At the End of the Road

by Ghost Note Pony

Chapter 4

"Not a word to anyone at all beyond a simple greeting," said Time Turner to Chronos and his family, her expression stern. "We need to find out who is currently ruling Equestria before we do anything else."

"And how do you propose we do that without arousing suspicion?" said Frostfire. "If there's a new regime, it might not take kindly to any inquiries along those lines.."

"I agree that it'll be best for us to be circumspect until we can get more information..but, based on what we've seen so far, I don't think the ponies have turned to authoritarianism or anything like that," said Chronos, gesturing towards Ponyville. "Unless they're hiding it very, very well." His wife glared at him for a moment but stayed silent.

"It's nothing like that," said Time Turner, slightly irritated. "Nor has anyone grossly manipulated the timeline. However, there have been at least two attempts to do so that I can sense, and I will deal with those responsible when I find them, but this is the same timeline as before."

"So this isn't like Back to the Future II," said Frostfire casually. "I get it."

"Remember, no references to Earth; you cannot contaminate this culture," said the Doctor, sharply. "Right. Let's get a move on." She started towards Ponyville, the others following at a slight distance. Frostfire trotted alongside her husband and put her muzzle close to his ear.

"I was about to mention the Prime Directive," she said in a low voice. "But she doesn't seem to be in the mood for that sort of thing."

"Yes," said Chronos. "I think this is bothering her even more than we realize." They had reached the bottom of the hill and they could see even more ponies and other creatures flying and walking about. He also noticed that were no guards or any other barriers at the bridge, so Ponyville, at least, was a place that could be freely entered.

The bridge itself wasn't crowded, but Chronos still felt considerably nervous walking by other ponies for the first time. Fortunately, the colorful assortment of earth ponies and unicorns only nodded and smiled at them as they passed. After they crossed, the Doctor continued straight ahead, the others having to canter for a bit just to catch up. It was starting to get a bit more crowded and Chronos hoped that they wouldn't lose sight of their guide.

"Where are we going, Dr. Turner?" said Storm Chaser after they managed to reach her.

"The Rusty Horseshoe Inn," Time Turner said, not breaking stride. "We need to continue to the town square, then go northwest for four blocks and west for three. It's close to the train station and we'll be leaving as soon as we can figure out where to start looking for your grandfather."

The grass-covered streets were starting to get more congested as they continued towards the center of Ponyville. Chronos tried his best not to look around at everything the way a tourist would but it was hard for him to resist, given the novelty of it all. There were bustling stores, packed open-air markets, and various lively cafes and restaurants along the way. What struck Chronos the most was how genuinely happy everypony and other creature seemed, a far cry from the general weariness and wariness he had experienced so often on Earth. Whether Celestia is still the ruler or not, things are about as peaceful as I expected.

It didn't take long for them to reach the central town square, which had a large, two-tiered circular building at its center. Interesting..a city hall with no front and no back, he thought as he looked about. The rest of the square looked like an archetypal village green, partially bounded by a stream with an array of small bridges. There were a few fountains, small tents, trees, and benches scattered about along with several ponies and a few other creatures sitting, napping, or playing together.

The Doctor pointed towards an arch, trimmed in dark pink with lighter hearts at its apex and on both sides of the bottom of its span. As they headed for it, Chronos noticed a group of ponies snuggling under a tree. They were mostly stallions and he thought he saw a few nonponies mixed in as well. All of them appeared to be very content as they lay pressed together, occasionally nuzzling, licking, or gently kissing each other.

Chronos suddenly looked away; it would be impolite to stare. While he vaguely recalled reading a few lines about how this was a common practice in pony society, it was still quite the Kulturschock for him. He trotted rapidly and fell in aside Time Turner as they passed under the arch.

"You seem troubled by something, Chronos," she said. He nodded, glancing back at his wife and daughter. The former had a morose expression while the latter was smiling widely and taking in everything she possibly could.

"Yes, just got surprised by something for a bit..that's all..it's all behind us now. I don't think anypony noticed," he said quietly. She gave him a perceptive look and shook her head gently.

"I think you realize now just how different Equestria compared to what you've always known. You need to set aside your preconceived notions of what is..and what can be," she said. For a moment, her glance seemed to penetrate his very being and he suddenly felt very small and insignificant.

"I'll..keep that in mind," he said softly.

The ponies proceeded in silence towards the inn, the streets becoming less cramped as they did so. The Rusty Horseshoe was a vaguely medieval-style three-story wooden structure with a thatched roof, neither stately nor decrepit. A large instance of its namesake hung near the steps to the entrance. To the left of the door was a large porch, though its benches were empty. Without hesitation, the Doctor started up the stairs with Storm Chaser taking a wing-assisted jump to the top. Chronos looked at Frostfire, who seemed more relieved than anything.

"I am not going to be happy if we can't get a room here..these ponies are even crazier than I thought they would be," she said under her breath. "I can't believe some of the things I saw them doing in public.." Chronos opened his mouth to reply but then thought better of it.

"Well, we'll be able to figure out our next move, anyway," he said as he walked up the steps, the boards creaking slightly under his hooves. He thought for a moment and then used his magic to open the door. He then stepped to the side and gestured for his wife to enter. She glared at him and didn't move.

"You know that I don't like it when you do that..just get in there," she said icily. He sighed and did so, remembering to relax his horn and let the door close. The interior wasn't overly bright or decorated all that well but it felt warm and inviting, even as it reminded him of modern recreations of medieval inns. Time Turner was talking with the receptionist, a young dark-haired unicorn mare with a light purple coat. Storm Chaser was close by, listening intently.

"..yes, Dr. Turner, we can get you two adjoining rooms. Will your companions need two rooms as well?" the mare said politely. Time Turner nodded and pulled some more bits out of her saddlebag.

"Will this cover it?" she said. The receptionist nodded and used her magic to deposit the bits in what looked like an antique cash register. She then levitated two keyrings with two large keys each from where they had been hanging on the wall behind her.

"The room numbers are on the rings and you can see me or whoever is at the front desk if you need anything," the mare said cheerfully as she placed them in Time Turner's saddlebag. "Have a pleasant stay!"

"Thank you, we will," said the Doctor. "Right. Follow me, everypony." She started towards the wooden spiral staircase that was on the leftmost wall, near the inn's large hearth. Chronos could tell by his wife's grumbling that she was unhappy about the lack of an elevator, but she was otherwise silent as they climbed the stairs to the top floor.

After they arrived there, Turner pointed to the right and they accompanied her down a hallway that was lit by what looked like torches but they didn't emit any smoke or have any scent. "Here we are," she said after they rounded the corner of the building. "I'll take the interior rooms; you can decide how to divvy up yours." She then took out the same device she had used earlier to lock the TARDIS and pointed it at the wooden door. There was a brief, odd noise and the door swung open.

"I'll see you in half an hour," she said as she put the device back and then gave Chronos the appropriate set of keys. He took it, glad for all of the practice they'd done with carrying objects with their hooves. It still seemed bizarre to him that this was possible, but he had learned a lot in the last few days about just how different, even with their various extraordinary capabilities set aside, Equestrian ponies were from Equus ferus caballus.

He didn't have too much difficulty in opening the opposite door and leading his family into their rooms for..however long they would end up staying. They were surprisingly similar to the various places they had stayed in over the years, albeit in the same style as the rest of the inn.

The curtains were open and bright sunshine illuminated the beds, which seemed shockingly small at first glance, but it made sense considering how much tinier they were now. There was some pony-sized furniture, a floor lamp, and the usual light fixtures between the beds.

"Not too bad..it beats sleeping in a stable," said Frostfire, dropping her saddlebags on one of the beds. "This is actually kind of cozy," she said, indicating what looked like a wood stove in the corner. Strangely, there were no logs or fireplace tools by it.

"From what I read, all of these appliances run on batteries that supply a limited amount of magical energy instead of electricity..hmm, we'll see if they've figured out how to use that as well," said Chronos.

"Does some..pony have to come to replace them when they run out, then?" said Storm Chaser.

"Yes, I would think that the staff here does it," he said, nodding. He then noticed her eyeing the empty bed and he gently shook his head. She pouted for a moment and then walked towards the other set of rooms.

"Oh hey, this door isn't locked like it usually is," she said. Before her parents could react, she had already flown inside. "Looks the same," she said before quickly returning. "So Dad, who's sleeping where?"

"We'll do it like usual, Zo..Stormy. We'll take this room and you've got the other one all to yourself," he said. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see his wife had laid down on the bed next to her saddlebags. She looked a bit more relaxed but still quite wary. "Oh, I'll get our things out." He walked over, flipped the sides open, and concentrated on using his horn to extract their personal items and place them on the other bed.

"You can do it Dad, you got this!" said Storm while hovering nearby. Frostfire muttered something from her prone position as her husband carefully moved everything over without dropping anything.

"Wow, I am getting better at this..Frost, do you need anything?" he said as Storm took her personal effects.

"Besides the Doctor getting us out of here? No," she said, sighing. "What is she doing in there, anyway? Why hasn't she found your father yet?"

"You heard her, we can't do anything until we figure out what's happened in Equestria since the last time she was here," said Chronos as he picked up the remaining items with his horn and walked very slowly towards the bathroom, focusing on keeping everything aloft.

He heard his wife make a frustrated sound as he used a hoof to push the door open, which caused him to lose just enough of his concentration for his toothbrush to start falling. He managed to grab it before it hit the thin carpet, though, and then he was able to place it and everything else on the bathroom counter. The room itself was slightly larger than he had expected, but nothing else was out of the ordinary.

"You do have a point. The more we know, the better chance we have of escaping this place with our lives..and sanity," she said as he returned from the bathroom. He sat on the opposite bed and looked at her, trying to gauge her pensive yet thoughtful expression. After a few moments, her face instantly brightened and she nodded quickly.

"When did the Doctor say she was coming back?"

---

"Hello again, fam. Let's find a bookstore and read up on what we've missed," Time Turner said about 15 minutes later as she entered the room.

"Do we need to, though?" said Frostfire with a wide smile. She got off the bed and walked amiably towards Turner. Chronos suddenly felt uneasy and he could see a trace of it on the Doctor's face as well.

"How do you mean? This is the knowledge we need if we're going to find Chronos' father and avoid any trouble. I thought that was the main thing you were worried about," said Turner evenly.

"Well, as soon as we figure out where his father is, all we have to do is go back into the forest, get in the TARDIS, and go there directly. And, if he was in Ponyville at any given time, then we just have to jump back to whenever that was and we're all done. That's all we have to do, right?" she said eagerly. "Then, all of this will just be a bad dream and things will be back to normal."

Time Turner shook her head gravely. "Dr. Frostfire, that's not going to happen," she said abruptly. "The TARDIS doesn't work like that. She took us to where and when we all needed to be. If you tried to do what you're proposing, she would simply refuse to go there. I wouldn't be able to persuade her otherwise..I've certainly tried many times before."

Chronos could only watch as his wife's expression collapsed, her head lowering. Before he could do anything, though, she looked up suddenly, her teeth clenched and her ears pinned back. She angrily pointed at Time Turner, who showed no reaction.

"What the..you said you could go anywhere in time and space. You didn't say you were limited by the cantankerous, meddlesome notions of your time machine!"

"You didn't ask. When it comes to the journey that you're on, there are no shortcuts. It would be meaningless otherwise." The Doctor stepped towards Frostfire and spoke in a gentle tone. "The journey is something you must experience..I know you would deeply regret not doing so for the rest of your days."

"You think I want this?!" The Doctor took another step. "You actually think I can handle this..this insanity?!"

"You are far stronger than you know, Frostfire. I would not have brought you along if I didn't know that you can and will handle this and everything else that's going to happen." They were face to face now. "But there is no going back to normal after this. When you return to Earth, you will be a different..and a better person."

Chronos could see tears welling in the corner of his wife's eyes. She was silent yet trembling slightly. For a moment, he thought she was going to cry profusely but then her face hardened and she only nodded, staring bitterly at Turner.

"So be it, then," she said coldly. "Go and get..whatever you need. I'm staying here." She turned and got back on the bed, facing the wall.

"I'll stay with Mom," said Storm Chaser, sadly. She looked like she was on the verge of crying herself as she flew over to the bed and gently touched her mother's shoulder. Frostfire turned her head and smiled wanly.

"Thank you..oh, what's your name now..Stormy, that's it," she said, sounding quite weary. Storm sighed, her ears drooping as she hugged her mother.

Frostfire turned over and returned the hug, but her face was still stoic. Time Turner took several apples and sandwiches with flowers in them out of her saddlebag and placed them on the table between the beds.

"There's some lunch for you..and some bits you can use downstairs to get dinner and anything else you need," she said, tossing a small bag next to the food, which landed perfectly with only a soft clanking sound.

"Right. Chronos, let's head out," she said, glancing at him. "Bring your reading glasses."

---

After a quick lunch at a cafe near the inn, Time Turner and Chronos walked silently through the streets of Ponyville, the former lost in thought. How is she going to make it through this..I suppose she can stay in whatever hotels we use while the Doctor and I search for my dad..but it could still take weeks..I don't even think she knows how long we'll be here. He looked up, making sure he didn't lose her in the crowd.

Fortunately, he spotted her heading towards what looked like the bookstore she had mentioned in passing during his meal. It was larger than most of the shops he had seen in Ponyville and looked more contemporary as well. A large purple quill hung above its front doors, through which a variety of creatures were rapidly passing back and forth.

Turner stopped for a moment, glance back at him, and nodded; they then entered the building together. It immediately reminded him of the small bookstores he had frequented in his youth; while this was a larger space, it still felt intimate and comfortable. He inhaled briefly and smiled, the scent taking him back to the first months of his courtship with Frostfire..when just being together anywhere was enough.

"Dr. Chronos," Time Turner said, a bit irritably. "I need you to find all the books you can about contemporary history as well as any news magazines; I'll cover the rest."

"Right," he said. "Do you happen to know where those are?" But she was already gone, blended into the crowd. He sighed and looked around, realizing he was alone for the first time since he had been told his mother was entering palliative care. He spotted what looked like an information desk and headed over, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible.

There was a red earth pony mare at the desk; as he got closer, he noticed her ears and hooves were trimmed in black. She had bright green eyes and a friendly smile as she beckoned him over.

"Hello sir, welcome to the Purple Quill. How can I help you today?" she said in a somewhat high-pitched, lively voice.

My first conversation with a pony..here goes..

"Um, yes, hello..I am looking for books on contemporary history along with the latest..periodicals," he said. She gave him a perplexed look, thought for a few moments, then nodded and grinned.

"Yes, you'll find those behind me, near the wall..the books are to the left and the..periodicals..are to the right," she said with a somewhat droll expression.

"Ah, thank you," he said, nodding to her. He had the sudden thought that she was quite physically attractive, but then immediately dismissed it.

"You're quite welcome. I'm sure you'll find what you're looking for," she said brightly.

He nodded and started towards the back of the store, but he couldn't resist glancing backward at her for a split second. He noticed her tail was fluffier than normal and the tip was dyed white. Probably some new fashion that ponies my age don't understand..I'm glad Stormy isn't into that sort of thing..just yet.

When he reached the wall, he looked to the left and was disappointed to see that the section was only marked "History" and he'd have to delve into it to find the most recent material. He sighed and started carefully pulling any books that looked even somewhat relevant from the shelves, neatly stacking them on the closest table. He then sat down, put his reading glasses on, and started on the first book on the pile.

About 3 hours later, he sighed as he finished the last book. Of course, he hadn't read every one thoroughly but had skimmed them for the major events and made mental notes about the ones that had been mentioned the most often.

All the books agreed that a new era had begun 13 years ago when Princess Celestia suddenly disappeared just before the Summer Sun Celebration, which was being held in Ponyville that year. Her apprentice, Twilight Sparkle, aided by five local ponies, was able to restore Celestia along with her sister, Princess Luna, who had been corrupted into a being known as Nightmare Moon before being banished. He remembered reading about Nightmare Moon while in the TARDIS, but the stories had been regarded as apocryphal at best.

After that incident, there were several short periods of peace that were suddenly disrupted and then usually just as quickly resolved thanks to the efforts of Twilight Sparkle and her friends. For her bravery and valor, and for managing to finish the final spell of the legendary wizard Star Swirl the Bearded, Twilight became a Princess as well. Along with Cadance of the recently rediscovered Crystal Empire, there were four princesses at that point.

Yet, over the next seven years, the cycle of tranquility and upheaval continued, most notably during the successful invasion and brief occupation of Equestria by the forces of the "Storm King", who managed to momentarily petrify Celestia, Luna, and Cadance but was reduced to a pile of rubble when his petrifaction device backfired and he was shattered. (There wasn't any clear agreement in the texts on the actual circumstances, as Princess Twilight gave an ambiguous report). Curious that only Twilight and her friends were the ones who managed to save Equestria repeatedly..well, I suppose only us humans would be suspicious of that.

The books concurred that Equestria finally stabilized after the combined forces of the changeling queen Chrysalis, the sinister centaur Lord Tirek, and the rogue pony Cozy Glow (the latter two had escaped from Tartarus where they had been imprisoned for "crimes against Equestria," as one book had put it) were defeated and then petrified. That appears to be the Equestrian alternative to capital punishment..though the spirit of chaos named Discord managed to break it..and then reform himself, seemingly.

He stood up and stretched, hoping he wouldn't call too much attention to himself. While he didn't feel completely satisfied, he had a good idea of where things stood now: Celestia and Luna voluntarily abdicated and both now had the rank of princess emeritus while Twilight became the lone ruler of Equestria. Cadance was still on the throne of the Crystal Empire though her daughter Princess Flurry Heart, the youngest alicorn, was the heir apparent. And it just so happens that Cadance is married to Princess Twilight's older brother..seems shady to me..but the Doctor is right. Sentiments like that would adversely affect this culture.

He looked at the shelf again and spotted a slightly dusty tome entitled A Collection of Contemporaneous Accounts of the Recent History of Equestria. "Might as well read everything," he said quietly. He took it from the shelf, sat back down, and started on it. It began with a summary of the Nightmare Moon incident but then had detailed interviews with Twilight, Celestia, and Luna (to his surprise) that were quite helpful in providing details and filling in gaps. I probably skipped over some of this before, but this is still quite fascinating, he thought.

The next chapter discussed the first attempt by the Changelings to invade Equestria, with comments by Twilight, Cadance, her husband Shining Armor, and Celestia. It was surprisingly candid about what went wrong in that instance and the long term effects of Chrysalis's various schemes to siphon the love and friendship of Equestria. Chronos smiled as he continued reading through the rest of the various events that had marked the last several years.

He was about halfway through the book when he felt as if he was being watched. He slowly glanced up and saw a bespectacled, orange unicorn stallion looking at him curiously. There was an awkward silence as Chronos looked him over. He had a somewhat unkempt appearance, as his red and light orange mane had several hairs sticking out of place, though his short beard was well-groomed. He was wearing a long cerulean-colored cloak decorated with aquamarine stars and trimmed in the same color. Chronos noted that the brooch below his beard matched the trim of his cloak as he examined the stallion's markings. He appears to have a blaze on his face and four stockings..curious..what a distinctive-looking pony.

And quite handsome, too.

Wait, where did that come from?!

"Oh, I'm sorry, sir," the stallion said in a somewhat high-pitched, timid voice. "I didn't mean to bother you..I just..um, noticed that you were reading a..book I wrote." His face was somewhat flushed and he was looking to the side as he spoke. "I'll just..um, be on my way.."

"You wrote this?" said Chronos, recovering from his momentary confusion. "You must be Sunburst, then. I'm delighted to meet you," he said, smiling. "I've really enjoyed reading this book; it's been very helpful to me in learning more details about recent history."

"R..really?" said Sunburst. He looked up and adjusted his glasses with a hoof. "I'm..glad to hear that. This book hasn't, um, sold all that well, so I'm glad somepony is..getting something out of it."

"Absolutely," said Chronos. "If you have the time, I'd love to discuss it with you," he said, much to his astonishment.

"Oh..sure, yes, I'd be happy to do that," Sunburst said, looking even more flustered. He walked over and sat down across from Chronos, who was trying to remember the proper social protocols in this situation.

"Ah, I beg your pardon, I haven't introduced myself yet," he said, buying some time. "My name is Chronos." Sunburst smiled and Chronos felt his heart speed up a bit. He looks so adorable when he smiles, he thought, still puzzled by the origin of these feelings and why they were occurring so suddenly.

"No problem; I'm pleased to meet you, Chronos," said Sunburst, extending his hoof.

Ah, right, 'hoofshakes' are used here. Chronos touched his hoof momentarily to Sunburst's and briefly gasped; the feeling was electrifying. By the startled look on Sunburst's face, it seemed likely that he felt it as well. They looked at each other and Chronos felt like he was blushing..his heart was beating even faster now. He looked into Sunburst's eyes, which were a captivating shade of cyan..he momentarily felt like their eyes were locked together. They were both blushing furiously until Sunburst broke the silence.

"Umm..so..um, how far have you read..so far?" he said with an uneasy chuckle.

"Oh, I was just about to start the chapter concerning Starlight Glimmer and when Twilight and her friends first met her," said Chronos, feeling somewhat more at ease.

"That..was not an easy chapter to write, I have to admit," said Sunburst with a sigh. "It was very difficult to stay objective as she's been my best friend since we were foals." He paused, his expression turning wistful. "She has completely turned her life around since those times, but history demands that her misdeeds and machinations are recorded alongside everything she has done to aid Equestria since her reformation..as much as I personally don't want to think about them." His eyes then widened and he looked down. "Oh, I'm sorry..I didn't mean to say all that."

Chronos resisted the urge to reach out and lift the other stallion's chin. Instead, he said, "Nothing to apologize for..from what I've read, I don't think I'm in a position to judge her at all. Besides, her story is still being written, yes? I don't see why future historians would allow all of that to outweigh the rest of her life."

Sunburst's brow furrowed and he was silent for several moments. "That's..an interesting perspective. True, I'm not all that worried about what the future might think of her but rather if I can accurately record her role in history. And, you haven't gotten to the point where I performed my extremely limited part. As noted in the text, I had Princess Twilight interview me and another historian provided analysis."

"Oh, I had no idea," said Chronos, genuinely surprised. "Come to think of it, you were barely mentioned in these other books I flipped through..a footnote at most."

"That..was intentional," said Sunburst with another nervous laugh. "I'm not very comfortable with the idea of any, ah, accolades or anything like that..I was a bystander, for the most part. Perhaps I made a very, very minor impact concerning the events surrounding the birth of Princess Flurry Heart, but, ah..I'll let you read and decide that for yourself."

"Alright, I'll do that," said Chronos. "Umm..so...umm..what else do you do besides writing enjoyable history books?"

Sunburst blushed and adjusted his glasses. "Well..I've been the vice headmare at the School of Friendship for the past few years, which has been wonderful for me, I have to say..Starlight is the headmare and it has really helped our friendship..we do have to provide a good example to the students, after all," he said, smiling anxiously. "I lived in the Crystal Empire for several years before moving here, actually, and I'm from Sire's Hollow originally." He leaned forward slightly. "So, where are you from and what do you do?"

"I'm from Fillydelphia and I'm a general practitioner," he said smoothly, glad the Doctor had prepared comprehensive backstories for all of them.

Sunburst smiled and his eyes lit up. I don't know how it's possible, but he's even cuter now.. "Oh, you're a doctor, wow..that's amazing! You, ah, struck me as a well-educated stallion..so..umm..do you live around here now?"

Chronos shook his head. "I'm just visiting..I'm on vacation with the senior partner at my practice and my family." Sunburst's face fell, but just for a moment. Chronos thought he saw a flash of sadness, frustration, and anger, but he was back to his seemingly usual apprehensive self just as quickly.

"Oh..so, you're married?" he said quietly.

Chronos shrugged. "Yes, with one daughter."

"Married to a mare, then..?" Sunburst said tentatively. Chronos blinked and chuckled to hide his confusion.

"Well, yes..almost 15 years now..our daughter is 10, though it seems like she was a foal just yesterday," he said, glad he was getting the terminology right.

Sunburst nodded somberly. "I'm..a bit surprised your wife isn't here..is she doing something else in Ponyville?" Chronos could see the difference in Sunburst's body language but wondered what could be bothering him.

"She's..feeling kind of sick right now, unfortunately. I know, every..pony expects doctors to stay healthy all the time, but we're just as susceptible to injury and illness too, of course," he said airily.

"I..never thought that," Sunburst said, his face skeptical. "I don't know why anypony would think that."

"Ah, it's just an expression back home..anyway, we started a practice not all that long ago and this trip is our celebration of it. We're the junior partners and Dr. Time Turner is the senior."

Sunburst nodded, looking a bit distracted. "Time Turner..I feel like I've heard that name somewhere..ah well..um, have you been having a good trip?"

"Yes, it's been going well..we're really enjoying Ponyville, though we're leaving the day after tomorrow, most likely."

Sunburst looked confused and stroked his beard. "You're..not exactly sure when you're leaving?"

Chronos chuckled and smiled. I need to be careful..this guy is a lot sharper than he might seem. "Well, Doctor Turner..she's very good at planning and..improvising; she..wanted this trip to be a surprise throughout, so..we're not sure where or when we're going next."

"Oh, I see," said Sunburst, looking very amused at the concept. "She already sounds like a very interesting pony..she is a pony, right?"

Chronos nodded. "Yes, and she is absolutely brilliant..I'm very glad I'll be able to work with her."

"Perhaps that's how I've heard of her..still not sure..hmm." There was another brief lull as Chronos tried to think of something else to talk about..somehow, he really wanted to keep the conversation going.

"So..I take it you're a historian in general? About far back have you studied?"

Sunburst grinned and nodded. "Oh, as far back as Equestrian history records. I've done some research into the history of the other nations, but I've been reading about Equestria for..well, about as long as I can remember."

Chronos grinned as well. "So, what do you think is the most interesting and/or influential period in..our history?" Sunburst gave him a wide grin and was adorably excited again. He made himself comfortable and started talking rapidly.

"Well, in my opinion, that would be the.."

---

"..and somehow, by fate or by fortune, that barrel that I got at the antique store contained the lost journal of Star Swirl the Bearded! The..rest of that particular story is in my book," said Sunburst, gesturing enthusiastically.

Chronos wasn't sure how long he and his new..acquaintance..or friend..or..whatever he was had been talking but he had been having such a marvelous time, he wasn't all that concerned about it. He glanced at the nearest window and was surprised that night had fallen.

"Hey..um, Chronos, are you doing okay?" said Sunburst. Chronos looked back at his companion and nodded.

"Yes..I'm fine, thank you," he said. "Just..really missing my mother right now." He looked down, wondering if he should have let that slip out..and how easily it happened. He gasped and looked up as he felt Sunburst take his hooves and hold them gently. The other stallion's eyes were filled with sympathy and sorrow.

"I'm very sorry to hear that," he said, his voice nearly a whisper.

"T..thank you," said Chronos. It wasn't quite the same feeling as earlier, but it was still quite exciting, somehow. "It..wasn't all that long ago, actually," he said, his voice starting to break. Sunburst squeezed his hooves and nodded. Chronos found himself at a complete loss for words. He squeezed back and bit his tongue, trying everything to avoid weeping profusely in public next to a relative stranger.

"It's...been a long time now, but I still miss my father," Sunburst said, still using a quiet voice. "He..was in a terrible accident..my mother hasn't quite been the same since." He paused, looking frustrated for a moment. "We eventually figured things out, but we didn't have much of a relationship for several years. It was really hard after I washed out of the School for Gifted Unicorns and she kept pushing and pushing me to be successful until I moved to the Crystal Empire just to have some peace in my life."

Chronos blinked as he thought over what he had just heard. "How is that possible..an accomplished and renowned scholar such as you washing out of a school?" he said, quite baffled.

Sunburst chuckled ruefully and gave Chronos' hooves another squeeze before letting go. Oh great, you put your..hoof in your mouth with that one.

"As I'm sure you have figured out from reading my book, while I'm considered to have extensive knowledge about the theory and history of magic..I'm..not very good at actually casting it. I wrote a textbook about theory and history and use it in one of the classes I teach, but other unicorns teach the application of it," he said with a bittersweet smile.

"I see..I had some professors like that, actually..great teachers, overall," Chronos said, glad that the subject had changed but he also found himself wishing he could have held Sunburst's hooves a little longer.

"Good to hear," Sunburst said, smiling. "Where did you go to school?"

"The University of Fillydelphia and their med school," he said, glad he had an answer prepared.

"Oh, interesting. I've never been there, actually..but I would like to visit you at some point if I..happen to be in the area."

Oh no.. "Yeah, that'd be great..if the timing works out." He noticed out of the corner of his eye that another pony was approaching. He turned his head slightly to see the same clerk from earlier.

"Hi Sunburst," she said, nodding to him. "The store's going to close soon; I can ring up any books you'd like to get."

"I will take this one," said Chronos, giving her Sunburst's book.

She smiled. "I thought you might," she said with a chuckle. "Meet me at the till." Chronos and Sunburst stood up and followed her, but then the former stopped, glancing at the pile on the table.

"Oh wait, I should put those other books back.." Sunburst shook his head and held up a hoof.

"Allow me..this happens to me every time I come in here." His horn lit up in a pale yellow aura, and the books on the table rapidly floated back onto the shelves enveloped in the same color. He made that look easy..

"Thank you, Sunburst," he said, smiling.

"You're quite welcome," he said, smiling back. They resumed following the clerk to a series of registers. The store itself was mostly empty and quiet now, the other employees working diligently at their last tasks for the day.

"That'll be 10 bits," the clerk said once they reached an empty till. Fortunately, the Doctor had provided for him a saddlebag and a pouch with more than enough funds to cover this particular expense. He concentrated and was able to float out the exact change he needed, which he placed on the counter. I hope that didn't look too clumsy of me..well, Sunburst of all ponies would understand.

The clerk took the coins and placed them in the register. When she gave him the book, however, she unexpectedly leaned forward and whispered "You two are absolutely adorable together..you should totally ask him out."

Chronos felt his cheeks flush and he chuckled nervously. "Um..well, thank you, you were most helpful," he said in a normal tone. He used his magic to put the book in his saddlebag next to the pouch and then motioned towards the door. Sunburst nodded and they set off together. He thought he saw a knowing smirk on the face of the clerk as they departed. I don't know what she's going on about..kids these days.

It was a clear and somewhat cool night, but it felt comfortable as the stallions stepped outside. Sunburst walked towards a nearby bench and sat on it. He beckoned Chronos over, patting the space next to him. I..don't know what's happening, but this feels..really pleasant, somehow. Chronos smiled and sat next to his new friend.

Sunburst nudged himself over until their sides were touching. Chronos felt what seemed like a mostly empty saddlebag under Sunburst's cloak, but he also felt quite warm and comfortable to be with, to his surprise.

"Chronos," Sunburst said, his voice hesitant. "I've had a marvelous time with you today and I'd like to see you again if we're..ever in the same place again." He put his hoof on Chronos' and snuggled closer.

"I..feel the same. I wish I could..write letters to you, but as I've got no idea where we're going, I don't see how the logistics of that would work," Chronos said, finding himself leaning slightly against the other stallion. I feel like a teenager again..should I be doing this?!

Sunburst tapped his chin with his other hoof, his eyes narrowed in concentration. He then smiled and turned his head, his expression very excited.

"I think there is a spell we can use..I've been meaning to experiment with it, actually..er, anyway, it involves two books and whatever is written in one will appear in the other, even over great distances," he said rapidly. "Princess Twilight knows the spell, and I'll probably need to have Starlight cast it, but I think I can do all that within a day and then send one of the books to your hotel." He grinned eagerly. "What do you think?"

Chronos found himself at a loss for words..he was blushing very hard as he pondered the right thing to say. "Wow..um..that's..very generous of you..very kind," he said haltingly as he looked into Sunburst's eyes..and tried not to lose himself in them.

"Not a problem at all," Sunburst said, blushing heavily as well.

"Are the..ah, spell materials..expensive?" said Chronos. Keep talking..keep it together.

Sunburst shook his head. "Just two blank books; the difficult part is knowing the theory of the spell and then being able to execute it." Chronos nodded, taking a few short breaths.

"Ah, that makes sense..you can tell I'm not all that knowledgeable about such things, heh..I've always tried to have a better grasp of knowledge in general, but being a doctor takes up so much time and effort..there's only so much time in a day, after all," he said, rambling nervously.

"I know that feeling." He squeezed Chronos' hoof and leaned towards him slightly. "Are you..doing ok? You don't look so good right now, to be honest."

"I.." He could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he looked at his companion. "I...yes, you're right..I'm suddenly not feeling very well..I'm sorry." He saw disappointment flicker briefly across Sunburst's face and felt even guiltier.

"Chronos, there's nothing to apologize for.."

"I don't want to get you sick as well if indeed I have something contagious. However, I think this is more likely a case of simple fatigue and..nervousness. I..um, have issues with unexpected things happening and as..wonderful as today has been, it's..a lot to take in," Chronos said, smiling wanly. That's..mostly true.

"Heh..you're right. It is a lot." He paused, gazing sadly at his companion. "So..um..which hotel are you staying at?"

"The Rusty Horseshoe Inn." Sunburst thought for a moment and then nodded.

"I don't think I've heard of that one, but I'll make a note of it," he said, using his magic to pull a scroll of papyrus, a quill, and a small bottle of ink out of his saddlebag. While his mantle was lifted, Chronos momentarily saw Sunburst's cutie mark, an orange sun surrounded by six stars and light yellow and white rays extending from it.

Interesting..nice hindquarters, too.

After noting the hotel, Sunburst returned the implements to his saddlebag and then sighed. "I wish I knew when I could see you again, to be honest." Chronos nodded somberly, his mind racing.

Perhaps I could persuade the Doctor..and my wife..to let me see him before we go back.

"Same here..I'll see what I can do, okay? Who knows, we might come back this way on our way home." That's..technically true.

Sunburst smiled, closed his eyes, and leaned close to Chronos.

His heart felt like it was about to burst through his chest.

He felt Sunburst slowly and tenderly rub his muzzle against the side of his head. Oh...oh..he's..nuzzling me..well, I've seen horses do this plenty of times. He somewhat awkwardly returned the nuzzle, marveling at how great it felt.

They looked at each other and nervously chuckled at the same time. "Well..until we meet again," said Chronos. "However long it takes."

Sunburst nodded sadly and started walking away, glancing behind him every so often. Chronos stood and watched him until he turned a corner and was out of sight. He sighed heavily and looked around the area, hoping to spot the Doctor or another familiar face. After a few minutes of searching and asking the remaining ponies if they had seen Time Turner, he returned to the bench and sat on it.

I'm sure we went mostly to the south after having lunch..it was early afternoon and the sun was somewhat to my right. If I can find north from here, I should be able to ask for directions if I can't find the hotel by myself.

He gazed longingly at the sky and its seemingly infinite array of stars. Not that I know any of the constellations here..not enough time to read about everything..there has to be something here I could use to navigate..blast, if the bookstore wasn't closed, I could look it up quickly..

Wait..there's a much closer landmark..that enormous crystal castle..that was to the north when we looked at it. He looked around for a gap in the buildings, hoping it was lit in some way. It didn't take all that long for him to find it; it wasn't brightly lit but there was no other structure in Ponyville that was that large..or foreboding. He glanced down the closest street in that direction; it was much quieter than it had been in the daytime, but it was lit well enough that he felt it was safe to traverse.

He started slowly, keeping his head up and trying to look like he knew where he was going. The street curved every so often, but he could tell he was still going north. Only a few establishments were open at this hour, and they were packed with all manner of creatures talking, laughing, dancing..They live so joyously and freely, he thought as he walked by a particularly raucous bar. I still can't get over it. I can hardly remember what it was like to have a life like that..if I ever did.

He picked up his pace and continued northward, keeping the castle in sight. If I somehow find the train station, the hotel was to the east of there, if I remember correctly.. He could tell that he wasn't going back the same way, but he didn't mind. While he didn't have a phone to navigate with, it also meant his wife couldn't constantly text him.

After several more minutes of brisk walking, he reached another clearing with a fountain and stopped to get his bearings. The castle loomed a bit larger, but he still hadn't found the cafe from earlier in the day or another familiar place that would help him find the hotel.

Well, I'm probably close enough now that I could get directions. He looked around but didn't see any other creature about. Also, all of the stores in the vicinity were closed. He was about to get up and resume going north when he thought he saw something moving to his left. He turned warily and saw a magnificent stallion walk out from a shadowy side street.

He was a very muscular and large Earth pony, with a dark gray coat and lengthy, unshorn fetlocks. His mane and tail were both long and dark but somewhat unkempt, which seemed to correspond with the scars and markings on his limbs and face. Yet, as he approached Chronos, he gave him a gentle smile, his deep blue eyes seemingly shining in the light of the streetlamps.

"Hello there, stranger. You look like you're lost," he said in a deep, rumbling voice. Chronos nodded sadly and shrugged, trying to distract himself from just how very attractive this other stallion was. Not cute or adorable like Sunburst, but just plain hot.

The newcomer smirked a bit as he got closer. "Heh..you like what you see?"

Chronos gasped and laughed nervously almost simultaneously. "Umm.." he said, feeling his face get warm. "I...umm..whatever the..right answer here is..?" The other pony laughed, a rich, hearty sound.

"I don't mind. No harm in looking. Well, where you headed, stranger?" he said, stopping a few feet in front of Chronos.

"To the..Rusty Horseshoe."

"I know that one," he said, nodding. "Stayed there a time or two. You're pretty close, actually..just go north a couple of streets and then head east. It'll be on your left after five blocks or so," the other pony said slowly yet steadily.

"Ah, thank you, sir," Chronos said, smiling. "That's just what I needed to know."

"You're welcome," the other stallion said with a nod. "Have a good evening." He then proceeded to the west, Chronos noting in passing his cutie mark of an anvil, hammer, and forge. He was just about to leave the square when he heard the Earth pony, his voice carrying easily.

"One more thing, stranger. If you need some company tonight, you might want to go to the Old Salt Lick. It's right next to the train station." There was a pause. "You might find something else you're looking for there. Tell them Steel Forge sent you if you go." Chronos stood for several more moments, shaking his head in confusion. What is he talking about?! Well, maybe I'll stop there if we have time before leaving.

Fortunately, Steel's directions were accurate and he was able to make his way back to the hotel. He nodded at the clerk and walked up the staircase. It was very quiet as he stepped carefully towards the rooms, not sure if anypony was still awake.

He slowly opened the door and then jolted in surprise; Time Turner was waiting for him, her expression austere. She motioned towards her rooms and he found himself going in that direction before he had the chance to think about it. The Doctor pushed past him and opened the door, the lights turning on as she did so.

He entered the room and gasped; everything had been completely rearranged and various complicated contraptions were laying about; this was a far more chaotic scene than anything he had witnessed on the TARDIS. The Doctor cleared her throat and motioned him towards a chair that looked like it had been created using parts from the lamp, the dresser, and several other things he couldn't identify.

He sat down, suddenly feeling very nervous and guilty. The Doctor stood across from him, her expression neutral. "Well, Chronos, nice of you to finally return to us," she said after an extended silence.

"We need to talk."

Author's Note:

Version 1.0