Life of a Wanted Changeling Season 4: At Luck's End (Comment Driven Story)

by BrownDog77


Episode 59: Out of Time

Gorgeous Freeman’s Comment

As you bravely flee from Midnight through the collapsing time space, a part of you can’t help but feel nostalgiac. It’s been some time since you’ve fully fallen off the wagon and gone crazy with the world crumbling all around you.

“Woo Hoo, Woo Hoo, Woo Hoo!” you laugh madly, having been conscious for over three months and yet not needing to sleep.

Bugze, now’s not the time to lose it, Selena warns.

This is the perfect time to lose it! You snap back. Everything’s bucked and I really have no idea what I’m doing right now!

Then why are you running through all this chaos? Sombra asks as you see the drunks and Flim and Flam glitching in their movements.

Because we’ve got to keep our group together! I need to find B2 and Luna, but also PostCrush! They might be able to stabilize this or something! You think desperately as you yank Aria out of the way of the constantly exploding strength machine.

“What do we do Bugze?” asks Sunset as she tackles Flash and Wallflower out of the way of several thrown bottles from the speedy drunks.

“We’re heading to PostCrush! But look for humie me!” you call back to her as Applejack, Fluttershy and Rarity scream and dodge a very ornery alpaca who is sometimes on fire.

“What are they going to do about this?!” Adagio asks hectically as the phasing in and out Ferris wheel nearly crushes her, Dash and Sonata.

“I don’t know, something?!” you say desperately just as Midnight teleports in front of you.

“GYAGH!” you cry out as she starts to charge a beam attack.

“Give me your half before we all die you stupid-AGH!“

Ello Calebero’s Comment

She cries out as a cart filled with burning marijuana plants strikes into her before phasing into a hay ride wagon, and one filled with ducks simultaneously.

“Ah, right, minionized Humbra trying to sell drugs to children,” you nod as you remember that particular loop in very vivid detail.

“Huh?” said human sputters.

“The security guards tackled you to the ground and beat the crap out of you,” you tell him as you round a corner where people keep screaming at a Flulk that isn’t there, enjoying games, and angrily shouting all at once. As you do, you come across B2, who is on top of the burning yet not burning Haunted House, holding onto the hand of a dangling Luna where a very pissed off bull bellows below.

“What’s gotten into Ferdinand?” Fluttershy asks in horror.

“Echo of when Sparkle minionized him. He broke Dash’s bones fairly quickly before the table turned,” you answer.

“He did what now?” Rainbow asks, but you ignore her as B2 struggles to lift Luna back up.

“$%#@, please don’t let me fall, please!” Luna pleads in desperation as the bull starts ramming into the building, causing it to rock.

“I won’t! I won’t let you go again! Never again!” B2 declares in determination as the flames continually phase around him. With the angry bull though, he can’t quite bring her up.

“Wallflower! Slap the bull in the nose!” you order.

“Excuse Me?!” she shouts in shock.

“It won’t be able to see you, it’s how we defeated it last time!” you shout as you push the scared teen forward. Apprehensively, with a stampede of rabbits all around her, she walks up to the angry bull who is still focused on Luna and Bugze.

“Eeeeeeee!” she cries out in terror as she slaps the bull on the nose which causes it’s eyes to widen, and for it to fall on it’s side in shock as it faints.

“Good work!” you clap the confused girl on her shoulder and look back as B2 pulls Luna back up.

“You…you saved me…” she says wistfully to him.

“Yeah…why wouldn’t I?” he says cheekily. This moment is broken though as Sparkle comes blasting in.

“Quit Running and Let Me Fix This!” she wails as B2 and Luna scramble off the building, avoiding the projectiles.

“Wrong Bugze!” you shout up as you throw one of the sentient stuffed bears from time loop 332 and shoot it with Second Law, causing it to collide with Midnight’s wings.

“AGH!” she cries out as the bear starts hugging her wings together, making her fall out of the sky and into the ball pit that Fluttershy and Adagio drowned in during one loop somehow.

“B2! Humie Luna! Get to PostCrush!” you shout at them over the roar of a phantom Flulk.

“Okay!” he calls back and you and your group continue running as Midnight bursts forth from the ball pit.

“BUGZE!!!” she roars as she flies right at you, but you fire another shot of Second Law behind you, causing her outstretched wings to be caught in the wind force and thrown backwards into a food stand.

Eventually though, you and your group do catch up to Su-Z and K-Lo, who are trying to run for their lives as well from a stage where Trixie continually plays the same lyrics like a skipped record.

“There you are!” you shout, startling them. “How do we fix this?!”

“Fix this?! FIX THIS?! What The Hell Did You Do?!” K-Lo shouts in anguish as a blimp keeps crashing over and over again on stage.

“I broke your stupid time thing you bucking premodonna!” you shout back.

“Why would you do that?!” her partner shrieks as Sonata clings to her arm asking for an autograph.

“Well excuse me for not being gentle with the thing that’s been looping me for Three Bucking Months!!!”

“Yeah, I mean, we only remembered the last one, but that’s kind of on you,” Sunset adds in support and K-Lo just pulls at her hair.

“It wasn’t supposed to go on that long! But the more we used it, the crazier and more out of control the situation kept getting! I kept looping to save everyone’s lives after awhile!”

“Yeah! You and that crazy demon girl were the ones setting fires to everything!” Su-Z adds.

“Well maybe if some stupid humie didn’t try to be such a prissy perfectionist, I wouldn’t have been in that mental state in the first place! Now, how do we stop this?!”

“I DON’T KNOW!” K-Lo shouts in anguish. “I only knew how to make it turn back time, I don’t know how to repair…This!”

“…Well Buck!” you curse as an after image of clown Pinkie eating people flashes.

“Okay seriously, what happened to me?!” Pinkie says in disgust and horror. You don’t get a chance to answer her though as Midnight suddenly teleports with her hands around her throat before she teleports high above the fair grounds with you.

“GACK!” you choke as your feet dangle to the madness below you.

“Enough! Give me the other half before time crunches in on itself and wipes all of us who remember the loops from existence!” she yells in rage and desperation.

“Is-GACK-Is that what’s going to happen?!”

“I Don’t Know! But you can’t prove it won’t happen! If I can just reforge the stupid thing though, then maybe this will all stop!” she yells as she starts trying grabbing at your pockets looking for your half, but you grab her hand.

“I’m not going to let you gain this power!” you groan out.

“Screw what you want! I want to live more than anything else right now! And I have a better chance of fixing this than you do!” she growls as she begins to squeeze your throat harder.

“I warned you!” you croak out as you use your other hand to take out the Boomstick and strike her point blank in the chest.

Puzzling Frost’s Comment

Down With Chrysalis’s Comment

Kichi’s Comment

The Pony Spartan’s Comment

megamanzero’s Comment

“AGH!” she grunts out as the both of you blast apart from each other. As you fall though, you see her half of the time artifact fall from her grasp. “NOOO!!!” she cries as she sails farther away and you head straight for the ground.

“Ah buck, ah buck! Selly! Can you like punch the air or something to slow my speed?!”

Physics doesn’t work like that Bugze! Selena yelps in terror as the ground gets closer and closer.

Well someone do something or we’re paste! Sombra hollers in alarm.

Gritting your teeth, you point your fist towards the ground and holler

“Would You Kindly Bucking Bronco?!” Since you’re making a fist this time, none of your fingers break, but your wrist still snaps in agony. “GGRRRAAAGGGHHHH!!!” you shout, but thankfully you are kept from the ground’s embrace in your Plasmid effect.

As you get out of your field, you cradle your broken hand as your human crew runs over to you.

“Bugze! Are You Okay?!” B2 asks in worry as Sonata and Sunset run up to your side.

“Yeah, I’m fine. You humans really need to drink more milk or something,” you grumble as they gasp at your wrist.

“Oh my goodness!” Sonata sputters.

“It’s fine, it’s fine! We’ll worry about it later. Now start looking for Midnight’s half of the artifact. She dropped it when I fe-“

You are interrupted as a great crackling sound comes from the middle of the carnival. Rising above the mix matched chaos, is Midnight’s hall of the pendant, only time energy starts to swirl around it like a tornado without the suction.

“I think we found it,” K-Lo says in despair as all the craziness gets even more insane. Buildings and stands, and even the looping people start to float as an eerie blue light starts shining from the center of the increasing vortex.

“I…I…I am so done with this alien magic stuff,” Luna says as she rubs her head.

“No offense Vice-Principal, but at least you didn’t get turned into a monster by it,” Flash says sardonically.

“Uh, can anyone care to explain what’s going on there?” Applejack asks trepidly.

“It’s a time vortex,” Sunset answers breathlessly.

“Right…and what does a time vortex do?” asks Rainbow Dash.

“It’s going to suck all of the collapsing time in on itself till there’s a singularity and then there will be nothing left of our universe!” Fluttershy yelps and you all turn to her. “…What? I’ve watched Doctor Who.”

“Ah, classic show right there,” Humbra says with praise.

“The new series has got some hits and misses,” B2 analyzes.

“Yeah, well first of all, it’s Doctor Whooves for the real unhumanized version, and secondly, he’s real in my world.”

“What?!” Flash, Fluttershy, B2 and Humbra shout in surprise.

“Yeah, he’s the guy that can help you three later,” you say looking to the Sirens, who are still a bit confused. “But we’ll worry about him later. Right now, I’ve got to stop that vortex before-“

“AAAAAAAHHHHH!!!” you hear Midnight scream. Looking up, you see her being chased by a horrifying, winged, bat like thing.

“AAAAAAHHHHH!!!” everyone, including you scream as the thing attempts to eat Sparkle.

“What the Tartarus Is That?!” Aria shrieks.

“It’s a freaking Reaper!” Flash bellows in panic.

“Huh?” Sonata asks.

“Basically a time cop, only with more dismemberment and biting!” you yelp as you see more exiting the vortex and coming towards your group. Still holding the Boomstick with your uninjured hand, you start swatting the things as they try to get at your group.

“Keep Moving Towards The Vortex!” you yell as you slap one out of the air.

“Why in the hell would we do that?!” shouts Su-Z.

“Because if we don’t, everyling’s gonna bucking die!” you yell as you charge forth, striking reapers left and right.

Of course these bucks had to be real as well. First weeping angels, then daleks, so why the buck not?!

As goes the story of our lives, Selena nods solemnly.

As more of the winged things emerge, you look up to the epicenter of the vortex, and it is high above the ground.

“You all, try to take some cover! I’m going to grab that stupid thing!” you order as you start parkouring up the floating stalls and buildings, although with difficulty with your broken wrist.

“Bugze wait!” Sunset calls out to you and you look back at your humie crew.

“I can’t! It’s now or never guys! Stay safe, and I’ll be back,” you promise.

“Ha! Terminator! Awesome things are just universal,” Humbra says happily as The Sirens look at you teary eyed, B2 holds onto Luna, and the Humane 7 look worried, but place their hands on Sunset’s shoulders. Even PostCrush seem apprehensive at your departure.

“Be careful you dumb bug, you still have to take us back home,” Aria says without malice and you nod at her before leaping to a floating trinket stand.

“Bugze!!!” you hear Sparkle call, and looking over, you see her blasting a Reaper and flying for the pendant as well.

“Oh no you bucking don’t!” you shout as you use the Boomstick to rocket jump from floating piece to floating piece, getting closer and closer to your goal. All around you, the time energy swirls and sways, causing the sporadic changes to the people and objects of the Carnival.

Cockroach, going into the center of something like this-

Is dangerous, yes I know Smokey, you think back as you springboard off one of the floating drunks.

Bugze…if we perish in there, I just want you to know that- Selena starts, but you cut her off.

“We’re Not Going To Die Selly! I Won’t Let That Happen! We promised Nightshade we would return!”

I…I see. Please don’t die, she begs and you steel yourself.

I won’t. Not here. Not now, because-

“I have a rendezvous with death.”

The thought chills you, but you push forward, jumping off of a Reaper and entering the swirling winds, just as Midnight does on the other side…

And then things get really, really weird!

“WwwhHhhWWWhhhhhaAAaaAaaaTt thhttteeethee BbbbbBBUuuuBBBuuuuccckkk!!!” you shout in distortion as your body ages and de-ages rapidly.

“Aaaaaaaaggggghhhhh!!!” Sparkle’s own distorted voice rings out as the energies pass around and through you. Looking at her, you see that in one step, she is an old grey woman, and the next she’s shrunken down and looking like a preschooler, yet she is still her own age at the same time.

“This is bucking weird!” you screech, and when you look down, parts of your torso just seem to be gone, replaced by static.

“It’s already starting! We’re being erased!” Midnight says in horror as her wings blip out of existence and she falls on top of the floating stage, because of course it would be at the center as well.

“What?!” you call out as your right ear dissolves away.

“I said-Oh Never Mind!” she grunts as one of her eyes starts to phase out.

Grunting in effort, you both slowly make your way towards the piece of the artifact, your coat billowing in the cosmic wind.

“Don’t! You’ll Make It Worse!” Midnight warns you, but you keep pushing on.

“It’s gotta be hard to make it worse!” you respond back.

“Don’t! You’ll Make It Worse!” Midnight shouts sounding confused.

“It’s gotta be hard to make it…worse?” you guess.

“Don’t! You’ll-Hey wait a minute!”

“It’s gotta…Ah heck we’re-“

“Don’t-AGH! I hate time stuff!”

“Mini loop! Agh!”

“Don’t! GRAGH!”

“That tears it!” you shout as you strike the stage with your Boomstick…and it works, you are able to move forward again, even though two of your fingers on your broken hand are now phased away.

How in the blazes did that work? Sombra asks in befuddlement.

When all else fails, just hit things really hard, you answer back.

As dumb as it sounds, he is correct. I’ve learned that the hard way these last four years, Selena nods.

“That is not scientifically sound Dark Female Voice! Stop accepting stupidity!” Midnight yells as her foot phases out and she starts hopping.

Don’t you tell me what to do smelly human! Selena barks back.

You both scramble closer and closer to the pendant, losing random pieces of you to the void, and in a mirror of when you both gripped it in the last loop, you reach the pendant piece at the same time. And once again, with you’re only using one hand.

“Let go!” Midnight orders and tugs, but you tug right back.

“No! You Let Go!”

“Are you seriously doing this right now?!”

“Yes! I’m not gonna let you get even more corrupted!”

“It’s not like those red stone necklaces those hussie singers have that I’m planning on taking, I need to fix this!”

“No! I have to fix this!” you tell sternly.

“You don’t know how! You’re a pathetic, idiotic, bumbler from another dimension!”

“Yeah, and that’s all true, but that’s exactly why I’ve got to fix it!”

“What?!”

“All of this, all of it stems from the fact that I came to this world. I got all of you involved in things beyond your comprehension, and it’s only because of me you became like this. You and I breaking this stupid thing is just the latest consequence of my actions.”

“So what?! The universe will be erased whether it was your fault or not. Let Me Fix This!”

“I can’t Twilight…” you say and she gasps when you call her her real name. “I’ve got to take responsibility for you as well. And if you fix this, you’ll keep it for your own. And believe me, I know personally what happens when you gather so much powerful darkness in your heart…”

Midnight seems to snap out of her desperation at that as unbeknownst to you, an image of The Nightmare flashes through her mind. With this distraction, you yank the half from her and quickly reach into your pocket and grip it against it’s other half.

“This is going to hurt,” you weep before you hold the two halves in your uninjured hand and say, “Would You Kindly Solder?!”

An intense heat goes through your hand, as your skin is cooked and smoke sizzles from your grip.

“AAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHH!!!” you shout in anguish, but you keep holding onto the pendant as the halves start to melt back together.

Oh good gods! Sombra says in surprise and disgust.

Bugze! Selena calls out in alarm and worry.

“Wh-What is happening?!” Midnight shrieks as bright, circular portals open up all around you, swirling with the vortex. And though your flesh melts, you can still see into the doorways to other worlds.

You see a world with Sunset Shimmer as an alicorn, a world that had Rainbow Dash as the student of Celestia, the dazzlings as cheerleaders, Applejack as a changeling, A killer Rarity, a world with Nightshade as Twilight daughter, where Pinkie Pie roamed the foggy streets of Silent Hill, and where Fluttershy lived in a post-apocalyptic world.

“Alternate realities…full of horses,” Midnight says with fascination as she also sees the many portals.

Through the pain, you see other images. You see yourself a child you being protected by a dark colored alicorn from fillies that look exactly like the Deadly 6. You see yourself as a wrinkled old bug with a cigar in your mouth, leading around a younger changeling in a bowler hat, and one where Sombra protecting Nightshade at the Grand Galloping Gala with a Nightmare Cloak.

What the buck is all this?! You think as you smell blood burning.

Echoes and possibilities… Sombra says in awe.

Things that might have been under other circumstances, Selena says, mouth agape. Or what might one day be.

As she says that you see a glimpse into a world where two creatures stand at a chapel together for a wedding. An older Spike, and a familiar dark colored alicorn filly all grown up.

OH BUCK NO! You grit your teeth. Not in my lifetime you squirmy lizard!

Outside of the vortex, the Reapers start to fade away, as even more portals spin and give glimpses into other worlds than these.

They see you using Rarity as a meatshield, then Pinkie as a meatshield, then Fluttershy as a different member of the Elements uselessly sticks up for you. They see images of an old changeling in a bowler hat and a young alicorn traveling with dragons, a griffon and other fantastical creatures. They see serene happy images of a changeling peacefully living amongst the ponies with that same alicorn.

"What the Tartarus is happening?” asks Adagio as she catches a glimpse of Starswirl in a Haywaiin shirt and she grits her teeth.

"Time and Space seems to be opening up glimpses into other realities,” Sunset says aloud.

“I don’t remember becoming a queen,” Aria says pointing at an image of the Sirens laughing historically from a throne with Starswirl and his friends chained at their fins.

In another portal they see a red centaur, the size of a kaiju destroying cities, and in another they see a blue goat laughing.

“Oh hey, it’s that fairy tale guy. You know, the one where that pony stole his bell?” Sonata asks.

“…How do you know pony fairy tales?” asks Sunset.

“Because our Dad was a traveled Siren and told lots of stories,” Aria says, sounding sad.

“…I really really hope one of these things just doesn’t open up into the endless void and let in the old gods or something,” Humbra says with a shiver and everyone looks to him.

“What? If The Doctor is real in another universe, what’s there to say that Chthulhu, Yog Soggoth, Beetlejuice, Hastu-“ he is cut off as Luna hits him with a newspaper.

“Don’t tempt fate you subpar drummer!”

“Hey!” he growls back.

“Whoa, wait a second, is that supposed to be me?!” Rainbow Dash says in disgust pointing to a rainbow haired horse in fancy frilly clothing.

“Hmm, for a pony at least that version of you dresses in style,” Rarity quips.

“…Why is pony me getting hounded by a lynch mob?” Flash asks, highly disturbed at a pegasus fleeing from a group with torches and pitchforks.

“Aww, look at the puppy,” Fluttershy coos as a Shibi Inu wearing headphones barks happily in front of a control panel.

And then they start to see not just other worlds, but the past, your past. They see you in your many battles against their counterparts, they see you setting flame to your surroundings, saving those in danger, and failing in your goals. They see you in your many stages of the Nightmare Cloak…and a chill runs down their spines.

“…Hot Damn,” B2 whistles, being very impressed.

Back inside the vortex, Sparkle looks at all of the images in fascination.

“Another world, filled with magic and mystical races. Infinite versions of them being shown because you’re at the center…”

You don’t answer though as you actually start to lose feeling in your hand as the cooking smell gets worse.

“GRRRRAAAAGGGGHHH!!!” you bellow out in pain and anger…and that’s when the last of the windows open.

You see Selena as Nightmare Moon, lording over her eternal night, Sombra, sitting upon a Crystal Throne in Canterlot, Discord reveling in the chaos of randomness that was once Equestria, you see a world where the Crimson Knight’s logo flies proudly from the top of Canterlot Castle, a world where the Hive has cocooned every living soul, you even see yourself, in full Nightmare Form setting fire to the world. Flashes from the other world go through you and the scar on your chest aches with phantom pain.

But worst of all, you catch a glimpse of something that makes your blood run cold. What looks like a cross between a changeling queen and an alicorn sits in the ruins of Ponyville. She is decked out in armor similar to Nightmare Moon’s, and a strange bedazzled scar peppers her chest. In her hooves, she cradles several objects. A red crystalline horn, purple, blue and red dragon scales, a frayed Cutie Mark Crusader cape, the singed Elements of Harmony, a tattered old bowler hat, a darkened and ripped Luna plushie…and a burnt and torn Nobody Cloak.

Time seems to crawl in that instance as the creature opens it’s eyes and looks right into your soul.

“Why did you all leave me…?” Nightshade asks, her heart broken and filled with darkness.

“NNNNOOOOOOO!!!!” you, Selena and Sombra all yell in unison as you will the fire to burn even hotter. The sinew, bones and muscle blacken to ashes as your weak human hand is pushed to it’s limit. This is the final push for the broken halves as they finally weld back into one, and all of the many and sundried windows disappear as the time vortex starts to get sucked into the pendant.

As some of the winds get sucked into the pendant, some pass through your blackened hand, and you feel some sort of energy pulse through your body. The pendant then lifts out of your hands, absorbing all of the energy back into itself and causing everything to start falling back to earth.

“AAAAAHHHHH!!!” Midnight screams holding onto you, still without her wings, but you just stare back up at the Pendant as it begins to pulse and glow….before it fades into nothingness.

…Huh, I kind of thought there would be a huge explo-

*BOOM*

A massive blast of energy explodes forth from where the pendant once was, and a massive white nothingness envelops everything before you and Sparkle hit the ground.


(~~)


“Here’s your ticket sir,” the booth girl says holding out your ticket.

You stare back at the human girl who has said that so many times these last three months, and you smile.

“Thank you,” you tell her as you take the ticket and turn to the others who are looking around in shock and confusion.

“Bugze!” Sunset and Sonata call out as they run to you, the others following suit.

“What happened? Did we fail? Are we still stuck in the loop?” Sunset asks frantically.

“Are we dead?” Sonata asks fearfully.

“No…no we’re not dead and I don’t think we failed…” you say as you glance around at all the normalcy of the carnival goers and your non broken/burned hands.

No we’re not, just like you said, Selena says with pride. Well done my bug.

Although my head hurts, which is odd since I don’t have a physical one, Sombra mutters.

“What happened?” asks Fluttershy.

“I…I fixed the pendant and then it kind of sucked into itself,” you say with a shrug.

“And Sparkle?” Sunset asks apprehensively.

“I…she’s still out there. Without the pendant now though, there’s nothing to stop her from getting. Besides, I know practically every move she could make this day.”

“So…it’s over?” asks Aria.

“I think so…” you say as you look around for any sign of Midnight.

“Sooo…what do we do now then?” asks Adagio.

“Yeah, I mean, I bet you’re sick of this carnival huh?” Rainbow adds.

“Oh tartarus yes I am,” you nod. “But on the other hoof, I think we should go see PostCrush to get your stupid autographs. They owe us that much.”

“Heck yeah!” Pinkie cheers.

“Ah Crap! Nimmy’s already inside!” B2 says in alarm as he grabs Humbra and drags him into the gates.

“Hey! What are you-“

“We are having a band meeting long overdue!” B2 says in determination as they rush through the crowd.

“…Well I guess he’s in the spirit,” you shrug and look to the rest of the girls. “And all of you, maybe involve Wallflower in some activities? Someone who goes ignored for so long might one day lash out.”

“Heh, sure think partner,” Applejack agrees.

“Just…just go out and enjoy yourselves,” you tell the group and look to the Dazzlings and Sunset. “You four, I’m going to do this one last time, so let’s start with that stupid picture with the Panda.”

“YAY!” Sonata squeels and runs towards the mascot.

Just then, you get a text message and you pull out your phone, and surprise surprise, it’s from the twisted supervillain.

Alright Bugze, you win this round. I am done with this day! I’m glad you’re not dead and stuff, but nothing’s changed between us! When another big influx of magic rears it’s head, I will be there to collect. So stay out of my way!

Yeesh, even after all of that she’s determined to be the villain, you shake your head and sigh.

Old habits die hard my bug. It took me well over two years, Selena points out.

That’s because you’re a quitter, Sombra insults and she rolls her eyes.

Yeah, but even still Selly, these last three months, she was really the only one that shared in the experience with us. Many of those times when we became lazy…I saw glimpses of the real Twilight personality peaking through.

You sigh again and look around.

But I’ll deal with that another day. She’s right, let’s just get this day over with once and for all.

You then get another text message from Sparkle and you look at it.

P.S. Thanks for the parting gift :P

“…Parting gift?” you say aloud before your eyes widen. You open up your inventory and search through it, but something’s missing.

“SON OF A BUCK!” you shout out loud startling Sunset and the Sirens.

“What? What is it?” asks Sunset.

“She Took The Freaking Prototype!” you yell, remembering the last moments in the last loop when she was holding onto you.

And as you rage and kick an empty can you’ve kicked countless times before, and Midnight chuckles, clutching her precious device as she has Timber Spruce drive as far away from the Carnival as they can get…something happens unnoticed.

A strange crack in the wall near the entrance of the Carnival opens up and starts to eerily glow an odd rainbow color as a nearby parked bike vanishes...

In Equestria

“…Bugze?” DWC says aloud with a gasp as he feels a flicker of his mistress’s target. He then smiles cruelly. “So…that’s where you’ve been…”

In Ponyville

Time Turner, inventor extraordinaire, feels a shiver go up his spine and stops in the middle of one of his experiments.

“What’s wrong honey?” his wife Ditzy “Derpy” Do asks noticing his reaction.

“…I don’t know. I just felt like something was…off,” he says confusedly as he subconsciously reaches for a pocket watch that isn’t there.

“O-oh, really?” Derpy says nervously afraid that he might wake up.

“Yes…perhaps working on this mechanized bowler hat that Quick Fix fellow commissioned has gotten me more tuckered out than I thought,” he says as he takes a bite of what he thinks is an apple before his face scrunches up and he realizes it’s a pear. “What?! Ew! Rubbish!” He then chucks the offending fruit out the window.

“Oh sorry, I think Dinky left that in here,” Derpy apologizes with a giggle as her husband starts to eat butter to get the taste out of his mouth.

“Yeah, well my daughter deserves something better than such grossness,” he gags as the lingering taste of the fruit still sits on his tongue.

“Where is she anyway?”

“Oh, she’s off saying bye to her friends. They’re leaving for the Games today,” Derpy says with a cute smile.

Ponyville Train Station

POV CHANGE: Nightshade

“Ahhh, I’m so excited! I can’t wait!” Applebloom hops up and down in place.

“We’re going to be seen by so many ponies!” Sweetie Belle squees.

“Yeah, and we’ll have a front row seat to all the events!” Scootaloo cheers.

“I hope my mane is Okay, is my mane Okay?” Silver Spoon fusses worriedly.

“Yes Silv, it’s fine, the question is, is my mane Okay?” Diamond Tiara responds.

“It’s not a beauty contest girls,” Spike says with a chuckle.

“Yeah, don’t worry about it girls, we all look fine and dandy,” you say with a smile, wearing your concealing vest.

“You said it cuz,” Appelbloom nods and slaps your shoulder. “We’re gonna bear those flags like nopony’s ever beared before.”

You smile at that and look to all of your friends, happy and carefree and ready to be apart of the biggest sporting event of the year.

You look over at Grandbuggy in his pony guise standing proudly next to Granny Smith with a grin on his mug. You smile at that before you sigh and pat at the shards still embedded in your chest under the vest. There’s still been no word on your Dad and Mom from Jack, and while you’ve been able to keep your mood swings in check, they still happen. It helps when your friends are around though, especially Spike. Although at the same times, he can be the cause for many of those swings…

Shaking your head, you look back over at Grandbuggy who is now speaking with AJ and Fluttershy conspiratorially. From what he, Ahuizotl and Daring have gathered, only Umbrum magic can free the shards from your body, and since Sombra is still with your parents in another dimension, it’s time for Plan B. Being a flag bearer with your friends is just a benefit to going to the Crystal Empire once more. That, and Jack also has the machine finished, that too.

And as the rest of the Deadly 6 show up and Twilight smiles at you warmly, you can’t help but feel how in only three months, so much has changed…and yet not changed enough.

3 Months Ago

You currently sit between Granny Smith and Grandbuggy, while the rest of the Outcasts sit around the table, along with Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Zecora, filling in two others about your secret.

“And so, they’re gonna be staying with us from here on out. They’re our family, so it’s up to us to keep them safe, even if that means lying to the princesses,” Granny Smith says with authority.

Applebloom and Big Macintosh look absolutely gobsmacked by the news, with the older stallion taking it particularly hard.

“T-T-T-Tenant’s our kin?” he stammers and you’re surprised to hear even those different words come from his mouth.

“That’s right, as is this precious little filly here,” Granny says giving you a squeeze.

“Bu…He…” he points in shock at the undisguised Grandbuggy.

“You don’t have to be so nervous kid. I’m not your Grandpappy, I’m just your Grandma’s first lover,” he says cheekily and Big Mac turns a bit green.
Applebloom though has only been staring right at you this whole time with the dopiest look on her face.

Oh Dear Luna, I hope this news doesn’t affect our friendship and-

“Shade…We’re Cousins?!” she shouts excitedly.

“OHHHH YAAAAY!!! It’s like I got another sister!” she cheers as she rushes over and hugs you. “Oh My Gosh! Oh My Gosh! Best Day Ever!”

You smile and hug your family right back.

“Buck Yeah It Is!” you laugh.

“Hey! Language Little Lady!” Granny scolds you and you shrink.

“Oh, right, sorry…”

“I…But…Dragons…Ahuizotl…” Big Mac keeps gasping looking at all the strange creatures in the room.

“Yo,” Ember waves trollishly and Fluttershy shrinks down in her chair a bit.

“And a good day to you senor. I can assure you, my character is grossly misrepresented in Daring’s books,” Ahuizotl says to your big red cousin.

“Uhhhh…” Big Mac still says dumbly.

“It’s not that hard to understand big guy, we’re all chill,” Greta pipes up. “I mean, except for Gar Gar here.”

“Hey! Only my sister gets to call me that!” he growls back and Fluttershy shrinks under the table even more.

“…” Big Mac continues to gape at everything until his sister walks up to him.

“Believe me Mac, I know the feeling,” Applejack says as she pats his shoulder and looks at everyone.

“…Granny, I’m alright with protecting kin and all of that…but how do explain all of this to the others without them wanting to take her away?”

“Yeah! I mean, thanks for including me in the conspiracy and everything, but what about Dashy and Rarity? What about Twilight?” Pinkie Pie adds.

“And, um, what do we do about when Bugze does return…?”

The gathered cabal all start to look around at this and you add your two cents.

“Also, how in the bu-Heck do I get this stupid thing out of my chest?!” you declare pointing at the shards.


WHAT DO YOU DO?