All The Time In The World

by Clockwork2003

Chapter 4: Lord Tirek, I've Come To Bargain.

Just like yesterday, Princess Luna watches on as Sunny and her friend exit the temporal simulation. Once they exit, Luna puts on a grand smile and greets both mares with open hooves. “So? Tell me what you two ponies learned about my son?” Luna asks, eager to hear what observations were taken. Zipp is the first pony to provide answers.

“Well, I didn’t know that ponies were born without…uh…’cutie marks?’ Nowadays, we are just born with them. I don’t know why?” Zipp asks, being quite observant. Sunny adds on to her friend’s claim, as well. “I think cutie marks are something to do with individual talent, right Miss Luna?” The alicorn nods. “Yes, my dear. Individual talent and uniqueness are what make cutie marks unique. Now, I have a question for both of you. Do you think my older sister was right for what she did to Clockwork?”

The question takes both ponies by surprise, and Sunny is somewhat emotional. She has a soft spot for ponies who can’t stand up for themselves. Heck, her activism is based on this precept, is it not? She doesn’t answer right away, but Zipp is very brash and answers before Sunny has her opportunity.

“Look, Miss Luna. Let me put it to you straight. Your kid didn’t ask to be born like that, and it’s not his fault that somepony hurt you. Why did that horrible excuse of a ruler cast him out of your home? She doesn’t even love her own nephew! It doesn’t make any sense, none at all!” Zipp says, stomping her hoof on the ground with frustration. Princess Luna agrees with Zipp and smiles. “You are right that my older sister treated Clockwork poorly. However, what do you think about his power regarding time? Should anypony be allowed to know the future?” Luna posits to the mares.

Sunny isn’t totally sure how to answer this question. She saw that Clockwork got his cutie mark by saving another pony’s life. Isn’t protection a form of friendship? If Princess Celestia was supposed to teach everypony Friendship, why didn’t she laud his actions?
“Miss Luna…I don’t know anything about time travel. I probably never will. What I do know is that Clockwork didn’t deserve to be treated like that. It’s not right!” Sunny says emotionally.

Luna was about to comment on this, but another pony just so happened to enter Zipp’s room. Pipp Petals was loudly awoken by all of this hubbub, and the sounds of magical time travel are certainly loud enough to awaken even the sleepiest of ponies. She trots into Zipp’s room and tries to put the pieces together. “Uh…Zipp?” Pipp says, alerting everypony to the younger pegasus mare.

Like her older sister, Pipp Petals is quite curious. When she’s not immersed completely in her phone or social media following, Pipp often sneaks around Zephyr Heights trying to learn new things. Of course, she films them, so it’s not totally unrelated to her ego. Thankfully, her phone is not in her hooves right now.

Sunny waves, and Zipp facehooves herself in frustration. “Pipp, can’t your sorry flank see that we’re in the middle of something here?” She says, clearly aggravated by Pipp’s arrival. Luna gives Zipp a stink eye. “Did you not hear my son’s instructions? A different friend is to travel with Sunny every time she goes back in time. Fate wills it so, and I guess Pipp is next on the hit list!”

“Wait, time travel?! This isn’t Terminator Judgement Neigh. What’s going on here!” Pipp asks, confused and also somewhat excited. Sunny climbs down from Zipp’s bed and grabs Clockwork’s journal in her hooves.

“This. Is a journal.” Sunny says, showing it to Pipp. “The mare you see with wings and a horn is Princess Luna. She’s a moon deity from a long time ago. She had a foal five millennia ago who was some sort of demigod time traveler, and he wrote a journal telling us how to rebuild Equestria when the magic returned. Want in?” Sunny asks. Luna can’t help but smile at this scene. It makes her happy to see that other ponies will know about her son and the good he did.

Pipp takes a minute to think about this proposition. She sits on Zipp’s bed and contemplates the option of traveling back in time. “So…we’re going back in time, right?” Pipp asks. Sunny and Luna both nod. “Okay…and we’re going to see what, exactly?”

“Actually, I don’t know yet, Pipp. I really don’t know. I need to go open Clockwork’s journal and see what he wrote for the next entry. The past two were about his foalhood and how he got his cutie mark.” Sunny explains.

“A cutie wh-.”

“Nevermind. I’ll explain everything later.” Sunny says. “When we’re done with this. I need you to make a group chat with the five of us. It’ll be much easier to relay this information if we all use our phones.”

Luna doesn’t know what a “phone” is, but she seems confident that Sunny knows what she is doing. Horn alight with magic, Luna gives Sunny the journal. “If you don’t see anything on the page, Pipp, that’s normal. Clockwork encrypted his journal for privacy. It’s some serious stuff.” Sunny explains, opening the tome to the next available entry.
“So…like ponycoin blockchain?” Pipp asks. Nopony else knows what she’s talking about, so she doesn’t respond to the comment. Sunny Starscout takes a minute to clear her throat, and she begins to read:

“Sunny Starscout.

Two trips in one day, huh? You’ve got plenty of adventure in you. I like to see that. Now, tell Pipp to leave her phone at home. She won’t need it for today.”

Pipp giggles. “Oh, this stallion’s got a sense of humor now, does he?” She asks rhetorically. Luna pats Pipp on the head affectionately and grins. “Just go with it. He’s got a style.” Sunny and Zipp laugh, and the earth pony continues to read.

Now, tell Pipp to leave her phone at home. She won’t need it for today. We’re actually going back to the point in time you just were, Sunny. Right after I got my cutie mark, the one friend I had, almost a brother, was afraid to spend time with me. He reasoned that if I was able to predict the future about the snake biting him, then I could predict the future about anything, including when he will die. I lost the only friend I ever made at that point. While my mother was never the biggest fan of friendship, even she had a small group of ponies to confide in. I had none.

This made me incredibly vulnerable, and plenty of creatures wanted to take advantage of this. One of these was a centaur by the name of Tirek. Now, I should warn you, Tirek is a very evil creature, who preys on the most vulnerable in Equestria to steal their magic for himself. He wanted nothing more than total dominion over the land. However, as cruel as Tirek was, he wasn’t an idiot.

When he heard that one of the deities of Equestria sired a foal out of wedlock, he thought he could get that pony to join him in rebellion against the princesses since he would have been ostracized by everypony. This is my stint on the Dark Side. Hell, I still have my sympathies for this Tirek fellow. We had some disagreements later on, but today, I am going to show you how I abandoned my principles to feel like I was part of something bigger.

Be back in time,

Clockwork.”

Before the time pony’s journal was to send Pipp and Sunny back in time, Princess Luna put her hoof on it, pausing the magic for a moment. “Sunny, Tirek is a very dangerous creature. Even in this simulation, it could have negative effects on time and space. Clockwork’s magic could potentially leak out into our world. Are you sure you want to do this?”

Pipp didn’t care and put on a pleading face. “I want to see the past. Come on, Miss Luna, it can’t be that bad, right?” Luna clucks her tongue at Pipp in disapproval. “It’s bad. Trust me. This fellow took the magic of four deities for himself and became nigh unstoppable. If Twilight and her friends hadn’t opened that chest, Equestria would have been long gone, and none of you would exist. Choose carefully, Pipp Petals.” Luna warns.

Sunny gives Pipp a look and says “well if we want to restore the Magic of Friendship, we’re going to have to see everything, even the nasty bits. Miss Luna, we’ll do it.” Sunny says, affirming her decision. Princess Luna sighs and removes her hoof from the tome. It lights up with Clockwork’s signature cyan magical hue and painlessly transports Pipp and Sunny back in time. Zipp and Luna remain in the room, and Princess Luna activates the projector spell.

“You like cinema, right?” Luna asks as she sits down on Zipp’s bed, watching these events unfold.

“Eh, why not.” She replies, sitting down next to the lunar deity. The two mares would see some very consequential decisions!

***

Sunny and Pipp spawn in Sire’s Hollow, in front of a nice cottage. This is the house that Clockwork called home during his adolescent years, where he lived with Sunburst. Stellar Flare was comforting Clockwork, who was bawling his eyes out. Remembering the basic rules of time travel engagement, Sunny and Pipp go into a nearby shrub, observing the events unfold from a distance.

“Why is the colt crying?” Pipp whispers to Sunny.

“Because he was sent away from his mother again, and his only friend left him.” Sunny guesses. She shushes the both of them and listens in on the conversation between Stellar and Clockwork.

“...I saved your son’s life, and he told me I’m a freak!” Clockwork cries, hugging the unicorn mare.
“Sunburst doesn’t get it, Clockwork. It’s not your fault. You are a very special pony, and I’d wager that being able to glimpse into the future is something that makes ponies scared.” Stellar says, trying to reassure her foster son. Clockwork isn’t buying it and cries even more.

“You weren’t there when he told me that Celestia was right, that I really am a mistake.” Clockwork sobs. Stellar Flare was aghast that her son would say such a hurtful thing, especially after Clockwork saved his life.

“Why would he say that? You two have been friends for almost four years. It doesn’t add up.” Stellar asks, wondering what went wrong.

“...because he’s right. I am a bastard. My mom didn’t want to have any foals, and she was raped. I am nothing but a tarnish on her and on the royal family.”

Clockwork sobs and buries his muzzle into Stellar Flare, who can’t do anything but feel pity for her foster son. She really wants to help, but she doesn’t know-how.

“I am going to have a long talk with Sunburst about what he said to you. In the meantime, would you like a popsicle? I’ll magick up the watermelon flavor. It’s your favorite, right?” Clockwork sniffles, and nods. “Yeah, I’d like that. One more thing, Stellar. Do you think my cutie mark was a mistake?”

The very thought of that made Stellar Flare shiver, and she hushed the colt. “No, of course not! Nopony gets a cutie mark they weren’t meant to get. You know that! Even if your talent is something existentially terrifying to most ponies, it’s still what makes you Clockwork. Even if Princess Celestia, who I admire, thinks otherwise.”

Stellar Flare lets go of Clockwork and teleports into her home. Clockwork can hear the mare yelling at Sunburst for being so inconsiderate and unkind, and he sits on the balcony, waiting for his popsicle. It is a hot day, after all. Even after that incident with the snake, Clockwork isn’t sure how he was able to prognosticate the future. It just sort of happened on it’s own.

The hatred and fear in Clockwork’s heart were enough to alert Lord Tirek to his location. A feeble, somewhat old centaur trots up to the cottage and sits down next to Clockwork. There are hints of red and jet black on his body, but it’s very hard to detect. He taps Clockwork on the shoulder, who quickly realizes that somepony…or somecreature came to see him.

“Poor colt…being forgotten and neglected by everyone and everything you held dear,” Tirek says, his voice very feeble, like an older pony’s would be. Clockwork turns around and sees the odd creature. He’s never seen anything like it.

“Who the hell are you? What do you want from me?” Clockwork says, quite irate at being interrupted in his own train of thought.

“I am someone you will need, bastard of Luna.” He says. Clockwork changes his position and looks at Tirek through the eye.

“Who told you that?” Clockwork replies. Tirek laughs and points at Clockwork’s cutie mark. “Nopony else can see the future. It made headlines everywhere. I could use a pony like you for what I’m planning.”

Clockwork is intrigued. What exactly is this creature planning. Sunny and Pipp were both very tempted to intervene, but Sunny held to her principles and stayed behind the bush with Pipp, both of them cowering in fear.

Tirek sits down on the stoop next to Clockwork, trying to put on a more paternal appearance and demeanor.

“Tell me, young one. Have you ever heard the tragedy of Clover the Clever?” Tirek asks Clockwork. The young colt shakes his head. “No, tell me.” The unicorn replies.

“It’s not a story that you’d learn at Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. It’s a Legion of Doom legend. Clover the Clever was a gifted magician, so powerful and so wise he could use magic to influence Grogar's Bell to create life. He had such a knowledge of this power that he could even keep the ones he cared about from dying. Grogar's Bell is a pathway to many abilities someponies consider to be unnatural. He became so powerful, that the only thing he feared was losing his power. Which, of course, he did. Unfortunately, he taught his apprentice Starswirl the Bearded everything he knew, then his apprentice killed him in his sleep. Ironic. He could save others from death, but not himself.”

Clockwork took a minute to think about the tale that this centaur just told him. Saving ponies from death? Using his temporal magic to help ponies thrive? Could, could he even become an immortal alicorn like his mother?

Sunny is terrified. Even an Earth Pony like her knows better not to make a deal like this. “Clockwork is only going to hurt those he loves the most, especially Princess Luna. The poor colt is going to be used as a pawn!” Sunny thinks to herself. She’s seriously considering interfering.

Clockwork finally musters up the courage to ask Lord Tirek a question. “Wh…what’s your name?” He asks.

“Tirek, young pony.” The old centaur says. Clockwork asks another question, this one is a bit more audacious. “Is…is it possible to learn this power? The power that Clover the Clever learned how to use? I…I want to prove my worth to everypony.” Clockwork says, a bit scared. This is exactly the reaction that Tirek wanted.

He puts an arm around Clockwork and whispers in his ear: “Not with the Magic of Friendship.” Tirek casts a quick spell, his massive horns emitting a small amount of magic. A tiny bell spawns into existence and slowly flutters down onto the patio where the two creatures are sitting.

“This is Grogar's Bell. It has unlimited amounts of primordial magic, the purest there is. I’ve tried to siphon the power for myself, but the bell won’t give me the power. We have the same goals, you and I. We want to change Equestria for the better. You want to prove that you matter and that your unique talents can help. I want to bring order. We can do this together. Touch the bell. See if it chooses you.”

Clockwork lifts the bell up with his magical grasp and looks at it. The bell is metallic in color, slightly oxidized, probably due to its age. He is very tempted to touch the bell and see what kind of power the bell possesses. He is afraid, but this “Tirek” seems confident in him. Tirek sees the value Clockwork can provide to Equestria.

“Do it, bastard of the moon. Prove that the circumstances of your birth do not matter. Use the gift of life for something monumental!”

Clockwork is angry. He wants to kill King Sombra. Nopony can or will get away with hurting his mother! He hesitantly touches Grogar's Bell with his front hoof and experiences a massive surge in power. He is thrust up into the air, and a massive pulse of magic explodes around him. Clockwork’s mane changes color from black to cosmic blue, and his eyes change color from teal to pure white.

He sees everything. He sees the past, the present, the future, the beginnings, and the ends of time and space. Clockwork is everywhere, and Clockwork is also nowhere. He was expecting to sprout a pair of wings, but sadly that did not occur. He lands on the floor, and the magic subsides. His body ingests a mere fraction of the bell’s magic, and the rest returns to the bell, which promptly teleports away, like a computer glitch editing its own code on the fabric of reality. Lord Tirek lets out an evil grin and wonders what will happen to Clockwork Relativity now. His mane remains cosmic blue, but his eyes return to their teal color.

“So. You have been chosen by the bell, child. How do you feel?” Tirek asks. Clockwork looks at Tirek with admiration.

“If you are planning some sort of coup, spare my mother. She didn’t hurt you. I see your past. You can kill them all, but don’t kill my mother.” Tirek is surprised at the extent of the power his potential protege now possesses. He takes a deep breath, and a small morsel of Clockwork’s magic is siphoned out of him. The once feeble centaur now is more athletic and youthful, but not too powerful.

“A small fee for my service, child. You retain a vast swath of magic. It is yours, a gift from your Lord. Use it wisely.” Tirek says, before teleporting away with a maniacal laugh. Clockwork now has near godlike power in regards to time and space. The problem is, he doesn’t know how to use it.

“...I’m going to kill him. I am going to kill King Sombra. I owe my mother nothing less. Friendship has failed me. I want justice.”

Clockwork was about to go inside, but he spotted Sunny and Pipp. He looks at them for a moment, staring into their eyes, before turning around and going inside. His horn flashes and the two ponies are thrust back to present-day Zephyr Heights.

Luna and Zipp look at these two ponies with sadness. “Sunny, tomorrow you are going to learn why my son made a very careless mistake,” Luna says, hugging her descendant. Pipp wanted to cry. She feels so bad for Clockwork and how he was mistreated.

“Does this story have a happy ending?” Pipp asks everypony in the room. Luna doesn’t answer but points to his tome. “Go back in time and find out.”