//------------------------------// // Episode 18: Time // Story: Equestria's Crazies // by Thorax //------------------------------// The Changeling Queen sat at the large oak desk, a small pair of glasses rested at the end of her snout as she read through some paperwork. It had been only a few months since she and her children had been welcomed into Canterlot Castle. In that short time she had worked alongside Princess Celestia in an attempt to forge an alliance that would benefit both species. Currently she was reading over the latest reports from the Changeling Hive outside Appaloosa. According to the Changeling Princess Cocoon of that hive had successfully integrated her hive into the two main civilizations. In exchange for the excess magic created by the love of the Buffaloes and Ponies the Changelings would tend to the roots of the trees. Chrysalis let out a small yawn as she rubbed her eyes. She had spent the entirety of the night going over reports from all across Equestria. Carefully she removed her glasses and placed her reports back in their respective piles. "Discord!" Came a shout from somewhere inside the Castle "We swear on our eternal night, if thou do not return thy possession thou will find themselves in a realm of eternal agony." Chrysalis was able to recognize the fury filled voice of that of Nightmare Moon. "Falling into Old Equestrian are we?" responded the voice of Discord "That kind of anger isn't good for your health!" The Draconequus finished with a chuckle that slowly faded as he galloped down the hall. "Idiot" The Changeling Queen muttered under her breath as she made her way to the door. Before she could begin opening the door she found herself blinded by an ever-expanding wall of lavender light that slowly filled the room, before closing back in on itself. "Wow" came a slightly shaken voice, the source unknown as Chrysalis waited for the sudden blindness to disappear. "Crossing time travel off the list of things to ever try again." A few seconds later Chrysalis was able to see once again. What she saw however, confused her deeply. She was aware Celestia, Luna and Discord were able to traverse the stream of time. Something Celestia had demonstrated once before, when she traveled from five minutes in the future and assisted in a double beat down on Discord. However, it was neither Luna nor Celestia who stood before her. Instead it was none other than Nightmare Moon. However this version of Nightmare appeared quite different. Instead of her usual light blue armor, she wore a much different set of armor made of what appeared to be the purest silver. "Hey Chrysalis?" Rang the voice of "New" Nightmare snapping Chrysalis out of her stunned confusion "What year is it?" "W..What?" Stuttered the confused Changeling Queen "What year is it?" repeated "New" Nightmare "1637" Answered Chrysalis "What year are you from Nightmare?" she asked in response "1837, and it's Pleasant now. Have I entered the room yet?" "Pleasant" Asked as she summoned a Baseball bat "You're here right now" stated the confused Queen. Pleasant gave a sigh "Not this me, past me. Have I entered the room and asked where Discord is?" "N... No, but I heard you yelling down the hall a few moments ago. What is happening right now?" Pleasant didn't answer immediately instead, she forced the bat into Chrysalis magic grip. "I'll be entering the room in a few moments. When I do, I need you to knock me out." Without another word Pleasant slowly lowered herself behind the desk and out of view. Chrysalis stood in complete silence and stared at the bat, wondering if she should question future Nightmare any further. However, before she could ask another question the door began to open. "Chrysalis?!" growled Nightmare as she entered the room, anger clearly plastered on her face. "Have you seen that filthy Draconequus!" She finished hatred seeping in her words. The Changeling Queen decided in a split second that she liked future Nightmare more. With two sudden thuds current Nightmare lay unconscious on the floor, the baseball bat resting beside her body. "And she's out!" Shouted Pleasant as she stood up from behind the desk and made her way over to her past self and Chrysalis. "Now can you please tell me what is happ-" Chrysalis was cut off as Pleasant promptly slugged her. "That's for hitting me with a bat." Pleasant stated flatly as she helped the Changeling Queen back to her hooves. “Now to answer your question my old friend" Her voice shifting to a more calm and kindly tone "I'm here to retrieve Discord." "You're going take him away for Two hundred years?" Chrysalis groaned with some joy as she rubbed the side of her face. "Is it my Hatch day?" Pleasant gave a genuine laugh as she pulled her unconscious past self behind the desk. Once she had deemed it properly hidden, she began to swap armor with her unconscious self. "Though two hundred years without Discord would probably be the best gift. I'm only here to return the timeline to its proper order. The Discord running about the Castle is from your future. Your Discord is currently trying to... Cope with... some shocking news." Before Chrysalis could ask her next question another much smaller light filled the room. When it had finally dissipated it left only what appeared to be a Small black Draconequus. "Mom, we've got a problem" stated the black Draconequus "Lucid, I thought I told you to stay in the Castle and make sure your Fath- guest, didn't cause any problems. How did you even get here?" Asked Pleasant as she approached her apparent Daughter. "Twilight had a book on Time travel, but it only works once. Dad stopped screaming at the wall and now he's locked himself in the pantry claiming this is all a very mean prank." At the mention of Lucid calling Discord her father, a look of fear spread across her face as her daughter brought down absolute destruction of the timeline. However, nothing happened, Pleasant slowly shifted her gaze to the Changeling Queen. "So you and Discord got together?" She said smugly "Called it, Luna owes me thirty bits." "Wait, what?!" Stammered Pleasant "What? Did you two think you were at all subtle? We've all seen the way you react around each other. Three days ago you beat up Discord for breaking into your room. You then threw him into the power crystals." "Your point? What would possibly bring you two the assumption there was something between Discord and I?" Pleasant was both pleased that the universe hadn't imploded and disappointed that she had been down from the word go. "Well throwing him in the Power Crystals seemed pretty mean, but when two of the Changeling Maintenance staff went to repair it, they found that both times the Crystals had been disabled before Discord was placed in it. Plus, we've all seen your stuffed Discord you sleep with." Chrysalis added with a Chuckle. Pleasant turned her attention from her apparent two hundred year old defeat back to her daughter. "Lucid, I need you to return to the Castle and make sure your "Father" doesn't snap." Disappointment spread across the filly's face. "But Moooom, I want to help." "Young filly, do you remember what happened last time you "helped" me fix the timeline?" Pleasant asked as she patted her daughter on the head. "Alicorn Twilight?" Lucid answered questioningly "Alicorn Twilight" Pleasant repeated in the affirmative "Beside, when I send your father back, you'll need to be ready with Auntie Celestia and Auntie Luna." "Okay mom, I'll see you when you get back." Lucid said happily her spirits renewed with the news she could help her aunts. "Oh and hi Auntie Chrysalis, you should come visit more often, you always bring the best stuff." With another flash of light Lucid was gone. Pleasant turned her gaze back to the Changeling Queen, who stared at her with a large grin plastered across her face. "Did you hear that? Auntie Chrysalis has the best stuff." Chrysalis said smugly "Oh shut up and help me find Discord before he breaks the universe... again." With that, the Changeling Queen and the Lunar Princess from the Future set out on a magical journey to Hunt down capture and if they were lucky enough that future Discord resisted capture, bludgeon. However, their search was a fruitless one and they eventually found themselves outside the chambers of Celestia. "Come in" Rang the regal voice of the Sun Goddess Slowly Chrysalis and Pleasant made their way into the room. They had so far had no problem passing Pleasant off as Nightmare, though Pleasant had a few moments where her personality almost got her busted. However, Celestia wasn't some regular guard. "Pleasant!" Celestia shouted excitedly as she jumped from her bed and quickly made her way over to Chrysalis and Pleasant, pulling the time-traveler into a tight hug. "What point are you at?" Celestia asked as she summoned a small white book, the Sun Emblem engraved on the cover. "Angels in Manehatten? The Wastelands of Earth? End of Creation?" Celestia listed off. "W-what?" stammered Chrysalis "Spoilers" answered Celestia and Pleasant in unison "You'll find out, soon enough" Celestia added. "I'm not here on Doctor related business Celly, we've got a personal problem, I'm sure you're aware of." "Ah, Discord" Celestia said as she sent the white book back to its pocket dimension "I was wondering when someone would show up to get him. I have the guards setting up a perimeter, he doesn't know, I know he's not our Discord. He should be in the throne room in a matter of minutes if you want to catch him there." "Thank you Celly" responded Pleasant as she made her way towards the door. "Come along Chrysalis, we've got a Draconequus to catch. Behind the throne Celly?" "Behind the throne" Celestia repeated with a wicked grin. With that Pleasant made her way out of the chamber, quickly followed by an extremely confused Chrysalis. The Changeling Queen wasn't sure what was happening. She understood that Future Discord replaced current Discord and that she knocked out current Nightmare and was replaced with future Nightmare. "Don't try to understand it." Pleasant stated flatly as they speed walked towards the throne room "If you try to wrap your head around time travel, you'll only give yourself one hell of a headache." "Well who's this "Doctor" Celestia mentioned and what's with the book?" "Aw" Pleasant gave a sigh as she thought back to her first encounter with most brilliant stallion she had ever met. "The Doctor, he's like fire and ice and rage. He's like the night and the storm in the heart of the sun. He's ancient and forever. He burns at the center of time and can see the turn of the universe. And you haven't even met him yet." "But who is he?" asked Chrysalis amazed at the thought of a creature that could capture both Nightmare's and Celestia's attention in such a way. "Spoilers" Pleasant repeated her line from before. "I've said enough already. Just know, when the Stallion in the big blue box arrives, trust him and when he says run, run as fast as you can." With that they stopped at the entrance to the throne room. "So what's the plan?" asked Chrysalis as she thought about how one would go about capturing a god. "Trust me; I've got a great idea, just follow along." Pleasant finished with a truly devious grin. Several Minutes later Discord had finished everything that needed to be done. Pranks set up two hundred years in advanced and not a single creature would know until it was too late. He'd make his way to a safe point, return to his own time period and send his other back to his original time to face the consequences. However, before that he's have to find a safe spot and with the royal guard hot on his trail and not the faintest memory of what he had done two hundred years before. Either way, it had to have been funny. After a few more seconds of panicked galloping he saw his salvation, the throne room. Large doors he could easily block, just long enough to escape. With one swift move he dived into the room and barred the door. "Greetings Discord" came the voice of Chrysalis from behind him. "Ha-ha" Discord forced a laugh "What are you doing here Chrysalis?" "Just enjoying the architecture, it's nothing compared to Changeling architecture, but for such a young race, it's quite good. What are you doing here? Make your wife mad?" she finished with a slight smirk. "No Pleasan-" Discord paused as he realized what she had said "What are you talking about?" "Oh don't play stupid, sure it suits you." The Changeling continued as she made her way towards the confused Draconequus "So why would you come two hundred years into the past to hide from your wife." "What makes you think Nightmare would be my wife?!" Stammered the panicking God of Chaos "See, I never mentioned Nightmare, and to answer your question. I've seen the way you look at each other, you never aim to truly harm each other only annoy and we've all seen how you look at each other when the other one isn't aware. However, that was when you were just trying to stay subtle, now that you've been married for... oh I believe a hundred and fifty years. I think your wife might have some pent up anger." "How could you possibly kno-" The terrified Draconequus was cut off by the a loud clicking sound, he quickly recognized it as "Betsy" Celestia's pet gun. "Hello Sweetie" came the voice of Pleasant from behind him. "Oh son of a bi-" A single shot to the back of the head was all it took to silence the god of chaos. There was no need for words at this point, Chrysalis and Pleasant both walked over to the now "Deceased" God and promptly hoof bumped. With a flare of her horn Pleasant created a large vortex in the fabric of time. "In you go" she grunted as she casually threw the body inside. Several seconds later as the "Proper" Discord emerged slowly babbling to himself. Apparently he was stunned by any of the revelations he had found out in the future, no he had expected all of those. What had stunned him was the fact that future Discord had got rid of Mr. Snuggles their stuffed Griffin. "Won't let them hurt you Mr. Snuggles." He continue to mutter. Pleasant slowly approaching the broken Draconequus and placed her hoof on his head. "Sleep and Forget" she whispered. With that command Discord slowly drifted to sleep on the stone floor. "Well then" Pleasant stated as she approached the vortex. "It was great seeing you again Chrysalis. Maybe I should visit you more often, since you moved back to the Changeling Empire, we scarcely hear from you." "Planning an Invasion" Chrysalis stated jokingly "Well then, I'll have to check up on you to make sure you're not. Oh and don't worry, current me won't remember the bat incident, I know I didn't." With another chuckle Pleasant jumped into the portal, which quickly shut behind her. Casually and quite glad with herself, Chrysalis turned and began making her way towards the door. However, before she could open the door a loud whirling sound filled the air. "Oh not again." Chrysalis moaned as she turned to face the source, what appeared to be a large blue box lying on its side. Before she could flee in a vain attempt to get some sleep the "Top" flung open and a rather plain looking brown earth pony hoisted himself up. After a few seconds of grunt and groans he had pulled himself out of the box and noticed the Changeling Queen in front of him. "Hello, I'm the Doctor."