The End of Time

by AliceSprings

Apocalypse Now

Twilight had been enjoying some quiet time in the castle’s throne room. But she was interrupted by a rather panicked looking Trixie Lulamoon.

“You did buckin' WHAT!” Twilight screamed.
“Don’t hit Trixie, please,” whimpered Trixie.
“I’d beat the horse-apples out of you, if I weren’t the Princess of Friendship. Or if it’d make a difference!” said Twilight turning red through her purple coat.

Twilight levitated a quill and parchment. She hurriedly scribbled a note, without even a ‘Dear Princess Celestia’.

“Spike!” called Twilight.
The little dragon flew into the room.
“Send this now!” demanded Twilight before Spike had even landed.
The magic green flame sent the parchment on it’s way.
“Well, I guess you don’t need Trixie now.”
“NO YOU DON’T,” said Twilight in the Traditional Royal Canterlot Voice.
A purple aura surrounded the blue illusionist, dragging her back to Twilight, muzzle to muzzle.
“You caused this,” said Twilight, “you can sure as Tartarus will help fix it!”

Twilight for the first time saw fear and tears on Trixie’s face. She couldn't tell it was because of the fear of Twilight, or the fear of what she did. Twilight’s face and voice softened.

“Spike, go do something somewhere else,” said Twilight, “see if Gabby is here. It’s important for you to spend some time with her… Now!”
Spike saw the look in Twilight’s eyes and he left quickly.

Twilight took a deep cleansing breath.
“Tell me how this happened.”
“Trixie was in the library at Canterlot…”
“For Celestia’s sake!” interrupted Twilight. “Speak in the first person, this isn’t a performance!”
“Trix… I was looking for new tricks. I saw the door marked Forbidden Spells. It was always closed and locked. But this time it was left open.
I couldn’t help myself, I went in and looked around at all the old, dusty scrolls. I saw one marked Time Spells. There was something about stopping time. I thought it would be a good trick if I could stop time and then I could pull off some very cool tricks. You know, sticking cards into somepony’s mane or the like. Thinking how cool that would be.
It was getting dark because Celestia was lowering the sun. I could barely make it out, but I was able to read the spell out loud. Everything went fuzzy then cleared. It was only then that I saw that it didn’t stop time but ends time.”

Twilight’s legs went wobbly.

“Trixie, did you think WHY the spells were forbidden?”
“I’m sorry Twilight,” said Trixie as she stood there, crying a paroxysm of sobs.
“Get a hold of yourself, Trixie,” said Twilight, shaking Trixie and fighting the impulse to slap her. “We have to figure this out. When did you do this?”
“Yesterday,” said Trixie, trying to get her crying under control, “no it was the day before. I missed the train and had to walk.”
“Apparently, it wasn’t an immediate spell. When does it take effect?”
“Three cycles, it said. So I guess we have 3 moons to figure it out,” said Trixie sniffling.
Twilight was now pale.
“What, Twilight?”
“Three cycles isn’t 3 moons! IT’S THREE DAYS!”

Trixie fainted.

Trixie was awakened by violent shaking.
“Trixie didn’t touch the monkey’s banana,” mumbled Trixie.
“No time for that Trixie! Time to prove how Great and Powerful you really are!”
“But that’s just stage banter! Why do you think I’m an illusionist? You know I’m just a useless weak Unicorn.”
“You were powerful enough to end time!”
“I didn’t think of that,” said Trixie amazed and trying to figure if this were a complement from Twilight, “what do you need me to do?”
Twilight took Trixie by the hoof and teleported to the library.

Twilight and Trixie tore through the castle’s immense library after receiving a cryptic note from Celestia that she had no idea what to do and apologized that she’d not done more for her favorite student.
Twilight was able to do a speed reading spell on Trixie. Twilight and Trixie were often looking out a window to watch the progress of the sun through the sky. Books and scrolls were emptied from the shelves. In a very un-Twilight way, they were cast to the floor when they were scanned and found unhelpful.
Sweat drenched Twilight and Trixie’s face. They felt hungry and thirsty, but there wasn’t any time for that. Only one quick break to go pee.

The shadows were getting long, it wasn't unnoticed.
The reading became more frantic, old lose and damaged pages fell out of books tossed aside. Twilight didn't appear to care. Finally the shelves were bare. No other tome or scroll was left untouched.

“We can’t do anything! I can’t do anything!” panicked Twilight.
“I can do something. It’s time I do what I’ve always wanted to do!”
“What’s that Trixie?”
Trixie embraced Twilight and kissed her deeply and passionately. To Trixie’s surprise, Twilight embraced her and returned the kiss in kind.
“Twilight?” breathed Trixie both surprised and pleased.
“Quiet Trixie, we don’t have time to talk. Or anything else we should’ve done before now.”
Trixie nodded to Twilight as she pulled Trixie close. and continued the kissing.
Both really did want to do this. But with their past they both thought it was outside the realm of reality.
But they figured if they were about to pass into oblivion, they might as well enjoy their last moments.
They were regretting that they’d never allowed themselves to explore these feelings.

“Oh how sweet!” said a voice that both ponies recognized.
“DISCORD!” said Trixie and Twilight.
“Should I leave you two alone?” Said Discord snidely.
Discord was laughing because Twilight and Trixie were still embracing.
“I always wondered what it would take to get you two to be honest with your feelings.” Said the Lord of Chaos.
“So time isn’t ending?” asked Trixie.
“Existence isn’t going to stop?” asked Twilight.
“Tartarus no,” said Discord laughing hysterically, “I can’t even do that!
Celestia said you wouldn't fall for it."

"April Fools!"

Comments

[Stormbringer]

Discord! I should have known. I wonder what bet he had with Celestia!

[AliceSprings]

11199824
I may follow this up. We will see.... But thanks uncle.

[Just_Me123]

Lolol. Sounds like something Discord might try, just to be a jerk. Cute April Fools story, thanks for posting it!

[AliceSprings]

11200147
Thanks for the comment. I hope you gave a thumbs up,

[Just_Me123]

11200214
I sure did! Again, lol!

[Stormbringer]

“You did buckin' WHAT!” Twilight screamed.
“Don’t hit Trixie, please,” whimpered Trixie.
“I’d beat the horse-apples out of you, if I weren’t the Princess of Friendship. Or if it’d make a difference!” said Twilight turning red through her purple coat.

pbs.twimg.com/media/FPcnYR2VUAMEojq?format=jpg&name=large

[AliceSprings]

11259990
Thank you for your kind words. Yes, it isn't as polished as I would like, but there was a wording constraint.

The "April Fools" is specifically because It was submitted on April 1st.

Another idea was to continue to write their actions and then at the 1000 word limit, just stop. Showing, without words, that they didn't make the time limit.

As for the romance, i am a romance writer, I even have a published work (non MLP), so I like to throw it in. And apparently, Discord and perhaps Celestia knew about their feelings. They probably even had a wager.

[AliceSprings]

11263027
Thanks, with the word count limit, I had to come into the story already in progress. I had considered to write the story as they were furiously working to fix it. They find a spell but at the 1000 word limit just stop. As if they were too late.

[Bicyclette]

“NO YOU DON’T,” said Twilight in the Traditional Royal Canterlot Voice.
A purple aura surrounded the blue illusionist, dragging her back to Twilight, muzzle to muzzle.
“You caused this,” said Twilight, “you can sure as Tartarus will help fix it!”

aww, if i were Trixie i would be in fear and tears, too! this is a frightening Twilight

“For Celestia’s sake!” interrupted Twilight. “Speak in the first person, this isn’t a performance!”

aww, but that's just how Trixie talks!

I saw one marked Time Spells. There was something about stopping time. I thought it would be a good trick if I could stop time and then I could pull off some very cool tricks.

i would think Starlight would have really set Trixie straight to not be messing with any time spells! those are the worst ones!

“No time for that Trixie! Time to prove how Great and Powerful you really are!”
“But that’s just stage banter! Why do you think I’m an illusionist? You know I’m just a useless weak Unicorn.”
“You were powerful enough to end time!”

that is a good point! i certainly hope that Equestria isn't full of unicorns who have the power to end time if just given the right spell

But they figured if they were about to pass into oblivion, they might as well enjoy their last moments.
They were regretting that they’d never allowed themselves to explore these feelings.

aww, i always enjoy a good TwiXie, but i do wish it had been built up more through their chemistry before this point! letting out hidden romantic feelings right before the world ending is a great trope to end on

“Tartarus no,” said Discord laughing hysterically, “I can’t even do that!
Celestia said you wouldn't fall for it."

this does recontextualize the cryptic note from Celestia earlier, which seemed rather too even-keeled in the face of something that means the end the universe. but hey, that's canon Celestia for you!

and it's nice and refreshing to end with the mental image of Trixie and Twilight embracing each other while being relieved that the universe is not going to end after all. thank you for it!

[AliceSprings]

11298074
It was a narrow bounds to write in, but it might be fun to retell it without wordcount limitations. Thanks for your kind words.