The Mystery of the Old Ponyville Time Capsule

by GrangeDisplay

A Giant Octopus Sprawls Its Slimy Legs

“Trixie, I told you that I don’t want to talk about this anymore.” Starlight made an effort to stretch out her joints as she traversed the halls of the Friendship Castle.

Trixie followed close behind. “I know, I know. But she seemed so serious about it. Maud’s one of the smartest ponies I know. Why would she lie about something like this?”

Starlight knew that it was too early in the day to feel a headache coming on, but that didn’t soften the pulsing in her skull. She looked back at Trixie with an exasperated expression. “I’m not saying that she lied about lunar cults or whatever. I’m just saying that it might be an exaggeration mixed in with a misguided belief in old conspiracy theories. I don’t know. You know that Maud and Pinkie grew up in the middle of nowhere, there must have been tons of weird celestriots and lunatics spouting nonsense about shadow governments and cosmic duels.”

Trixie bit her lip as she considered Starlight’s words. “Trixie did live on the Pie Rock Farm for a time, and I can see how the desolate atmosphere sucks all the sanity out of a normal pony… But just look at Princess Sparkle. Celestia picked her as an unsuspecting filly and groomed her into a national defense task force leader and royalty. Trixie thinks that demonstrates that Celestia has no issues pulling strings.”

Starlight rolled her eyes. “Well of course the Princess of the Sun knows how to pull strings. Artful manipulation is a fundamental skill if you want to maintain political power. Trust me, I should know.”

Trixie only grew more engaged as she drew closer to Starlight. “But to cast such responsibility upon such a young pony with little warning. No wonder she’s like that!”

“Who’s like what?” Twilight asked, taking a sip of her coffee as she studied the two ponies before her. An easy and comforting smile was revealed once the mug lowered from her lips. She giggled to herself as Trixie and Starlight scrambled to answer. It was nice to see them awake and spirited this early in the morning.

Seeing that a response was not coming, she ended their long-suffering by lifting a hoof to silence them. “I’m just kidding girls, I was just being a little nosy. I’m happy to see you both. I didn't see either of you come in last night. How is your mystery errand going well?”

Twilight’s smile was genuine and inviting, but Starlight wouldn’t fall for it. She knew that the purple alicorn was curious by nature and that her and Trixie’s suspicious behavior as of late would only facilitate greater interest. Twilight took another sip of her coffee as she waited for a response; her eyes loomed over the rim of the mug analyzing every movement.

Starlight tried and failed to act casually. “Well… we went out and walked around and got some work done. But we’re not done… we still have stuff to do.” Starlight cast a side-eye to Trixie, who took this as her signal to nod aggressively.

Twilight eyed each of them silently before taking one final sip of her coffee, “Well, that sounds engaging. I’m having everycreature take a break today, so the sorting project is on hold. This will give me some time to do more research, which is great because Fluttershy’s coming back today. I can ask her about the process of putting together the time capsule and about coming to Ponyville. I’m really curious about what it must have been like, since she’s so shy and all. I mean, can you imagine her first interaction with Pinkie? Even I was a little jarred when I first met her, I can only imagine th-”

The sound of Trixie sighing and slumping to the floor seemed to snap Twilight out of her verbal deluge. A faint blush colored her cheeks as she looked in no particular direction, “Anyways, I’m going to let Fluttershy settle back in at the cottage, then hopefully get her to come back to the castle with me. If you two need any help or if you need to tell me anything, I’ll be around.”

Starlight mentally celebrated the end of the interrogation, “Sure thing Twilight. Trixie, we should get going.” Trixie groaned as she stood back up and the two began trotting away.

A sudden interjection from Twilight froze them in place, “You know, the other day I realized that the crossbow that was in the time capsule is missing. Obviously, I’m really worried about where it is since it’s a very dangerous weapon. Neither of you would happen to know where it is, would you?”

Starlight paused to think before turning around, she smiled apologetically. “Oh, my bad! You know, I saw it and I thought about how dangerous it was. I would hate for a student to hurt themselves with it, so I locked it up in my office.” Trixie nodded aggressively as Starlight began to sweat.

Twilight brushed down some of her mane with a hoof, “Great! Thanks for being so responsible Starlight! Something like that should only be wielded by somepony willing to live with the potential consequences of such a destructive item. I appreciate you taking the initiative to protect yourself and others.” Twilight walked away after waving goodbye.

Starlight sighed in relief and began walking again. Trixie trotted at her side and tried not to feel sick, as she muttered to herself. “Why does she always have to sound like she’s filming a cheesy PSA.”

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Sunlight hit the crossbow’s metal stirrup just right, producing a glint of light as Starlight cavalierly carried it over her shoulder. The purple unicorn traversed Froggy Bottom Bogg with an easy-going saunter. Any creature that might have been watching from the shadows was scared off by Starlight’s piercing scowl. She felt significantly more confident after surviving her journey in the swamp. Now, she knew that she was ready to face anything, even without her magic.

She and Trixie carried packs with shovels, food, water, and bandages. She could just see the look on Rainbow’s face when they showed her the treasure chest full of bits. The pegasus would probably ask where the hay all of it came from and Starlight would tell her that all of it came from the bravery and ingenuity of a mare capable of surviving even without her magic. Rainbow Dash could bring up Starlight’s excessive magic use again as soon as she managed to complete a quest without her wings. A cocky grin began to replace Starlight’s features as she mentally rehearsed all of the possible comebacks.

Trixie shielded her eyes to avoid being blinded by the crossbow’s reflective shine. “You sure seem to be getting comfortable toting around an item that doesn’t belong to you, Glimmer. May I remind you that, that is the property of the time capsule.”

Starlight removed the weapon from her shoulder and presented it to Trixie, “Well actually, according to the carvings on ole bowy here, it’s... ‘Property of the LDS.’”

Trixie rolled her eyes and walked ahead, “First FF, now LDS. Here’s an acronym, why don’t we find this treasure and GTBO of this nasty swamp!”

“Actually, it's a bog. They’re very different things.”

Trixie's face grew red as she turned to face Starlight. Any rebuttal that she had was cut off by an excited gasp from her friend.

“Look, Trixie! Sundews.” Starlight exclaimed, pointing at the plant. It looked like the pictures shown in Starlight’s encyclopedia, drops of dew covered the various red spines protruding from the plants. Starlight grabbed her shovel and gestured for Trixie to do the same.

Trixie crouched down to get a better look at the plant. “The water droplets make it look like it’s sparkling.”

Starlight leaned forward to join her. “I read up on these things. The dew isn’t water, but mucilage. The plant is carnivorous, it uses the mucus to eat insects.”

Trixie blinked in disgust as she backed away from the plant. “Well, as long as it doesn’t eat ponies Trixie won’t mind its mucus drops.” She pulled out her shovel and jabbed it into the ground. A low whine reverberated from everywhere.

Then, the earth began to tremble as the sundew awoke.

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“Oh, she did such a wonderful job Twilight. I’m so happy for her. And you were right. The little fillies and colts in Cloudsdale loved the critters I showed them!”

Twilight nodded as she and Fluttershy trotted through the castle. “Well, I’m glad to hear that Fluttershy! And I’m happy that you’re back!”

Fluttershy offered her friend a sweet smile, “I’m happy to be back too! Traveling can be fun, but it’s always nice to be home.” Her eyes suddenly grew big as she gasped, her forehooves came up to cover her muzzle. “Oh Twilight, I’m so sorry! I was so quick to tell you all about my trip that I didn’t even ask you how your break has been so far. I’m sorry for being so selfish.”

Twilight put a comforting hoof on Fluttershy’s shoulders and pulled her into a hug. “Fluttershy, I was glad to hear all about your trip, I can’t even imagine thinking that you were selfish in any capacity.” The alicorn’s semblance changed once she approached her second point, “My break has been relatively uneventful… except for a complication with the lab construction.” She looked at the large double doors that she had led Fluttershy to, inside was the time capsule and all of its contents.

Fluttershy’s hooves covered her muzzle again as she looked at Twilight with worry, “Oh no! Did something go wrong? Did somecreature get hurt? Did Queen Novo pull her funding?”

Twilight squeezed Fluttershy harder to calm her. She smiled awkwardly at her friend. “Well, the last two of those did not happen. You might want to brace yourself for this.”

Purple aura encompassed the doors’ handles as they creaked open. Assorted piles of objects speckled the floor of the room and at its center sat the time capsule. Fluttershy looked upon it in awe, the light from the window behind the capsule illuminated it in an ethereal light. Twilight waited for her friend to return to her senses but quickly realized that seeing the time had triggered something deep within Fluttershy’s psyche. The alicorn waved her hoof in front of the pegasus’ face. Fluttershy snapped back into attention with a quiet, “oh.”

“I know, it’s a lot.” Twilight mumbled.

Fluttershy grabbed Twilight's shoulders and pulled her close. Her eyes had a desperation to them that Twilight was not expecting. “Is this the one? Is this really the Ponyville Time Capsule?”

Twilight confirmed her suspicions with an awkward half nod. She tried to explain further, but the pegasus had already released her. Fluttershy’s wings spread as she took flight, launching herself into the piles. Objects scattered throughout the room as yellow hooves rummaged through them in a mad dash. Twilight, at a loss for words, only stared with her mouth agape as Fluttershy moved with speed and agility. She moved from pile to pile before apprehending a white booklet.

“There you are!” She shouted and held the booklet close to her chest.

Twilight approached her cautiously, still uncertain of what to do. She watched Fluttershy silently rejoice before the pegasus suddenly remembered where she was and who she was with. Her face grew pinker as she looked up at Twilight with fearful eyes, then she slid back as far as she could away.

She was shaking as she spoke, “Oh I’m so sorry Twilight. I didn’t mean to make such a scene.”

Twilight gawked at her; she spoke slowly as her brain caught up to her eyes, “It’s okay. I…just…I wasn’t expecting that type of… reaction.” She pointed a hoof at the booklet that Fluttershy clenched to herself, eliciting a squeak from the yellow pegasus as she withdrew into herself. “Uh, what exactly is that Fluttershy, if you don’t mind me asking? I need to make sure that everything is safely returned to the time capsule.”

Fluttershy took another look at the book and its crude, hoof drawn cover. She used one of her hooves to wipe her muzzle as she sniffled. “Oh, Twilight. This is my contribution to the Ponyville Time Capsule. I wrote this story when I was young, but I was always so afraid to share it. When the time capsule project started everypony kept talking about contributing something that really showcased the real you. I decided to take a chance. I wrote the story, drew all the pictures, and even put my name on the cover. I threw in at the last moment and it felt so good to make something I was passionate about.”

She wiped a tear out of her eye and continued, “Um, but then I realized something. I had made a horrible, horrible mistake! Ponies started mentioning that this could be my only legacy, that ponies of the future would scrutinize each object, including my story.”

Fluttershy tapped the book with a hoof to emphasize. “This story is bad, Twilight! Very, very bad! And very, very embarrassing. I have spent every night since that day thinking of this story just sitting in that capsule. I even thought about going and unearthing it myself, but I didn’t know where the capsule was buried. This book should never see Celestia’s light. It is a mistake. A mistake that I can finally put to rest.” She shoved the booklet into her saddlebag and sealed it shut firmly.

“O-okay Fluttershy. I understand. But… it can’t really be that bad.” Twilight said calmly as she neared her friend.

Fluttershy thought about it before shaking it away. She looked at Twilight with determination. “No Twilight. I’m sorry, but I believe that I’m making the right call here. You love books so much; I wouldn’t torture you by forcing you to read this.”

Twilight placed a wing over her friend, “Okay sure. Do what feels right. But in exchange, I have a tangentially related favor to ask you.”

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Despite peering directly into the gaping mouth of the sundew, Trixie couldn’t bring herself to scream. The plant monster came out of the ground with a mighty roar and the last hour or so had been spent trying to evade its mucousy tendrils. A considerable amount of Trixie’s time, energy, and thought had been put into completing this quest. Yet, as she looked at her own demise dead on, she couldn’t help but feel disengaged.

Many times, she had been faced with dire situations. Situations that would make the average mare curl up in a ball and weep. She had survived all of those. Yes, sometimes she walked away with more bruises and scars than before, but she always survived. So at a time such as this, Trixie evaluated the bits of pieces of the situation and concluded that this wasn’t worth screaming about.

Starlight trailed her from below as the monster’s tentacles whipped around. Trixie had been swept up by the monster, its red spines stuck into her, and the sticky mucus that they produced kept her ensnared. An arrow pierced the arm that was holding her, causing the monster to roar in anger. A swift flick of the arm snapped it clean off. The magician landed on the ground with a thump; her fall had been cushioned by the tentacle that was still wrapped around her body. Starlight used her shovel to cut the tentacle into further bits; she grunted as she ripped Trixie out of the sticky residue.

Trixie’s tone was even-keel despite the circumstance. “Starlight, Trixie has been doing a lot of thinking lately.”

“Uh-huh, that’s great Trixie. Let's talk about it later.” Starlight dodged a stray tentacle before firing another arrow.

Trixie held a hoof to her chest and spoke from the heart, “I think I’ve really matured during this quest, and now I realize that some things are just not worth it.”

Starlight fended off a tentacle with her shovel, the monster pushed down on her before suddenly ripping it out of her grip. She barrel rolled out of the way.

Trixie walked up to her calmly and continued, “I’ve come to realize that it is not worthwhile to risk your life over something that you can’t even see! For all we know, this could all just be an outlandish prank. Or maybe even a test.”

Trixie put a hoof to her chin and stroked her nonexistent beard, the gravity of her words came crashing down on her. “Could this be a test? A test from the shadow government!” Trixie smiled as the master plan became clear. “Might I be Celestia’s newest princess pick? They shall call me Trixie Sparkle!”

Starlight tackled Trixie to the ground as a tentacle flew overhead and unrooted a tree behind them. She knew that she should probably be screaming at Trixie, but her priorities lie elsewhere. She overlooked the monster and considered her options. As her mind bounced between fight or flight, she couldn’t help but recognize the sound of jingling.

The two mares followed the sound to a specific tentacle that had wrapped itself around a green chest. A lock thumped against the wooden chest as the monster jerked its arms. Starlight watched the chest that was held high above. “It’s the treasure,” she whispered in reverence.

Trixie slipped out of Starlight’s grip and stood to her hooves. Everything slowed down as her eyes zeroed in on the treasure. Her brow furrowed as she grabbed her shovel. The magician rushed forward with vigor and let out a battle cry, “For the money!”