Twenty-three
Scratch
Our group made it back to the village near the docks of the frigid island. I sat against a building, arms crossed, trying to piece together recent events. The Order had pelted Ivoire with raiding attacks, many more than just the two my group and I were able to respond to. The islands were still on their feet, bolstering their defenses, readying themselves for another round, but this initial strike had caused a great deal of damage.
This was no longer a game of cat and mouse. We were not running any longer, and the Order was not playing around in pursuing us. This had gone from the survival of a few to all-out war. The Order saw us now as a threat, not a simple group of pests.
The Crusaders were an interesting group. Scootaloo was the most headstrong fool I had met since myself, but his heart was definitely in the right place. Applebloom was important in all of this, being a dreamer just like myself, Raphael and Dinky. The sooner we could find the remaining two and piece the story of these dreams together, the better. Luna, former princess of Equestria, had hit things off with Raphael quite easily. Sweetie Belle, on the other hand, was having slightly more difficulty. I got the feeling that she fancied me, but I could not respond in turn. I still fully intended to return to Octavia when this conflict ended. Angel was a good man to have in our party as well, knowing the customs of Ivoire better than any of us, as well as being skilled with his weapon. Dinky was a strange case- she was a dreamer, and seemed similar in personality to her avatar in the dreams. Because of this, I couldn’t help but feel a slight pang of affection for her, but it was not my emotion to follow, but that of my own avatar.
I also made a head count of the members of the Order that we knew of so far. Discord, obviously, was a monster and would be nearly impossible to take down. This would not stop us from trying. Number Two was just as monstrous, but with some grit, I imagined he could be defeated. I knew nothing of Number Three, save that she was a good friend of Doc’s. Doc was Number Four. Five, Lucius, was dead. Six was a mystery to me as well.
The blue haired woman we had just met was most likely Seven, and I knew that she would be a major threat to us as well. She seemed to have access to a much less stable mode of time travel, which would either be our undoing, or hers. Stopping her had to be one of our top priorities. She had made it clear to me that she had gone back to endanger Octavia, but when I followed her back through time to Eclipse, there was no sign of her. Nor was there a sign of Octavia or Lyra. Wherever she had taken the two, it was a place I couldn’t reach.
I knew very little of the lower numbers. There was the girl Doc had mentioned in his final message to me, Lenora. The Crusaders told me they had met a few before as well: Tug, who they said was kind; Max, who they seemed to know very little about; and Gilda, who they indicated to be an enemy.
“Hey, Scratch?” I heard Sweetie Belle ask, and I looked up from where I sat.
“Yeah?” I responded, standing.
“I, uh… Just wanted to say that I’m sorry.” she said.
“About what?” I asked, though I had a fairly good idea already.
“Well, about… kind of hitting on you. I didn’t know you were spoken for.”
I shrugged. “Not your fault. I didn’t mention it. I try to keep my mind off of it, since… I might not see her again.”
She gave me a sympathetic nod. “I know what you mean… I’m starting to think I might not see my family again, either. My dad, or my sisters…” She chuckled, but there was no joy in her voice. “Good thing I haven’t found any alcohol in a while…”
I frowned, and put a hand on her shoulder. “It’ll be alright. We just need to get back on our feet, and think of a solid plan. Once we know how to fight them, it won’t seem so hopeless.” She nodded, and with a pat on her shoulder, we walked back to the rest of the group.
“How’s progress on getting us a vessel out of here?” I asked Raphael.
“We’re found nothing so far.” he told me. “Another merchant ship is scheduled to dock here tomorrow, but whether we will be able to ferry passage is unknown.”
I sighed. “We’re stuck here at least until then.”
Scootaloo approached and cocked his head. “Anxious?”
I nodded. “Yeah. I doubt it’s a good idea to stay in one place for too long. Seems like the Order has its way of tracking us, and we endanger the people of this island the longer we stay here.”
“We’ll keep lookin’.” Applebloom assured me. “If that merchant ship won’t let us ride outa’ here, we’ll find someone else who will.”
“Right.” I said, nodding. “Right…. I’m going to step out for a bit. Clear my head.” The others nodded and left to their own business, and I began to move through the village, to the edge of town, and over the first hill. There, I sat down against a rock, alone with my thoughts.
What do we do now…? I thought, nothing coming to mind. We could head back to Monetopia to regroup and resupply, but I think we’re alright for the moment. We might go around and find others who are willing to fight with us. Perhaps speak with other Chromas and leaders of Raven clans… I’m sure that if things get really bad, the Phantom Brave will step up to fight again, but we’ll need more than that this time…
“Scratch.” I heard an unfamiliar voice greet, and looked up. From behind one of the huge icy stalagmites rising from the frozen field, a person in an Order cloak stepped into view. By the voice, and the frame of this person, I could tell it was a woman, and saw a large pair of yellow wings rising from her back. Another Order cloak was slung over her shoulder, but it was slightly off-colored, looking more gray than black.
I rose to my feet, battle discs in hands, but she motioned for me to put them down. “I pose no threat to you. I am your ally.” I didn’t move, confused but still on-edge. “You were waiting for a signal, a sign that it is time to travel back in time and complete a circle. This is the sign.”
She tossed me the extra Order cloak, and I caught it cautiously. She then reached into her own cloak, and retrieved something on a silver chain: the Icarus Charm, exactly the same as the one Sweetie Belle carried.
“I retrieved this from the great ravine near the old castle of Dawn, in Equestria.” she explained, tossing me the charm as well. “You must travel to the days before the second civil war, and deliver it to your friend. Wear that cloak, and the Order will not find you. When you remove it, one of us will be dispatched to find you, and with luck, it will be me.”
She reached up and adjusted her hood, not lowering it, but allowing me to see her face. My eyes widened marginally. I recognized her as the former Wonderbolts captain, Spitfire. She hid her face again just as swiftly. “It’s time. You must convince me to join your cause, or it will be stopped before it begins. And do not be alarmed when I recognize you in the past. I was Doc’s close friend, and knew about you already.”
I nodded bleakly, genuinely confused. Spitfire nodded back, and soon disappeared through a pathway of darkness. Several second passed in which I simply looked at the objects in my hands, after which I adopted a more serious and determined expression. I had a plan again. I knew what to do.
I made my way back to the group. When they immediately asked about the faded Order cloak, I explained what just happened, and my plan so far: travel back six years, deliver the Icarus Charm to Sweetie Belle, then find Spitfire. I didn’t bother hiding her name now, as they all deserved to know exactly who our ally was. Scootaloo was amazed, but thankfully kept his head straight.
“Rainbow Dash is going to follow you from where you meet Sweetie Belle.” Scootaloo advised me. “You might end up fighting him. Hey, hang on, do your battle disc things have the wind enchantment on it yet?”
I gave a confused look and shook my head. “Let me see them then.” he said, taking my weapons and casting what seemed to be a potent wind spell on both. He then handed them back to me. “They’ll return to you after you throw them, now. Dash told us that your weapons were able to do that when you fought.”
I looked at my weapons, impressed. This spell would be useful outside of holding up continuity, as well. “Don’t forget to mention we said Sweetie Belle was a cutie!” Applebloom added. “You did that last time.”
“Is that really necessary…?” Sweetie Belle sighed, blushing slightly.
“Yes.” Scootaloo stated simply. “Gotta make sure everything stays the same. Besides, it’s true.”
Sweetie Belle sighed again, blushing more, and I slipped the cloak over my shoulders and the hood over my head. “Right. I’ll deliver this charm, then let Rainbow Dash follow me to a secluded place to fight. It’ll attract a member of the Order, who will hopefully be Number Three, Spitfire.”
“Sounds right.” Scootaloo said, nodding. “And… be careful, alright? Dash is one hell of a fighter.” I nodded after a moment, surprised to hear this coming from Scootaloo.
As prepared as I was going to be for my mission, I retrieved the Time Tables, and was whisked away to Ponyville, year four-ninety eight.
It was night when I arrived. I appeared in the same alleyway I always traveled to, a place where nobody would notice a person suddenly appear from thin air. I stepped into the streets, and another wave of nostalgia hit me. It had been just over two months since I had last been to this town, but it felt like years. Curiously, I didn’t see anyone else in the streets. Even at this hour, there should have been a few people around, yet I was alone in the street.
I looked up, and noticed a shooting star streak across the sky. A few seconds later, it was followed by another. A meteor shower. I concluded. They’re probably all out watching it, and the best place to do that would be… the bluffs outside town.
I hastily made my way through the town, sticking to the shadows to avoid the gazes of the few people still walking around, and soon broke from the line of buildings. The road became less paved, and I was soon walking along a familiar dirt path. When I began to near the bluffs, I was able to see quite a crowd gathered even from a distance, watching all the lights in the sky.
“Hey!” I heard a voice address me, and a very familiar figure stepped forward from the crowd. She was older and more hardened by battle than when I last saw her, but it was still the same Lyra I had left with Tavi two months ago. My heart sped up; what if she recognized me? What if I ran into Tavi, too? I couldn’t risk that here. “Who are you? What are you doing?” She raised her crossbow, but her finger wasn’t on the trigger.
I calmed. The faded Order cloak was masking my identity just fine. I spoke, trying to alter my voice slightly so that she would not recognize it as mine. “Please, I need to speak to Sweetie Belle.” I told her. “It’s of the upmost importance. I swear I mean no harm... You can even hold me at crossbow point if you have to; I promise there’s nothing underhanded going on. But please, I have to speak with her immediately.”
She glared at me for several seconds, but then nodded. She kept her weapon trained on me, and led me cautiously through the crowd. My arms were raised slightly at my sides, unthreatening, and I felt the Icarus Charm bumping against my side in my pocket. She led me to a place near the edge of the bluffs, where I saw several people I recognized. Some were just from history, ones I had never met in person- Rainbow Dash was hard to miss, and looking around, I also saw the future Queen Rarity, Applejack, and Fluttershy. Younger versions of the members of my party were also present, all sitting on the shoulders of their brother, sister or guardian: Scootaloo, Applebloom, Angel, and Sweetie Belle.
As I approached, Scootaloo was lowered to the ground, and Rainbow Dash turned to see who was approaching. I could see his face shift slightly upon seeing me, aware of the threat the Order cloak implied. Sweetie Belle was lowered next, and she merely looked confused. “You… you want to talk to me?” she asked.
I won’t deny it; looking into her eyes, bright green, big and curious, I noticed a certain beauty about her that I hadn’t before. Maybe it was just the fact that we were fighting for our lives, and I didn’t have time to notice. Maybe it was because this was before life had caught up with her, before she became weary of being in the spotlight, and turned to alcohol. But I understood why I had remarked on her cuteness, and why I was about to have done it.
“Man, your friends weren’t kidding when they talked about you in this time...” I said, lowering myself down slightly to speak with her on the same level. “They will have said you always had been a looker. You’re just as cute now as you will have been then.” She blushed slightly, but still looked confused. “Anyway, aside from that… I believe you may have misplaced this at some point.” I reached into my pocket- slowly, as to not alarm Lyra, or anyone else- and retrieved the Icarus Charm. She eyed it suspiciously, and I could see Rarity beside her doing the same. “Found it in a ravine near here, figured you’d want it back.”
“But, wait...” Rarity began, and retrieved an identical charm from her own pocket. “I have the Charm right here! Is... is one of them a fake? What is this?!”
“No.” I said, rubbing my chin. I hadn’t expected this, but it wasn’t much of an issue. “Neither is a fake. It would seem that you’re going to lose your copy of the charm in the near future. Treat this new one as a replica, until you lose yours. Then the new one will be uncontestably the real one. So, misplace neither, and they will go where they need to.”
Nearly everyone around me was shaking their heads, confused by what I was trying to tell them. I figured that the gist of it had gotten through to Sweetie Belle, though. She would keep track of both, and when the past version was lost, she would bring the future version forward. “Sorry for my intrusion.” I said as I turned to leave. “Please go on doing whatever you were doing.”
I made my way away back through the crowd, and on a whim, turned left along the path. The dirt and grass here had not been disturbed for years, but my feet still knew the way step-for-step. I had walked this path countless times, with Doc, Tavi and Lyra. I soon found myself at the familiar cliff side, the place where we all used to spend afternoons eating ice cream, basking in the sunlight. As I walked to the edge, I noticed a slight glimmer in the grass. A discarded sword. I hadn’t the first guess who might have left it there or when, but I didn’t pay it too much heed.
I stood at the cliff, memories of countless days flooding back, framed by the meteor shower above. Never thought I’d come back alone… I thought sadly. Doc is gone. Tavi and Lyra… I don’t know. Number Seven did something with them, but they’re still here now. But they can’t be reunited with me now, they’ve gone to fulfill their own destinies. They aren’t with me now.
I became aware of a presence behind me. There was only one person it could be, since my cloak still shielded me from the Order’s gaze. “It’s quite a night for a convergence of destinies, don’t you think?” I started, emotions already flowing. Strange, how people can become poetic when faced with immense sadness. “Stars falling form the sky, a hazy outline for our being together... This place... so many memories, floating aimlessly on this cliff side, thoughts that hadn’t crossed my mind in years... Tell me, Rainbow Dash, do you see it too? Do memories of your childhood abound in this place?”
It may have been a bit much, but I thought it appropriate. If I was going to have an impact on this figure of history, I wanted to truly leave my mark. Rainbow Dash was clearly thrown off balance. “Uh... No. If you’re asking if this cliff was a special place for me in the past, then no... But I know what you mean. I do have special memories in places like the Acres.”
“I see...” I muttered. “So it’s only me who has old memories here, me and...” I trailed off, then changed the subject. “So, Rainbow Dash. Tell me this. Was it your boundless curiosity that led you to pursue me, your desire to discover the new things in the world...? Or was it your insecurity, your need to know exactly what happens in your world, that wouldn’t let you allow me to leave without justifying my presence?”
“I make it my first priority to guard this town, and the people I love, from any threat that can be avoided.” he said after a pause, but confidently. “Coupling the facts that a member of The Order showed up right now- and I’ve not had good experience with them in the past- and just waltzes in, talks nonsense and leaves: pal, I’d be surprised if anyone in my position didn’t follow you and try to figure out what you’re about.”
“Hrm... good answer.” I admitted. “I can’t blame you for being wary of the telltale Order Cloak- I am too- and I suppose I did sort of make for the odd spectacle, I’ll concede that much. I wear the Cloak only as a precaution- it acts as a cloaking device for members of The Order, and will hide my presence from them. Make no mistake; I do not ally myself with them in any way.”
His next question was a great deal simpler, yet infinitely more difficult to answer: “Who are you?”
I laughed lightly. “I could go on for hours about my life story, of all the places I’ve been, people I’ve met, things I’ve done, and then you might have some glimmer of an idea of who I am... but I’m guessing you were more in the market for a name?” I turned to face him, lowering my hood. From behind my sunglasses, I could see the rainbow-haired warrior watching my movements, arms hovering at his sides, ready to leap into action. “It’s Scratch.”
“Alright...” He picked up, seeming slightly annoyed that I kept leaving him without threads to grasp at. “How do you know my name? And while we’re on it, what were you going on about with the second Icarus Charm, and all that ‘will have been’ nonsense? Just how do you know all this?”
“Do you truly wish to know?” I said, pausing for a moment. “Very well. I am, in best description, a time traveler. I come most recently from a time six years or so in the future, but I’ve been just about every-when. I know your name, and your basic history, by what history has to say about you. And ‘will have been’ is simply perfect grammar for something that has happened in my past, but will happen in your future, which, in this case, would be her friends telling me of Sweetie Belle’s enduring cuteness.”
I was rather impressed with myself. Rainbow Dash continued to be confused, but I was leading him along just enough to keep him interested. “So do you come from a time when time-travel has been invented? And, if history has something to say about me, then what is it? What will come of this revolution that’s brewing?”
It was a fairly common question, one that most people asked at least once when learning of my ability to travel through time. I didn’t tell many people about it, but those who I did tell usually had the same questions. “No. As far as I can tell, at no point in time will normal humans ‘invent’ time travel for general use. If they did, you’d see plenty of other ‘time travelers’ running around. No, I simply find myself in possession of an ancient artifact dating all the way back to The Crash, which allows its user to travel. It cannot be duplicated or learned from, only used. It has traded hands... twice now? My teacher’s teacher was its first user, then my teacher, then me. But anyway, back to your other question...
“I’m afraid I can’t tell you.” I finished. I could see Rainbow Dash visibly deflate, and I was motivated to explain a bit further to help him understand. “Point is, if I were to tell you, that would be knowledge you were never meant to have. You’re meant to find your own way through this war, and do what you think is right, not what someone tells you is right. That shouldn’t be too out-of-character for you, right? I will say this, though: you will play a large part in Moonlight, and, indirectly, a part in the conflict I now find myself entwined in...”
“Moonlight?” he asked, his voice becoming steadier.
“The revolution.” I answered simply. “Wait, did... did you not give it a name yet?” He shook his head, and I laughed lightly. “Oops... well, there’s a paradox for you. Now you can walk away saying you caused a paradox. It will be called Moonlight, and now I see it’s because of me. Heh...” Deciding I had waited long enough, I shrugged the Order cloak off and allowing it to fall to the ground. “If you’re wondering, I only wore the cloak to avoid detection while returning the Charm to its owner, but now I desire the opposite. A member of The Order will surely have just been alerted to my position, and will be rushing to meet me. Before I leave, it’s important that I meet them here.” I lowered my voice, as I was now only thinking aloud. “Now it’s just a question of when they will arrive, and who it will be... I suppose Seven is still a possibility, but I don’t find that very likely. No, it will likely be either Three or Six, though I’m confident that if it does turn out to be Six, I can take him myself. Best case scenario would be if it’s Three, and I can avoid a fight altogether. I need to speak with her anyway...”
“Hold up.” Dash said, interrupting my repetitive train of thought. “What conflict were you talking about earlier, and who’s to say I’ll only be an indirect part of it? Why not direct?”
I briefly considered how I would answer. At last, I decided to respond with a question of my own: “Do you believe in fate, Rainbow Dash?”
He considered the question. “No, I can’t say I do. To me, fate implies that I have no real control over my actions, and that gives way to being lazy and letting whatever happens, happen. I believe I am in full control of my destiny, making it that much more important to do what I think is right.”
I nodded. “Again, good answer, but... I’m afraid that view is not quite correct. As one who travels through time, I can tell you that there’s no changing what was fated to happen, as whatever has happened in history has already taken your actions into account. If I were to lunge forward and try to kill you, for example, something would cause me to fail, because history did not record you dying this day. No matter how hard I may try, you did not die today, and that cannot be changed.
“Just the same with the conflict taking place six years from now. History thus far has not had you make a direct move to fight as I am, but your actions leading up to it will help me insurmountably.”
“Two things:” Only two? “First, why is it you’re so open to speak to me? It’s not like you’re in a position where you have to answer to me. And second, I don’t believe you when you say I can’t play a part in this new conflict, whatever it is. I’m plenty strong enough, and I doubt I would just sit back and let something bad happen without trying to stop it.”
“Well, I’m mostly talking to you because I have to wait for the Order member to arrive and meet me, and I don’t feel like chasing you off. See... I’m not exactly a good time traveler.” I admitted. “I’m not as emotionally detached as one in my position ought to be, and... I get lonely sometimes. Jumping from time to time is a solitary business, and sometimes I just feel chatty. Nothing personal with you, though you do seem like a cool person.
“And I’m not saying you’re not strong enough to take part in the conflict, I’m just saying you don’t. You seem to be preoccupied at the homestead, but it’s not impossible that you lend a hand by the end. Still... I think it would be better if you remained here, as we’ve already involved a fair amount of people who didn’t have much to do with this anyway.”
“There you go!” I exclaimed. “In the end, it’s my choice, isn’t it? If I’ve still got a chance to help, I will, without a second glance. But you don’t think I’m strong enough to do it, do you? Trust me, I’ve been around in combat, and I know ‘keep as few people involved’ is just an excuse to get the weak guy to stay out of the way!”
I shook my head. It was clear where Scootaloo got his hard-headedness from. “You really don’t get it do you? Well fine, you want me to believe that you can change your fate and take on The Order? Then prove it! Fight me, and prove you’re strong enough!” My battle discs leapt to my hands, and Rainbow Dash made a move to draw a weapon, only to realize he was unarmed. “You’ll find a sword in the grass about a foot behind you.” I said testily. “No trickery about it this time, I just noticed it on my way up.”
Keeping facing forward, he stepped backward until he saw the sword, then snatched it up. He took a brief moment to admire it, then twirled it in his palm to show he was ready. I tossed my discs into the air above me, set them ablaze with blue fire, and when they fell back into my waiting hands, I charged down the slope, straight at Rainbow Dash.