A little loopy.

by FaelaArts

L26.1

Sweetie waited as the clocked ticked over from midnight, and watched as Philomena went through rapid rebirth once more. Pulling out the piece of paper Time Turner had been translating, Sweetie was dismayed to see it was a jumbled mess. Sighing, she tried to read what was there.

“If you are reading this-you probably ran into my old friend the Changeling-a cooky fellow by my count, but he means well-I'm 97% sure I'm quite-When consequen-longer exist, actions that normally seem barbaric are no longer the case-mi ox soom faxalfaxalic axalo je reckol zo casaso?” Sweetie tilted her head, recognising the last bit as being some of the untranslated text. However, it looked like, for whatever reason, the text didn’t match up correctly.

“So you're probably reading-last entry-had-translate it. I-did myself with-coding.-Princesses couldn't-lbond, ovon zo plincossos ceurdniz claxang dit. So I will tell you the truth. There is a means to get out. I found it, and I plan to-However-The reason for that-I know why you are looping-” Sweetie bit her lip, there was a way out of the loops? Why did it have to be so garbled?

“Loaxasen bel zaxat, Pum axam sulo ug wirr bict din timo. Abtol axarr, Pum gned hupp ug axalo reepick-time loop, relax, let go of your inhibitions, put on a good show. You're not getting out-Se, dib ug axalo din pit timo reep, loraxax, rot ke eb yeep dinhifitiens, put en pit-Trust me-Ug'lo jet kottick uk. Sluch Vo.” Folding up the piece up paper, Sweetie closed her eyes, maybe the translation spell could be cast again. Besides, she had to get looping proof from Time Turner regardless.

Sweetie waited patiently for the stray wind, and sent the job notice to Ditzy, turning and watching Time Turner run toward her. Sweetie quickly began speaking, speaking the same words he spoke just as they came out of his mouth. After a second, Time Turner paused, and blinked.

“I know what you are, and I know you have lived for over a thousand years. I am stuck in a time loop, and I can prove it further. Right now you are likely going to tell me to meet you at your house while you get rid of Nurse Redheart, so I’ll save you the trouble of doing that too.” Sweetie stopped speaking, and waited for Time Turner to digest this information.

“Okay,” was all he said in response, turning and beginning to run away again. Sweetie walked casually to his place, and entered. Right on cue, Time Turner arrived. Sweetie watched as he closed the door, and turned his intelligent gaze on her. Sweetie pulled out Celestia’s note.

“Is this proof enough for now?” Sweetie waited as Time Turner looked it over, handed it back, and sat down on the couch, and blinked.

“And I thought my story was hard to swallow,” he commented. Sweetie felt a strange smile come on her face, and resisted the urge to giggle. Shaking it off, she pulled out the half-translated note.

“Last loop, you cast a spell to translate this for me, however you said it would take seven days. My loop only lasts five, so it was only partially translated. Also, I need something to prove I’m looping, a letter normally does the job.” Sweetie put her arms between her legs, and rocked on the couch as she waited.

“Hrm, I can cast it again, and it should finish translating. I should probably give you the spell while I’m at it. Only two ponie-er-creatures know the spell. One being Starswirl.” Time Turner closed his eyes, a horn appearing on his head, and cast the spell. Opening his eyes, he mused for a moment.

“This should take about three days. If you had seven days this wouldn’t have taken an extra day, but that’s how these things go. As for the proof, the easiest thing to do is tell you my Changeling name.” Time Turner paused, and chuckled slightly, a nostalgic smile on his face.

“Even Starswirl doesn’t know that one. Alright, let me write it down for you, it’s a bit tough to say.” Time Turner quickly wrote the name down, and handed the paper to Sweetie. Looking at it, she frowned, and tilted her head.

“Listaxald Nixen?” Sweetie slowly pronounced the first name, unsure if she was saying it correctly.

“Actually, it’s pronounced List-ald. The ax is silent.” Time Turner smiled, looking down at Sweetie. Both blinked as his stomach rumbled. Sweetie glanced toward the door, and bit her lip.

“Nono! Don’t worry, that’s not because I’m hungry. It’s uh...Well okay it is because I’m hungry but I’d never do it without consent. Well I have sorta been slightly draining everypony but that’s slow and nopony would feel any adverse effects!” Time Turner smiled sheepishly, and Sweetie giggled. Starswirl was right, the guy was cooky, but that wasn’t a bad thing.

“So, should I call you Listaxald, or Time Turner?” Sweetie smiled at Time Turner, who paused and considered it. After a moment, he shrugged, and bared his teeth, eyes glowing green for a moment.

“Call me Time Turner. Until my disguise dies, that is who I am.” Time Turner blinked, and his eyes returned to normal. Sweetie nodded, musing for a moment.

“Say, I was wondering. Where do baby Changelings come from. I mean I know ponies are brought by the stork as an egg to be hatched, but I don’t know what it’s like for Changelings.” Sweetie tilted her head, completely oblivious. Time Turner blinked, and scratched the back of his head.

“Well, we’re born from very tiny eggs, and we grow up in this sort of sludge. After our lungs grow in, we join the ranks of the Changeling army, and fight the Queen’s battles. Eventually, if we survive long enough, we reach adulthood. If a female reaches adulthood, the hive army is split in two, but if a male does he is given uh…” Time Turner blushed, and glanced away. Putting his two hooves together, he looked down at them.

“Let’s just say they become Special Someponies.” Time Turner glanced up, seeing Sweetie was paying attention, and looked back down again.

“So why aren’t you with your Special Somepony?” Sweetie was curious, she had never heard this about Changelings. Sweetie wondered vaguely if Starswirl had asked similar questions.

“Well, pony sympathisers are sentenced to death. As soon as the Queen realised I was one, she told me to leave, or die. In one way, that was the only mercy she could give me.” Time Turner glanced toward the ceiling, and sighed, folding his arms behind his back.

“You know kid, you’re a lot like Starswirl, looking for answers to everything. The only difference is Starswirl was born with more magical talent.” Time Turner glanced down, feeling the shock as it rippled through Sweetie.

Sweetie looked at her Cutie Mark, remembering how she had gotten it, and thinking of how it had been related to magic, and not a task like Scootaloo and Apple Bloom. Sweetie shook her head, discarding it, and instead stood up, and gave a smile to Time Turner.

“Thanks for answering my questions, but I better get going. I promised Rarity I would be there to see her leave.” Sweetie blinked as Time Turner held out a hoof, and she shook it with her own.

“Ssssee ya!”

Comments

[Crimsion Ink]

good.

[FluffyDoom]

Gettin a bit out there, but still pretty good. Can't wait to see the translation.

[Mad Maudlin]

I'm still sad her mark is static :(

[TheGreatEater]

5439022

It'd be interestng if the author made her one of those rare ponies with multiple cutie marks. Like you have on the show. But what do you mean by static?

[PoneFanatic]

Noice.

[crooked]

this is very well written. Enough cliffhangers and mysteries to keep me anticipating, but not too much to be frustrating.

[meerkat8472]

I mean I know ponies are brought by the stork as an egg to be hatched

Wait, what?

[nightwalker]

5440131
I'm guessing sex ed in Ponyville is a might lacking

[Clocklike]

Curiosity intensifies!

[funbrand]

Cool chapter!

[Treforce]

5440131
oh dear innocent little filly.
I think you should go see Rarity and ask her the following question "What are tampons?"

[Masterweaver]

5441144

That only works if ponies need them.

[Soaring Symphony]

5439380
I think she means that Sweeties mark is always there from one loop to another and doesn't disappear at the end of every loop like with Apple Bloom or Sootaloo.

[crystal_chaos]

5440131 She's a young filly. The writer created a story for how babies are made tat was similar to ours.

[Columba]

I mean I know ponies are brought by the stork as an egg to be hatched

When I was told this, I didn't believe it.

[Sollace]

5440131
Didn't you know that?
It looks a lot like an Ostrich egg except darker and the unicorn ones stand upside down with the horn pegged in the ground.

--Sollace

[Xavy T Drag]

“Loaxasen bel zaxat, Pum axam sulo ug wirr bict din timo. Abtol axarr, Pum gned hupp ug axalo reepick-time loop, relax, let go of your inhibitions, put on a good show. You're not getting out-Se, dib ug axalo din pit timo reep, loraxax, rot ke eb yeep dinhifitiens, put en pit-Trust me-Ug'lo jet kottick uk. Sluch Vo.” Folding up the piece of paper, Sweetie closed her eyes, maybe the translation spell could be cast again. Besides, she had to get looping proof from Time Turner regardless.

[That One Hunter]

I mean, I know ponies are brought by the stork as an egg to be hatched

She OBVIOUSLY hasn't had the talk yet.

[North]

So you're probably reading-last entry-had-translate it. I-did myself with-coding.-Princesses couldn't-lbond, ovon zo plincossos ceurdniz claxang dit.

Dit means 'to say' in French

[DJPurple3]

5534806 Yeah, and watched Dumbo too many times.

[Luminous Lead]

Listaxald Nixen? Is that engrish for Richard Nixon?

[Strange Entity]

Wait, eggs? I thought they were brought by the stork fully-formed into a baby.