//------------------------------//
// The Cutie Re-Mark 
// Story: Flash Sentry, Defender of the Peace S5 
// by Banshee531 
//------------------------------//

It had been a month since the Flash and his team of adventurers set out to the Lost City of Faust. Not much had happened in that time, Ponyville experiencing one of its longest peaceful stretches since Flash and Twilight had first arrived in the town.

As this happened, Twilight and Spike were currently out of town, just now flying to the village after having done some business in Canterlot. She had been giving a lecture about the connections between cutie marks, talking about how Rainbow's rainboom had helped her and her friends get their cutie marks. But as the princess flew back, there was no happiness on her face. She always loved to spread knowledge to others, but this was different. Her expression was one of anger...and uncertainty.

"Starlight Glimmer?" Spike asked as they landed, jumping off and pulling a suitcase with their lecture material behind him.

"I'm sure I saw her Spike, but when I looked again, she was gone!" Twilight moaned as she rubbed her face with her hoof, "This isn't good. I'm worried about what she could be up to."

"Nothing good, I bet. I heard she wasn't very happy the last time you saw her."

Twilight shook her head, "That's an understatement. Forcing everypony in her village to have the same cutie mark wasn't right...we had to do something!"

"And now she's coming back for revenge?" Spike replied, only to look up and see Twilight shake. Doing a small gulp, he tried to find words, knowing Flash would usually giver her some words of encouragement. In thinking this, his words stumbled out, "Uh...maybe she was just really interested in your speech?"

Twilight sighed and shook her head again, "Honestly Spike, I'm not really sure what I saw." She then stared at her castle in the distance, remembering what Flash had said the night before he left. Even if they weren't physically together, as long as they had faith in one another, they'd be able to stand against anything. "But as long as I have my friends, I know everything will be all right."

"That's right," Spike added, "After everything we've been through, nothing can beat us."

It was here they opened the front door, Twilight groaning at the sight. Despite the princess truly considering the building to be her home now, it felt lonely with just her and Spike living there. Flash and Springer were still out on their quest and Scootaloo had been spending a lot of nights at her friends' house, the filly not even currently in town as Misty and Trial had taken her to spend the weekend in Manehattan. The alicorn sighed again as she placed her saddlebag on a hook with Spike placing the case below it. "Maybe I was just more stressed about that speech than I thought."

"Bet that's not the only thing you're worried about," Spike continued as they headed to the map room, "You're still worried about Flash, aren't you? He hasn't contacted us at all since he left." This made Twilight sigh once more, her head drooping down as her walking slowed down. Seeing this, Spike then said, "Errr...but that's okay! We know he'll be fine. I mean, that's better than Starlight Glimmer coming back with an evil plot for revenge."

Twilight shrugged, trying to show a tiny smile while opening the map room doors as she replied, "Well, when you say it like that, it does sound kinda silly."

Spike opened his mouth to reply, only to go wide-eyed before gasping, "Or it's totally true!"

Twilight raised an eyebrow before glancing up, her eyes narrowing as she saw a particular pony sitting in Fluttershy's throne. The sinister unicorn mare just smiled at her, giggling as she laid back, "Welcome home, Twilight!"

Before the alicorn and dragon could respond, she lifted a familiar-looking scroll into view before hitting it with her magic. Twilight watched as the scroll flew into the air before unleashing a bolt of blue lightning down on the table, causing the map to activate and show all of Equestria. Twilight gasped at the sight, trotting over the map and glaring at the unicorn. "What are you doing, Starlight?!"

Starlight let out a laugh, "I'd tell you, but I don't want to ruin the surprise!" The scroll floated down before Starlight scrunched it up and threw it away, "Won't be needing that anymore."

As she did this, the map began to glow pink before unleashing a ring of light into the ceiling. Seeing this, Twilight fired a blast of magic at the rings, only for it to bounce off. A powerful gust of wind followed this, blowing both Twilight and Spike back as the drake held onto the alicorn's wing. They watched as a portal suddenly opened up above the table that let out a clock sound along with several bolts of lightning lashing out.

Twilight looked down at Starlight, about to ask what she had done before seeing her be enveloped by her own magic before lifting herself into the air. All the two could do was stare at the unicorn as she flew into the portal, the wormhole quickly vanishing as soon as she went through it.

"What the-where'd she go?!"

"I don't know Spike, but I think we better find out!"

Spike nodded and walked up to the scrunched up scroll Starlight had thrown away. "I guess we could start with this."

Twilight turned to see him reach out to the scroll, "Spike, no! Don't touch that!"

But it was too late. Spike's claws gripped around the paper, only for the map to reactivate at the touch. A second portal appeared above the table, a blast of wind sucking the duo into the hole. Both screamed as they were pulled through it, being dragged by the scroll through a bright green tunnel of light. Time seemed to blur, the two unable to tell if they had been flying for a second or an hour, only for a bright light to suddenly consume them.

And as that light hit, the two suddenly found themselves in the sky, gravity instantly taking hold. The duo began to scream as they started to fall, Twilight spreading her wings on instinct. As for Spike, he kept falling, Twilight's horn shining as she grabbed him in her magic, pulling him to a stop right before he hit the ground. Spike let out a sigh of relief as Twilight let him go, dropping down the last few inches before finding that the ground was a cloud.

"Cloudsdale?" Spike exclaimed before seeing a few pegasi fly by. He turned to Twilight, who had just landed beside him. "Starlight doesn't even have wings! Why would she come here?"

Twilight shook her head. "I don't know Spike, but it looked like she could fly with just magic!" She then turned around, "Keep your eyes open. We don't know what she has planned."

In that moment, a small blue blur zipped past them, the two blinking at the figure to see it had a unique mane and tail color.

"Isn't that Rainbow Dash?"

Twilight hummed at Spike's comment, "Did Rainbow Dash look really young to you?" Spike reached into his backpack and pulled out a pair of binoculars, looking through them as the alicorn went on. "And I didn't see a cutie mark. You don't think..."

"We travelled back in time to when Rainbow Dash raced the bullies who made fun of Fluttershy and performed her first sonic rainboom?"

Twilight looked down at Spike, glaring at the drake. "Spike, only Starswirl the Bearded could do something like that, and even his spell went back just a week! How could Starlight do more than the greatest wizard in Equestria?!" It was here that they heard the rustling of paper, looking down and spotting the scroll from before.

Spike grabbed the paper and looked it over, "With this."

He gave it to Twilight, who let out a gasp, "This is...Starswirl's time spell!"

Spike took this moment to stash the scroll in his backpack, "If that's the case, we gotta go!"

"Go where?"

"To watch the race! I don't wanna miss the rainboom-whoa!" Spike yelped as he began to walk away, only to fall off the runway. Twilight quickly grabbed him and put him on his back. The two soon ran over to Rainbow Dash, seeing her challenge some bullies as a young Fluttershy stood a distance away.

And as they watched, Rainbow began the race, all shooting off the finish line. Doing so caused Fluttershy to be knocked off the cloud, Twilight's instincts almost kicking in before Spike grabbed her wings, keeping her from flying. Realizing what this meant, she kept still, nodding as she watched the race continue.

Rainbow started off in the lead, one of the bullies crashing before another bully slammed into her. The tiny pegasi growled at him, quickly pumping her wings as she chased after him. "This is it. Any second..." Spike whispered as they watched the air current form around Rainbow, the rainboom seconds away from occurring.

But as it was about to go off...Rainbow stopped. "What?!" Twilight yelped as she saw Rainbow completely freeze in midair. She then saw that the filly was covered in blue magic, the same color as the sky, making it hard to notice. The alicorn turned around, now seeing the bully shoot pass the finish line as Twilight flew over to Starlight, "What did you just do?!"

Starlight giggle before pointing upward, "Don't worry, you're...about to find out." In that moment, the portal reappeared above them, sucking Twilight and Spike back inside. Starlight just laughed at the sight, clapping her hooves, "HA! I did it!"

And as she floated there, another figure was watching. It was a being under a dark blue cloak that covered everything except their face, which was hidden by a black mask with red eyes. "Interesting...very interesting." The figure then pulled a scroll out of a pocket in its cloak. "Let's see what we can do here."





Twilight and Spike were back in the tunnel, shooting straight down before finding themselves hitting the ground face first. The alicorn let out a moan as she sat herself up, her eyes now gasping as she saw the castle map was right by where they landed. But as she stared at the map...she went wide-eyed. Equestria was now portrayed very differently, this one covered in black crystals, all spread out from the Crystal Empire.

"What in the...what did Starlight do? Did she-"

"Um...Twilight?" She turned to her number one assistant, the drake scratching his head as he got up from the crash landing, "Where's your castle?"

Twilight's eyes got even wider, her vision darting around as she saw they were just on an open field with a lake and the map. Nothing else was around, making her gulp, "Oh no...the map pulled us back to the present, but whatever Starlight did in the past changed things here!"

"But why? And how did we get here? Where's here?" Spike's many questions were answered when Twilight pulled Starswirl's spell out of his bag.

"More like when."

"What do you mean?" Spike asked as Twilight looked over the scroll.

"Starlight altered Starswirl's spell, then somehow used it on the map to travel into the past and change something! Once she did, the map pulled us back to the present!"

"So we're back where, I mean, when we started?"

"Not exactly." Twilight looked back at the map, "Everything's different. Look." Spike pulled himself up to look over the map, now seeing the changes to the topography. "The map doesn't even make sense anymore! The Crystal Empire takes up half of Equestria!"

"Plus there's the whole missing castle thing."

"Right!" Twilight added while nodding. She then began to rub her chin, only to sigh, "This isn't good. This is too big to handle on our own."

"You think?"

Twilight nodded again, "We need to find our friends and get help!" Spike nodded back before the pair headed off into town...only to frown at the sight of Ponyville. The town was almost deserted, the duo now seeing what looked like a ghost town, buildings and ponies all broken and destroyed. They then saw both Sugarcube Corner and Rarity's shop closed up, the duo grimacing at the buildings.

The two sighed before Twilight suggested they would try Sweet Apple Acres. Agreeing to this, they went to the farm...only to find that every building at the place had a giant chimney stack spewing black smoke into the sky. When the two arrived, they slowly made their way to the barn, now seeing that the windows were filled with soot. Wiping them clean, they both glanced inside and saw that the place looked like a factory. Several machines were being used to turn apples into apple sauce, which were then squirted into cans.

A rolling sound caught their attention next, making them look over to see Applejack rolling a barrel to a wagon. Her hat was nowhere in sight, her hair now in a mane-net while also wearing overalls. She may have looked different, but she was still Applejack, and Twilight proclaimed this as she rushed over to give her a hug.

Applejack however, just pushed her away with a raised eyebrow. "What can I do for yah?

"It's so good to see you!" The alicorn proclaimed as she watched Applejack continue to roll the barrel over to the cart. "We couldn't find Pinkie or Rarity or Fluttershy or Rainbow Dash, but I just knew you'd still be here!"

"Of course ah am. This is mah home." She turned back, now grumbling, "But who in tarnation is Pinkie Bow and Flutterdash?" She trotted back to the barn, "Or you for that matter?"

Twilight's eyes went wide at hearing this, her heart gaining a small crack in it. "You...don't know who I am?"

Applejack pushed another barrel toward the cart, "Nope." The crack was getting bigger. "Honestly, the only name ya'll said that ah recognize is Rarity, but she left for Manehattan years ago."

Spike smirked at the comment, "Probably to become a world-famous fashion designer, I bet."

"Not that ah know of," Applejack closed the cart. "Last ah heard, she went to help with the cause like everypony else."

"The cause?" Twilight asked, her confusion making Applejack glare at her with a raised eyebrow.

"The war against King Sombra and the Crystal Empire?"

"WHAT!" The time travelers screamed, looking at one another in horror.

"Where have you two been?" Applejack added.

"Actually, it's when." Spike let out.

As Spike said this, Twilight put her hooves on her head, "This can't be...this is what Starlight did?!" She then looked back at Applejack, "Listen, I know this is hard to believe, but you and I and those other ponies I mentioned are friends!"

Applejack just tilted her head at this, "Did yah bump yer head on a crate of cider or somethin'?"

"I'm telling you the truth!" Twilight told her, turning to run back to the map, "And if you come with me, I'll prove it." With that, she and Spike began to run away...only to look back and see Applejack now working on the wagon again. "Oh boy..."

One round of dragging Applejack to the map later...

"Well, ah'll admit it. Ah've lived in these parts my whole life and ah've never seen this before."

"There's also supposed to be a castle that goes with it," Spike added as Applejack turned to Twilight.

"But ah'h still don't see what this has to do with you and me bein' friends."

Twilight frowned, shaking her head, "I'm...I'm not completely sure how yet, but another pony named Starlight Glimmer used this map to travel through time and change things in the past. For some reason, the map's here, but everything else is different!"

"Different how?"

"Well for one thing, where we came from, there's no war with King Sombra." Hearing this made Applejack glare at her, making Twilight stumble on her words, "Sorry....I know this sounds dumb, but you could tell us how the war started? We need to figure out what changed!"

"Ah guess that's easy to do," Applejack told her, sighing as she started to explain, "When the Crystal Empire returned, it brought King Sombra back with it. And it didn't take long for him to force every one of his subjects to fight for him against Equestria. The Royal Knights were da first to be sent to counter him, but one by one they were wiped out by Sombra and her."

"Her?"

"Da Crystal General."





On a battlefield far away, two great armies were in pure unending war.

The ponies under Sombra's control were facing off against the Royal Guard, Celestia and Sombra giving commands from the back. As this happened, two of the guards charged at a group, only for a bolt of lightning to strike the ground around the group. The thunderbolt struck the dirt, electrifying the crystal slaves as the other guard went in and slashed the slaves with his spear.

Iron Core smirked as his opponents fell, turning to Lightning Blitz and nodding. Lightning nodded back, only to suddenly let out a scream of pain. Looking down, he saw a bunch of crystal arrows piercing his body, making him fall like a rock. And as Lightning fell, Iron turned to where the arrow had come from, only to go wide-eyed. It was a moving cloud of red smoke, the figure soon taking shape into a red unicorn mare with a curved horn. She wore the same armor as the rest of the slaves, but wasn't wearing a helmet. The mare then opened her eyes, which were bright red with green instead of white and purple smoke coming out the sides.

Iron growled at her, but she just smiled a chaotic looking grin before breaking out into laughter. From the snowing ground around her, red crystals shot out in all directions, one of them instantly piercing Iron along with several of Sombra's ponies.

And as this happened, in another section of the battlefield, several other soldiers were sneaking around a cliff upon the side of the mountain the battle was being waged. They moved over to the edge and saw Sombra, who had just created a large crystal tower to defend himself against some more guards. "Now's our chance," one of them said before looking back. "Ready Flash?"

A certain orange pegasus with a blue mane took a deep breath, "Ready," he replied before pulling out a crossbow and loading it. He knelt down in the snow and took aim, the rest of his platoon looking all around as he got the umbrum king dead in his sights.

But as he was about to pull the trigger, several pained voices suddenly rang out, making him spin around. There, surrounded by the bodies of his fallen comrades, was a cloaked and masked figure. "Wha...who are you?!"

The figure just stared at him, "Nopony you need to worry about anymore." His cloak then flapped in the wind, revealing his coat was dark grey and black armour around his chest and hooves. From out under the cloak, a cloud-like shadow appeared before shifting into the shape of an arrow. Before he could react, the arrow had pierced Flash's chest, impaling his heart directly. All he could do was let out a soft exhale, the arrow soon fading away to leaving a black hole in his body, only for him to stagger backward...and fall off the cliff.





"And even with Princess Celestia leadin' the charge, it still takes every last pony in Equestria doin' their part, workin' day and night, to keep up the fight."

Twilight and Spike both stared at Applejack in horror, Twilight then exclaiming, "I just can't believe it! We stopped King Sombra!" She put her hoof on Applejack's chest, "You and me and all of our friends!"

Applejack pushed her hoof off, "But we aren't friends. At least not here."

This made Twilight frown, the cracks in her heart growing more before sighing, "Right..."

Applejack looked between the two, Spike leaning his head against the table while Twilight just sighed. "Look...ahh hope all this helped, but ah really need to get back to cannin' those apples." She then began trotting away, Twilight nodding as a new look of determination appeared on her face.

"Thank you. We're going to set things right."

Applejack sighed before looking back, "Ah hope you do."

Once Applejack was gone, Spike turned to Twilight, "So...how are we gonna set things right?"

"I DON'T KNOW!" Twilight screamed before slamming her face into the table, Spike flinching until she looked back up. "The only thing we know for sure is that Starlight stopped the rainboom."

"And that the map's still here." Spike added, Twilight going wide-eyed at his words.

"Spike, that's it!"

"It is?"

"Yeah! The map is connected to the Tree of Harmony! It must sense that something isn't right, that's why it's still here!" Twilight shined her horn before magically opening Spike's bag and pulling out the scroll, "I'll just use Starlight's version of the spell and go back a little earlier and stop her before she even knows we're there!"

She quickly read through it and nodded, hitting it with her magic next as it started to glow again. They watched as the scroll fly up before firing off a beam of light at the map, the portal then opening and sucking the two up. Spike made sure to grab the scroll the stuff it into his bag before they entered, both travelling through the tunnel of time as Twilight put Spike on her back and exited the tunnel.

Once through, Twilight landed on a cloud and said, "All we have to do now is find Starlight and-" She didn't get to finish, as a familiar colored magic struck the duo, encasing both within a giant block of crystal.

"Well, finding her will be easy!" The two looked over at the voice, their eyes being the only thing that could move, and saw Starlight fly out from behind a cloud pillar, "But stopping her is gonna be harder than you think."

Twilight and Spike both glared at her, the crystal now sinking into the cloud as Starlight floated around them, "Sorry to disappoint you, but I created that spell to send myself back in time. So even when you cast it, I still get sent back here. It wasn't that difficult to change Starswirl's spell, He had already done the hardest part. But figuring out I could use the map to go to any time or place and pull you along with me? I even impressed myself with that."

She heard grunting sound and looked down, now seeing Twilight try to break through the crystal with her magic and earth pony strength. "I knew you would try to stop me. You're so predictable. Why else would I leave the scroll behind? Touching it triggered the map to whisk you here and watch me erase the one thing that linked you with your friends!"

Her brow then narrowed, growling at the two as she cut off her magic and landed on the crystal. "My village was a sanctuary of equality, where nopony's cutie mark allowed them to feel superior! It was a special place, and you and your friends took it away!"

It was here that she saw that Twilight had fallen below the cloud, making her roll her eyes before floating herself under the cloud, "Now it's my turn to take something special from you! Without the rainboom, you and your friends will never form your special cutie mark bonds! CUTIE MARKS FOR CUTIE MARKS! Sounds like a fair trade to me!"

With that, she tapped the crystal, making it sink through the cloud, gravity instantly taking hold. As this happened, Twilight summoned a burst of magic, unleashing a fury of power that shattered the crystal. But as she did this, Spike was flung off her back.

"TWILIGHT!" he screamed, making her look down and gulp.

"Oops!" Spreading her wings, she zipped down and grabbed him before flying back up to the city.

"Thanks!" Spike sighed in relief.

"No problem, Spike. At least now we know exactly what we have to do!" Once they got back to the city of clouds, the two found no sign of Starlight, "Okay, keep your eyes peeled."

"Right!" Spike took out some binoculars and looked around, spotting something as Twilight kept talking.

"We have to stop Starlight as soon as Rainbow Dash and those bullies race by!"

"Um..." Spike lowered the binoculars, "Twilight?"

"So be ready."

"I know, but-"

"Because she could pop up anywhere!" She then felt a tapping on her shoulder, turning to Spike as he pointed at a lower cloud.

"Like over there?" Twilight took the binoculars and gasped at the sight of Starlight, along with the younger Fluttershy and bullies. She quickly flew down and landed next to the group, glaring at the unicorn.

"What's going on here?"

Starlight just shined a big cheeky grin, "Oh, I was just reminding these two colts how hurtful teasing can be."

"Well, don't!" This statement got some confused looks from the younger ponies, Twilight soon registering what Starlight had said. "I mean...you were?"

"Of course!" Starlight smirked before patting Fluttershy's head. "In a world where everypony is unique, some are bound to feel more special than others." She then got right up into Twilight's face. "But that isn't a license to be cruel, is it?"

"No, of course not..." Twilight muttered out, raising an eyebrow at her statement.

"Oh..." Starlight sighed while pulling the three into a hug, "Isn't it a shame we don't live in a world where everypony is equal? No one would ever tease anyone there! Wouldn't that be nice?" This suggestion got three nods from Fluttershy and the colts, Twilight gasping at their actions.

"No, it wouldn't!" Once again, the younger ponies gave her an odd look. "I mean, it'd be nice not to be teased of course, but that's not the same thing!"

"Come on, Fluttershy." One of the bullies told the taller pegasus, "Maybe I can help you get through the course this time."

Fluttershy blushed as she followed him, "Um...okay. I mean, I sure could use the practice."

The three then walked off, Twilight turning to glare at Starlight. "I know you only convinced those bullies to not tease Fluttershy to stop the rainboom!"

"Oh, that's not true." Starlight waved her hoof, "I convinced them to not be bullies because everypony should be equal." She then shined a huge grin, "Stopping the rainboom is just a bonus."

Twilight glared back, Spike now hearing a whooshing sound and turning to see the young Rainbow fly past them, "Twilight, look!"

Twilight turned to see the filly, only to growl back at Starlight, "This isn't over yet!"

"If you say so!" She watched as Twilight caught up to Rainbow, the two stopping to talk for several moments until Rainbow flew off with Twilight behind her to continue their discussion. By the look on young Rainbow's face, Twilight was creeping her out. "Oh, this is too good." Starlight then floated over, seeing Rainbow fly off while Twilight shined a huge frown.

"No! Wait!"

Starlight just laughed. "Gee Twilight, what's the matter? Couldn't convince her to do the impossible?! That's too bad."

She watched as Twilight turned back to the unicorn, only for a time portal to open and suck the two back in. Starlight began laughing again, unaware of a figure standing above her on a cloud, "I see...so that's why this is happening. Interesting."

And as these words left the being's mouth, a new portal began to appear behind the figure.





Twilight and Spike had fell out of the time portal again, this time slamming and bouncing off the table. "Blaugh!" they both moaned before Spike said, "Well, that didn't work."

Twilight groaned as she pulled the scroll out, "This is gonna be harder than I thought. We'll have to try again-"

"Hey Twilight?" Spike tried to interrupt.

"I don't want to live in that awful future we saw earlier!"

"I don't think you'll have to!" Twilight looked away from the scroll, just in time to see a bunch of hoof-made spears pointing at her face. She gasped and shrunk at the sight, now seeing the ponies currently pointing sticks at her were ones she knew, including a pair of special friends, "Pinkie? Fluttershy?"

"Silence, changeling!" Pinkie yelled as Twilight and Spike both let out silent gasps, Fluttershy speaking up next.

"All servants of Queen Chrysalis found in these woods must be...destroyed!" The two exchanged glances, fearing they may be in for a worst fate than the last alternate future.





Meanwhile...

Far away, the rocky area of Ghastly Gorge was filled with screams as ponies ran through it. Behind them, a bunch of changelings chased them all down. It was here that one of the changelings spat out a blob of green goop, which hit a young filly's hoof and stuck it to the ground. She screamed as she and her mother tried to pull herself free, but the slime wouldn't give.

But before the bug could get close, it was slammed by a blur, knocking them away. The mother and daughter gasped at the blur, seeing a pegasus carrying a bog-standard sword and dressed head to hoof in rusted armor, "Flash!"

Flash glared at the approaching swarm before turning to the two, using his sword to slash away the goop, "RUN!"

They didn't hesitate and rushed off, Flash turning back to the swarm as several changelings attacked. He quickly slashed two down, three more taking their place. But as they tried to attack, Flash zipped past them, cutting each one down with a single stroke.

"You stinking bugs aren't gonna win today!" he roared as he took two more down.

"Flash!" He glanced back and saw Wild Smile, Gorgenia and Solid Script running up to him as he slashed another bug.

"Go back!" The pegasi yelled as he spun around and punched a changeling in the face, "The others need you!"

"You can't beat these things alone!" Gorgenia told him as she fired a magic blast, knocking away two bugs beside Flash.

"I don't need to. I just need to hold them off long enough for you all to get away."

"Flash-" Wild started, Flash then raising a hoof.

"Don't let Lightning's sacrifice be in vain!" The mention of their friend made them go stiff, only for Flash to say, "If we're all captured, he gave his life for nothing." He looked back at them, "Keep everypony safe! GO!"

They quickly nodded, turning away as Flash continued to fight more of the changelings. But as he did this, he began to slow down, knocking down a full group before taking a quick breath, gasping as he started to slump over, "There's too many...but I have...to keep...fight-BLAUGH!"

He let out a pained cry as he felt something stab into his back, slowly looking down to see a black spike sticking out of his chest. The warrior gasped before seeing some blood spit out of his mouth, making him look around to see a cloaked figure standing behind of him.

Blinking at the sight, a group of changelings charged at the figure, only for a barrage of pitch black tentacles to come out of the cloak. The tendrils pierced all the bugs, instantly killing them all before the figure pointed at the down pegasi. As this happened, the spike in Flash's chest retracted out, going back into the figure's cloak as Flash slumped over, blood splattering out on the dirt.

As he felt himself fading, he glanced up to the figure, "Why?"

"Because there can only be one."

And those were the last words Flash ever heard.





Back with Twilight, she, Spike and the forest-dwelling ponies were travelling through the woods. Twilight and Spike had been in real trouble until Zecora arrived, smearing them in a strange paint that revealed the truth and made them trust the duo. After that, the zebra went on to explain how changing time worked and that each timeline she returned to if she failed could be significantly different from the last.

The group then arrived at an area of the wood which Zecora spoke of, "This part of the forest is dark and damp, but it's done well to hide our camp."

She pulled aside some leaves, revealing a campsite filled with mud huts and ponies. They all trotted inside, Twilight and Spike noting the other ponies now glaring at them, "This is cozy," Spike said before hearing a loud scream.

The group all turned to the sound, now spotting three ponies. Twilight gasped and smiled at the sight of Rarity, Rainbow and Applejack. "Please!" The white unicorn spoke out, "You have to help us!"

"The changelings attacked Ponyville!" Rainbow added, "We barely escaped with our lives!"

Twilight was about to rush up and hug her friends, but Zecora put her hoof in front of the alicorn, "The only changeling attack I see is the one that came here looking for me!"

Twilight blinked at her statement, only to turn to Applejack as she spoke up, "It's taken quite a while to find you, Zecora." The farmer's eyes began to be consumed in flames, soon consuming her body before reappearing as Queen Chrysalis. "What a lovely village you've chosen to stage your little resistance." She and Zecora glared at one another as she continued, "It looks absolutely delicious!" She licked her lips as the other ponies pointed their spears at her. "Oh, come now Zecora. You're vastly outnumbered." To prove this point, the Rainbow and Rarity fakes returned to normal as more and more changelings appeared out of the woods. A young filly was even revealed to be one, explaining how they were found. "I know you don't want your charges hurt. Come quietly to the dungeons of Canterlot and I promise to leave the others alone."

"Why would she ever trust you?!" Fluttershy asked while Twilight trotted up to Zecora.

"Even if there's a chance Chrysalis will honor her word, shouldn't you try?"

In a hushed tone, Zecora whispered to Twilight, "Race to the map while we hold off their attack. Stop Starlight and put the whole world back on track!"

Twilight nodded and turned to run back the way they came, Spike leaping onto her back. A group of changelings instantly appeared, but Twilight's horn flared, blasting them all away. The duo then jumped into the foliage, more bugs charged at them before Twilight consumed her body in her magic. A flash of light followed this, teleporting the two to the map as the changelings slammed into each other from trying to tackle her.

And as they got to the map, Twilight pulled out the scroll. "Let's get out of here now!"

"Agreed! Cast the spell!" Spike exclaimed as the scroll began to be gripped in Twilight's magic aura, a portal soon appearing above them.

One time jump later...

As the duo landed in Cloudsdale, Twilight cast a shield spell around her body. A split second later, a beam of magic struck the shield, Twilight turning to the attack. Growling at the sight of the attacker, she fired her own beam, which Starlight sidestepped with ease.

"Not bad," She told the princess, "But it's gonna take a lot more than that!"

"Lucky for you, there's more where that came from!" Twilight roared before unleashing a volley of magic, Starlight dodging each as she began firing her own beams.

This continued to for a few minutes, beams flying everywhere as Starlight just dodged each with ease, "You've really gotta work on your aim." She then shot another blast, Twilight just managing to teleport away from the attack. But as this happened, the two flew down to a cloud, both forming magic shields before firing beams again.

"Hey, come on! Go fly and fire those magic beams again!" cheered a new voice, making them turn to see Rainbow and the bullies watching their fight, Rainbow eating some popcorn.

Twilight went wide-eyed at this and teleported over to her, "What are you doing?! You have to finish your race!"

"No way! This is way more exciting!"

"See?" They all turned to Starlight as she shined a huge grin, "You can't stop me no matter what you do."

Twilight glared at her, only for the portal to reopen, sucking her and Spike back up. Rainbow growled at the sight, tossing her popcorn away. "Aww..."

"Don't worry kid, I get the feeling she'll be back pretty soon." Starlight added as she patted the filly's back. "Just watch." From her point of view, it was only a minute or so between being pulled back. That had to mean Twilight and Spike only spent a minute in the future, right?





Wrong. 

"AAAAAHHHHH!" Twilight and Spike cried as they ran through the Everfree forest, a horde of timberwolves on their tail.

When they had arrived, Spike had noted how it was now nighttime. But as they began to question this, a pack of Timberwolves appeared, making them run away as Twilight was too exhausted to fight the monsters. It was here that the pair then found themselves on the edge of a cliff into a familiar gorge that Twilight barely managed to stop herself from falling into. They blinked at the sight, only to see a certain building, "The Castle of the Two Sisters!" she exclaimed before hearing the howling of timberwolves behind them, causing Spike to leap off her back.

"Well don't just stand here!" He screamed as he ran across a stone bridge, Twilight following until they reached the castle.

But as they arrived, their eyes went wide at a new sight. The castle was no longer in disrepair, and there were statues decorating the path to the front gate,

"Grand?" Twilight commented as she looked over the first, seeing it was in the likeness of the old knight. "Why is..."

"Hey! This one is Skybreaker!" Spike added as she turned to the drake, the little one now pointing to the others, "And look, there's First, Heather...oh! Tidal and Iron too!"

"What are they doing here? And why do the statues all look..." Twilight was about to say, only for her eyes to shrink as her brain caught up. She now saw that the ponies were not in usual positions for statues, Skybreaker looking like he had been thrown backwards while Heather looked like she was only half-conscious. Grand and Iron were slumped over, their hooves twisted in pain while Tidal and First had new scars along their chests.

"I've got a bad feeling about this." She added before turning to the castle door, soon going wide-eyed as she saw an even newer sight.

Like the outside of the castle, the inside was also no longer destroyed. Torches lit up the entire place, making Spike mumble out, "This place looks a lot cleaner than I remember." Twilight nodded at Spike's statement, just as the rug they were about to step on flew into the air.

This was caused by a unicorn's magic, Twilight smiling as she saw the unicorn step into the room. "Rarity?"

Rarity, who was dressed in a dark blue maid outfit, turned to them, "The castle isn't open for viewings today. The tapestries all need changing. Again."

Spike rushed over to her with a huge smile, "Rarity, it's me!"

He held out his arms, only for her to look away in disgust, "I don't socialize with dragons," she spat, "I don't know anypony who would."

Spike whimpered at the insult like a sad dog, Twilight jumping over him before yelling, "Rarity, you have to listen to me! The future of Equestria's at stake!"

Rarity glared back at her, "I don't know how you know my name, but I am far too busy to entertain some tourist's ridiculous fantasies."

"Listen, I need your help. I have to get back to the map so I can stop Starlight from changing the past, because every present I come to is worse than the last!"

"Time travel, you say?" Twilight and Spike both went wide-eyed, gulping at that voice. Their heads slowly turned to the direction of the sound, both now backpedaling at a new sight. It was a pony sitting at a large throne at the end of the room, the figure now being illuminated by the light of the moon. It was Nightmare Moon, a grim frown on her face, "Now that's something I would like to see."

Twilight and Spike began to shrink at the statement, only for a bunch of guards to appear out of nowhere around them. Seeing this, Twilight could only say the one thing her boyfriend liked to say, "Aw crap."





Back in the forest, the timberwolves were now sniffing around the table, only to hop back as several sudden bolts of lightning appeared around it. Inside the lightning, a figure flicked in and out before stabilizing into a certain cloaked figure.

"Finally." The being groaned, "Now...where'd he get too?" A low growling caused him to look around, now seeing the timberwolves all staring at him. "Time for you pups to play dead." Shadow tendrils shot out its cloak next, shattering the group in an instant.

"There. No more distractions-" the figure's words didn't go any further, as his ears picked up some voices a bit away. Turning to the voice's origin, he quickly leapt into the trees just before Twilight, Nightmare Moon and the others arrived at the map.

"How does it work?" The dark alicorn asked.

"A pony from my time used this spell to travel back and change the past." Twilight replied, only to see Nightmare Moon smirk before walking over to the map.

"And now you will give this spell to me! With it, I will ensure that the Elements of Harmony are never found, and my reign will last forever!"

"But it won't." This made the alicorn glare back at Twilight, a proud smile on the younger alicorn's face.

"What did you just say?!"

"In my world, my friends and I found the Elements and used them to defeat you!" She flared her wings and charged her magic. "And I will do everything in my power to bring that world back!"

"NO!" Nightmare Moon tried to blast her, but Twilight teleported herself and Spike away. They then reappeared on the map, ready to warp back to the past, only for Nightmare Moon to cast her own spell, this one forming a barrier around the table.

"What?!" Twilight yelped, staring at the barrier as the dark alicorn just laughed.

"Did you really think I didn't expect a double-cross?!" Nightmare Moon growled, stomping her hooves, "What kind of fool do you take me for?! Guards, seize them!" The guards began to trot around them, Twilight's horn beginning to charge, "Don't bother." The barrier began to glow again. "Try anything and I'll transport that relic to a distant part of the ocean. If I can't use it, then neither can you."

Twilight and Spike both gasped, Nightmare Moon laughing as the guards began to surround them, "I commend you on your bravery, but nopony is allowed to defy me without punishment. Just ask the Royal Knights. They tried to side with my sister, and now they're spending their days as lawn ornaments!"

This got another gasp out of the pair, unable to reply at the statement. But as they began to backpedal from the guards, a brilliant light exploded above them. Looking up, all the guards shielded their eyes as Nightmare Moon screamed, "No! Not now!"

A new figure suddenly landed in front of the group, knocking away all the guards before charging at Nightmare Moon. The dark alicorn reflexively hopped back, accidentally dropping the barrier around the map as she dodged an attack from the figure.

Twilight's eyes adjusted as she stared at the figure, now recognizing the being fighting Nightmare Moon, "Flash?"

The pony stood between the dark alicorn and the map, now standing in a tornado of light while wearing very familiar armor. Nightmare Moon growled at him, her horn sparking, "You've opposed me for the last time Lightbringer. This night, you die."

"I'll mark it on my calendar." He replied before he glanced at Twilight, the two locking eyes as she felt her heart leap. "I don't know who you are, but I can't allow Nightmare Moon to have the power you wield." He turned back to his foe, "Leave! Now!"

Twilight nodded as she and Spike leapt back onto the table, casting the spell. And as the portal opened, Twilight smiled at her love. "Thank you." Flash nodded before charging at Nightmare Moon, the alicorn unleashing a blast of magic that was shielded by the light around him.

Twilight and Spike both flew up to the portal, only for Twilight to look down and see something in the corner of her eye.

"LOOK OUT!" she screamed...but it was too late.

Flash's ears heard this, but unable to react as a black arrow suddenly shot across the field, striking Flash's side. "FLASH!" Twilight yelled as she saw blood spat of his mouth, her eyes scanning the area as she then saw a cloaked figure standing beside a tree, "Wha-"

But her words were shut off as she disappeared into the portal, Flash now collapsing as blood began to leak into the dirt under him. Nightmare Moon just blinked at the body of the long-time nuisance, (She refused to call anypony a foe since that would mean they were equals) then glanced over at the cloaked figure. "Who are you?"

The figure said nothing, a portal just like Twilight's now appearing above him. And before Nightmare Moon could say anything, the figure was pulled up into the wormhole.





Back in the past, Twilight and Spike shot out the portal yet again.

Twilight didn't waste any time, spreading her wings and firing a blast of magic that struck Starlight and encased her in crystal. The unicorn was completely frozen as she fell onto a cloud, Twilight flying over to her. "Now more than ever I know how important it is to stop you!"

Starlight glared at her through the crystal before lighting her horn, unleashing a shockwave that shattered the crystal instantly, "Well, good luck!" she barked back as they began to fight again, "I won't quit! You'll never have your cutie marks!"

And thus it began. No matter what Twilight did, Starlight kept managing to prevent Rainbow from performing the Rainboom. As she did this, Twilight and Spike were pulled back into the future, greeted by more horrifying sights.

One future showed Tirek's unstoppable rampage, another being a world where Doom Raizer was never stopped and reached Equestria, stealing all the magic from everypony there. There was then a future where both happened, Doom's giant pony colossus from the Omni sphere fighting Tirek, causing unending destruction across the land from their battle.

Next was a future where Discord reigned supreme, turning the land into a dystopia of chocolate rain and candyfloss buildings. There was also a future where Lightning Blitz destroyed all of Canterlot and everypony in it. Not only that, there was a future where Big Score took over Ponyville, turning it into a broken gangster paradise, the town hall now a giant casino. After that was a future where Shade had conquered Equestria, his abilities turning the ponies into lifeless husks, all of their aura completely sucked out. There was even a future where Flim and Flam had somehow seized control, though mainly just Sweet Apple Acres.

And as the duo witnessed a future where half of Equestria was covered in Flos-Mortem flowers, the pair landed in Cloudsdale again, dodging Starlight's first attack once more.

"Up for another race-ending fight, Twilight?" Starlight asked while landing on a higher cloud.

Twilight flew up to another cloud, landing with a sigh before shaking her head, "No...you were right. I can't stop you." Starlight took the chance to fire a beam at Twilight, the alicorn blocking it with a shield. When it faded, Starlight saw a new determined look on the princess's face. "But you can't stop me from trying, and we could be stuck doing this for all eternity!"

Starlight just shined a cocky grin back, "If that's what it takes to keep you and your friends from getting your cutie mark connection, then I'm game!"

She fired another blast, Twilight blocked her again as she yelled, "What you're doing goes way beyond cutie marks!" She grabbed a piece of cloud and held it up, forming a hill-like shape with a cloud-ball at the top and a cloud building at the bottom. "Everything we do here in the past, even the smallest change, can snowball into an avalanche of trouble for the future!" To show this, she released the cloud-ball and let it roll down, growing bigger until it was the size of the house before smashing into it.

Starlight rolled her eyes before firing a blast, this one vaporizing the cloud. "Oh please, next I suppose you'll tell me that the fate of all of Equestria hangs in the balance."

"It does!"

"Spare me your overblown ego!" Starlight barked back, "No group of friends, not even Princess Twilight's, is that important!" She fired a spell that hit Rainbow, sending her flying before making the portal to open up again.

Twilight looked up at the portal, only to yell at Starlight, "I don't know how important other ponies' friendships are to the future...but I can show you what the world is like without mine!" With that, she leapt over to Starlight and grabbed her, the unicorn unable to react before they yanked up into the portal.

And as this happened, upon a higher cloud, a cloaked figure watched as Twilight was pulled back into the portal while dragging Starlight along. "Interesting...looks like I might have to intervene next time." With that, his form began to slowly turn into mist, his body flickering before vanishing like smoke.





Starlight could barely see anything in front of her, a blast of sandy wind hitting her face. The three were now in a wasteland, not a building or pony in sight. Wherever they were, it wasn't Equestria anymore. "Where are we?!" She asked as she turned back to Twilight, the princess showing a giant frown as she stood next to the map.

"The future. Or rather, the present."

Starlight spun around, glaring at the nothing before yelling, "But there's nothing here!"

"I wish I could say I was surprised...but every world I come back to is worse than the last." Twilight sighed as she looked back at the map. "I don't know why my friends and I are so important to Equestria, but we are."

For a moment, Starlight's eyes went wide, only to shake her head as she pointed at the alicorn, "You can't be serious! I don't believe you!"

Spike, who was standing on the map, gestured around them, "Come on Starlight, look around!"

"Like I said, everything in the past affects the future." Twilight picked up a piece of dirt, which was quickly blown away by the wind. "Even the tiniest act...can lead to this." Starlight simply stared at the wasteland, her eyes twitching at the sight as Twilight continued, "I know I can't stop you, but I thought showing you this might change your mind."

This statement pulled Starlight out of her thoughts, a look of anger returning to her face. "Change my mind?!" She growled and stomped her hooves, "You don't know anything about me! I was perfectly happy before you and your FRIENDS ruined what I built!"

Twilight did another sigh, "I'm sorry. I don't know what happened that led you to make your village without cutie marks, and I'm sorry my friends and I had to take it away." She shook her head, "Starlight...taking cutie marks is wrong. This...this wasteland is proof of it."

Starlight's face began to contort, her horn sparking as Twilight continued, "Starlight...don't. I'm done fighting." Twilight tried to show the most pleading expression possible, "Why are you doing this? What happened to you that made you hate cutie marks?"

"You...you're wrong! You want to know what happened to me?!" Starlight screamed as she floated onto the table before firing a spell at the map, causing it to light up. "I'LL SHOW YOU!"

With that, the portal opened again, sucking all three inside. It wasn't long till the came out of the portal again, this time all three finding themselves on solid ground...and not Cloudsdale. Instead, it was a small village, smaller than Ponyville.

"Where are we?"

Starlight rolled her eyes at her question, "My hometown. That map of yours is connected to every part of Equestria, and this part is my original home."

She then trotted over to a nearby building, Twilight and Spike following before Starlight gestured to a window. There, they looked inside and saw a pair of young ponies playing book Jenga. One of those ponies was a filly Twilight and Spike recognised, being pink with a purple and blue mane. But as they moved their eyes, they now also saw an orange unicorn colt with an orange mane and tail with white on his nose and hooves. It was here they turned back to Starlight, now seeing a heartbroken frown on her face.

"Who...is that?" Twilight asked, but Starlight just sighed in response.

"Sunburst...my first and greatest friend. Sunburst and I did everything together. In fact..." She gave Twilight a somber look, "I don't remember us ever being apart."

But as she glanced back at the young ponies, a dark glare appeared on her face, "Until today."

Twilight and Spike raised their eyebrows before looking back at the scene, seeing the younger Starlight pull a book out of the tower's base. As she did this, it caused the whole thing to shake and wobble before starting to tip over. Starlight gasped as the tower of books began to fall in her direction, only for Sunburst's horn to spark, grabbing the pillar in magic.

Young Starlight gasped at the sight, watching as the books began spinning around Sunburst, the colt suddenly floating as well before a burst of light to appear. The light engulfed his body, the books then flying onto some shelves in perfect alphabetical order. As this happened, Sunburst stopped glowing, making him float down before another flash of light to go off. He turned around next, letting out a celebratory whinny as he now saw a cutie mark on his flank.

The colt quickly ran out of the room, young Starlight unable to say anything in pure shock. But before she could recover, Sunburst's parents took the colt in their magic, quickly running out of the house in a parade of cheers. And as this happened, filly Starlight tried to follow him by looking out the window...only for Sunburst to disappear in the crowd, tears forming in her eyes as she watched.

"And just like that, my friend was gone." The older Starlight was fighting back her own tears as she continued, "His family recognized his magical talent and sent him off to Canterlot within the week. I...never saw him again."

"Well, why not?" Spike asked, only for Starlight to spin around with fire in her eyes.

"Because of his cutie mark!" She pushed her hooves into his chest. "He got his, and I didn't!" She did the same with Twilight. "He moved on, and I didn't! I stayed here and I was never able to make another friend, all because of those blasted cutie marks! No matter how many ponies I met my age, I knew as soon as they got their cutie marks, the marks would take them away as well!"

Twilight just blinked at her, unable to comprehend what Starlight had said. All she could think about was all the dark futures that had been created by this, making her spit out, "That's...that's ridiculous! A cutie mark can't take your friends away!"

Starlight growled back at her, "Not everypony's lucky enough to get her cutie mark at the same time as her friends!" She sparked her horn as the portal formed again, sucking the three up. Before the other two knew what was happening, they were back in Cloudsdale as Starlight used her magic to teleport Spike's bag to her. "You don't know what it's like to lose a friend because of a cutie mark. But once I stop the rainboom, you will!" She opened the bag and pulled out the scroll. "And when I destroy this scroll, there'll be no way for you to change it!"

With that, she began pulling at the scroll and slowly formed a tear in the paper. Twilight gasped, her body trying to think as she said, "Starlight, you're right! I don't know what you went through! But I do know you can't do this! I've seen where this leads, and so have you!"

"I only saw what you showed me!" The embittered unicorn hissed, the scroll tearing even more. "Who knows what'll really happen?"

Twilight's ears heard the race begin, Rainbow and the bullies flying around the course as she replied, "Please Starlight...I've seen it a dozen times! Things don't turn out well in Equestria without my friends!"

"Oh, please!" Starlight groaned and rolled her eyes, "What's so special about your friends?!" The scroll tore more, "How can a group of ponies that are so different be so important?!"

Twilight slowly moved over to her next, her words barely releasing through her mouth, "Starlight...I don't fully understand you, we are different...and that's okay. The differences between me and my friends are the very things that make our friendship strong!"

Tears appeared in Starlight's eyes, steam pouring out of her nostrils, "You're wrong...I thought Sunburst and I were the same, but we turned out different, and it tore our friendship apart!"

Starlight's horn was now sputtering, teeth grinding as she was about to rip the scroll in half. Seeing this, Twilight took to the air as she declared, "That's enough Starlight! Friendships aren't just determined by one singular event! They're things that develop over time! If what happened to you is so bad...then you need to try again! You have to keep trying!"

"You're wrong...those blasted cutie mark always destroyed my friendships!"

"No they didn't!" Twilight zipped up to Starlight's face, "You're the one that gave up! Even if you lose a friend, that doesn't mean you have to give up on having them! You can make new friends! And if something that you can't control happens that changes things, work through it together! That's what friendship is!"

Starlight backpedaled at Twilight's words, tears streaming down her face as she tried to say anything. But no words could form, her mind a mess as she thought about Sunburst compared to the town she made. However, as she did this, Twilight continued, "And it's not just my friendships that are important to Equestria! Everypony's are! When yours ended, it led us here. But just imagine all the others that are out there waiting for you if you just give them a chance!"

Starlight glanced at the scroll, seeing that one last tug would be enough. Long exhales came out of her mouth as she glared at her hesitation, only to look back at the princess, "You're wrong...you have to be. How...how do I...how do I know they won't all end the same way?"

Twilight just shined a huge kind grin, holding out a hoof next, "I guess it's up to you to make sure they don't." Starlight's eyes shifted between the scroll and Twilight, the princess then saying, "Starlight...will you let me be your friend?"

Starlight's form broke at those words, tears now seeping through the clouds below them as she dropped the scroll. Spike caught the paper as Starlight reached out to take the hoof, the sound of Rainbow building up the speed needed for the rainboom rippling in their ears.

"Twilight...I-"

"AAAAAHHHHH!" The three jolted at the sound of Rainbow's pained voice, turning to see a heart-stopping sight. Rainbow, almost suspended in midair, had a singular black arrow piercing through her heart.

Rainbow's eyes rolled into the back of her head as gravity took hold, the filly's body instantly falling into a cloud. "RAINBOW!" Twilight screamed, only to look up and gasp at a new sight, "You!"

Spike and Starlight followed her vision and now saw a cloaked pony standing on a higher cloud, a black bow in hoof that vanished a second later. Twilight was about to scream again, only for another time portal to appear above them, sucking the trio up immediately.

The figure watched them leave, the rest of the Cloudsdale ponies all wide-eyed as the figure just laughed at the sight, "Now, let's see how things turn out."





All three slammed into the map, bouncing off the platform before tasting dirt. "Owww..." Spike moaned as they all picked themselves up.

Starlight also groaned, turning to Twilight. "Who was that?"

"I...I don't know," Twilight replied as she shook her head, "I saw that pony once, in another alternative world. I don't know what they were doing in the past, but it can't have been anything good."

"Er...girls?" they turned to Spike, now pointing at the area around them. "Is that what I think it is?"

"Ponyville..." Twilight gasped, her eyes shrinking at the sight. The entire town looked like it had been obliterated, now a single building standing unless it was just a pile of rubble. Smoke billowed across the ground, large holes covering what little amount of dirt could be seen on the streets. "What...what happened in this timeline?! What happened to Ponyville?!"

"If you think this is bad, wait till you see Canterlot," the three slowly turned to the direction of the voice, "I'm particularly proud of what I did to that place."

There, sitting lazily on a pile of rubble, was the cloaked figure. The figure's voice was low, a dark masculine tone to it. The trio all got into a battle-ready position, glares being fired as Twilight yelled, "Who are you?!"

"And why did you do that to Rainbow?!" Spike added.

"And...and how the heck did you even get to the past?!" Starlight finished.

The figure laughed before reaching into a pocket of his cloak, "I have you three to thank for that." He then pulled out a familiar-looking scroll, chuckling as he did this, "Did you really think you were the only ponies affected by your little spell?"

Twilight gasped before looking at their own scroll, "No...that's impossible! There's only one scroll!"

"You're right," the figure nodded, "There's only one scroll...in each future. But as you've seen, there's more than one future out there."

Everypony gasped, Twilight stuttering out, "You...you can't be. You're from an alternate future that's been using that scroll along with us?!"

The figure nodded again, "That's right. Your escapades of creating timelines has greatly helped me by the way."

"But...but that can't be! There can only be one future at a time!" Twilight barked back, only for the figure to shake his head.

"Oh, how wrong you are. Just because you can only experience one timeline at a time, doesn't mean all the other timelines don't still exist." The figure picked a rock up off the pile and balanced it atop an edge of another piece of rubble before letting go. The rock tipped for a second, only to fall to the left before rolling down. "We're experiencing a future where the rock fell left, but a future where the rock fell right still exists somewhere out in the multiverse."

The three blinked at his explanation, Twilight then asking, "So...are you saying you're from a timeline where the Rainboom didn't go off, and was pulled back by the time spell?"

"That's right. I was searching through the ruins of the Canterlot library for something to help me gain more power, and found this." He pointed at the scroll, chuckling as he continued, "I just happened to be holding it the second your little scuffle happened, pulling me back into the past. It was some surprise." He then turned around, laughing at the sight of the destroyed town, "But I gotta say...I sure did miss this place."

Looks of despair graced each face as they saw what he meant, "This...this is the future you're from?"

"Yes. I was as surprised as you are when I realized what was happening." He sighed again, "It's so good to be back after all these years."

"Years?!" Starlight asked next, "We haven't been travelling for years."

"Maybe you haven't, but I have." He held up the scroll again. "It might be because this scroll isn't exactly like yours, but it didn't allow me to skip between the past and future as you did. All it did was pull me out of phase with the world. Every time you returned to the future, I became like a ghost, unable to talk or interact with the world. All I could do was watch as the world changed from the one I knew."

"Wait...but that means..." Twilight whispered, "The time we skipped over was-"

"Over ten years," the figure finished. "Yes, but it was more than that. Tell me, how many times did you travel back in time, pulling me back with each use?"

Twilight's eyes shrunk at the question, gasping as she stared at the pony, "We...I...I've lost count how many times we've done it." Even so, she knew it had to be in the double digits. That means he'd been trapped like that for over a hundred years. "But...are you saying you've been unable to do anything for that long?"

"Yes. I've been nothing more than a ghost for over a century, all thanks to you three." His tone became even lower, his raspy voice now making Starlight shrink back as he pointed at her, "You have no idea how much you've done, the years of torture that was done to me. This is all your fault."

Starlight wanted to respond, but Twilight quickly stood in front of her, flaring her wing in front of the unicorn, "That's enough. I'm sorry that happened to you, but there's no way we could have known-"

"That doesn't matter." The figure interrupted as he began to stand up, "After all...I'm finally home now." He then clenched his hoof, "But I won't be staying. Give me your scroll."

This made all three go wide-eyed, Spike asking, "Why? You're home, aren't you?"

"He's right. Just drop the scroll and let us leave," Twilight added, "We'll go back to our own time, and you won't be stuck in time if you're not touching the scroll. It won't affect you."

"I can't do that. Now that I've seen the timelines, I can't stay in my home." the figure responded as he slid off the pile of rubble, "I have work to do. There's a certain somepony I must destroy."

"Destroy? But who-"

"You know who. You've seen my work, alicorn." The figure interrupted again, Twilight's eyes going wide as she heard those words.

"You mean...when you killed Flash?" Twilight replied, the two others gasping at her guess.

"That's right."

"But why?! What do you have against Flash?"

This question was met by maniacal laughter, "You can't be serious! You really haven't figured it out?!" The figure pulled back his cloak and spread his wings, revealing himself as a pegasus as he took to the air and hovered above the trio, "In every future, every timeline...Flash Sentry is a pony who stands for justice, courage and protecting others. Every future...except one." he reached for his mask, swiping it off with his hoof in one swift motion, "MINE!"

Everypony gasped at the sight. Staring down at them was Flash, but different in every way. His coat was bleach gray, face covered in scars and his still blue mane was cut so short you could barely notice it. But the most noticeable change was his eyes. Gone were the sky blue eyes that constantly burnt with courage and determination, and were instead bright red with green instead of white.

"No...you can't be..." Twilight whispered as the two behind her continued to backpedal.

"Oh, but I am." Flash laughed as a pitch-black aura began to smoke off his body. "I am the undisputed ruler of this land, of this timeline. This Equestria...it is mine. I am everything those weaker versions of me could have been, had they not wasted their time caring about others." He glared at their scroll, a giant sinister grin on his face, "Before I was pulled into the past thanks to you, I thought I was the only one. But once I have that scroll of yours...I will be." Before anypony could say anything else, black tendrils sprouted out of his body, all of them covering the sky above them. "Now...GIVE IT TO ME!"

Twilight's body froze as the one she loved unleashed the tendrils towards her, the spiked tips ready to impale her. Was this how it ends? Was Twilight gonna die at the hooves of the pony she trusted more than anything.