//------------------------------//
// 15- Conflicting timelines. 
// Story: Blazing a Trail to the Past. 
// by Daylight_Dreamer 
//------------------------------//

Twilight just stared at me, eyes as wide as dinner plates, as if they weren't already huge, listening to every word I had to say.

"So," she said, "for the last seven years or so, somepony, excuse me, somebody in your world has been watching... us!?"

"Try thousands of people," I said, "Whoever can see it is helping turn it into a kids show."

"Like a play?" She asked.

"Sort of... Let's go with that," I said, "if I have to explain the details of human entertainment technology we'll be here all night."

"I agree," she said, "in fact, I'd rather you explain that to my consultant Vinyl Scratch. She knows more about entertainment technology than anyone else in Ponyville. Possibly Equestria."

I rolled that around in my head for a while. She wanted me to tell her consultant, Vinyl. Vinyl is the expert. That much was easy to swallow. The part I didn't get is that Twilight Sparkle didn't want me to explain it to her, she's so hungry for knowledge of any kind on the show. I was freaked out but had no reason not to go with it. I didn't want to explain everything at once after all.

"Anyway," I said, "I think it actually started as a toy line back in '81. That's like 37 years ago. Of course, it wasn't anything like this until the show I told you about."

"So the rift could have started back then," She leaned on the table, hovering over me, clearly excited, "and peaked with your arrival. That means whatever it was could have started thirty-seven earth years ago. We still don't know how that relates to Equestria time. Chances are they aren't getting it in real time. I mean, that stuff took about seven years, but raising the Pillars happened a while ago."

"Not to mention if Daylight saw a Jeep he would have been looking into the future," I pointed out, "Humans didn't have jeeps six hundred years ago."

"Really?" Twilight was astonished, "Of course, we can't be sure you weren't taken through time. Six hundred years would be a stretch though. I better look into this. I have a lot of reading to do, but before I get back to that, I have a job to offer you. You're going to have to make your own bits sooner or later."

"Sounds good," I said, "depending on what it is."

"Did the Crusaders tell you why Apple Bloom wanted to summon Daylight?" She asked. 

"So he could help you look into a discovery you didn't know about," I answered.

"You may not be Daylight, but I still need that done," she said, "and after talking to Slag, Sawdust, and Zecora, I think you're the best applicant I have. Are you interested?"

"Got nothing better to do," I laughed, "When do I start?"

"I need a few weeks to prepare things for you," she said, "Mostly to find you an assistant, so when I'm ready for interviews I'll let you know. I'm hiring you both but they're going to work for you, so you should get a say in who you work with."

"Sounds awesome," I said, "I better go, I'm sure the Crusaders," I looked to see that Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom had already left, and Scootaloo was asleep. "Scootaloo is clearly bored."

"I'm sure she just doesn't want to go home yet," Twilight giggled.

"What is up with her parents anyway?" I asked.

Twilight just looked at the floor. "They're ah, they're gone."

"By 'gone' you mean...?" I asked.

"They were in an accident," She whispered, "When she was a baby, she barely made it out herself."

"So why does she think they're looking for her?" I asked.

"Let's just say Applejack wasn't in charge of what to tell her when she was old enough," Twilight sighed, "Now we just don't know how to break it to her."

"So who takes care of her?" I asked, "Does she live with a relative?"

"Based on those questions," Twilight looked down, "you wouldn't take the answer from me, so I'll either wait until you understand ponies better or more likely, Scootaloo will tell you. It's not my place."

"Someone has to tell her about her parents," I said.

"I agree," Twilight looked up at me, "She already seems to like you, maybe you'll be the one that can find a way to break it to her." She mumbled something after that but all I caught was 'accept help'.

"I better go," I said, "would be nice to start tomorrow before noon."

"That reminds me," Twilight said, "Celestia will be here for lunch tomorrow, we would like you there."

"Sounds delightful," I smiled, "Noon then?" 

She just nodded and smiled as I nudged Scootaloo awake and headed out.