Episode 18: ...And Back Again (Part 2)
So... we were going to go to this place called Bridlewood, but there was a bit of an issue that caused the town to evacuate, so we were going somewhere else... Maretime Bay.
I had to hold my tongue when I heard it was a very long trip.
Why did Bridlewood have to be evacuated because of who knows what? I hate long walks... I mentally complained.
"How's it going back there?" Sunny asked.
"Great..." I smiled.
"So..." Zipp landed next to me after spending most of the walk hovering. "... how curious are you?"
"Curious about what?"
"About the future! You don't seem all that curious... if you're from Ancient Equestria, after all, I would have expected you to be a little bit surprised about Pipp's phone... or, correction, phones in general."
"Well... funny story... I might be the reason why phones are around in the first place."
They all stopped.
"You're what, now?" Pipp asked.
"Yeah. Where I came from... the... outermost regions of Equestria, only that place had things like phones. So when I came to Equestria, I brought my phone with me. One thing led to another, and... well... they're here now."
"That's not possible..." Zipp shook her head. "As far as we know, phones were invented way past your time. Plus, up until a while ago, they were commonly used in Zephyr Heights."
"Weird..." I mumbled. "Well, either way, we have phones in my time."
"How did you even have the materials or experience to make them?" Hitch asked.
"We were just ahead of our time," I said.
"What other things do you have in your time?" Sunny asked.
"Not much, I don't think... but I can guarantee you that plenty of what you have here, I had back home."
"Oh! Did any of you unicycle?" Izzy asked, continuously upbeat (she was also ahead of us)
"Uni... what?"
"It's the concept of taking recycled materials and using them to make new things," said Sunny. "And I'm pretty sure that's still more of a you thing, though others have probably done it in their spare time..."
"Didn't hurt to ask," Izzy replied.
"That explains your house..." I mumbled. "Anyways... how far are we from Maretime Bay? We've been walking for a very long time."
"Lucky for us, it's not that far," Hitch said.
"Wait, I think I see it!" Izzy exclaimed.
We all caught up to her, and we saw it. Up ahead of us was this really nice-looking town. On top of a hill next to the town looked to be a tall building, which of course had to be one of the most important places of the town. Surrounding a majority of the town was a rocky ledge that immediately dipped into the water below. I turned my gaze away from the town, and saw that Sunny and the others were already heading for the way leading into the town. Sunny looked back at me and motioned for me to join them.
Realizing it was still somewhat of a long walk, I sighed, and ran ahead to catch up with them.
...
Intro
...
The Future Jingle
*Sunny, Leo, and the others have finally entered Maretime Bay. Sunny takes the lead and begins to sing*
Sunny:
Welcome new friend, to this world so new to you,
New inventions, fresh new faces, all change isn't too few.
Izzy:
New places to stop by and say "hey!" to potential friends!
Sunny:
Everything we can show you is yet to have an end.
Pipp:
Our cities are bigger than anything you've seen!
Zipp:
If you want to know more, speak to our mom, the queen.
Hitch:
All ideas grew and grew, and became something more!
I would call it perfect if it weren't for what came before.
Leo:
Now wait a minute, friends, don't get too excited now.
Of course there's plenty of things that could make someone go "wow!"
But I have a small secret, something between you and me.
I'm not what you think I am, I'm different than what you se-
I wasn't watching. Or maybe I didn't react in time. But it didn't really matter... no matter what the cause was, somepony ran into me, cutting off the song. The pony rolled over me, and I could hear a bunch of things scattering around the ground. While I got up on my hooves, Sunny and the others ran up to me to make sure I was okay, though Hitch and Zipp checked on the other pony. I couldn't see him, but he was slower than I was getting up.
"Huh... not that often where we can't finish a song," said Zipp.
"Are you okay?..." Izzy asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine... I might need to give the ribs some rest..." I muttered.
We all looked at the pony that ran into me. He had a long white lab coat on, along with black pants. His hooves were covered, and so was his head/face due to a hood he had on underneath his coat. As he raised himself up, though, I started to see some of his face, his red coat, his brown mane, and his horn.
There was no way it was who I thought it was, but it felt like instinct to say his name.
"Sephtis!"
Then, I saw his face, and I felt a wave relief. He wasn't Sephtis. His facial features were different. It just lacked a lot of the mean, twisted feel that Sephtis would give off. He genuinely seemed like a nice stallion. Plus, I saw no trace of his wings. Should have considered that from the get-go.
"Who?... Oh, no, I'm... I'm not... whoever that is..." he stuttered with his slight accent. "I'm very sorry about that... I wasn't watching where I was going."
"Sorry, you just looked like him," I replied. "And apology accepted. I wasn't watching where I was going, either. Here, we'll help you."
I started to help this pony pick up his items, and Sunny and her friends pitched in.
It was mostly papers, but there was some metal and parts. In fact, the first two things I picked up was some metal claw-like arm that appeared unfinished, and there was a rolled up blueprint. Curiosity got the best of me, and I picked up the blueprint. I unrolled it, and it was a lot of content. The focus of the blueprint was this bipedal cat-like creature wearing some sort of tunic, and along with his casual clawed arms and legs, he had eight extra arms on his back. Subtitled under this character was "Beta Model 2.0".
Something about this thing seemed familiar. Almost all of the details reminded me of that mechanical creature Celestia and Luna told me about back then. But before I could check it out any further, the arm and blueprints were snatched away from me.
"This is all... private stuff... I'll take those back, please and thank you."
We gave him the rest of his stuff.
"Thank you..." the pony said. "Um... I have to get going, now."
The pony then ran off without saying another word.
"What was that all about?" Zipp asked.
"I dunno," Izzy shrugged.
"We should probably sit down," said Pipp. "There's still so much we should talk about."
We all went over to a nearby table and took our seats.
"So... Sephtis?" Zipp asked.
"Yeah, I thought that guy was someone I knew for a second. Sephtis."
"Is he the reason why you're here?" Sunny asked.
"Yeah. He's been around for quite a while, now."
"What's he like? What's his motivation?" inquired Pipp.
"Motivation? Well... some other friends of mine were the last ones to encounter Sephtis before he sent us through time. They had an unlikely ally, that apparently discovered that Sephtis really didn't have a motive when it comes to conquering the world or anything. Just pure destruction, turning everything into nothing."
"What does he look like?" Izzy asked, still more wonderous and curious than the rest.
"He's just me but red."
"Ooh! Is he a twin?"
I shook my head. "No, he's a clone."
"An enemy that's a red pony?... Hm... sounds familiar..." Zipp tapped her chin, as if she was being intentionally vague.
"Oh, stop it, Zipp..." Sunny waved it off.
"Hm?" I tilted my head.
"Oh, she's talking about Sprout," Hitch explained. "He's an old friend of Sunny and I. He wasn't entirely on board with the idea of ponies uniting. He even caused a bit of a military uproar with a giant robot and everything. It's a long story."
"In spite of all that, though, it worked out in the end," Sunny smiled "Unicorns, Earth Ponies, and Pegasi all united together."
"And she became an Alicorn," said Hitch.
"An Alicorn? But... I don't see wings or a horn, or anything," I replied.
"It's more of a metaphorical thing," Pipp suggested.
"Nah, I think it's legit," said Zipp.
"Well, Sunny, do you feel different?" I asked.
"Weeellll... yeah, kind of," she answered. "Ever since everything happened, I don't think I've felt the same since then. In a good way. So... maybe, yeah."
"I see, I see..." I mumbled.
"On another subject..." Hitch started. "Are you worried about your friends?"
I didn't say anything, but I found my honest answer really quick.
"It just depends on where they are, and who they trust..."
*Cozy Glow...*
Cozy Glow should have known that once it was clear that she was from a different timeline, Twilight would be asking all sorts of questions. She can mark than on her nonexistent list of undoing character development. She saw it coming the moment they left Canterlot to return to the Castle of Friendship.
It's been going on for thirty minutes.
"Okay, okay, okay..." Twilight paced. "...so... you come from twenty years in the future, correct?"
"Yeah, I said that... over ten times."
"Alright, alright... and you, along with Chrysalis and Tirek, learned about Friendship, saved Equestria multiple times, and also befriended a foreign creature that turned into an Alicorn?"
"Yes, yes, and yes. Anything that you asked that repeats what I said is a 'yes'."
"What even happened?" Fluttershy asked. "How did you get here?"
"Well, I was finally about to get to that part. An evil red Alicorn sent me here, and scattered some of my other friends across the timeline."
"Wow, there are a lot of Alicorns in the future, aren't there?..." Spike mumbled.
"It's only three extra, Spike, it's not that much," said Applejack.
"In Alicorn standards, it is."
"Listen, I know you're all probably interested in the future, or my new life and all of that... or... at least Twilight is," Cozy Glow said. "But I need to find my friends and get home. Granted, I don't think they're going to try nothing at all. After all, one of the ones that was sent across the timeline was Starlight herself, so she's probably trying something... but in the events that things don't work out or take a while, would you all be willing to help me? Starlight?"
"It's more complicated then it seems," Starlight stated. "Can I send you through time? Yes. I remember the spell. But do you even know where the others are?"
"Well... no."
"It will take some work, but Starlight and I will try to rewrite and alter the regular spell so tracking down your friends would be much easier," Twilight promised.
"After all, it's always good to have a spare!" Spike exclaimed.
"Exactly."
Cozy Glow smiled. "Thank you. *sigh*... I just hope the others are alright..."
*Back in the past...*
When the trip carried on, Apple Bloom and Diamond Tiara decided to "break the ice" with Apple Bloom's parents. Although they both knew a lot about the Apple Family's life, they still smiled, nodded, and asked questions as Bright Mac and Pear Butter described their family and how things were going (with the exception of the revelation that Pear Butter was a pear pony).
"Yes, our little Applejack has always been honest for her age," said Pear Butter.
"It sounds like she's got a bright future ahead of her," Diamond Tiara said.
"It also sounds like she gets a little bit from you, D-... Bright Mac," Apple Bloom mentioned.
Bright Mac chuckled.
"So... you said you had three kids," Diamond Tiara started. "What's the third one like?"
Apple Bloom gave her a look, but didn't say anything.
"Oh, Apple Bloom? She's just a little filly, so there ain't much we can say about her," Pear Butter answered.
"Knowing how Big Macintosh and Applejack turned out, though, we're pretty hopeful about her future," Bright Mac continued. "But either way, we're excited to watch her grow up, along with the other two."
"Hit it where it hurts, why don't you?..." Apple Bloom grumbled.
"Hm?"
"Nothin'..."
Diamond Tiara decided to change the subject.
"Uh, hey, is that where he have to go?"
She pointed at a nearby sign.
"Eeyup!" Bright Mac nods. "We're almost there."
"We're lucky that we brought some spare pies," said Pear Butter. "Otherwise, we'd be a few short after that crash."
"You bring spare pies?" asked Apple Bloom.
"Usually for any emergency occasions where they may be needed, either as replacements if we lose one, or emergency food if we get in trouble," Bright Mac explained. "Never hurts to be prepared. Sometimes, we just bring a couple in case we get hungry."
"I never knew they did that," Apple Bloom whispered.
"You learn something new every day," Diamond Tiara replied.
...
...
After our long walk back from Maretime Bay, we finally returned to Izzy's house, where it was clear that Starlight's been waiting for us for a while.
"Starlight! How's the spell coming along?" I ask.
"Fillies and Gentlecolts, I believe I did it!" she proclaimed. "I did some thinking after you all left, and I think I found the perfect way to find a solution! You see, Leo, you and I aren't just time-travelers. We're anomalies."
"Anomal-what?" Izzy questioned.
"Anomalies," Zipp corrected.
"Stating the obvious, we're not supposed to be here," Starlight explained. "We're a disturbance in the timeline. We're disrupting how everything is supposed to play out. We're-"
"I get it, Starlight, we're anomalies," I interrupted. "I'm very familiar with the term."
"Alright then, Mr. Crabby Pants... Anyway, I figured out how to incorporate this fact into the spell. It will send us through time like normal, but if everything I did is correct, we'll be sent right to the first anomaly that the spell detects. Then we'll look for our friends, find them, and bring them back here."
"So... I'm guessing you didn't try it?" Hitch asked.
"Of course I didn't."
"So we don't know if we're going to find our friends, or end up in the belly of a volcano, or suffocate in space?" I said.
"Um... then... We'll just have to hope for the best?..."
"That's reassuring."
"Hey, I didn't test that spell the last time I rewrote it to my advantage, and it worked out well."
"I still don't know..." I muttered.
"Have you forgotten that, as a unicorn, I could give us some sort of magical protection that would give us enough time to return back the way we came?"
She had me there. "Good point, I guess."
"So are we doing this?" Starlight asked.
"I mean, we have to. We really have no other choice."
"Mhm. So..." Starlight turned her attention to Sunny and her friends. "Do any of you want to help?"
"I think I'll pass," said Hitch.
Pipp had the same response, but Zipp, Izzy, and Sunny were more interested.
"Miss an opportunity to jump through time? No way!" Zipp exclaimed. "I trust that you know what you're doing."
"I'd love to see what it's like beyond our time!" Sunny beamed. "Whether it's Ancient Equestria, or before that time, or maybe after our time! I'd love to learn."
"I wanna come with!" Izzy grinned.
"Alright. I need you all to group together, so I can give you your protection spell in case we end up somewhere unsafe," Starlight instructed. "The rest of you need to go outside, or at least hang on to something."
"We'll go outside and watch in any way we can," said Hitch. "Come on, Pipp."
"Good luck!" Pipp exclaimed.
She and Hitch both went outside, and right when the door closed, Starlight got to work. First, she lit her horn, and we were all coated with blue shimmering magic, which then faded away.
"Since I promised I'd give it, this is in case we end up anywhere dangerous," Starlight explained as she cast the spell. "Now, stand back..."
"Wow, advanced unicorn magic is sooo cool!" Sunny gushed.
"I know, right?" Izzy grinned.
Starlight then blasted the scroll, triggering the spell. Due to the lack of the Cutie Map, it started off in quite a different way. The scroll lowered itself, and it turned until the side with writing was facing the ceiling. Then, the scroll started to spin, increasing speed within' seconds. After that, the rest of the process carried on like it usually did, and then the portal was finally open.
"Here goes nothing..." I mumble, before leaping in. I heard the others follow suit, but it was hard to tell who went next.
After being in a time portal twice, I was much more used to the feeling... aside from the butterflies in my stomach. It's lucky that I don't throw up easy.
The trip through the portal soon came to its stop, and I had a relatively decent landing when I was out. I quickly ran away from the portal so I wouldn't get sucked in, and I looked around.
It looked like we were in the woods, with a relatively fall-colored atmosphere.
"Well, it looks like it worked," I said once Izzy was out of the portal.
"Where... are we?" Sunny asked.
"More like whe-"
"I don't know," Starlight interrupted Izzy. "We're in a forest, so there's that."
"So we just... look for whoever's here?" Zipp asked.
"Seems like it. We could split up while one or two of us stays here," Starlight suggested.
"Wait, we don't know who to look for," Sunny pointed out.
"Okay. We're looking for the following... an adult mare with a yellow coat and red-ish mane, another adult mare that's purple with a purple and white mane, or a small pink filly with a light sky-blue mane," I said. "That's... that's right, correct?"
"Even if it's not, we'll know."
"Alright, I'll stay here," Starlight proclaimed. "You four split up and look for somepony."
"On it!" Izzy then ran off into the bushes.
"I'll stay here too," Zipp insisted.
"Are you sure?" Starlight asked.
"I'll at least circle around the area and get back here if I see anything."
"Well, okay then."
Zipp flew upwards into the sky.
"Alright then, we better get to it," said Sunny.
I nodded, and we went off to look for whoever was here.
*Meanwhile....*
It was a pretty quick delivery. Apple Bloom and Diamond Tiara checked to see if any apple products took damage, while Apple Bloom's parents explained what happened. After everything was taken care of, they all took their leave.
"Well, that wasn't so bad," Diamond Tiara said.
"We had nothin' to worry about in the first place," said Apple Bloom.
"Delayed time, potential food destroyed after the crash..."
"Well, I think you two deserve a little treat after helping us," Bright Mac smiled. He took off the saddlebags, reached in one of them, and pulled out a pie, with some writing on the tin.
"One of your spare pies?" Apple Bloom took the pie. "Thank you."
"It's... a little bit different than our usual pies..." Pear Butter said. "We added something in it."
Bright Mac leaned forward a little bit. "You're aware of that... feud, between the apples and the pears, right?"
"Yeah," Apple Bloom replied. "What, you added pears in here with the apples? That's totally okay! It's a silly feud. As long as this pie is delicious, then Ah' will for sure cherish it!"
"Thank you," Pear Butter thanked. "Are you two going to stay with us on our way back?"
"Why not?" Diamond Tiara shrugged. "Our home is on the same path, so we'll stick around."
"Alrighty then," Bright Mac nods.
And so they were on their way. When the trip started, it was close to silent, with the occasional small talk. However, out of the blue, a small sound was heard on the edge of the path.
"Psssst!"
Everypony stopped.
"Did you hear that?" Apple Bloom asked.
"Psssssst!" This time, the sound was more stern and loud. They all turned their heads, and an unfamiliar lilac unicorn popped her head out of her bushes.
"Hey!" she grinned. "My friends have been looking for you two."
Pear Butter and Bright Mac gave each other unsure glances.
"...Us?" Bright Mac asked.
"No, the other two."
"Oh, us," said Diamond Tiara. "Friends?"
"Yes, your friends! Come on!"
The unicorn vanished behind the bushes as quick as she popped out of them.
Diamond Tiara and Apple Bloom didn't know what to do.
"Should we go with her?" Apple Bloom asked.
"You can go with her," Pear Butter insisted. "If... you think it's safe."
"Let's follow her," said Diamond Tiara. "If anything happens, then I'll never forgive myself."
"If it's what Ah' think it is..." Apple Bloom whispered. "Could Ah' at least say goodbye?..."
Diamond Tiara nodded.
"Alright, we'll be back," Apple Bloom said to her parents. "Would you stay here for a moment?"
"Sure, I guess?..." Bright Mac shrugged.
The mares then left the couple behind, and followed the unicorn the best they could. Every so often, they'd see her, and she'd dart off in a direction again (the first time they saw her, she said "catch me if you can".)
But finally, it all came to an end. Another pony, one that was more recognizable, could be seen.
"Starlight?!" Apple Bloom exclaimed.
Starlight's ears perked up. "Apple Bloom! Diamond Tiara! You're both here! Alright, that makes my job easier... is Cozy Glow here?"
"No. I guess she wasn't with you?" Diamond Tiara asked.
"No."
A white Pegasus suddenly landed on the ground.
"Are these the ones we're looking for?" she inquired.
"Some of them. Now, I need you and Izzy to go find Sunny and Leo. I'm going to get the portal ready."
"Can do. Come on, Izzy, let's go."
The Pegasus and the Unicorn, Izzy, left to go find their friends.
"Wait!" Apple Bloom exclaimed. "That... that stuff about time changin' and all that if the timeline is severely changed... what if some ponies you encounter are close to their... final days?"
"Final days? What- oh... oh, no. Apple Bloom."
"Savin' them could be for the better!" Apple Bloom proclaimed.
"It could still have a negative impact on the timeline," said Starlight.
"What if we bring them back before whatever happens to them... happens?"
"Apple Bloom, you can't take every opportunity that's given to you, no matter how much it helps you or your family.. Besides, we don't know when this is. Taking them back before whatever happens will have similar time-changing results. And of course, you know about what happened to them, so there's not even a point in bringing that up."
Apple Bloom's ears flopped down. Starlight placed a hoof under her chin.
"...I'm sorry. I really am. But... I don't know. Even if we could somewhat bring them back, without consequence, it would hinder the learning experience."
"Learning experience!?" Apple Bloom stomped. Tears began to form.
"Okay, maybe I could have left that part out, but my point still stands... you can't have everything."
"Well, of course Ah' don't have everything! Taking them back won't change what I have!"
A familiar voice entered the conversation. "Apple Bloom..."
Apple Bloom turned around. Pear Butter and Bright Mac were looking at her with warm smiles.
"We couldn't help but be curious, so we followed you two," Bright Mac said.
Apple Bloom couldn't help but stutter, "H-h-how did you?..."
"Come on," Pear Butter smirked. "Did you really think we could be fooled by two mares, with one that looks like our daughter, and the other one that looks like the daughter of Filthy Rich?"
"And we were right... you did grow up a good mare," Bright Mac smiled.
"Well... um... do you two know about... your future?"
"We overheard your conversation, so we can take a hint."
Pear Butter soothingly looked into Apple Bloom's eyes. "We want to tell you that it's okay, Apple Bloom... Even if this is goodbye... at least it's a proper one."
"Okay, so am I going to have to alter your memories, or...?" Starlight asked.
"That wouldn't be a bad idea," said Bright Mac.
"Alright. Apple Bloom, you can say your goodbye, and then we need to get going."
Apple Bloom, tears in her eyes, looked at both of her parents. They held their hooves out, offering her a hug. And she accepted that offer, running into their hooves.
"We love you, Apple Bloom..." Pear Butter smiled.
"...we'll always be there," Bright Mac said.
Another tear rolled down her cheek, as Apple Bloom managed to utter the words, "I'll miss you..."
"Alright, Apple Bloom, step aside..." Starlight calmly ordered. "When this spell is over, they'll be asleep for five minutes. When they wake up, they'll remember everything they did since you got here, but they won't remember you two, as if you weren't here at all."
"...okay..." Apple Bloom whispered, before she parted from her parents and got out of the way.
Starlight then proceeded to cast the spell. Both Pear Butter and Bright Mac's eyes started to glow a bright turquoise blue, similar to Starlight's magic. Diamond Tiara comforted Apple Bloom as the spell continued, knowing that this was difficult for her.
When the spell was over, the parents collapsed on the ground.
"Okay, we have five minutes..." said Starlight. "Where could Izzy and the others be?..."
"Right here!" Leo's voice said. Leo, Sunny, Zipp, and Izzy all went over to Starlight. "Sunny and I met up since we couldn't find anything, and Izzy then found us."
"That's convenient."
"Who are those two?" Sunny asked, pointing at Apple Bloom's parents.
"My parents..." Apple Bloom answered.
"I see. Um... you don't seem that excited to be leaving."
"Yeah, this is... kinda my last time seeing them."
"Oh..." Sunny held a hoof to her chest. "I'm so sorry..."
"It's fine."
While they were talking, Starlight finally opened the portal.
"We need to go."
She then hopped in, and then Izzy followed suit. Leo went next, then Zipp, and then Sunny. Diamond Tiara was about to go, but then she saw Apple Bloom taking a final look at her parents.
"It will be alright..." Diamond said. "Trust me..."
"Ah' do..."
And both mares jumped into the portal together.
*The Future...
The portal in Izzy's house opened, and one by one, everyone was sent out of the portal, having safe landings. When Diamond Tiara and Apple Bloom were out, the portal closed.
"Where... and when... are we?" Diamond Tiara asked.
"For the first part... this is the future," Leo answered.
"And for the second part... my house!" Izzy exclaimed.
"Having Diamond Tiara and Apple Bloom will make this job quicker," Starlight said. "Now we just need to get Cozy Glow."
"Do you two want to come with?" I offered.
"I had enough of portal jumping," said Diamond Tiara. "I'll just wait it out."
"Alright then. You two will go outside," Sunny ordered. "Some of my other friends are outside since they insisted on staying."
"And I guess you, Zipp, and Izzy are still coming with?" Starlight questioned.
All three of them confirmed it, either verbally or with a nod.
"Come on, Apple Bloom. Let's let them grab Cozy Glow so we can go home."
Diamond Tiara was quick when she left, but Apple Bloom was a bit slower, clearly struggling a little bit over what happened back home.
"Alright, let's finish this!"
Starlight started with the spell.
*Cozy Glow...*
After Cozy Glow finally explained everything and settled down with Twilight and the others, she decided to show off her new, reformed personality to everyone while Twilight and Starlight worked on the spell.
She helped Applejack with some chores after offering.
"Woo-wee! Not bad!" Applejack said after Cozy Glow finished her portion of the chores.
"Just like how I was when we first met, except... I mean it this time," Cozy sheepishly smiled.
"Ah' hope to Celestia you ain't pullin' my hoof again, that's for sure," Applejack said.
"But didn't I just prove myself innocent back at Canterlot?..."
"Ah' know, Ah' know... there's just not much of a difference when it comes to willingly doin' chores."
"Good point."
Cozy Glow also showed some flying tricks in front of Rainbow Dash (she was impressed, but still gave pointers).
"Not bad, kid," Rainbow said. "Though some of your coordination was off during your loops... I saw a little bit of wobbling at that time."
"Do you know what you sound like, right now?" Cozy asked.
"No... what?"
Cozy smirked. "In your words... an egghead."
Rainbow Dash's jaw dropped.
"W-w-well, I-"
"It's okay. It may come in handy when you do some... coaching in the future."
Cozy winked.
She also had some time with Pinkie Pie, who could not stop rapidly asking questions about the future.
"Are there flying carriages in the future?"
"No."
"Are there larger cities in the sky?"
"I dunno."
"OOH! Are the deserts and birthday cakes bigger?"
"Pinkie I don't think time ever changes things like that. Besides, I'm from only twenty years in the future."
"Awwww..."
Soon, after her long day with Twilight's friends, Cozy Glow finally decided to return to the castle and check up on things. Twilight's friends met up with her along the way back, and Twilight herself was outside along with Starlight and Spike.
"Okay, Cozy Glow..." Starlight started when Cozy Glow returned. "I may have found the solution to your problem. You're lost in time. You don't know where your friends are. This spell will help. You see... you're an anomaly. You're not supposed to be here in this time."
"...and my friends are anomalies too?"
"Correct!" Twilight exclaimed. "If this spell works, it will be able to track down whatever timeline your friends could be in."
"And if it doesn't work?"
"Well... hopefully we don't end up anywhere dangerous?" Starlight smiled, clearly unsure.
Before Cozy Glow could reply to that, though, a portal suddenly opened nearby.
"Is that?..." Twilight started.
"...a time portal," said Starlight. "If that's your friends, then I guess we don't need this then..."
Starlight prepared to tear the scroll in half.
"Wait!" Cozy exclaimed. "Something's not right..."
Cozy Glow was right. The time traveler that came out of the portal was not a friendly face, but rather, the unsettling monotone face of Sephtis.
"Sephtis!"
"Hello, Cozy Glow... have you enjoyed your stay so far? If so, then I'm afraid I'm cutting it short..."
"What do you mean?" Starlight asked.
"What do you mean? I'm here for the kid."
"You better not lay a hoof on that filly," Applejack threatened.
"What, you care about her now? After all she did to you? This is the same filly that nearly ended Equestria with Chrysalis and Tirek."
"She's not the same Cozy Glow that we've fought against," said Twilight.
"She's from a time where she learned about her mistakes," Fluttershy said.
"Don't care. She's mine."
"You'll have to deal with us, first!" Spike shouted.
Sephtis shrugged. "If you insist..."
And without warning, he sent a bolt of deadly magic right over to Spike, who dove away in time. He took a look at Sephtis, who was already stomping towards him. However, before he could light his horn, Rainbow Dash quickly retaliated with a hind-hoof kick to his head. He rolled on the ground, but quickly recovered. But then he was showered with cake, as Pinkie Pie had a party cannon at the ready.
Applejack tossed a rope right at Sephtis' hind legs, but when Sephtis shot at her, she jumped out of the way. But the blast nearly grazed her tail.
"Whew... that was a close one."
Sephtis was ready to attack Applejack again, but when he tried again, a gem-shaped shield (courtesy of Rarity) formed in front of her, taking the hit.
"You're getting better at that, Rarity," Fluttershy complimented.
"I guess I am," Rarity said, smiling, but not taking her eyes off of Sephtis.
Sephtis snarled, and disintegrated the knot on the lasso. He quickly took notice of Spike, flying around him and just about to breathe fire. Since he saw Spike pre-attack, though, Sephtis was able to deflect it.
Spike didn't mind too much. He landed next to Twilight. Her horn was charged, along with Starlight and Cozy Glow's. They all opened fire, but Sephtis raised a shield. It seemed as if he was going to lose. Twilight's friends cheered her and the other ones on.
"Look at yourselves..." Sephtis hissed through his teeth. "...encouraging downfall of another being. You're just as bad as I am."
"We're... not trying to destroy you..." Twilight strained a reply. "We're just trying to make sure... you don't hurt anyone... by stunning you..."
"Of course it's obvious... it's 'friendship' this, and 'friendship' that... you don't want to destroy your enemies. But let me show you how stunning is really done..."
Suddenly, Spike and Cozy Glow were grabbed by one of the legs with Sephtis' magic, and they were tossed away, which briefly took Starlight and Twilight's attention. Sephtis crashed through his own shield off to the side. He formed magic chains around the two, and the chains immediately tightened, forcing them together. Sephtis then grabbed Fluttershy by a front hoof, and tossed her over to Rainbow Dash. They both crashed into each other and fell to the ground.
"My wing..." Rainbow Dash whined.
Both her and Fluttershy were suddenly knocked out cold with a spell from Sephtis.
Applejack tried to lasso Sephtis by the horn, but this time he allowed it to catch on him, and when it did, he snapped his head to the side so Applejack could lose her focus. She still didn't let go, so Sephtis started to fly up into the air, which took Applejack with him.
"Not agaaaaaaiiiin-" she yelped.
Sephtis looked back. Smirking, he took a sharp turn, allowing him to see Applejack and use the spell on her again, and it caused Applejack to let go.
Rarity went for another attempted attack, and Pinkie was ready to trigger the party cannon again, but Sephtis quickly teleported away, and even swapped places with Rarity... conveniently forcing her to run into the party cannon when Pinkie set it off. Rarity was sent through the air, covered in cake, and she screamed when she realized what happened, before being knocked out by Sephtis.
"Whoops..." Pinkie blinked.
Knowing what would happen next, Sephtis hurled a piece of cake at Pinkie's face. She licked it all off her face in one swoop of her tongue.
"Mmmm... vanilla!"
That made it easy for Sephtis to knock out Pinkie with another stun spell.
Spike and Cozy Glow were the only ones left. They both again tried attacking Sephtis, but he dodged their attacks, and they dodged theirs. But their turn didn't last long... they collided with each other, forcing them to fall to the ground as well.
"Well, you made that easier..."
Sephtis tossed Spike aside, grabbed Cozy Glow, and moved anyone else close to him away. He saw the piece of parchment tumbling along the ground, so he picked up, and disintegrated it. Then, he manifested a saddlebag, and pulled out another piece of parchment. He unrolled it, and then triggered the spell written on it.
But when that portal formed, another one formed, and five ponies exited it one by one... the first two familiar to Cozy Glow and Sephtis.
"Is that me?..." the chained-up Starlight asked.
"LEO! STARLIGHT! HELP!" Cozy Glow shrieked.
"You heard her... go get her!" Sephtis growled. He threw Cozy Glow into the portal, before teleporting away. Leo and Starlight quickly ran after and allowed the portal to take them in. Three other unfamiliar ponies that came out of the portal attempted to go after them, but right when it seemed that they were going to make it, the portal shut.
"That's... not good," a white Pegasus gulped.
...
...
I could feel a cold chill as I was approaching the upcoming time. In fact, when I was out of the portal, I landed face-first in snow. I tried to find my footing, but the portal was already shut by the time I was up.
"STARLIGHT!" I shouted. "COZY GLOW!"
"We're here!" Starlight yelled. She and Cozy Glow trudged through the high snow.
"We need the spell to get out of here!" exclaimed Cozy Glow. "It's freezing!"
"I gave it to Sunny," Starlight admitted.
"You what?!"
"How was I supposed to know we'd be sent here?"
SCREEEEEEEEEEE
We all looked up, and we saw them. Windigos, all circling the sky. All four of them.
"Wait... this isn't right..." Starlight realized. "According to Equestrian history and what we saw twenty years ago, there are three."
"Don't you remember that story we told you about Celestia and Luna?" asked Cozy Glow. "They found something that stated that there were four Windigos."
"...and it's true. But... I don't understand. We saw three. History books said there were three. What could have possibly happened to erase one of them from hi-"
There was a sudden crackle at the center of the Windigo circle.
"What's going on?" I wondered out loud.
The crackling got worse and worse, expanding by the second, before...
KABOOM!!!
A massive explosion burst in the Windigo circle, and there was a faint screaming. One of the Windigos was no longer in the circle... it was coming right for us, screaming along the way.
"TAKE COVER!" Starlight shrieked.
We all got out of the way, and we were quickly showered with a burst of snow. When we recovered and the dust- excuse me... snow settled, we all returned to where we were. There wasn't a Windigo in the ground, or a smaller version of it. Instead, there was simply a mound of snow, which was shaped like that Windigo.
"Well... now we know..." said Cozy Glow.
"We'll discuss this later," Starlight spoke up. "We need to find someplace where we have a chance of at least making it through the next hour or two."
"We better make it fast so they don't get us..." I say.
And so, with any strength we could, we ran away from our spot, hoping that the Windigos wouldn't come after us.
*Meanwhile...*
While Sunny and her friends tried to figure out what to do, the chains around Twilight and Starlight fizzled away, allowing them to move freely. Spike hobbled over to them.
"Oh Celestia!" Twilight yelped. "Spike, are you okay?"
"I'm fine... just a little sprain..."
They noticed Sunny approach them.
"Twilight Sparkle herself?... In the flesh?" Sunny's smile grew the closer she got. "Never in my life would I have thought of this happening..."
"Well, I guess it's an honor to meet you."
"You've inspired me... you've inspired my dad... because of you, I made wonderful friends, and together, we brought harmony back to Equestria after it's been gone for so many years."
"Okay, now I'm confused," said Starlight.
"We're from the future..." Izzy said in a majestical manner.
Twilight's head tilted to the side. "Wait-...huh? You're from the future... and you brought back harmony after it was gone for... years? Does that mean that all of our efforts-"
Zipp could see where this was going. "Uh, Sunny, you probably could have toned it down a bit...."
"Whoops... But hey, they're going to forget about this anyway when we're done."
"Probably for the best if we do," Spike shrugged.
"Listen, you probably saw what happened with our friends, and..." Sunny pointed at Starlight. "...you. We need your help to bring them back."
Twilight was clearly going to ask more questions, but instead, she shook off the shock of what the potential future of Equestria was.
"R-right. We'll help you... except... we don't have the spell!"
"We have one." Zipp unfolded a wing and their own spell fell out.
"Can I see that?"
Zipp gave Starlight the spell, and she looked it over.
"...I'm guessing I wrote this? Hm... seems nearly identical to what I tried to write..."
"Great minds think alike, am I right?" Spike said.
"Where do you think Sephtis sent them, anyway?..." Sunny asked.
"I don't know much about him, but from what I can understand... probably somewhere dangerous," Zipp answered.
*Back to the past...*
I started to lose tolerance for the cold weather, and I could tell the others were feeling the same way.
"It was never this cold when I brought them back with Chrysalis and Tirek..." Cozy wheezed.
"I can't see any shelter, or anything that qualifies..." I said. "Even without all this white-out, I don't think there'd be any place for miles..."
"Let's face it... we're finished!"
"Not without a fight!" Starlight shouted. "We just need to keep going..."
"Don't you see? There's nowhere to go!" I exclaim. I stopped walking, and so did Cozy. "And even if we were to find somewhere, there's no source of heat, no clothing, and no way to enclose ourselves! We're finished."
Starlight stopped as well.
"Well, we can work with what we can and wait until the others are able to get us."
"How?" Cozy asked.
"I saw Twilight and myself chained up. If they can't help us and the others, then..."
"Then we're just going to have to tough it out and freeze..." I mumbled. I wanted to sit down, but I didn't due to the snow and weather.
We didn't say anything. The only sounds we could hear were the gusty winds, and the screeching of the Windigos.
"Do you think everything that Twilight's done, and that we've done, would amount to nothing?"
"What are you talking about?" Cozy Glow asked.
"So... apparently, harmony eventually just... falls. All creatures and pony tribes disband, and the tension between all of them came back... and oddly, not the Windigos. But then Sunny Starscout, an Earth Pony that was fascinated and interested in Twilight's accomplishments, stepped forward. With the help of some new friends, they restored harmony... between pony kinds, at least."
"That doesn't sound like it amounted to nothing."
"I'm thinking the same thing," I said.
"Well... when you think about it... you're right," Starlight spoke.
"As long as there's someone out there that does something in your memory, it never amounts to doing nothing," Cozy Glow said.
"I think there's other lessons we can take away from t-this..." I started to shiver. "Like... sometimes, saying goodbye is hard, but even if you make time with them last longer, it's inevitable either way."
"Or maybe... um..." Cozy tried to think. "...when you prove things to ponies that don't trust you... they can... become friends when you need them?"
"Hm... does that count as a one-hundred-percent lesson?" I ask.
"There's more to it then that," answered Starlight.
"I think the cold weather is making it hard for me to focus..." Cozy mumbled. "That happens, right?"
"I don't know..." I shrug. I finally decided to sit down... I regretted it, but at the same time, I got used to it. "So... is this it?"
"Someone has to rescue us at some point!" Cozy exclaimed.
"Well, if not... then it was nice knowing you all," Starlight smiled.
"Leo... I'm sorry you never got to say goodbye to anyone back home."
"It's fine, I guess..." I mumbled. "Too bad, but whatever... I've had fun in both of my lives..."
"At least you're not alone," Starlight encouraged.
"...thank you."
Time passed. We tried to keep moving, but we soon gave up. We were too cold, and I was pretty sure the snow was getting worse. Cozy Glow had to fly since there was a point where the snow was too high.
It seemed like we were all on the verge of giving up. We were moving at a slow pace. I never expected this weather to weaken me and the others so much. I sneezed, and we all stopped for a break... or we were just finally ready to quit.
"Hey, I think I see them..."
"I think I'm hearing things..." I groan.
"Let's get them back."
I could hear hooves running towards me, but I couldn't see who it was.
"H-hello?" Cozy called out.
I saw figures from a distance running after us.
"Someone's there..." Starlight wheezed, sounding hopeful.
I started to make out the figures... and even though I felt a bit of doubt at first, one of them made me feel more confident that we were going home.
Sunny, Zipp, Izzy, and Twilight Sparkle... from twenty years ago... all approached us, and quickly went to our aid.
"You three don't look so good..." Sunny said.
"You think?" I uttered. "We've been out here for... how long?"
Starlight and Cozy Glow shrugged.
"Well, you don't need to worry about it anymore..." Twilight said. "We're getting you home."
She raised the scroll, and ignited the spell. The portal back home opened, and we were all whisked away to whatever time was up ahead of us.
*The future...*
I somewhat expected us to return to Twilight's time, but instead, we returned to the far future where I originally was. Hot drinks were immediately prepared for us, and while they were being made, we had to explain to Hitch, Pipp, Diamond Tiara, and Apple Bloom about what took so long and why Twilight was with us.
"It's a good think you all came when you did," Starlight said after sipping her drink. "I don't think we would have lasted much longer."
"Yep. If Sephtis never took care of Twilight and your other self, we probably wouldn't have had a way to go back in time and find you," Zipp explained.
"The more I hear about this the more I wish I would have gone..." said Pipp. "They would have been great photos."
Zipp glared at her sister.
"What?" Pipp shrugged. "It's not like I was going to post them."
"Wow, the future doesn't look that bad..." Twilight admired after looking around for a bit.
"So, what's the plan for you?" I asked her. "Are you going to erase you, your friends, and the Princesses' memories of everything?"
"Actually, Starlight from my time is already taking care of that. And then Spike will alert the Princesses so they can take care of their memories."
"That makes sense," said Starlight. "Otherwise, everything would be different. Since you're not even there, your memories, at the moment, don't matter"
"That's true..." I nod.
Twilight scribbled on her own piece of parchment, using our spell as reference, and she was just about done.
"Well... it's done. Before I go... Sunny?"
"Yes, Twilight?"
Twilight approached Sunny.
"I'm still not sure about how I feel on the fact that, when my rule as Princess ends, so does harmony all around Equestria... but since, from what everyone told me, you and your friends are working on bringing it back... I wish you luck. I think this 'future Equestria' is in good hooves."
"T-thank you. That means a lot."
"No problem... take care everypony."
Twilight then went outside. We all heard her cast the spell, and we also saw the brief flash from outside that came with it. When we were certain it was over, we finally went to tie up loose ends.
"So, Diamond Tiara..." I heard Apple Bloom ask. "What did you mean when you said that you sometimes, you wished your life was more like mine?"
"We'll talk about it later. Not here."
"Well, I guess this is it then." Starlight stood up. "Sunny, Izzy, Zipp... even Hitch and Pipp... thank you for everything."
"Yeah, thank you for showing me the future too." I thanked. "It was nice. In spite of the walks..."
"You're welcome," said Izzy.
"Since coming from the past to the future doesn't change... your future... you can come back anytime!" Pipp offered.
"Eh... don't want to be too risky," Cozy said. "It may not change our future, but... anomalies are always a form of interference. We'd be interfering with your time as well."
"I think the kid has a point," Zipp nodded.
"Come on, everyone, let's go outside," Starlight instructed.
The five of us grouped out, said our goodbyes to Sunny and her friends, and we proceeded to leave as we heard their goodbyes. I took one last look at them behind me, and then I closed the door.
*One time-travel trip later...*
We were finally home. It was such a refreshing sight to be back in the castle in the time where we belonged.
"Well, that was one hay of a ride..." said Apple Bloom. "Ah' had fun, though."
"I had fun, too..." Diamond Tiara started. "...but going on adventures is just not my thing."
"I'm glad you had fun..." a sinister voice hissed. "It's been an honor to give it to you."
We all turned around, and Sephtis stepped out of the shadows. He wasn't alone, though... with him was a giant cat-like mechanical creature similar to what I saw on the blueprints, a changeling that looked like an unreformed version of Ocellus, and finally, a shadow-y version of Cozy Glow, as if she was the Pony of Shadows.
"Apple Bloom... Diamond Tiara... get out of here!" I barked.
Both mares quickly turned, hopped off the table, and ran out. The mechanical creature was ready to go after him, but Sephtis raised a hoof.
"Let them go..." he ordered. "It's these three I want."
I could have sworn the creature scoffed.
"You lost!" Cozy boasted. "Your plan to have us travel in time and freeze didn't work."
Sephtis laughed. "Oh, Cozy Glow... did you really think I'd send you through time and do nothing? I could have sent you somewhere where you'd burn in lava, or be in space, or whatnot. No, no, no... listen, I'm a predator. I like to toy with my prey. So that's what I did... I sent you through time for fun, and when you quickly solved your problem, I went ahead and scattered you all throughout time."
"Why did you send us to my village at the time I was in charge?" Starlight asked.
"Because, why not? Besides, I wanted a reaction from you. I like getting a rise out of you all. Though, I must admit... that last place I sent you, the beginning of Equestria... yes, I wanted you to freeze... but I also wanted you to see."
"See what?..." Cozy asked.
"History. Beginning."
"The Flame of Friendship?" I inquired.
"Not that!" Sephtis spat. "The beginning of Equestria's greatest threat."
"The Windigos?" Cozy questioned.
"You're getting there..." Sephtis smirked. "You three saw it... four Windigos, with one being casted by his siblings, and left within' the darkness of abandoned history. That was the start of something else. Something that took years... decades... centuries... millenias... for that abandoned Windigo to unintentionally find his way back into flesh and bone... and be right in your presence at this very moment."
We all looked around the room, but we couldn't find any traces of a Windigo. However, it seemed as if Cozy Glow put two-and-two together.
"You..." Cozy started, raising a hoof at Sephtis. "You're a Windigo!"
Septhis didn't look like he was going to deny it. Instead, he presented himself, smiling.
"In the flesh..."
It seemed as if his allies were alarmed as well.
"But... how did you go from that..." Starlight pointed above her, and then at Sephtis. "...to that?"
Sephtis began to pace.
"You see, when my three siblings banished me, they turned me to snow. That was what the shaped mound of snow was. Me. I tried to manipulate the snow so I could reform my body, but it seemed as if my magic was also restrained and taken by them. When my siblings were defeated and cast away, all of their influence and snow melted. Including me. And when snow melts, it becomes water. And when it becomes water, two things happen... it evaporates, or it sinks underwater. Luckily, most of me managed to sink into the ground, and absorb into roots. Those roots grew into a healthy tree, where my consciousness lingered for as long as I could remember.
My whole life was spent, watching nothing but days and nights pass, with occasional passerby's. Even when I could tell my siblings returned, I still couldn't do anything. The tree was a prison. But then... he came along... Grogar. With the help of a picture of Leo, a strand of his hair, and a spell meant to turn trees into clones, I was born again in a new body!"
"Why would the other Windigos banish you?" Starlight queried.
"Two things... one, they thought I was weak. And two... in spite of my weakness, they knew that I had a wickedness greater than theirs. My desire to turn Equestria into ash instead of a land of snow!..."
Sephtis took a glance at his allies.
"At least some allies aren't willing to overthrow me..." he scoffed.
"Never trust a Windigo," the shadow Cozy Glow said, slightly backing away.
"Don't forget the consequences I will bring upon you if you dare fight me..." Sephtis threatened.
The mechanical monster (Gizmos! That's his name...) flinched it seemed like he wanted to fight, but resisted it.
"Now... with your return home, and my backstory out of the way, it's time for the finishing touch... closing this chapter! Gizmos... grab them!"
Three of Gizmos' arms launched at us, grabbed me and Starlight, and raised us up in the air. The third one was about to grab Cozy Glow, but it stopped.
"Gizmos, what are you doing? Grab her!!!"
The hesitancy Gizmos had was clear, but finally, his claw gently grabbed Cozy and lifted her up. She could have sworn that she heard him say, "I'm sorry, child..."
"Farewell, you three..." Sephtis lit his horn. "Unlike with Twilight and her friends... I won't go easy on you."
Before Sephtis could destroy us, though, a blue bolt struck his head from the side, and he looked at where it came from. Behind him, where the doors were, Chrysalis and Tirek stormed inside, both prepared to attack.
"That was a warning shot..." Tirek said. "I won't use one on you."
Chrysalis noticed the changeling nearby. "Thorn?"
"Hello again, my queen."
Sephtis thought about what he wanted to do next, but he appeared to have reached a verdict. "Very well. Gizmos, put them down."
Gizmos obeyed, and he dropped us on the table.
"Besides..." Sephtis grinned. "It's better if you see what I have in mind... let's go."
Thorn handed him a familiar shard. Sephtis lit his horn, and they all vanished in a bright yellow spark. Chrysalis and Tirek immediately went over to us.
"Are you two okay?" Tirek asked.
We all nodded, while Starlight said "Yeah."
"What happened to your getaway?" I asked.
"As it turned out, it got postponed," Chrysalis explained. "It looks like you all had a big day, though."
"No kidding!" Cozy Glow exclaimed. "There was time-travel, and Apple Bloom and Diamond Tiara was with us."
"I think we all need to take this day as a warning," said Starlight. "Sephtis said that this was simply for fun... and you all heard what he said... he wants us to see what he has in mind."
"Indeed..." Tirek nods.
"Whatever it is, though, we'll take care of it together," Cozy Glow proclaimed. "As long as it's the four of us, along with all the help we can get, we'll take down Sephtis, and stop whatever he has in mind."
*Sephtis...*
"So..." Nightfall started. "You're a Windigo?"
"Indeed. What, you want to rise up against me or something? Go ahead and try."
"As much as I want to, I won't... I want to see how this all plays out. Now that you've made them all alert that you have a plan in mind... what are you going to do?"
"Wait!" Sephtis answered. "After all, my story's conclusion just needs a little more time. In order to veer their expectations and focus away, I need to let someone else take the spotlight... and I just know who..."
Sephtis looked into the crystal ball, where Cicada slept soundly under a tree.
*Gizmos...*
Gizmos ducked behind a corner after spying on Sephtis.
"Yes, indeed... let her story continue before your plan... for once, we agree on a method..."
Gizmos passed by his room and took a look inside. He smiled. After the few months where he's been under Sephtis' watch, he finally finished his creation.
"You'll be awake soon, my creation... and after we overthrow Sephtis, or ensure his defeat, we'll rebuilt Equestria the way we want."
He shut the door, his creation standing still in the dark.
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Me hahaha it’s time for Gizmos to shine his evil deeds!
Sephtis is really becoming more like Storious from Kamen Rider Saber there.
The time travel thing was interesting.
It was a wild ride.
Though really wished Spike's and Luna's memories weren't erased like that though..
And wished Spike got to went with Twilight when going to the Future there.
11140829
Thank you.
Question: when will Dusk of Troubled views be republished?
11140991
I’ve been working on it re-polishing it, but at least most of the chapters near the end don’t need big changes.
11140991
It's back.
i have finally finished this great ending to this story