//------------------------------//
// Chapter 17: The Timeless Season 
// Story: More About Time 
// by SilverStar7 
//------------------------------//


"If only.  Those must be the two saddest words in the world." - Mercedes Lackey


Twilight appreciated the sentiment behind Applejack's idea of spending this day together, but she wasn't certain it was wise. Sure, there was no reason the group couldn't spend the whole day having fun, but what difference would it make? 

Besides, there was still more planning to do for tonight... What would she tell to Spike to correct the timeline? What exact moment in time would she go to? And where could Spike hide the time capsule that Past Twilight wouldn't find it? There was no way she could be fully present at a Pinkie Party when, in the not-so-distant future, Twilight had such an important mission at hoof.

Only Pinkie Pie would think of throwing a party when the very fabric of reality is about to be overwritten! And she clearly understands time travel, so she knows everything we do is going to be lost tomorrow. Twilight sighed. It was futile to waste time on this timeline. I need to go plan how I'm going to set things right with my friends. I'm sure... Twilight's thoughts came to a halt as she looked over at Rainbow Dash continuing to be comforted by her friends. Dash was on the floor, Fluttershy's wing around her. Applejack was sitting on Dash's other side as Rarity stood in front of them, continuing to insist that things were going to be okay.

But these are my friends. Even if they won't remember this tomorrow, they're still here today. And then it occured to Twilight how important being present here was... And after tonight, the only thing that's going to remain of this life, this world, this whole universe! Are my memories of it. How could Twilight afford not to be present in this moment?

True, for the rest of her life, whenever she spoke of this day, Twilight would be speaking of a fictitious Equestria. That's how the rest of the world would see it. And, for all intents and purposes, this was going to be a fake reality. Total and complete fic-- No. Twilight resolved. I can't let it fade away. This timeline is worth more than that. My friends are worth more than that.

To her friends, it would sound like Twilight was recounting a vivid dream, but it was a dream she wanted them to hear. Because it was more than just a dream. It was a dream that had come true! Only to be destroyed because of my mess-up... Twilight shook her head. She couldn't do anything about that now. All she could change was what she did next. Maybe her friends could do something with the information to help make their fulfilled dreams here a reality in the other timeline. At the very least, for her own sake, Twilight didn't want to forget this day. So she now had two missions: Reset the past to bring back the old present, and remember the present to try to save as much of this timeline as possible inside her mind. 

"I'm gonna go wake up Soarin'," said Applejack, moving away from Rainbow Dash "I think you two oughtta talk. If you're up fer it, that is."

Rainbow Dash nodded. Her eyes no longer sprouted fresh tears, but her the hair on her muzzle was still stained where they had streaked down her face.


<><><>


When Soarin' arrived downstairs, he immediately went over to Dash and gave her nose a light nuzzle. The mare had managed to dry the tears from her face before her coltfriend showed up. Twilight was surprised that she could stay composed in front of him, but then remembered that, in a previous timeline, she had feigned composure in front of Twilight for a while as well. The unicorn knew it was only a matter of time before Soarin' had to know, but Twilight didn't want to tell him.

She did, however, break the good news. "Soarin'," she said. The stallion looked over at her. "The six of us were able to cast the time spell. I'm going to be changing history back tonight."

Perplexed, Soarin' shook his head. "So let me get this straight: somehow, six of you together were able to cast an alicorn spell, even though only two of you are unicorns?"

"Yep," Rainbow Dash grinned. "Your marefriend and her friends are just that awesome."

Soarin' beamed. "That's fantastic. That means that Twilight can fix everything now! We can have Celestia back!" 

"Yessir! Twilight's gonna save Equestria. We'll have Celestia back, and Twilight will be a Princess. It'll be great!" Rainbow didn't show any obvious signs of discomfort. The mare did not bite her lip, nor did her eye twitch. There was no visible sweat on her forehead. Yet her eyes had betrayed her. For a split second, she had looked out the window instead of looking at Soarin'. A pony without years of experience making quick decisions based on subtle queues from his teammates would never have seen it, but that was the only hint the stallion needed.

His smile faltered. "What is it?" 

"Nothing," Rainbow Dash lied. "Well, except that it's like the six of us are Princesses. Can you believe that? I know Twilight's the one that'll be an alicorn and all, but we... can..." Rainbow trailed off as Soarin's eyebrows rose.

"I know that look, Dash," said Soarin'. "It's the same one you used to give Spitfire when she asked you about a possible injury. Something isn't right. What's the catch in all this?"

Dash tensed up. She tried to open her mouth and let out the words, but, in the end, she turned away and tapped Fluttershy on the shoulder. 

With solemnity, the yellow pegasus filled in for her friend. "Twilight's spell is going to bring back Celestia, but she's also going to have to undo all the other changes she made, and that means Rainbow won't become a Wonderbolt, which means that you two..." Fluttershy gestured between the two ponies, but couldn't bring herself to say anything more.

Soarin's eyes flitted between Fluttershy, Applejack, Twilight, and finally rested on Rainbow Dash's back. "Is that true?" Soarin' didn't doubt Fluttershy, but he needed to hear things from Rainbow herself. When she turned around, one look into her eyes told him everything he needed. Soarin' let out a sigh. "Oh, Dashie," and pulled the mare into a hug.

The silence in the room was awkward and depressing. Twilight couldn't just let it hang. "If you two want to go be alone for a while, that's okay." Twilight insisted. The other friends nodded.

Soarin' and Dash looked to each other. They held a short, wordless conversation. Then Soarin' said, "I think we'd rather be here with you guys. All of us are friends here, and I don't think Dash and I would get anything more out of some alone time than we would spending the time with you." Soarin' smiled and Dash nuzzled her face into his neck. But after a moment, she stopped.

"Well, do you wanna spend a little alone time together?" asked Rainbow Dash, nervously, looking up at Soarin'. "Since, you know, we might not ever get to?"

It took a second, but Soarin' registered what Dash was suggesting and blushed. There was a moment where he seemed to seriously be considering the possibility, but then the stallion shook his head. "No." He then clarified. "It's not that I don't want to, but I don't think this is our last chance." He put his forehead against Dash's. "It was so effortless for me to fall in love with you the first time. I can't imagine that it won't happen again."

"But you didn't fall for me until I got into the 'Bolts," Dash objected.

Again, Soarin' shook his head. "I know we like to say that we both had that feeling during your first training day, but that wasn't when I first thought of you in that way." Soarin' took a breath before continuing. "At the time it was just sort of an idle fantasy, but really, I wanted to get to know you more the day you saved us in Cloudsdale. I had never seen a mare do so much to save somepony. Ponies say they'd do anything to help a friend, but you literally did something that other ponies thought was impossible, just so Rarity and the rest of us would survive. Then, just when I thought I might forget about you, you showed up at the Grand Galloping Gala and saved that apple pie for me." Soarin' chuckled. "It's not quite the same thing, but it definitely reminded me of Cloudsdale. Maybe what I felt wasn't love, but I was definitely crushing hard."

Rainbow's voice held confusion. "You hardly paid any attention to me that night..."

"That's because I didn't know what to say. I didn't know if I'd ever see you again. But here you were, this perfect mare that suddenly showed up in my life a second time. And you looked so beautiful in that dress. I know I was the celebrity and you were the fan, but I was the one feeling nervous."

Following this, Rainbow Dash was smiling and her eyes had slightly misted. Yet the smile on her face faltered after a moment. "But. But I didn't have a crush on you. I honestly didn't feel that way about you until training day. What if we don't get that kind of a chance again?"

"That won't be a problem," said Soarin'. "Why do you think I requested that trip to Ponyville in the first place? And why do you think I put myself down as your training partner on your first day? With the way I felt about you, I made sure we got chances." Soarin' pulled Rainbow into a hug.

Rarity let out a sharp gasp and the remaining ponies looked over to see mascara colored tears rolling down her face. After a moment, she noticed they were staring and looked back at them. "What?" she squeaked. "Isn't that just the sweetest thing you've ever seen?"


<><><>


It was shortly after this heartfelt moment that Pinkie Pie burst back into the library. "I've got cupcakes!" she sang out. "And muffins and brownies and candy and..." This list went on as she set various deserts on the tables in the lower area of the library. Balloons appeared from behind her everywhere she went and, after moving on the the next table, the others could see that the one before had been given a makeover complete with tablecloths and starburst centerpieces.

"Well," said Soarin', trying to bring things back. "I guess you guys are having a party."

"Not just any party!" declared Pinkie as she jumped toward the ceiling to apply additional streamers. "It's a We're-All-Like-Princesses, Twilight's-About-To-Save-The-Future, This-Is-The-Best-Last-Day-Of-A-Timeline-Ever Party!"

Soarin' laughed at Pinkie's enthusiasm. "That's quite the name."

"Yeah, I almost couldn't find a banner long enough for it," said Pinkie, pulling out a roll of paper. "But I did!" She unrolled the paper in question and the name of the party slowly appeared as the paper trailed across the floor, stretching through the entire main hall of the library, and ending just inside the kitchen.

"Better not sneeze on that one, Spike," said AJ with a grin. "It'll take Luna all day to get out from underneath that scroll."

"And I won't be able to find another banner that long. Can you believe that Quills and Sofas only had one of those? Apparently they haven't needed to keep a regular stock of 40 foot scrolls since Twilight left!"

Twilight blushed at that; Spike laughed heartily. Clearing her throat, Twilight said, "Uh, thanks for doing all this, Pinkie."

Fluttershy nodded. "It was awfully nice of you to go through the trouble for this party."

"Yes, dear," said Rarity. "The place looks fantastically festive!"

"That's not the important thing," Pinkie explained. "The important thing is that I brought Mrs. Cake's double chocolate brownies and the chocolate fountain. So now we can have triple  chocolate brownies!"

Spike smiled. "That sounds delicious! The only thing that would make it better would be if I had some emeralds to go with it."

"You mean like these emeralds?" said Pinkie as she pulled a trio of gems out from under her hair.

The dragon stared at this unexpected gift, a single tear coming to his right eye. "There are no words..." Bounding toward Pinkie, Spike pulled the mare into a hug. After several seconds, he attempted to let go, but Pinkie held him tight.

"Six more minutes," she said simply, and Spike gladly complied.


<><><>


The group settled in to Pinkie's party quite easily. Twilight drew on her own habits. In an odd way, it reminded her of the first night she ever spent in this library. Not just because they were having a party, but because she felt like she was running on auto-pilot. As much as she told herself that today was important, there was still a nagging part of her mind that was trying to focus on tonight. And it didn't help that her friends occasionally brought up the situation.

"It's so weird to think that all of this isn't going to be real after Twilight goes to sleep." Rainbow Dash shook her head. "This time travel stuff is so crazy."

"No matter what, though, we'll still be friends," said Rarity, firmly. The group nodded, even Soarin', who frowned at Rarity's thought.

"Sorry, Soar," Rainbow Dash fluttered over and put her wing around him. The two looked at each other. They were not trying to find words; they already understood.

"Oh, I wish I could say I won't forget you," said Fluttershy, looking over at the stallion. "You've been so nice to us."

"Same here," Soarin' put his head to the floor. "You guys have been like a second family to me."

Before this day, Twilight would have given anything to change back the timeline in a heartbeat. Now, as she watched her friends, she saw that the world she created was not such a terrible place. If it wasn't for Celestia's death, she probably could have lived with the other consequences. So what if she couldn't talk Daring Do with Rainbow Dash? And yeah, it would be hard for her to spend less time with Applejack. Owlicious was certainly missed. And being a Princess was certainly important. Maybe she could just tweak something smaller?

Twilight shook her head and herself. I have to do this. Everything has to go back. It's the only way to be sure.

Still. What about all that was gained? Dreams had come true for her and three of her best friends. Surely that was worth saving. I can't save it. She thought. There's too much risk. I mean, unless I--

"No," Twilight said aloud. There was nothing that could be done. This was the only option. Her friends didn't hear her, but she didn't even need to imagine how they felt about the matter. It was already there. It was in the sober expression they bore as they looked at Soarin'. This was a willing, if painful, sacrifice.

Besides, the world was not totally lost. Twilight would have her memories. Of course, they would only be fading memories of a faded existence. Odds were she'd never talk to Soarin' again in her life, at least not in a casual, unofficial capacity. Then again, what if...?

It has to be this way, Twilight told herself again, suppressing whatever thought was coming to the surface. It's for the greater good.

But why did acting for the greater good make her feel so bad?


<><><>


The night was coming to an end.

Balloons had begun to sink to the floor. The snack table had just run out of donuts and the chocolate in the fountain had run out over two hours before that. None of the friends had fallen asleep, but most had retired to cushions or the floor. The gaps between conversations were growing longer.

The mare had kept herself awake in spite of weariness. It was her duty to drink in as much of this reality as possible before its pool dried up. Yet she, herself, was running dry of energy.

"I wish this party would never end," said Pinkie, giving a sigh as she flopped her back onto the floor.

"But it has to," said Fluttershy. "We need Twilight to bring back Celestia."

Rarity gave a grin. "I do look forward to seeing her again."

"That's for sure," Rainbow Dash smiled as well.

Twilight let forth yet another yawn as Luna's moon fell below the horizon. Perhaps she could fight losing consciousness for a bit longer. But Spike prodded her side. "You should get to bed," said the dragon. Twilight glanced at him, then to the others only to see them nodding in agreement. 

It was only a matter of time, Twilight snorted lightly at her mental joke. Standing up from her spot on the floor, Twilight prepared to go to sleep in her own bed.

No more delays.

"So," Twilight spoke with a grim determination. "I guess this is 'goodbye.'"

"All a this is gonna be different tomorrow, ain't it?" Applejack's question was really more of a statement.

Soarin' nodded. "Weird to think we won't remember this."

"Well, for what it's worth," Twilight said. The seven all looked her way. "I'll remember this day for the rest of my life. I promise." It was a small promise, but it was all Twilight had to give.

Ascending the stairs to her room, the unicorn focused her mind on the day after the Summer Sun Celebration. It had been a calm day, she remembered that. A brief break between taking on Nightmare Moon and dealing with the whole Gala ticket fiasco. The only reason she could recall it specifically was that it was her first full day in Ponyville. How could she ever forget something so wonderful?

This day was pretty calm too, she thought as she reached the top of the stairs. But I certainly won't forget it. And maybe they don't have to either. Maybe I could change something else.

When Twilight reached her bed, she stopped and rested a hoof on the covers. This was where this all had started. The first time she had changed history had been in this bed. The first thing that she had changed had been in this library. The whole adventure had begun here. Just like her first night in Ponyville when the girls had gathered downstairs to prepare for facing Nightmare Moon. With any luck, it would end here. Just like it had with Discord and finding the Elements back where she began.

No. That ended on this very bed, Twilight realized. It ended when I remembered my friends from the letters Celestia sent me. And it was only with her friends that Twilight was given this chance to set things right. She finally admitted defeat. I have to put things back. My friends are too important for me to mess this up. She hated the contradiction in that thought. After all, it was her friend's lives that she was messing up.

Pulling back the covers and resting her head on the pillow, Twilight again focused on her first day living in Ponyville. The day after the Summer Sun Celebration, she thought. The day after we defeated Nightmare Moon. Twilight's face scrunched up and a tear bit the side of her right eye. They day I ruined my friends lives and crushed all their dreams! 

That would be her new reason to specifically remember that day.