Come on everypony smile, smile, smile
Fill my heart up with sunshine, sunshine
I woke up in bed and turned to look at the alarm clock, seeing that it was nine fifty-two. I blinked in confusion, having set the clock to go off much earlier. The time was now three twenty-seven. I sat up in bed, rubbing my eyes and noticing the clock change time again.
I realized I was dreaming, and grinned widely. Now that I had, I could exert some control over the dream, and I knew exactly who I wanted to see. I pictured him wearing a frilly pink dress.
“Really, Dawn, I’m supposed to be the one causing nightmares, not the other way around. Is this the best you’ve got?” Discord asked.
I looked across my room at the tantabus, my mind’s recreation of my worst fear. Discord had been the one to effortlessly hurl me across dimensions without a shred of remorse. He could, and would, kill anypony without hesitation. Luckily, he found little to no amusement in that and preferred to play with his food first.
“I know what you are, and Luna says as a tantabus you’d basically have all the powers and knowledge of Discord, right?” I asked.
“Tantabus are ponies too, you know. Or maybe I really am him,” Discord countered. “Shall we ask Luna when she gets here?”
“Look, we don’t have much time and I doubt Luna’s gonna like what I need from you. I need you to teach me chaos magic, specifically how to control chaos when a series of spells inherently conflict with each other. Like evocation and enchantment,” I explained.
Discord snapped his fingers and we were suddenly standing in the dream world version of the Crystal Empire. The snow was falling and the wind howled, as Discord sat on the edge of the train platform. Meanwhile, I was tied to the tracks, and heard a train in the distance.
“Discord, I’m serious! Ugh, even as a figment of my imagination you’re an ass,” I complained.
“I moved us here so we'd have more time before Luna got here. You seriously want my help after what you pulled?” Discord leaned over the platform, spilling some of his popcorn onto me. “Give me a single reason why I would?”
“I know where they banished you. I’m the only shot you have at freedom,” I said.
“Pfft, like they’d ever go for that. I’m immortal anyway, and the sun will burn out eventually.”
“So what, you’re just gonna let the real you chill for a billion years without a single ounce of entertainment?” I countered. I could see the train’s headlight growing closer.
“Hmm, so you need a primer on chaos magic in order to escape your little time loop.” Discord tapped a finger on his chin, twirling a small tuft of hair. “Even I’m not stupid enough to mess with time.”
The train whistle sounded again, close enough now I could see the cow catcher on the front. I struggled in the ropes holding me to the track to no avail.
“Luckily for you, you have no idea what you’ve just invited upon yourself.” Discord started to cackle, before snapping his fingers with a single word. “Done.”
The train track segment I was tied to lowered itself, and the train thundered overhead. It vanished into the distance, leaving me alone on the snowy train tracks.
A moment later a silhouette appeared in the moonlight, and the howling winds stopped. Luna descended beside the track, and the ropes around me vanished.
“Dawn Seeker, what have you done?” Luna asked.
I stood up and tried to brush some of the snow out of my fur. “I asked the Tantabus to teach me about chaos magic,” I explained.
“That may be the single most reckless, idiotic thing you’ve done to date!”
“I had no choice, I’ve been stuck in a time loop—”
“Dawn, by making a connection with the Tantabus you’ve only fed it power, power it could use to undo you.”
“Pooghkeepsie,” I stated.
Luna raised an eyebrow at the phrase she had given me in a past loop. “Where’d you learn that code word?”
“From you,” I explained. “I’ve been in this time loop for like, a year or something, and it’s freaking horrible. I absolutely needed this knowledge. So if I’ve just opened Pandora’s box and doomed all of Equestria, at least give me a few weeks of peace before you let the other shoe drop.”
Luna nodded. “I see.” She thought for a second before adding, “I won’t tell Celestia what you’ve done, yet. You can explain it yourself after you escape your current predicament. Tell nopony you have this knowledge, and dare not speak to that Tantabus again. The consequences of either could make your time loop look like a picnic.”
“Loud and clear.” I saluted her with a wing tip. “I won’t tell a single pony, except Starlight Glimmer.”
“Starlight?!” Luna sputtered. “Dawn don’t you dare—”
Come on everypony smile, smile, smile
Fill my heart up with sunshine, sunshine
I woke up to an icy feeling that permeated my core, and all four of my legs were numb. This couldn’t have been a dream because you never felt this uncomfortable in a dream. The fact I’d bled to death probably didn’t help either. I ran a hoof along my side where the chunk of crystal table had been. The pins and needles sensation in my side was a bit irritating, but since it could have been worse, I was glad to have gotten off so easily.
Today was finally going to be a good day, and I wouldn’t let a little near-death experience change that. I rolled out of bed and walked over to take a nice hot shower to help restore sensation to my body. I was on a tight schedule to make sure and get the important things done today, so I didn’t linger too long in the bathroom.
When I got outside, my first stop was Minuette just across the street.
“Good morning, Dawn,” Minuette said.
“Good morning, Minuette,” I replied. “So, Starlight broke time, and the fourth dimensional shadow trapped us in a time loop in Ponyville. I may have just made a mistake like you said you once did with your first filly friend in a past loop. Are you ready to help us fix it?”
She stared at me like I’d just walked on water while singing I’m Walking on Sunshine out of my rear end. “I guess I’m in.”
I chuckled and started to walk down the road. “Never gets old shocking ponies with things I couldn’t possibly know.”
As we trotted down the road, I heard a familiar voice call out. “Looks like somepony’s got a case of the Mondays!”
“Good morning Rose!” I replied. I walked over to the planter she was watering. “Tulips are looking great, the new fertilizer you’ve been using is really working. Careful not to overwater the petunia’s, you did them yesterday but forgot because you are in a hurry to get the gardening done before your spa trip with the flower trio.”
Rose looked over at the petunias and back at me. “Thanks, Dawn. You really know your stuff. Want to try one?” She picked one of the flowers and brought it over to me.
“Thanks, you get sweeter every loop,” I responded. I ate the flower in one bite, chewing on it as we trotted down the road.
“Well, if I didn’t believe you at first I certainly do now. You’re awfully chipper for somepony trapped in a time loop,” Minuette observed.
“Yep! That’s because today I finally know how to fix the spell,” I answered. “I also figured out that I don’t have to fix everything, and in fact, that could be dangerous.”
“Ah, must have been because of what I told you about my filly friend,” Minuette said.
“Actually, you never explained that to me. Walk a little faster, please.” I sped up as we headed down the road towards the construction site.
“I guess I don’t mind telling you.” She hurried up to match my pace. “After being accepted to Celestia’s school I perfected a time travel spell, and found I could travel up to a minute back in time without consequences. I had quite the crush on a friend of mine, and started using the spell to go back a minute anytime I said or did something stupid. We had the perfect friendship, because I erased every mistake.”
I nodded. “And then at some point, those mistakes caught up to you?”
“Yes,” Minuette sighed. “Celestia found out what I was doing and made me admit it to my friend. She wasn’t happy about it. By trying to make everything perfect I’d ignored what makes life worth living, its imperfections.”
“That’s a beautiful lesson to learn, and I wish you’d shared it earlier in the loops. It took me forever to realize that. Have you ever talked to your friend again?”
“Not until recently,” she replied. “She visited Canterlot and we got a chance to catch up, and… well, ask me tomorrow when we fix the loop. I should have a better idea by then if it’s gonna work out.”
“I will.” I flared my wings and got ready to fly. “Now watch this, I’m a bit behind schedule so I’ll have to make it a bit flashy today.”
Minuette watched as I zoomed into the air, and immediately dived back down. I landed just short of the brown stallion with dark brown hair. “Look out!” I pushed him back as a large wooden support beam fell down. It landed with a loud crack and splintered, right where the stallion would have been standing.
It took the stallion a moment to recover. “You saved my life. You look really familiar, too. Have we met before? How can I repay you?”
I smiled and gave him a salute with my wing. “Your gratitude is reward enough. I may not be the hero Ponyville needs, but I’m the one it’s got. A silent protector, a vigil—”
“Is he quoting a Batmare comic?” a worker off to the side asked.
I grit my teeth and let out a long sigh. “Okay, this was almost the perfect loop. Somehow there’s always a critic when I give my big post-rescue speech.” I looked over at the stallion. “I’m Dawn Seeker, and I’m afraid there’s no time to chat. I’ve got a busy day full of fixing the damage to the space time continuum, I’m sure you understand.”
“Actually, I do,” the stallion replied. “I’m—” He groaned and I heard him mutter something about my lack of social skills as I walked away.
By now I’d rejoined Minuette, and continued to trot off towards the castle. I realized I’d never bothered to get the pony’s name, but if I went back now I’d look really silly. So I just shrugged and figured I’d find out whose life I’d saved tomorrow.
When we were about halfway to the castle, I stopped in front of a store. “Hold on, Minuette, there’s one thing I need to grab real quick.”
Starlight and I were in the map room, surrounded by chalkboards and new equations I’d put on them. “Just so we’re clear, Luna was pretty adamant that knowing Chaos magic was a super bad idea. I don’t think she meant like the time I lucid dreamed about Celestia in a sexy french maid’s outfit either. It sounded more like the kind of bad idea that gets ponies killed.”
“Oh?” Starlight smirked. “How does Celestia look in a maid’s outfit?”
“Stunning,” I replied. “I wasn’t sure if I was just dreaming, or Celestia was dream walking. So I imagined her in the frilliest skimpiest maid’s outfit I could to see how she reacted. She didn’t react at all; she’s got one hell of a poker face. The next night, I dreamed of being a statue in the Canterlot garden for a whole night. I think it was her way of getting back at me. She must have learned some dream magic from Luna, so I haven’t messed with her in a dream since.”
“Wow, sounds a little mean.”
“Yeah, but if I admit I know she visited my dream and giving me a bad dream to get even, I’m also admitting I deliberately put her in a risque outfit. It’s probably best to just continue pretending it never happened.”
“Why would she even want to visit your dream in the first place?”
“Maybe she’s jealous of how much me and Luna hang out? Some mysteries are better left unsolved. Anyway, you’ve got some chaos magic to learn.”
“And this is all of it?” Starlight asked, pointing at the chalkboards.
“Everything Discord shared. If it’s as dangerous as Luna says, I figure the less ponies that know, the less at risk they are. My best guess is we’re now the only two ponies alive who know this. It may make us both targets.”
“Please,” Starlight rolled her eyes. “If anypony tries to beat the information out of me I’ll blast them and the hill behind them. This does look like it’ll work, and force the spells to remain stable.”
“That’s great news,” I replied. “I’m really ready for this day to be over and to see Dash again. I imagine Twilight won’t be far behind, and then there’s the other elements, which brings us to the bad news.”
Starlight stopped studying the spell to look over at me. “What’s the bad news?”
“Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Pinkie are downstairs with Minuette and Spike waiting. I want to bring them up to watch the spell. If it works, they can help calm down whoever shows up next. I honestly don’t know if it’ll be Celestia, Twilight, Dash, or all of them. The more ponies that vouch that you helped fix this, the better.”
“I thought you were vouching for me,” Starlight stated.
“I am. Minuette probably will too, but I want everypony to know you helped fix this in case Celestia’s not in a talking mood. She’s motherly, but didn’t hesitate a second once she made up her mind Discord had crossed a line.”
“Fine.” She looked uncertain, but turned back to the board to study the spells contained on it again.
“I’ll go get everypony. Remember to erase the board before anypony else can see it.”
“It may take a while.” She paused, and before I left the room added, “You really think they’ll forgive me?”
I called back from across the room. “Yes.”
It only took a minute to get down to the foyer and greet my assembled friends. Minuette was chatting with Rarity, while Applejack and Fluttershy chatted about something. Pinkie Pie was showing off a baseball bat to Spike, and explaining how the bat had saved Equestria. Spike wasn’t buying it.
“Attention, everypony,” I called out.
They all looked up the stairs to where I was standing.
“Thanks for coming on short notice, as I mentioned we’re stuck in a time loop but that’s not the full story. The loop was caused by a pony you’ve met before, and she was trapped here too. After some aggressive negotiations, we decided to work together to fix it. I want you all to actually see her fix it, and to know without a doubt that I’m telling the truth.”
“And just who is this mystery pony?” Applejack asked.
“The mystery pony, and my newest friend, is Starlight Glimmer.”
“Oh dear,” Rarity said, looking around to see if any fainting couches were nearby.
“Surely you can’t be serious,” Applejack said. “She’s rotten to the core.”
“Don’t call me Shirley, and I never jest,” I retorted. “Look, I know what she did to the ponies in her village was messed up, and she knows it. She’s had the better part of a year to reflect on it while reliving the same day over and over without a single friend. I reached out to her… well, technically beat some common sense into her… but we came to an agreement.”
I spread my wings and glided down the stairs to stand in front of Applejack. “Starlight wants to learn a better way, and I’m vouching for her. She’s my friend and wants to be a better pony. It’s no more than we’ve done for others. It’s no more than you did for me.”
Applejack never broke eye contact while I spoke, and it was always a bit unnerving, as if she was staring into my soul. She might just be good at reading body language, but Applejack got real intense when using her lie detector trick. “Alright, I believe you, Dawn. What do you want us to do?”
“The map room’s going to be a bit crowded, but just watch Minuette, Starlight, and I cast the spell. While we finish getting ready, could you throw up a lightning rod outside the east window of the map room?”
“I could whip one up. Could use Rarity’s help to levitate things into position,” Applejack said.
“It’s hardly my forte, but I suppose I could help throw something together,” Rarity replied.
“Pinkie and Fluttershy, could you maybe get a small party prepared in the castle’s dining room. I have a feeling we’re going to have lots to celebrate when the loop ends.”
“Sure thing!” Pinkie vanished in a flash.
“Oh, I guess I’d better go find her. Be careful, Dawn,” Fluttershy said.
“Meet back in two hours!” I called out as everypony dispersed.
“What should I do?” Spike asked.
“You’ve got the most important job of all. Keep this safe until Dash gets here. You’ll know when I need it.” I handed over my saddlebag to Spike. He peeked inside at the single object within.
Time flies when you’re setting up a super complicated spell to jump start the fabric of reality.
What shouldn’t have taken us very long had somehow used up most of the day. Minuette focused on her spell, while Starlight and I focused on discretely learning about controlling chaos. Applejack and Rarity had constructed a lightning rod outside the window, while Pinkie and Fluttershy had set up for a small So You Prevented The Apocalypse party.
Everything had come together without too much time to spare when everypony gathered in the map room to watch.
“Thanks, everypony, for helping out today. Hopefully we don’t have to do it over tomorrow,” I chuckled. “Just find a spot to stand away from the east window or the table, and enjoy the show.”
I watched as they lined up and sat down in small folding chairs over on the west wall. Minuette and Starlight stood on opposite sides of the map table. I laid my wing on the table and prepared myself to help channel the excess magic away from the table if it should start to overload.
“You’re sure about this?” Minuette asked Starlight. “You’ve been real hush-hush about your additions to the spell today.”
“She had to be,” I interjected. “Luna was very ominous about the consequences were we not.”
Minuette nodded. “I’m not normally bothered by things being ‘need to know’ with time magic, but I got a glimpse of those equations and they’re not time magic.”
“It’s not dark magic,” Starlight stated. “It’s like Dawn said. You can ask Luna after if you want, but trust us. This is how it has to be.”
“Alright, then. I’m ready,” Minuette said.
“Me too. What is this, take twenty-seven?” I asked jokingly.
“All attempts or just the ones you’ve helped with?” Starlight inquired.
“Actually,” I interrupted, “I’d rather not know. Let’s just fix it and hope we don’t all get crippling nightmares about it for months.”
“Alright, I’m ready,” Starlight added.
Minuette and Starlight lit up their horns, beginning the spell. As it took shape, I couldn’t help but look over at my friends. Fluttershy was hugging Spike, though I felt it was more for her comfort than his. Applejack tilted her stetson to me, while Pinkie stood by her party cannon, waiting. Rarity had a look of awe on her face as she was able to more clearly see and understand the arcane workings of the spell swirling around the table.
Thanks to all my study while using Rarity’s home as a schoolhouse, I could also appreciate the spell being cast. It was a thing of beauty in the same way you’d admire a megalodon that could swallow you whole without ever having to use any of its pony-sized teeth.
If this spell worked, we’d be fundamentally altering space-time to repair it, something nopony had ever done before. Of course, aside from maybe Starswirl the Bearded, I doubt anypony but Starlight had ever had enough of an ego to break time in the first place.
My attention came back to the spell as I felt energy flowing into my wing, and getting trapped inside my body. I had to focus to conduct the energy into my other wing. My mind filled with the images of the magic I would need to use as power flowed into them.
The familiar sensation of the table seeming to resist my advances returned, and with it the same image from yesterday of the Tree of Harmony. I let it in, trying to remember all the sigils from the spells Minuette and Starlight were casting to share what we were trying to do with it. I felt a memory of the presence in pain, and it recoiled, recognizing the symbols of chaos. They flickered and danced, as if not content to be confined to the runes of magic. I mentally cursed myself, realizing that we were using harmony to power a spell of chaos. It would have been like asking water and oil to call a truce and mix just this once.
I took a breath and focused my thoughts on how Starlight had once mentioned needing to stabilize the chaos in her spell matrix. I then pictured Luna, as I explained to her my plan in haste. The presence seemed guarded, but allowed me to continue my spell. I directed the flow of current to the tip of my second-longest primary feather, and pointed it towards the window.
Lightning began to arc off my wing like a small tesla coil, getting some gasps from the ponies watching. I grit my teeth as the magic leaked past my innate abilities, and my muscles tensed. The buzzing sound grew until finally a tendril of lightning arced over and hit the lightning rod outside the window.
Once it made contact, the pressure I was feeling inside my head and ears dropped. The excess energy from the table was flowing into me and out as lightning, being harmlessly grounded outside the window.
I slowly turned my head to look at Minuette and Starlight. They both had their eyes closed. Their golden and green magical auras surrounded the table, reflecting off each arcane rune. I wasn’t the only pony being affected by all the magic radiating from the table. Their manes and tails flickered into the air, beginning to hover on their own.
The castle began to rumble, as it had in the past before the table would explode. I refocused on what I was doing. Using a meditation trick, I scanned through each of my body parts to see how they were doing and to calm myself. When I closed my eyes, I could clearly see the pathways of magic moving through me, and tried to imagine myself opening them wider to let more power through.
As more of the energy traveled through me, I felt myself brushing up against the presence, and began to see its thoughts again. It had respect and admiration for Minuette, but I sensed only distrust and fear of Starlight. A realization came to me, that perhaps the Tree of Harmony had been holding back the energy in the leyline from one or both other unicorns, having not known them like I did. It could explain why the energy built up in the table until it detonated if it didn’t trust them to use its power wisely. I had to try and convince it to allow all of us to connect to the source of harmony.
I shared my memory of how Starlight had been socially isolated as a filly after losing a friend, and how she had chosen to stay with me in the loop when she could have fled to Cloudsdale. Doing my best to plead with this unknown entity, I pictured it helping us achieve our goal and my desired outcome.
When I opened my eyes again, I noticed them glowing from my reflection in the floor. A quick glance over showed Starlight and Minuette also glowing. The rumbling of the table stopped, and the air grew still and silent. It seemed that all three of us had become conductors for the leyline powering the table, and had actually bled off enough power to keep it from detonating.
At this point it felt like my mind was on autopilot, acting purely on instinct. I hardly noticed the lightning continuing to arc from my wing, or the way the world seemed to blur and turn upside down. I couldn’t move as time seemed to slow down, reverse, and then stop. My perception of time ceased entirely, and I was aware only of myself, Minuette, Starlight, and something else standing around the table. The barrier around Ponyville flashed out of existence in our small moment of stationary time.
Half-seen shadows danced around the room, and the whole world exploded into a kaleidoscope of colors. Brilliant symbols, far beyond my comprehension, filled the air in countless intricate spirals. All around me I glimpsed fragments of everything that ever was, is, or could be. A billion moments of time, uncountable realities, and the smallest particles that made up the physical universe were displayed in equal prominence.
I had never seen anything like the fourth dimension before that, and in that single moment the comprehension of the laws of the universe hit me. Minuette must have felt it too, quickly aligning and fixing the damage that was done. No sooner had she fixed it, the realization passed. The memory faded, and the swirling fractal shapes all but vanished. I watched the lingering after-images, trying to will myself to remember the cosmic truth I had gotten the briefest glimpse of. However, it had disappeared completely. The moment that seemed to encompass an eternity, as if I had lingered in it for years, was gone more quickly than I could blink.
I realized a minute later that the spell was finished. I was just standing there staring at the wall, wings spread out, unmoving. Ponies were talking but I didn’t think any of them were talking to me. To my side, I saw Fluttershy had approached Starlight to check on her, while Rarity checked on Minuette.
Something knocked me to my side and I was about to curse my bad luck, assuming the table had exploded. Instead, Pinkie Pie was standing atop me with a wide smile on her face. “So how’s it feel to save all of Equestria, huh? And you did it all by yourself! Well, mostly. You had a little help, but not as much help as we had with Tirek or Chrysalis! Oh! Are you gonna exaggerate when you tell Dash what happened? Can I help? Can—”
“For Pete’s sake, Pinkie, are ya tryin’ to give him a heart attack?” Applejack asked. She dragged the mare off me by her tail.
“Thanks, Applejack,” I said. I got up to my hooves and began to stretch out and examine myself for damage. I’d probably need a spa treatment to fix all the frayed hair in my mane, and my feathers would take days to preen back into good condition. But overall, I was unharmed.
I grinned widely and hurried over to where Minuette and Starlight were discussing something. I hovered in the air so I could use my forelegs to grab both and pull them into a tight hug. “We did it! We really did it!”
“I think so,” Minuette said.
“That was one heck of a trip,” Starlight added. “Your… advice worked, Dawn. It kept the spell matrix stable, and allowed us to bleed off the excess mana from the leyline.”
“Damn right it did!” I smiled. “There’s only one thing that could make this day better.”
Right as I said it, I heard a loud boom outside in the distance. Even without being able to see the prismatic glow outside I knew who it was. I hurried over to open the window that faced Canterlot, then stepped back. A few seconds later, Dash flew through, wings spread wide to slow down her speed before she collided with anypony.
She looked around the room, spotting Starlight. “There you are! I’ve got half a mind—”
“Dash! Thank Celestia!” I tackled her into a hug mid-sentence, choking back tears.
“Gah! Dawn, not now you buffoon! Starlight faked the friendship problem, she’s dangerous!” Dash squirmed and tried to knock me off with her hooves.
“I’m so happy to see you!” I smiled and released my death grip on her. She quickly shot out from under me and got back to her hooves.
“What’s gotten into you?” Dash asked.
Before I could answer, there was a loud pop and my ears swiveled, it sounded like a teleportation spell.
“You!” Twilight shouted. “What did you do?”
“Oh crap,” I muttered. I turned and saw Twilight marching towards Starlight.
“W-wait! I can explain,” Starlight stuttered.
“Hold up, sugarcube,” Applejack added. “She fixed the time loop.”
I ran over as Twilight’s horn charged. “I could sense the time magic from Canterlot, what did you try to do? You better tell me quickly! Celestia’s not going to be as forgiving.”
Starlight had backed up right to the wall, showing enough restraint not to challenge Twilight and cause an all-out fight. I finally reached her, skidding to a stop and throwing up my wings to shield her.
“Damn it Twilight! Stop for a second and let us expla—oof!” I felt something hit me in the side and skidded back to the wall.
“Dawn?!” There was panic in the alicorn’s voice as she realized she’d just accidentally blasted me.
“Dawn!” Starlight cried out, stepping over me and throwing up a magic shield. “He said you’d listen! He said you’d forgive me and you come in here blasting?”
“What?” Twilight looked around in confusion, only now realizing all of her friends were here.
By now Dash had rushed over, and slammed a hoof against the shield bubble. “Get away from him!”
“I’m fine,” I groaned. I’m surprised Twilight spooked that easily, but she didn’t seem to hurt me badly.
“This is low even for you, tricking me out of town to attack my friends!” Twilight shouted. I could see her horn glowing, magenta magic dancing over the spherical shield Starlight was holding up.
“Look, I’m sorry alright! I don’t want to hurt you, but I will if you’re going to hurt Dawn again!” Starlight stated.
“What? You don’t even know him!” Dash added.
For a moment I saw the shield bubble fail, and the room spun. I realized we’d teleported across the room, and heard a crack where Twilight’s spell had hit the wall behind where Starlight and I had been. At this rate somepony was going to get hurt. Before any more bolts of energy could fly our way, I had to act.
I groaned and stood up, pushing at the sore rib with a hoof. I took a deep breath. “Everypony needs to sit down and shut up now!” I yelled.
All eyes in the room fell on me, tinted green through the shield. It seemed I’d finally gotten their attention. “Dawn?” Starlight asked.
“I’m okay. Now, sit down at the table and let's discuss this like civilized, colorful little ponies,” I chided. “The next time somepony throws a spell, I'll break out the baseball bat!”
Starlight dropped the shield. Everypony walked over to sit in their seats at the crystal map table, including Twilight. She shot me a few disapproving looks, but after she’d nearly cracked a rib in half, I didn’t care. Minuette pulled up a chair near Twilight, while I dragged one over to Dash’s side. Spike had his own small chair by the table, leaving Starlight to stand awkwardly near me and Dash.
“Now that we’re all seated,” I explained, “We’re going to tell you everything. I haven’t mentioned the ‘pirate code’ once, so you know I’m not screwing around.”
“So,” Starlight chuckled nervously. “About today…” She paused for a moment and the silence began to get awkward.
“Want me to get you started?” I asked. We had everypony’s full attention, now I just had to hope Starlight was ready to admit her mistakes.
“It’s okay.” She took a deep breath. “After my best friend as a filly got accepted into a school for gifted unicorns and I didn’t, I developed an… unhealthy view on friendship. After you defeated me and disbanded my town where everypony was equal, I was left to brood and plot my revenge. I was so obsessed I never stopped to think if there was a better way.”
“So I came to Ponyville to cast a spell, travel back in time, and stop the rainboom so Twilight would never meet her friends. I based it on the speech you gave about how you six met. I messed up the spell, big time. Instead of traveling back in time I trapped Equestria in a loop, as far as I know. For all of us here in Ponyville, we were completely trapped by a bubble of damaged time.”
“I thought I could fix it on my own, that I’d be fine without friends, but I was wrong on both counts. I got agitated and angry, and took it out on others. It wasn’t until Dawn here knocked some sense into me and offered me a hoof in friendship that I started to turn it around.”
Starlight looked over at me and smiled. “Dawn told me I could have a second chance, and could have a friend. I wasn’t sure at first, but for the first time since I got stuck in the time loop, I found myself smiling. It turned out I really could be happy again, and all it took was nearly destroying the universe to discover it.”
She turned to face the ponies around the table. “And for that, I’m deeply sorry. I promise never to do anything like it again, and I’d really like it if I could stay and maybe… learn more about friendship?”
Everypony turned to look at Twilight, who glanced back at each of us in turn. “This is kind of a big decision to thrust on me all at once, you know?”
“Well, you did want to be the princess of friendship,” I countered. “Starlight wants to learn, and none of us would be here if she hadn’t decided to help fix it. She could have taken the easy way out, but she didn’t. I vouch for her, and if you trust me, that should be enough.”
Twilight nodded. “Any objections?” She looked around the table, but nopony said anything. “Then I guess you’ll be my first pupil, Starlight Glimmer. We’ll have to set some ground rules, though. First, no kill—”
“We’ve covered that one, and I told her to be honest,” I interjected. “I’m sure Applejack can hold her to that.”
“I’ll draw up a full list of rules later, then.” Twilight shook her head absently. “I’m not sure how we’ll explain this to Celestia.”
“I wouldn’t worry too much about that,” I added. “I get the feeling I stepped on a few hooves and will probably be the one explaining the worst parts of this to her.”
“Well, then I guess all that’s left is to—”
“Party!” Pinkie shouted, firing her confetti cannon.
Twilight groaned and lowered her face into her hooves. Everypony began to laugh or talk amongst themselves, and things seemed almost normal again.
While the side conversations were still quiet, I turned to speak to Dash. “Before this party gets started, there’s something I have to ask you.” I looked over at Spike and nodded. My throat was already feeling dry.
Dash tilted her head. “What’s up, Dawn?”
“I know that for you it seems like just yesterday that you left for Canterlot, but for me it’s been almost a year. There were a lot of things I thought would suck about reliving the same day over and over, but there was one thing so painful that I couldn’t bear it. I tried everything not to think about it.”
I could feel my heart racing, as the words I'd rehearsed continued to pour forth. A quick glance around and I noticed Rarity was smiling, seeming to already know where this was going. "As a human I couldn't have imagined spending my life with someone, having them constantly be there in my home. I didn't have friends or lovers, I had no idea what I was missing out on until you came along."
I swallowed the knot in my throat, willing myself not to speak too quickly as I got more nervous. Dash was frozen in place, eyes locked on mine. “Once I realized I'd be stuck in the loop for a long time, I couldn’t stand the thought of not seeing you again. I don’t know how I held it together as long as I did, but I know now that a life without you in it isn’t a life at all.”
I kneeled down on the floor, and reached over to take a small rectangular box from Spike. He’d hurried over, not missing his cue as he handled the important assignment I’d given him. By now, every single pony in the room was watching. Dash’s wings were trembling slightly.
"I love you, Dash. I love the way I can smell that spring rain scent from your mane in my fur after I spend a day near you. I love how you never hesitate to help a friend, and pretend it's no big deal even when it means giving up something you wanted. I love the way your muzzle scrunches up when you're thinking about how to get even with me with a prank for something I did.”
By now, a wide smile was creeping up her face, and her eyes were watering. Nopony else mattered as the world seemed to narrow to just the two of us living in this one moment.
“Dash, you’re the best pony I’ve ever known, the one pony I’ve loved more than life itself. The life I left behind pales in comparison to the one I’ve had with you. I realized that when you want to spend the rest of your life with somepony you want the rest of your life to start right away."
"I saw a glimpse of what life without you was like. I don’t want to ever spend another day apart. Will you marry me?”
I reached up with the box in my hoof, opening it up to reveal a pristine primary feather that I’d plucked from my wing. It was the old pegasi tradition, one Fluttershy had recommended to me earlier in the loops.
Dash nodded, wiping a tear from her cheek. She seemed to let out something between a nervous chuckle and a hiccup. Her wings fluttered a few times as she composed herself enough to speak. That moment of apprehension passed quickly; I was confident what her answer would be.
“Yes, Dawn. Yes.” She reached back and pulled out one of her feathers, dropping it in the box beside mine. The two blue primaries were laid side by side. The feathers symbolized that she’d always have a part of me, and I her.
I got up and set the box on the table, and hugged her. She pulled back and began to kiss me in front of everypony, not caring if it made her look less cool. I could vaguely hear the clapping of hooves as Dash pulled me close. I could have held her there forever as the stress of the many months of being alone and trapped faded away. Finally she shifted to get comfortable, the pregnant bulge of her belly pushing against me. I let go, and let Dash slide back into her seat at the table.
“It’s about time,” Pinkie said cheerfully. She looked about one breath away from hyperventilating or exploding in excitement.
“Pinkamena Diane Pie,” Rarity scolded. “One does not rush true love.” She gave me an approving nod, wiping a hoof against some of her makeup that had ever so slightly started to run down her cheek.
“What? We were all thinking it,” Pinkie retorted.
Fluttershy wiped some tears of joy from her cheeks, saying softly “I’m so happy for both of you.”
Starlight shot me a smile, but kept a respectful distance and stayed silent as she watched a group of friends she hoped to become a part of.
“They make a cute couple,” Minuette said to Twilight. The two were the most composed, almost academic, in their reaction to the proposal. “I guess love always finds a way.”
Twilight nodded, scribbling something down onto a scroll of parchment. “Minuette, thank you for helping them fix this,” Twilight whispered. “I know they couldn’t have done it without you.”
Minuette waved a hoof. “Ah, shoot. Give them a little credit, I just did the fun part.” Her and Twilight began to converse in hushed whispers about timey wimey stuff.
“I couldn’t be happier, and I reckon we can host the wedding at the farm,” Applejack stated. She had approached and had a supportive hoof on Dash’s shoulder.
“If that’s what Dash wants,” I said.
“Honestly, I’m not sure. I never really expected, well, this,” Dash responded. “Seems like not too long ago I was set to be a Wonderbolt, and now I’m going to be a married mother instead.”
“If anypony can make the Wonderbolts after giving birth, it’s you. If you want to go over the pros and cons of marriage, I’ve got some very convincing pros stashed back in my bedroom,” I offered.
“Dawn,” Dash complained. “As much as I’d love to galavant off together, you’ve got to explain what happened to Celestia, and keep an eye on Starlight. I mean, we only stopped the apocalypse like twenty seconds ago.”
“Oh, I’m sure I can cover for you two for an evening,” Twilight said. “It might not stop Celestia from dropping in unannounced, however.”
I grinned and looked at Dash. “Hotel?” I asked. “Bet she can’t check all of them. We’ve got a lot to catch up on, and Starlight owes me one so we won’t blow Ghastly Gorge up until I get back.”
“Wait, what?” Twilight asked.
“Cloudsdale isn't far,” Dash replied.
“Would be nice not to have to wash the sheets.”
“Room service, all you can eat buffet.”
“He’s joking… I think,” Starlight offered to Twilight.
I continued to conspire with Dash to make our escape. “I’ve got like a year’s worth of showing you how much I love you to catch up on.”
“Maybe a hot stone massage.”
“Have you heard about the weather vane trick?”
“Heard of? I invented it. Has Cloud Kicker been saying otherwise again?”
“We can borrow AJ’s and take it with us.”
“What?” Applejack said.
Starlight chuckled, watching me and Dash get up to leave. I grabbed the box with our feathers in it so we could properly display them later. “Are they always like that?” she asked.
“More or less,” Twilight said. “I’m not sure who was the worst influence on the other. I’m just glad it all worked out in the end.”
“So, I guess I should be heading out too, I need to find a place to stay.”
“No need,” Twilight explained. “The castle has guest rooms, and Celestia should be by soon to talk to you. You’re the distraction while those two go… you know.” She made a gesture with her hooves.
Starlight sighed. “Reforming isn’t going to be easy, is it?”
“Never said it would, but it beats the statue garden.”
“Aww, does this mean the party’s over already? I haven’t even cut the cake,” Pinkie frowned as she watched us hurry away.
“I’m sure the rest of us could use some cake, darling,” Rarity stated.
There was a loud boom and the castle shook loudly. Everypony froze and I glanced over at the clock. I knew I’d forgotten something. Luckily I could see everypony was safely in this wing of the castle far from the errant railgun round. “Oh, how’d that storm system get there? Come on Dash, hurry!” I gave her a push towards the window.
“That didn’t sound like thunder,” Twilight shouted. “What’d you do to my castle, Dawn?!”
Dash was first out the window, and I followed shortly after. We split up to race to our homes and grab about a saddlebag’s worth of luggage each before we set off towards Cloudsdale for a hard-earned day off. For now, Starlight was in capable hooves. Celestia and Luna could come get their explanations after I finished making up for lost time with Dash.
Tomorrow, for the first time in ages, I would wake up to witness a new dawn.