Favor
The following morning, Ponyville was host to perfectly clear skies. The sun bathed the entirety of the town in a warm and beautiful glow. Filled with energy from such a beautiful display, songbirds chirped and sang their lovely melodies, the tones carried by the wind over the village and setting the atmosphere perfectly. It was a serene day, and this was enough to help set Fluttershy at ease as she waited for the train from Canterlot.
She knew that Twilight and Rainbow Dash had gone off to Canterlot, though she was not sure why. None of the others in their circle were aware of the reason either, though Spike had given assurance (at Rarity’s request) that they should be back sometime today if their visit went well. He was unusually stubborn about what they had gone there for, though, managing to expertly dodge the question or, when he didn’t, he opted to simply not answer at all.
It was confusing, to say the least.
The whistle of the train caught Fluttershy’s attention. She stood up from where she had been sitting and trotted to look out over the small collection of foothills that seperated Ponyville from the towering mountain of Canterlot. Sure enough, the Friendship Express came chugging down the tracks, gradually slowing down once it drew close enough to the station. Fluttershy stepped back a few paces, not wanting to be in the way of such a big and fast-moving object. A number of other ponies drew closer to the edge of the platform, running last second checks to ensure that they had all of their things sorted out and ready for the ride.
As soon as the train came to a complete halt, a rainbow-colored blur shot out of one of the windows, arced into the air and landed right in front of Fluttershy. Naturally, the timid pegasus squeaked and flailed back, startled by Rainbow Dash’s abrupt and flashy entrance.
“Oh, sorry!” Rainbow apologized, an unquestionably excited sparkle in her eyes. “I’m just kinda excited right now!” to emphasize this point, she began walking in place.
Fluttershy poked her head out from behind her mane, which had fallen over her face for the most part. “Um… I can see that,” she said pointedly, albeit still in a soft voice. “What’s got you so excited?”
Rainbow’s smile faltered for a second before she turned back to the train, where Twilight was only now making her way out of the door. “Rainbow, you can always use the door and wait for your friends to be ready. You know, like a normal pony?” she said in a disgruntled voice before slapping Rainbow behind the ear.
Rainbow laughed and noogied the unicorn. “Normal’s boring, and I’m not boring. I’m awesome.”
Twilight snorted incredulously and indignantly, but couldn’t prevent a small smile from appearing on her face. She managed to pry Rainbow’s hoof out of her mane, then looked at Fluttershy. “Hi, Fluttershy. I guess Spike let slip we’d be coming back today, huh?”
“Yes. Um, if it’s not too much to ask… what were you doing?” she asked, her gaze lingering on Rainbow Dash, who still seemed rather giddy.
“A bit of research. I think it would be best if we don’t talk about it here though,” Twilight said in a hushed voice before glancing around a bit. “Think you can round up the other girls and bring them to the Library? Rainbow Dash and I have something kind of important to ask all of you.”
Fluttershy shrunk only slightly before nodding. “Okay. See you two in a bit?”
Rainbow nodded sharply while lifting into the air and making her way at a more casual and leisurely pace towards the library. “Yup! Try and be quick about it, okay?”
“Okay.”
It had been maybe twenty minutes. Thus far, Pinkie Pie and Rarity had arrived at the Library. Presumably, Fluttershy would be returning with Applejack, and then they could begin. Twilight was, at present, occupying her mind with a puzzle book while Rainbow paced anxiously back and forth, her earlier giddiness having slowly given way to nervousness and contemplation. She wore a tense frown on her face, her eyes boring into the floor as she went back and forth. Rarity was sitting on a chair, patiently waiting for the rest of them to arrive. She’d occasionally fuss with her mane or glance at Rainbow Dash with mild concern. Pinkie was in the kitchen, helping herself to some leftovers that Rainbow and Twilight didn’t really want anymore.
Finally, there was a sharp series of knocks on the front door before it swung open, Applejack and Fluttershy stepping inside. “Hey, Y'all. Sorry it took us so long. Ah had a few things to finish up before we could come,” the farmer apologized while tipping her hat in greeting. “So, what’s all this about?”
“I would say we're all rather curious about this meeting,” Rarity nodded along, sitting more upright and looking on at Rainbow and Twilight curiously. “It just came out of nowhere, after you two had gone off to Canterlot without inviting any of us or even asking.”
“Did you at least have fun on your trip?” Pinkie asked while bouncing into the room.
Rainbow shrugged at Pinkie’s question. “Kinda sorta? There were fun moments and moments so boring I wanted to slam my face into a wall just so something would happen.”
“Huh. Well, that’s no good,” Pinkie commented before grinning. “I’ll just have to make my party this week extra special to make up for your semi-boring trip to Canterlot, then!”
“Oh, yer throwin’ a party this week, Pinkie?” Applejack inquired, alright sounding eager to attend.
“You know it~” Pinkie sing-songed with an almost predatory look in her eyes. “And it’s gonna be a doozy!”
“Ahem!” Twilight cleared her throat quite audibly, silencing the room and drawing all attention to her. She rose from her seat and trotted to the rough center of the room. “Thanks for being here, everypony. I’m sorry Rainbow and I didn’t let you know we were going to Canterlot or why, but it was a sensitive subject.”
“Apology accepted, Darling,” Rarity nodded with a warm smile. Everypony else voiced their agreement as well, flashing smiles of their own.
Twilight relaxed slightly and then frowned. “Now, then… Let’s start with a question. Do any of you know the name Starlight Glimmer?” she asked seriously, looking between all of her friends with a searching gaze. Aside from Rainbow, none of the rest of them voiced any kind of affirmative, looking thoughtful or confused. Twilight let out a breath and continued. “Well, as things rest, her future self was one of the ones responsible for the change in our timeline. She was probably the one that Princess Celestia was talking about when she mentioned a deliberate effort to undo our lives. The other contributor was, sadly, my own future self. Rainbow and I saw that in a flash when we were fillies in Cloudsdale one day.”
“Woah. Uh, alright,” Applejack raised an eyebrow. “Did somethin’ come up with this Starlight gal?”
“Not in the strictest sense, no,” Twilight answered while shooting Dash a worried look. “But when Discord was here, he mentioned her to Rainbow Dash.”
Rainbow took a deep breath and strode up to stand next to Twilight, having been hanging back until now. “Okay, uh… I’ve been thinking about this a lot these last few days. Starlight Glimmer was one of the two mares I saw on the day I first made a sonic rainboom. You know, when we all got our cutie marks. Like Twilight said, her future self was there, too. But I know Twilight, and from what we saw in the flash, I’m guessing her future self wasn’t all that different from who she is now,” she shot a glance at Twilight before returning her attention to their friends. “But Starlight’s kind of a wildcard. If there’s the possibility of her going back and attempting to rewrite history again…”
Twilight’s eyes softened with empathy when she spied a small shake going through Rainbow Dash. She gently reached out a hoof to the cyan mare’s shoulder in a comforting gesture before continuing for her. “This is why Rainbow Dash and I went to Canterlot. We were doing some research to figure out where she lives.”
“May I stop you right there?” Rarity interrupted softly, fidgeting with the end of her mane a little. Twilight nodded and Rarity continued. “Are you suggesting what I think you are? Finding her and… interfering with her life?”
“We don’t have to do much!” Rainbow suddenly cut in, her voice cracking a bit. All eyes turned to her while she regained herself. “I just want to make sure that she isn’t up to anything dangerous. I want to make sure that the lives we’ve built for ourselves aren’t going to be undone like that again. I mean, what if things end up worse next time? What if none of us ever meet?” she shrank slightly, her ears going completely flat against her head. “I don’t want it to happen. Last time history was rewritten, I wound up with a life where I was orphaned just after getting my cutie mark...”
Twilight moved the hoof that she had on Rainbow’s shoulder until her entire foreleg was draped comfortingly over Rainbow’s back. She nuzzled Rainbow reassuringly before looking back to their friends. “I’ve already agreed to go with her. We called you here because this affects all of you just as much as does us. Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Applejack… I know it’s a lot to ask, but-”
“Ah’m comin’,” Applejack suddenly proclaimed with a small grin appearing on her face. “What, were you expectin’ any of us to say no?” she furthered from the surprised look on Rainbow’s face.
“Well, I… don’t know?” Rainbow shrugged, perking up just a little. “I mean, I was kinda expecting you to take a bit more convincing.”
“Hey, as long as we stick to what ya said and only make sure she isn’t up to anythin’ nasty, ah think we’ll probably be fine,” Applejack replied before strolling up to Rainbow and Twilight. “And besides… Ah can tell that this means a lot to ya. What kinda friend would Ah be if ah did nothin’ to help out?”
“Count me in, too!” Pinkie added excitedly, bouncing over to them as well. “Ooh! Do you think I could throw her a ‘Congratulations-for-changing-history’ party?!”
“No.” Twilight said flatly, sending a sharp look at Pinkie Pie.
“Aaaw…” Pinkie deflated for a second. “oh well! I’m coming anyway!” she then instantly poofed back up.
“While I am worried about what Rainbow Dash considers to be ‘not doing much,’ I’ll be coming as well,” Rarity agreed while exiting her seat and also stepping towards the rest of them. “I can make sure there is a proper degree of subtlety at work.”
Everypony then turned to Fluttershy expectantly, who was looking at them all with uncertainty. “Um… I don’t know. Where would we be going?”
“Manehattan,” Twilight answered simply.
That got Rarity’s attention. “Hagagabu-WHAT?!” she shrieked out after a second of incoherent, jumbled gibberish. “MANEHATTAN! THE LARGEST, GRANDEST, MOST ADVANCED CITY IN ALL OF EQUESTRIA?!”
Rainbow recoiled from the sudden shrill sound invading her ears. “Rares, dial it back a little, would ya?” she asked while wincing in pain, her head ringing.
“Oh, sorry darling…” Rarity apologized sheepishly, covering her face with a hoof while a small blush appeared on her cheeks.
“Don’t worry, Fluttershy. It’s an almost straight shot by train. Manehattan’s big, but we’ll have each other,” Twilight said reassuringly, opting to ignore Rainbow and Rarity’s little exchange. “And besides… I know that Rainbow would feel a lot better if you came along. You’re her oldest friend.”
“I know…” Fluttershy whispered before slowly making her way to the group. “Okay. I’ll come.”
Rainbow smiled while looking at all of the assembled mares. She wasn’t going to say it or start it, but she looked to Twilight, hoping the lavender mare would figure out what Rainbow was wanting.
She did.
“Group hug?” Twilight asked casually. There were no words of disagreement, merely a quiet voicing of agreement before all six mares fell into a warm embrace with one another, Twilight and Rainbow sitting quite comfortably in the heart of the group.
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Well, that's it then. They're committed now. No backing out.
Curious as to what Starlight's been up to in this timeline, though, since it stands to reason that she received flashes too. That'll be the ultimate decider about the risk of acting on future knowledge, I would say, because if Starlight's life has taken a different course than it did, then there is no future knowledge: They'll be flying blind just like they ought to be.
8677216
Or maybe they would help Starlight with her own friendship problem and shove it to Sunburst's thick head.
8677216
Pretty sure the flashes were explicitly linked to bearing the Elements of Harmony, so Starlight's ineligible.
8677341
you would be correct. Celestia only recieved ONE flash when the change in time initially occured. After that, her link to the elements was shifted so that the mane 6 were connected instead. Starlight's powerful and important, aye, but she is no wielder of an element of harmony. So no flashes for her.
8677341 8677570
Hm. Oh well!
8677570
Until they make her one in the show. 😈
Hello there. Excellent job on this latest chapter. I just loved how Twilight and Rainbow explained certain things to their friends before asking for their help . Once more, the exchanges, characterizations and future chapter set-up are all well done in all the right places.
I will, most assuredly be looking forward to more of this, but will also be very willing to respect the necessity of real world matters coming first.
8679301
Can you imagine how much easier it will for them with her by their sides when it's time to take on the Changelings, Sombra, Tirek, Trixie, etc.?
Befriending her will brings wins all around.
And yet you will.
But if the old timeline is dissolving...
Then who was phone?Then who did Rainbow see when she got her mark?