"They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself." - Andy Warhol
Sir Isaac Hoovton had noted that for every action, there was an equal and opposite reaction. Twilight knew this. She lived her life with an excellent understanding of the laws of motion in space. Of course, Albert Einstallion had realized that space and time were really one in the same thing. Twilight had not considered how changing Applejack's past would effect Spike because that reaction was not obvious. Still, events were not affected by her understanding, but only by her actions.
If Twilight pushed on the past, the past had to push back, in a sense. Thankfully, there was a limit to how much one trip changed, because she could only get out what she put in. Her fear was that the sum of her changes might someday catch up to her. Future trips would need to be planned in great detail to prevent catastrophe.
When Twilight awoke, she was in a different place. That made sense to her: since she changed Spike's past she would have no reason to go back to the abandoned castle. If anything, she had expected to wake up somewhere else. But where she woke up was strange. It was a bedroom in Canterlot Castle. It took a minute, but the reason became obvious. I must have stayed the night after my conversation with Celestia. I guess saving Spike affected this somehow. It was a little disconcerting that Twilight hadn't considered how this trip to the past might effect the future before she made it, but she needed to help Spike. He was her responsibility and she couldn't just leave him maimed if there was anything she could do about it.
Lifting the covers off herself, Twilight arose and saw that Spike was in a small bed not far away. She smiled as she watched him sleep. It was good to see her dragon whole again. While she wanted to let him keep sleeping, she also needed to talk to him. She just had to be sure that he was okay. The drapes on the window across the room were still shut, so Twilight used magic to open them up and let in Celestia's sun.
The reaction from Spike was exactly what she expected, which also made Twilight smile. The dragon groaned, rolled over to face away from the window, and then sighed, saying, "Alright, alright. I'll get up." Yawning and stretching, the baby dragon got to his feet.
"How are you feeling, Spike?"
The dragon looked at her with bleary eyes. "Tired."
Twilight let out a sigh and a small laugh. Yep, her baby dragon was fully back to normal. But something occurred to her... "Spike, why did you come with me to Canterlot?"
Spike raised an eyebrow. "I guess because I didn't want to be alone in Ponyville. I mean, I thought the deal was that I would be with you wherever you went."
Closing her eyes and scrunching up her face, Twilight faced the floor. Oh great! Because I saved Spike, now he thinks he needs to be with me everywhere I go! He's got some kind of separation anxiety. I bet he hasn't left my side for months! Then Twilight's eyes opened. Sweet Celestia! Did he do the whole "slave for life" thing with me like he did with Applejack? Is he making sure he's always around me just so he can feel like an honorable dragon? She couldn't jump to conclusions, though. She needed more information. Unbinding her face, she looked back at Spike. "Does this have anything to do with those timberwolves that attacked you?"
Spike's look of bewilderment grew. "What would that have to do with it? I've lived with you ever since I was born."
Now a look of confusion appeared on Twilight's face. "What do you mean you 'lived with me ever since you were born?'"
"Well," said Spike, holding up his claw and counting on the fingers. "First, I was born out of an egg when you hatched me with your magic. I lived with you in Canterlot for a while. Then, when you got that assignment to study friendship in Ponyville, I moved into the library with you. And I guess I just wanted to live with you for a third time, now that we're back here in Canterlot."
"Back here... in... Canter..." Twilight trailed off, looking out the window at the city of Canterlot. She attempted to use the breathing exercise that Cadence had taught her, but even that was unable to calm Twilight. Something big had changed. But how? What could saving Spike's tail have possibly done to the timeline?
"What's going on, Twilight?" Spike asked. "How come you're asking me all these questions?"
Twilight looked to her dragon. He seemed more than just uneasy: he seemed scared. It had been hard for Twilight to tell Applejack about what she had been doing, and even harder to tell Rainbow Dash. She had been afraid that Spike couldn't handle the idea of her messing with time. He has a right to know, thought Twilight. I messed with his past. Technically, now that she thought about it, she had changed Spike's past twice. Preventing him from burning her book was the first thing she did. While that one was not intentional, and the results not as dramatic, it did impact Spike. Additionally, it would make getting the answers to her questions a lot simpler.
She had to tell him.
Sitting down, Twilight lowered herself so she was eye level with the dragon. "Spike," she said. "I need to tell you what I've been doing." Twilight took a deep breath as she continued to prepare herself. "I know I told you that the Star Swirl spell we found was just a dud, but the truth is that I've been using it. Every night, for the last four nights, actually."
Spike went from scared back to befuddled, his head leaning slightly to the side as Twilight talked. "What are you talking about?"
Twilight blinked. "Those spells we found in the abandoned castle earlier this week. Remember the one I cast?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about," said Spike, scratching his head. "The abandoned castle? You mean the one in Everfree?"
"Yes," said Twilight. "We went there to see if we could find any information about the chest from the Tree of Harmony."
"I remember the chest," Spike acknowledged, a look of recognition on his face. "And I know we've been trying to find out stuff about it," the dragon then shook his head. "But I don't remember ever going to that ruined castle for stuff."
Twilight flinched, and then facehoofed. Great. In this timeline I never even found those spells! Twilight laughed for a moment. The whole situation had become so ludicrous that she couldn't help herself. I need to go figure things out, she thought. It'll take all morning to explain this to Spike if he doesn't remember those spells. Not to mention she was still nervous about revealing her mistakes to him. So she came up with a lie. "Oh, wow," she said. "I guess it was all just a dream. It just seemed so real there for a minute."
"What was a dream?" asked Spike.
"That I found some old spells in that castle, and um, used one to do stuff," said Twilight, laughing again, this time nervously. "How ridiculous does that sound?"
Spike gave a light chuckle. "Yeah, I guess that is pretty crazy." Twilight gave another fake laugh and smiled at her assistant. Spike then asked, "Are you sure you're alright? You seem, I don't know, off somehow."
"Of course I'm alright!" declared Twilight. "I'm doing great. I just, uh, need some breakfast." The mare began to move toward the door. "Yep, getting some food in me will help clear my head." Then, worried that Spike might follow her, Twilight added, "And, if you want, you could actually get back to sleep. I probably won't need your help for a bit."
The dragon smiled. "Well, I can't say 'no' to that," turning around, Spike crawled back into his bed.
"So, I guess I'll see you after breakfast then," said Twilight, opening up the door with her magic as she backed out of the room.
"Alright," said Spike through a yawn, waving his claw dismissively from beneath his blanket.
After she had shut the door, Twilight turned to face into the corridor, only to be met by Rainbow Dash. The pegasus mare was wearing something akin to a Wonderbolts officer's uniform. "Good morning, Twilight," she said. "Did you sleep well?"
"I suppose so," Twilight came back with a question of her own. "Were you waiting for me outside my room?"
"I guess you could call it that."
"Is everything alright?"
Puzzled, Rainbow looked to the left and right before answering. "It's just that this is my shift. I don't think this schedule is any different from last week. Were you expecting somepony else?"
Twilight was freaking out a bit too much to play this situation cool. She just found out that she now lived in Canterlot. And that she never found the time spell. She didn't have the patience to play twenty questions with Rainbow Dash. "But why does your shift involve waiting for me to wake up?"
"I suppose it wouldn't have to, but it's kinda hard to be somepony's guard if you don't know where they are. Just be glad we don't have to actually stay with you in your room at night." Dash laughed at her own joke.
I have a guard? Twilight thought. Her brain kicked into high gear as she tried to piece everything together. I live in Canterlot and have a guard. Am I a more important princess now? Did my change somehow make Celestia give me more responsibilities? Taking a deep breath, Twilight politely smiled to Rainbow. "Right, well, I guess I'm going to get going now. Thanks for watching over me."
"No problem," said Rainbow Dash. "It's, like, literally my job."
Twilight didn't know if she could correct Rainbow Dash on her use of literally, because watching Twilight might have literally become the ex-weathermare's job since her last foray into the past. She needed more answers, so she made her way down the corridor looking for a landmark that would tell her what part of the castle she was in.
Walking around the first corner, she noticed out of the corner of her eye that Rainbow Dash was floating along behind her. Twilight sighed. "Look, I think I can find my way around the castle. Don't you have to go train for the Equestria Games?"
Dash's eyes narrowed. "Alright, what the hay is goin' on? First you don't remember that I'm on guard duty, and now you don't remember that they cancelled the Games. What gives?"
Twilight's jaw dropped. "The Games were cancelled?!" Twilight coughed and cleared her throat. "Oh, um, right. Of course, I just forgot. My bad." She attempted to get away from Rainbow Dash, but the cyan pegasus flew in front of her, barring the path.
"Hold on! I'm not letting you go until you talk to me."
"Rainbow, I know that Luna has her bat ponies that come with her sometimes, but even they don't have to follow her around constantly."
Rainbow shook her head. "This isn't about my orders anymore, this is about you. What's with you today?"
"Well, what if I order you not to follow me?" asked Twilight. Even though she'd been a princess for a while, Twilight still didn't like to give orders to guards. That said, she also didn't need to be babied.
"We've been through this before. I'm a Wonderbolt. That means I'm duty bound to serve Equestria. Luna ordered us to guard you, and unless you suddenly become a princess, you don't outrank Luna. But even--"
"WHAT?!" Twilight quickly looked at her back and unfurled her wings, only to see and feel that there were no wings to unfurl. How? Why? Saving Spike couldn't possibly have done this! Yet she could not deny her lack of wings. She was not an alicorn, nor a princess. Her mind locked up and only one solution presented itself--the only solution she'd ever had for unsolvable problems during her time in Canterlot. "I need to see the Princess." She tried to run past Rainbow, but the mare again blocked her.
"No!" said Rainbow Dash, firmly. "You need to tell me what's going on. Why are you checking your back like that? And why don't you remember anything?"
Twilight barely heard Dash. The unicorn began to shake in fear and bewilderment. How had she not realized that she was missing her wings? Because I spent all last night without them, she thought. Every time I went to the past I didn't have them. I guess I just got used to that. But what connection could that possibly have to saving Spike. Unless... I never finished my studies! That whole weekend had been killer for her without Spike's distractions, and she had barely finished on time in her version of events. With getting a later start, and Spike being around the house, it seemed clear that she could not have finished reading her assigned books. And without those being read--
"Hey!" shouted Rainbow. Twilight looked at the pegasus, momentarily escaping from her thoughts. "I asked you a question: Why don't you remember anything?"
"I do remember things, Dash," she replied. Twilight sighed and looked to the floor. "I just remember them differently..."
"What do you mean?" Dash asked. It was clear that the pegasus was not going to be letting up anytime soon.
Twilight looked around and saw one of the rooms that was connected to the corridor. It housed one of the castle's many meeting spaces. The large hall could seat dozens of dignitaries around its table, but it would also work well for the pair of ponies to talk in private. "Let's go in there," Twilight pointed to the hall. She was still dazed, but was able to follow her friend into the room and close the door with magic. She found the strength to look up at Rainbow Dash, only to find her friend's face had switched from frustration to deep concern. It took Twilight a moment to collect her thoughts, but Dash gave her the time without interrupting. Twilight wondered if that was her military training keeping her from interrupting others or if the pegasus somehow understood the gravity of what Twilight needed to say.
While Twilight had told Rainbow about her use of the spell yesterday, that probably never happened anymore. If I never found those spells, I'd have nothing to tell anypony about. Besides, she wanted to give the reason for this trip so that Rainbow might understand. "Did I ever tell you about the time that Spike was attacked by timberwolves?"
"I don't know that you told me," Dash said. "But Spike sure did: He said you teleported in out of nowhere and kicked some serious timberwolf butt! He said you were shooting out spells like you were a superhero! It sounded awesome!"
Twilight bit her lip. She had hoped she could start by telling Rainbow Dash the story of that attack. At least then she could delay admitting what she'd done. Still, that was only delaying the inevitable. Besides, if the reaction from Rainbow Dash yesterday was any indication, the pegasus would be more impressed than angry. Taking a deep breath, Twilight began to share the story. "Last night, I changed history."
"You mean, like, time travel?"
"Yeah, I mean time travel." Twilight went on, "In another version of events, Spike lost his tail to those wolves before somepony was able to help him. I went back in time to save him from that attack, and I succeeded."
"Wow!" Rainbow was forming the same grin as yesterday morning. "This is so awesome! You really are like a super hero!" Then she gasped. "So that's how you knew Spike was in the forest!"
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"I wondered how you did that. I thought it might have been related to the whole Mare-Do Well thing--like if you knew some sort of danger detection spell. When I went to ask you about it, you said you didn't know how you knew. You just remembered going and saving him."
That was interesting. Twilight had not considered what would happen to her past self's memories of the events after she returned to the future. If she didn't desperately need to get to the Princess, she would have tried to get more information about the phenomenon.
"Way to go!" Dash gave Twilight a fairly tough shove on the shoulder.
"Thanks," Twilight rubbed the spot Dash had hit. "But I didn't consider all the consequences. Other things changed. I'm not supposed to be living in Canterlot; I'm supposed to be back in Ponyville."
Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
Twilight nodded. "And that's not all: I know it might sound crazy, but I am supposed to be a princess. I was transformed into an alicorn a few months ago."
Rainbow's magenta eyes grew to the size of dinner plates. "Whoa! But why would saving Spike change that?"
"I don't know," admitted Twilight. "But that's why you have to take me to see the Princess as soon as possible."
Dash gave a quick salute. "On it! Let's go!" She took to the air and made for the door, holding it open as Twilight still stood in the meeting hall. Twilight simply cocked her head and stared at the cyan mare. "What are you waiting for? Come on!"
"Why did you believe me so quickly?" Twilight said. "I just told you that I rewrote history!"
Rainbow Dash smiled. "Because it's you." She gestured toward the door. "Now let's go see the Princess."
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Rainbow led Twilight to the Throne Room, but Twilight didn't want her friend to come in with her. Dash wanted to join Twilight, but the unicorn was able to convince her to wait with the other two guards by the door. This was a conversation better had with Celestia. Celestia was the one who gave her the alicorn spell to begin with, and was perhaps the only pony who knew of its whereabouts. She needed to speak to her former teacher first.
Twilight stepped into the room, only to find Princess Luna seated on the throne. That was unusual. It was more common that Celestia would be seated in the throne during the day while her sister would take the throne during the night. Still, she supposed Luna had every right to be there in her sister's absence. Walking in, she bowed before the Princess of the Night.
"What do you desire, Twilight?" Luna asked.
Twilight stood up. "I need to speak with Princess Celestia. Do you know where she is?"
Luna frowned. "I may not understand modern humor as well as I should; I fail to see the humor in this joke."
"Joke?" said Twilight. "What joke?"
Luna's lip twitched. It looked like she was becoming angry. She then shouted, in the Royal Canterlot Voice, "What is this thou doest? Do you come here to mock our sister's memory?"
"Her memo..." Twilight's blood went cold. A shudder ran down her spine. That wasn't possible. It couldn't be possible.