//------------------------------// // 17. Amethyst Makes It Back Home // Story: The Trouble With Time Travel // by Mike the Red //------------------------------// "Galaxy, I am deeply sorry --" her mother began. "How could you? Didn't you know how much I love him? Didn't I tell you about --" "Galaxy, I have been so busy with my pizzeria that I haven't had time to talk to you about certain things. I am very sorry, but I needed to know -- do you think you'd be happy with him if you found this out after you had married him?" The medium purple mare fell to her haunches and began sobbing disconsolately. "Mama, I love him! Now I find out he's my father? You told me Discord was my father!" "Galaxy, I didn't know until Princess Celestia told me herself. I think I remember telling you that it wasn't really Discord, it was somepony pretending to be him -- and that while I was still in Twilight's body, sperm from a royal guard unicorn stallion had been used to impregnate me, not just with you, but with EJ as well. I have reason to believe Right Face is the father to both of you. I am really sorry, Stephanie." "DON'T CALL ME THAT!! NEVER CALL ME BY THAT NAME AGAIN!" she wailed, her sobs wracking the air in the ball room. "I am so sorry, Galaxy. What do you want me to do?" asked Amethyst as she tried to soothe her daughter. "I don't know, mama. I want to be with him! Please!" The dark purple mare trotted over to Twilight. "Can you fetch Right Face for me, for my daughter?" "I don't know, Ammy. I will see what I can do, but it looks like I'll have to see Princess Celestia again." Twilight teleported away again as the purple mare trotted back over to her daughter, who was still sitting on her haunches and weeping silently. "Galaxy, Twilight is going to bring Right Face here. We are going to have a discussion about this," she said softly. "Mama, please -- he's suffered through this ever since he found out! Why can't you just leave us alone? Why did you have to do this to us?" "I am so sorry -- I needed to find out -- do you know how long I've had that uncertainty running through my mind? Never knowing who your real father was -- I should have left the matter alone, Galaxy -- I am so sorry." Twilight returned with a certain teal stallion who flew into a rage upon seeing the purple mare. He galloped towards her, his face contorted in a grim scowl. "How dare you! How dare you show your face here! How dare you summon me here, of all places! Haven't you embarrassed me enough? What have you done to your daughter?" "Right Face. I am terribly sorry for having done what I did -- I felt compelled to find out who her biological father was. I had no idea it would be you! For nearly the past eight years, the only knowledge I had was that Discord was the father to my two foals. Only when Princess Celestia conducted the paternity test did I discover the truth. It was never my intention to cause this rift between you and your love." The stallion pushed his muzzle against hers, glaring angrily into her eyes. "I will never forgive you for what you have done," he growled as he gritted his teeth. "I am doing everything I can to keep from committing violence against you. My hatred for you --" The purple mare sighed very heavily. "How many times must I say I'm sorry? Princess Celestia also expressed curiosity about this matter -- now I wish I hadn't asked her that favor. I am so sorry, Right Face. I didn't know this would happen." "That doesn't matter! You destroyed our plans to marry! Now ... we can never experience true happiness! You should be ashamed of yourself!" he shouted at her. She hung her head, her ears drooping. A certain pink earth pony overheard this conversation and slowly trotted over. "Ammy, you'd better tell me what's going on -- I've been planning the wedding party for these two for the past two months!" the pink pony said, a hint of anger in her voice. As the purple mare related the tale once again, Pinkie sighed in disappointment. She pulled a box of chocolate cupcakes from somewhere and shoved one into the stallion's mouth and another into the purple mare's mouth. She immediately shoved another into Galaxy's mouth, noticing that she had trotted over to join the conversation. "All three of you needed a cupcake break," she said, forcing a smile. "I'm sure we can work something out about this." "Galaxy, Right Face, it is not my business to interfere in your relationship. If the two of you wish to live together, I will not stop you from doing so. Perhaps you can travel somewhere else and get married, if that is what you want. I shall not stop you," Amethyst stated softly. "Right Face, I know you can never forgive me for trying to find the truth, but I sincerely hope that you might eventually do so, for my sake as well as yours." "Come on, honey, we're going home," Galaxy said to her lover, taking him by his left forehoof. He grinned sheepishly as he was led away, the mare muttering under her breath about how much she now hated her mother. "Thanks, Pinkie, I needed that. I'm sorry for having done what I did," the purple mare stated, her head and ears still lowered. "Hey, silly billy! You needed to know the truth -- and you found out. They'll come around sooner or later, don't worry too much about them! Hey, you still have some pizza left, don't you?" "The Gala isn't supposed to start for another few hours -- but the pizza is for the guests. I suppose I could let you have one, though," she mused. "Amethyst, darling, would you please assist me with some more of these decorations, since you sent Brenda back to her home?" asked a certain alabaster unicorn mare. "But of course, Rarity. I apologize for taking her away from you." "She needed to go back, darling, you did what you had to. Even so, I shall miss her -- she was such an interesting creature!" "She's a human and she used to be my wife, Rarity. I will assist you with whatever you need, for now at least. I believe the preparations for the pizzas are complete now." The purple mare helped the other ponies with their tasks in preparation for the Gala, but when it began, she retreated to the Archives for yet another attempt to locate the missing book, though she went without an escort. Princess Celestia was occupied with the task of overseeing the affair and did not notice the purple mare's absence. "Hmm, let me see here," she said aloud to herself. She scanned the shelves once again, going over familiar territory. Upon locating the spot which once had been empty, she exclaimed in jubilant surprise upon finding the missing book. With eager anticipation, she wrapped the book in her pale blue aura and lowered it to her eye level, opening it at random. Amazingly enough, the open page showed the spell she needed. Her eyes went as wide as saucers upon seeing this and a very broad smile etched itself onto her face. "YES! YES! YES! I found it! YES!" she shouted in joy. Without hesitation, she lit her horn with a pale orange aura and cast the spell, her body shimmering within the orange aura as a rune circle appeared, then glowed white with her magic. Her eyes turned solid white with the magic she was channeling into the spell, then her horn lit up brilliant white as the spell completed. Everything she could see turned a blinding white before she was able to adjust to the new light level. She blinked out of existence for a split-second as she returned to her original timeline, still in the Archive. ------------------------------------- "Ammy? I had just about given up hope of finding you!" a lavender unicorn mare exclaimed happily. "I've turned the Castle upside-down looking for you! Where have you been?" The dark purple mare hung her head and started laughing sardonically. "Oh, Twi, if only you knew!" she exclaimed and cantered over to her housemate, giving her a very tight hug. "What has happened to you, Ammy? You're taller than I remember you being -- you've lost some weight, too! How long have you been gone?" the librarian asked, exasperation tinging her words. "Oh, the things I have seen! It's been several months or so -- I met my fully-grown daughter and son -- and I met up with an older version of you and the others, as well as the younger version! I faced Nightmare Moon, I received magic lessons from Luna --" The lavender mare's face lit up in excitement. "Ammy! You've got to tell me EVERYTHING!!" "I will, Twi, I will!" she said as tears of joy trickled down her face and she hugged the lavender mare even more tightly. "Uh, Ammy, a little breathing room, please?" "Oh, sorry, Twi. Should we go meet the Princess to let her know I made it back?" "That's a good idea, let's go!"