//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: When Times Collide // Story: When Times Collide // by RobtheMorpherPony //------------------------------// Twilight, Starlight, and Spike all soon fell into the Castle of Friendship; afterwards the modified spell Starlight had made was swallowed up by the time vortex. "...Glad that thing's no longer going to cause trouble." Spike said as the rest of the elements soon entered the room. "...Did something happen here?" Rarity asked. "You could say that. There's a lot to talk about." Twilight said. "You can start by talking about that strange vortex above the map." Rainbow Dash said. "Wait what?" Twilgiht said. She, Starlight, and Spike soon noticed the time vortex had yet to disappear. "Why is that still here?" The purple alicorn asked. Suddenly Flash Sentry soon barged into the room. "Twilight, there's something happening...WHAT THE HELL, THERE'S ONE IN HERE TOO?!" Flash Sentry exclaimed. "Wait whose the pegasus?" Starlight asked. "That would be my only real guard, Flash Sentry...although he's also my stallionfriend and special somepony." Twilight said. "...Huh...how did I miss that?" Starlight asked herself. "What do you mean there's one in here too Flash?" Applejack asked. "There's several copies of that same portal above the map table popping up over Ponyville with reports of the same happening in Canterlot and the Everfree forest!" Flash Sentry said. "WAIT WHAT?!" Twilight exclaimed. Suddenly the entire earth began to shake. "What in tartarus is going on? I don't remember my modifications being able to do this!" Starlight panickly said. "I don't think this has anything to do with your modifications any longer..." Twilight said in a tone that was obvious: Things were getting serious. Meanwhile in Canterlot, the portals opening had interupted even Celestia's court and in fact, Canterlot Castle itself was suddenly transforming into Luna knows what. Elsewhere, Zecora was out in the forest when she too was caught off guard by the portals and the shaking. "I think I speak for everyone in all of the land, when I dare say that whatever is going on isn't something that's bland." The Zebra mare said. Even the avatar of chaos himself Discord was being caught off guard by everything. "I can most certainly guarantee that I have NOTHING to do with this one!" He said. Meanwhile, in the far-off future of Equestria... "Thanks so much for showing up every pony." Sunny Starscout said to the gathering of her friends, the leaders of each tribe, and of course Sprout who was still doing community service. "But of course, we would all show up. So, this is what the combined crystals look like?" Alphabittle said. "Yep. Several texts I've found have called them the Unity Crystals." Sunny said. "So why is he here? You know full well what he almost did." Queen Haven pointed a hoof at Sprout. "Sprout just so happened to mention that now that we have all three crystals together as one once more, it would be interesting to see what exactly they are made of so we can better learn how to prevent magic from disappearing again." Sunny said. "I meant it as a joke really. Look how far she's taking it too." Sprout said. "Even if you meant it as a joke Sprout, it's not entirely a bad idea." Hitch noted. "Whatever! I shouldn't even be here. Especially with all you unicorns and Pegasi." Sprout said. "You are staying very well much put young man." Phyllis snapped at Sprout. "...Yes mother..." Sprout said, gulping in cowerdice. "You should be thankful that after what you did, community service was the most I saddled you with on top of firing you as my deputy. I specifically told you not to start a war when I left, and what did you do?" Hitch asked. "...Start a war..." Sprout admitted. "Exactly. Though I'm sure that the unicorns and pegasi will have their own brands of punishment for you once your done with community service on my terms, that is out of my hooves." Hitch said. "Regardless of Sprout's intentions, I've been performing quite a few experiments myself, but there's one experiment I needed everyone together for." Sunny said, suddenly shifting into her alicorn form. "...And that's to pour as much of our combined tribe magics into this thing as possible. I'm hoping it'll do something super amazing and awesome." She added. "Uh...not to actually discredit you, Sunny, but is that safe?" Queen Haven asked. "...I actually have to agree on that: This sounds like it could be dangerous." Phyllis said. "I'm sure Sunny's tried other more safe ways to see about making copies of these things. Right?" Zipp asked. "You got that right. Izzy's been really valuable with that." Sunny said. "I'd do anything to prevent our tribes from growing apart ever again, let alone loosing magic." Izzy said. "Heh...I can agree with the not loosing magic part." Alphabittle said. "Same. Perhaps this can be another step forward for us all in general in the process." Queen Haven said. "Well I'm certainly not going to pass up this oppertunity." Phyllis said. "Mom! Their Unicorns! And Pegasi!" Sprout spoke up.lp "You are going to help too young man, and that's final!" Phyllis said. Sprout gulped. "...Yes mother..." He said. "Mothers will always be mothers no matter what, huh?" Pipp said. "The way you talk to Sprout reminds me of how Queen Haven talks with me from time to time." She added. "Maternity is a thing that all mares; regardless of their race; do share in common when they have their own children to look after." Queen Haven said. "I can most certainly attest to that, though part of me is looking to see about trying again for another; I was way too involved with making Sprout too hateful of other pony races and you saw the result of that. I really shouldn't have pushed it so hard." Phyllis said. "At the time, you knew no different than us; as such it lead to such an event." Alphabittle said. "While you see yourself as responsible for what occured, you shouldn't blame yourself for it. He will no doubt be regretting the choices he's made one day." He added. "...Maybe I wasn't too far off the mark on mind reading..." Phyllis said. Alphabittle laughed. "Did you think you and Queen Haven were the only two parents involved in this? I may not be a mare, but I am a father." He said. "Seems Parental instincts are just a thing in general." Zipp said. "Very true, but I don't remember Alphabittle having any children." Izzy said. "I don't; at least not anymore. My only son left one day and never returned. I haven't seen him since. I can't help but worry what happened to him.' Alphabittle said. "Now that is disheartning. I'm sure we'll find him some day." Sunny said. "But let's focus on the now. Who knows? He may return once we've ensured the future of our races!" She added. Alphabittle laughed. "Now I can most certainly see how you were able to unite us all Sunny Starscout. Yes, you may just be correct." He added. The entire group soon put their hooves on the unity crystal, and started focusing on their latent magics. Suddenly, the entire crystal starting going critical. "Wh-what's happening?" Sprout asked. "I don't know." Sunny said. "Maybe it's making a doublicate of itself?" She asked. Suddenly the entire ground began to shake and a giant portal appeared. "I don't think the crystal is doing anything on it's own; everyone hang on!" Hitch shouted over the howling winds before one by one, everyone was sucked into the mysterious vortex. Back in Equestria's Present time... Suddenly Sunny, Hitch, Pipp, Zipp, and Izzy were all spat out of the time portal onto the Friendship Map before the time vortex closed up behind them. Pipp suddenly screamed when she looked at her hoof. "What's wrong now sis?" Zipp asked. "My gold hoof polish...IT'S COMING OFF!" Pipp excalimed. Each one of the other four that just dropped into the Castle of Friendship sighed a deep but accepting sigh. "I think what's more important right now is--oh...my...stars." Sunny started, and then caught glimpse of six very familiar figures. "P-p-princess...T-t-t-twilight and her friends!" Sunny said. Suddenly Spike burped up a letter which Twilight caught in her magic and didn't open it. "Aren't you going to read that? It's from Princess Celestia." Rarity said. "I believe I already know what it's about: These aren't our only new residents of Equestria." Twilight said. I am going to be in so much trouble for what I tried to do, aren't I? Starlight thought to herself. To be continued...