Tom was in a good mood. This in and of itself should have been enough to worry him, but not even his changing nature could bring him down today.
He was going on a date with Rarity.
Yesterday they had agreed to meet at Sugarcube Corner at three. It would be great to finally begin to grow closer to her. However, even if he could not despair at the way his mind seemed to be slipping it would still concern him. He had already made three mistakes. Healing Sweetie Belle and not thinking to just erase himself from Rarities memory, revealing the nature of magic, and even his promise to obey law were all terrible mistakes. Three in the space of a week. He had gone for…well, an eternity only making one. That one being unavoidable since he had no way of seeing that Luna could not control the night alone. Even if it had worked out in the end with the Elements purging her of the taint it was still a mistake.
"Howdy, Tom."
"Hello, Applejack."
The farming mare had asked him to come over yesterday as well. He had agreed. He was quite surprised, however, to find a really large group of ponies apparently waiting for him…all of them with apple-themed cutie marks. Uh oh...
"Let me introduce ya to th’ family, Tom this here is Apple Fritter, Apple Bumpkin, Red Gala, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Caramel Apple, Apple Strudel, Apple Tart, Baked Apples, Apple Brioche, Apple Cinnamon Crisp…" This went on for some time. "...Big McIntosh, Apple Bloom, and Granny Smith. This is the entire apple family. From Manehatten to Fillydelphia to Appleloosa. Welcome to the Apple family reunion." She smiled. All of the ponies were smiling as well; however, he could see some seemed afraid. Not of him but something involving him.
"Why thank you, Applejack. If I may ask, why you have brought me here?"
The entire crowed started to fidget and look away.
"Well…" she said, fidgeting more than all the rest. "I started ta notice that the magic you taught me was, well…rather useful. There was the old sickly tree that I was able to heal up good as new! Then I was able to work even longer! The whole Apple family would really appreciate if you could teach them to do it as well.”
Tom stood there for a moment as some of the ponies started saying please… He could not say no. It would push him away from Applejack.
"Very well. The first step…"
Tom worked with all of them over the next few hours. Many had the potential to manipulate earth magic but few had the strength of will needed. Though by the time he left, all of them had a deep respect for the stallion. If he knew anything he knew the earth.
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"Now Rainbow, thank you for helping me deliver those stylish dresses to Mrs. Rich. She so dislikes it when I'm late." Rarity and Rainbow Dash were walking away from the small estate owned by the Rich family. It was rather overdone in her opinion, but definitely in good taste.
"No problem, Rarity. I got to go now though. Stuff to do!" The Pegasus shot off, leaving her friend in a small cloud of dust. The entire trip to Mrs. Rich’s house Rarity had been talking about Tom. How he walked , how his talking was getting better, how he was just NICE to Sweetie Belle… It was obvious the mare had fallen for the crazy stallion. Rainbow did not really see why. Then again, she had only really talked to the guy once.
Speaking of Discord.....there he is.
Rainbow swooped down to land beside him, trotting up to meet him.
"What's up Tom! We have got to stop meeting like this." The stallion smiled at her remark.
"Well, that would be quite difficult to arrange, seeing as I have no wings."
Wow...was that a joke? "You been getting around I hear. Rarity just won't stop talking about ya."
Normally stallions would jump at this but Tom seemed confused.
"What has kept her discussing me for such an extended period? Should I be concerned?"
Rainbow laughed. "No, no, big guy. You just keep doing what you're doing. You'll figure it out."
"Very well." He kept walking in silence, staring intently at the ground.
So he still does this. Hmmm…I wonder if...
"So what do you think of Rarity?"
The stallion stopped mid-step, catching Rainbow by surprise. He turned and asked, "why do you want such information?"
" Well…I was just curious. I mean, do you like her?"
Tom turned and started walking again. "Yes Rainbow, I do like her."
"Well, uh… I mean, do you like like her?"
"Yes." There seemed to be no hesitation. Rainbow was unsure if he misunderstood or not but it was too awkward to ask for clarification. The conversation wavered after that until Rainbow said she had to go. She still did not understand why Rarity liked him so much but, well, at least he was not as crazy.
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Rarity watched Rainbow Dash blast off, coughing at the cloud of dust left behind. That mare was just so inconsiderate sometimes. She turned and began to trot towards town.
It was shortly after entering the boutique that a guard brought her a note again.
To Rarity,
Would you be so kind as to come to town hall?
-Luna
Rarity was apprehensive about her agreement to help Luna. Though there was no denying royalty, she was developing feelings for him and, well…it just felt wrong to be spying on him.
She came into the room with Luna an hour later and sat down. The princess was drinking something out of a cup and had a friendly smile on her face.
"Now, Rarity. Please tell me what you've learned about Tom," she asked.
Rarity shifted uncomfortably. She decided to get straight to the point.
"Miss Luna. I will tell you what I have seen but I…I don't want to do this anymore."
"I see...go on."
So Rarity recounted how Tom had acted at first. How he had seemed to not understand what was expected of him. How he was kind. Luna listened intently all the while, the part about the barn catching her interest most of all. In the end, she knew that the mare was infatuated with Tom. Rarity was soon dismissed. Luna stared at the door as Rarity left, thinking deeply. She pulled a file from a saddlebag sitting in the corner.
It has been over a week… A week since we began to search for this…being. Not only do we seem to be unable to find him, we cannot even prove the existence of his servant. Then there is this file. This thick file filled with papers confirming that there was nothing. Nothing at all. He did not exist. It seemed that whoever he was, the being was helping him for some reason. Though…what if he is the being? No, no. It can't be. I am talking of a creature that has twisted the fate of ponykind for time unimaginable. Why would…Rarity…?
How strange to think that a mind could stumble onto the truth only to dismiss it as impossible. After all, why would an Immortal lessen himself into a mortal form?
What may have been an even stranger question was why a young purple dragon happened to be near a certain window. Why did the guard outside of that window suddenly find his stomach was not agreeing with him a few minutes earlier, shortly after having a sandwich from the local cafe? Why was there a pony with an hourglass Cutie Mark staring at the young dragon, a look of sad determination on his face?
Rarity and Tom had a simple dinner shortly afterwards. It was something that could be seen in any town in the world or any other world with a sentient species having more than one sex. It was a simple thing. A thing to treasure.
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Tom was walking home with a small bag of ribbons at his side. Rarity had asked him to pick them up during their date, which had gone surprisingly well. He would have been absolutely happy if it was not for the being walking behind him. Tom grew somber. How did they even notice me? It must have been him. Yes, I must remember to give him the coin. Tom walked and then took a sudden right into an alleyway. There, he unfolded slightly, just enough so he could come to full power instantly while still remaining undetectable.
"Hello…I have been waiting to meet you for quite some time." Said the pony who was following him stepping into the alleyway.
"Yes, I know. Though I have not wanted to meet you. It is quite unfortunate for me, Time."
Time Turner's eyes widened. "Well, well. So you know who I am even at this point. How far do you go?"
"I go forever. Time why do you seek me out? Though these mortals have mellowed me slightly that does not mean I won't slip away for a few thousand years. Oh, well I knew we would have to meet eventually… I will even tell you my name. Should I do it now or at our next meeting? We don't want to cause too many paradoxes."
Time was quite surprised. He knew he did not actually know this being’s name yet, but it surprised him that he would understand the nonlinear nature of his existence.
"I will take your hesitance to mean that I should say it now. I am Tom. Also, here." Tom threw a gold bit straight at Time's face. "Take that back to my first day in Ponyville and throw it at my face. I will need that to be able to tell you this. So go, before you cause a paradox and make Law angry."
"Yes…very well, I'll go back and do that. We, however, need to talk to you. Since you have taken form for the first me we will need to inform you of our rules."
"I only obey my laws. Not his."
They stared at each other as the sun moved onward.
"We all must work within his system or there will be naught but chaos. Don't make me force this. You know I could go back and change your past so that you never meet her."
There was no hesitation. Tom struck out with his mind at the other being before him, implanting pure agony into his mind. At the same time, he raised a shield to block out the scream.
"You may have control of time, but my past is unchangeable. You know this. I know this. You cannot change the flow, Time. You are not its master, only its slave." Time was shaking and glaring at him. "I know your strengths and weaknesses, Time. Leave your hoof out of my line. I will know if you change it and I WILL tell him the truth about you. Don't believe me? Go ahead. Try."
So Time did. He jumped back to Rarity’s birth and attempted to give her mother a stillbirth. It failed. Tom, from that time, was watching. Then Time moved forward along her line, changing small things no one would notice. A stone above a filly's head would begin to fall only to be suddenly righted. He even got Life to not grant a place for the unborn child. That failed as well. Life was quite cross with him because of the distorted patterns. There were thousands of times he tried. Years of attempts. All failed. Tom was watching closely throughout that time. In the end he gave up. Tom was simply too…absolute. He came back. He went back to Tom, fear now in his heart. Here was a being that had seen him already move. Who with a minimal effort not only defeated him now but had been defeating him for a long time. Time had just spent a hundred years trying to break him for his slight. Seeing Tom standing there caused Time to hate him all the more.
"I apologize." Time blinked. What had he said? "It was necessary that I make you angry enough to try…since it already happened to me. In all honesty, I feel sorry for you. Because of my long view time binds me as well. Well…I choose to let it limit me in order to not anger Law too much."
Time calmed down. Yes, he knew about such obligations. He was a slave not a master and so was Tom.
"I forgive you, Tom. Beings such as us have to do strange things sometimes. Besides, you hurting me was over a hundred years ago from my perspective."
Both of the entities smiled at each other.
"Let us meet here." Tom sent Time an image and global position. It was on a mountain over a thousand miles away. "Do not forget to take the coin back."
"Fine, that will do well. You do realize that this will be the last point you know more than me? Oh, and yes, I will take the coin back."
"Just keep on believing that, Time. Thank you, even though you do not have a choice. Have a nice day Time turner"
The two left each other. Tom walked to a small venue and sat down, ordering a sandwich and sundae. He had been watching Time for so long… He was one of the few who was close to him. He wondered about the others. It was strange to him. Why did this village attract so much attention? Three of the four Fundamentals lived here. Death, Time, and Life. Why had they chosen here to live? Law was in Canterlot which made some sense to him. Well, it was time to listen. The Tree spirits were coming.
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Treeline walked down the ponykind's road. If he had a heart, it would be beating fast. Instead, the light inside his eyes dimmed. So much was happening. The gift of the old one was under his control. There had been three groups of Timberwolves in the forest. It had taken some significant concentration to reach out with his mind and convert them. Now, forty of his kind existed and bowed to him. Then there were the lives they had saved. Several fillies and a griffon had been saved already by his kind. The old one had suggested they come to speak to the ponykind. This being the closest village, it seemed a logical place to begin.
However, it was not going as well as he would have hoped. The ponies had run away from him and his escort, screaming fearfully. Guards rushed out, the lead one shouting orders to form a line. Treeline ordered his brothers to stop with a nod of his head. The lead guard seemed confused as they sat down, and his mouth opened in shock when he spoke.
"Bring your leader to me," Treeline rasped.
One of the guards ran off and returned with two larger ponies following. It was obvious that they were the leaders.
"I am Treeline, leader of the Tree spirits. It is an honor to meet you, Ruler of the Ponykind."
"I am quite surprised to be meeting you…Treeline. I am Princess Celestia and this is Princess Luna. We rule this land together. Your kind are quite similar to a species within the woods called Timberwolves. Are you related to them?"
"…There are no longer any Timberwolves in the Everfree. We have become…more. We do not speak much but understand that we will not harm any of your kind. Just understand that the forest belongs to us. Will you accept this?"
Celestia looked at Luna. They seemed to be speaking to each other. After a time, she looked back at the one named Treeline.
"As long as you do not harm my little ponies, my soldiers will respect your border… I would like to discuss the specifics at a later date. When can you meet...?"
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Tom watched as the Tree spirits were introduced to Celestia. The conversation was low-key and uneventful. They discussed a meeting time, and then Treeline turned to leave with the others. The wolf-like beings’ eyes focused only on Tom for a moment before walking on.
Tom left quickly, not wishing to speak with the rulers as his power was slightly out.
The rest of the day was uneventful. Rarity and Tom had dinner and talked some, and then the two went to bed. Tom sat alone, thinking on what would come.