//------------------------------//
// Epilogue 
// Story: Don't Blink 
// by FireOfTheNorth 
//------------------------------//

A few months later . . .

Twilight trotted down the streets of Ponyville, enjoying the brisk autumn weather.  Soon it would be time for the Running of the Leaves, and though she’d never won, she still intended to participate in the annual race.  In her saddlebags, along with her books, was a thick folder that she’d carried with her every since the incident in the ruin, filled with all the information the Doctor would need to one day save her and Leo from the weeping angels.  Leopold carried an identical folder with him wherever he was these days.  

Twilight had no idea where that was.  Exactly as she’d resolved, she’d resigned from her position as head of the Equestrian History and Archaeology Society the moment she’d returned to Equestria.  While her schedule was now still as busy as ever, it was now filled with more time for her to spend with her friends.  However, for today she was alone.  

Her thoughts turned to the Ponyville Academy she’d helped start up the year before.  Apparently, things weren’t going quite as well as she’d hoped.  Perhaps it needed her personal touch, and with her no longer involved in EHAS, she could use another project.  The added benefit was that she could stay in Ponyville permanently to run it.  

It was as she was trotting past the campus that she saw him.  A brown earth pony stallion with a crazy mane of even darker brown was taking a leisurely stroll along the same path she was on.  A green necktie hung around his neck, and a light trench coat was draped over his back.  There was no doubt about it; he was the same pony she’d seen in the recording.  She’d found the Doctor.  

“I can’t believe I found you!” she said, galloping up to him.  

“Hmm?” he said, looking a bit distracted, “Oh, excuse me.  How can I help you, Princess Twilight?”  

“Doctor?” she asked.  

“Um, yes,” the earth pony replied, looking a bit confused.  

“You haven’t gone back to save me from the weeping angels yet, have you?” Twilight asked as she pulled the folder from her saddlebags.  

“I’m not sure what you’re talking about,” the stallion replied, “Gone back?”  

“Okay, good, I caught you before you did it,” Twilight said, passing the folder over to him, “Here’s everything you need.”  

“I’m sorry, I don’t think I under-” he said before Twilight cut him off.  

“I’d just like to say thank you in advance,” she said, “It would have been nice if things were less cryptic, but I see now that’s how it has to be.”  

“I didn’t do anything,” the stallion objected.  

“I’ll let you get back to business,” Twilight said, trotting away, “Thanks again!”  

The earth pony stood there for a moment, puzzled, before placing the folder into his saddlebags.  


~~               ~~                ~~


When Professor Time Turner returned to his house on campus, he began emptying his saddlebags out.  Among the books was that folder the Princess had passed him during his daily walk.  Intrigued, he flipped through it, but it seemed to make no sense at all, filled with discussions of creatures from other worlds and travel through time.  Rolling his eyes, he closed the folder.  Apparently all royals had their eccentricities, and Princess Twilight was no exception.  

Still, something felt . . . different.  She’d seemed to have recognized him, but not as the professor she’d hired the year before.  Somehow he got the feeling that the “Doctor” she’d called him hadn’t referred to his doctorate.  His eyes wandered to the pocket watch lying on his mantle.  Then, just as swiftly, the feeling passed, and he turned back to the folder sitting on the table.  

“Poppycock,” he said, turning away.