//------------------------------//
// Chapter 7.) Breaking And Entering 
// Story: Blaze: Part II 
// by Blazing_Mane01 
//------------------------------//

     Once I opened the door, all the ponies grouped up around Twilight. Standing there, holding the door open, feeling like an idiot because I forgot that Twilight can just transport us.
Wait. No she can't. Unless she's been to Neightherworld before. "What's going on? Twilight can't teleport to Neightherworld if she hasn't been there before."

"Blaze," Ivory said nonchalantly, "we gotta find out where Neightherworld is first."

What? "So, you plan to teleport to a place you've never been before? It's not possible!"

Twilight stood up. "Oh, Blaze, we can't just go out and start looking for the entrance to Neightherworld like this. We need leads. Which is why I'm taking you to Canterlot Library."

"Me?" I put my forehoof on my chest. "Then why's everypony else grouping up?"

"Good question!" She tapped her chin. "Why are they grouping up around me? Do they all suddenly think they all get to go to Canterlot?"

At that comment, everypony relunctantly backed off, except Rainbow Dash. Walking through the aisle they've formed, I made my way over to Twilight. It was when I was directly in front of her when Rainbow said, "Yeah, right! Twilight, Blaze, and I have been self-recruited for this stealth mission! You should remember, everypony; Twilight announced it clear as day this morning." Really? When did she say that? Ehh, must've been when I was asleep...

I could barely hear Applejack mutter to herself. "Ah still can't help but fear Rainbow maight blow it like she did last time..."

Taking that into consideration, I ask, "You gonna be careful this time, Rainbow?"

She let out a small gasp, but tried to pass it off as she cleared her throat. She then brought her hoof to her forehead in salute. "Extra careful! Can't afford to blow it again..."

"Anyway," Twilight reannounced herself, "we better get going. Ready Blaze? Rainbow?"

I shrug. "I guess."

"Alright, get ahold."

I nod and place my hoof on Twilight's back. Rainbow did the same. From there, I watched as Twilight's horn glew with her aura. I sigh, and eventually close my eyes in preparation for the wormhole.



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POOF!!

Once we stopped moving through space-time, we were all launched violently out into Equestria. Myself, I landed on my chest and skid a ways down the grass before I even started to slow down. Twilight definitely landed with a thud of some sort, cuz she didn't go far at all. Rainbow must've just flown out of it.
When the friction finally brought me to a halt, my hind legs hit the ground hard, propelling my upper torso upward just a bit. Then, I just laid there, to make sure I wasn't moving and to reclaim my steady eyesight. Once I felt confident enough to stand, I pushed up with my forehooves. The first thing I did was observe my coat; it was a mess of mud and grass, but there wasn't any blood. I let out my relief in one fluent breath, and turn my attention to my surroundings.
For what I can see, this section of Canterlot is restored. The grass is green again, the rubble was cleaned up, and buildings were back up. Apparently, Celestia was busy reconstructing her capitol while Twilight and I were stuck in the Crystal Caves. 
I finally turn to find Twilight and Rainbow. "Where are we?"

Rainbow shushed me. "Quiet, dude!" she whispered. "We're directly outside Canterlot Library! You wanna get us caught!?"

I cringed, but only faintly, then stood back up on all fours. I then answered back, just as quietly, "Sorry."

Twilight finally stood up, too, and shook off the dizziness. "Yes, Blaze, be careful. Even though it is still early in the morning, Celestia will raise the sun soon, so we don't have much time. We need to locate a reference guide to Neightherworld before any Guards find us."

I nod. "We're all gonna go in at once?"

"That was the plan, why?"

"I have a better way."

Twilight tilted her head. "Oh, really? Do share, then."

I smiled. "Check this out. I remember using this spell multiple times in my corrupted past. Let's see if it still works..."

"Blaze, this isn't the time OR the place to be experimenting with spells!"

"I know, just trust me."

Without waiting for a response from Twilight, I began to piece together the strands of the spell from my mind, causing my horn to glow with its fiery essence. The spell is adaquately difficult, so it may take some conjuring, but it always worked in the past. 
Almost half a minute passed, and it was finally ready. Grunting, I aim toward the sky and let it go. The resulting blob of magic that materialized was exactly what I remembered. The spell, having shaped itself into a sphere, levitated off the ground directly in between me and Twilight. Panting, I smiled as I observed her expression; her eyes were fixed on the glowing orb of swiveling pale pink, green, and blue. "...Wow..." was all she had to say.

I laugh quietly. "This is called a 'Timeloop.' It resets time to a certain point after a certain amount has passed. All the ponies whom touch it are the only ones that remember anything during the timeloop. With this, we can try multiple ways of entering and retrieving the guide, while finding the quickest and stealthiest way to do it, so when we actually disspell the Timeloop, we can do it right on the first try."

"A Time-Bender! This category of magics wasn't even perfected by Starswirl when he stored them away! Since then, only a handful of the best unicorns have actually mastered any Time-Bender spells! That's so awesome, Blaze!"

"Thanks. Now, I've set the Timeloop to return us to the point when we all touch it. It'll reset whenever I tell it to via magic, or if it hits the reset timer, as I like to call it. I've set it to reset after half an hour. However, it's absolutely essential we all touch it at nearly the same time, so Rainbow, Twilight, get ready."

They both nod. Rainbow lands and puts up her hoof about a foot away from the Timeloop, and Twilight did the same. Gathering my breath one moer time, I finally follow. I give them both a quick look before I say, "On three..."

They avert their sights to the Timeloop, in approval.

"One..."
"Two..."
"Three!"

Simultaneously, we lunge out and touch the Timeloop. I closed my eyes, caught hold of a deep breath, and prayed the spell still worked. I gave it a second or so before I opened them again, and what I saw... was the dirt.

"..."

Guess I looked away somewhere in there! Once I find the Timeloop, I'm relieved to see that it had turned black and white, just as it should. Rainbow and Twilight step away from the Timeloop and both look at me. Rainbow spoke first, "Did it work?"

I ask, "Is the Timeloop black and white now?"

They both glance back to it, and back. 

"Yes."
"Yes."

"Alright." I look down to the ground. 

Twilight shuddered. "Is that bad?"

"Nah, everything's fine. That's supposed to happen."

"Okay..."

"It just means we did it right. Relax. We'll remember everything from the Timeloop, so repeating this process will be easier."

Twilight and Rainbow both nod.

"So," I tilt my head, "how do you suggest we enter the Library?"

Twilight turned to the right. "The main entrance is over in that direction a ways, and that'll probably be the most heavily guarded, so... That's out of the question."

Rainbow raised her hoof. "Why don't we find a window or something and fly in? That way, we have a small vantage point to help decide on where to go first."

"Umm, hello?" Twilight smirked. "No wings?"

I shrug. "She's right, Rainbow. How bout we split up? Once the Timeloop resets, we can tell each other what we saw, and make educated moves based off of them."

"Alright," Rainbow nodded. "See ya, guys!" She then kicked off the ground and flew up over the Castle.

Once she disappeared behind the walls, I made eye contact with Twilight again. "Find a way in, Twi. I know nothing will happen after the Timeloop resets, but please, try to be careful."

A few seconds passed, while she just sat there, smiling. She then finally turned and said, "You too, Blaze."