this part is what we are trying to prevent, we can tell you this. The four Princesses, Celestia, Luna, Cadance, and Twilight, were all captured in the middle of the night. My Mum, a great unicorn, was unable to defeat this evil, and used the last of her energy telling me that time travel was the only way to defeat this evil. We also know that at least Celestia and Luna were rendered useless, as it was supposed to be daytime but the moon was still out. We know it's not Tirek, because, if it were, he would have taken their magic, along with my Mum's. We also know that the families of the four Princesses were left untouched, and they were trying to get order back from the panic that was caused. I also suspect that Flurry was not captured because she is not a full Princess yet," Starlight explained. "But how could somepony ascend to alicornhood and not become a Princess?" Twilight pondered. "Did Celestia and Luna ever tell you how they became alicorns?" Flurry asked. "They didn't, they were born, ooooohhhhhhh. So you're a natural born alicorn. Interesting," Twilight said. "Anyways, we must find this evil before it starts its plans. Presumably, this evil took all four Princesses by surprise, so if we find it in the past, your present, we should be able to stop it," Starlight finished. "What of the rest of my friends. Will they accompany us, and be allowed to help?" Twilight asked. "We are not leaving on an adventure for the current time," Starlight said. "For now we need to do one of your favorite activities, Twilight." Twilight's face lit up. "Research?" "Research," Starlight confirmed. "I need to do some stuff as well such as to try to pinpoint this temporal flux, and find out when and where it is coming from. If indeed it is from Starswirl's spell, it should be a closed time loop, causing itself. We, in essence, using time travel, may have inadvertently messed with this casting of the spell, causing it to become unstable. This should be no means allow the caster to freely travel as we have, but instead have undone the horseshoe paradox, meaning that this time the caster would have gone from the original timeline to the one we are now making." "Research it is," Twilight said. "You also probably want to look at a few maps while we're here." "Maybe," Starlight said. "But, as we might need help from the other Element bearers, you should get them to come here, We can meet in the room with all your chairs, as it seems most sensible for a meeting place." Twilight looked puzzled for a second. "But we had to give up the Elements." "Yes, you did, but that does not keep you from being called the Element bearers," Sunburst said. Trixie was too busy chowing down to say anything, so she just smiled. "Okay, so it's settled then. I'll gather the rest of my friends, while you four prepare what you're going to say. And Sunset? Could you get Spike? And set up a few extra chairs," Twilight said. "Sure, Twi," Sunset replied before they all parted way to do what they needed to. "Let's hope this works," Starlight muttered.