Starling rounded all her cousins and Rock Salt in the library before they headed to dinner.
"Okay, let's review what we know so far." She looked down at the mirror that was halfway done, but there were some pieces still missing. "The shards we have managed to get have shown us how the tornado started and how it was reduced to winds that have affected our family and all of Equestria."
"And all the shards came from our family when we had mended bonds." said Gemstone. "Shining Armor should have a shard if we reunite him with Cadence."
Fire pointed, "But that would require us to find her."
Screwy said, "Shouldn't be too hard. We know she was cursed as a Breezie, so all we have to do is ask Aunt Twilight to turn us into Breezies and go to the land of the Breezies."
Dignity inquired, "And I suppose you know where that is?"
She smirked, "As a matter of fact, I do. My mother is, after all, the leading expert on all creatures. She and Daddy have taken me to all sorts of places to learn more about the magical and non-magical creatures that live in Equestria."
Star gestured, "But the home of the Breezies is sealed away until they have to go collect pollen! From there, they have a time limit for how long they stay out of their home and they have to be back before the portal closes. Since there is no other way of getting in or out…"
"We should go to at least see if that's that case!" Cotton motioned.
The others agreed.
Star said, "All right, I'll talk it over with my mother and see if she will cast the spell."
Once dinner was over, Screw Ball and Moth Ball went out to the gardens like on their first date.
"It's best we keep to here because I don't want to go into town with you disguised."
He asked with amazement in his tone, "You truly prefer me as this?"
"How can I not? You're handsome, cute, your eyes are sweet, and your muscles make me swoon."
"But I have holes in my legs, horn, and wings, my mother is an evil queen, and yet you still find me attractive. Lots of ponies would be repulsed by me."
"So? I'm not like every pony. After all, I am only half of what they are. And I have eyes that give it away."
"Yet, those are the eyes that I love…"
She looked up to him, feeling stunned, "Really…?"
"When I first saw them, I was astounded. Then later, I actually… started falling for you… Then when we first came here, I could have sworn I began to love. I don't want to lose you, Screw Ball, but… we have no choice… Any day now, the rest of those shards will be found and…" He couldn't finish.
Screwy found herself crying. No wonder Gemstone was so upset at her for forcing her to break up with the colt she loved. So this is what it felt like… the thing she so desperately wanted to feel just as everyone around her had. It was painful, but at least for one moment in her life, she had the same thing, the same love as everyone else did. And she would treasure it for the rest of her days. She started to sing.
"I am here to tell you, we can never meet again… Simple really, isn't it? A word or two and then a lifetime of not knowing where or how or why or when you think of me or speak of me and wonder what befell… That someone you once loved so long ago, so well…"
He sang back with tears in his own eyes, "Never wonder what I'll feel as living shuffles by… You don't have to ask me and I need not reply… Every moment of my life from now until I die, I will think or dream of you and fail to understand… How a perfect love can be confounded out of hoof… Is it written in the stars? Are we paying for some crime? Is that all that we are good for? Just a stretch of mortal time? Or some god's experiment, in which we have no say? In which we're given paradise… But only for a day…"
"Nothing, can be altered, there is nothing to decide… No escape, no change of heart, nor any place to hide…"
"Oh, you are all I'll ever want, but this I am denied… Sometimes in my darkest thoughts I wished I'd never learned…"
Both sang, "What it is to be in love… And have that love returned!"
She sang, "Is it written in the stars? Are we paying for some crime? Is that all we're good for? Just some stretch of mortal time?"
They sang together, "Or some god's experiment, in which we have no say? In which we're given paradise, but only for a day!"
They held on to each other, savoring every moment they had left.
Apple Jewel stared out her bedroom window and looked into the night sky. She felt so overwhelmed from the last few days, but what overwhelmed her the most was that Asher didn't exist in this world. Suddenly, all the anger she had against him disappear. She couldn't stop thinking how awful it would have been to never know him. The day they met was one of the most important moments in her life. It all made sense then for her. She would forever love him. She had to get back to the proper timeline so she could seek him out and demand that he would make her his mate.
"I don't care what you said, Asher, but you and I were destined to be together. Not only did this tornado help my parents to meet, but it also helped us to meet. I love you. I know I can't tell you that here, but I needed to say it to you all the same."
Fire Spark, Dignity, and Whirl Wind were in their beds, but they couldn't sleep. Their thoughts drifted to the mares they cared for deeply and wanted so desperately to see again.
Cotton was having a hard time sleeping, too, when she thought of Cannon Fire. When she thought of how her mother explained about her arranged marriage, it turned out her husband was supposed to marry another princess, along with Aunt Applejack and Aunt Fluttershy's husbands. Those princes were supposed to wed the Gaiti princesses, but they decided to leave that arranged marriage for another arranged marriage. Apparently, that was the escape clause in their previous marriage contracts.
Could the same happen for Cannon Fire? If he married another princess instead of Princess Desert Flower, would his parents be satisfied? She was a princess… Her eyes lit up then as she quietly jumped up in her bed and softly spoke.
"That's it! If he doesn't want to marry her, he should marry me instead! It's a bit soon, I will admit that, but his parents want that wedding and he has no choice but to obey. He told me himself I brought happiness to him, so maybe his love will grow towards me… I would be willing to marry him just so he could feel happiness all the time!"
She put her head back on the pillow, finding it easier to sleep now. Just before she drifted off, she muttered out, "Mrs. Cotton Candy Fire…"
Snow Pea couldn't sleep. She just kept tossing and turning in her bed until she could stand it no longer. The mirror incident kept plaguing her mind and the amount of guilt that went with it took a toll on her heart. She stepped onto the floor and started pacing. How could she be good and kind if everything she did was bad? She knew she could never be queen like this, so she went out to the balcony outside the double doors to get some fresh air.
She leaned over the railing and saw the wide landscape that was dim underneath the night sky. She admired her Aunt Luna and Grandma Tia for enduring all that had come their way. But altering the timeline was too much of an obstacle for Snow Pea. After all, she did it in the first place, albeit accidentally.
Snowy began to sing mournfully, "I have to find a way…to make this all okay…I can't believe this small mistake…could've caused so much heartache…Oh why, oh why?
"Something is wrong, it's plain to see…This isn't how it's meant to be…And you can't see it like we do…It's not the life that's meant for you…Oh why, oh why?
"Losing promise…I don't know what to do…Seeking answers…I fear I won't get through to you…
"I'll try…And I'll try…I'll try…And I'll try…"
She had to try to do something. What else could she do? It wasn't like she could fulfill the prophecy and bring Equestria to ruin. Then, it hit her. Zecora had said that prophecies were often cryptic. Come to think, Olaf had said the same thing! Snow Pea contemplated on this until she realized that the time she would destroy could mean the alternate timeline!
She had to give it a go. She stood up straight and lifted her hoof before she thought, Okay…Here goes nothing.
Stomp! Stomp! Stomp!
Snow Pea opened her eyes and to her dismay, she was exactly where she was a few moments before. She hung her head and returned to her bedroom.
She thought as she slowly closed the balcony doors, Maybe I'm not good at fixing things. Only breaking them.
Gemstone was up reading. She knew sleep would be useless if all she could think about was Seam and how she wanted so badly to return home to the rightful time. She then spotted an earth pony with curly hair that used to be purple and white - but now thanks to the Windigos' curse, it was more white with only little pieces of purple left - passing her room.
"Screwy!" she called out to her.
She poked her head in, giving a small smile, "Hey, Gem… I was just heading to bed."
"How did it go?"
"Did what go?"
"Your date, of course!"
"Oh," she blushed. "You know about that?"
"How could I not?! I saw you two talking this afternoon and just right after dinner, you both left at the same time."
"Well, I have you to thank for bringing up that I might have liked him. Even he sensed that I did! At least for one moment in my life, I was able to have what you and the others had…"
Gem tilted her head in confusion, "What do you mean?"
Screwy gave a deadpan expression, "Gem, we're in an alternate timeline. Things are different here. But if we go back and find things are the same as before…" She let her cousin fill in the blanks.
Gem pondered until her eyes slowly widened in understanding and gasped, covering her mouth, "No! Oh… Screwy… I… I didn't realize…" Tears started falling.
"It's okay, I had this talk before with him. There's a chance he exists and there's a chance he doesn't… We're hoping he does, but if he doesn't… I'm just going to have to accept it."
"I've been so blind! It should have occurred to me! It's not fair! We get to have our loves, but you don't! Screw Ball… I don't know what to say…"
"Don't say anything. Just you being here for me is enough."
"And I shall. I shall. Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!" she shouted out.
"Hey… Who's doing my mom's pinkie-promise…?" Cotton groggily said as she made it into the room.
Apple Jewel was still wide awake as she came into the room, "I heard a shout. Everyone okay?"
The boys came in next, feeling exhausted, and Whirl gave out a yawn.
"Dudes, it's the middle of the night…"
Dignity wearily nodded, "We need our rest for when we possibly have to travel across Equestria to get to the Breezies."
Starling then came in looking tired, "Yes, especially since Mother has agreed to turn us into Breezies."
Fire pointed, "So we really should get back to bed."
Screwy said, "I agree." She started taking her leave. "Night, everypony!" They gave her random "good-nights" and once she turned the corner and was out of earshot, Gem addressed her cousins.
"Um, do we really need to find the rest of the shards so soon? We have more than enough now, so why rush?"
They looked at her like she was crazy.
Whirl pointed, "Um, hello? We don't belong here! Our parents' lives have gotten messed over! We need to fix it so everything can be just as it was!"
"But that's just the problem!"
"Huh?!" they said, feeling utterly confused by her words.
She shook her head, "I didn't get it either at first, but Screw Ball made me realized how lucky we are… She and Moth Ball have gotten close since our adventure started, but what happens when we go back? Will she still get to have him?"
Their eyes widened, realizing the truth of those words.
Cotton was the first to exclaim, "Holey moley! If we go back, Moth Ball won't remember anything about this!"
Starling sadly said, "It's worse than that… he might not… exist…"
Gem kept shaking her head, "Guys, let's face it: she was right during our fight before the Windigos appeared. She might never find love like this again. I am positive Moth Ball is her soul mate! I see it every time they're together."
Whirl slowly said, "Well… maybe we can bring him with us…?"
It was Fire's turn to shake his head, "Bad idea, cuz. We already made one butterfly effect in the space-time continuum. No sense in making it worse. Plus, it is possible there will be a Moth Ball in our timeline. If there are two of them…it would be very bad indeed."
"So… she's doomed to say good-bye forever…?" Jewel had tears in her eyes. She understood the pain of not having one's beloved all too well. Then she remembered all the times she and Screwy spent. She was more than her cousin; she was her best friend. However, recent events had made them distant. "I have been so selfish…" she uttered.
"We all have been." Dignity pointed.
"The Windigos had the right idea to curse us with cold hearts," said Star.
"We understood we've been sheltered most of our lives, but we still didn't understand our parents and each other." Fire motioned.
Cotton waved her hooves, "Well, no more, I say! We are family! And family should always come from first!"
"Hear, hear!" Dignity and Gem both said.
"You bet!" Whirl exclaimed.
"We're with you!" proclaimed Star.
"To the end!" declared Fire as he held his hoof out and the others put theirs out in unity.