The train sped along towards Canterlot, a regular trip for this particular train since being laid down. Transporting everything, and anything, to and from Canterlot to Ponyville and back again. In the main passenger car, Twilight and Colgate sat out and looked toward Canterlot.
"So Minuette, you okay ever since the Changeling Queen took over your mind?"
"Ah ha ha ha, let's not get into that please." she answered, still not completely over what had happened to her.
Twilight smiled nervously and returned to looking towards the city. The shield protecting it powered by her brother had long since been removed, and all damage done by the changelings had been repaired in the days since. As far as most ponies were concerned life had returned to normal but some were still on edge. Before the Changeling attack there had been a incident involving a Diamond Dog who used some old enchanted stone to enslave the Guard and try and take over the Palace, but was fortunately stopped by the Guard themselves and the Princesses. It was if life here in Equestria was getting crazier and crazier by the minute! She read in a paper about ponies complaining about how weird life had gotten, but officials played it off as the remnants of Discords own power still snaking it's way through the landscape to foul up the peace. Twilight herself wanted to believe that, but she and her friends had locked Discord and his power away in stone, forever trapped again. That couldn't have been the reason life was getting strange now a days. As they entered a tunnel she stopped looking and walked over to Colgate.
The blue Unicorn was still unnerved by her previous experience in Canterlot, and Twilight couldn't blame her. Being mind controlled by the Changeling Queen into becoming a evil slave would do a number on somepony. While it wasn't enough to break the temptation of a wedding flowers, it did do a number on all of them. Even know her Brother Shining Armor and Candace had sent a letter about their honey moon in Seychelles that Shining Armor still felt dizzy sometimes. He was the Royal Guard Captain and while he got most of it, he was trained to resist that. Colgate was your normal, near everyday pony and not trained to resist and recover from it. The Doctors gave her a clean bill of health and she went on her way, but Twilight just knew that physically she was okay, mentally she was not.
"So Twilight, where did you find this Scrapper guy?" asked Colgate
Twilight snapped out of her though as she looked to see Colgate looking at her waiting for a answer. She shook her head and took in a breath to speak.
"In a cave. Frozen in ice."
Colgate herself was a little offset by this. Off all the answers she could have been given, it was in a cave. Frozen in ice.
"Oh. That's, kind of random. Why were you in that cave?"
"I thought it was the main cave that was where the founding of Equestria took place in the Hearths Warming Eve. I was wrong, but I did find him."
"He seemed nice. What did he do?"
"He made swords and inventions. That's all I know." said Twilight
"Why does he call himself Scrapper?"
"I never understood why myself. He said he took scrap metal and other parts and made works of art, but I've read allot of art books and never saw anything listed under him."
"Well maybe they haven't been published yet." said Colgate
"That's impossible! he's 1000 years old!" said twilight
"WHAT!?"
"Oh, did I not tell you that?" asked Twilight suddenly figuring out what she did wrong
"He's a thousand years old?"
"Well, probably older." explained Twilight, "He's not a little Filly, he looks older than me!"
"Then why does he not look a thousand years old? is he like the Royal Princesses?"
"No." said Twilight, "He's your average Unicorn who just so happened to be frozen in ice that kept his body from ageing I guess. There may have been a spell thrown in there as well to help."
Colgate sat down taking it all in. She knew Twilight had gone on many a crazy adventured with her friends. Some on Royal Decree, others on their own personal agenda, and now she was on one of them. She just wanted to return this gem Scrapper had left. She picked it out from her pack and looked at it.
"So, what was he doing with this?"
"I honestly couldn't tell you." said Twilight looking at it
A ray of sunshine hit against it and it began to glow and lift up into the air. Twilight and Colgate stepped back as they watched it float in the air and glowed bright with such intensity that it blinded them. The whole train shook as it started to pulse with each moment the sunlight hit it and Twilight and Colgate were knocked down. As they recovered to get it, objects began to levitate by a unknown force. Blankets, beds, even their saddle bags were lifted up and started to orbit around the floating stone. The two scared Unicorn mares held each other and braced for whatever was going to happen as it got continually worse. They could almost hear what sounded like a females voice laughing when the train entered a tunnel and it cut out. The gem fell to the floor and a blanket fell upon it.
"What was that?" asked Colgate
"I don't know." said Twilight, "I have never seen anything like that before."
"Was it like your elements of harmony things?"
"Yes but those were activated by friendship and magic! This was activated by sunlight, you think Celestia would know?"
"Well, I'm already on this crazy train trip, we might as well. I'm not touching that thing though!"
"Here, I'll take it." said Twilight putting it into her saddlebag.
It was still covered in the blanket that had fallen on it as she she closed the bag.
----
"Huh, well that's funny." said Doctor Whooves, "Another vortex!"
he looked all over his equipment and tried to tell what it was using his near infinite Time Lord knowledge and putting it to the test. He ran to every knob, wiggly lever, green squishy thingy, red pushy blob, and a big blue panel he didn't even know why he was going to it, that was panel to tell what time it was. After several minutes of running around trying to find out what it was he sat in the middle of the TARDIS stumped. The readings for the vortex died away leaving the Doctor with nothing to go one but what he saw when checking everything, and the curiosity burning in his rump. Wait, his rump really was on fire! He jumped up to see that he had sat on his Sonic screw driver and activated it by accident. After running around trying to cool off his flank it ended as he looked upon the panel where the signal he originally picked up not too long ago, and the one from just a few minutes ago.
"It doesn't make any sense! It was the exact same vortex! Same everything! Well not exactly it was a reverse in its polarity but it was still the same! What could it be!?"
He went back to try and figure out by doing it the old fashioned way. He grabbed his sonic screwdriver and aimed it toward the control console and readied to fire. he was about to go at it when the door to the TARDIS opened and in jumped a little Filly Unicorn.
"Hello Doctor..... what are you doing?"
"Oh,...huh? Oh, hello there Dinky! What are you doing here!?"
"Sparkler just came back from Sugar Cube Corner! She has cake, cupcakes, pies, muffins! Lot's of muffins!"
"Oh, well I would love to sit and enjoy a meal with your family there Dinky, I have work to do!" said the Doctor as he went back to work
"But Doctor! She brought English Muffins!"
Whooves stopped what he was doing, frozen where he was as he dropped the Sonic Screwdriver as his mouth watered for the particular bread Dinky had mentioned.
"Did, did,..... did you say....... English........ Muffins?"
"Yep! With butter and they are still all warm and toasty!" said Dinky happily
"Well then!" said the Doctor walking out of the door with Dinky in tow, "I'm sure that vortex can wait. No warning sounds or sparks, bah the cloister bell hasn't even rung! I don't need to worry. To the muffins! Allons-y!"
"Yay!" said Dinky as she skipped past
----
"So, this is your new home after the old palace was destroyed huh?" asked Scrapper as he looked around the palace, "Not as humble as the last one."
"Celestia was not the original designer." said Luna "She didn't want it. She preferred to keep it the old way of the regular ponies having their capital, and the Royal Palace separate."
"But the rest of the ponies insisted on the grounds it would make it look like Equestria was still whole. Yeah, I remember that debate before I froze myself. I really wish I knew why I did that!"
"Worry about that later my dear friend." said Luna as she tried to ease her old friend
Just then a Royal Guard rounded the corner and spotted the two. Scrapper recognized him as the Guard who flew him here as he walked up.
"Apparently I'm the go-to pony for you." said the Guard, "Princess Celestia wishes for Scripted Swords to join her for lunch. If you will please follow me."
Scrapper started to follow before turning back to Luna who was still standing there.
"You coming?" he asked
Luna perked up at this and walked up to join them.
"Well, since I wont be sleeping this afternoon thanks to Royal duties, I might as well eat. Besides, if Celestia knows you're here she would love to see you again! Take us tot he room Guard!"
"Great now my job is on the line." grumbled the Guard, "Please follow me your majesty and guest."
He walked them through the hall of the palace to the rear center of it as the other two followed.
"I wonder what she looks like now." said Scrapper
"What do you mean?" asked Luna
"A thousand years ago you were shorter had a lighter color, and light purple hair. Now you're this! A thousand years ago for Celestia, she was probably shorter and had pink hair."
"And we are here." said the Guard, "Pleas enjoy your lunches, I have a desk post to get to and i take my leave. Your Majesty. Uh..... Scrapper."
He saluted to them both and promptly left the scene. A moment later there came a creak at the doors to the Royal Banquet hall. They opened to a bright light which waned to reveal Celestia and all her regal glory as Scrapper and Luna stood there.
"Now she has a flowing rainbow mane. And is also taller. I liked it back when you two were my height! I didn't feel so short."
"Scripted Swords! how wonderful to see you again!" said Celestia greeting him
"The pleasure is mine your highness. Also, just stick to Scrapper. Allot easier in conversations."
"Very well. I see you will be joining me for lunch?" asked Celestia
"Well, seeing I got nothing else to do right now sure why not!"
"That and your house is probably gone too." said Luna thinking
"There's that too." said Scrapper realizing that, "Got any spare rooms?"
"There will always be a room available to a old friend, especially one I thought lost so many years ago."
"Yes and you can thank your student Twilight Sparkle for freeing me." said Scrapper as he sat down at the table
"Why did you freeze yourself in a cave?" asked Celestia before taking a bite from her sandwich
"I don't remember! I actually came here to Canterlot to go through the library to see if I could find some answers."
"Well I hope you do." said Celestia
Just then, a knock came at the door before a Guard entered.
"Your Royal Majesties! Twilight Sparkle and a guest is here!"
"Send them in!" said Celestia, "I wonder what she is doing here? her letter didn't say she was coming. I would have sent a chariot for her as well!"
"I hope I didn't forget something." said Scrapper
Twilight and Colgate ran through the door and stopped in front of the Princesses and Scrapper. Both bowed before them, but both were out of breath.
"Hey! I remember you!" said Scrapper pointing to Colgate
"My dear student, what is it?"
"Scrapper dropped something and Colgate here picked it up and while on the train to return it to him something happened." explained Twilight
"Well, what is it?" asked Celestia
Twilight used her magic to shut all the shades in the room and removed the gem from its covering. All eyes were upon it gazing at it's mystery. It seemed to glow faintly in their presence as if it was near something, but too far away to get power. Scrapper stared into it, and all eyes were moved to him as he got up. He walked around to look at it closer and stared at it closely. After several moments he finally spoke.
"Okay, what is it?" he asked
"We were hoping you could tell us!" said Colgate
"Yeah but I got no idea what this is!" said Scrapper, "Was I carrying it?"
Colgate nodded her head yes.
"Yeah I got no clue."
"I can tell you." said Celestia walking up to it looking at it.
"What is it Princess?" asked Twilight
"I do not know of what power it holds, or what it can do. I only know that it was mentioned to me by Lord Bennett a long long time ago."
"Who?" asked Colgate
"Lord Bennett!" said Luna, "He was a scholar and member of the Royal Court before i became Nightmare Moon!"
"He was also a close friend of mine. I told him to send somepony to free me, but instead I'm a thousand years in the future! Where is he! If he knows, then we need to ask him!"
"Impossible I'm afraid." said Celestia, "Bennett died of age 700 years ago. Unless Scrapper you can do the time travel spell."
"I can but I already used it. I had to get to the cake before.... never mind. Either way, it's only for a short time and he talked din long sentences."
"I remember." said Luna in a flat tone
"There any other way we can time travel?" asked Colgate
"No, I don't think there is." said Celestia
"Wait!" said Twilight perking up, "I may know somepony who can help! He's back in Ponyville though! We need to get to him right away!"
"Can we finish lunch first? I haven't eaten in a thousand years and I'm kinda hungry."
"I guess it can wait." said Colgate eyeing the food, "I've never been at a Royal Lunch before."
"It can wait Twilight. If you're thinking of the Pony I'm thinking, you will have all the time in the world."