Starlight panted, her hooves tiredly trudging across the cloud-stadium. She had to make it in time, she only had a single opportunity to do it- she couldn't come back if she missed her chance. She glanced around the arena, pegasi crowding to see the race between three small pegasi, two colts and a filly. She eyed the filly quickly, recognizing her. Everypony knew the story of the Mane Six, and through this single prevention, would be their downfall. It was too easy, truly- her only obstacle now was time. With the Elements gone- nothing could stand in her way now.
She smirked, holding back her giddiness as her horn charged. The future-traitorous, butter-yellow pegasus waved the starter flag, and the three took off. She noticed Fluttershy tip over, falling off of the cloud, dropped like a rock.
'...good riddance, the traitor...' she thought, enjoying seeing the filly fall to her death.
Then why was her stomach in a knot?
She rolled her eyes, and fired off two bolts of magic, casting them just so, rendering them barely visible. One shot towards the embankment of clouds near the end of the track, and the other towards the ground, below the filly.
'Don't mess with the timeline more than you have to...' she convinced herself.
She payed no mind to Fluttershy, and stared carefully at the embankment, watching the section of cloud her magic had touched. The cloud inflated, doubling in size as it bulged out into the track. A multi-colored blur flew head-on into the cloud, soon followed by a faint groan.
She held in the sudden urge to squeal in joy. She'd done it! She'd finally done it!
Ducking, she quickly bolted, searching for somewhere to privately slip back to her own time period.
Now behind a paraphernalia shop of some kind, she grinned to herself as she charged her horn, disappearing from the alley. After her aura dissipated, not a trace of her was left.
Starlight flashed into existence, appearing in her own home. Except...it wasn't her home...it appeared to be a luxurious castle...
'Well...it appears I've done well for myself!' she giggled to herself.
Banners of every shape and size were hung on the walls of the circular room, some of them were symbols she recognized, others she didn't. None of them were her cutie mark, she noticed. Not a single one was even vaguely related to her.
'How can this be?!' she thought to herself 'I was so careful! I...I...'
Large, thundering steps made themselves known, and she immediately searched for somewhere to hide, she galloped around the room in vain, finding nowhere. The room had no decorations or tables, just four chairs, all perpendicular to each other, forming a square in the center of the room.
'Who could these chairs possibly belong to?' she wondered, panicking as a mammoth of a pony entered the room, easily taller than either of the Royal Sisters. He wasn't gangly or thin, he was about as pudgy and filled out as any normal-sized stallion.
"You do not belong here." he rumbled, his deep baritone rattling her ribcage.
The large pony proceeded to pick her up like a cat would its kittens. She yelped and struggled as his flat teeth dug into the fur of her neck, and she was lifted off of the ground, flailing.
"Unhand me you brute!" she shrieked "I have rights, you know!"
The large pony just gave a confused grunt as he carried her.
The odd pair then came upon a larger throne room, also with four chairs.
'What the buck is going on here...?' she wondered.
Surely...surely this didn't have anything to do with her messing with the timeline? The Elements of Harmony were just tools and a collective pawn to be used by the Royal Sisters, how could all of this happen now? The Elements weren't all that important!
Were they?
The small dinosaur-sized pony dropped her, and he stomped a large hoof three times, shaking the very cobblestone beneath her.
Five more enormous ponies entered the room, alongside them were four smaller figures. Starlight's jaw dropped, not believing her own eyes. The four regal figures were, in order, Nightmare Moon, an alicorn-like creature entirely made of stars, a changeling queen- the very one who'd attempted to take over Canterlot, and finally, Discord- the very entity of chaos.
"Who dares disturb us?" Nightmare Moon hissed.
"An intruder on the Royal Grounds, your worships." her large captor rumbled.
"Ah, an intruder, is it?" Nightmare stated, stepping down from her throne rather daintily "We believe We know the perfect punishment for-"
Starlight and Nightmare just shared an intense stare.
The dark alicorn stared past her, and her horn lit, forcing Starlight to the side. She shivered, spying the alicorn inspecting her cutie mark carefully out the corner of her eye.
"So...you finally arrive." Nightmare chuckled, releasing her from her magical grip.
"F-Finally?" Starlight shivered.
"You've been quite an elusive pony."
"A run for our money, as well." The Queen commented.
"H-How do you know who I am?"
"Almost all of Equestria knows you, Starlight Glimmer." Nightmare stated, circling her like a bird of prey.
"All of you, dismissed." she stated, dismissively waving off the large pony.
"Forgive Us if the Quake Shaker was too rough with you, they're more meant for muscle, rather than thinking."
"Q-Quake Shakers?" Starlight questioned.
"Indeed," Nightmare replied "Our very own application of ancient magiks, and mostly serve as Our personal bodyguards."
"Along with my troops, as well." the Queen added.
Nightmare nodded, just as more questions riddled Starlight's mind.
"How do you know who I am?" Starlight asked.
"This single photograph." Nightmare stated, conjuring a photo and handing it to her.
Starlight took the photo in her own magic, and inspected it. The photo depicted her, clear as day in Cloudsdale. The photo was taken from behind, her horn still aglow, her cutie mark clearly visible.
"You've been quite a source of speculation these past few decades." Discord stated, sounding oddly calm.
"Yes, and now that you're here-"
Starlight screwed her eyes shut, prepared for what was coming.
Something light was placed on her head, then nothing.
Cracking open an eye, Starlight stared fearfully at Nightmare.
"Welcome, most valiant of heroes."
Starlight collapsed.
"It seems that it was too much for the poor thing."
Starlight awoke, her eyes shooting open as sweat ran through her coat.
"M-Ma'am, I will e-escort you to the showers, now. I-If you'd like." a familiar, soft voice stated.
"The traitor." she hissed softly. Then quickly realized she was wrong. This version of Fluttershy seemed even meeker than before, if that was possible. This one was currently dressed in a simple black and white smock, also wearing a multi-pocketed saddlebag.
"Her Highness Tanta requested that you freshen yourself..." she said, then gave a low bow.
"A-Ah, of- c-course, lead on." Starlight replied, standing and stepping off of the bed.
'Seems like a perfect role for her...but why have her freely roaming the castle?'
They passed the same 'Quake-Shaker' from the day before, the very one that had brought her to the throne room.
"G-Good morning, Atom Smasher." Fluttershy stated nervously.
The large pony, apparently deemed 'Atom Smasher' gave a slow nod, and a small smile towards her, and went on his merry way.
"Do you two know each other?" Starlight asked out of passing interest.
"S-Sort of...I'm in his harem..."
"You're WHAT?!" Starlight screamed, drawing the attention of the other ponies in the hall.
"Q-Quake Shakers can have anypony they want...because of their positions...and...well...he...chose me...w-with others, of course!"
Starlight nodded, questioning how things were working in this upside-down future. She should've been the one ruling Equestria, not the four pretenders. They didn't put in the work she had, they didn't spend weeks out in the wilderness, painstakingly gathering supplies.
They soon reached the restroom, and motioned for Starlight to step inside.
"I'll be waiting for you, ma'am."
'Then I'll be sure to take as long as possible.' Starlight smirked.
She then immediately wish she hadn't had that thought- this Fluttershy really didn't deserve any mean-spiritedness, from her, anyway.