The Key

by CrackedInkWell

1: Lost and Found

It all started when school was dismissed for the day. Homework assignments were given out and the fillies and colts were running out of the schoolhouse in the joy of freedom from boredom.

One of the last few to leave where the three fillies. Known to the school along with the town as the Cutie Mark Crusaders. What made them stand out from most of their classmates was the fact that they still don't have their cutie marks, and have been coming up with countless schemes to earn them.

The Crusaders were made up of three members. Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle. One earth, one pegasi, and one unicorn. All planning on what to do that day.

“Maybe we could go for that flying machine again.” Said Scootaloo, “I think we were close to making it fly.”

“Yeah, after we pushed it off a cliff and onto a pile of rocks.” Applebloom deadpanned.

“Well, what about deep sea diving? Have we tried that one?” Sweetie Belle suggested. They threw suggestions and reality checks back and forth for a while until Sweetie spotted something shiny. She took a moment to pick it up. It was a key.

“Hey, guys.” She called out. “Whose key is this?”

Now having their attention, the three of them inspected the key. “Never seen a key like this befor'.” Applebloom said.

“It must be new or something. Plus, I don't think it's that old.” Said Scootaloo, as she took the key into her own hooves.

Both Applebloom and Sweetie Belle asked how she knew that: “There's no rust and it's not that dirty, so somepony might have dropped it not too long ago.”

“Wonder where it goes to.” Sweetie Belle said curiously.

Then Applebloom got an idea. “Hey, why not we go around to see what this key unlocks. Maybe if we find what it unlocks, we might find the owner.”

“And maybe get our cutie marks while doing it.” Sweetie Belle added with excitement.

“So what does that make us?” Scootaloo asked.

“I don't know. Locksmiths?” Applebloom asked. And a moment later, their mission was unanimously established as they shouted: “CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS LOCKSMITHS YEAH!!!”

-*-

“This is hopeless!” Scootaloo whined. For the entire day, they went over nearly every nook and Carney all over Ponyville: every doorknob, every locked cabinet, every chest, anything with a lock, inside or outside, the key would not fit. They tried every building they saw, nothing would fit that key.

At this time, the sun was to be set within a few hours, and the three crusaders were now on Trotting Lane. Starting to give up.

“We've tried everywhere and everything and this stupid key won't fit anywhere.” Scootaloo continues ranting.

“Maybe it's ain't from Ponyville,” Applebloom suggested. “Besides, it's not a skeleton key, it might be from someplace else.”

“Maybe it's from a different country, like Prance or something.” Sweetie Belle joined in. Just then, Applebloom stopped as something blue caught her eye. In one of the very old junkyards of Ponyville where there is a space big enough for a house, amongst the piles of broken junk, she caught the sight of something very unusual. It was a very tall blue box. On top of the box it looked like a short lantern of some kind, the sides of the box had what looked like windows but was painted white. But what really caught her attention was that this box looked brand new.

“Applebloom?” Scootaloo called back to her, noticing that she wasn't following them.

“What's this thing?” Applebloom asked as she entered the junkyard. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle followed her, now taking notice of the blue box.

“What is it?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“I think it says something.” Scootaloo pointed towards the words on top of the box. “Poll... Pull-ies... Pulleys Public Call Box? What's a pulleys public call box?”

“I don't know.” Sweetie Belle admitted. “It looks something Rarity might have as a closet.”

“And why would anypony throw this thing away?”

As the two questioned on what the box really is. Applebloom went all the way around the box and noticed something on one of the sides.

“Hey, I think there's a door here. And it has a lock.”

The other two joined Applebloom where they all saw the lock. Sweetie Belle, who had the key, placed it to the keyhole.

“It fits!” She cried. And then using her teeth, she turned it until a 'click' could be heard. She tried pushing at the door, but it wouldn't open.

“Maybe we just need to push it harder,” Scootaloo said as she and the others pushed and shoved at the door. A few tries later, the door opened, making the three crusaders collapsed on the ground in a pile.

“Owe! Now, what's in, ah...” Applebloom trailed off from what she was about to say, but it was lost when she got a good look at the room before them.

None of the three fillies couldn't believe what they were seeing. They went outside going around the box to see if this was some kind of a trick. But once they entered back in, they all came to the same conclusion.

“It's... Bigger.” Sweetie Belle started.

“On the inside.” Said Applebloom.

“And smaller on the outside.” Scootaloo finished. “How does that work?”

“And who lives here anyway?” Applebloom asked, “Look at this place. It's looks something out of them fancy science fiction comics that Scoot reads.”

This room had all sorts of strange machines and gadgets that none of the ponies have ever seen before. It was also a bit of a mess since there were parts laying about the floor. As they approached the center of the room, there was a hexagon like a panel that was full of switches and buttons with a pillar of glass in the center. Flashing lights and screens that had circles. It was here that Sweetie Bell put the key down.

“What if this is somepony's house?” Sweetie Belle asked. “Hello! Anypony home?” She cried out. To their surprise, they heard echoes, but there was no reply.

“I don't think anyone lives here,” Scootaloo said, getting an idea while at it. “In fact, girls, I think we've found a new clubhouse!”

“Totally!” Sweetie Belle squeaked.

“Well I guess, nopony seems to live here. Plus, this place looks really cool,” said Applebloom.

“Then it's settled. This is our new clubhouse.”

The three fillies cheered. But their celebration was cut short when two ponies entered through the opened doorway. One was a stallion that the fillies have seen before. He was brown with a tie and an hourglass cutie mark. The other was recognized immediately. She was the local mail mare known as Ditzy Do (although, some fouls call her Derpy Hooves). With a blond mane, durped eyes, a gray coat with bubbles as her cutie mark. Both of them had the look of surprise.

“Well, this is unexpected.” the stallion said.

“Um...” Applebloom started, “Sorry, uh, is this Y'alls house?”

“Well. Yes and no.” The brown stallion said, “But more importantly, how did you three get in here?”

“Well, we found a key mister.” Sweetie Belle explained, “We looked all over town to see where it might fit and try to give it back if it has an owner.”

“Oh!” the mail mare said while giving herself a facehoof. “At least we know where my key went.”

“Say, how about we just give you back your key and we'll just go,” Scootaloo said, turning to Sweetie Belle. “So where's the key?”

“I put it over there.” Sweetie Belle said pointing towards the control panel. “I'll get it.” But just she was near the hexagon shaped control panel, she tripped on a part. She tried to catch her balance but her forehooves landed on the control panel, hitting a few buttons and switches along the way.

The door that they came inclosed and the machine in the very center of the room sprang to life. Making a sound that something between a siren and a growl. Sweetie Bell falls backward onto the floor.

“Sweetie Belle!” Applebloom cried, “What did you do!?!”

“I don't know!” She cried back. “Let's get out of here!”

The three panicked fillies made a mad gallop to the door and tried to force it open. Meanwhile, the stallion went up to the control panel to stop the machine. A moment later, the machine stopped with a low pitched ring.

“No need to panic everyone.” he said, “I've got all under-” But the fillies were nowhere to be seen. “Ms. Hooves, where did the children go?”

“They left as soon as it landed. Doctor, don't we need to go after them?”

“Let me see...” He looked at the screens. “Planet: Earth, that's good. Country: Equestria, still good. City: Ponyville, very good. Year... That's not good. Ms. Hooves, we need to go find them, now!”

-*-

“I think... we lost them,” said Scootaloo out of breath.

“I bet he's... mad at us... right now,” said Applebloom.

Sweetie Belle was the first to get her breath back and look around their surroundings. “Um. Girls, is this still Ponyville?”

The other two looked up to where they were at. At first, they thought that they were in a city like Manehatten. But something was completely off. The skyscrapers were made out of metal, wood, and glass, some have archways that link from one building to another. There were also impossible staircases, balconies, platforms, gardens and cafes that were sideways or upside down that ponies seemed to walk on them without a care. They took notice of the ponies around them, none of whom they recognized.

“Girls,” Scootaloo finally said. “I don't think we're in Equestria anymore.”

“Where are we anyway?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“More importantly, what is all this?” Applebloom added.

After wandering around, their stomachs grumbling, their eyes lay upon a very familiar sight. It was rather surprising and almost out of place amongst the surreal architecture. It was Sugar Cube Corner, and it's open.

When they entered, at first, it was just like the Sugar Cube Corner that they knew. It was still decorated the same, it still had the same food, the same glass counter-top, it even smelled the same. But the crusaders noticed several things out of place. For one, there was no Mr. or Mrs. Cake. Instead, there was a zebra and a Pegasus running the counter. Not only that, but the menu was on display on a hologram. And finally, the cash register was gone. The ponies didn't pay with bits at all, instead, they give them a single black disk the size of a bit, then is swiped under what looked like a lamp, and was given back to the pony with their food.

When the fillies got up to the counter, the turquoise Pegasus give them a smile as he said: “Good afternoon and welcome to Sugar Cube Corner, I'm Oven Baked, how may I help you?”

“Uh, is Mr or Mrs. Cake around by chance?” Applebloom asked.

The response they got was he cocked his head to the side and asked, “Who?”

“Or is Pinkie still around?” Scootaloo asked.

At the mentioning of that name, the Pegasus eyes lit up in realization. “Oh! Oh yes, she's here.”

“Oh thank Celestia,” Scootaloo said with a shared sigh of relief. “Can we see her?”

“Just give me a sec.” He then turns towards the kitchen, “Miss Pie, there's somepony who wants to see you.”

“I'll be right out there as soon as I can get these cookies out.” Replied the familiar perky voice.

“We'll just sit over there.” Sweetie Belle said to the Pegasus pointing towards a table.

The Pegasus smiled and nodded as he signaled for the next customer in line. “Next please.”

The Crusaders made their way to the table. The three of them try to piece together what just happened. When suddenly, they heard Pinkie's voice saying, “You wanted to see me?”

“Yeah, Pinkie...” Applebloom trailed off as the three of them saw what was before them that made their eyes open wide and their jaws hit the floor. There was Pinkie, same voice, same cotton candy like mane and tail, same bubble gum pink coat, even the same cutie mark. However, this Pinkie was much, taller... and has wings... and a horn... and even a giant cupcake on her head.

“Pinkie Pie?” they said in unison. Pinkie only gasps as her wings opened up.

“Ohmigosh I can't believe it! You’re back! You’re actually back! Well, I knew you would come back since my pinkie sense told me this morning. But look at you, still young as ever and still no cutie marks? I mean wow, I know it's been like a good thousand years since we last saw you, but still, you think you three might have gotten one by now! By-the-way do you some doughnuts?”

The three young crusaders couldn't help but blink.

“What?” Sweetie Belle squeaked.

“Do you want doughnuts with sprinkles?”

“No no. Not that, I mean, when the last time you saw us?”

Here, her horn glowed a light pink and a watch appeared to where she gave a good long look at it. “A thousand years, three months, twenty-eight days, seven hours, fourteen minutes and nine seconds. Why'd you ask?”

The three of the Cutie Mark Crusaders fainted right out of their seats.

“Was it something I said?” Pinkie asked.

Comments

[KittyLover5]

Mane six still alicorns. K.....

[SharpNote the FABULOUS]

I didn't know about the 3 months, 28 days, 7 hours, 14 minutes, and 9 seconds. Nor did I expect Pinkie Pie to be an alicorn.