//------------------------------// // Pinkie's Phantasm part four // Story: Ruining Harmony // by Artaelian //------------------------------// Several days had passed since Ulysses had brought the potion to go back in time and save Rainbow Dash. Twilight had burnt the feather slightly and the photographic proof of a memorial to her was ready in a saddlebag. Carefully, Pinkie Pie made sure it was on tight, and then looked at her friends. “You know what would be so super awesome? Once we save Dashie, we can throw a party that she didn’t die and that we saved her!” Pinkie Pie hopped on the spot, highly excited and back to feeling her normal self. Twilight walked to Pinkie’s side and put a leg gently over her back. “I’m afraid not, Pinkie. But this is important, since it involves the corruption in the Elements of Harmony. Rainbow Dash will be the only one to remember. The timeline will correct itself and the version of you that went back to save her, which is you, will be gone. You must tell her to tell me about the events that have taken place before you went back.” Across the room, Rarity, Fluttershy, Applejack and Spike all looked confused as if they didn’t understand a word Twilight had just said. Pinkie however simply nodded and added, “I’m also going to tell her to tell you to tell me to throw the Rainbow Dash Didn’t Die Or Well Really She Died But We Undid It So She Is Now Undead… oh, wait, that’s not a good name for this party, is it?” Before anypony could reply, there was a light knock at the front door. Twilight opened it and Ulysses walked in. He didn’t smile as he approached the ponies, and he seemed uncomfortable with even being present. “It is good to see you all again. Now, since I made this potion, I can follow Pinkie Pie back to ensure she remains undisturbed in this attempt.” They all now watched Pinkie who looked at the cup the potion had been poured in. It seemed to glow in a bright purple. As Pinkie looked at the surface, the events of the past month reflected at her, Rainbow Dash falling to the ground with feathers flowing behind her, the funeral, the unveiling of the memorial, meeting Ulysses, Rarity showing the feather she had found. The events played themselves on the surface of the liquid in a chaotic order. Pinkie looked to her right as Ulysses stood beside her. “I am ready to help when you are ready to go.” He said encouraging her. Pinkie shook off the uneasy feeling, it was as if Ulysses had suddenly become the colt she had first met on the way back to Sugarcube corner so long ago, and she had no idea why it felt like a trap. But then, despite being strange and scary, Ulysses was kind hearted, and she just assumed the feelings running through her mind were simply anxiety over what she was about to do. She picked up the cup, and looked at the liquid one last time. The smiling face of Rainbow Dash looked back at her. She drank it in one gulp. -- Pinkie shook her head clear and looked around her. She was in a quiet back alley somewhere in Ponyville. In the sky, the storm that had killed Rainbow Dash rumbled. She walked forward carefully and looked around more. Nopony had seen her, which was good. Remembering the saddlebags, she checked them quickly for the items she had to show Rainbow Dash. She was amazed to see they too had made the trip, and smiled. So far, the plan was working as expected. She sat for a moment, trying to think of which direction Rainbow Dash had taken, and the best way to meet with her without running into her past self. With a hastily planned route, she turned around, and walked into somepony. “Oh gosh, I’m sorry.” She said and looked up. Fear grabbed her. The brown unicorn with the strange markings under its eyes glared at her, and for the first time, she got a good look at them. They appeared to be of magical writing in a language that didn’t seem real to her eyes. They glowed, but impossibly, they glowed in pure black. She had never known until then that black could actually glow. “I have been expecting you, Element of Laughter.” It rumbled. Pinkie Pie backed away. “How did--” “I know? Hah. Do you honestly think I would not watch you remaining Elements? You were all over the loss of that thing, you all want to restore that balance between you elements. I want to bring about the end of the balance they bring. My past self knows nothing of this, but I will make sure you alert him before you too die this day!” Pinkie Pie ran, the brown unicorn only letting her stay ahead for the thrill of chasing her down before taking her life. As they ran, ponies all watched, too shocked to help. Pinkie Pie dared a quick glance up at the sky, and watched as Rainbow Dash took to the air. She was almost about to fail, and there would be no more chances when the brown unicorn behind her had had enough fun of chasing her. She winced a little as the brown unicorn jabbed its horn into the back of her left hind leg. Suddenly, running became that little bit harder. But she couldn’t give up. Twilight had been clear. Succeed and this version of her wouldn’t exist anymore. She wouldn’t exist anymore having witnessed a friend meet an early death, living through the pain of knowing her friend had died, or being chased down by this strange brown unicorn. A bright white flash made her change direction. Stopping a short distance away, she watched as Ulysses charged the brown unicorn. He kicked the brown unicorn to the floor and turned to her. “Run! Do what you are here for! And don’t let me down, Pinkie Pie!” Ulysses shouted, as the brown unicorn got back up and rammed Ulysses side on. Not looking back, Pinkie Pie ran away. Several streets later, she stopped, out of breath. A slight blood trail ran down her leg. She looked up, and saw the rainbow trail as Rainbow Dash drew near. “It’s now or never,” she said to herself, “hey Rainbow Dash! Dashie! Down here!” The rainbow streak drew near, and in a second, Rainbow Dash landed in front of Pinkie Pie. “Pinkie Pie? Are you ok? Your leg is bleeding!” “I’m fine Dashie. It’s so good to see you again.” Pinkie grinned, she hugged Rainbow Dash, tears running down her face simply from the joy she felt seeing her friend alive again. “Uh,” Rainbow Dash narrowed her right eye and made efforts to break free of Pinkie’s hug, “Pinkie, we just left Twilight’s house, it hasn’t been long since you saw me last.” “Oh, that Pinkie Pie is somewhere else right now. I’ve been sent back in time to save you.” Rainbow Dash looked highly confused, and raised her right front leg up. “Is this a joke? I’m sorry Pinkie Pie, I don’t have time for a joke.” “Wait!” Pinkie shouted as Rainbow Dash prepared to take off. “Ok, fine. What is it?” Pinkie Pie removed the burnt feather and photos from her saddlebag. “I really did come from the future to save you Rainbow Dash. The other me, will see you die today. It’s been horrible without you around.” Rainbow Dash felt Pinkie’s forehead, then looked at what she had removed from the saddlebag. “Hey, that’s one of my feathers isn’t it? Why did you burn it? And what are those photos of?” Pinkie bit her lower lip. She looked over her shoulder, and saw the brown unicorn running at her with Ulysses falling behind. “It’s like I’ve been trying to tell you. The feather is what didn’t get buried with you and was burnt in the lightning strike that killed you. The photos are proof of a memorial Twilight paid for to remember you.” Rainbow Dash grinned, thinking it was a very good joke. “It’s amazing how careful you must have been to burn this feather and keep it in one piece. You almost had me with this one Pinkie Pie.” “Look at the photos, Dashie.” Rainbow Dash dropped the feather and looked at the top photo. Immediately her jaw dropped. The statue looked just like her, minus any colour. “Wow, this is in the town square. I know you aren’t an artist, and none of the artists in town would help you in a prank like this,” Rainbow Dash looked up, “I guess you really are from the future. But I’m not buying the whole death thing. I must have got into the Wonderbolts! This is the only reason a statue would be made in my honour!” “Look at the next one.” Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, and Pinkie begun to panic as the sound of hooves running in her direction could be heard faintly. In front of her, Rainbow Dash went pale. “Wait... isn’t.... that’s TODAY!” Rainbow Dash sat down in disbelief and shock, forgetting her argument that Pinkie had somehow got an artist to help with a very elaborate prank. “I... I die today? H...how?” “I saw you get hit by a bolt of lightning. It’s going to happen when you’re next in the air. I came back to warn you so it won’t happen Dashie,” Pinkie Pie hugged her as best as she could, “you’ll be over the street that leads to the one Sugarcube Corner is on. You’ll see me below, that’s how you’ll know when to be careful. Now go, you still have to do your job.” Rainbow Dash only nodded. She took to the air leaving behind no rainbow trail. The sound of thundering hooves was now really close. Pinkie Pie closed her eyes. And held back the urge to scream as the horn broke through her ribcage. Rainbow Dash looked down every so often. No one below noticed her odd behaviour, but Rainbow Dash sighed. Down on the ground, hopping along, just like the other Pinkie Pie had said, was Pinkie Pie. Rainbow Dash watched as she turned the corner to the street Sugarcube Corner was on, and disappeared. “That’s what she meant. So this is it, do or die,” she gulped as she looked back down the street as Pinkie Pie looked around confused, “I can’t let everypony down. I will not die today, not before I live my dream with the Wonderbolts!” In front of her was a cloud on its own, storing a built up thunderbolt. Standing on it was the brown unicorn, staring angrily at her. “Are you the one who kills me?” she spoke quietly to herself. To her surprise, the brown unicorn nodded a yes at her. Rainbow Dash squinted. “Think again, you won’t kill me today, chump.” She darted at the cloud. As she did so, the brown unicorn jumped once on the cloud, letting the built up thunder loose. It missed its target by meters, as Rainbow Dash avoided it. She turned back around and begun to spin in circles around the cloud. Following her wind pressure, it begun to spin, and eventually spun and broke up against a tree. Rainbow Dash glared at the brown unicorn who remained standing where the cloud had been. “It matters not. Corruption has set in the Element of Laughter. You are too late.” The brown unicorn faded. Rainbow Dash sighed, with him gone, it was pretty clear she would be safe and live to see the next day. She smiled and hurried back to where future Pinkie Pie was when she left. -- Ulysses looked down sadly at Pinkie Pie. She lay there gasping for breath. “I’m sorry Pinkie Pie. I couldn’t stop him.” She laughed, but remained staring at the ground in front of her. “It doesn’t matter Ulysses. If Rainbow Dash survived, me being stabbed by that brown unicorn’s horn wouldn’t have happened just then.” Ulysses smiled. Pinkie shivered as he disappeared from sight. “Pinkie Pie! Hey where are you? Pinkie… oh my Celestia!” A breeze behind her signalled the arrival of Rainbow Dash. “Dashie, you survived.” Pinkie said, she sounded weak, and was getting weaker with each hard fought breath, but despite this, her voice rang with pure joy at seeing Rainbow Dash. “To hay with me, I have to go get Twilight, you’re dying!” “No,” Rainbow Dash stopped as Pinkie spoke, “it won’t matter, just stay with me.” “But Pinkie Pie, you saved me, I can’t let you die today instead…” Pinkie Pie tried to laugh, but coughed instead. “I said I’d come from the future to stop you dying. Since you’re still alive, I succeeded. Very soon, from what Twilight told me, the future that existed from your death will cease to be. I won’t have really come back to save you, and won’t be here dying.” It took Rainbow Dash a moment to work this out in her head. “Wait, if that future won’t exist, what’s to stop me simply dying again?” “My other saddlebag, quickly.” Rainbow Dash walked to the saddlebag which had gone some distance away from Pinkie Pie. From it, she took another feather. “Another of my feathers?” Pinkie Pie attempted to nod, but was now far too weak. “Twilight of the future put some sort of magic on it. She found it in her library, though she doesn’t recall you losing a feather in there. Even though the future caused by your death will be gone, as long as you keep hold of that now, the me that saw you die will only exist long enough to prevent your death this day.” Rainbow Dash looked at the feather and tucked it behind her wing. She sat next to Pinkie Pie, who was now finding it hard to breath. Rainbow watched as this Pinkie Pie begun to fade away. “The timeline is correcting itself,” she smiled weakly, “I’ll see you later Dashie…” Rainbow Dash sat there crying, as the future Pinkie Pie faded away. -- Twilight looked at Rainbow Dash. It was the day after the events of the future Pinkie Pie had saved Rainbow Dash from being killed by the brown unicorn in the storm clouds. Around the library, Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack and Pinkie Pie watched as Twilight seemed to struggle in understanding what had taken place the day before. “One last time Rainbow Dash, what happened?” Rainbow Dash groaned. “A Pinkie Pie from the future turned up and showed me proof that I was supposed to die yesterday. When I went back to the clouds, a unicorn was there waiting to try and kill me, but I stopped it, then I found the future Pinkie Pie dying where I’d left her, and she gave me another feather to ensure the events took place.” Twilight shook her head. “Is that even possible?” “I don’t know, you’re the one who knows about magic.” Rainbow Dash replied. “It would be so good if it was,” Pinkie Pie chimed in, “because I could gather a dozen Pinkie Pies from different futures and throw a timey whiney partay! And all future Rainbow Dashes and Twilight Sparkles and every-everypony would be invited!” At this point, Pinkie was wiggling her hooves while floating in the air in excitement. “SPIKE!” “Yes Twilight?” “Find me a book on time travel theories.” “Ooh! Does it have a chapter on inviting future selves to parties?” Pinkie questioned Twilight while Spike ran about, eventually coming to a point on the shelves where the book could be. “I don’t think it’s here right now Twilight.” “Of course not, silly,” Pinkie Pie exclaimed. “It’s right here.” They all looked at her as she looked down at a book. “Time Travel Paradoxes and theories, no author.” Twilight used magic to lift the book in front of her. She skimmed the pages looking for the facts she’d need. Having seemingly found them, she read aloud. “It is possible to prevent a paradox or a loop with an item carrying a spell to prevent them. Even if the timeline returns to normal, if it is preventing a loop or paradox, the object can still exist simply by the potential break in time and space that could result in its destruction,” Twilight looked up at Rainbow Dash, closing the book, “it’ll be very important to keep that feather in one piece. If you like, I can keep it safe here.” Rainbow Dash smiled and opened her left wing. She hadn’t understood a thing Twilight had just said, but it sounded like it was a good thing. The feather fell softly to the floor, and from here, Twilight used magic and took it with her into the basement. She returned a few seconds later. “Right, now I need to write to the princess again about this. It’s got to be something to do with the corrupting element of loyalty.” Spike gathered the materials he required to write the letter to Princess Celestia, while the ponies watched in an uneasy silence. Then, the silence was interrupted. ‘The corruption has spread past loyalty. You will all die.’ The ponies and Spike looked around the library. Fluttershy, being so easy to scare, had moved as fast as physically possible behind Applejack, while the rest all looked around trying to locate where the voice had come from, fear filling their minds. The voice had been inside, yet it sounded so distant and faint. They both looked at each other, both of their faces filled with fear of the words the voice had said. “We better hurry this letter up, Spike. It seems we are all in life or death situations now, and Rainbow Dash was the first attempt.”