"Okay, I know I was gone for a while but-"
"No but! What excuse could you possibly have for not coming back? For your information, Dinky woke up while you were gone and I had to explain to her fragile mind that you weren't going to be there!" Sparkler stomped her hoof against the ground with a sharp clop sound.
My eyes widen as I hear the news that Dinky was awake. "Any chance we can postpone this conversation until after I go see Dinky."
Sparkler throws her hooves in the air in exasperation. "Fine. But at least give me a reason why you were gone so long?"
"Okay, I know you aren't going to believe me but there was a huge accident and I got trapped there by the Demon King and I had to hop dimensions with a finicky portal device!"
Sparkler's eyes were wide. "Wow! That's actually a pretty good reason. What do you mean there was a huge accident?"
"Not important. We're going to see Dinky." My mind flashed to Sonia. I didn't see any reason in upsetting Sparkler any further by telling her that the person she had just met had died to an evil man trying to steal her secret stone. There was one thing that caught in my mind though. Something that Zelda had said.
"When I witnessed what the secret stone did to Ganondorf... At that moment, I knew for sure. What we found underground. That was him. He was still alive. Still powerful. He continues to live on... All the way until my time. In tomorrow's battle, we won't be able to defeat him. No matter how strong we think we are, he'll survive."
I couldn't think fully straight as Sparkler and I walked out the door in the direction of the hospital. How was I gonna be able to live with leaving a world that was destined to be doomed? The new friends I had made. Zelda, Rauru, and Mineru were all going to be defeated in the battle against the Demon King and there was nothing I could do to stop it.
Zelda. She was the one who stuck in my head the most. Such a sweet young girl. She almost reminded me of Sonia at her age. She had so much to live for and she was going to throw it all away to die trying to defeat the Demon King.
"Hey mom? We still have a long walk until we reach the hospital. Can you tell me exactly what happened back there?"
I look down at Sparkler. I was still just a little bit taller than her. "I suppose." I took a deep breath and continued walking as I spoke. "When I got there, I met a young girl named Zelda. She was from a time in the distant future and she had been sent back for some unknown reason. She and Sonia had bonded closely and an evil man named Ganondorf was planning to use that relationship to steal Sonia's secret stone."
Sparkler nodded and I could see the look in her eye that said the gears in her head were processing.
"Ganondorf created a fake Zelda who told Sonia to meet her on a balcony. Sonia and Zelda were aware that this wasn't the real Zelda and they used the balcony meeting to bait her into a trap. They destroyed the puppet but when we thought everything was going to be okay, Ganondorf snuck up behind Sonia and killed her."
Sparkler gasped. A tear began forming in her eye. I understood why. She had only just met this person and now she was never going to see her again. "And then he stopped me when I attempted to return using Persephone's pearl. My friend Mineru had to construct a Zonai portal to get me home."
Unexpectedly, Sparkler pushed up against my side and hugged me. "I'm sorry mom. I shouldn't have yelled at you. I didn't know what you had been through. I just thought you were prancing around with Queen Sonia and that you had completely left our plane behind."
"Come now, sweetheart. Does that really sound like something I would do?" Sparkler shook her head. "I would never leave you and Dinky behind." I ran my hoof through her mane as she pressed against me.
We reached the hospital and I ran towards the door. I barged in and ran over to the counter. April was there again giving me her usual "I don't give a shit" look as she asked, "Who are you trying to see?"
"Dinky! Dinky Hooves!"
"Room C8."
"Thanks!" I yelled back towards her as I began running down the hallway. Sparkler ran after me but she couldn't quite keep up and ran out of breath quickly. I turned back to her for a second. "Are you alright, angel?"
"Fine. I'm just out of breath."
"Just meet me in the room okay?" Sparkler nodded and I continued. I ran until the hallway connected to the C wing of the hospital. I ran through the first hallway until I saw a room that had the number 8 on it. I burst into the room and yelled, "Dinky!"
Dinky jumps a little as she is startled. She looks over and smiles widely. "Mommy! You're here!"
I run over and hug her as best I can without accidentally hitting the machinery she's hooked up to. I tilt my head as I watch her face fall. "Where were you? I woke up and you weren't there! Just Sparky and some stallion I don't know! You weren't there!"
She starts to cry a little and I put a hoof on her shoulder. "I'm sorry. I was trapped somewhere where I couldn't reach you. That being said, when you're older, I have a hell of a story to tell you."
"Why can't I hear it now?"
"It's a little scary. Someone tried to kill me."
Dinky clapped her hooves over her ears. "You're right mommy! I don't want to know. What I do want to know though is who that stallion was!"
"That's your sister's coltfriend, Sunrise."
"Is he nice?"
I nod. "He's a really nice stallion." I definitely felt myself get a little angry saying that but I couldn't lie to the filly. "So, how have your past few days been?"
"Well," She puts a hoof to her chin. "I don't remember much about why I'm here. I don't even remember too much about yesterday. All I know is that I was looking at Sparky's pretty art and all of a sudden, I'm here."
I put a hoof to her forehead. "Honestly, Dinky. I'm glad you don't remember most of it." I look down. "I wish I didn't."
I hear the door open as Sparkler walks into the room, out of breath. "Mom! I can't run that fast!"
I smile a little. "Sorry sweetheart. I just wanted to get here as fast as I could.
Sparkler nodded. "I understand. I feel as though I should tell you, there might be somepony coming over for dinner." She holds up her hoof. "Don't worry, it's not Sunrise. I know you're still not super happy about that whole situation."
"Who is it?"
"You'll have to come home and see."
"Can I stay with Dinky just a little longer?"
Sparkler nodded. "Just don't be too super long. This somepony really wants to talk to you."
I nod and turn back to Dinky as Sparkler leaves the room. "I guess I should leave soon. Are you gonna be alright here?"
Dinky tapped her head a few times. I didn't know why she did that but I found it cute. "Yeah! I think so! The nurses bring me food and I have a tv!"
I smile. "That's great. I just feel bad leaving you here alone."
"It's alright! It's just like a sleepover!" She smiles and then frowns again. "Mommy? Are you gonna be okay with me staying here?"
I nod and smile softly. "I'll be fine. I'm just so happy you're okay. While I was in Hyrule, you were one of the only things I was thinking about."
"Hyrule?"
"Long story. When you're older. Remember?"
Dinky nodded. "You should probably get going huh?"
I nod. "I don't know why your sister is being so secretive but I'm definitely curious." I smile and ruffle Dinky's mane a little.
"I love you Mommy."
"I love you too, my angel."
* * *
When I reach the house, I don't see anything out of the ordinary. I put my key into the door and turn it sideways. "Sparkler! I'm home!" I yell as I enter the house.
I hear a voice from behind me as somepony throws their hooves around me and hugs me. "So am I!" It yells.
I turn around to see Time Turner standing there with a smile on his face. "Time Turner! You're back! Wait! I thought you were supposed to be gone for a few more days!"
He smiles. "We finished the job a little early! I even brought you something from one of the places we visited!" He walked into the kitchen where his saddlebag was laying on the table. He reached inside and pulled out an assortment of mushrooms. Red, green, blue, and an orange one with red spots. "I stopped by the mushroom kingdom and the Princess said I could take some home!"
I smile. Around twenty years ago when we had visited the kingdom, I almost wanted to stay there. It was so beautiful and peaceful. I especially loved the mushroom there. They were so colorful and you could get bigger just from eating one! Or, you could have fun cliff-jumping as long as you ate a green one first! I had never seen the other two before though.
"Wow! Time Turner! I love these! I haven't been to the mushroom kingdom in years!" I picked up the blue mushroom which was small enough that a cat could eat it in one bite. And I picked up the orange one in my free hoof which I realized was about as big as my head. "What are these? I never saw these ones!"
"In the new era of their kingdom, they began breeding different types of mushrooms. There were some other things I wanted to get but they told me they were still under testing. They're working on one that can turn you into a ghost and one that can make you a bee! Also, Princess Peach told me to say hi!"
I smile and hug him. "Thank you so much! I might just keep these! No real need for them in Equestria!"
"With all the monsters Twilight and her friends lead into this town, there might be some day."
I laugh and nod. "True. Well, I'll put them in the box with all of the other treasures."
"About that, I actually saw the box open on the bed! I also noticed a bunch of Persephone's Pearls were gone!"
I smile a little. "A lot happened while you were gone."
"I know! Remember, you told me Sparkler had gotten herself pregnant! There's no way it could get crazier than that!"
"Well, It definitely could. Do you know where I was before I got here?"
"No. Sparkler only just got home like five minutes ago and she immediately went to the shower. When I messaged her this morning, she just told me there was a lot going on and didn't tell me anything else. I thought she was just stressed about her recent development so I didn't continue that conversation any further. Why? Did something else happen?"
"Sit down Time Turner."
* * *
"Let me get this straight, Our daughter nearly got herself killed, you got trapped in another realm, and one of our best friends from Hyrule is dead?"
I nod and a small tear falls from my eye as I remember the awful scene playing out in front of me. The sickening crack from her spine, the scream Zelda gave, and that laughter. That damned laughter. It rang throughout my head. Something that I knew I would never forget throughout my entire life.
Time Turner put a hoof on my shoulder. "Derpy. I'm so sorry you had to go through all of that. But I have something that might make it a little better for you." I look up and he continues. "Rose is going to take over working for a little bit. I'm gonna be sticking around for a while."
"Really?"
"Even better, I created a travel medallion that can allow me to travel between realms whenever! We can go anywhere you want!" I lean forward and hug him. "I know I haven't been around much. But that's going to change now."
"Any other artifacts you stole from other realms?" I ask laughing.
"Actually, yes. I want to make a proposition to you."
"Time Turner, I know we had a recent bump in the road but we're still married. You can't propose again."
He holds up a hoof as I continue laughing. "I visited the Azorius archives after stopping for a little bit on the plane of Ravnica."
"Ugh. You know I hate it when you go to Ravnica. That place is way too dangerous. If you had run into one of the Gruul clans or Celestia forbid the cult of Rakdos then you would have been done for."
"I know! But that's the only place to get the book I needed!" I heard clattering and clicking in his bag as he pulled out a dusty old book and dropped it onto the table. The books cover read, "Spells and elixirs."
"We already have spells and elixirs in Equestria! Why did you have to risk your life for that?"
"Because! We have Equestrian spells but this one has something very special I want to show you." He flipped through the book before landing on one page. He turned the book around to reveal a page who's header read, "Elixir of Immortality"
"This potion makes it impossible for somepony to die of old age. I think we should make it!"
"Are you sure you would want to live forever? Forever is a long time."
Time Turner nodded enthusiastically. "Think about it! We could give it to all of our family members and we could never run out of time!"
I look down at the book. "Time Turner. This potion is really complicated! We don't have access to these materials in Equestria!"
"I brought them! I had to go all over Ravnica for them!" He dumped out the rest of the contents of his bag. Talons, wings, magic stones littered the table.
"So... What do you think?"