21 The End.
The engine of the time spire roared to life. The machine itself grew cold, not hot, cold. Soon it began to radiate a light which started red like fire then grew more intense until it became a pure white. Twilight warned the girls to shield their eyes, for it was brighter then the eclipses that occurred when Celestia and Luna decided to be playful.
It glowed, yet did not light up the dark room. When it reached its maximum brightness, energy spread outward like an expanding bubble.
The energy passed through Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rarity, and Fluttershy. Apparently Twilight had outsmarted herself. Knowing that the girls were not fated to go home, because of the now broken pre-destination paradox, she simply never programmed it to send them home. The Chair-ponies, Flim and Flam, not expecting to be caught, didn’t take them into account either.
They did however program the device to send Twilight a few years into the future.
When the bubble of the time spires energy was about to reach her, she held up a hoof in a gesture of resistance. She saw a small string hanging off her golden horseshoe. Apparently something got caught on it when she was struggling with the Chair-ponies. It was the magic warding pebble that had allowed them to sneak into the magically guarded room.
For a brief second the walls of the bubble seemed to press against some unseen form. The magic warding artifict emited something which pushed back. Then the bubble bypassed Twilight and exploded outward.
Twilight was safe. She breathed a sigh of relief. Her relief was short lived, for she quickly realized that the Time Spear would still go for everypony else. She tried to teleport, remembering once again that her magic was warded.
Now the Bubble expanded faster. It was impossible to stop.
Something between smoke and sludge emanated from the portal. Though it seemed environmental at first, the miasma began moving in a manner that indicated it was in fact tendrils of some visionless creature. The creature was feeling its way, or perhaps searching for something beautiful and good to poison the life out of.
This portal led the the world of the Umbrum, and the world itself was hostile, they had not even seen the Umbrum yet.
It mattered not, for they had all faced things more horrible then this. They charged the elements of harmony by thinking thoughts related to their respective elements, and thoughts of how much they all loved each other.
Just as they were ready to fire the friendship equivalent of a tactical nuke, the time spires bubble approached them from the other end.
Starflower Pretty Mare was the one farthest from the front, and first to feel its power. She resisted, though when the bubble touched her she heard the voice of her grand-mare telling her it was time to come home.
Celestia knew what this energy was, for she had insisted being kept in the loop for all of Twilight and Starlight’s time travel experiments.
“My little ponies, don’t be alarmed. This was the system Twilight designed to send us home in the event of an emergency.”
“It’s an emergency,” Cadence admitted, "but we can’t go while that portal is open.”
It was true, they had opened a portal to the Umbrum realm, and if they did not do what they meant to do then unspeakable evil would soon make it’s way into Equestria. The ponies, however, did not seem to have a choice in the matter. The energy of the time spire grabbed them one by one.
The portal grabbed Tulip Purple Shade, Primrose Cheeky Horse, and even Buttercup Golden Coat. Poppy Jolly Mare resisted even though the energy felt like a warm hug from her special somepony.
With Panic setting in, it seemed they would fail to use the elements of harmony.
Hoping to set an example, Screwball, and Flurry Heat started firing the power of their friendship toward the portal. Soon others joined in.
Lily Valley was unsure what to do, when she felt Daisy’s comforting hoof on her shoulder. A moment later her element joined the blast. Daisy and Roseluck quickly joined in.
Derpy had no trouble getting hers to work. Though at first she seemed to misfire and hit other ponies, those ponies became filled with a loyal determination, and soon joined in fighting the Umbrum.
Trixie, strained and struggled. “Work, darn you!” She decried. Her element would not fire.
It was true. She was never a real element of harmony. Why would she be?
Celestia put a hoof on her shoulder and whispered into her ear. “Yours is an element of magic I see. Think of a moment when you felt special, and magical, and where someone you loved was proud of you.”
Trixie Lulamoon said something, though the significance of what she said Celestia could only guess. It served as a battle cry, and as she said it her element lit up and fired its energy, with an intensity that was impressive even to a princess.
“TEACUP!”
The ponies were in a race. The blast was working on the portal, but ponies were disappear and a power they had to keep building faded as mare after mare was lost.
Minty thought about this. She had an idea, she just didn’t know if it was right or not.
Minty, what’s happening?
She heard Twilights voice in her mind.
“Twilight is that you?” She called.
Yes, it’s me.
“Hey Twilight who you talking to.?” Applejack asked
“Minty.”
“But Twi, she’s not here.”
“I’m using telepathy.” Twilight explained matter of factly.
“I thought you couldn’t use magic while you were holding that changeling doohickey.”
“It’s not magic, It’s telepathy?”
“Oh.”
“Minty are you okay?”
“For now, I am.”
“What’s that mean?”
Minty quickly explained the situation. She used images in her mind to speed things up.
“This is bad.”
“Way to sugar-coat it.”
“If ponies keep disappearing you won’t have enough energy to defeat the Umbrum.”
“Twilight, I think I know what to do, but I’m not sure.”
“Okay do it.”
“What? You don’t even know what it is.”
“I know I don’t know, and I know you. Do it.”
Minty braced herself. She coughed twice, then she told everyone her plan the best way she knew how, in a way they would all understand. She sang:
Nothing stays the same for long
But when it changes doesn't mean it's gone
Time will always get away
As it leaves behind another day
Things may come and things may go
Some go fast and some go slow
Few things last, that's all I know
But friendship carries on through the ages
She stopped after the second verse. She felt foolish. Every pony must be wondering what she could possibly be thinking. What kind of fool would start singing in a time like this?
Then she heard something.
Been around for a long time
Rocking out hard 'cause I'm in my prime
Maybe it'll change further down the line
But my friendship carries on through the ages
Every single style has something
Different it can say
There's nothing wrong with being unique
And special in your own way
They were joining in. Stranger still, ponies disappeared, but they weren’t afraid to go anymore. The blast became stronger.
How could it be getting stronger with all these ponies disappearing?
She looked around. She could see silhouettes of ponies who had returned to their own times. Their friendship was reaching them, reaching this moment from everywhen.
At this point, the mane six appeared. They joined in to fight the Umbrum.
Soon the time spear had completed its work. The blast of friendship was being handled entirely by five of the mane six, and silhouettes of ponies from across time.
The power of the Umbrums world and the power of the blast seemed match, like a tug of war. Twilight knew she needed something to upset the balance in their favour.
Seeing only one option left, she tossed aside the magic warding artifact which prevented her from participating.
Before the time spear could take her, she fired at the portal with all her might. As she surmised it worked. Every bit of power at their disposal was needed.
There was a satisfied smile upon her muzzle as she started to fade away, then she thought about her friends.
By doing this, she was stranding them in her time. No pony would be left with the power to send them home. Starlight had no real power in her current form, only the wisdom of her age.
She lifted up her hoof, as though reaching out to them, begging for forgiveness.
The girls just waived back and smiled.
When Twilight reappeared, she took stalk of her world. Where had the time spear sent her? What did those crooked Chair-ponies program into her emergency go home safely machine?
She looked around and was elated to find she was close to home. She ran to the Golden Oaks library.
As the tree came into sight she called out to it, for this was no ordinary tree. She called again, and again.
Why wasn’t Starlight Glimmer answering her?
Again she called. “Starlight?”
Something was wrong. The tree wasn’t answering. She bucked open the door and looked inside.
Startled by the loud noise, babies started to cry.
Fluttershy gently rocked her babies cradle and hummed sweetly to her. Pinkie picked her baby up, because cuddling quieted her down faster.
When the infants seemed to have calmed down they turned to the perplexed Twilight.
“Gee Twi, it’s about time. Celestia and Luna have been back for a month already.”
Apparently in their haste, the Flim Flams sent the princesses to reappear in the same year, but not the same day. They also forgot a few of the dates, though Flurry Heart was scheduled to arrive next Tuesday.
“What’s going on?” Twilight asked. “Who are these children, and where is…”
“Starlight Glimmer.” Pinkie finished her sentence.
“Well, while you were gone, Starlight decided she wanted to be a pony again, and Fluttershy was nervous about going through a pregnancy alone, so I agreed to be Starlights… What’s that word she used… Surro… Surry…
“Surrogate.”
“That’s it, though I hate that word. I much prefer mommy.”
Pinkie presented the child to Twilight. she did indeed have a coat and mane identical to that of Twilight’s former pupil. Though, she might have to take a few of her lessons over again.
Next, Twilight turned to Fluttershy.
“So I guess you and Discord had a baby while I was gone.”
Fluttershy gave a slightly sad smile.
“We had to send our filly back in time to fulfil another predestination paradox. I don’t really understand it, but apparently if we didn’t send Screwball back then the evil Umbrum timeline might have become the real future. Fluttershy teared up a little. “I’m so grateful that you took care of our screwball for us. You loved her well Twilight.”
“Screwball was your daughter. How could I not have known that?”
“Discord knew. He explained the situation to his past self and told him to hide it.”
“It’s also because she was part of this timeline and not the Umbrum apocalypse that the other timeline was freed from that pre-destination pickle.” Pinkie added. “Though Flurry heart was the one who fist broke out of the pre-destination part. We don’t know why. Power of Love I guess.”
“Discord told me her mother was some floozy he met in Las Pegasus.”
“Why would he say that? Discord,” Fluttershy ran up the stairs, an angry expression on her face.
Pinkie and Twilight just stood their for a while, both wondering what to say next.
“Aren’t you gonna ask why Fluttershy has a baby, when she sent Screwball back in time.”
“Meh, I figured Screwy just turned herself into a baby to make her mother feel better.”
“Yeah that’s it. Both are kids are supposed to get their memories back when they turn eighteen.”
“That’ll make an interesting birthday.”
“It’ll still be tough to beat your.”
“So who’s ruling Equestria now?”
“Applejack, she ran on a promise of being really honest. Rainbow Dash was her running mate. She promised to be really awesome.”
“Sounds about right.”
“She’s doing such a good job, Ponies actually think she should finish her term before giving the crown back to Celestia.”
It was a warm summers night. Twilight didn’t feel like going to the castle, so she sat on a pile of hay under the stars.
Pinkie had told her a few more details. The memory implant thing worked out in the long run, Spike won his fight just before the Storm King was sent home, Fizzlepop’s timeline is fixed, etc, etc…
Some adorable animal she didn’t recognize took a liking to her. She scratched under the creatures chin, rubbed it’s belly and soon it was snuggling up close to her.
“One might wonder if she would have let the creature so close if she knew that this was what became of the dreaded Umbrum.
She looked at the stars and reflected. Maybe if didn’t matter that she still can’t tell time because everything just went in circles anyway. Her closest friends where by her side. In this time she finally had the technology to keep them all young forever, or maybe they’d rather go home and return to the lives they had. That was fine to. They’d always be with her.
She hugged her Umbrum a little tighter, thinking of all the wonderful ponies she’d ever known, and believing she’d see them all again. Life, death, young, old, now, then maybe it’s all just a ride. We get on, have tons of fun, then wait impatiently for another turn. Understanding this, she felt she knew better then any pony how time really works.
Also LikedSimilarAuthor
- Lightwavers · 1.2k words · 37 5 · 966 views
- The Ravenclaw Queen · 1.7k words · 48 0 · 1.5k views
- kalash93 · 1.2k words · 71 4 · 2.6k views
- tom117z · 4.9k words · 67 7 · 2.3k views
- Eon Seb · 19k words · 60 2 · 1.5k views
- Colt Vulpes · 28k words · 113 9 · 2.8k views
Stats
Page generated in 0.11 seconds
Total duration
1,125 users online
2,037,707 hits today, 2,561,572 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Time travel stories are weird.
A truly amazing story
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Fluttercord done right. Nice finish.
Satisfying conclusion. Well done!
The ending paragraphs strongly reminded me of Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse.
9580519
I thought Luna asked who was in the starship she was fighting and only got told she was a white pony from her past?
9580553
I think you might be right.
Horse Apples
well i feel that was a pretty good ending
This story has left me so confused. Most of the time, I have no idea what’s happening.
Fantastic story!!! Seriously I think this has to be in the top 5 I've ever read. Well by a non-professional writer. Don't think I'm criticizing you, I just mean someone not established like how Asimov or Rowling are.
I loved this story. You had me on edge of my seat so to speak with all the time mumbo jumbo and everything else. (It's difficult for me to express myself, so sue me)