And So it Ended, and So it Begins Again

by Wheller

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Vinyl Scratch spent most of her time reading; she dived into every history book in the Ponyville Library, looking for anything she could about... well practically everything. She wanted to know if her memories matched up with this world.

They did not.

Big events, like Princess Luna’s transformation into Nightmare Moon remained unchanged. However, she discovered that history from that time period was slightly better documented. Not much better, but still better.

Queen Gaia, the mother of the princesses had contracted a fatal illness, and her death had driven her husband, King Aether, insane. Transforming him into the Draconequus, Discord, Princess Celesta and Princess Luna utilised the magic of the Elements of Harmony to seal him inside a stone prison, the elements alone were not strong enough to truly defeat him, as their companion magics, the Bonds of Eternity, had been long lost to the wind.

Bonds of Eternity again, this was the third reference to the Bonds of Eternity in this book, but they really didn’t say anything about them in particular, only that they were long lost, and nopony knew where they were.

Vinyl Scratch figured this to be a lie. Princess Luna had seemed to have a good idea where they were. Vinyl guessed that she had hidden them away in case she needed to use them against her siblings in case they got out of hoof, smart move, considering that they did.

While documented, the Bonds of Eternity had apparently been forgotten about, Vinyl Scratch had certainly never heard of them, and asking Twilight about them yielded no results.

Moreover, the history books didn’t contain a single mention of Overdrive or the Siblings Nightmare at all, Vinyl Scratch eventually surmised that they hadn’t existed at all, instead appearing in this new world as Whirlwind and Doctor Nightly, two ponies that frankly, in the grand scheme of things, did not matter.

More to her own delight, Vinyl discovered that Equestria maintained healthy diplomatic and trading relationships not only the kangaroos of South Island, but the zebras of Zhosa, and even the ponies of Welera and the Cossack Confederation, and to her greatest surprise, The Twin Gryphon Kingdoms. In fact, both of the wars between South Island and her allies and the Twin Gryphon Kingdoms had not happened at all, thanks to the keen wisdom and mediation of Princess Celestia herself.

“I thought I read a lot!” Twilight Sparkle said with a small smirk as she watched her fellow unicorn nose deep in the history books.

“Let’s just say I’ve got a lot to catch up on,” Vinyl said.

“I hope you really appreciate the irony of this statement...” Twilight said. “But put down the book and come with me.”

Vinyl’s head perked up, unbeknownst to Twilight, she really could appreciate the irony of that statement. “Why?”

“Just do it! Otherwise I’ll pick you up with magic and carry you there!”

“Fine,” Vinyl said, she set the book she was reading down and crossed the room to where her fellow unicorn mare was standing. “Take me to your leader!” she added with a grin.

“I think that might be the first time I’ve seen you smile,” Twilight said.

“Yeah well, things are starting to look up!” Vinyl said.

The two mares trotted down the street towards Sugarcube Corner, the town sweetshop, Twilight opened the door and the two walked in.

“There a reason why it’s so dark in here?” Vinyl asked, and then she remembered.

The lights clicked on.

“SURPRISE!”

Oh fuck! Vinyl froze instinctively, tensing herself for a fight, but discovered quickly that it had not been who she was expecting.

Rather it was Pinkie Pie who had just tossed a bunch of confetti in her face.

“Hi. I'm Pinkie Pie and I threw this party just for you. Were you surprised, were you, were you? Huh huh huh?” Pinkie Pie asked rather obnoxiously.

“Uh... yeah,” Vinyl said, true, she had known it was coming, but she had completely forgotten about it. After meeting a certain white coated Pegasus, Vinyl Scratch didn’t really like surprises anymore.

“You see, I saw you when you first got here, remember? You were all, hello, and I was all, GAAAAHHH remember? You see I never saw you before, and if I never saw you before that means you're new, 'cause I know every pony, and I mean every pony in Ponyville, and if you're new, then it meant you hadn’t met anyone yet, and if you hadn’t met anyone yet, you must not have any friends, and if you don't have any friends then you must be lonely, and that made me so sad, and I had an idea, and that's why I went GAAAAHHH, I'll just throw a great big ginormous super-duper spectacular welcome party and invite everyone in Ponyville. See? And now you have lots and lots of friends,” Pinkie said without missing a beat, or taking a breath.

“She did the exact same thing to me,” Twilight said. “Come to think of it, I’m pretty sure she said the same thing to me too.”

“That would be because I did!” Pinkie Pie said. “So come on! Have fun! Everypony is here! Well except Whirlwind, ‘cause Dashie has him flying laps around town!”

“Rainbow Dash!” Twilight said, looking over to the Rainbow maned Pegasus who was leaning back against the wall munching on an apple.

“What? I am training a world class athlete!” Rainbow Dash said defensively.

“You’re working him too hard!” Twilight said.

“He’ll be fine! What’s the worst that could happen? It’s not like he’s going to drop dead from exercising!” Rainbow Dash said.

“Rainbow...” Twilight said with annoyance.

“Fine!” Rainbow Dash said, she rose and walked over to an open window. “WHIRLWIND! Take a break!” she shouted.

Vinyl found herself grinning, even in this place; Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle were still perfect for each other.

“Yes ma’am.” Whirlwind replied, landing gingerly on the ground and trotting inside. He spotted Vinyl Scratch and cringed slightly, he trotted towards the other end of the room, attempting to put as much distance between himself and her as possible.

Vinyl felt guilty now, she crossed the room and went up to the sweating Pegasus, who was getting himself a bottle of water.

“Whirlwind... hey, I just wanted to say I’m sorry for earlier!” Vinyl said.

“It’s fine,” Whirlwind said simply, trying to hide his apprehensiveness. “Listen. I don’t want to sound rude... but I don’t want Rainbow Dash to see us talking.”

Vinyl cocked her head in confusion. “Why not?” she asked.

“I... uh...” Whirlwind managed, looking at the floor in embarrassment.

“OH!” Vinyl said, understanding instantly. “You have a crush on Rainbow Dash!”

Whirlwind jumped in surprise, immediately stuffing a hoof over Vinyl’s mouth.

“Please! Say it louder why don’t you!” Whirlwind exclaimed sarcastically. “Rainbow Dash likes tough ponies, I work my butt off for her to prove that I’m tough enough, and I will not have you ruin this for me!”

Vinyl was smiling brightly at Whirlwind. This was truly not what she had expected from him of all ponies. “Secret’s safe with me!”

Whirlwind sighed in relief, and jumped slightly when Rainbow Dash called out to him.

“Whirlwind! Break’s over!” Rainbow Dash cried at him.

“Yes Ma’am!” Whirlwind exclaimed, and departed from the party quickly, leaping into the air.

Rainbow Dash was smirking as she watched her trainee fly off. “He likes me,” she said.

“How can you tell?” Vinyl asked, intending to keep her promise not to say anything.

“How can you not?” Rainbow Dash asked. “That pony would jump off a bridge and not try to fly if I told him to do it!”

Vinyl Scratch smirked.

“Don’t get me wrong, Whirlwind’s a nice guy and all, but I’m not exactly looking for a relationship right now,” Rainbow Dash explained. “Just don’t want to hurt him, you know?”

“Yeah, I think I do,” Vinyl said nodding in agreement.

“Good, breathe a word of this to him, and I’ll end you! Got me?” Rainbow Dash said.

“Not a word!” Vinyl said with a grin.

The party went on late into the night; Pinkie Pie soon became the victim of a sugar crash and everypony eventually made their way home. Taking it upon herself, Vinyl picked Pinkie Pie up and set her on her back.

“Go ahead back to the Library Twilight, I’m going to put her to bed, and I’ll be right behind you,” Vinyl said.

Twilight nodded and walked out the door. Vinyl trotted up the stairs with Pinkie Pie in tow, the pink party pony was heavier than she looked, but Vinyl didn’t complain, she carried her up to the second floor, and gently tucked her into bed.

“I like you so much better this way,” Vinyl said, smiling at the sleeping pony. “Good night Pinkie Pie.”

Vinyl Scratch pulled the covers over her and went back down stairs and out the front door into the deserted high street.

“Psst!” said a voice from an alleyway.

“Huh?” Vinyl asked herself, she trotted over to the alley and looked in. Nothing was there.

“Surprise,” said another voice quietly.

Before Vinyl knew what had happened, she’d been pushed into the alley and her assailant was on top of her. Vinyl lie on her back as Surprise was on top of her, attempting to strangle her to death, Vinyl had her hooves up, trying to push the Pegasus off her, but to no avail.

“Did you really think you could get away from me that easy?!” Surprise harked at her. “Well you were dead wrong!”

Comments

[Professor Donger]

i have no idea whats going on XD

GAH!! Not Surprise!!!

[Apocalypse Pony]

CONFIRMED FOR ALTERNATE REALITY
SUPRISE IS INVINCIBLE, THUS INCABAPLE OF REACHING SAID 'AFTERLIFE'

[Sciura87]

8780

Ah goddamnit XD Right when I was getting ready for a saccharine sweet ending. I didn't really expect it to actually be roses and sweets but I can safely say I didn't expect a SURPRISE! Or maybe I did, she is too fun to write out like last chapter.

[Wheller]

8780

That's assuming the afterlife is really an afterlife. And that Surprise's consciousness isn't tied to her body.

Do you like how helpful my words are?

[DreadedCandiru2]

Since it seems that the series we see on the Hub seems to be a Flashpoint version of this series, it's sort of only going to make sense that we're going to be meeting up with the other hold-over from the previous timeline. I just wonder if Surprise occupies her twisted mind by trolling a mailmare with strabismus.

[Kamineigh]

...

fffffffffffff-

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[Wyvern1998]

My emotions at this insane freak of unnatural nature.

[Qub3d]

WTF?

[Lucky424]

And that is exactly what I was waiting for!!!

[skutty]

Can't just let Vinyl live in peace can you