• Published 17th Nov 2011
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Twilight Then, Twilight now - Paradise Oasis



From across time, Two different ponies named Twilight are drawn into a mystery transcending the ages

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chapter 12

twelve:

Now....

"Okay, perhaps I overreacted a bit to your experimental work you've done here... but even you have to admit, those Jewel-eyed ponies seem as creepy as all get out, at first." Twilight commented.

"Oh I won't argue with that." Booker replied, laughing. "They can even creep me out, at times."

As they walked though the laboratory, Twilight and the male unicorn were happily chatting away, whilst Bronco and Applejack were trotting along behind them. Bronco kept trying to talk to Applejack... no matter how much she wished he would stop.

"Ya know, I was the strongest earth stallion in mah town." The the rough-talking stallion bragged. "I was the only pony strong enough to kick a barrel a mile."

"That's, that's nice." She told him, sighing in disgust. Bronco was a cute Stallion, so she wouldn't normally mind his attention. But he was so arrogant, talking only about himself, and not even asking her what she thought about anything. It didn't seem fair... why did Twilight find another likable egghead to talk to, while she was stuck with this brainless oaf who was only interested in her flank?

It was at that point they walked underneath a large bell, that hung high on a small tower in the middle of the laboratory. A smaller bell, about the size of a pony's necklace, hung on a peg below it.

"What in tarnation are those fer?" Applejack asked curiously.

"Oh, those bells?" Booker looked up. "The big one is an experiment on dimensional travel through the release of sound waves. The bell had several enchantments woven into the metal when it was being cast, so that if the bell is even rung once, it would teleport everything in a three mile radius into another dimension."

"And how is that safe?" Twilight Sparkle questioned.

"We don't really know." Bronco replied. "We really can't test the thing without sending the entire city of Tambleon bye-bye."

"And what's the smaller bell fer?" Applejack asked.

"That bell channels the electricity in the very air intro raw magical power." Booker told her. "A failed experiment in trying to create a way for non-unicorn ponies to use magic. But the power it generates is too great to be in any one pony's hands."

"Booker, no offense." Twilight sighed, shaking her mane. "But everything we've seen here seems to confirm Princess Celestia's worst fears."

"I can assure you, Miss Sparkle-" The unicorn stallion started.

"Twilight, please." Twilight corrected him.

"Twilight.... I can assure you that none of the things you see in this laboratory will ever be used as weapons." Booker assured her. "Anything as dangerous as the bells will be disposed of as soon as we can find a safe way of doing so."

"Fer Equestria's sake, Ah hope that yer right." Applejack added, as the three of them moved on.

"Say, anybody hungry?" Bronco added. "Now that the tour's done, ah know of a nice little tavern near here. Ahnd I'm starvin!"

As the three of them left the lab, they failed to notice the Small, skulking form of Bray, Midnight's donkey assistant, sneaking up to the bells, and slipping the small one off it's pedestal, before quietly vanishing into the night...
.....

At the same time, Avian had just finished showing Fluttershy around the Tambleon Aviary. The two had talked a great deal, and Fluttershy was amazed at how much she and the stallion had in common.

"So you were from Cloudsburg originally?" Fluttershy asked, "I've never been there, but I've heard it's as big as Cloudsdale."

"Yes... too big for my tastes." Avian added distastefully. "I like peace and quiet, where I can hear the birds sing."

"But why come down to the surface?" Fluttershy asked. "Most birds stay high in the sky, and you don't seem to be a bad flyer."

"But not all birds." He replied, stamping his hoof. "I love ostriches and penguins, as much as I do sparrows and eagles."

"I can tell." Fluttershy responded. "You even seem better with fowl than I am."

"I will say, Miss Fluttershy, you certainly know your birds." Avian complimented her, while feeding a parrot through his teeth.

"Um, thank you, Avian." She replied softly. "And you certainly have a beautiful collection of birds here."

"Ah, that is true." He replied, smiling at her. "But none of them, not the peacock nor the flamingo, are as graceful and beautiful as you, miss Fluttershy.

Any other mare would have laughed such a corny pick up line off, but the shy and introverted Pegasus turned a deep crimson red, her cheeks becoming flushed as the warmth spread up through them."

"I...um... er...well.... that is..." She stuttered nervously, her eyes darting around. "You know, I'm kind of hungry. Why don't we go get something to eat?"

"I think that's a marvelous idea." He replied. "And I happen to know of a tavern near here."

....

"Wow, you ARE fast!" Sureshot told her with a smirk. "It's not just anypony that can keep up with me!"

"You're not too bad yourself!" Dash replied. "I've never seen another stallion come as close to doing a sonic rainboom as you just did there!"

"Eh, I hope one day I will be able to do a rainboom!" He told her. "I've always wanted to pull that move off since I saw you do it in the flyer competition in cloudsdale."

"Whoa, you were at the competition?" Rainbow Dash asked in surprise. "So you thought my performance was awesome?"

"I think it was 100% cooler than any other pony." he replied, smiling. "And you're 200% cooler."

"Well, you're pretty awesome yourself." She started to reply, a dreamy look on her face. Then, quickly thought to herself. "Wait, wait wait.... me, getting all goofy eyed over a stallion? Gah! I'm becoming as bad as the other five! Well, he does have a set of cute wings and a nice flank... Okay, Dash, play it cool. You can't let the girls find out about this, or they'll never let me live it down! "So... uh, have any flying moves you've developed?"

"Well, I did have this one..." Sureshot replied. "I've been working on it since I was a colt in Cloudsburg. It's called the double inside out loop, and it takes some tricky maneuvering."

"Cool! I'd love to see it." She leaned back against a cloud, slipping on a pair of shades. "After we're done, wanna go grab some hay burgers and chocolate shakes, and hang out for awhile?"

"Sounds cool to me." Sureshot replied, flying a loop around Rainbow Dash, and smiling.

.....

At the Tailor's shop, Slick Styles was admiring the work Rarity was doing, fixing up several of the dresses he had made, encrusting them with the gems the two of them had found in the soil near town.

"I must say, Miss Rarity." The refined unicorn complimented her. "I have never seen dresses of this stunning quality made in this shop before."

"You too kind, good sir." She replied, levitating more diamonds onto the outfit. "Though I will say your outfits for stallions are of far better quality than your dresses. If I catered to a male clientele, I'd love to have your work for sale at my shop."

"Miss Rarity." The pretty stallion said, flipping his long mane back in dramatic fashion. "I would be honored if you'd let me take you to the local dining establishment for dinner this evening."

"I would be honored, good sir." Rarity replied with a smile. He's so wonderful... everything that spoiled rotten Prince Blueblood was not.

As they walked to the door, he held the door open for her. "Ladies First." He told her, much to Rarity's delight.

......

"That's it, Pinkie! Kick it higher! Higher!"

The laughing pink earth pony was dancing on stage, leading a line of chorus girls. The two of them had worked out a new routine, and Pinkie Pie had insisted in dancing in the first performance.

"This is so much fun!" Pinkie Pie giggled. "The routine you worked out is so much fun!"

"Watching you dance is kind of fun, too." He replied, though he wouldn't have been surprised if the flirting went over Pinkie Pie's head. He was amazed that she could predict the steps of the dance so well, seeing as how she had only glanced briefly at the sheet. It was as if she had some kind of 'Pinkie Sense', telling her what was the next move was.

It was then, that the other five girls came in with the other stallions. They all looked at each other in shock,exclaiming simultaneously;

"What are you doing here?!?"

There were several moments of shocked silence, before Hopper finally broke the tension;

"Well, this is certainly gong to be an interesting dinner, isn't it?"