The Day Before the 1,000th Summer Sun Celebration...
“I want you to accompany Twilight, Rainbow Dash.”
Rainbow Dash frowned in thought while trotting down a long corridor in Canterlot Castle, making her way for an exit that would take her to the observatory yard, where the tall and luxurious tower in which Twilight had been living for the last three years would be found. Her steps echoed around her, as there were no other ponies here right now. A blessing in a way, for she could think freely and without distraction.
“Huh? Why? I’m pretty sure she’s got everything under control.”
Rainbow pushed the doors open as she came to them, warm summer air washing over her face and relaxing her slightly sore muscles. She could hear birds chirping and the smells of lively plants reached her nostrils, prompting her to take a deep breath. The region in front of her was comprised of a large, open courtyard with decorative gardens and, near the wall, a tall, spiraling tower with observation windows near the top floor. Rainbow wasted no time in begining the fairly short canter to her destination.
“You misunderstand. The Summer Sun Celebration needs clear skies, Rainbow, and I don’t know anypony faster or better with the clouds than you. I want you to go with her to ensure that the skies are clear for the sunrise.”
“You sure that’s all there is to it?”
Rainbow sighed slightly as she recalled the somewhat bitter tone that had slipped into her words when she asked that question. She was growing tired of waiting for answers, yes, but that was no excuse...
“Well… I admit, there is more to it. I want you to stick by Twilight’s side if something goes wrong, okay?”
“You mean Nightmare Moon?”
Rainbow felt a chill run down her spine at that thought. She remembered well what her mother had said, and they both knew that Nightmare Moon was due to return tomorrow. Celestia was, as usual, neglecting to drop more details. She was continuously re-assuring Rainbow Dash that everything would be fine, though Rainbow was not so sure she believed her.
“Yes. You remember. If I remember her as well as I think I do, she’ll strike suddenly and with no warning… if she strikes out at me, I want you to keep Twilight safe.”
“No offense, but what does Twilight even have to do with Nightmare Moon?”
Rainbow’s brow furrowed while she ascended Twilight’s tower, trying to figure out what the bookish unicorn mare would have that could link her to a thousand year old alicorn tyrant that had been stuck in the moon for most of her life. And she found her teeth grinding behind her lips in irritation as she remembered Celestia’s answer.
“I’m afraid I do not have an answer for that… not until after.”
Predictable, but still irritating.
Either way, Rainbow at last reached Twilight’s door and knocked several times. For a moment there was the sound of movement on the other side before, after a few seconds, Twilight pried it open, looking at Rainbow with a troubled look on her face. It melted into a genuinely happy smile at the sight of Rainbow, however. “Oh! Rainbow! I’m so glad to see you! Come on and get in here, I need to show you something.” she babbled excitedly before reaching out with her hooves and yanking Rainbow into her observatory.
“Ow!” Rainbow complained from the sudden movement before removing herself from Twilight’s grip, now very grumpy. “What gives?!”
“Sorry,” Twilight apologized, blushing somewhat. “I just found out something really important and I would like it if you could set Princess Celestia straight on it.” she explained while cantering briskly up into upper levels. Rainbow rolled her eyes and followed Twilight up.
“What is it?”
When Rainbow reached the top of the stairs, Twilight shoved a book into her face with a quick burst of telekinesis. “Read this!” she said quickly. Rainbow shot her a look, raising an eyebrow before plucking the book from Twilight’s grip and looking it over.
“Okay, let’s see… ‘The mare in the moon, myth from olden pony times. A powerful pony who wanted to rule Equestria, defeated by the Elements of Harmony and imprisoned in the moon. Legend has it that on the longest day of the thousandth year, the stars will…” Rainbow stopped with a furrowed brow. Twilight was in on it, now.
“Before I say anymore, I want you to swear to me that you will not repeat any of what I am about to tell you.”
“I won’t say a word, I promise.”
Rainbow lowered the book and looked at Twilight uneasily, the mare in question looking back at her with expectant and almost pleading eyes. “Well? I looked it over in a history book, too. The information lines up and I’m sure that Nightmare Moon is about to come back!”
Rainbow looked at the book again, then up to Twilight, unsure of how to respond. After a moment she returned the book to Twilight, who claimed it with her magic. “I’m not so sure…” she lied, wincing guiltily inside. “Maybe you should check some more sources or something? You know, to make sure you’ve got it right?”
“Rainbow!” Twilight groaned out while procuring the letter Spike had belched out not ten minutes ago and shoving it in Rainbow’s face. “I don’t have time to be checking more sources! I’m going on an assignment!”
Rainbow knew what the letter said. She had been there when Celestia had written it. She lifted a foreleg and pushed the note out of her face. “Uh, yeah, that’s why I’m here, Twilight. Celestia wants me to go with you.”
Twilight leaned back and blinked in surprise. “Huh?”
“Yeah. I’m supposed to be keeping the skies clear or whatever,” she then leaned forward as if to share some great secret. “Between you and me, I’m mostly going so I can show off to the wonderbolts.”
Twilight couldn’t help the small smile that appeared at Rainbow’s almost predictable statement. She then lost said smile and groaned in frustration while turning away from Rainbow to look out of her window and over the city below.. “Ugh… I guess I have no choice but to go on this assignment, huh?”
Rainbow lost her smile before trotting up to Twilight’s side. “Hey, it’ll be okay,” A cocky grin appeared on her face. “If some old evil alicorn stupid shows up, I’ll whoop her butt for ya.”
Twilight snorted in response before looking at Rainbow with an incredulous expression. “Uh, I don’t think that’d be a very good idea. Alicorns are kinda-”
“Powerful as heck, I know,” Rainbow interrupted her before jabbing Twilight in the shoulder playfully. “But I’ll also have you to watch my back. We’ll be fine. Trust me, okay?”
Twilight recoiled from Rainbow’s jab before play-punching her back, giggling slightly. “I mean, I guess… seriously, though, don’t do anything reckless or stupid.”
Rainbow gasped in mock shock while holding a hoof up to her chest. “Moi?” she asked in the cheesiest canterlot noble accent she could.
Twilight laughed.
“You’ll be fine, Twilight,” Shining Armor assured before adjusting his captain’s armor a bit. “With your management skills you’ll have your duties done in no time at all.”
Twilight nodded before reaching out and pulling her big brother into a warm hug. “I hope so…”
Rainbow smiled at the two from where she was standing not far away. She then turned to look at the two pegasus royal guards that would be carrying the chariot. “You guys all set to go?” she asked, to which they both nodded sharply. Rainbow nodded and then looked out at where they were. One of the landing yards of Canterlot Castle,reserved for important arrivals and departures only. She took a moment to look and could see a lot of Equestria sprawling before her, given their altitude.
Her eyes trailed a bit and soon rested on Ponyville, the small town at the base of the mountain. She then turned her eyes to Twilight, who was presently looking over a checklist with Spike to make sure they had everything that they needed written down. Finally, Rainbow turned and looked up to see Princess Celestia looking down to them from a balcony some distance away, looking… sad.
Rainbow furrowed her brow before looking back at Twilight. “Go ahead and get ready. I need to check something really quick.” she said before shooting up into the air. A second later, she slowed to a stop in front of Celestia, who had taken a step back to make sure Rainbow had room.
“...Rainbow Dash.” the princess greeted simply.
“Before I go on this trip, I just need to ask you two things… is there anything else I should know right now, and… are you crying?” Rainbow’s words started off simple and blunt, but soon shifted to something far more gentle.
Celestia nodded and wiped a hoof across her eyes to remove the tears. “Yes… I am.”
“What’s wrong?” Rainbow asked softly before drifting forward and putting a hoof on Celestia’s shoulder.
“Nothing is wrong, per se… I’m just…” she glanced at Rainbow with a longing look in her eyes, then past her to Twilight. Rainbow followed Celestia’s gaze and frowned.
“You worried about Twilight?”
“About both of you,” Celestia corrected, earning Rainbow’s gaze once again. She shuddered and continued. “...I’ve been meaning to send Twilight away from Canterlot to Ponyville for quite some time. Even if you have helped draw out much of her potential, she is still… she is still hiding in a shell, so to speak. She needs more friends to draw out what she is truly capable of,” Celestia then lowered her gaze slightly. “I just don’t want her to go, ultimately…”
Rainbow sighed slightly but nodded in understanding. “Hey, if it’s any consolation, I’ll still be here.”
Celestia looked up to Rainbow with an appreciative smile, but there was something in her eyes that made Rainbow’s smile falter. Still, Celestia straightened herself and pulled Rainbow Dash into a warm embrace. “...Thank you for saying that.”
Rainbow returned the hug gladly, basking in Celestia’s warmth for several moments. She then glanced back down to where Twilight and Spike were now sitting in the chariot, waiting on her. Shrugging out of the hug, Rainbow smiled at Celestia confidently. “I gotta go. Don’t worry about us. Twilight will do fine and Nightmare Moon won’t hurt her. I’ll make sure of that. I promise.”
Celestia nodded in thanks. “I know. Thank you, Rainbow…”
Rainbow grinned before flipping back and shooting for the chariot, leaving Celestia to watch after them with her smile gradually fading.
Below, Rainbow came to a landing in the Chariot, only breaking her speed back at the last possible second to avoid crushing it. A gust of wind ruffled all manes present, earning a disgruntled frown from Twilight. Rainbow chuckled sheepishly and, while Twilight was fixing her mane, tapped the front rim of the chariot. “Okay, boys; Let’s go!”
The two stallions nodded in affirmative before spreading their wings and beginning the journey. As the chariot went, the two were mostly silent. Twilight leaned forward and rested her forelegs on the side of the chariot so she could look down at the ground below as they sped by. Rainbow simply chose to lounge a bit with her back to one wall of the chariot, deciding to relax until they arrived.
Unbeknownst to Rainbow, Twilight’s eyes twitched sporadically for several moments. She gasped softly, the sound lost to the rush of the air. Memories were battling for supremacy in her mind, and she found herself sitting bolt upright. She glanced back at Rainbow. She felt like yelping in alarm, but she didn’t. For several seconds, she thought she was remembering a life where Rainbow had never come to Canterlot, where she had never had the flashes, where she was anti-social even among her study group.
But when she really focused on Rainbow, reality reasserted itself. She shook her head to dispel a slight throb that had entered her head and looked back down at the world below.
“You okay, Twilight?” Rainbow asked, having noticed Twilight staring.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Just… a little dizzy.”
Rainbow frowned, unconvinced, but decided to not push the issue for now. They were on their way to Ponyville, now. Nightmare Moon would be returning this night and, hopefully, Princess Celestia would finally have answers when all was said and done.
What? So soon? Not going to remake the entire show, episode by episode, and shuffle in a tiny bit of difference in each one to show that your 'universe' is unique?
This isn't right! This isn't normal! It's cats and dogs living together all over again! Ahhh!!!
[ps. I'm now required to add that this is all a joke. Because some people are too stupid to realize it.]
Well the overall events ought to play out normally, though the interactions between the main 6 will be different, and some flashes might happen during the quest to stop Nightmare.
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I do have a possible, very theoretical cncept for a sequel in my head that I might do, but we'll see. The seeds for it are actually already in place. it would ultimately just be a matter of if I am willing to go on with those seeds.
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I know that. Hense the 'Joke'. I'm making fun of every other story that has this start. They usually have a unique feature. An OC, or change in the story like Twilight being Male, or it's more Mature, or what if it was Celestia banished instead of Luna, or what if Rainbow was Celestia's daughter for realzy, or Twilight is secretly an alicorn from the start.
They do a very unique NMM arch. Then every chapter after that, is a remake of the show, in order, with very small subtle difference from their universe added in. The OC helps AJ in 'Episode 3', or AJ's not sleep deprived by drunk, or male Twi ends up doing naughty things with AJ as a 'reward' at the end. But the core of the 'Episode' stays the same. Same conflict, new start and/or solution.
That is what I was making a joke at.
--
Like seriously, go read most of the 'Humans in Equestria' stories. They almost always follow that formula, even if the 'Episodes' are happening in the background.
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not to mention that twilight has yet to meet pinkie or aj.
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i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/facebook/000/049/238/633872023534886210-Captainobvious.jpg
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Ouch
My brother liked the captain obvious pic and so did I, because it is true how dumb my comment was now that I think about it.
Mrrglglgr, mrglglglshhhhh.
But doesn't Twilight already have pieces of the event that is going to happen this day? This way, she can better prepare for the encounter.
I’m fine with your story as is. Don’t need another arc as they grow up. Flash backs could fill in the blanks.
More so if you do s sequel. Twilight might have a form of precognition thanks to the memories she gained. Discord plan would be all out of wrack if Twilight has a flash and learns the Elements are at the library for example.
I hear a lot of bitching over replaying the same old same old with a twist of each episode. The problem with that is two fold:
1) Pinkie Pie already broke the forth wall from day one and adding in flashes will mean she will be hitting the ground running and derailing several episodes faster than you can say WTF
2) Starlight Glimmer is most likely also having flashes and might be waiting for them in Ponyville and will most likely derail things even more. Applebucking season alone could be derailed by Starlight Glimmer smacking Applejack repeatedly with a news paper until she knocks the stubborn out of her while Pinkie takes care of the Applebucking with an army of Pinkie Pie Mirror Pool Clones.
Once any one of them starts derailing things it won't be long until all of them jump on the new train and begin creating a whole bunch of new problems caused by their derailing the original problem and taking things off in a new and completely uncharted waters. The Diamond Dogs might find themselves dealing with a battalion of decidedly not very friendly Royal Guards instead of Twilight and her friends. Pinkie could just keep shoving taffy in Luna's mouth every time she uses the royal Canterlot voice on nightmare night making it impossible to yell while chewing. The potential for derailment are endless including making things even worse like with cider season and the Flim Flam brothers not running away but keeping Sweet Apple Acres and booting the Apples off their farm or the competition never happening due to Flim and Flam being arrested for stealing apples straight off the trees in broad daylight in front of hundreds of witnesses (seriously, how did those two not get arrested from the beginning with that stunt.) Personally I want to see how the author derails things in new and interesting ways.
Hello there. Thanks very much for getting the first chapter to the final arc up. I really appreciate you going to the effort. Once again, the exchanges, characterizations and future chapter set-up are all well done in all the right places. I particularly like seeing how Rainbow is trying to cheer Twilight up while also struggling to keep from revealing what very little she DOES know from her.
Now, I DO have a couple of ideas for future chapters:
1. At an appropriate point in the next chapter, there could be a scene with Granny Smith talking to Rainbow asking how Celestia is doing while Twilight is being introduced to most of the rest of Applejack's family. (with Granny explaining that she DOES read the papers and Celestia WAS the one who helped her find the land to Sweet Apple Acres).
2. At an appropriate point, Rainbow and Twilight can apologize to Fluttershy for not doing as good a job keeping track of her as they should have and asking her when she moved to Ponyville.
3. For a brief epilogue scene, when it is revealed that Twilight and Rainbow both decided to move to Ponyville, there could be brief scenes in Canterlot that have Twilight packing certain prized possessions for the move and explaining things in pony to her parents, big brother and study group.
and 4. If Twilight DOES explain to her study group that she and Rainbow have decided to move to Ponyville, there could be a exchange somewhere along these lines:
Minuette: Believe me, Twi, if you already made up your mind on this, we can more than understand. And, heck, with Lyra ALSO deciding to move to Ponyville after graduation, at least you won't be losing touch with ALL of your old study group.
Moondancer: And you are showing us enough courtesy to explain your decision to our faces and make an honest effort at a proper goodbye.
Twilight: Not "'goodbye'", Dancer, just "'until we meet again'". I promise I won't forget the four of you just because Rainbow and I have made new friends.
Minuette: Better make that a "'Pinkie Promise'".
Twilight: "'Pinkie Promise'"?
Minuette: Yeah. (demonstrates) Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye. I learned it from Pinkie Pie.
Twilight: You know Pinkie Pie?
Minuette: Yeah. We met a few years back. (as Twilight does the "Pinkie Promise" gestures [but accidentally pokes herself in the eye]). Close enough. But I have a feeling if you will be seeing Pinkie a lot, you'll eventually get the hang of it.
Twilight: Fair enough. Anyway, I "'Pinkie Promise'" I won't let my new friends make me forget my old ones.
Minuette: That's all we ask. Come to think of it, I think Lyra's decision to move to Ponyville might have ALSO been motivated by a friend she made there.
Either Twinkle Shine or Lemon Hearts (your choice which one): Yeah, "'friend'". Lyra claims she and that one mare;I think her name was "'Bon Bon'" or "'Sweetie Drops'"; are just good friends, but come on. Those two are so close they make Shiny and Cadance look like arch-enemies by comparison.
Twilight: Don't worry. I'll probably get a pretty fair number of writing opportunities. After all, I'll be writing to Princess Celestia pretty regularly, so it's only fair I include notes for the four of you too.
***************
Of course, if you don't like the ideas, I WILL understand completely.
And, at any rate, I'll definitely be looking forward to more of this, but will also respect the fact that real world concerns need to come first.
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Well, thing is that the memories didn't 'stick.' They drifted into her mind as a critical point is fast approaching, considering her relevance to the event, but then the memories drifted back out. Kinda like 'In one ear, tickle the brain, out the other."
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About the Flim Flam brothers... I wonder what would happen if, instead of just getting flabbergasted by the offer they can't accept the Apples started bargaining and managed to get a GOOD deal with that... The issue with the Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000 is just that the offer would foreclose Sweet Apple Acres and then everyone is stupid and goes for the idiot choice. The machine itself is simply fantastic. Afterward the Brothers get out with scams in the proper sense, but with the SSCS6k are with a genuine revolutionary device.
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I actually theorized that alicorns aren't something you just become. It's something you're born as. The magic is already there, just waiting to be awakened. And that's Flurry Heart's talent. Her talent is to bring out the untapped potential in others.
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Oh, I agree 100% if she has full access to those memories it would be a very boring story! I'm thinking more along the lines of Déjà vu. Or she remembers something like it's a dream. Not every memory would work for her benefit. Or she gets some memories mixed up.
Ultimately it's your story your rules. Besides it, just an off the top idea of how those months of being lost in her mind as memories of another life bombard her would have long-term effects. Just thoughts of how things could go forward if you choose to make a sequel.
Little Glimpses a wonderful story and interesting twist on how time travel can change things. On my favorite list for a reason!
Oh, Rainbow: doesn't she realize that she can say she believes Twilight without spilling the beans? It's not like trusting in your friend requires you to have any prior knowedge.
I have no problem with where we are in the story. I'm just disappointed that it's ending.
I'm a bit surprised that you jumped to the Summer Sun Celebration - the previous chapters skipped two years at most. But it's your story, so write whatever your muse tells you.
I'm already imagining how the next chapter's going to go:
Twilight & RD: Hey! We saw you in a vision!
AJ: I saw you two in a vision! I always figured I'd just been out in the sun too long.
Pinkie: Well, I saw all of you in a flash that left me in a coma, and then when I woke up I had amnesia for a whole year! But we don't talk about that.
AJ: Uh, you just did.
Pinkie: Oops!
RD: Did you just one-up Twilight without knowing it?
Pinkie: Uh, maybe?
Or something like that.
Woo! Back to the original teenage balls of fur we grew to love.
"And because I definitely haven't manipulated events to get your friend Fluttershy to live there too. And would have done the same to you (something to do with leader of the weather team) had we not already met in this timeline."
Well well. Note she didn't say "She remembered what Celestia had said" this time around.
Celestia's teaching you well, but even I can hear the blatant lie in your voice. And I'm reading it not hearing it.
we're not sure whether to cheer in support for the continued stability of this AU or for the resurgence of the original. But if one or the other doesn't take priority...
Capitalized
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That has to be the most interesting theory I've ever heard. Based on what I know (I've never read the comics, and I'm several episodes behind in the show), the idea certainly has merit. If that is indeed the case, I can't wait to see whose potential is unlocked first, and how that will affect that pony, and everypony around him/her. I also can't wait to see how she affects all the beings on... whatever the planet with Equestria is called.
Of course, that's just assuming the canon writers don't (or haven't) come up with some other explanation. I'm sure they will, and theirs won't be as thought-provoking as yours.
I'm sorry, I know it's nitpicky, but this has shown up so often, I need to speak up about it just once. Twilight is/was asocial, no antisocial. Asocial is what most people are thinking of when they say antisocial. When they'd rather not spend time with other people, and prefer to be left to themselves. That's what Twilight and I has. Antisocial is when a person/pony would go out of their way to hurt someone/pony if they believe they can get away with it. These two videos explain it well, the first one from a psychological perspective, the second from a more personal perspective.
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Language is dictated by usage, not by an unchanging standard. If "most people" use antisocial as a synonym, then it's a synonym. That's just how language works. Otherwise, the whole planet would speak the same, unchanging language, because multiple languages would never have developed.
personal opinion i always thought celestia was foalish for not clueing twilight in but she had reason enough to worry that twilight wouldn't be able to do this properly if she knew what was going to happen in advance....that twilight anyway
this twilight however is more stable and whats more if she went over even a fragment of what she saw in the flashes with Celestia celestia should know she already likely knows whats going on or if she doesn't she soon will...the cat is out of the bag and whats more withholding things now could cause the opposite effect, the whole reason for the divergence was rd not being able to let go of her curiosity about the disappearing alicorn...the moment dash figured out something was going on not telling her the truth became a liability as it could potentially distract her at a critical moment
(though i dont need to go over the many oopsies both real and potential that celestia has made someone already did that for me, check out the story (or the amazing animation) folly of celestia...that goes over them all prety dang well)
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i rather disagree with you here in this instance as this particular example of common slang is the result of ignorance of proper language, so correcting it is actualy the proper responce.
the reason 'antisocial' is used in place of 'asocial' is most people havnt heard the later of the two before, if they knew that it was the proper term they would use it
also i never saw twilight as either, shes just introverted, theres nothing wrong with likeing your me time, even after becoming princess twilight still was known for locking herself away to be by herself or with a very few trusted indaviduals for weeks or months on end, she didn't change too much honestly