//------------------------------// // MLP Loops 108 // Story: MLP Time Loops // by Saphroneth //------------------------------// 108.1 “Oy, cousin!” Gilda shouted, kicking down the door of the Gryphon Throne Room. “Clear out these tossers, we've got business.” “Sod off, Gilda,” the Emperor of the Gryphons replied, flicking a two-talon salute at her without looking. “I'm busy.” Gilda gave the – rather scrawny – petitioners a glance. Then traipsed around behind them, peered over the shoulder of one at his notes, and elbowed him. “Oi.” “What?” the scholarly gryphon replied, bristling, and his friend reached for a pair of sabres in cross-draw scabbards. The element of honesty dropped a bag on the floor. It cracked the paving slab. “Here. Cash. Go implement it, it'll be cool.” The scholar looked from her to the bag, then nodded, and picked it up – not without considerable effort. With his friend helping, they left in haste. “Busy now?” Gilda asked. “Not especially, no.” The Emperor lay back on his throne. “What is it? Need money?” Gilda gave him a look. “I just gave twenty pounds of solid gold to someone wanting to build a geology museum. I am on an expense account you would not believe.” “Not gold then...” the Emperor sighed. “Did I forget your birthday?” “Three times in the past seven years, but that's not the point. The point is,” Gilda made a grand gesture. “I challenge you to a duel!” The Emperor blinked, then shifted on his throne. His muscles tensed, subtly. “Did you make an appointment?” “Nah, just beat up all your guards.” She tossed him a leather wallet. “Here. It's your guard captain's. He's got membership cards in eight different libraries – wonder where he finds the time...” “So, a coup then.” Another sigh. “I wouldn't have thought you as one to try a coup. I thought you liked ponies.” “Yeah, speaking of that.” Gilda turned to the door. “That's your cue, flutterflank.” It creaked open, and a number of spears clattered to the floor. A gryphon that had been slumped against it also fell slowly inside, groaning. Fluttershy walked through the door, wearing gryphon-shaped armour that didn't fit. “Um... okay.” “She's my new guard,” Gilda stage-whispered, then turned back to Fluttershy. “Okay, remember your lines?” Fluttershy nodded, wringing her hooves. “Good.” Gilda pointed at the Emperor again. “I challenge you before the People, before the Empire, and by our shared membership in the Royal Family, for your office and all that it represents.” “I accept,” the Emperor replied formally. “And I say – until the first gryphon yields, or falls unconscious and can battle no more.” Fluttershy raised a hoof. “Er... by right of my position as arms-pony of Gilda, challenger in this duel, I take her place and stand before her.” The Emperor couldn't help but snigger. “Very well. I will beat your... guard... in your place. Seriously, Gilda, you've gone soft...” “Yeah, whatever.” Gilda stepped back. “Go easy on him, Flutters.” A pause. “Relatively easy.” Another pause. “Well, you know, don't maim him or anything.” Fluttershy nodded, giving off a little squeak noise. Then turned to the Emperor, and abruptly transformed into a forty-foot-tall Tyrannosaurus Rex. “Roar,” it said courteously. “...huh,” the Emperor said, distantly. “Never knew they could do that.” “Flutters is kinda talented,” Gilda replied. “And, by right of conquest, we crown thee Empress of the Gryphons.” The upper council of dukes bowed. “What is your first command, my liege?” asked the Grand Duke of the Central Plains. “Um... can I have some mint tea, please?” Gilda sniggered. “I've been trying to get that to work for so long.” “Really?” the former Emperor asked, checking his side for bruises. “It looks like your guard just knocked you out as well as me.” “Well, yeah, my original plan was to get Flutters on the throne.” Gilda shrugged. “The tricky bit was doing it legally.” 108.2 “Here you go, dear,” Spike announced, revealing from behind his back a bale of cloth. “Um... thank you, Spike,” Rarity replied. “What is it?” “It's Weave.” Spike held it out. “Go on, try it.” Rarity held out a hoof, and let a trailing edge of the cloth play over her foreleg. “It... feels most peculiar. What-” she paused. “Did you call it Weave?” she asked, horn lighting up. “Yep.” Spike grinned. “...it's the original weft, as well,” she breathed, a potent scrying spell backscattering rainbow light across her muzzle. “How on Faerun did you get this?” “Eh.” Spike shrugged. “I did Midnight a favour, she got me some of Mystryl's original. Turns out a Great Wyrm is really useful during the interregnum.” Rarity felt the soft material again, holding it up to the light to let it iridesce in the glare of Celestia's sun. “Well, well. I can see many possibilities for this. What's the occasion?” “It's your one-hundred-millionth loop!” the purple dragon announced. His wife frowned at him. “...I doubt that.” “Unless you can prove otherwise, I'm maintaining that it is,” Spike countered. Rarity put the Weave down carefully, trotted over and poked him – eliciting a giggle. “You just wanted to do something nice for me, didn't you?” “I admit nothing-” Rarity poked him again. This time he giggled a bit louder. “I know exactly where you're ticklish, Spike, this isn't going to end well for you!” Rarity announced, smiling broadly herself. “I'll never talk!” “Don't count on it.” Rarity tensed, then pounced, and delighted laughter rang through the Boutique. “...yeah, I'm thinking we go to your place, 'Bloom,” Sweetie Belle said apologetically, lowering her hoof from the door knocker. “Best to leave those two to it.” “Sure,” the earth pony filly agreed readily, and both of them traipsed back over to Scootaloo's cart. “We really need to get the clubhouse built,” Scootaloo volunteered, as she kicked off. “What's keeping you, AB?” “I want this one to have an escalator. Made entirely of wood.” Applebloom shrugged. “It's a project.” “Hasn't that been done?” Scootaloo asked. “Nah. I mean the engine, too.” 108.3 Bilbo Baggins sighed. “Okay, what this time?” The tall woman wearing a travelling cloak winked at him. “I am Leah the Clear, and I wish to recruit you on a-” “Yes, yes, we've all been here before.” Bilbo opened the door fully. “I assume you're an Anchor?” “Yep.” Leah walked in, and put her staff down. “Nice place.” “Thank you,” Bilbo replied. “Tea?” “Oh, yes please.” “So,” Bilbo asked, some time later. “What else is different? Or have you not gotten word yet?” “Oh, I have.” Leah smiled mysteriously. “I invited them early, by the way.” The door thudded. “Hi,” a short, cloaked figure said. “I'm Spike, and he's Storm.” The other figure waved. Throwing back their cloaks, the two small dragons made a bee-line for Bilbo's pantry. The Hobbit sighed. He was used to it, really he was... it's just that it got trying, sometimes. “Toothless and Draycos,” the next pair introduced themselves. “We heard there was food?” “But we already ate,” Draycos added. “Oh.” Bilbo blinked. “That's... actually quite a new experience.” “We wouldn't say no to dessert, though...” “Of course you wouldn't.” “Don't worry!” Leah's voice drifted through the building. “I've got some spare in my pocket!” “I'm Anne,” “Julian,” “And I'm Dick,” the last of the three added. “I say, your manners are impeccable!” “Why, thank you,” Bilbo allowed. “I do try.” “Just tea for us,” Anne added. “It wouldn't be polite to impose.” “Pray, allow us to enter your fine abode, sir,” the ninth visitor asked, gesturing to his two companions. “I am Corporal Temeraire, and these are Saphira and Spyro.” “The one who's not a jerk,” Spyro supplied. “Actually, that doesn't help tell you apart in the slightest,” Saphira pointed out, chuckling. “...fine, then. Come in come in...” When Bilbo finally got a chance to head to the table, it was to see one werewolf-mage and a round dozen dragons around the table. “Er...” he muttered under his breath. “I think I missed letting you two in...” We let ourselves in, a mellifluous mental voice supplied. I am Mnementh, and my compatriot is Ninereeds. “You know,” Bilbo said, mostly to the air. “I'm getting a sinking feeling about this...” “Evening, little hobbit,” the final arrival said. “So, this is where you live.” “Don't torch it next time,” Bilbo warned. “Or I'll get Gandalf to flood your lair.” “Don't be so confrontational,” Smaug Golden-Scale smiled. “We're all allies here.” “Yeah, about that...” “And so,” Leah concluded, spoiling the effect a bit with a giggling fit, “these thirteen drakes-” “Twelve drakes,” Saphira interrupted. “My apologies... twelve drakes and one dragoness were thrown out of their lair by... this.” Leah put a picture on the table. Bilbo stared for a moment. “...you have got to be having me on.” “No, it's all true,” Spike supplied, sniggering himself. “Thirteen dragons thrown out of Erebor by a gigantic mecha-dwarf.” After a few more seconds, Bilbo turned around. “I'm going back to bed.” 108.4 “Show me another one!” Scootaloo begged. “Certainly.” The adult pegasus fumbled for a moment, then an aircraft of about 30 feet of wingspan bounced down to the floor next to him. Scootaloo jumped forward, wings whirring, and tapped the skin. “Stressed metal...” She inspected the aircraft from all angles. The propeller was noted, the propeller-hub 20mm cannon and pair of 20mm wing cannons raised an eyebrow, and the engine made her blink. “Is this a Griffon?” she asked, muzzle half into the inspection panel. “Almost.” The tan pegasus smiled enigmatically. “Any thoughts?” “Only that you've clearly been messing around with history.” Scootaloo hopped up to check on the cockpit, and gaped. “That's aerial interception radar!” The stallion nodded. “Yep. And check the wing chord.” She duly did so. “Elliptical...” The young Element of Loyalty shook her head. “This thing's got so many of the design elements of a Spitfire that I'm almost tempted to say that it's one of those... but it's clearly not. I know spits, and this isn't a spit.” “Correcte. C'est une S-D 200 'Shrike' Supermarine-Dewoitine.” Scootaloo blinked. “The only bit of that I understood was the word Supermarine.” A pause. “And since when did you speak French willingly, Biggles?” She peered down the side of the Shrike. “And... what the bramble is that roundel? And I don't even know what the hay's up with the flag.” “Well.” The stallion coughed. “I may have discovered how to get the proposal of 16 June 1940 to be accepted nine times out of ten.” The filly just gave him a look. “That might mean something to human loopers, but we're ponies. We're usually too busy being human to go to history class much.” “No, that's quite alright. Actually, no-one's ever heard of it.” Biggles shrugged. “Long story short, when France was collapsing in 1940, Parliament offered to join the British and French nations into one union.” Scootaloo fell out of the plane. “I know!” Biggles grinned, helping her up. “Everyone does that. Anyway, that's where this comes from. It's a model used in the libération in 1943.” “...okay, yeah, you probably win this round.” Scootaloo tapped a hoof on the ground. “Okay, next one. Strangest way of using an aircraft you've seen.” Biggles frowned, thinking. “I did see a jet biplane with reinforced wings used to cut power cables once...” 108.5: Diamond Tiara looked up at her friend. “Okay, this is a new one even for you.” “I'd noticed,” Silver replied, loudly. She couldn't help it – her current body did everything loudly. “Why don't you just... you know, shapeshift?” “'cause I've been going to the school like this for five months. I'd actually be more conspicuous if I changed away from it.” Silver shrugged. The bell rang, interrupting their discussion. “Okay...” Cheerilee looked down at the register. “Scootaloo?” “Here.” “Silver?” A blast of sound that made the windows ring. Inside it could be distinguished a voice saying 'here'. “Snails?” “Here.” The register continued without further incident. “I don't even know what the logic is for you being a Parasaurolophus,” Nyx observed that evening over Crusader Cupcakes. “I think I managed to work it out, actually,” Sweetie volunteered. Silver looked up from her cupcake (dozens of times the size of those for anyone else, on account of her body mass.) “Really?” “Yeah. Duck-billed dinosaurs are kind of misnamed. They actually have spoon-shaped beaks.” “Right.” Silver concentrated, erupted in light, and reformed as a draconequus. “I refuse to be a living pun.” “Plus,” Diamond Tiara added, pointing. “You now have more cake than actual you.” “That may have been a factor.” Silver shrugged, then headed cakewards. 108.6 “Ah, hello Lyra,” Twilight began, approaching her. “It's taken a while for me to find you.” “Looking in the wrong place?” Lyra asked. “More like the wrong loop, actually.” Twilight shrugged. “I know it was just last time around as far as you're concerned, but for me it can actually be quite a long time.” “Fair enough.” Lyra shrugged. “So, what you got?” Twilight paused slightly. “I assume I'm talking to the mad scientist?” “Why does everyone call me that?” Lyra asked, exasperated. “I'm not that crazy...” Twilight coughed. “Maybe not by Trixie standards, but that's still not precisely sane. Besides, with her it's partly an act.” “Okay, point taken.” Lyra winced. “Is it possible to win an argument with you?” “Yes,” Twilight replied simply. “...walked into that one... okay. What was it you wanted.” “Right.” Twilight took a breath. “Lyra. If the option became available for you to become an alicorn, would you take it?” Lyra blinked. “Whoo, that's a big question. I'm... not sure, actually. Can you give me more information?” She looked at Twilight, just to see if – despite her large subspace pocket – the other unicorn was somehow concealing an alicornification machine behind her back. “Is this a now-or-never thing, or what?” “Oh!” Twilight shook her head. “No, it's not something that's got a time limit. It's not really something that's got a time, per se. It's more... if the option comes up for me to steer you into ascending, do I take the option or not?” She tossed her head. “I like to make sure that things like that have the full consent of the pony in question.” “Right, right. Hold on a sec.” Twilight waited patiently. “So, what do you think?” the sea pony asked. “I don't know, myself...” “Yeah, it's a big step,” the unicorn agreed. “I... I think it wouldn't be a good idea, at least not yet, because we're still feeling our way into being us in the first place. And, well, as far as I can tell becoming an alicorn would mean I'd be the one affected.” She shrugged. “I wouldn't want that.” “Huh, interesting view,” the 'other' one said. “I don't know, really... what about you?” “Be a winged unicorn pony?” the human asked. “I think it'd be awesome!” The other three rolled their eyes. “Seriously, though,” she said, jumping down off the 'bed' in their shared mindscape. “I'm all for it. It's not a joke, I know that, but I think it'd be a useful experience that might help to reconcile our personalities.” “Now, see,” the sea pony said. “I don't know if I want us to reconcile our personalities, at least right now. I'm... just not sure. But...” she thrashed her flippers, sending metawater everywhere. “I like you guys, and I like having me to talk to. I'm not sure how we'd cope if we were one personality again, to be honest...” The unicorn nodded. “Good point.” The one currently in charge of their shared body looked around at them. “No consensus, I take it?” “Looks like not,” the sea pony confirmed. “Okay. Vote?” “For,” the human girl said. “Against,” the sea pony replied. “...I guess, yeah, mermare's got a point, and I was thinking that way anyway. Against,” the unicorn said. “And I genuinely don't know,” the miscellaneous Lyra finished. “Okay. I'll let Twilight know.” “Well?” Twilight asked. “I'm in three minds about it,” Lyra informed her. “The one who says yes is outnumbered three to one, though.” “Okay.” Twilight nodded. “I'll remember that. The offer remains open, though.” “I figured, thanks.” Lyra paused. “Hey, how would it work if I said yes, anyway?” Twilight smiled. “I'd wait long enough it wasn't in the front of your mind any more, then try to get you, a major adventure and an Element or other catalyst in the same place at the same time. And yes, it has to be a long time, because if you're trying it doesn't work.” “Huh.” Lyra absorbed that. “Interesting...” 108.7 (Kris Overstreet) Twilight trotted into her Canterlot tower library, ready to begin another baseline Loop. "Spike! Spiiiike!" A purple dog with green fur on its ears scrambled up to her, tail wagging furiously. "Um... what? Spike?" The dog barked happily, bouncing up to greet his mistress. "O.... kay. My assistant is a dog, and not Awake this Loop." Twilight took a moment to run her hoof through doggy Spike's fur. "I should learn to check Loop memories even in baseline Loops." "I beg your pardon, Mistress Twilight." The voice was a bit high-pitched, refined, and had a musical accent to it. "I thought you might have wanted me for something, but I see you were just greeting dear little Spike." A dragon waddled out from a side room bearing a birthday gift. Unlike Spike, this dragon was brown, nearly spherical, wearing a cardigan, and looking through pince-nez glasses perched on the tiny beaklike muzzle that clung to his large, broad face. "Er... Ah... Owlowiscious?" Rainbow Dash leaned against the gargantuan bulk of the green elder dragon and shrugged. "Yeah, all our pets are dragons this Loop. Of course Tank couldn't get much more awesome anyway, but I think he's enjoying himself." "You know, we've never got confirmation that he's Looping," Twilight pointed out. The smile on Tank's immense beak made the Mona Lisa look naif. His vocabulary made Big Mac look garrulous. Twilight decided not to waste her time trying and failing to get the lowdown now. Rarity sat to a long, slender white wyrm who stared at the other ponies and dragons with silent disdain. "Perhaps not all of our pets have changed. Gummy doesn't look any different." "What do you mean, he doesn't look different? Isn't it obvious?" Pinkie Pie pointed dramatically at Gummy's forelegs. "Gummy's thumbs are a whole quarter inch larger!" Gummy blinked his wall-eyed blink, shook, and belched out a brief fireball. "Oh, yeah," Pinkie added offhandedly, "and there's also that." "I'm sorry I'm late," Fluttershy murmured, walking up with a picnic basket on her back. "I had to get the birds to finish their rehearsal quickly so we could have this meeting. And then Angel-" The white dragon accompanying Fluttershy was more or less shaped like Spike, except for long, tall ear ridges instead of Spike's smaller ones. "THERE YOU ARE!" he shouted. "You have NO IDEA how long I've been waiting for this day! Would you like to guess how many HUNDRED THOUSAND LOOPS it's been since I had one where I could TALK?" The Looping bunny-turned-dragon cracked his knuckles and grinned a buck-toothed grin. "Sit down and get comfortable, jerks, because I've got a LOT of things I've been saving up to tell you..." "You know, I don't think I've ever heard of a Loop being crashed by sheer profanity before." Twilight sipped her drink and contemplated the astounding synergy of curses, maledicta, obscenities and f-bombs (and c-bombs, d-bombs, s-bombs, and in fact every letter from a to z-bombs) that had destroyed what looked like a fascinating Loop. "Well, I'm sure Angel has learned his lesson," Fluttershy said. "He's going this entire loop without the cherry on top of his salads. No cherries for potty-mouths." Angel Bunny, seated between Fluttershy's forehooves, crossed his forelegs and sulked. "Oh, do stop sulking and drink your Shirley Temple." 108.8 (Snakes Shadow) Twilight, as per normal, Awoke in front of her book in the gardens of Canterlot. She was about to check her loop memories when her book caught her eye. It wasn't the normal book on Equestrian mythologies. It was a history of Equestria, and open to a timeline. 1500 years ago was the defeat of Discord. 1000 years (Minus a few days) was the banishment of Luna as Nightmare Moon. 800 years ago, The Plague started. The line for the plague continued to the current day. Twilight checked her Loop memories. The Plague had an unknown source, but was magical in nature. It seemed to invade through a pony's cutie mark, warping the pony's special talent, driving them insane and eventually causing their death. Celestia had found a stop-gap measure: a cutie mark suppressor spell, much like the branding spell used by Celestia in that horrible slaver Equestria loop but without punishment triggers or additional mental effects, blocked the acquisition of a cutie mark thus preventing the plague from attacking the pony, yet still allowed active use of a pony's special talent. It wore heavily on Celestia, however. Hundreds of unicorns had the task of raising the sun and moon because Celestia could not. Twilight walked to her rooms, deep in thought. She was so deep in thought, she managed to trip over an invisible seam in the carpeting, crashing to the floor outside of the council chambers. She stood up and was about to continue on her way when Celestia's thundering use of The Royal Canterlot Voice passed clearly through the closed doors. "She hatched a dragonet from a DEAD Dragon's egg! If anyone can end this plague, it WILL be her!" Then nothing. Celestia must have gone back to a more normal tone of voice. ...Wait, Spike's egg was dead in this loop? She had to check something. Twilight made a mad dash for her rooms. "Spike! SPIKE! Where are you!" "Over here, Twi! Why didn't you send out a ping?" "Too busy! Where's that information on Princess Cadence?" "Umm... Here. Why?" Spike handed Twilight a slim sheaf of paper. She immediately looked through it, searching for the information she needed. There! "We are in a baseline loop with one exception, a plague that started eight hundred years ago. The only pony to survive the plague un-branded was Princess Cadence, who ascended into alicorn-hood. It's going to take some doing, but we're going to make every single pony on this world into an alicorn. Hopefully at the same time." Only then did Twilight check for other loopers. With the exception of Celestia and Luna, everyone was there. Good. Then she cast a spell that hopefully would tell her if there were any guest loopers. ...Nothing. Twilight honestly hoped that there were no visiting loopers, because this one was going to suck until she got everyone to ascend. Twilight then started on two plans: One to show Celestia, and one that had all of her foreknowledge. 108.9 (elmagnifico) Macintosh poked at his drink. He really didn't know what to do with this conversation, and it wasn't like he could really commiserate with a robot-armor-necklace. The hard part, he'd thought, had been convincing Applebloom to part with Cookie without arousing her suspicions. In the end, he had decided to err on the side of honesty, and told her he just wanted to get to know the device. A holographic display lit up, projecting over the featureless carapace the shimmering visage of a filly that held superficial similarity to Applebloom, but with facial structures more associated with the old families of Canterlot. "Does this make it easier?" "Eeyup." With that settled, Macintosh looked Cookie's avatar in the eye. "So, yer a projection of tha' personality that overwrote Applebloom's for that Nightmare Night loop ah've heard so much about?" Cookie nodded. "Affirmative." Macintosh continued. "And since then, ye've become like an advisor to Bloom, tellin' her when an idea's bad, listenin' when she needs to talk, that sort of stuff." "Indeed." "And, based on how it was explained to me, you're made out of a piece of Applebloom's soul, much like one of the Elements are part of who ma sister an' the others are." "Yes." There was a moment of silence, before Macintosh broke the tension with a smile. "Well, you got a bit of Applebloom in ya, so I reckon that makes you an Apple, even if yer friendship with mah sister didn't. Next everyone's Awake, we'll see about gettin' you a proper welcome-to-the-family party." The smile faded. "But before that happens, ah want to ask you a favor, Cookie. Apple to Apple." Macintosh continued, his voice slowly rising from a whisper to a determined enunciation that made up for lack of volume with the emotion behind it. "Applejack is fine. She's grown up, an' probably more stable than ah am. She don't need me. But Applebloom's different. Or she was. She was mah *little* sister. Now, this whole time thing has got it so's she's probably ten times mah age by now. An' that hurts. Ah can't always be there for Applebloom, jus' bah dint of how the loops work. Ah know it's not good for me to hold her hoof every step of the way, but it's also mah responsibility to be there when she NEEDS me." There wasn't a tear in his eye. That was clearly some of the cider foam that had popped and gotten there. He wiped it away. "So, ah want you to keep doin' what yer doin. Be the older sibling ah can't, because I can't be sure to be there when she needs it." The silence stretched for a bit, before Cookie broke it. "I will." Macintosh sighed. That was a relief. "Mah thanks to you then." He opened his mouth to end the conversation, but closed it abruptly. He had remembered something. "Oh, and since yer a looper too, and family besides, don't hesitate to come to me ifn' you've got problems you want to get off yer chest. Or hard drive. Or whatever you've got." Cookie responded with a nod and a small smile. Their conversation concluded, the avatar dissolved into the shimmering fireflies associated with a dispelling hologram, the armor folded up into a necklace, and Macintosh picked Cookie off the counter and brought her outside the bar. Applebloom and her two friends were there, talking about sisters or somesuch, and as Mac strode over to the three Crusaders he flipped the necklace to his sister, who looked a bit concerned. "Everythin' okay Mac?" Macintosh sighed, not sure how to reply, until something caught his eye. It could have been a trick of the light, but he was sure he saw the gem glint just a bit, a wink made of light. A ghost of a smile played across his face. "Eeyup." 108.10 (novusordomundi) "I've got a jar of dirt!~" Pinkie sang as she her way through the central of Ponyville with said jar of dirt balanced on her head while passing a confused Twilight Sparkle. "I know I'm going to regret asking this, buy why do you have a jar of dirt on your head?" Pinkie stopped and turned towards Twilight, the jar staying still. "Well, I was with Sparrow last loop, and after a "We Captured The Black Pearl Again" Party, he gave me a few of them from his Pocket. As to why it's on my head, I just felt like putting it there." Twilight considered this for a moment. "Anything special about it?" "Nope. Just a jar of dirt." Pinkie shrugged. "Want one?" "Why not?" "We've got jars of dirt! Whee!~" Rainbow Dash looked on from her cloud as both Pinkie and Twilight were trotting along, jars of dirt balanced on their heads and singing about the fact that yes, they do have jars of dirt. Then she just shrugged her shoulders. "Eh, not the strangest thing I've seen them do." 108.11 (Hubris Plus) Trixie opened the door to her wagon with a sultry smile. It was her first night in Ponyville for the Loop and, even though Chrysalis usually joined her on the road, it wasn't unheard of for her to get caught up in hive politics for a few days. Her expression froze as she saw the grey pegasus waiting outside. She blinked once, and then again. Nope, still Derpy. Her marefriend would occasionally pull something like this, but she liked to think she'd gotten a handle on the Changeling Queen's tells over the course of their relationship. Unless she'd been practicing this disguise in particular for awhile, it probably wasn't her. "Oh. Um, hi, Derpy," she said after reassuring herself that it really wasn't a shapeshifter making a late night call. "Hiya Trixie!" The pegasus answered, glossing over the awkward silence with typical cheer. "You wanted to talk to me?" "I did? I... Oh, oh, right! You got my message, then?" The Equestrian Loopers had taken to mentioning anything they wanted to get to Derpy to her unawake self. It didn't always work, because there was no guarantee she'd remember a specific Loop, or remember them in the right order. It was, however, the only alternative to using Twilight as the Loop's de facto answering machine. "Yep!" She agreed as she stepped inside. "So what can I do for you?" "Well, you see, a while back Trixie had an Exalted Loop," the performer explained. "Oh, and you want some tips? No problem, I've got loads of them. The thing I think a lot of ponies overlook is-" "No, no," she interrupted. "Trixie was wondering if you've ever... Forgotten how to make it work?" "I'm... Not quite sure what you mean?" "Well, one Loop Trixie was experimenting with applying the non-lethal Charm to my fireworks, and the next I just... Didn't know how." "Hmm..." The delivery mare tapped a hoof against her chin. "What were you doing with the fireworks?" "Trixie just thought it would be nice to show off a few of her more spectacular pieces to an audience that can't ascend. Nothing really dangerous," she assured quickly. "Just bright enough to strain the eyes more than would otherwise be wise, but I set them off at night and by morning the Charm made it so the damage never happened. It was nice," she added. "Being able to cut loose a little on ponies who hadn't seen it all before." "Alright," Derpy replied with a sombre nod. "I think I know exactly what went wrong. Can you check your Pocket for anything you didn't put there?" "Um, sure," Trixie answered with a note of confusion. She spent a moment doing some metaphysical rummaging before drawing a small white card from her Pocket. 'This account's access to the Exalted Power Set has been restricted. We apologize for any inconvenience.' "What." Trixie deadpanned after reading the note. "Twilight said it was an automated system," Derpy explained. "Exalted needs to be kept stable, which means Loopers have to pass through, and some of them are going to get Exaltations. Those stick around because they touch on the soul, but Loopers hitting Limit Breaks would be... Bad." She placed a consoling hoof on the unicorn's shoulder. "You were gaining Limit, Trixie." "But Trixie... I... When?" "You put the show before the audience, and that's not really you. You might have known it wouldn't really hurt them in the long term, but it still counts." "I... I suppose I did," she answered after a moment. "Is there any way to get it back? I could be more careful." "Maybe. Would you want to use it for anything else?" Trixie cocked her head as she considered. She'd long since hit explosive yields that could crash Loops, so the sheer power wasn't a selling point. There were a few other tricks that could be useful, but... "No, I suppose not," she admitted. "Then no sense worrying over it," Derpy told her with a wide smile. "And if you ever do need a Charm or two, you can always come to me." "I just might take you up on that," Trixie answered with a grin of her own. 107.3 continued (FanOfMostEverything) One of the perks of alicornhood — in this Loop, at least — was that food and sleep were not strictly necessary. As such, Celestia had been more than able to spend the better part of a week curled up in a fetal position on her bed, staring at nothing. "Princess?" An ear flicked. Aside from that, Celestia didn't move. Her eyes had begun itching around day two, but she'd gotten used to it. "Princess, it's Twilight Sparkle." Of course, she had been eating beforehoof (hand?), but a few careful teleportations took care of the inevitable. The sun acted as an excellent incinerator. "Please, Princess Celestia. Luna's worried sick. I'm—er..." Celestia found herself imagining Twilight's blush. Poor, innocent filly. Girl? Had she once had hands? Was "Twilight Sparkle" really her name? "Celestia, I'm coming in, whether you open this door or not." Had she always had that determination? Had she tried to stop Discord and failed? No, it was unlike the draconequus to let anypo... anyone forget his victories. "Tia, get up. You're making a disgrace of yourself." Celestia found her body obeying automatically. Twilight had quite the maternal tone of command when she wanted one. Surprising, to say the least. Had that always been the— "Tia, whatever you're thinking, stop. Look at me." She did so, looking at the muzzle she remembered, yet couldn't help trying to picture as something else. Then she noticed another muzzle. "Twi — " Celestia grimaced. She could choose not to thirst, but her throat still dried out. After a conjured glass of water, she tried again. Her voice was still rough, but recognizable. "Twilight, who is this?" The other unicorn knelt. "Your Highness. Twilight told me about what Discord did. I will be more than pleased to aid you." "Aid me? Aid me how?" A cloud of smoke erupted from the mare. A taller, thinner form rose from it, nearly eye level with Celestia. "My name is Lyra Heartstrings. I'm an anthropologist." 108.12 (Masterweaver) Cutie Mark Magic was subtle, powerful, and rarely encountered outside Equestria. Twilight knew this. The infinite loops seemed to love just screwing her over with variants and odd fusions. Twilight knew this as well. So, in retrospect, a loop where the cutie mark could actually be physically manifested should not have come as a surprise. But as Rainbow Dash zipped by using her multicolored lightning like a rocket, she could only stare in bemusement. "Hey Twi." Pinkie floated over, suspended by her balloons. "You try this gimmick yet?" "According to my loop memories I actually have a court order not to." "Makes sense, I guess. Oh, one of Fluttershy's butterflies sent me a message, apparently Applejack is hosting a picnic – her cutie mark regenerates. I asked Rarity if she would come but she decided to try digging for gems with her diamonds..." 108.13 (Masterweaver) "Berry, Brain Bleach. Now." The bartender looked up at two almost-identical grey pegasi. "Oh hello. Mac hasn't even set up the bar yet, what's–?" "I'm Ditzy," said the one with the purple mane. "I'm Derpy," explained the one with the yellow mane. "We're married," Ditzy clarified. "And we both just Woke Up," Derpy finished. Berry blinked. "....alright, brain bleach it is." 108.14 (Masterweaver) Twilight awoke, felt an all too familiar absence of body, and gave a psychic groan. "Oh, not this again..." "Twilight, why am I a gestalt intelligence of a hive mind of alicorns?" "Welcome to the Wastes, Trixie. First of all, I apologize in advance for the loop memories–" In a moment of perfect timing, the two minds were assaulted with recollections of their predicament. Trixie recoiled for a moment, her whole being flinching briefly. "What the birch?!" "Yeah. Um–" "No, nevermind. Preawake, wasn't you. It's just..." Trixie floundered. "We're two hundred years late! I thought this wasn't supposed to be possible, I mean, early beginnings yeah but–" "This isn't our home loop." Trixie paused. Then she selected a couple of bodies, offering one to Twilight. "Right, if we're having this discussion let's do it outside the mindspace?" The purple alicorn shrugged, stretching the limbs as she settled into the form. "Oh, that feels good. Sorry, where was I... oh! You remember the Crash, right?" The blue alicorn sighed. "Yes, I remember the Crash...." "You know how it started because one universe tried to jumpstart another?" "Yes..." "Well, a while back Sleipnir approached me with a request that Equestria do that for another loop," Twilight explained. "See, apparently the loop started off pretty bad, in terms of environment, and there was enough damage that it would need a linked anchor system anyway, but the admins figured with our talent for, you know, healing loopers, we could intro the new anchors and keep them sane. After I studied up on the loop I talked it over with the ponies Awake at the time and eventually me and Fluttershy agreed to help out. Things went well and all, it's just..." She gestured around vaguely. "For some reason the fused loop ended up being THIS history and now it's a legitimate variation or something." "Oh." Trixie pondered the implications. "Okay... so, what do we do now?" "Well, one of the first things I usually do is stage an internal coup and then station alicorns around the wasteland..." 108.15 (Masterweaver) Twilight Sparkle suddenly exploded. After a few seconds, her friends looked around at each other in confusion. Applejack hesitantly raised a hoof. "Ain't tha loop supposed ta crash if she dies?" Rarity nodded slowly. "There are two explanations I can think of. She's not dead, for a given value of dead, or we have another Anchor somewhere." "Huh." Rainbow Dash prodded the ash. "Hold on a sec." She closed her eyes. Then Rainbow Dash exploded. Pinkie blinked, stared at her necklace, and slowly put it down. She trotted to the other side of the room. "Alrighty, laughter power, basic test." Pinkie Pie exploded. Rarity and Fluttershy shared a look. Eventually, Fluttershy coughed. "Um, Applejack, could this be some sort of illusion?" "Oooooh no." Applejack threw her necklace out the window. "Ah'm not gonna blow up using mah Honesty powers." Rarity sighed. "Back to square one, I–" Rarity exploded without warning. Fluttershy stomped a hoof with a frown. "That's not fair, she wasn't using her element!" Applejack groaned. "Great, so we're doomed any–" Fluttershy exploded quickly. Applejack stared. Applejack finally exploded. "...well," Twilight managed. "That was... bizarre. Anybody have any idea what's going on?" There was a general chorus of negative answers. "Oooookay then." The unicorn looked around the white room they were in, noting the panel construction. "If I had to hazard a guess, Aperture is doing weird experiments and we got caught up in it. Play it straight or alicorn bulldozers?" "Play it straight," Pinkie suggested. "More fun that way." 108.16 (Kris Overstreet) Normally, when Loopers from other worlds visited Equestria, they were left within their comfort zone, whatever that happened to be. On one extreme, Rincewind never set foot out of the library except to buy potatoes (1). On the other hoof, there were visitors like Bruce Wayne, who sought out the dangers of Equestria to the point that Fluttershy had to open a special asylum for the frightened monsters of the Everfree Forest.(2) But very, very seldom did a visiting Looper get dragged along on an otherwise baseline adventure. Lucky Number (such was his pony name, this Loop) was a special case. "Ladies, if you please," he said as the six Element bearers guided him up the side of Smoky Mountain, "I would like to point out that my vast experience with dragons, as you put it, is in fact vast experience with ONE dragon. Furthermore, I never do any serious harm to him. It's Bard the Bowman or, on occasion, Gandalf who do for him. I am quite frankly out of my depth where it comes to dragons from other worlds." "We're not asking you to slay him," Twilight replied. "We just need him to move someplace else for his century-long nap, so Equestria won't be covered with smoke." "We'd normally handle it ourselves," Rainbow Dash added, "seeing how we're just that awesome. But we wanted to see how a classic adventurer like yourself would handle it." "You get picked once by a wizard with a whim, and everyone believes it's your career," Lucky Number grumbled. "Oh, very well then. But without a magic ring or elvish blade, I can't promise it'll be very entertaining." At the entrance to the cave, the visiting Looper added, "No hidden side door? I thought not. Why make it easy on a poor old hobbit?" Despite his grumbling he walked forward into the cave, stepping right up to the dragon's hoard. He picked up a handful of jewels and let them fall back to the ground with a clatter. The dragon woke with a start, eyes open and almost instantly locked on the curly-maned Shire pony in the waistcoat. "I trust I have your attention, good sir dragon?" Without more than a beat of silence he continued on, "My name is Lucky Number. By trade I am the premiere green-grocer for Ponyville, second only to Filthy Rich in my dealings with ponies near and far. By profession, however, I happen to be a burglar, or professional treasure hunter if you prefer that sort of thing." The dragon's growl, and the lowering of its head to the pony's diminutive height, indicated that it did not prefer. "You needn't be terribly concerned, dear chap," the pony continued. "I wouldn't give tuppence for most of this. I have been requested by the noteworthies of Ponyville, and of Equestria in general, to remove only one thing from this cave. Once I have removed the one thing I shall depart, leaving the rest behind." "You think," the dragon's deep voice echoed, shaking the cave, "that you're going to take ANYTHING from this cave and leave it alive?" It lowered its head still further, until the tip of its beak was level with the pony's muzzle. "What IS this 'one thing' you intend to take, then?" "Why, this," the pony said, reaching a hoof up to touch the dragon's jaw. A few moments later Lucky Number walked out of the cave. The smoke had ceased. "I trust my services are no longer required?" he asked the six ponies. "That's a... novel... way of solving the problem, but..." Twilight shuffled her feet. "We was expectin' somethin' more... creative," Rarity added. "More acrobatic!" Pinkie Pie grinned. "More hilarious." Rainbow Dash nodded. "Less disturbin'," Applejack grumbled. "You let him out of there right this minute, mister." Fluttershy's voice of disapproval was almost as good as the Stare. "Oh, very well," Lucky Number shrugged. "I suppose he's learned his lesson by now, at any rate." He reached into subspace and pulled out the dragon, which lay curled up and trembling on the cliff before the cave. "How... how did you do that?" it asked, its rumble shrunken to a quavering whisper that still echoed off the mountains. "Secret of the trade, my good fellow," the pony said, straightening its waistcoat with dignity. "Now, since I have removed the one thing from the cave, I do hope it shall not be necessary for me to remove it again. I recommend you pack your bags immediately, down to the last jewel-encrusted handkerchief, and find new lodgings quite a long way off. Because I shall be back this way in a few days to check..." The little pony put a hoof on the dragon's jaw and guided it so that dragon eyes looked into pony eyes. "And next time you shan't hear me coming. I trust I am making myself clear?" The dragon nodded meekly. "There's a good chap. Off you go, then," the pony said, removing his hoof. The dragon, frantic to get away from the pony, scrambled into the cave. A few moments later the sound of frantic shoveling echoed from inside.(3) "And that, ladies, should take care of that," the pony said. "You seemed rather calm through all that." Twilight cast an eye at the visiting Looper. "Especially after all that talk about your limited experience with dragons." "Well, yes," the pony admitted, "and when I tried that trick with Smaug(4) it didn't end so well. But I have found it very effective with most goblins of my acquaintance. And bill-collectors, too, come to think of it." Bilbo Baggins set off back down the mountain, calling back, "I believe we may be back home in time for tea!" "And I missed him?" Sweetie Belle moaned. "Of all the Loops to not be Awake for!" "Well, he did leave you a gift," Twilight said. "Gandalf told him about your special Loop, and Bilbo was quite impressed." The purple princess slid two red cases containing manuscript books across the table to sweetie. On one the spines read, in Westron: There and Back Again; Translations From the Elvish, Vol. 1-3; and Appendices, Maps, Familes and Other Notes. Manuscript copies of the Red Book of Westmarch were fairly rare even among Loopers. The other red case had four books, with no marking on the spine. Sweetie Belle withdrew one and opened it to the title page: Songs of the Ponies, as Rendered in the Elvish Modes by B. Baggins, Volume 1. Below this, in a less careful, more personal hand: A copy, as a Present to a great singer who did NOT badger a guest into confronting a dragon, unlike CERTAIN OTHERS. - B. B.(5) "Twilight," Sweetie Belle asked, "is there something I should know about?" "Yeah, well," Twilight said, rubbing her mane nervously, "there's a reason he gave me a copy of Archery And You instead..." (1) Except for one memorable encounter with an unAwake Discord, recounted elsewhere. (2) By the time Fluttershy, fed up with the whole situation, went to Wayne to tell him to cut it out, he had vanished. He was last seen that Loop riding the Tatzlwurm out into the depths of the Badlands. (3) The dragon spent quite some time afterwards tracking down Equestria's master thieves, trying in vain to learn the trick. His anxiety was by no means eased when his hoard mysteriously increased by one-seventh part not long after he found his new residence. Eventually some other dragons put him to bed with a dragon-sized glass of warm milk and told him to chalk it up as yet another reason Why We Do Not Mess With The Ponies. (4) It was an accident. Bilbo wanted to avoid using the Ring whenever possible, so he decided to build up his subspace pocket by stealing more of Smaug's hoard every Loop. Then one Loop he stole the entire hoard at one swipe... and the sleeping Smaug along with it. Fortunately Gandalf had accompanied the Dwarves to Erebor that Loop, and was on hand to resolve the situation the next time Bilbo had to open said subspace pocket. When Smaug later began Looping, Bilbo decided not to relate this story to him... in particular, what the dwarves had done to his jewel-encrusted chest.(6) (5) Bilbo wasn't particularly annoyed at Twilight and her friends, but he did enjoy using presents to make a point. His Farewell Party, whenever he could have it, was usually his favorite part of his baseline Loop for that very reason. (6) That loop the gates of the Lonely Mountain gained a very impressive, glittery, and somewhat morbid colonnade. 108.17 (Gym Quirk) Gandalf the Grey took a moment to collect his thoughts as the new loop formed. Early September, 1401 Shire Reckoning. Ah. Bilbo's Farewell Party... though I usually have just the one-pony cart on this trip. Then again, the usual pony wasn't bright pink. Nor was it azure. But the two hitched side-by-side before him were just those shades. "Trixie is not sure if she likes how this loop is starting," said the blue one. "But we're on our way to a party!" enthused the pink one. "A double birthday party! Woohoo!!" Now fairly certain as to the identity of his companions, the wizard looked back at the larger-than-usual load of fireworks in the wagon bed. A noise from ahead caused him to turn back to see the pink one cheerfully working on what appeared to be a 16-tube Multiple-Launch Party system. Oh dear. I wonder if it's too late to make a run for the Grey Havens... 108.18 (novusordomundi / Fanofmosteverything ) "Twilight." "Yes, Rarity?" "Why do your eyes look like..." A sigh cut off the rest of the sentence. "I don't know why my eyes are in the exact shape of the Caspian Sea, Rarity. And the only reason I know that is because of my Loop memories." Rarity paused a bit, searching her own memories. "Ah... Mine seem to be Lake Erie." "Yep. I'm already writing a list of the different shapes I see this Loop." Twilight pulled a checklist out of her saddlebag, letting it unfurl. "I've already found 36 different types of eye shapes, in variable amounts. All bodies of water, which at least keeps it constant. But since it doesn't seem to affect vision, I'm not too worried. Only thing odd is Derpy's eyes." "Oh? What do they look like?" Twilight let a small grin form on her face. "Same as they always do." Twilight took in the landscape. "Okay, I'm sure there's a perfectly reasonable explanation for this." "Well, it was actually pretty easy," said Derpy. "I just had to put up a big enough entropy bubble and walk forward a little." "I was actually more interested in the 'why' than the 'how'." "Oh, that." The pegasus shrugged as the new, perfectly oval Everfree Lake filled in from the river. "I didn't want to be left out." Twilight facehoofed. "Well, at least Steven Magnet seems to be enjoying himself." 108.19 (Detective Ethan Redfield) Twilight failed to realize something was different about the loop until Cadence's Wedding was upon them...or more specifically there was no wedding. At first, she thought Shining had forgotten again, but when she hit Mac's Bar in frustration, she found Cadence sitting at the counter, tears in her eyes. The element of Magic stroked the Princess of Love's mane as she cried out, "Shiny is married to his work!" Twilight blinked. This was new, "Oh...Cadence, I'm sorry. You want to prank him for standing you up?" Cadence sniffed, "No, he really got married to his job. I even have wedding photos as the best mare before waking up." A set of photos appeared on the counter, showing Shiny in a tuxedo and his armor decked out in a wedding dress. Apparently he even had cake, and still never told Twilight. A week later, Shining found himself frozen feet first to the top of Celestia's throne room. 108.20 (Zetrein) "...Certain warriors came to Pandora in droves, to uncover its hidden secrets. Some would call them adventurers. Others call them insane. But I... call them Loopers. Our story begins with them, and with a man named Handsome Jack." The four Vault Hunters were having a little meet and greet on the train, as they rode to whatever meeting place this Jack guy was bringing them. Everything was going well, until those boxes in the back turned out to be robots, and that whole "Welcome, to your doom" sign. As the blue pony went out the door, and the black one went out the roof, the yellow and purple ones started running down the train car. Sliding under the robot's gunfire, the yellow one threw a box at the ceiling, where it clamped in place and deployed into an auto-turret. Spying a rocket launcher, she grabbed it and turned around to fire at another group of robots. Everything seemed to freeze, for just an instant. Applebloom, as the Engineer. As she Woke up, pulling the trigger, Applebloom blinked. "Did I just get a character splash screen?" After she finished shielding herself from the explosion, the purple one smirked as she lifted the surviving robots in her magic. Twilight Sparkle, as the Mage. Waking up herself, Twilight threw them through the wall, and turned around to tell Applebloom. "Yes, you did. I just had one too, did you see it?" As they spoke, the blue one swung back into the car. Pulling out a pair of Torgue-built weapons, she set about exploding any robots still moving. Trixie, as The Great and Powerful. Trixie considered what she was doing as she Woke, and proceeded to continue what she was doing. Meanwhile, atop the train, three humans were looking for the last Vault Hunter. That is, until the one in the middle shoved the other two off the train. She Awoke in a flash of green fire. And Chrysalis, as The Face. After considering the oddity she Woke up to, Chrysalis decided to think about it after she got back inside the train. And sorted out that whole "someone's trying to kill us" thing. As the three ponies, and one changeling, assembled before the door to the caboose, they couldn't help but notice the music that had been filtering in from somewhere, during the whole fight. "This ain't no place for no hero. This ain't no place for no better man..." "You know, the music and the splash screens make this whole thing feel really surreal." Applebloom commented, as she bucked open the door. The music cut out, as the door flew from its hinges, and they saw the room they were about to enter. As the mannequin in the chair turned around, a new voice came over the speakers. "It's cute that ya'll think you're the heroes of this little adventure, but you're not." Also, the car was filled with bombs. "Welcome to Pandora, kiddos!" Everything went pink, as the train exploded. Reappearing on the ice, they all watched the train cars go flying from the explosion. "Okay, girls?" Twilight began, as the train settled into the snow. "Let's find some cover, and figure out where we are. And maybe where we are on the planet, and in relation to the plot." Lyra woke up, feeling like she had a slight case of Headacheneverendus. While she was very cold, she didn't appear to be in any real danger right at the moment. Naturally, her first action was to start talking to herself. 'Alright crew, sound off! Extremity validation check! Four legs detected.' Thief started them off. 'Independently swivelable ears, check!' Human Lyra giggled in their brain. 'Yes yes, great fun, humans have static ears. Horn, check.' Pony Lyra continued. 'Hey, guys? That little robot that was expositing just noticed we're not dead. Seapony Lyra, for once, was the one paying attention. "...But my friends call me Claptrap! Or they would, if any of them were still alive. Or had existed in the first place! Oh - I've got something for you!" Now that they were paying attention, they all saw the boxy robot that had started talking to them. As they took the communicator Claptrap claimed he didn't loot from a corpse, in spite of looting it from a corpse right in front of her, Lyra decided the polite thing to do was thank him. Or call him on the obvious lie. "My bong is full of minestrone tea!" Or that. 'What was that?' 'AHH! By Yggsdrasil's left acorn, what is that thing?!' 'Okay, ladies, don't panic. I think we just found out where our Loop memories are, and they have a personality of their own.' "There are rutabagas are in my pants!" 'And it's the only one of us with access to the voicebox.' 108.21 (Masterweaver) Context is a great and terrible thing. For instance, Twilight Sparkle leading a charge of humanoid radishes against the villainous trash cat armies of tyrant Rainbow Dash in a Saddle Arabian sandstorm whilst wielding a bifurcated katana... was something that developed logically from previous events. In fact, a number of loopers present, when recounting the tale, would be surprised at the odd looks they received and the disbelief it incurred. But, without context, it was perfectly rational to consider it irrational. 108.22 (Masterweaver) Rarity desperately wished for fingers, just so she could pinch her brow in an appropriate manner. Eventually, she settled for a simple facehoof. "I've had to repair my own cape and hat loads of times," Trixie pointed out. "You really shouldn't be surprised that I could make a dress." "...An. Exploding dress." "Well, yes." The blue unicorn preened as a few percussive blasts ran down her back. "It was simple enough to weave oxygen collectors in the collar and with release runes stitched at various places–" "No. I don't want to know." Rarity sighed. "Today will go down in infamy as one of the greatest tragedies fashion has ever endured..." 108.23 (Valentine Meikin, Masterweaver) Twilight looked up as a pair of unicorn stallions with mostly black coats walked up to her. "My name is Whitman, and my partner here is Blackman," one of them said in a gravelly voice. "I believe that you seem to have a strange belief that ponies are able to meet humans and vice versa..." She looked them over, noting that both of them were wearing sunglasses, and sighed. "So, who are you really? The Stallions In Black?" "We did consider being the Stallions In Neutral, but the initials were counter-productive," 'Whitman' stated, "Now, if you'll excuse me..." His horn then suddenly flashed with some kind of spell. "You didn't see a pair of stallions asking about humans, you saw nothing, and there is no agency named the Stallions In Black," 'Whitman' stated, then walked off, leaving Twilight blinking and looking confused. She was sure she noticed something strange around here... After a few moments, she concentrated and cast a spell. Then she groaned. "Oh for the love of – You two, get back here!" 'Whitman' and 'Blackman' froze. "One: Equestria is a sanctuary loop, intended for rest, relaxation, and recuperation. Two: I'm the anchor, I'm here to help, if you need anything you can ask me. Three: My special talent is magic, I am fully capable of banishing you to the moon, but if you don't do anything that harms anyone there won't be a problem." She snorted. "I'm letting your little neuralizer trick slide, since I know that's how you normally operate, but the fact is that if my memory has been altered I might assume I am under attack by a dangerous foe and react accordingly." Twilight took a breath and let it out slowly. "But I don't want to be a threat. Just... if things go down, let me know. That's it. Alright? This is your vacation, you're not on duty."