• Published 28th May 2018
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The Time Thief - Reading4HalfMyLife



Starlight and Twilight's daughter becomes trapped in a time loop

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Loop 5 Part 2

Instantly Astral realized her mistake. Being stuck in a cave with a manticore was bad enough. Being stuck in a cave with a manticore in the dark was much worse.

Something pulled her by the tail, and Astral let out a muffled scream, flailing her hooves in an attempt to get away.

"It's just me," Jam whispered into her ear, and Astral relaxed a bit. "We need to get out of here," she continued, "can you see the entrance?" Slowly turning her head, she saw the shafts of light on the other side of the gave, and gave a quick, jerky nod. "Good. Light your horn and run when I give the signal, okay?"

Then she was gone, leaving Astral to squint into the murky darkness, trying to see the manticore once more. She heard Butterscotch breathing beside her, and Jams hoofsteps as she cautiously navigated the dimly lit cave.

The only signal Astral was given was the battle cry Jam screamed, and instantly she spun on her hocks, and was racing towards the light, making her horn light up the cave as she did. Butterscotch had already surpassed her, with his longer and stronger legs carrying him further, and Jam-

Jam wasn't with them.

Astral snapped her head to look behind her, and her magic perfectly caught the scene. The Manticore, rearing up and snarling as Jam clung to his back.

Oh, you're joking. "Jam!" She screamed, and the sound of her name must of have surprised her, as Jam slipped, and the manticore threw her over it's back. "NO!" Astral felt the blood drain from her face as she stopped dead in her tracks.

Apple Jam landed in a roll, and instantly pushed off running at full throttle. The farmfilly quickly passed the unicorn by, and as Astral struggled to keep up with her more athletic friends, she was aware of the sound of the manticores paw steps as it chased after them.

The feeling of fur brushing against her tail made Astral throw herself across the cave, scrambling through the cave and back into the pouring rain where her friends were. They didn't stop running, racing through the forest, and tripping over roots and vines as they did.

They finally came to a sudden, halting stop in a clearing, and Astral shifted as the stitch she had gained from running seemed to grow more painful.

While she and Butterscotch tried to catch their breath, Jam was already refurbished, and, much to Astral's horror, bleeding.
"Oh Gods!" She fretted, racing over, and trying to stop the slow trickle of blood that came from Jam's chin.

Not that the light orange earth pony made it easy for her, she was currently prancing in place. "That was soo cool!" She exclaimed, eyes glowing. "I was all like" she puffed out her chest, and tried to do the best example of a heroic pose, or as close as one could when a unicorn filly was glaring at them, "and it was like 'raah'" she said, baring her teeth and letting out a cute growl. "And, I got a scar! How cool is that?"

"That's not all you got," Butterscotch said, pointing to her flank. Astral leaned back to see what he was pointing at and gasped, dropping to all fours.

"No way. Nowaynowaynoway," Jam spun on the spot, trying to get a better look at her butt. When her eyes fell on the map with an X in it emblazoned onto her flank, she let out the most ear piercing shriek Astral had ever heard.

"Igotmycutiemark,Igotmycutiemark,Igot-" she was silenced by Astral's hoof entering her mouth, shushing her as she glanced over her shoulder to see if the manticore would come running by her noise.

"Uh, guys?" Buttercup said, peering over a bush. Knowing that tone, Astral and Jam joined him, and saw the castle of the two sisters looming overhead.

"Are. You. Kidding. Me," Astral deadpanned, which sent Jam off into a fit of giggles, causing the other two crusaders to break down in laughter. "It was right here!" Astral gasped as she lay down on the floor. "I- what- WHY?!" The shrill exclamation made them all laugh even harder, not even noticing the shadows looming over them until they saw the legs inches from their heads.

"That," Apple Jack said, with her wife Rarity and all their friends behind them. "Is exactly what I want to know."


There was a lot of screaming (Apple Jack) and crying (Rarity), but by the end the three had perfectly relayed their story to their parents and their friends. And, if looks could kill, all three would be incinerated.

The walk back to Ponyville was silent, until Pinkie asked "so, what does your cutie mark mean?"

Apple Jam, who had been looking downcast for most of the journey, perked up once more. "Adventuring!" She attempted to rear up on her hind legs, but, as she still walking, she fell forwards, and got all mud all over her coat. Ignoring Rarity's shriek, she hopped back onto all fours and bounced around her mothers.

"Bravery! Exploring the unknown! Finding treasure and trinkets!"

"Treasure!" Rarity perked up, but Apple Jack gave her a look.

"Uh, Rares?" She said gently, and instantly her wife pulled an over the top angry look that had Astral stifling giggles.

"Oh! Right, I am very disappointed in you three!"

It wasn't very convincing, but it did set Twilight and Fluttershy off. The alicorn spun around, and cuffed Astral behind the ears. "What were you thinking?!" She shrieked, wings fluffing out in an attempt to make her look more intimidating.

"I-we- I" Astral hung her head. "I wanted to see the Everfree, and convinced the others to come with." She bit her lip, and awaited the retribution that would undoubtedly dished out.

And, oh boy, it was. By the time they reached Ponyville, Astral, Jam and Butterscotch's ears were burning, and they were all fighting the very strong urge to find a rock to crawl under and die in. But, just before they all separated, Jam mysteriously perked up.

"I got my cutie mark!" She said, turning to her mothers, "you can't ground me on the day I got my cutie mark!" She jabbed a hoof into her moms side. "It's like, the biggest day of my life!"

The adults all stared at her for a moment, before Pinkie Pie pulled out a book and started flipping through the pages, before coming to a stop. "She's right," she began to read from the book "rule 2,981 of Party Planning; the recipient will not have chores, be grounded or otherwise have to do something potentially dull on her party day." She shrugged, and threw the book over her shoulder. "Sorry girls, I don't make the rules, I just follow them."

"Uh, Pinks?" Rainbow Dash, Pinkie's wife, said, staring at her. "You did make the rules. You wrote that book."

Pinkie made a pshaw noise, and waved her hoof. "But, you two can't ground Jam until she's had a party!"

Apple Jack made a little growling noise at the back of her throat, before shaking her head. "Well, fine, we'll ground her after then." Jam, who had been smiling triumphantly, gulped at this.

"Well, in that case," Pinkie's smile grew sly, and Astral felt her eyes widen in horror. Nonononno she's not, she wouldn't-

Pinkie pulled out a very familiar cannon, and slammed the button down, and instantly the town square was covered in decorations. There was even a banner congratulating Jam on her cutie mark. Oh, she's good.

As ponies filed out the houses to see what the fuss was about, Astral stood shoulder to shoulder with Butterscotch and Jam. "Godspeed, friends," Butterscotch said, nuzzling them quickly, before vanishing into the crowd, who were only just noticing Jam's new cutie mark.

As they all gathered around the earth pony, Astral drifted away. She had always hated parties, with their loud music and too many ponies. She should probably find a corner to hunker down in.

Instead, she came across Fluttershy, softly singing to one of the birds in the trees. The pegasus had always had such a soft and gentle voice which made her songs a beautiful thing to listen to. Secretly Fluttershy had been Astral's favorite aunt, for her softspokeness and her kindness. If anypony else were to be uncomfortable at this party, it would be Fluttershy.

"How do you do it?" She asked, approaching her aunt.

"I'm sorry?" Fluttershy said. "How do I do what?"

"Sing. Socialize. Save the world. Take your pick."

"Well," Fluttershy quietly pawed at the ground. "I like singing, and I like being out with my friends. Besides" she added as an afterthought. "I was chosen to save the world, and it would be awfully rude of me to turn that opportunity down."

"But doesn't it bother you? That everypony is so" she floundered for the right word for a moment "social?"

"Well, umm, it used to, but I've been getting better. You can't really run a sanctuary without consulting others. I usually just try not to think about it so much, it only gets me more worked up. "

"I wish I could do that," Astral confessed, shifting from hoof to hoof. "I just get so nervous."

"Oh, that's a shame," Fluttershy turned to fully regard her niece. "Twilight and Starlight tell me you're a wonderful little filly, and Butterscotch practically sings your praises. There's no need to be nervous."

"It's just, sometimes ponies will try to get to know me just so they can meet Princess Twilight, and it's so, so annoying, ya' know?"

"You have Butterscotch," Fluttershy pointed out. "And Apple Jam. They're not trying to use you."

"Yeah, I know, but mom wants me to get out more and make new friends, but I don't want to! I like my friends! And how would I even make new friends? I'm not the best at small talk."

"Well, what if I taught you a few things?" Fluttershy suggested, catching Astral's attention. "About socializing and being confident?"

"That would be great!" Astral said excitedly, before her ears flopped down. " But I can't really pay you or anything."

"Oh, I don't need your money, I already do this for a living, at the School of Friendship, remember? I get enough money for that already, and I wouldn't feel comfortable taking my niece's money in exchange for something that would benefit her."

"Are you sure?" Astral looked up at her.

"Of course! Come down any day you want."

Astral raced forwards and tackled her aunt into a hug, rearing up to wrap her hooves around the pegasi's neck. "Ooh, thank you so much, Fluttershy!"


Thursday

As like the time Butterscotch got his cutie mark, Apple Jam was walked up to the front of the class, and explained how she got her cutie mark, and what it meant.

The entire class seemed enraptured by the tale, especially when Jam proudly showed off the scar on her chin. "It needed stitches!" She proudly exclaimed, and the boys in particular seemed amazed at a filly having a 'battle scar.'

After she was finished with her tale, Miss Cheerilee announced that they would not be having any tests today. As the class cheered, however, Cheerilee's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Instead," she said, shoving the papers on her desk to the side. "We are going to talk about why you shouldn't enter dangerous areas without parental or adult supervision."

The class snickered as Jam, Butterscotch and Astral all sunk in their seats, faces already growing hot, as the teacher began the lecture.


"I have to do twice the amount of farmwork for the next month," Jam said as they all laid out their respective punishments.

"I have to reorganize mom's entire library." Seeing their blank looks, Astral elaborated. "That's almost eight thousand books."

"Hey, you're lucky, I have to clean all the animal poop off of any walls of fence posts."

"Okay, that's just Child Cruelty."


It was only as Twilight came to the school to walk her home that an idea entered her mind.

"Mom! Can Jam and Butterscotch come down for a sleepover?"

The audacity of the request had Twilight raising an eyebrow, so Astral hurried to explain. "I didn't get Jam a present on her Cutecenera, and this would be a great way to make it up to her!" Still seeing her mom's hesitation, she rushed on. "And we'll be in the castle all day, away from the Everfree, and wewon'tleaveandI'msosorryaboutthat,socanwepleasehaveone?"

She pulled out her best puppy dog eyes, and Twilight sighed. "I'll talk it over with Fluttershy, Rarity and Apple Jack" she said, facehooving as Astral almost instantly brightened. "Thanks mom! Hey guys" she screamed over her shoulder at her two startled friends. "You're coming over to mine for a sleepover!"

The filly and colts brightened, and seemed to instantly teleport over to her. "Thank you Aunt Twilight!" They said, in perfect unison, before trotting off after Astral.

Twilight watched them leave. "Ho-boy," she muttered, before walking after the three giggling friends.


"Come on, I want to show you something," Astral whispered to her two friends.

It was almost midnight, which meant, if she was right, time would be resetting soon. Both Butterscotch and Apple Jam were in the room with her, giving her a weird look as she stared at the little watch in her hooves.

"Uh, what are we supposed to be looking at here?" Jam asked, stretching. "I do have farmwork in the morning, just s you're aware."

"Just wait."

And, before her very eyes, the clock went from 11:59 to 00:00.

Quickly spinning around, she let out a breathless laugh of surprise when she saw Jam and Butterscotch still sitting behind her. The laugh dissolved into full blown giggles. Yes! She could bring others through the loops! This changes everything.

"Uh, Astral?" Butterscotch asked, but Astral was still laughing too hard to listen. She had her friends! They could do this!

"I don't feel so good."

It was Jam's quiet admission that brought Astral up short. Looking up, she saw that blood was starting to run from Jam's mouth, and Butterscotch was starting to collapse.

She reached out, maybe to grab him, maybe to call for her mom's, but, before her eyes, cracks began to appear on Butterscotch's and Jam's skin. These cracks glowed, brighter and brighter, as Jam and Butterscotch screamed in agony.

And then Astral watched as her friends, her best friends in the whole world, evaporated before her very eyes.

The clock went to 00:01.

And Astral screamed.

Author's Note:

You know, I realised I never properly described Jam and Butterscotch, so, here we go;

Apple Jam is a small stocky light orange earth pony with green eyes and a purple mane. As an adult, she is very scarred from her adventures- see bio here- https://reading4halfmylife.deviantart.com/art/Apple-Jam-Bio-743168258

Butterscotch is a tall, muscular yellow earth pony with turquoise eyes and a brown and chestnut mane. His bio is here- https://reading4halfmylife.deviantart.com/art/Butterscotch-Bio-743896024

Also, I wrote these two chapters on the week of the junior and senior cert, which means that they're not the best quality as they usually are. When exams are over, I will come back to fine tune them.

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