The Persistence of Destiny

by Cold Bolt

Trouble with a Capital "T"

"No no no no nonononono."

Concern etched its way onto the faces of the other three ponies as Starlight began pacing back and forth, muttering to herself.

"It's late afternoon, she should already be... oh, and there's no way we'd get to Canterlot before court closes for the day... we don't have time for this...! We have to - "

"Starlight!"

Starlight jumped slightly at Sunset's outburst.

"You have been spending way too much time with Twilight," said Sunset, gently draping a foreleg over Starlight's shoulders. "I need you to take a deep breath and tell us what's wrong."

Starlight complied, relaxing only marginally as she did so. "The year that the Summer Sun Celebration was held in Ponyville was..." She swallowed. "...was the year of Nightmare Moon's return."

The color quickly drained from Derpy's face as she began shivering. "N, Ni, Night - Nightmare Moon?" she screeched. "She, she's real?!"

"Nightmare Moon...?" echoed the Doctor.

Derpy turned toward him slowly. "You - you don't know?"

He shrugged. "Never really one for fables and the like, if I'm honest."

"B-But wait!" Derpy looked pleadingly at Starlight, her wings draped around her body like a security blanket. "So - so how many other scary things are real, then? The crumple-horned snorkack? The Flatwoods Monster? Tommy Wiseau??"

Starlight stared blankly at Derpy for several long seconds. "I... have no idea what any of those things are."

Derpy breathed a sigh of relief.

"Nightmare Moon..." Sunset's brow furrowed. "I remember reading about the prophecy briefly a long time ago, but I don't remember any details... and it never came up when I was around Princess Twilight, either."

"I don't remember it very well myself," said Starlight, "but I can tell you one thing: Twilight should have arrived in town by now, and she hasn't." She took another deep breath. "And if she's not here when Nightmare Moon appears tomorrow morning, all of Equestria will fall into eternal night!"

"We don't know for sure yet that she's not here though," said Sunset. "What if she just hasn't stopped by the library?"

Starlight quirked an eyebrow. "Um, have you even met her?"

After a moment of consideration, Sunset sighed. "Right, point made."

"Now, there's still no need to fret yet," said the Doctor. "She may simply be tardy is all!"

"But what if she isn't? What if the spell messed up the timeline so much that the Element Bearers never get together?" Now it was Starlight's turn to shiver. "I've seen with my own eyes what happens to Equestria without them."

"Come on, Starlight. You really do need to calm down," said Sunset. "We didn't doom all of Equestria with one spell."

"Yeah, you um, do seem kind of frazzled..." Derpy scratched her head for a moment, then gasped as an idea hit her. "Oh, I know! Why don't we go get something to eat? My treat!"

"Wh, but, I..." Starlight sputtered. "We can't just go take a break for lunch! The fate of all of Equestria could be at stake!"

The Doctor waggled a hoof at her. "Now, now, Starlight, you won't be saving the timeline on an empty stomach! Food sounds splendid, Derpy dear."

"Besides," Sunset added, "we don't have time to do anything about it before the Celebration anyway. You said so yourself, didn't you?"

Starlight stared open-mouthed, her gaze falling to the floor.

Sunset was right. There wouldn't be any fixing the spell before the following morning, and by then it would be too late. Plus, they had no way of confirming whether or not Twilight would be there before tomorrow morning. All they could really do at this point was to wait for the Summer Sun Celebration and see how things played out.

If Twilight didn't show up... well, they'd burn that bridge when they came to it.

Starlight sighed. "You know... food sounds really good right now. Thanks, Derpy."

Derpy trotted toward the door, waving the others over with a wing. "C'mon, I know a place."

---

Four ponies stood before the library.

"So we meet back here at four thirty, right?" Derpy fluffed her wings as she spoke.

"That's the plan," said Starlight. "For what it's worth, at least..."

"Chin up now, Miss Glimmer!" The Doctor smirked. "No sense worrying about it just yet, hm? You'll need plenty of sleep to be up early for the ceremony."

"That's right!" agreed Derpy. "Everything might still be totally fine! Won't you feel silly when your friend shows up and you got all scared for nothing," she added with a giggle.

Sunset quirked an eyebrow. "Yeah, and I remember a certain pegasus who was at least as scared herself."

Derpy grinned sheepishly.

"Well, we all really ought to be getting to bed then," said the Doctor. "Onwards and upwards!"

"See you in the morning!" said Derpy.

Starlight nodded, forcing a smile. "Good night, you two."

With that, they parted ways, and the two unicorns entered the library once more.

Sunset glanced around. "So where are we going to sleep?"

"There's a bedroom upstairs." Starlight pointed at a nearby staircase. "We'll just have to share it for the night."

Sunset shrugged. "Works for me."

The two climbed the stairs to find a modest but serviceable bedroom complete with bookcases, a writing desk, a dresser, a nightstand, a linen closet, and...

"...only one bed," grumbled Starlight. "Of course."

"That's fine. You take it," said Sunset, rummaging magically through the closet for a spare pillow and blanket. "No offense, but you look like you need it more than I do."

Starlight wasn't of a mind to object.

A few minutes later, the two ponies were curled up in bed, though Sunset's consisted of a pair of folded blankets stacked up beneath the window. She was also the only of the two to fall asleep quickly, much to Starlight's dismay.

The day positively haunted her. Just how badly had she messed up, really? She couldn't even be sure yet. The image of a vast wasteland devoid of light and life, just as Twilight had shown her during her last instance of meddling with the timeline, floated at the edges of her vision. Was that the future to which Equestria was now doomed?

Afraid to close her eyes and give the frightening visions greater purchase in her mind, she settled for staring out the window. Dusk clung to the horizon, the barest hint of glowing color remaining as the moon and stars lit up the evening sky. It was still a while before Starlight usually retired for the night; that, combined with her worries, beat back her fatigue and kept her awake still.

She needed a plan. She needed to know that she had something at least resembling a contingency in case Twilight didn't show up... but what?

Should she go find the mare? If Celestia never sent her to Ponyville to make herself some friends, then the point was moot; all six of them needed to be there, bonded by dire circumstances, for the Elements to respond to them. In other words, there really wouldn't be any point.

But what if - ?

No. No, she couldn't possibly. Sure, she had technically "graduated" from the lesson plan that had been set before her by her mentor, but she still had so much to learn! And, yeah, technically she had already led a motley crew on a mission to save Equestria and emerged victorious, but this was different! Wasn't it?

She was no Element of Harmony. She couldn't be. Nopony guilty of the things she had done could ever be worthy of such a thing... especially one prone to the kinds of mistakes that got her and Sunset in this mess to begin with.

Starlight groaned and buried her face in her pillow. It was going to be a long night.

---

"Uh... You sure you're okay?"

Derpy tilted her head at Starlight as they walked side by side toward town hall.

"I'm... fine, Derpy..." said Starlight through a mouthful of yawn. "I'm just... used to sleeping in, that's all."

Derpy frowned. "Well, I guess if you're sure..."

A few paces behind them, Sunset sighed quietly.

"Now how is it your friend there is all nerves, and you're back here cool as a cucumber, hm?" asked the Doctor. "You don't seem the least bit perturbed by all this Nightmare Moon business."

Sunset shrugged. "I try to worry more about what's happening right now than about what might happen at some point later on."

"It seems to me, what's happening now is Miss Glimmer is making herself positively ill with stress."

Sunset watched as Starlight yawned again.

"She'll be alright," said Sunset finally. "She's been through some tough stuff before. We both have."

The Doctor gave her a firm look. "How certain are you of that?"

After another moment of hesitation, Sunset shook her head, more at herself than at the Doctor. Her pace quickened, putting her at Starlight's side in just a few strides.

"Are you really sure you're okay?" said Sunset.

"I'm fine, Derpy!" Starlight snapped.

Sunset quirked an eyebrow at Starlight. Derpy, for her part, slowed down to give them some space and fell in beside the Doctor instead.

Recognizing her error, Starlight hung her head, her ears folding back.

"Look, I'm sorry I haven't been the greatest support about all this," Sunset began. "I don't know what's gotten into me... but I could say the same about you. You've been second-guessing practically every step you've taken since we got here! I mean, I know I don't really know you that well yet, but I've got a good hunch this isn't your usual mode of operation."

Starlight was quiet for a moment. "That's... because it's not. I'm just not used to dealing with this kind of thing being my fault, is all."

"I guess I'll give you that one." Sunset smiled softly. "But that doesn't make you any less capable, Starlight. I know that much. Will you believe me when I say I know things are gonna be fine?"

"Well..." Starlight sighed. "...no, not really."

Sunset's smile collapsed.

"But," Starlight continued, "I guess we'd be in even bigger trouble if there wasn't at least one of us being confident about the whole thing. So... thanks. It means a lot to know you have my back."

Sunset smirked. "Of course I do. We're in this thing together; there's no way I'm bailing on you."

"I mean I don't see why you would, considering you'll never fix the spell and get home without me."

Sunset scowled. "Hey, I'm trying to be more supportive! You'd better get out of here with those dumb 'facts' of yours."

Starlight snickered. "I still appreciate it, though. Thanks."

"Anytime."

---

In just a few minutes, Starlight found herself on a familiar set of steps she had seen scarcely a day prior. Where it had looked like business as usual yesterday morning, however, it was now heavily decorated for the occasion; streamers and ribbons hung from the rafters, long tables were laid out with snacks and decorative vases full of flowers, and magnificent banners depicting the rising sun hung from every window. Ponies of all sizes and colors packed the room as well, their idle chatter gathering into a collective din as they waited for the festivities to begin.

Starlight's eyes scanned the crowd for familiar faces. The rest of them were here somewhere, weren't they? They had to be - but she stood little chance of finding them from the ground, and hovering for a better look would draw too much attention. With a sigh, she turned back to her companions.

"Looks like we got here just in time!" Derpy craned her neck to look at all the decorations above. "They should be starting any minute now."

The Doctor cleared his throat. "Right then. You're the one with the intel, Miss Glimmer; what's our plan of attack?"

"Watch the crowd," said Starlight. "We're looking for a purple unicorn with a pink star for a cutie mark. And..." She glanced up at a window. "...keep an eye on the moon."

Derpy shivered. "Uh, um... right."

Soon enough, the crowd began to quiet as Mayor Mare trotted up to a podium at the front of the stage at the far end of the room.

"Fillies and gentlecolts!" Mayor Mare's voice boomed. "It is my great pleasure to announce the beginning of this year's Summer Sun Celebration, hosted right here in our very own Ponyville for the first time in over thirty years!"

Her declaration was met with cheers from the crowd.

Starlight, however, wasn't paying attention. Her eyes, fixed on the window, went wide as she watched the quartet of stars closest to the moon suddenly begin to converge on it. Without taking her eyes off the sight before her, she gave Sunset a poke with her hoof, which got the attention of the other two as well.

As all four ponies watched, the dark visage of the Mare in the Moon vanished from its surface.

"And without further ado," the mayor continued, "I am honored to introduce to you today, the bringer of the sun and the moon, and of eternal harmony across all the land... Princess Celestia!"

With a grand sweep of her foreleg, the mayor gestured toward the balcony above her, whose curtains parted on cue.

Starlight swallowed hard.

The figure that stood before them was not their beloved monarch. Instead, a jet black alicorn in silvery blue armor had taken her place, marching slowly up to the railing to gaze down upon the now silent crowd.

"Twiiiliiight," mumbled Starlight in a nervous singsong, "that's your cuuuue, where aaaare youuuu...?"

Derpy shrank back behind the Doctor, who fixed his steely gaze upon the intruder. "Well then... I suppose if I held any lingering doubts about this story, they are now long gone," he muttered.

Sunset stood tall, her expression as defiant as the Doctor's, but the oppressive atmosphere that had fallen over the room made her twitch. This was no Adagio Dazzle, no Gloriosa Daisy... This mare could have eaten either of them for breakfast without breaking a sweat.

"A thousand years..." Nightmare Moon's voice was deep and silky smooth, commanding the attention of all who heard it. "For a thousand years did I stale upon the moon, watching from afar as a weakling bathed the land in her love and light, until the day I would return and claim the throne that is rightfully mine."

Silence reigned as her words fell over the room. To Starlight, it was deafening. Though she continued her panicked glancing about, her heart sank lower with every passing second. No voice rang out to challenge the usurper before them -

"You give our princess back right now, you overgrown varmint!"

...until one did.

Starlight's eyes went wide. "Applejack - !"

Sure enough, the crowd had parted slightly to reveal a familiar earth pony in a weathered Stetson currently glaring daggers at the balcony, her lips curled in an angry snarl.

"My, how rude," the intruder replied coolly, raising a hoof to her chest in mock offense. "And just what would a little pony like yourself propose to do if I refuse?"

"I'm gonna run you outta town like a terrier on a gopher!" With that, Applejack lowered her head, bent her legs, bolted for the staircase - and collapsed in a heap, her tail firmly in the teeth of another pony behind her. "Ow!"

"Are you trying to get yourself killed?!" a voice hissed at the now prone pony. The newcomer hovered behind Applejack, flipping her multicolored mane from her eyes and crossing her sky blue forelegs as she scowled downward.

"Rainbow!" Starlight couldn't help smiling as she spared a glance at Sunset, only to find her friend's glare hadn't faltered. Sunset's lips were curled into a snarl, her hooves planted firmly as though she too intended to take a run at the stage.

"You all ought to follow this one's example," said Nightmare Moon, gesturing toward Rainbow Dash. "I, Nightmare Moon, am your new monarch... and I expect nothing less than complete and unquestioning obedience. Defy me at your own peril." She punctuated this statement with an amused chuckle. "Oh, and do keep your Celestia and her precious sun fondly in your memories; I'm afraid you've already seen the last of both of them."

Sunset's horn glowed.

"What are you doing?" whispered a desperate Starlight.

Sunset glanced sideways at Starlight, her horn still pointed squarely at the balcony. "Twilight's not coming to our rescue, Starlight! It's our job to stop this madmare, and we can't afford to waste any time!"

Before Starlight could reply, a blue blur shot past her, causing her to stagger back a step.

"Ow!" Sunset winced as a hoof struck her horn just hard enough to break her concentration, the glow upon it vanishing instantly.

"Don't you dare!" Rainbow's face was inches from Sunset's, looking severely displeased. "You are not giving her a reason to open fire on this crowd. All you're gonna do is get innocent ponies hurt!"

Sunset scowled, but heeded the warning.

"Oh, the struggles of ponies out of their depth do entertain me so..." Nightmare Moon chuckled once more, but her amusement quickly shifted to impatience. "But I have no time for merriment. I have some news to deliver to Canterlot. When I return, I have a most honorable task for you to complete. Nopony is to leave these premises until then, on pain of death."

A dark blue bolt shot from her horn. The ponies in the center of the crowd ducked as it sailed over their heads toward the front entrance, which slammed shut. Ethereal chains engulfed the doors, adorned by an equally ghostly padlock.

All light in the room began to fade, the crowd gasping and murmuring as they were plunged into darkness. It lasted only seconds, however, before returning to normal... but now Nightmare Moon was nowhere to be found.

Sunset blinked as a blue hoof extended toward her.

"Rainbow Dash," said its owner. "Sorry about that. Keeping the ponies of this town safe is kinda my thing."

Sunset shook her head, as well as the proffered hoof. "Sunset Shimmer... and no, you were probably right. Starlight, we should...?"

Sunset caught sight of Starlight beside her, staring intently at Rainbow's flank. Curious, she gave it a glance herself.

Rainbow Dash's cutie mark featured her trademark tricolor lightning bolt on the background of an off-white kite shield.

"It's... different...?" whispered Starlight.

"What's different?" Rainbow gave Starlight a suspicious look. "And where did you two come from, anyway? I haven't seen you in town before."

"Might wanna ease up a mite there, June bug," said a voice.

"Look who's talking, Applejack," said Rainbow as Applejack joined them. "I'm not the one who just tried to charge down a freaking supervillain."

Starlight stole a look at Applejack's cutie mark. Three apples, same as always.

"They ain't here to cause trouble. I can tell." Applejack fixed Starlight with a firm look. "But you do know more than you're letting on, on account of you were looking for something when she showed up."

Starlight sighed. "Well... more like somepony, but it looks like she's a no-show. That means..." She gulped. "It's - it's up to us then."

"B, but... but w-what do we do?"

Starlight had nearly forgotten Derpy and the Doctor were there, for how little they had spoken. The former trembled, the latter's forelegs wrapped comfortingly around her.

"While I'm all in favor of an act of defiance," said the Doctor, "I should mention we're still locked in."

Rainbow rolled her shoulders and flexed her wings. "She didn't block the windows. I can probably crack one open and airlift you guys out... but before we go anywhere, we need a plan to stop her."

Starlight took a deep breath. "I've got both. A plan, I mean, and a way out of here. Get as close to me as you can, everypony."

Sunset nodded knowingly, hooking her foreleg with one of Starlight's. The rest simply looked on quizzically.

"Come on, hurry!" Starlight waved them over with her hoof. "We only have so much time before Nightmare Moon comes back and realizes we're gone."

Rainbow, Applejack, Derpy, and the Doctor slowly approached Starlight, huddling as close as possible. Satisfied, Starlight's horn began to glow, gradually surrounding all six of them with a pale light. A second later, a bright flash issued forth, and they all vanished into thin air.

Comments

[titanhades70]

I am liking this. So Derpy, The Doc, Sunset and Starlight are replacing four members while keeping a couple of the original.

[titanhades70]

After thinking about it, I am going to take a stab at guessing.

The timeline hasn't changed like Starlight and Sunset think. They're just in another universe in the multi-verse. One where they are the destined ponies instead of the originals. Am I close? 😊

[Cold Bolt]

8682298
I will neither confirm nor deny anything!

[ratedoni]

So... Pinkie is still living with her fmaily then because destiny was changed... again, I swear, keeping track of where every bearer of the elements is in every single dimension is a problem every time something like this happens.

[Awesometacular]

So Rainbowdash's cutie mark is different, guess the day of the Sonic Rainboom happened differently in this new timeline.

[Akwolfgrl13]

Omg this is amazing such a shame i gota go to work now.

[Venlinelle]

This is a hell of a team. Reminds me of The Amulet Job!