I have no words to predate what comes next...
The strange rabbit-like creature with a black cape was just about the same height as they were. "Slasher, didn't I tell you that I was currently on vacation?" The creature said.
"I just wanted to continue making you proud of me, mistress." Slasher said.
"Mistress?" Twilight asked. But that's strange, I'm not sensing any mind altering magics at all...
"How many times do I need to tell you Slasher? When I'm on vacation..." The rabbit-like creature suddenly used some kind of dark magic to make Slasher be forced right to the ground face down before stepping on his back side. "...It means absolutely ZERO world conquering." The rabbit-creature said.
"! Whoa!" Sprout said. Now even THIS thing is making me look like a joke. He thought to himself.
"Need I remind you that just because you're my second in command, it doesn't give you the right to do whatever you want." The rabbit said.
"My apologies mistress...it won't happen again Empress Paulina." Slasher said, baring the pain. It seems this was not the first time this has happened.
"I really must apologize. I'm supposed to be on vacation. But one of my minions informed me that Slasher had decided to try and conquer this plane without permission. But rest assured this will be the only time he does ANYTHING without my permission, or he'll face more extreme consequences." Paulina said.
"If your going to take over our world, you've got another thing coming." Rainbow Dash said.
"Ah yes. I've heard about your friendship magic. I'm not stupid of course. I don't conquer planets unless I know for sure I can do so without issue. After all, it's just not in my nature to fight a losing battle. It's why your being spared. For now." Paulina said
"And what is that supposed to mean?" Flash sentry asked. Suddenly Paulina formed a big, massive black sphere.
"It means this." Paulina said before throwing it, and when it detonated on the ground, the resulting explosion...did...nothing?
"...I don't get it..." Sunny said.
"If you don't get it, then you obviously don't know how strong your planet's friendship magic is. This castle is chock FULL of that same magic." Paulina said. "That's what I meant by me not being stupid. As it stands, if I were to invade your planet, you'd not only repel my invasion, but crumble my entire empire. And I can't have that." She added. "But for now, I bid you, Audiu." Paulina concluded before she and Slasher suddenly were whisked away by some sort of tractor beam.
"Hey, what in Tartarus? THEY'VE VANISHED!" Rainbow Dash said.
"Got a bad feeling about that Paulina girl..." Sunny said.
"You and me both." Starlight said.
A bit later, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle showed up.
"Oh hello Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle. Is there a reason your here three before Twilight Time?" Twilight asked the three fillies.
"Oh hey, those marks of theirs look nearly identical." Sunny said.
"That's because we managed to figure out our special talent is helping others with their cutie marks." Scootaloo said.
"But as soon as we started looking around, we noticed something was off about the ponies from that future timeline." Sweetie Belle said.
"And wouldn't ya know it..." Apple Bloom was examining Sunny Starscout's flanks. "...Sunny's only got a cutie mark on one side as well. Just like ever pony else from the future." Apple Bloom said.
"...Wait what?" Twilight said, before examining this. "...Oh my gosh...it's true. It's only on the one side." Twilight said.
"Oh...yeah me and my friends kind of noticed that every pony in this era has their cutie marks on both sides of their flanks." Sunny said.
"This...could be a clue." Twilight said.
"...I beg your pardon?" Sunny asked.
"The fact that your era's ponies only have a cutie mark on one side might have something to do with why the three pony tribes were broken up again. Something must have happened for that to become the case after all." Twilight said. "But as far as I know, when a pony discovers their special talent, in this era, they get a cutie mark on both of their flanks. But I'm guessing that with you, it's only on the one side." She added.
"That's true. And I don't think it's got anything to do with the magic disappearing, as ponies were still able to get their cutie marks while the magic was gone in the future." Sunny said. "After all, I got mine during that period." She added.
"Which means that it was something more then the magic disappearing that cause that to happen." Twilight said. "Hey, here's a thought for you three: Why don't you go looking around for foals without a cutie mark yet from the future and see if you can help them find a special talent. That way, I can know for certain if being in this era causes them to get cutie marks on both sides now." Twilight said.
"I think they'd cover more ground if they split up." Sunny said.
"Good idea Sunny. Let's do it." Apple Bloom said.
"CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS CUTIE MARK SAVIORS, YEAH!" The three fillies said before running off.
"...By the alicorns, those three fillies sure have some kind of special lung compacity or something." Sprout said.
"...Your telling me." Sunny said.
Over the course of the next few days, the three fillies first actually managed to help an earth pony colt from their original era named Tender Taps discover his cutie mark, and then later, a filly named Wild Storm from the future get their cutie marks.
So, that lead to the report Twilight was looking over.
"...Hmm...interesting..." Twilight said. "Despite being here back in the past, Wild Storm still only got a cutie mark on one side of her flanks. Which only deepens the mystery further." She added.
"So, no real luck?" Sunny asked.
"No real luck. I was really hoping to have something." Twilight said. Suddenly, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon showed up.
"Um...hey girls." Diamond Tiara said.
"Diamond Tiara, what are you and Silver Spoon doing here? Are you going to try and derail Twilight Time for us again?" Apple Bloom said.
"Nothing like that." Diamond Tiara said.
"We thought we could actually legit attend this time, as we both need to be better ponies. Besides, with all these ponies from the future...my parents for sure are okay with me wanting to help figure out a mystery that no doubt Princess Twilight is trying to figure out." Silver Spoon said.
"And I'd figure that because your the cutie mark experts at this point, I'd help you out in my own way too. Besides, ironically the fact that there are ponies with only side of their flanks with a cutie mark is driving my mom very crazy. So when I asked if I could help solve the mystery, she couldn't say yes fast enough." Diamond Tiara said.
"But you never said how'd you go about doing it, did you?" Scootaloo asked.
"So, what if I didn't? Besides, her exact words were, and I quote 'if you have to be involved with those Cutie Mark Crusaders just to solve this mystery, then by all means do it; I feel like I'm about to lose my sanity just thinking about it.' So yeah. She doesn't even care." Diamond Tiara said. "I'm not complaining. Any excuse I can get with mom to hang out with you now that I'm not the same pony any more is a good one." She added.
"Fair enough. I'm certain we can use all the help we can get for this." Scootaloo said.
"Agreed." Twilight said.
"Same here. This could be crucial to the very history of Equestria!" Sunny said, completely excited.