The Mane Six Meddle with Time

by Alticron

Chapter 02 (Spike's Scheme)

In the Golden Oaks library’s basement, Spike looked on as Twilight Sparkle vanished in a flash of light with a confident smile on her face, only to return a second later with such a look of panic and dread that it looked like she thought the world might end. Spike rushed up to her side and embraced her to try and calm her down.

“Twilight, what happened? What’s wrong?” He asked while trying not to sound panicked, hoping she would calm down. Twilight grabbed him by the shoulders and started to shake him violently.
“SPIKE, I’M ABOUT TO FADE FROM EXISTENCE!!!” She screamed at volumes just below the Royal Canterlot Voice.

“W-w-what?!”

“I just killed my father years before I was born, Spike! That means that I’ve just undone my entire life! I’m about to disappear from history!” Twilight yelled at a lower volume as tears were forming in her eyes.

“Uh, Twilight?”

“Oh no, if Dad died that long before he was dating Mom, than that means Shining Armor never existed either!” Twilight cried out as she turned away from Spike.

“Twilight?” Spike approached while Twilight started pacing back and forth.

“And if I was never born, then it’s likely that Equestria help fell to Nightmare Moon or some other evil force without my friends and I being there to stop her!”

“Twilight…” Spike growled as he started to grow frustrated her ignoring him.

“Oh… no…” Twilight covered her eyes with her hooves. Her voice started as barely above a whisper before escalating into a yell. “Spike… because of this… I never hatched you from the egg, so you were never born either! I’m so sorry Spike!” Twilight then proceeded to cry over how horrible she felt over the terrible mistake she had caused, fearing her own, Spike’s, and possibly all of Equestria’s coming oblivion.

“TWILIGHT!” Spike yelled out, starlings Twilight enough to drop her hooves to the floor as tears were streaming down her face. “If we never existed, then how are still here?” Spike asked in the calmest voice he could muster at the moment.

“I… I… I hadn’t thought of that. Sorry, Spike. I was too panicked to think clearly.” Twilight spoke before taking several deep breaths to try to settle her nerves. She let out a large sigh before she resumed speaking. “My actions should have had a drastic impact the timeline, and yet we still exist. Something odd is happening scenario. The first thing we must do is see if what I did actually changed anything. Spike, I need you to take a letter.”

“Just a sec.” Spike called out before he began rushing up the stairs, returning soon after, carrying a lavender quill and a piece of parchment. “Fire away.”

“Okay, just give me a second to come with what to say. Right. Ah-hem. “Dear Father, I was just wondering how things were for you and Mother in Canterlot. I must admit, it has been a while since I really talked to either of you, and I wanted to make up for that. Signed, your loving daughter, Twilight Sparkle.” That should cover it, oh! “P.S. Could you tell me what herbs and spices Mom uses in her potato wedges? I’ve been trying to figure that out to no avail.” There, now it’s perfect.”

“No… A..vail… Done, but why did have me add that last part?” Spike inquired as his eyebrow rose.

“Simple, Spike. First, I didn’t want my letter to sound odd or suspicious. My parents would probably ask me about what’s going on and I really don’t want to tell my Dad about what happened. It currently sounds like fairly natural conversation.”

“Okay, that makes sense. Any other reasons?”

Twilight scratched the back of her head as she started to very lightly blush. “Heh heh, well… It’s just been a really long time since I had Mom’s potato wedges and I really wanted the recipe.” Spike let out a small chuckle as he rolled up the letter.

“Well, they are pretty good.” Spike said before letting out a jet of green flames on the letter, sending it off to Canterlot. “While we’re waiting for a response, you might as well have you have your breakfast before it starts to get cold.” He said as he gestured towards the tray he had brought down earlier.

“Right. Thanks for breakfast, Spike.” Twilight said before levitating a piece of toast towards her.

---

Several minutes passed before Spike belched a large stream of flame along with a new letter. Twilight set down her half-finished glass of orange juice before bringing to letter in front of her and reading aloud.

“Dear Twilight. Velvet and I are pretty much the same as any other day. Business has been pretty steady recently. Sales have gone up fairly well since your coronation, lots of ponies have been wanting interview us or asking for our permission to marry you, and your mother thinks some of them did look pretty cute. I think she said she’ll mail you some photos of these would-be suitors, mentioning something about grandchildren and hoping you breed like a rabbit.” Twilight facehoofed and blushed while let out a groan. “As for your other question, I don’t really recall anything about your mother’s recipe beyond the fact that she fried the spuds in sunflower oil. I’ll ask her once she gets back from her publisher. I hope you write to us more often. Remember, no matter how big you get, you’ll always be my little princess. Signed, Dad.”

“Well, it sounds like everything’s alright with your folks.”

“It does, Spike. But we still need how this is possi… Of course!” A large grin crossed Twilight’s face as realization came to her.

“Sooo… you’ve figured it out?”

“Yes. It all makes perfect sense. This may very well be the magical breakthrough of the millennium!”

“Okay, I guess you’re about to explain this in a way that hopefully won’t make me full asleep, but could you please turn off your disguise first? It’s kinda creepy hearing your voice coming out of somepony else.”

“Oh right, I’m on it.” Twilight closed her eyes as her horn started to glow, her wings started to fade into existence as her colours and cutie mark dissolved back to their normal colours. “There. Much better.”

“Great, now you can explain how you and your Dad are still when alive when you said you killed him before you and your brother born. Also, why did you kill him in the first place?”

Twilight eyes quickly shifted back and forth. “Uh… the details of why aren’t important, beyond the fact that it was an accident. Now, as for the time travel, I have an explanation and I’ll try to keep it simple. You see, my method has a different way of affecting time than Star Swirl’s spell. Whereas Star Swirl’s technique created a temporal loop in my timeline due to the fixed timeline theory of time travel, my new technique has no impact on our own timeline by creating a parallel timeline upon the time-traveler’s arrival in the past.”

“So you’re saying that just arriving in the past creates an alternate universe?” Twilight gave her faithful assistant a happy nod.

“Very good, Spike. Um… out of curiosity, how did you …?”

“It’s just like this comic I’ve got. It was awesome! It had this swordfighter going back in time and saving this super monkey warrior guy from a heart condition and fighting a bunch of killer cyborgs. Wanna check it out?”

“Uh… Maybe later. Suffice to say, this could open all sorts of potential magical and historical breakthroughs.”

“That sounds pretty cool, Twilight. Say, can I give that thing a try?” Spike inquired with his eyes practically glimmering as Twilight slid the bracelet off her foreleg.

“That will have to wait until later, Spike. I want to make some modifications to the enchantment, such as improving the accuracy of the chrono-skimming components to prevent overshooting or undershooting one’s destination, and maybe add a perception filter so no one in the past would notice it.”
“Alright, I just have two questions about this. First, can you travel into the future?”

“No, Spike. The bracelet is supposed to take you back by having you picture the moment you want to go back to, be it either from the user’s memory or a historical event. It still needs to be fixed though. So, what was your other question?”

“Oh, if you travel back to a point when you exist, would that mean there would be two of you at that point?”

“Nope, a component of the enchantment will make it that you are controlling your past counterpart. Now, factoring breaks for meals, our plans with Pinkie and usage of the lavatory, I should have all the modifications not too long after dinner. Um… speaking of lavatories…”

---

That evening, after having lunch, stopping by Sugarcube Corner to meet their friends, having milkshakes that Pinkie Pie made, being informed by Mrs. Cake that Pinkie had accidentally grabbed the milk meant for the twins from the fridge, making an emergency visit to the restroom due to said discovery, having a second lunch consisting of warm, flat ginger-ale and soda crackers, three hours of tinkering with her bracelet, dinner and another forty-five minutes of tinkering, Twilight had completed all the planned modifications.

“Oh, Spiiiiiiiike!” Twilight called out in a sing-song voice. Spike ran to her side so quickly, he had practically left a smoke trail.

“Is it all set to for my turn?” He asked while hopping in place.

“Yes, Spike. The Time Band modifications are complete.”

“Alright, that’s… Time Band? Really?” Twilight’s eyebrow rose at this.

“What? What’s wrong with Time Band?”

“Twilight, it’s just that Time Band is kinda… generic.”

“Well, Spike. If you have any ideas for a better name, I’ll gladly go with that instead.”

“Okay, how about… Um… No… Uh… I’ve got nothing.”

Twilight smiled as she levitated the Time Band onto Spike’s wrist. “That’s okay. So, when and where did you plan on going?”

“Well, remember last week when you had me bring that educational film to Cheerilee?”

“Hmmm…” Twilight brought her forehoof to her chin while reminiscing. “Ah, now I remember.”

“So, remember what happened the next day when she was playing film for her class?”

“If recall, right after she started it, she headed to bathroom. When she tried to leave, she found that the doorknob broke and she was trapped in the bathroom for several hours. Once the movie was done, all the foals just decided to go home.”

“Let’s just say my plan involves that day.”

“Oh, so you’re going to back and get Cheerilee out of the bathroom early?” Twilight smiled, not noticing Spike eyes shifting back and forth.
“… Uh… Sure…” Spike then muttered, “Let’s go with that.”
“I really proud of you, Spike. You care so much about the foals of Ponyville that you plan on using time travel that the versions of an alternate timeline get the most education possible!”

“Uh… You bet. I’ll see you soon, Twilight.” He said while pressing his claw down on the Time Band’s gem.

“Good luck, Spike.” And with that, there was a bright flash and Spike was gone.

---

Spike found himself in the bedroom he shared with Twilight, holding a broom in mid-sweep. Unlike when he left, it was late in the morning rather than early evening. Spike looked down and saw the Time Band on his wrist.

Alright, I’m the first dragon to travel through time!

“Spike, could you please come down here?” He heard Twilight’s voice call out from the ground floor.

“Coming, Twi.” He shouted before placing the broom by the door and heading down stairs. Spike saw Twilight gathering several books into a pile. “What’s up, Twilight?”

“Ah, there you are, Spike. I need you to run an errand for me.” Twilight’s horn began glowing as she levitated a film canister off a nearby table and into Spike’s claws. “I need you to bring this film to Cheerilee’s house. It’s for what she’ll be teaching her students tomorrow.” Spike looked down and saw that the label on the canister read “From Foalhood to Adulthood: Your Body is changing.” Twilight then continued speaking.

“I would give it to her myself, but I need to cross-reference several books on temporal studies for an upcoming project of mine.”

“You got it, Twilight.” Spike walked over to a closet to dig out a bag. “I just need to swing by Sugarcube Corner first.” Twilight turned to look back at Spike, slightly confused.

“O...Kay, Spike. Um, out curiosity, why do you need to swing by Sugarcube Corner?”

“Uh…” Shoot, I didn’t think of a lie. Think Spike, THINK! “Uh… Pinkie promised me that I would try her new Super Spicy Rainbow Cupcakes. She said she’d throw in rubies, sapphire, emeralds, diamonds and pearls!” Please, buy it!

“Alright, Spike. Just don’t take too much time at Sugarcube Corner. I told Cheerilee that she would have the film before two-o’clock.”

Spike saluted before heading towards the door, “You’ve got it!” Ha! This is going perfectly, nothing can ruin this!

Just as he opened the door, Twilight called out once more. “But don’t eat it too quickly! I don’t want you to get a tummy-ache!” Spike facepalmed and blushed furiously at Twilight’s words.

“Yes, MOM! I won’t eat it too quickly!” Spike retorted angrily before slamming the door. Spike then took a deep breath before turning back, opening the door again and looking down apologetically. “Twilight, I’m sorry I yelled and slammed the door like that, but did you really have to say ‘tummy-ache’? It just sounds really… babyish…” Twilight took in a deep breath before letting out a calming sigh.

“It’s okay, Spike. I was just concerned. Just be sure not to get a stomach-ache.”

“Thanks Twilight, I love you.” Spike said while giving a small smile.

“I love you too, Spike.” Twilight smiled back at him. “Now, off you go to Sugarcube Corner.”

“Sure thing. Bye!” He responded before gently closing the door behind him and running off. After a few short minutes of travel, he arrived at the entrance of Sugarcube Corner just as Pinkie Pie was exiting.

“Hiya, Spike. What brings you here? Well other than your legs, of course.” The mare with the cotton candy mane asked.

Man, time is really on my side today. “Hey, Pinkie. Twilight sent me over to ask to borrow a movie from you.”

“No problem. So, what kind of movie would she like you to borrow? I’ve got plenty of comedies, though she wasn’t too crazy about the ones that I’ve got. I lent most of my action movies to Rainbow Dash so she could give her parents a movie marathon for their visit. I let Fluttershy borrow most of the documentaries on animals and Electric Sky the ones on technology. And…” Pinkie was cut off by Spike interrupting her.

“Actually, Twilight asked me to get one from the collection that she thinks I don’t know… uh… I mean the one she thought I didn’t know about.” At the mention of her and her friends’ private collection, Pinkie began to sweat metaphorical bullets.

“Uh…” Pinkie turned her head back and forth to make sure no one would overhear them. “D…d…did she have any particular movies in mind from that set?”

“All she said on the subject was ‘surprise me’.” Spike said with a small smirk.

“O…Okay, just wait here for a second.” Pinkie then rushed into the store and swiftly vanished; she was next seen jumping out of the store’s open second-story window with a film canister in her mouth that she quickly shoved into Spike’s arms. “Sorry it took so long, but make sure nopony sees the name of the movie you’re carrying, got it?” She spoke in a very serious whisper.

“Got it, Pinkie.” Spike said as he slipped the canister into his bag.

“Alright.” Pinkie’s voice had returned to her normal volume. “If you need anything else from me, I’ll be checking out this weird antiques kiosk that rolled into town earlier. My Pinkie Sense is telling I’ll get something really awesome there.” Pinkie and Spike started to part ways, when after a few second, Pinkie shouted, “WAIT!” before running up to Spike.

Uh oh, I’m busted.

“Remember to tell Twilight that even though it’s a sequel, she doesn’t need to see the other movies first.”

“Oh, alright. I’ll be sure to tell her that. Thanks Pinkie.”

“Okeydokey, I just wanted to make sure. Bye Spike!” Pinkie then hopped away. Once she was out of sight, Spike ducked into a nearby ally. Once he was sure no one was looking at him, he took out the film canisters and switched the contents, replacing Cheerilee’s film for health class with Pinkie’s copy of “Donkey Dong Country 3”. Once the deed was done, Spike let out an evil laugh.

---

After tossing the the biology film down a well and giving the other film to Cheerilee, Spike returned to the library and his day went on as normal. He helped clean the library once Twilight had finished going through her books, had dinner and went to sleep. When he awoke, he felt more energized than ever before, looking forward to seeing the end-result of his mischief. He checked out the clock repeatedly through-out the morning. It had gotten to the point where Twilight had noticed how frequently he would was staring at the clock.

“Spike, is there something you’re waiting for?”

“Meh, I was just think about the movie the students are gonna watch. I just know that film will have a huge impact on them. I just wonder how they’ll react to it.” This is gonna be the funniest thing ever!

“Well, it may be a shock to them, but it’s something they have to learn about eventually. Remember how you were after Princess Celestia gave you the talk?” Twilight asked while starting to drink a glass of orange soda. Spike saw a great opportunity in this.

“Yep, I was pretty freaked out and curious after that” Spike soon gained a wicked grin. “In fact, if it weren’t for me interrupting your parents at the last second, you would probably have a little sibling!”

With that, Twilight did a wild spit take, sending soda all over the floor and making her cough.

“Ow ow ow! It went up my nose! Oh, it burns!” Twilight spotted Spike laughing in the corner at her misfortune. “Spike, did you make that up to see me do a spit take?” she asked while glaring at him.

“Hehehe, yeah. I did.” Spike said while wiping a tear from his eye.

“Well then, since you decided to set up this mess on the floor, then I guess you really want to mop it up!” Twilight used her magic to toss a mop and bucket from the closet towards Spike, which he managed to catch.

“Meh, it was worth it.” Spike retorted as he head to the kitchen to fill the bucket.

“Alright then. I’ll head out to get some groceries and tissues to clear my nose while you clean up the mess you caused. I think that is quite fair.”

“Yeah, it seems fair. I’ll see you later!”

---

Five minutes after leaving the library, Twilight managed to purchase some lettuce for a salad when she felt the ground shaking and she soon heard what sounded like screaming. She turned to look behind her and witnessed a massive stampede of screaming foals barreling towards her, forcing her to take to the air to avoid being trampled like several of the stands and kiosks in the market. The screaming herd passed after a few seconds, only for them to turn back at the sight Cranky and Matilda, leaving the donkey pair very confused. After the children had passed, Twilight managed to hear a certain voice laughing in the distance. With the sound of the voice and the knowledge of who delivered the film to Cheerilee, Twilight very quickly figured out who was the likely cause of the truant children. The young princess was so enraged that when she turned to see the library and the laughing culprit who was rolling on his back, that it looked as if her eyes had turned red and her mane and tail had turned to flames.

“SPIIIIIKE!!!” she bellowed in the Royal Canterlot voice. Twilight could just barely hear Spike shout something before appearing to slap his wrist.

“Worth it!”

Comments

[D0CT0RWHOOVES]

I'm glad to help you for all you have done for me

[Alticron]

4417197 You're very welcome. If was really fun editing your stories, and I'm glad that you can help me with mine.