Time Heals All Wounds

by Brony4Ever1992

Chapter 21

The sun arose in Ponyville. Twilight Sparkle and Sunset Shimmer where soundly sleeping in their bed together. However, the peace and quiet would not last.

"Twilight!" cried Pinkie.

Twilight and Sunset jumped up.

"Pinkie! We locked the door! how did you get in?!" asked Sunset stunned.

"No time for that!" declared Pinkie.

"Then what's..." began Twilight.

"My family is gone!" cried Pinkie.

The door opened and Maud entered.

"I was at Gastly Gorge working on my rocktorate. When I returned, our home was in shambles and our family missing." explained Maud.

"Do you think she..." said Twilight, trailing off.

Sunset Shimmer let out a sigh.

"I wouldn't put it passed her." answered Sunset.

"We searched around the rock farm and found nothing!" cried Pinkie horrified.

"Pinkie, you have to stay calm. I know this is a lot, but losing it won't help." said Sunset.

"I'm doing better than Maud!" exclaimed Pinkie.

"I'm a total wreck." confirmed Maud, monotone as always.

Spike rushed into the room.

"What's going on?" asked the baby dragon worried.

'The Equalists took my family!" cried Pinkie Pie.

"Sweet Celestia!' exclaimed Spike.

Sunset and Twilight got off their bed.

"Speaking of the princess, Spike, I want you to write her a letter telling her what's going on." said Twilight.

"Can do!" declared Spike.

"We're gonna form a search party." said Sunset.

---

The four quickly left the castle and reported what happened. With Pinkie being as liked as she is, there was no shortage of volunteers to help search. Twilight also got a reply from Princess Celestia asking to be get up to date. A number of ponies began to search the perimeter for any sign of the Pie family. Twilight, Sunset, Pinkie, Maud, Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy went to the rock farm.

"The door in lying on the floor." noted Sunset worried.

"That's how I found it." replied Maud.

The girls found the door ripped off its hinges with two indents on it.

"This is definitely some pony buckin'. I recognize those marks anyway." said Applejack.

The entered the kitchen to plates and bowls shattered on the floor.

"Over here!" called Rainbow.

A bag of flour was spilled open on the floor and hoof prints where visible.

"mom must have started breakfast when they attacked." said Pinkie worried.

"I thought you said it was the middle of the night." noted Rainbow confused.

"We wake up very early." said Maud.

"Um guys, I think you should see this." said Fluttershy.

The group went into the dinning room. The chairs where broken to pieces and the table broken in half.

"This looks like the ring during an extreme rules match." said Rainbow.

The others gave her a puzzled look.

"Wrestling. Come on." said Rainbow.

Applejack looked at the table.

"This was the result of some pony being put through the table." said Applejack.

"Then one of these ruffians must have been quiet strong." mused Rarity worried.

Th girls combed the house, but found every other room untouched.

"I'd wager the Equalists burst in and attacked your mother. Your father tried to defend her, but another Equalist was able to overpower him." said Sunset.

"What about Limestone and Marble?" asked Pinkie.

"They probably heard the noise and came down only to be taken." answered Twilight solemnly.

"Let's head back to Ponyville." said Sunset.

---

The girls returned to Ponyville only to discover the search came up empty. Sunset told them to stay alert then the returned to the castle with the others.

"Any luck?" asked Spike hopeful.

"No." answered Twilight flatly.

"What's our next step?" asked Rainbow excited.

"Nothing." answered Twilight sadly.

"Surely there must be something we can to." replied Rarity concerned.

"We can always try a rescue plan." noted Applejack.

"I am afraid not." replied Sunset.

"Why not?!" asked Rainbow upset.

"We do know where they are." added Rarity.

"Yeah, but where don't know where in the Macintosh Hills they are and I'm sure they've set up traps to catch intruders. It's took risky." explained Sunset.

"Oh my." gasped Fluttershy.

Pinkie Pie began to bawl her eyes out.

"It's okay." whispered Maud.

Fluttershy walked over to Pinkie.

"We're here for you." said Fluttershy.

"I'm afraid I can't take no for an answer." stated Applejack.

"It's too dangerous!" declared Sunset.

"Not trying a rescue mission ain't gettin' us anywhere!" declared Applejack.

"I'm in!" exclaimed Rainbow.

"And what we will do when you two get killed?" asked Sunset.

"We're awesome! There's no need to worry." answered Rainbow nonchalant.

Rarity cleared her throat.

"Applejack, darling, could your insisting on a rescue attempt be in part to your own parents tragic demise?" asked rarity, being as careful as possible.

Applejack winced at this.

"I know this must strike nerve, but we have to think rationally." said Sunset.

Tears where building in the eyes of Applejack.

"I don't want another pony to go through what I went through."said Applejack hurting.

Rarity walked over to her marefriend.

"That is perfectly understandable darling. But, putting your self in a situation where you can only be hurt won't help us." replied Rarity.

Applejack was doing her best to hold back her tears.

"Maybe you're right." relented Applejack.

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" began Rainbow Dash.

All eyes fell on the cyan mare.

"I still think we can pull this off!" declared Rainbow.

"It's too risky." said Twilight.

"We've dealt with tons of dangerous things from Nightmare Moon to Discord to Chrysalis to Tirek." replied Rainbow.

Rainbow Dash shrugged her shoulders.

"Hey, we even beat Sombra twice!" declared Rainbow.

Twilight flinched hearing this.

"Sorry! I didn't meant to upset you!" cried Rainbow regretful.

"It's alright." sighed Twilight.

"Anyway, the point is we can totally take them." said Rainbow.

"Why don't we hold this to a vote." proposed Sunset.

The others agreed.

"All in favor of this suicidal rescue mission." said Sunset.

"Only Rainbow raised her hoof.

"Not even you Pinkie!" cried Rainbow surprised.

"I just don't know what to do." answered Pinkie sadly.

"All opposed." said Sunset.

Sunset, Twilight, Fluttershy and rarity raised their hooves. Applejack and the two Pie sister chose to abstain.

"Fine." relented Rainbow.

"Pinkie. Maud. if it makes you feel any better it doesn't seem like Starlight hurts her captives." said Sunset.

"She just warps their mind and makes their her slaves!" exclaimed Pinkie.

"I promise we'll fix all of this. One way or another." vowed twilight.

"Thank you." replied Maud grateful.

---

The others left and headed back to town. Twilight excused herself soon after heading to the main study. There, Twilight Sparkle locked herself away for hours. Nothing Sunset or Spike could do was able to get through to her. Finally, Sunset used her magic to teleport inside. Twilight was in the midst of reading and nearly jumped at the suddenly arrival of her marefriend.

"I didn't meant to scare you." said Sunset apologetic.

"It's fine." sighed Twilight.

"I wanted to see how you where doing." said Sunset.

Sunset Shimmer began making her way over to her lover.

"It's fine." said Twilight nervous.

Sunset Shimmer got close to Twilight.

"Please don't lie to me." requested Sunset.

Twilight let out a sigh.

"I don't feel right about it anyway." admitted Twilight.

"This is about what happened to Pinkie's family, isn't it?" asked Sunset.

"Yeah." answered Twilight flatly.

Sunset wrapped a foreleg around Twilight.

"I know it's hard. It's hard for all of us." said Sunset.

"This is the second time her family has been caught up in something like this." said Twilight.

"And the first time, you where the one attacking them." stated Sunset.

Twilight winced at this.

"I'm not trying to open old wound." stated Sunset.

Twilight let out a sigh.

"I know." said Twilight.

"You've already been forgiven for what happened.' noted Twilight.

"It's not that easy." replied Twilight glumly.

"Twilight..." began Sunset.

Sunset Shimmer got a good glimpse at the book Twilight was reading.

"What's that?" asked Sunset cautious.

"Nothing!" answered Twilight panicked.

Alarmed, Sunset looked at the book.

"It's a book about time travel." noted Sunset confused.

"Yup. That's it." said Twilight worried.

"Why didn't you want me to see this?" asked Sunset firmly.

"No reason." answered Twilight lying.

Sunset managed to quickly piece together the puzzle.

"Twilight, are you going to time travel and change the past?' asked Sunset.

Twilight was silent.

'Please answer me." said Sunset firmly.

"Maybe." squeaked Twilight.

"I didn't hear you." said Sunset.

"I said that Mi might!" declared twilight.

Twilight hung her head sadly.

"Ya know, that's not a bad idea." began Sunset.

"It isn't?" asked Twilight surprised.

"Actually, it could be stroke of brilliance." answered Sunset.

Twilight had not expected this.

"Yeah. Just back and stop Starlight before she gets away." answered Sunset.

"Oh yes! That's exactly what I was planning!" declared Twilight.

Sunset Shimmer began to think.

"We don't have to stop there." began Sunset,"We can go back and stop Tirek or Sombra...

Sunset trailed off as a realization struck.

"Be honest with me, are you planning on going back in time and stopping yourself from falling under the rule of Sombra?" asked Sunset.

"Yes." answered Twilight solemnly.

An eerie silence followed.

"That does make sense." admitted Sunset.

Sunset chuckled sadly.

"Then you'll never fall under his control. You'll never betray Equestria. You'll never met me." said Sunset sadly.

"I've thought of that." admitted Twilight somber.

"Twilight, I can't tell you what to do." said Sunset.

"I was hoping you would." admitted Twilight flatly.

"Only you can make that decision." said Sunset.

"So I've been told." sighed Twilight.

"I love you more than anything in this dimension or the other dimension I fled to..." began Sunset.

Sunset needed a moment.

"That is why I'll support whatever decision you make." revealed Sunset.

"Even if that means us never meeting?" asked Twilight amazed.

"Yes." answered Sunset flatly.

Sunset Shimmer shook her head.

"Who knows. Maybe we'll still be destined to met." suggested Sunset.

Author's Note:

A/N: That's where we'll end things for now. So, the Pie family has been captured and we have more details. Plus, Sunset knows and supports Twilight with some possible foreshadowing throw in. Next time, It's Nightmare Night in Ponyville. Please review.