//------------------------------// // 9. Dragon Time // Story: The Trouble With Time Travel // by Mike the Red //------------------------------// "Your Majesty, I have some unfortunate news," Right Face stated with a hint of trepidation. He had galloped to the Throne Room as quickly as he could after having received the information. Before the Solar Princess could ask him, Galaxy and Amethyst teleported into the room, turned to face the Alicorn, then Galaxy teleported away again, leaving a very baffled teal stallion and Alicorn facing an equally stunned dark purple unicorn mare. "Amethyst Shadow. I thought I instructed you to accompany your foals back to your original timeline," Celestia chided sharply, frowning at the mare. Right Face glowered at her as well. "That was the wrong timeline, your Majesty," Amethyst stated flatly. "I have to return using my own magic, not that of my daughter." "What happened?" Celestia asked. "That timeline is twenty years in the future from when I left -- and that's why I have to go back by myself. I must return to the Archives at once so I may find that spell quickly. I apologize for the imposition, your Majesty," the mare stated reverently. "Right Face? I apologize for leaving you like that -- I'm really sorry." "Don't do it again! There will be consequences next time!" he nearly shouted at her. "You have my word, for what it's worth," she said, lowering her head and her ears. "What is this news, Right Face?" "There was some trouble on that mountain near Ponyville." "This is about that dragon, isn't it?" asked the purple mare. "I probably should have gone with them to face it." "And what do you think you could have done to persuade that dragon to leave its cave?" asked Celestia. "I don't know -- I would have been there for moral support at the very least -- and if nothing else, I know a few of Starswirl's spells I could use against it. I still think we'd better check it out to see what has happened, your Majesty." "Right Face? Do you bring news about the fate of my student and her new friends?" "Yes, your Majesty. They failed in their mission. Do you wish to send a squadron of Royal Pony Forces to deal with it?" "I shall address this matter personally, Right Face. Amethyst, I must ask you to accompany me to Ponyville to ensure that Twilight and the others have not met untimely deaths." "Yes, your Majesty," she said, bowing deeply before slowly approaching the Alicorn, who wrapped her wing around the purple mare, then teleported to the mountain cave area where Twilight and the others had attempted to persuade the dragon to leave. The sight that greeted them was rather grim -- dried blood on the ground, bits of different colored fur, ripped saddlebags and various contents strewn on the ground. As for the ponies themselves, there was not a trace. "Do you suppose they might have made it back to their homes or perhaps the hospital?" Amethyst queried. The dragon snored again, causing the mountain to shake violently. Amethyst jumped as she had been startled by the sound and vibration. Black smoke billowed from the cave. "I am not certain of that, however, that will be our next stop after I have had some words with this dragon," the Alicorn stated firmly before she strode almost angrily into the cave. A few moments passed while a conversation was taking place within the cave, the Alicorn raising her voice at the dragon's intransigence before a few brilliant flashes of white light emanated from the mouth of the cave, followed very shortly by a very frightened red dragon flying away as swiftly as he could. "Let's check on the status of my student and her friends," she mused, wrapping a wing around the still stunned purple mare, teleporting to the Library. The Alicorn knocked on the front door a few times before Spike finally answered. "Princess Celestia?! Um, can I help you, your Majesty?" the little dragon asked, bowing deeply before her. "How is Twilight?" she asked, almost impatiently. "I'll go get her for you, Princess," he said, running upstairs about as quickly as he could. Twilight slowly made her way downstairs, favoring her left foreleg a bit. Her left eye was swollen shut and a fair number of cuts and gashes were visible on her coat. Her horn had been cracked, the top half of it missing. Half of her teeth had been knocked out. "Princess Celestia? I'm sorry I failed you," the librarian stated softly. "Twilight!" the Alicorn exclaimed as she rushed into the library to examine the lavender unicorn more closely. "That dragon must have hurt you like this! Perhaps I should have visited you first to ascertain the extent of the damage. I got him to leave, but if I had known he'd done ... this to you, I wouldn't have been so lenient with him!" "I'm more concerned for Applejack, Princess. She was more seriously injured -- she's at the hospital. Amethyst? What are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to go back to the Castle?" "I did -- I met with my children, who are now grown -- or maybe not -- I need to return to the Archives and find the spell to travel back to my original timeline," the purple mare stated, then filled the librarian in on the rest of the details regarding her trip to the other timeline. "What do I look like when I'm twenty years older?" asked Twilight. "Not much different, Twi. I kinda wish I had been there with the rest of you when this happened. So what about Fluttershy? She was supposed to help you, wasn't she?" "She got scared and left us before Applejack got hurt. We tried to get him to leave, but we failed," the lavender unicorn stated sadly as she hung her head, her ears drooping. "I saw quite a bit of blood on the ground up there -- how bad was it?" asked Amethyst. "That dragon thrashed us pretty good -- we were no match for him. Princess? Why did you send us on that mission?" "Twilight, my faithful student, I am so very sorry for doing that. I was under the impression that it would be another lesson in friendship, an attempt to further strengthen your bonds with the other Element Bearers. The more all of you do together, the stronger those bonds of friendship will become. I believe I may have miscalculated the danger this mission represented and I am very sorry for having sent you on such a dangerous mission," the Alicorn stated softly, lowering her head in an apologetic gesture. "We were very nearly killed, Princess! Applejack's not the only one in the hospital -- Rarity and Pinkie Pie are there as well, and Rainbow and Fluttershy are staying in their houses -- Spike has tried talking to Fluttershy, but she doesn't want to talk to anypony right now -- she's blaming herself for this accident," Twilight explained. "I shall use some healing magic on you, Twilight -- and I will do so for the others. Amethyst, I will take you to the Royal Archives -- and this time, you are not to leave the castle. Do I make myself clear?" "Yes, your Majesty -- but I would appreciate being able to spend a little more time here, if possible --" "You have done enough damage in this timeline, Amethyst. You are confined to the Castle until further notice -- if you attempt to leave again, you will face severe punishment."