The New Timeline

by Jongoji245


Applying Indigo (Month of Luv)

Unlike our world, most of Equestria's weather patterns are done through the Ponies themselves. Even when it still in season, certain complications demand otherwise. It was still February, but thanks to a brave groundhog, winter wrap up occurred very early, and the temperature allowed the Ponies to walk about without the use of heavy clothing. This second week began a traditional holiday. When one finds a special somepony. This was Hearts and Hooves Day. Stores all around were filled with cards and candy boxes of all shades and tints of red. Even Rose had a huge demand in flowers.

In school, the class was passing out cards and candies. The Crusaders, in particular, carried in a large paper mache heart just for Ms. Cheerilee. Button Mash necessarily didn't care, it was just another day for him at the arcade. Cosgrove was sketching up a costume that would fit a filly.

Featherweight, however, wasn't faring well. On and on, he would crumple a card he was working on and work on a new one. When he couldn't find an idea, the cycle repeated itself. Throughout recess, he would sit on the rotunda and pout, wondering what to do. This caught the attention of three of his friends; Pipsqueak being the first to walk up to the Pegasus.

"What's troubling you?"

"Oh, I am having a hard time thinking about what to say." Answered Featherweight as he pivoted his leg, rotating the playground object back and forth.

Rumble hopped off the swing set and trotted to the gap-toothed colt.

"Trying to confess to your special somepony?" Said the gray colt as he nudged his twig legged friend.

Featherweight's cheeks began to flush red while looking angry. "...yes..."

"Who are you gonna ask?" Said Cosgrove while he swung in large arcs.

"Indigo..."

"What?!" Said the three colts, Cosgrove hopping off the swing.

"I know what I want to say-"

"Then tell her, she's right there." Said Rumble as he pointed to the Unicorn in question talking to Boysenberry.

"I know, but I'm worried about her mom." Feather rebuked, and with good reason.

Indigo Blue's mother, Mae Horsetails was one of the finest botanists in Ponyville. Moving from Neighpon, she began her studies at the Everfree Forest. While she is indeed friendly to other ponies, Mae had a very strict formality when it came to suitors. Like the plants she studied, Mae valued the best phenotype in a stallion. She had four children, one son and three daughters, all of whom now have homes and successful careers of their own before Indigo's first year in school. Then came Indigo Blue Herself. After four foals with the best-expressed traits, Indigo appeared with freckles and peach hair, both of which are recessive to the family. And worse, she was growing slowly. Believing this to be her husband's genotype, Mae signed for a divorce, with Indigo in her custody.

"Didn't Truffle ask her once?" Pip wondered

Cosgrove, Rumble, and Featherweight hummed one note as they swung their heads to each other.

"Yeah, but he came rushing out with a shoulder cutie mark." Said Cosgrove before he shuddered

"And that's it, I am not having my cutie mark be a red badge!" Featherweight yelped before he pushed the rotunda to the other side.

Rumble rubbed his chin then brought the other two out of earshot and began to whisper. Featherweight kicked a small pebble as the feeling of defeat sank in.

"Why don't we help you get into shape?" Said Rumble

"What? How is getting into shape gonna help me?" Featherweight asked before blowing out his bangs.

"You only have to look fit. With our help, you could look just like you brother!" Said Pipsqueak as he poked the Pegasus' twiggy arms.

"But how am I gonna be muscular?" - Featherweight turned to his friends - "Hearts and Hooves Day is almost over."

"Then we are going to train you like there isn't going to be a Hearts and Hooves Day." Said Cosgrove

"There isn't?" Asked Pipsqueak before being interrupted by Rumble.

"By tomorrow, your hooves will be cracked, your wings torn, your eyes red, and your flank handed down on a silver platter as we make you the most improved colt in the school!" Cosgrove finished.

Featherweight rubbed his arm in uncertainty, "You... Don't mind wanting to help me?"

"They most certainly don't mind." Said Pip, pointing to the Crusaders as they began to run with excitement.

Featherweight, happy that his friends are here to help, stepped towards them.

"Okay, let's do this!" He said.

The four colt's pounded their hooves and raised them up high. Two automatic doors slid into our view as they began Featherweight's fitness training.

They first began by tying a small harness to the Pegasus' neck. Featherweight then took to the air, hovering just above their height. Cosgrove place clipped a five-pound weight onto the harness, not affecting his altitude. Pip then added another one, giving Featherweight a little strain. Rumble then took to the air, encouraging him to fly higher. Featherweight increased the beats of his wings as he slowly increased his altitude. Before he could reach his flight partner, Featherweight expired, the weights plunging him to the rubber floor in a large thump.

The next thing they did was have Featherweight do a plank. Twenty seconds in and his arms were already sore. He gritted his teeth as he tried to hold.

"Hold..." - Said Pipsqueak while looking at a stopwatch while the Pegasus became red - "Hold!" Pip said again. Featherweight began to sweat as the tiny Pinto raised a hoof - "Time!" - Featherweight collapsed to the ground.

Featherweight was then placed on a treadmill. After Pip applied the safety clip to his chest, Rumble turned the dial, bringing Featherweight to a brisk walk. A few seconds later, he turned the dial again, bringing the skinny Pegasus to a trot. Rumble hopped down, not knowing he turned the switch even further. Featherweight was now sprinting at speeds an adult could reach for a few seconds before tripping. The belt then flung him away at a breakneck speed out the door and crashing into a garbage can, with added cat scream to follow.

The colts walked to Cosgrove's house as the helpers examine their new creation. There was no muscle contours on his arms or legs, his wings frayed and sagging, and his tummy having only a two pack.

"This is tougher than I thought." Rumble concluded.

"Really?!" Featherweight snapped while holding a bag of ice on his head.

"Time's running out!" - Pipsqueak walked back and forth - "How are we gonna get you in shape?"

"Plan B: if exercise doesn't work, then a change in diet will." Said Cosgrove as he rummaged the fridge.

"What kind of change?" Said Featherweight as he turned slowly to Cosgrove before the striped colt slapped a whole assortment of food items on the table, ranging from apples to zucchinis- "I… am gonna eat that?" Featherweight shivered with a gulp.

"Yes….” - the multiple-toed pony then places a blender on the table - “And no.”

Plugging in the power cord, Cosgrove crammed in as much food as he could fit in the blender before adding milk and closing the lid. Pushing the highest setting, the contents became mushed in a matter of seconds. The white milk has now become a green-orange concoction. Featherweight dipped his head so that only his eyes could be seen above the table line.

"So," - Cosgrove removed the lid, poured the mixture into a cup and gave it to Featherweight - "wanna drink?”

“I’m not gonna drink that!" - The lightly built Pegasus slid the drink to Rumble - "Rumble you try it!”

“Nuh-uh, this is your drink!” Rumble pushed the drink away

“Okay, Pip!”

“No way! Why not Cosgrove drink it?”

Cosgrove looked at the cup with a grimace. “Can’t be a taste test if I am the only one who drinks it.”

“Taste test what?” Said Lion Tamer as he grabbed the cup away from his grandson. The middle aged stallion then poured the juice into a cup, not noticing Cosgrove slowly backing away from him. Watching him down the drink, they await the results. A few seconds of silence the Earth Pony twitched, winced, then shook his head.

“Grandpa?”

"Strange... I suddenly have a feeling to go outside." The old stallion began walking towards the door. "Need anything while I'm out?"

"(Nothing, but a large hoof mark on my flank after I ask Indigo.)" Featherweight thought to himself but gave a smile nonetheless. "Nothing at all, Mr. Tamer."

"I'll just mosey along. Happy Hearts and Hooves Day to you."

As soon as Lion Tamer closed the door, Featherweight glared at Cosplay. "What?"

"Maybe we need a different mixture." Rumble pondered as he rubbed his chin.

"Guys, no more. I'll handle this on my own." Said Featherweight

"What?! But we didn't make you buff!"

"Forget being buff! I almost broke my neck!"

Featherweight slumped off the chair and started walking towards the door. Cosgrove lurched forward.

"You know you're just biting a spear tip right?"

Featherweight stopped and turned his massive head around, giving him a "you think" kind of expression. Cosgrove raised his shoulders before he, Rumble and Pipsqueak hopped off the chairs.

The four colts arrived at Indigo's house. The bricks were blood red, reaching up to the second floor. What distinguished it the most was the greenhouse jutting from the side. Featherweight stepped forward to the door of his SSP before turning around. The remaining colt's gave him a large grin, with Cosgrove giving him a thumbs up.

Waiting a while after knocking, the door opened, revealing Mrs. Horsetails, staring at him.

"May I help you?" She said.

"Yes, is Indigo home?" Featherweight asked, his ears drawn back.

The white and orange unicorn noticed his teeth as she craned her neck down to his level, "Were you born with those teeth?"

"Uhm... No?" - Featherweight drew a hoof in front of his face - "You're not going to hurt me are you?"

"...What gave you that idea?"

"Who's at the door, Mom?" Said Indigo Blue, revealing herself to the Pegasus. "Featherweight, what are you doing here?"

"This Pony said that I hurt would hurt him. Why?"

"Hurt... Is this about last year with Truffle?" Indigo asked while she cocked her head.

"...Mmhm..." Featherweight answered.

Indigo chuckled, "He never told you about how he got himself punched by a whomping willow!" The Unicorn fell on the floor and broke out into laughter.

The other three colt's became completely dumbfounded as their jaws hung almost vertically. Featherweight looked up to the mother, who gave a sly smirk. Indigo got back on her hooves and walked to Featherweight.

"I'll leave you two alone." Mrs. Horsetails shrugged as she closed the door.

"Hey, guys." Indigo greeted the other colt's in the back. "So, what do want to talk about?"

Indigo was right at his face.

"(Come on, don't chicken out now!) Indigo, I wanted to ask..." Featherweight scratched his head nervously. "If you would want to be my special somepony?"

Indigo's eyes widened.

"You never asked me that in our first year in school. Why?"

"Because your mom-" the pegasus was stopped by a wave of a blue hoof.

"You colts still think that my mom is that ornery?" She asked, looking to his friends at the back. The three wing Ponies eyed each other nervously.

"Nuh-uh" "Nope" "well I thought she was- ... Er, i mean not in the slightest." Answered Rumble, Cosgrove, and Pipsqueak (after being shouldered on the head) respectively.

"Well, you know what I think?" She said as she inched her nose to the proposing colt. Featherweight cringed at the upcoming punishment he was about to take.

She hugged him...

Featherweight opened his eyes wide to the peach colored mane below him.

"I would like that very much..." She answered.

Featherweight's wings flushed open as he slowly wrapped his hooves around the blue-green unicorn. The other colts hoof bumped each other as Indigo and Featherweight joined them as they made their walk to Ponyville.

"So, what do you guys have planned today?" Indigo asked.

As if on cue, a large red object bounded right past in front of them. The looked to their left; Big Macintosh, strange as it is, was hopping merrily towards the Carousel Boutique, with Apple Bloom on his back. The group of ponies gave each other a look of disbelief.

"Schmoopy-Doo!" Shouted Big Mac

"Arcade?" Featherweight asked

"Arcade." Said the rest as they walked away from the strange event unfolding before the town.