Rarity was… excited. Her delighted squeals had died down maybe a minute ago, but she was still swooning and crooning and ‘oohing’ and ‘aahing.’ Manehattan had become visible maybe ten minutes ago and, as they drew closer, Rarity’s untold jubilation grew by several orders of magnitude per second.
Frankly, Rainbow Dash was getting a little sick of the fashionista’s crowing. They were on a serious mission here! She shot the pearly unicorn a sour look. “Rarity, we know you’re excited to be in Manehattan, but can you please contain your excitement for now? Please? I can’t hear myself think.” she asked in a deadpan.
Rarity swiftly covered her mouth with her hooves and shrunk away from the view out her window, a blush coming to her cheeks. “Oh… ahem, pardon me. Was all of that out loud?”
Applejack’s own expression dried up. “...ya kiddin?”
Rarity’s blush deepened significantly.
“Well, It is a very lovely looking city,” Fluttershy said quietly from Rarity’s side, leaning past her to peer at the enormous skyscrapers that were looming closer and closer as the train sped along. “But, um, it’s also really, really big…”
“The biggest!” Pinkie Pie chimed in, cartwheeling down the aisle until she was right next to Fluttershy. “I mean, just LOOK at that! Just one of those tall buildings could house an entire city block’s worth of ponies from Canterlot! Think of the parties they must throw there! They’d be PACKED!”
Twilight chuckled slightly. “No doubt. But there’s something I think we should go over before we’re at the station,” she said, drawing everypony’s attention. She got up and cleared her throat. “Ahem. As you all remember, we are coming here to ensure that Starlight Glimmer doesn’t have any plans to go back in time. Now, as things rest, we have her address and could very easily just walk in and ask her about this, but that wouldn’t go over very well if she has no plans or knowledge of time travel.”
“Not to mention that bringing it up out of nowhere may spark an interest in her if none exists already,” Rarity pointed out, the gravity of the situation briefly overwriting her giddy freakout over being in Manehattan. “We’ll need to handle this with tact, care, and subtlety.”
“Thank you, Rarity. Now, as it is, we’ve already done our best to mitigate any disturbances to the area with Rainbow’s Disguised mane- good thinking, by the way,” Twilight continued before smiling at Rainbow, who beamed at the praise. “But we don’t want to cause any disturbances after our arrival by being too upfront about what we’re doing or why.”
“So we need a cover story?” Applejack asked with a raised eyebrow.
“That’s what I was thinking. We’ll also need a cover name for Rainbow Dash until we leave.” Twilight nodded along before turning to her cyan friend.
Rainbow blinked and tapped a hoof to her chin, racking her brain for ideas. “Uh… code name… I didn’t think of that.”
“What about Party Pop?” Pinkie suggested with a grin. “Your new mane color is so bright and you’re so fast! Like a surprise party waiting to be sprung on an unsuspecting birthday pony!
Rainbow shook her head. “Uh, no. If we needed a nickname for you, I’d say go for it, but we’re looking for a name for me. And, no offense, Party Pop sounds too much like the start of Party Pooper. And it’s just not awesome enough.”
“Purple Apple?” Applejack suggested with a shrug. “...It’s the best ah got.”
Rainbow snorted. “AJ, I like you and all, but I’m not an apple. I don’t wanna pretend we’re relatives or something while we’re here.”
Applejack conceded the point with a shrug.
Rarity chimed in with “Oh! I’ve got it! Empyrean Firmament! You-”
“PASS,” Rainbow said quickly before looking around at everypony else. “Something that’s easier to pronounce, eh?”
Fluttershy shifted forward a bit. “Um… your mane is kind of a lilac color right now, so… maybe Lilac could be in there somewhere?” she offered timidly before looking away. “I mean, if that’s okay, that is. You don’t have to if you don’t like it.”
Rainbow leaned back a bit, puffing out a breath and making one of the longest of her bangs waver a bit. “Maybe… Twilight, what do you got?”
Twilight gave a warm grin. “Rainbow, you’re able to make almost anything you do have some style and flare to it when you really want to. So…” she leaned forward. “How about Lilac Bolt?”
Rainbow’s eyes widened for a few seconds before a cocky grin spread across her face. “Heh… I like it. Lilac Bolt it is, then.”
Applejack smiled as well and gave a nod. “Ah like it, too. Suits ya, RD,” she then chuckled and winked. “Or, ah guess it’s ‘Lilac Bolt’ fer now, huh?”
Rainbow smirked, rather liking her new nickname (even if it was only because of the bolt part.) and leaned back in her seat.
“Not as inspired as I think you deserve, but we are undercover,” Rarity pouted slightly before clearing her throat and shifting her attention back to Twilight. “Now, what about our cover story? I doubt we’re all changing our names, are we?”
“I doubt it. We toppled Nightmare Moon and Discord, yes, but in all fairness, those events were pretty contained to the Ponyville and Canterlot areas. We’re household names there, but in a big and always-busy city like Manehattan? I imagine we’re not as well known. But we do still need some kind of cover story. Something mundane and believable.”
Pinkie Pie began tapping her chin with an exaggerated hum. “Well… we could say that we’re here doing early birthday shopping for Rainbow Dash if anypony asks.”
Twilight blinked, then looked over at Rainbow with a small smile. “That actually works pretty well, I think.”
“Er, how come?” Rainbow inquired, sitting up a bit. Her freshly dyed mane briefly swayed a bit from the movement, allowing her to catch sight of it. She made an ‘o’ with her mouth as realization struck her.
Applejack smirked broadly. “‘Cause we ain’t here with Rainbow Dash. Far as anypony here knows, yer back in Ponyville or Canterlot, doin’ Princessy things.” she said, gesturing vaguely back in the direction of Ponyville and Canterlot.
“And we’re here with our friend, Lilac Bolt, a pony who wants to get into Rainbow’s circle of friends by getting her a birthday present.” Twilight continued with bright eyes, nudging Rainbow in the side with her elbow.
Pinkie suddenly went rigid and gasped quite loudly. Everypony looked at her with swiftly mounting worry. “Wait! That means Rainbow Dash can buy herself a birthday present this year!” she exclaimed with an enormous grin.
Everypony’s looks of concern or surprise shifting into looks of bewilderment and amusement. “Uh, Pinkie dear, this is only our cover story.” Rarity said slowly, rising from her seat and moving slowly towards the excitable pink ball of party pony.
Pinkie slowly turned to look slyly into Rarity’s eyes, beaming like the sun itself on a very clear day. “A cover story only works if it’s believable~” she sing-songed before bouncing in place a few times, squealing like a hyperactive school filly on sugar. “Early birthday shopping for Dashie, and saving time itself from a mysterious unicorn! This is so exciting!”
“What’s exciting?” Spike asked from a few seats farther ahead while lifting his head up over the edge of his seat backrest. He blinked drowsily before giving a large and very uncovered yawn.
“Spike, cover your mouth!” Twilight scolded gently, frowning slightly when she got an all-too detailed look at the inside of a baby-dragon’s mouth.
Pinkie cut in before that topic could go any further, shooting over to Spike and practically vibrating. “Oh, did we wake you? Sorry, Spike. But we’re almost at Manehattan and we just came up with our cover story for why we’re here and it’s just so exciting because Rainbow Dash gets to buy herself a birthday present to keep our cover story intact! Also, she’s called Lilac Bolt for the rest of this trip so don’t call her Dashie or Rainbow Dash or Rainbow or Dash or-”
“PINKIE!” Spike said sharply, putting a claw to Pinkie’s lips, silencing her. “Do you remember this thing called breathing?”
Pinkie nodded quickly. “Uh-huh!”
“Think you can do that for a minute or five?”
“Sure!” Pinkie stepped back, knowing the hint and taking it.
Spike then turned his attention back to the rest of the train. “Okay, now would somepony like to repeat that to me in modern ponish and not, uh…” he looked sideways at Pinkie, who waved. “...Caffeinated gerbil-speak?”
The others burst into a fit of hysterical giggles.
Princess Celestia gave a well-concealed sigh as another sheet of parchment was signed and, as a result, another case dealt with for court. She looked down to her personal assistant Raven Inkwell. “Are there any other pressing petitioners still on the docket?”
Raven’s horn lit up with bright brown magic, lifting a stack of parchment sheets up to her eyes. “Let’s see… nope, the rest are of minor significance. Small personal disputes and whatnot, nothing major.” she said with a cheerful smile.
Celestia visibly relaxed a bit. “Well, that’s certainly a relief. Put out the notice that court is having a fifteen-minute recess. I need to recharge my mind a bit before we resume.” she commanded simply before rising from her seat and stretching a bit.
“Of course, your majesty.” Raven bowed respectfully before trotting up to the large double doors separating the throne room from the hall and waiting areas beyond. She did briefly glance over her shoulder to the solar Princess with a flicker of worry in her eyes. Celestia was still tired from Discord’s joyride, of that there was no doubt. The white unicorn mare had been Celestia’s personal aide long enough to know when she wasn’t at peak capacity. The fact that the Princess called for a break in between petitions was itself a telling sign of the Princess’s exasperation and exhaustion. They were still mopping up after that mad spirit’s antics, after all, and more reports of leftover abnormalities constantly demanded her attention.
Still, the notice was put out to the waiting petitioners. Some were annoyed by the delay, others were more understanding, but all were clearly unhappy that they were still to wait. Raven sighed slightly before returning to the throne room. She looked up and looked at Celestia, who was currently leaning back somewhat more leisurely, trying to work some tension out of her shoulders. “With all due respect your highness, you’re not looking up to your normal par. Perhaps we should delay the remainder of these petitions until tomorrow morning when you are better rested?”
Celestia smiled softly at her assistant’s concern. “I appreciate the suggestion, Raven, but I have a duty to my little ponies. I have been through stress far greater than this and never once did I shy away from this, the most simple of my duties,” she answered before grunting when a stiff muscle came loose, letting her back relax somewhat.
“Of course, your majesty… I’ve just never seen you quite so… agitated… before.” Raven said while returning to her place on the smooth floor beside the throne.
Celestia hummed in amusement. “Well, you didn’t see me in the months leading up to the Summer Sun Celebration last year,” she commented before opening her eyes.
Movement caught her attention, and her eyes flicked to one of the hanging banners bordering the double doors of the room, only to find nothing there. For a moment, she gazed intently at that spot before shaking her head and leaning back again.
“I did not. Perhaps you could tell me about it sometime, your highness.” Raven asked hopefully.
Celestia smiled that motherly smile she gave all of her beloved subjects. “Perhaps, Raven… Perhaps."
8692980
I like that picture. Cadance the matchmaker is on the move!
typo in the second paragraph pretty sure you meant "shot her a look"
8693046
Hmm. I posted that. And then you posted a new chapter.
Magicks!!
I'd look for another to try and repeat the experiment, but I have to go read a thing in a place... Right now. ...yeah.
Rainbow Dash! A lady does not shit in public!
I give up! She's a lost cause! *Summon: Couch*
Oh no. Another author has accidentally achieved Pinkicality. Please don't be annihilated by a Pinklear Blast Wave...
8693057
8693114
Oops...
derpicdn.net/img/2012/12/17/185465/full.gif
...Fixed.
Wouldn't it be ironic if Starlight and Rainbow ended up getting shipped in this story..... just saying 😉😉😉
She did end up with Starlight's color I think. Don't most sources say Starlight is lilac in color?
Yep. Looked up lilac unicorn mlp and got a picture of Starlight.
8693168
Yeah- no.
Since this is an alternate reality. Is there a chance of Daybreaker?
8693199
I have no plans for Daybreaker at this time, and I have the ending for this story already figured out, so...
I have to remember to use that line when describing Pinkie in the future.
Okay what was moving by the throne room?
you know it suddenly occurs to me that we've never gotten an answer in the show of what Starlight was doing during the first few seasons/what her life was like in between her parting of ways with Sunburst and her appearance in the season 5 premier...and that, for all intents and purposes, combined with everything that Twilight, Rainbow, and company have discussed, just puts further emphasis on a question that's been growing in my mind sense the beginning of the first story: has Starlight Glimmer been receiving any flashes of the "original" timeline of her own? I mean, I'm no expert, but Starlight's (former) village seems to have quite a bit of distance between it and Manehattan, and "Our Town" seemed to have been functioning for at least a couple of years, given the majority of the populace had settled into something similar to a routine by the time the Mane 6 had arrived: it's entirely possible that she was frightened by what she saw in the flashes and changed her course as a result...but, as Josh Scorcher/Fiery Joker might say, maybe I'm just taking things too seriously...
8693213
Well, Starlight never had a connection to the elements of harmony, so she never had flashes. The mane 6 are connected to the elements, which are connected to the Tree of Harmony. The Tree of Harmony is aware of Time on a somewhat larger scale that a mortal mind is, so it is aware the moment time veers off course from it's specifiied peramaters. This timeline fell within it's requirments: Sonic rainboom occured without interruption, thus solidifying the destinies of the mane 6. This means that the tree no longer took measures to preserve Alicorn Twilight and Future Starlight Glimmer. The flashes are echoes of the old timeline, which is technically still in the process of dissolving into the new one.
It's all kinda complicated and hard to explain, but I did my best to provide the needed exposition and context at the end of the previous story.
Is the Celestia scene just filler content?
8693206
I can't tell you... it's
8693227
No, it is not filler.
8693224
(shrugs) I could buy that...but I still need something cleared up, if you don't mind: it seems to me that Starlight DID send a message back alongside Twilight, or at the very least played a role in the flashes themselves (the initial one to Twilight, if nothing else), at least if the context of the conversation Twilight had with...herself after defeating Nightmare Moon is anything to go by, seeing how Starlight Glimmer was THERE during the whole exchange; maybe I'm missing something, but it seems to me that Twilight's
pupilex-rival is a bit more in-the-know then the majority of Equestria's citizens, if you know what I mean...8693204
Agree... oh Hi Ponkers... Uh... Gotta go...
8693229
but... is it futter then?
8693243
Starlight was there post-reform. The original timeline had a little bit, maybe a few days, after the Season 5 finale before it cuts off, so she was there more or less because that was her home at that point.
8693255
what's futter?
*Googles it*
...Oh.
8693262
(nods) fair enough, and thanks for clearing that up for me
8693270
No problem. This series has a very complex backstory rooted in abstract concepts and the often obscure metaphysics of time travel, so making sure others fully understand what they're looking at is something I am kind of committed to as the series author.
Did Celestia just see a changeling?
Sniff sn-sniff fee fi fo fling
I smell the blood of a changling.
I sense sneakiness!
img00.deviantart.net/a402/i/2012/099/b/5/detective_pinkie_sees_what_you_did_there_by_pikuseru1-d4vjxgz.png
8693213
Actually, her village was only around for a couple months based on the flashback in Rock Solid Friendship.
Maud Pie first appears in episode 18 of season 4. That's when she first starts working on her rockterate. She says she first met Starlight while she was working on her rockterate. Which means it happens after Maud first appears in the series. In the flashback, Starlight's village can be seen in the background just being built, and she hasn't started collecting cutie marks yet.
Take all these clues and you realize the village is only a couple months old, at most. Cause there is only 8 episodes between when Maud is introduced and when Starlight is introduced.
Which means it will be almost three full seasons before the village is built.
It's a common believe that the first three seasons take place over the course of a little over a year. (65 episodes ). Gives you an idea how short a time Starlight's village was around.
8706833
eh, touche
8706833
Which is fairly accurate considering princess Celestia says in the opener of season 4 that the summer sun celebration was one she was happily looking forward to for what seems to be the first time.
You know, considering Starlight only went back in time after Twilight gave her a motive to do so and a Cutie Map to travel with, I have a sneaking suspicion that this will come back to bite Rainbow Dash in the buttocks.