//------------------------------// // Winding the Pendulum // Story: My Little Chrono Triggers Are Magic // by Pav Feira //------------------------------// 1000 AD Diane’s Square Rainbow Dash bucked the striking pad of the strength test game with all her might. Its projectile flew up and struck the bell, delivering a satisfying ring. “Yay!” Pinkie Pie hopped excitedly from hoof to hoof, cheering her new friend. “Way to go, Dashie!” “Very impressive!” said the unicorn working the game. Using his horn’s magic, he drew another Silver Point on Rainbow Dash’s festival activities card. Rainbow Dash grinned smugly, posing with one leg triumphantly raised. Damn straight. “Ooo! Ooo! I wanna try! I wanna try!” Pinkie Pie charged at the game. She leapt into the air, tilting her head straight up. With a violent flourish, she smashed her head face-first into the striking pad. The game’s bell rang out, signaling her victory. She shook her head rapidly to recover from the impact, then smiled. “Woohoo!” The game operator struggled to find a complement as he presented Pinkie Pie with a Silver Point. “That was very, uh, impressive as well. Most ponies opt to buck with their hooves, though.” Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, and in doing so, she noticed the clock tower in the center of the square. “Gyah!” She leapt into the air and started flying north. “We wasted too much time! I’m going to be late!” Pinkie Pie bounced after her friend. “Hey Rainbow Dash! Hey Rainbow Dash! Where should we go next? How about I watch you fight Gaito again?” “No.” “Ooo, we could see the show at Horstein Buckler’s lab—” “No.” “Orrr, there’s that apple cider guzzling competition! I bet you could—” “No!” “Mmm, yeah, I guess you’re right. If you don’t have a turbo controller, then—” “Pinkie Pie, I’m—wait, what?” Rainbow Dash gave Pinkie Pie a baffled look, but shook her head clear. “Whatever. Look. I’m supposed to be meeting up with a friend right now. It’s really important.” Pinkie Pie’s eyes lit up. “One of your friends?! Oh boy, can I meet them, too? I just love making new friends, and making two new friends in the same day would be CANDY!” She froze in front of a candy stall. Her mouth watered over as her eyes rapidly hopped across the rows of sugary treats. Rainbow Dash scrunched up her face. “Look, we’re meeting right over that way. I’ll go on ahead and you can—” “Hold on! Hold on! This’ll only take a second!” “Ugh.” Rainbow Dash floated over to the stand and crossed her hooves in front of her chest, glaring at Pinkie Pie impatiently. “Oh wow! There’s lollipops and pop rocks and chocolate bars and gummy bears and berry-filled pastries and barely-filled pastries and—” “Nope, time’s up.” Rainbow Dash swooped behind Pinkie Pie, bit down on her tail, and dragged her away from the candy cart. “Come on. Move it. Let’s go!” “Eep! Hey! Stop! Let go of me! Stop dragging me like some foalnapper! Nooo...” She flailed helplessly at the candy cart, trying in vain to grab something tasty. “Just what do you think you’re doing?!” In shock, Rainbow Dash released her bite on Pinkie Pie’s tail, the latter of whom fell flat on her belly with a squeak. Before Rainbow Dash could look around, she felt a familiar tingling sensation envelop her body. Suddenly, she was pulled sharply through the air to the left. “Yah!” she yelped. Just as suddenly, the tugging stopped. Off-balance, Rainbow Dash collapsed awkwardly on the ground. She quickly leapt back up to her hooves, and was met nose-to-nose with an irate lavender unicorn. “Where have you been?” scolded Twilight Sparkle. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you!” “Sorry, Twilight, I’d been trying to...” Looking up, Rainbow Dash noticed that Twilight Sparkle’s horn was glowing with a magenta light. Rainbow Dash had just been the target of telekinesis magic, but this came as no surprise to her. What did surprise her was Twilight Sparkle’s new hat. It was a green dome with a gold riveted border, covering a large section of her purple, highlight-streaked mane. Her right ear was completely hidden by a gold plated shell, which had both a microphone and an antenna protruding from it. The thing that stood out most to Rainbow Dash about this helmet was how incredibly lame Twilight Sparkle looked in it. “I like your hat,” she said, failing to keep a straight face. Twilight Sparkle scowled, ignoring her friend’s attempt to change the topic. “You were supposed to help me demonstrate my new invention today, remember?” “I was?” Rainbow Dash asked, raising an eyebrow. “The invention I’ve been working on for the past year? The one you yourself volunteered to help me demonstrate? We went over all of this yesterday at lunch?” Rainbow Dash stared blankly. Twilight Sparkle buried her face in her hoof. “It’s fine. I expected you to be like this today. And besides, we still have time. We’ve still got a big crowd waiting up ahead. C’mon.” She nudged Rainbow Dash in the direction of her invention. “H-Hey, wait! Twi, I’m sorry. I know you said I promised, and I probably did promise and then forgot, but the Wonderbolts are—” “—are not going to perform for another few minutes,” she said, smiling gently. “And you weren’t planning to perform your routine for them until after their show was finished, anyway. Don’t worry, we’ll have plenty of time. I know that you’ve been dreaming of joining the Wonderbolts ever since you first saw their show a decade ago. I’d never ask you to jeopardize your own dreams in order to help me with mine.” Rainbow Dash smiled back meekly. “Okay, okay. Sheesh, no need to get all mushy, you big doofus. Let’s hurry up and show off your, uh, Super Intentional Derp Turtle-Frog.” “Super Dimensional Warp Telepod.” “Right.” Grinning, they trotted off together towards the invention’s display. “Chocolate covered daffodils, marshmallows covered in cinnamon sugar... ooo! Deep fried hay!” ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ 1000 AD Diane’s Square—Telepod As Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle approached the crowd of ponies gathered in front of the Telepod, they heard a voice drifting above the commotion. “—of the century! No, of the millennium! Just imagine! Instead of having to walk or fly, you could warp across the world in the blink of an eye! Rather than wait for a shipment of apples to arrive in town, get them instantly delivered farm-fresh to your house, on demand! History will remember the year 1000 AD, my friends! I guarantee you, my beautiful daughter’s invention will change the future forever!” “Don’t bother,” scoffed a pegasus in the crowd. “Every one of Twilight Sparkle’s inventions ends up on fire. Every last one.” “Pfft, enough stalling! Teleport something, already!” yelled another pony. The dissenters in the crowd grew louder and more insistent. As Rainbow Dash approached, she saw that the deep blue unicorn at the front of the pack was trying to keep everypony from leaving. “Yes! Yes, of course! The show will begin shortly. We’re just waiting for—” Night Light gasped. “Twilight Sparkle! Fillies and gentlecolts, my daughter has returned and... yes! Yes, she tracked down our assistant pony. Who’s ready to see the fireworks?” The crowd cheered and stomped a round of applause. Twilight Sparkle quickly led Rainbow Dash up to the device, and nudged her forward. The pegasus looked the machine over in confusion. It was primarily composed of a pair of metallic pedestals with matching awnings. The floor and ceiling of each platform were covered with an array of pale blue glowing lights, one of which was starting to burn out. Each platform was connected to a nearby terminal with a myriad of wires and tubes. There was a small puddle of oil underneath the left platform. The air was permeated with the smell of burning ozone. Yep, Twilight definitely made this, Rainbow Dash thought, sizing up the machine. At least it looks slightly less... explodey than normal. “So, uh, Twi?” she asked as she was being shoved onto the left platform. “What exactly do I need to do?” “Just stand right here, on the transfer pad.” “Okaaay?” “All systems on!” Using her horn, Twilight Sparkle activated the controls on the right console. “Begin energy transfer!” Her father followed suit on the left console. The Telepod came to life with a pervasively loud humming. The lights on the platform glowed brightly, fluctuating in time with the humming. Rainbow Dash felt a tingling sensation. It felt similar to earlier, when Twilight Sparkle’s magic had grabbed her, yet inexplicably different. A few arcs of electricity danced around in the air around her. Suddenly, the audience exploded with cheering. “Yes-yes-yes-yes-yes! It worked! IT WORKED!” Twilight Sparkle bounced excitedly in front of Rainbow Dash. She glanced nervously at her friend, then back at the crowd. “Ahaha... Yes, of course it worked, exactly as intended.” She grinned sheepishly. Rainbow Dash was thoroughly confused. “So, is it over? Nothing happened. Wait, I thought you were standing over by the other platform. Why are you over here now?” From behind, Pinkie Pie threw her foreleg around Rainbow Dash’s back, causing the latter pony to jump in surprise. “Oh, Rainbow Dash, don’t be silly! She didn’t move; you did! See? First, you were over there,” she pointed to the left pad, “and then zip, now you’re here!” She giggled, fishing out another piece of licorice from the bag in her hooves. “Wha—Pinkie Pie? When did you get here?” “Yes indeed, fillies and gentlecolts!” said Night Light. “Our assistant’s molecular structure was torn down, digitally encoded, wirelessly transmitted, and programatically reassembled at the other end. In layman’s terms: teleportation! Let’s hear another round of applause for Miss Twilight Sparkle!” The crowd was happy to oblige. Pinkie Pie’s eyes lit up. “Hey, can I try it too? Can-I-can-I-can-I?” She raced over to the left platform, looking expectantly at Twilight Sparkle. “Huh? Rainbow, is she a friend of yours?” Twilight Sparkle smirked mischievously, nudging her friend in the ribs. “Hey, how did you pick up a cutie like her?” Rainbow Dash glared daggers at her friend. “For the last time, I’m not—” “I’ll be right back, Dashie!” Pinkie Pie danced energetically on the platform. “Woo! Yeah!” Rainbow Dash stepped down from the Telepod and trotted out into the crowd to watch. Twilight Sparkle and her father returned to their posts, initializing the device for a second run. “All systems on!” “Begin energy transfer!” The machine whirled back to life, complete with its humming, flashing, and smoke. As before, lightning bolts tore through the air around the platform. Pinkie Pie looked down expectantly at herself, awaiting her teleportation. Her expression shifted to confusion when the electricity coursed through her necklace. “Huh? What’s happening with my necklace? It’s—” “Yah!” Night Light yelped as the electricity formed a circuit between Pinkie Pie’s necklace and the two Telepod consoles. Warning klaxons sounded as the Telepod’s lights and readouts flashed erratically. He screamed over the din, “Shut it down! Twi, we need to shut it down!” Before father or daughter could react, Pinkie Pie disappeared. Her necklace clattering to the ground. With a forceful explosion of air and energy, an oscillating black and violet sphere materialized between the Telepod’s two platforms. Several spectating ponies screamed and braced themselves against the wind emanating from the sphere. Rainbow Dash’s and Twilight Sparkle’s eyes went wide with horror as Pinkie Pie reappeared, not on the Telepod’s second platform, but within the swirling vortex before them. Pinkie Pie reached out a hoof toward Rainbow Dash and opened her mouth as the sphere collapsed around her. The pony and sphere both vanished. Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash turned to look at each other, mortified. A few ponies in the crowd stood up, murmuring to each other, trying to make sense of what they had just seen. Night Light, quickly regaining his composure, locked a forced grin on his face. “Ah, s-she’s vanished! Quite a magic show, eh folks! Thanks you so much for attending! Please enjoy the rest of your day at the Millennial Summer Sun Celebration!” Confused yet sufficiently satisfied, the crowds began to disperse. When enough of them had left earshot, he dropped the facade and turned back around. “Twi, what just happened? Where is she?!” She frantically flipped through her notebooks and a research manual that she had brought along in her saddlebags. “I don’t know. I don’t know! Obviously, the electromagnetic phase distortion reacted to the positronic quotient of that necklace, which amplified the flux multiplier. But that bizarre energy reaction... I’ve never seen anything like that!” A distant voice rose from the trees behind them. “Ponies of Sugardia, without any further ado, we present to you: the Wonderbolts!” Rainbow Dash jerked her head and turned to look. The show was starting. Her show. Her one chance to grasp her dreams. “Well, can we get her back? What do to do?” Night Light asked his daughter. “I just need to figure out what that vortex was. Oh, horse apples! I didn’t pack any books on spatial irregularities in my saddlebags!” She furrowed her brow, tapping her forehead with her hoof. “And I know that I’ve seen that pony before, somewhere. But where? Ugh, we just need more time.” Rainbow Dash could hear wild cheering from the distance as the Wonderbolts started their performance. She closed her eyes. I only met that pony an hour ago. I have no idea what just happened to her. I have no idea if she’s even alive still! I need to get over there and prove myself to the Wonderbolts. I need to stick to my plan. She looked up into the sky. Right? “I’ll try to hold down the stables here, in case anypony starts asking questions,” said Night Light. “That should give you enough time to run back home and grab your books.” “Okay, I’ll hurry. I’ll grab a few reference guides and some materials to—Rainbow?” Slowly and deliberated, Rainbow Dash leaned down and picked the necklace up with her teeth. Stepping onto the Telepod’s platform, she turned around and stared at her friend. Twilight Sparkle was awestruck; she had never seen Rainbow Dash look so determined in her life, not even with Wonderbolt-related matters. “You... you’re serious, aren’t you?” “I only met that pony an hour ago. She’s kinda annoying, she screwed up my plans, and I have no idea what just happened to her. But, she’s my friend,” Rainbow Dash said, teeth tightly clamped down on the necklace. “And I never abandon my friends. Pinkie Pie is all alone, trapped in that weird purple portal thingy, and I’m gonna save her. Even if...” Her voice faltered as she looked to the treeline. Twilight Sparkle smiled warmly. “Rainbow...” “This is insane,” groaned Night Light. He shifted his gaze rapidly the two teenaged ponies. “We don’t know what happened to her. Frankly, we don’t even know if she’s still alive.” He winced at his own bluntness. Twilight Sparkle closed her eyes. “I know it’s incredibly risky, but right now, it’s our only hope of saving her. If we can get the Telepod to react to that necklace once more, then Rainbow should be able to follow after her friend. Then, once I’ve figured out what the hay is going on here, I can bring everypony back. In theory.” Rainbow Dash stomped her hoof on the platform. “You heard Twilight! We’re gonna save Pinkie Pie, whether you help us or not!” Night Light looked back and forth between his daughter and her friend. Their eyes burned with passion; their faces were cold and determined. He closed his eyes and chuckled. “There’s no chance of talking you two out of this, is there?” Opening his eyes, he smiled and nodded. They enthusiastically nodded back. “All systems on!” Twilight Sparkle raced back to her console. “Begin energy transfer!” Night Light’s eyes met Rainbow Dash’s one last time before focusing on his console. The lights underneath the Telepod’s platforms grew dim as the system was strained once more. The humming, once even and soothing, took on a pained and irregular rhythm. Thick smoke billowed from the right console. Most worrying of all, Rainbow Dash didn’t feel the telltale tingling sensation that she had felt the first time she had been teleported. “More power!” commanded Twilight Sparkle, adjusting several levers as her father did likewise. “Release all inhibitors! Give her everything she’s got!” The Telepod groaned in agony. A small fire erupted on Twilight Sparkle’s console, which she frantically tried to blow out with her breath. A few of the light bulbs in the floor shorted and burnt out. The oil puddle beneath the device grew rapidly. Rainbow Dash looked at the failing machine underneath her with trepidation. As if in response to her doubts, a familiar tingle overtook her body. A bolt of electricity shot between the consoles. It danced wildly in the air around her before leaping into Pinkie Pie’s necklace. The space between the Telepod’s platforms tore apart, once again revealing the swirling mass of purple and black. “We did it!” Twilight Sparkle cheered from the sidelines. “Hang on, Dash!” The pegasus vanished, then reappeared within the mass. The waves of distorted space-time rippled around her, pulling her deeper into the void. As she looked out, the hole leading to the outside world slowly started to seal itself up. Her friend’s voice drifted to Rainbow Dash as if from inside a seashell. “Find Pinkie Pie and stay put! I’ll try to find you as soon as I know what went wrong. Good luck, Rainbow Dash!” With that, the outside world disappeared from view. The waves of purple energy fluctuated around Rainbow Dash. A loud rushing noise engulfed her, like storm winds racing through a large cavern. She felt herself being pulled forward by some unseen force. Or was it sideways? Downward, perhaps? For the first time since she was a filly in Junior Speedster Flight Camp, she felt an overwhelming sense of vertigo. She felt as though her vision was falling to the back of her brain, as her depth perception skewed wildly. She closed her eyes tightly and curled into a ball, wishing for the sensation to stop. And then it did.