//------------------------------// // Reset the clock // Story: Equestrian Phantom: Fragments of Fractured Time // by vortex123 //------------------------------// Ghost Zone “Can’t keep dodging forever, Twilight!” Yelled a unicorn, her eyes glowing a menacing red that match the jewel on her amulet. “Starlight please! This goes way past simple revenge! What you’re trying to do will kill us all, not just me and my friends, but you too!” Twilight yelled back, looking back at Starlight, nearly dodging a blast of red magic. “How many times are you gonna say that!?” Starlight yelled in bewilderment, charging up another blast. “I just need ghost boy and the old man to use as the last components for a spell.” “Twilight! Danny can’t hold on much longer!” Spike yells, looking over the unconscious halfa being telekinetically carried in Twilight's magic. He then braces himself for the magic blast heading for them, only for the blast to be deflected by a pink ecto-shield. “Vlad, what are you doing!? You need to save your energy.” “What’s it look like I’m doing?” The barely conscious halfa asked as he was being telekinetically carried in Twilight's magic. “Just keep a lookout, if what Daniel said was true, we shouldn’t be far from Clockwork’s domain.” "Uh Vlad, remind me, does his domain look like a mix between a castle ruin, and a clock? And surrounded by tons of gears?" Spike suddenly asked. "Yes, why?" Vlad asked, as he noticed Twilight start to freak out when she looked ahead, and summon a shield around them. Looking in the direction they were heading, Vlad saw that they were gonna have a crash landing in Clockwork's domain. "Oh, butter biscuits." *CRASH* “Ugh…” Groans a fourth voice, the crash having woken up Danny. “Who taught you how to fly, a flight school dropout?” Vlad asked, sitting up and rubbing his head, barely able to stay in ghost form. “And why did you summon a shield? You would’ve been just find had you not done anything.” “Are…are we in the Ghost Zone? What’re we doing in the Ghost Zone? And this looks like Clockwork’s place, what’s going on?” Danny asked, having no memory of what happened. Before anyone could answer him, a voice yelled with malicious. “Don’t bother answering, you won’t last long enough for it to matter anyway!” Starlight says with a smile, shooting towards them. But before she could reach them, another voice rang out. “Time out.” The moment those words were said, Starlight preceded to slow down, then completely stop. Looking to the source of the voice, the four saw a blue man in a purple cloak who seemed to constantly change his age between three states. “Thanks.” Spike says with a relieved sigh. “I wouldn’t relax just yet.” Clockwork says, pointing at Starlight, who was (albeit barely) starting to move again. “W-what!? But you’re the master of time, how’s that even possible!?” Danny asked, having somehow mustered enough energy to go ghost. “The unicorn was not lying when she said she had a way to not face the consequences of her actions.” Clockwork says, as Starlight started to pick up more speed. “Is there a way to stop her?” Twilight asked, getting ready for a fight. Before Clockwork could answer, Starlight broke free from his power, and charged at Twilight. But before she could reach her, Twilight blasted her back, making her phase through the wall. “Unfortunately I don’t know what happened to her. From what I could gather from looking through time, she had accidentally went outside of time, and had returned with knowledge and power no mortal should possess. However, if we can sever her remaining ties to time, I could simply make her cease to be. Of course I’d only do this if there was absolutely no other option. So after you’ve done your part, I’ll try to see if I can’t find a better solution.” Clockwork explained with a frown. “Wow, it’s sure taking her awhile to recover from Twi’s attack.” Spike points out with a confused look. Curious, Clockwork decided to take a look in the time stream, and saw what was keeping her. “It seems she decided to go about this another way. She’s made stops at various points in time. If nothing is done, well, just look at your companions.” Clockwork says, gesturing to Vlad and Danny, who’re starting to fade away. “DANNY!” Twilight and Spike shouted, running towards the halfa in question. “I’m fading away too, you know.” Vlad deadpans. Twilight and Spike give Vlad dirty looks, then looks to Clockwork. “Isn’t there something you can do?” Twilight asked. “Well, I can transfer their minds into their past selves, however, they’ll only be echos. They’ll be able to suggest or slightly influence their past selves, but that’s it.” Clockwork answered. “I’m good with that, Plasmius?” Danny says/asked. “Not like we have a choice.” Vlad grumbled. “Oh you definitely have a choice, it’s just not one you’re happy with.” Clockwork says. “Whatever, fine, let’s just do it.” Vlad snaps. “Vary well, I’ll also be sending Twilight and Spike to a moment in the past so you two aren’t completely at Starlight’s mercy. Oh, and just to warn you, be careful how you word things to your past selves. What your going to do is like overshadowing yourselves, and should they decided you two are ghosts trying to take control of them, they could force you out. And I shouldn't have to explain why that is something you two should avoid at all cost.” Clockwork says. He waits for a few moments, to see if anyone had any questions. Seeing that no one had any, he then clicks his staff. “Time out.” “Time in.” Twilight and Spike looked around, half expecting to be attacked by Starlight. After making sure that no one was gonna jump them, they relaxed and took in everything. They’re still in their Equestrian forms, though they’ now wearing one of the strange necklaces they saw in Clockwork’s domain. Looking around, they saw that while they were in Equestria, everyone looked like the humans from the mirror world, save for the ones with a horn or wings. “Ok, so if I remember correctly, Vlad should be in Manehattan, and Danny should be in Ponyville. Vlad should be fine since at this point in time he’s had his powers for 10 years, Danny will probably need help since he just got his powers.” Twilight thought out loud. “So we’re heading to Ponyville?” Spike asked. Twilight nods and teleports them to their destination.