Energy swirled around Twilight Sparkle. Six beams of light emanated from the Nexus, leaping to the pillars above. The floor glowed with power, and the crystals overhead spun at a blur. Twilight concentrated on the spell, on seeking the right point in the timeline. To her surprise, it was easier than she remembered, ten years ago. Where leaving her time felt like pushing the apparatus up a hill, returning felt like going down it. The apparatus settled on a time like a record needle settling into a groove. The crystal floor glowed bright, along with the spinning gems, brighter and brighter, blinding. Twilight squeezed her eyes closed.
Everything was white.
The light faded, along with the magic. Twilight peeked her eyes open. The spinning gems slowed, and the landscape beyond came into view past the swirling energy.
Slowly, steadily, the apparatus came to a stop. Twilight suddenly found herself wet. Water cascaded down onto the unicorn. She looked up. Rain poured from the black clouds in the sky. A flash of lightning flickered overhead.
She walked off of the apparatus's slab, magically picking up her Nexus and wedging it into the saddlebag that her daughter had given her. The floating gems descended to the ground, landing softly in the new puddles. Twilight looked out towards Canterlot, its lights dotting the spires barely visible in the haze. She turned towards Ponyville. Her Ponyville.
She took a deep breath, then let it out. Twilight Sparkle concentrated on her horn. A wave of purple swept her across the miles.
Twilight looked up at where she had arrived. Rows of apple trees greeted her, rain streaming off of their leaves. She looked along the path she stood on. Ahead was a red barn with a small farmhouse, windows aglow, next to it.
She walked towards the house.
She trotted towards the house.
She galloped towards the house.
Her hooves thundered through the puddles, splashing mud across her belly. Her eyes saw the farmhouse approaching; her heart saw its contents.
Before she realized, before she knew what to do, she found herself standing at the door. Shaking, Twilight raised her hoof and rapped on the door.
She shivered at the sound of a voice. A voice she'd thought she would never hear again.
"Now who in tarnation could it be in this weather?"
The door unlatched and swung open. And Twilight saw her. Orange coat. Blond mane. Green eyes. Brown hat. Dropped jaw.
"Applejack!" Twilight sprang forward, embracing her friend.
"T... Twilight? Is it really you?" Applejack reached her foreleg around Twilight's neck. "It is you. It is you! Twilight! You came back! Am I dreaming, Twilight? Tell me this isn't a dream!" Tears mixed with the rainwater on Twilight's neck.
Twilight sniffled. "It isn't, Applejack. I'm home. I'm finally home." She pulled back. "We need to tell the girls. I need to see them again, too."
"Oh, right. Here..." Applejack turned, and came back with an umbrella. "Let's go find them."
The pair trotted through the rain away from the house and towards the town. "Oh Celestia, it musta been ten years since you left, Twilight. I thought we weren't ever going to see you again. What the hay happened, Twi?"
Twilight took a breath. "Let's wait until we're all at the library. I mean, the library's still there, right?"
"Yeah yeah, of course it's there. I'm sorry, it's just... I still can't believe it. All of a sudden it's you, and you're here... Celestia's sake, Twilight." Applejack shook her head. "Wait'll I tell Apple Bloom and—"
Applejack stopped. "Wait a second. Twilight, where's Sweetie Belle?"
---
Rainbow Dash raised a hoof. "Whoa whoa whoa. Okay. Time machine, sure, I saw it happen. Mechanical heart, maybe. Flying trains? I've seen weirder. I guess. But no clouds? That's it, you're making stuff up."
"I am not making anything up. The future didn't have any clouds."
"Then how did anything get watered? I know Applejack wouldn't like it if I didn't make it rain on her trees or anything."
Twilight Sparkle looked at Applejack. "Maybe I shouldn't say anything else."
Rainbow flung up her hooves. "See? Ask how it works and she goes quiet. Told you Twilight was making it up. I bet it looked just like how it is today. Maybe a little shinier. Hey Twilight, do you think you could take us to the future, so we can all see how awesome it's gonna be?"
Twilight looked at her Nexus, which she had sat in the corner. "I'm sorry, but I think I've had enough time travel for one lifetime. And I don't want to risk anything happening again."
A explosion of confetti interrupted the conversation. A cake the same color as Twilight's coat landed on the table.
"Twilight's back! I knew you'd come back! We even left a memorial for you to see but your time machine kind of blew it up when it came back."
Twilight eyed the cake. "Pinkie Pie, how did you find the time to bake this already? This is fresh, right?"
"Of course it's fresh, silly! I made this just for you!"
Twilight took a bite. It was the best tasting cake she had ever had. Outside, the rain beat against the windows.
"Hey, Twilight." Rainbow Dash hovered near the ceiling. "If I'd known you were coming back, I would have cleared the skies out for you. This weather really doesn't suit the mood. I can go out and clear this up in a snap, though."
"No, Rainbow." Twilight looked out the window at the dark clouds filling the sky. Thunder rolled past the library. "Keep it. I like the rain. Come on, girls, I want you all to have a slice. Together."
Rarity sniffled. "I just can't stop thinking about my poor dear Sweetie Belle. I wanted to see her again, too. But she's alive, and she's happy, and... that's all that matters. I'm sorry, Twilight, I appreciate what you've done and I'm happy to see you again, too."
Twilight looked at her slice. "It's all right. Sweetie Belle... I had adopted her. Raised her. Sweetie Belle became my daughter. She called me... she called me 'Mom'."
Spike rolled on his back laughing. "Mom?! That's hilarious! Just try to imagine it!" He laughed again until he noticed the glare of two unicorns. "Oh, uh... I'll keep dusting the shelves."
Rarity turned back to Twilight. "I hope you don't mind, but Spike has been helping me around the shop while you were gone. And I do hope you don't expect me to refer to you as my mother too, Twilight. I prefer to think of you as my friend."
Twilight cracked a smile. "It's all right, Rarity. Sweetie Belle became a stage singer. She's a very beautiful mare, and I'm very proud of her. I know she'll go on to be a great pony. Here, Rarity, Sweetie Belle wanted you to have this."
Twilight opened the bag Sweetie had given her. She withdrew a large book and two scrolls. She gave the book and a scroll to Rarity, and saved the other for when she saw the two former Cutie Mark Crusaders again.
Rarity opened the book. Within, the pages were filled with photographs. Pictures showed Sweetie Belle playing in the magic sprinklers, learning how to use her own magic, practicing plays with her friends, and more. The photograph of Sweetie Belle's new cutie mark was on a large print, on a page of its own. As the book progressed, Sweetie Belle grew older and older, culminating in the full-grown mare that Twilight had left her as. Teardrops fell onto the last page.
"Twilight... thank you so much for taking these. I can't... I'm sorry, I need a moment alone."
Rarity excused herself, moving to a far corner.
The library door opened and two figures, dry despite the rain, entered. Twilight looked up.
"Princess Celestia."
Celestia swept into the room before kneeling down and embracing Twilight. Her sister stood by a shelf. The remainder of the room shifted away from the un-princess-like behavior.
"Twilight Sparkle!" Celestia cried. "You've returned! I had become so worried about you!"
Twilight hesitated, lost in thought.
"What's the matter, Twilight?" Celestia pulled back. "Are you not happy to see me again?"
"Oh." Twilight looked at her. "You were, uh... still there three hundred and fifty years in the future."
Celestia smiled back. "Then this is my reunion and not yours. And I know I have something to look forwards to now."
Twilight flinched, then sighed. "Yes." She paused. "Yes, you do."
---
Dear Apple Bloom and Scootaloo,
It's funny how I remember you as fillies, instead of the grown mares you must be reading this. I bet you both got your cutie marks in something you love. I got mine for singing, and I drew it at the bottom of the letter for you. I know you heard me sing before, so imagine that but better. I'm going to be a big Broadneigh performer, too. That reminds me, I should try to find out what cutie marks you two got. I think I know how.
Oh yeah, I don't know how far you've gotten by now, and I need to preserve the timeline or something like that, so I'll just say to keep up the dream. It'll be worth it, I promise. You two have done something incredible.
Cutie Mark Crusaders for life.
---
Dear Rarity,
I'm sorry I didn't get to see you again in person. I hope all those pictures Mom took will be enough to remember me by. I got my new heart valve and I'm okay. The doctor said I'll live a long time with it. And by the way, Twilight was my Mom for the past ten years. I hope you don't mind. Don't let Spike give her too much trouble over it.
The Princess preserved a bunch of the fashion magazines with your designs in them. I haven't read them all yet, but the dresses I've seen are beautiful. I don't know if you'll believe me, but you're going to get even better at making them. I am definitely going to try to get some of these made into costumes. Or just to wear and feel pretty in.
And Rarity, when the fashion photographers take your picture, make sure you smile as big as you can, because your little sister will be smiling back.