As The Clock Turns

by KenDoStudios

Chapter 2 More Secrets Not Earthed

Author's Note:

Critical feedback is appreciated!

Chapter editors:

PMV

(discord)

J. Malcolm Grey

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The Man From Another Time

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“Spike, take a letter!” Twilight bellowed as she burst into the old Ponyville castle. She wanted answers; answers that Applejack had the right to know. Just where were her parents all this time? How did Celestia of all ponies know about them? And how much? “SPIKE!” she screamed.

”Geez Twilight, where’s the fire?” responded a tall purple dragon with green spikes who appeared from out behind Twilight's old chair. “I'm already packed and ready to go!”

The old chairs that were once used for everyday friendship problems were now covered with white sheets as nobody was sitting there anymore.

“Spike, settle down, we are not going just yet,” Twilight replied lowering her already loud voice

“What?”

“Please Spike, I need you to take a letter to Celestia!”

“Twilight...” started Spike rolling his eyes “You can’t keep pestering Celestia every time you come across what you think is a royal problem. She’s retired, Twilight, let her rest!”

“She has the information I need, Spike!”

“Did you check the library's restricted section?”

“That’s back at Canterlot, and you are right here.”

“Alright, alright,” said Spike, finding the royal letter parchment. “Speak your mind Twilight. If nothing else it will make you feel less anxious.”

Twilight ignored this comment and started dictating.“Dear Celestia, two ponies arrived in Ponyville today who we have come to know as Bright Mac and Pear Butter…

Spike dropped his quill upon hearing this spilling a little ink on the floor. “That can't be right,” he said, picking it back up, “I thought they disappeared a long time ago?”

“I know,” replied Twilight. “I want to confirm where Celestia sent them.”

“Celestia sent them somewhere? But why haven't we heard of this before?”

“That’s what this letter is about Spike. I intend to get answers!”

“Alright! I love a good story! But you might want to include the details on how you found out about this information. Otherwise, she might deny it.”

“Why would she deny it?” Twilight asked.

“Why did she hide it?” Spike retorted.

“Alright, you bring up a fair point, start again if you don't mind.”

Twilight cleared her throat and began again. “Dear Celestia, I wish to give you a rundown of what happened in Ponyville today…”

---

“I don't believe it,” said Applejack, rubbing her eyes. “My eyes must be playin' tricks or something…”

“Well then I guess we must be seeing the same trick!” commented Pinkie Pie “Oooooh! Is this a new thing Trixie learned? That's ridiculous, you can't teach an old pony new tricks,” she said laughing at her bad pun.

The Mane Six walked closer to supposedly Bright Mac and Pear Butter. They looked at different places around the farm, but when their eyes finally met the six ponies who were walking up to them, they froze. One of the six had caught their eye. and they were now just staring at each other from a distance, each not sure what to do in this situation.

The silence was once again hanging over the farm, each of them just looking at each other in disbelief.

“M-Ma?” finally stuttered Applejack. “P-Pa?”

“A - A p p l e j a c k ? “ Whispered Pear Butter.

“Ma!”

“Applejack!” yelled Bright Mac who grimaced like he was in pain.

“Pa!”

They finally embraced each other in a tight hug each of them with tears and just repeating “Ma, Pa, and Applejack”. Pear Butter and Bright Mac were grunting due to pain but it was worth it to see their daughter again after so long.

Twilight was touched only a little by this as she was distracted by the fact that the parents of Applejack had been gone for at least forty years. Just where had they been all this time? No matter how long she stared at the ponies, all she could figure out was that they were indeed older, and a lot skinnier.

As if reading her mind, Rainbow dash asked, “Why are we just standing here? Say something Twilight!”

Twilight cleared her throat. “Um, excuse me. Hi. I'm Twilight Sparkle. These are my friends Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and apparently, you already know who Applejack is. May I ask who you are?”

“What are you talkin' about?” asked Applejack “We all know who these ponies are!”

“Applejack, if you don't mind I would rather hear it from them. I’d rather not have another changeling-like problem again.”

Pear butter looked confused. “What is a changeling?”

“Twilight darling, they wouldn’t know about the changelings,” said Rarity. “Besides even if they were changelings, how would they look like the ‘Peau et os’ that’s before us and not the picture on the dresser? No offense, “ she said looking at Applejack’s parents.

The two ponies looked confused having no idea that '‘Peau et os" meant skin and bones so they weren't too much offended, but worried, wondering what she actually said.

Twilight responded “It's just that today of all days. why now? It doesn’t make sense. Please introduce yourselves.”

Bright Mac spoke first “Well I'm Bright Mac, I used to be workin’ on this here farm when I was a youngin’ I met Pear Butter one day when I was catching toads”

Pear Butter giggled “Thats me, I'm Pear Butter and our family didn't like us meetn’ together, but we did anyway, cuz love always finds a way.”

“Eyup” replied Bright Mac blushing.

“Sweet Apple Acres. It looks a lot larger and-” She stopped for a moment, looking in the distance. “Are those pears I see on the farm next door?”

Bright Mac could not believe it either. “It HAS been a long time,” he repeated, not really sure what to say about it.

“Although I'm a bit confused” Pear Butter continued, “I thought the Pears went to Vanhoofer?”

Applejack giggled “They did, but they came back one day and decided to bury the hatchet! We are neighbors again!”

“Why thats wonderful!” exclaimed Pear Butter “I can't wait to see the old farm and see the improvements.

Applejack changed her tone slightly. “Ma… Pa… it's… where you been? I haven't seen you in so many moons! You left the house for Canterlot a-and you never came back! I thought yall died from highwaymares! but shucks if it ain't good to see you again!”

Bright Mac briefly sat down, then quickly returned back to his hooves grimacing in pain.
Pear Butter quickly took a nearby sturdy stick and had it support his weight and hers. “Oh dear,” she said. “They said our muscles would atrophy. I suppose they don't think we would be out in space for 30 years more than expected.”

“SPACE?!” Twilight and company said in disbelief.

Bright Mac looked at them with a cold stare. “It is no place for you to raise your kids, I'll tell you that much. But….I'm glad you were there with me, helping me out of my fits of anger.”

“Small wonder we both took that rocketry class,” Pear Butter said.

“Heh, We were the ONLY ones…”

ROCKETRY CLASS?! Twilight and company again clamored.

“It's a long story…” began Bright Mac

“Perhaps I should tell it? You might get angry again.”Pear Butter said.

“But I have nothin' to be angry about darling! Look my daughter is here! Nothing to complain about.”

“Promise?”

“I promise. I’m the happiest mare in all of Equestria!”

“Then you have my blessing”

Bright Mac coughed a few times and looked around in his mind. “Eh-hem… where to start?”

“Maybe where you both somehow took rocketry?” Rainbow Dash said “Sounds awesome to be in space! But that egg head stuff was always beyond me.”

“Well, it's true that Pear Butter and I took the rocketry class but not together…”

“We were young fillies then, no more than teenagers, we took it as a way to get extra credit on our grades.”Pear Butter said.

“We got distracted by each other so our parents made us take it separately”

“I had no idea we both aced that last test!”

“I remembered we showed each other those grades.”

“Our teachers said if we ever give up farmin’ we should apply to become astronauts at the Equestrian Aero Space Association… but… we couldn’t… it's just not what our cutie marks were leadin us to go.”

“I'm glad we did get stuck on our farms, otherwise I would have never met you”

“Oh, Bright Mac you're making me blush! Well, we both got high marks in aerospace and rocketry, but the farmin’ life is where we were really skilled at. The years passed, we married, we had Applejack, Applebloom and Big Mac. We were prepared to live a normal life till one day a nightmare came to both of us on the same night…”

“Wait a minute” Interrupted Twilight Sparkle “How did you both have Nightmares?” she was going to bring up Nightmare Moon but stopped herself as they wouldn’t know what she would be talking about again as they were not there for Luna's reformation.

“Turns out it was a vision. At least thats what we figures when we both told each other Celestia was in it” Bright Mac replied.

“CELESTIA?! Twilight and the group said.

“Oh my gosh! Enough with the one-liners already!” Pinkie Pie said.

Bright Mac continued, “Well…In our dream, we both saw a very small rat that had white eyes, and he lit up the ground with them. He led us to a quadruped that had black feet, yet when we looked at the face of the pony, it was Celestia's. She said in a strange voice. ‘We beg thy pardon, but couldst though look in the sky with your telescope preferably between the star of Ariaus and Eupones? Look at it for one week and return to me in person with your findings.’ then the dream ended.”

“After that, we both took turns looking through the telescope at the exact spot where she pointed us. What we saw during the following days was a glowing dot that appeared to grow In size.”

“We had no idea what it was but we brought the results to her in person as she requested.”

“So thats why you two left!” Applejack said, “But why not just one of yas?”

Bright Mac nodded. “We both shared the same dream honey, if Celestia visited both our dreams and told us to meet her in person, well we wouldn’t dare disobey!”

“I remember you being nervous to see her,” said Pear Butter

“We entered her castle freely and just stood in line with the rest of the ponies, as we were not the only ones to meet her that day. I was wondering how a simple farmer like myself could ever warrant a visit from Celestia in my dreams.”

Twilight's eye twitched, she knew very well that Celestia was not capable of dream walking, but Luna was banished to the moon back then, and couldn’t do anything. This was puzzling her more and more as she was hearing it. But didn't want to interrupt Applejack's parent's story.

Pear butter spoke next, “Oh dear me, I'm afraid I was nervous too, but the fact that we were nervous together made us feel a bit better especially when we were finally called.”

Bright Mac chuckled “We were nervous over nothing though she spoke to us with a kind heart. She asked us why we had come to visit, And we said we came on her order regarding the observance of the space between two stars. What surprised us is that she didn't remember giving such an order.

“‘Must have slipped my mind’ she said She asked us our names but after an exchange, she still didn't remember.”

“We looked at each other for a long time and we were about to leave when she asked us to show her our findings. After all, we did wait in line to show her. When we gave her all our notes she skimmed over the observances, the photography, and then conclusions. I…”

“...yeah we both saw Celestia look a little concerned as she started again looking over the notes…”

“Finally though, she took the notes in her hand and asked a royal carrier to bring it to the Canterlot's only observatory to look at the same spot given the data and report back.”

“She then thanked us for coming but asked us not to leave yet. She asked for us to stay in a local hotel and await further instructions.”

“It would be the last time Pear Butter and I would ever sleep in a comfortable bed for 40 years… see the next morning we were bid to the castle yet again at the request of Celestia, but this time we didn't have to wait in line as the courier escorted us straight to her.”

“She asked us if we had any idea what we have discovered. To which we deliberated a bit and guessed it was a new star we discovered. But she shook her head. Then she told us that we had in fact found a rouge asteroid.”

“You discovered an asteroid?” Rainbow Dash said. “Cool!”

“” You wouldn’t think it was cool if you knew about where that asteroid was headed,” replied Bright Mac. “ It was heading this way towards Equus.”

“You mean…”

“ Yes it would hit the world’s geo-pull within 2 weeks, and by then it would have been too late.”

“Too late for what?”

“Unless something was done right then, it would hit Equestria wiping out every creature with it.”

“Gosh dern I… I had no idea” said Applejack

“Nor did any pony else darlin,” replied Apple Butter. “That asteroid was coming in so quickly there wasn’t time enough time to find a nearby pony who was qualified enough to stop it. However, we were there….”

“We told her how we got high marks on rocketry and astro-physics but had never trained in simulations before,” said Bright Mac.

“We told her we might be the only ponies available.”

“She immediately sent a letter of emergency to the board of EASA telling what was happening and how we were the only ponies available for the mission, however, we would be permitted leave if they found a better pony in time.”

“Guess who went to space?” asked Apple Butter

“As soon as we arrived, training immediately started, might as well in case of a worst case scenario. It was a bear to get through because there was a lot to go over. The original plan was to launch from Equus then head over to the asteroid, and apply a force to a certain area of the asteroid so it would miss Equus entirely. Then come back 1 month later.”

“And in case that time frame dosent make sense, remember the asteroid would have 12 days till landfall. It would still retain its speed so we had to move it out of the way in time. When that happens, the asteroid would skim way past the atmosphere and we would be too close for a proper landing, leaving us with nowhere to go until we passed the planet.”

“Many days later, With training complete, and no pony else was available or had the required skill set that we had, your mom and I with the mission in mind, went to the launch site where two rockets with singular seats in each of them. ”

“The mission required them both to move the asteroid away in time so we both had to pilot one. The time came when we were ready for the mission, no pony else was on hoof, we were the only ones that headed space in hopes of saving Equestria. We made sure we were prepared for this mission asset-wise, but I don’t think we were spiritually ready…”

“Have you ever heard of the phrase “the deafening silence”? Well as soon as we had left the atmosphere, literally nothing was heard. No a one moo cow or one stitch of wind. The tranquil silence took over like a storm cloud over the horizon. Our first order of business was to shut down the engines to drift to the asteroid for 3 days. This was to conserve fuel. While we waited we entertained ourselves by giving each other hand signals to communicate and played charades.”

“I had you laughing so hard when I did the judge.”

“I still retain the opinion that that's not the only thing a judge does. Anywho… we were in visual range not long after but we already spotted our first problem. We did not expect the asteroid to be rotating faster than expected, This changed the site where we would ultimately land. But we redid the math and decided it was still possible to land. However, the new math had us returning later than expected. The long burn to match the rotation of the asteroid and to land on it went better than we expected as we hit our mark with a little bit of spare fuel.

“The main retro thrusters were aiming out to space while the landing gear was faced in front of us. We started suiting up in space suits to tighten up the springs that helped us land, for we were going to push the asteroid in a tug-like fashion to push it out of the way. “

The next step was to time our thrusts in an attempt to move it, the thrust started at ten percent when we were facing away from Equess all the way to 100 percent when we were eighty-nine degrees rotation, then we cut off the engines exactly at ninety degrees. Waiting for the next rotation to do it again, this went on many times, and we had passed the mark of actually being able to leave the asteroid when we saw that we had done it, we had successfully turned the asteroid to miss the planet! We were happy, we had just saved Equestria. but we had no way of returning home. There was no communicating with anybody on the ground, and by the time they would have figured out we missed the mark they would have no way of getting to us as we would be too far out in space to plan any rescue mission.”

“I devised that we could transfer fuel from one rocket to the other, and the resources for us to have a chance of getting home.”

“Anything worth trying was worth the risk, we didn't want to end up stranded so we successfully transferred fuel and to have both of us in a one-seated rocket. Each rocket was made for one pony, so we had to figure out how two ponies can control one rocket. We ended up having our backs together to reach our hooves to a section of the board. But the other hooves that were not in use had to be on the other side, and it was not possible to turn our heads. To fix this we both said to each other what they could see from their helmet's line of sight. There was still a blind spot in front of us, but I would rather take my chances with a blind spot than leave your mother to die. To be honest I’d rather not die either but I would die with my lover with my side.”

“The rocket ignited from the top and we were secure and away. The rocket gave out more thrust on the way up because of the extra weight. the rocket lifted from the asteroid just a little, but then the engine hiccuped and blasted its right retro thruster which tipped the whole rocket, i made a split decision to throw the rocket into emergency power to avoid collision with the asteroid and we escaped the asteroid with a bit of fuel left.”

“We did calculations and used what little fuel we had left and headed back to Equis but the thrust we gave out was underwhelming and we sat there rolling towards home at a measly pace, thats were we were the entire time just coasting saving the last of the fuel to land back on Equess”

“Forty years we sat there with our backs to each other, with our oxygen tanks set to 10% and we took slow breaths not saying anything to conserve oxygen, we ate food with a small straw, and we took a sip once every 2 days.”

“Oh sweet Celestia, I'm so sorry,” said Applejack with tears in her eyes. “I had no idea you just sat there doing nothing for 40 years or so! I wouldn’t be able to handle it!”

“I almost didn't.” replied Bright Mac, “But every day I felt pressing behind me was my best friend and wife, going through the same trials as I was, and this made me feel better every time I got discouraged.”

“We eventually figured out how to communicate through our hands as they were the only things that were able to move in a communicative manner which was facing away from the viewport. We used horse code to tap out the letters of what we wanted to say to each other on each other's hooves” said Pear Butter with a sigh. “Your Pa had very interesting plans at the start of our journey he wanted a big party as we just saved Equestria.”

“Well, why are we waiting? Let's have a party right now!” burst out Pinkie Pie very loudly excited to have a reunion party.

Pear Butter covered her ears “Wow… maybe having too much sound after hearing the silence for forty years is not the best thing.”

Bright Mac as well grimaced “Maybe later then, I do want to be recognized as the pony who saved Equestria, but I also need to adjust to real gravity. And here I thought the creatures that helped us with muscle atrophy during that year of recovery.”

Pear butter replied “We would have been here sooner but there was almost a war that almost started with us… thankfully, Rutherford the Second was very hospitable to us and had good relations with the princess of Equestria.

Twilight froze, not believing her ears after mentioning the current delegate for the Yack providence during the time when an “asteroid” killed many of Jackels and Yacks. If the “asteroid” was actually the landing craft, why didn't he mention he had ponies in his borders earlier? Why did he cover up by saying it was an asteroid? Twilight was thought provokingly exhausted
This story made no sense and left even more questions than answers. The nightmares, the space venture, and the new information between Yack and Jackal's leadership delegation were melting her brain, and she fumed not knowing all the answers. Oh, how she wanted them so badly! In fact, she decided to do something otherwise she feared she would explode in frustration in front of her friends.

“I'm sorry, would you all excuse me for a second?” Twilight said to her friends and she galloped off towards the outhouses and quickly closed the door and yelled in frustration.

Pinkie Pie giggled. “I’ve been there,” she said Thinking Twilight had to use the little fillies' room in desperation.

Twilight teleported out of the outhouse a few seconds later to a path that led towards the old Ponyville castle she ran as fast as she could to her trusty writing assistant, she had a lot to ask Celestia…

---

Spike dropped the pen again. He could not get his large claws around the quill like he used to. “Thats a pretty tall tale if you ask me,” he said “I have a sneaking suspicion some pony is lying again. Maybe even more than one”

Twilight shook her ever-flowing mane “We built this country out of trust and friendship Spike, why is Equestria reverting back to the old days of mistrust? Have we really not learned anything? I don’t understand even after all ive done to give friendship to every creature they just do what is right in their own eyes?”

“No creature is perfect Twilight, you shouldn’t expect them as much. They're not flawless, they're works in progress… What? it's a good song.”

“I- it just baffles my mind Spike! Back then I was trying to help my friends out! I know we were not flawless and I didn't say we were in my book, but the creatures who looked at me the princess of friendship, and lied in my face!”

“It's nothing new Twilight, why are you being so hard about this?”

“Because after Celestia answers my letter I will have to punish one of two important ponies, the delicates which represent a nation, or the parents of Applejack who just arrived from a forty-year disappearance who taught honesty.”

“Whose daughter by the way lied to you as well last year.” muttered Spike “That is a tough one.”

“So there you have it. This is where the ‘fire’ is Spike. The uncertainty. I want to believe both, but I can’t due to logic.”

“So, the letter is ready to send now? and are you a bit relieved by sharing?”

“It is ready. And I feel better, yes.”

Spike, with a mighty blow, used his breath to send the royal parchment to Silver Shoals. Twilight stood there looking at Spike with a hopeful look for a few seconds, but that hopeful look turned into a frown after two minutes.

“Why won’t they answer?” asked Twilight, “I just need confirmation thats all!”

“Twilight “ began Spike “Retirement? They must be out adventuring.”

“A simple yes or no would be nice. How hard is that Spike? Literally would take 10 seconds.”

“Maybe focus on something else instead?”

“Like what?”

“Well, what are you going to do when you find the lier?”

“The same thing I sent Applejack to do! Send them back to school for intensive friendship studies, and learn from others around said them the right way to behave around other creatures.”

“Surely you can't do that if it's the delegates for the Yacks?”

“Why can't I?”

“Diplomatic immunity? It would make you look like a dictator? Take your pick.”

“Spike is right.” Called out a new voice. “The Yacks would have a field day with it. I can see it now on the front page! ‘Twilight sends Yack to detention!’ A purple pony was hiding in the shadows. Spike and Twilight had no idea how he remained hidden there for so long without being noticed, but it was obvious she was there long enough to hear the entire conversation.

“HEY!” Exclaimed Spike in shock. “H-how did you get in here without me noticing?”

“Last I checked, you were busy packing for the trip back to Canterlot? You looked oh so busy. So I just went to the library without you noticing. If I'm mistaken the library is still open to the Public?

“It is… I'm sorry, I guess I was busy if I didn’t notice you,” said Spike putting his hand on his neck.

“Tis' quite allright, it was worth it to see you send that letter! But seriously Twilight, Pardon my impudence, but wouldn’t tell someone off in that stature lead to war?”

Twilight spoke next “I don’t suppose you would tell me why you think so, Mrs…. who are you?”

She moved from behind the shadows and into the light. “Who me? Why I am just a journalist with an ear to the ground and a nose in the air. But if you really must know my name. You may call me Opaline.”

Comments

[KenDoStudios]

hey i would like to apologise, as a new storyteller i now realize there is a big error in chapter one still and that is the time difference between bigmac and applejacks loneliness

mistakes happen, sorry