Temporal Trotters

by wyattpugsley

1. Operation Sunset

“And you’re certain this will work?” the brightly colored red and orange seapony asked Terrafin, her trusted scientist.

“Well.. I’m more confident in it working than I am it not working, so…” the scientist smirks, looking to Posada as she swims in her tank.

“I don’t know rather to take that as a good thing or a bad thing with you, Terrafin.” She giggles. “You haven’t failed me yet though. So let’s get this started!”

“As you wish, Posada.” With that Terrafin radios over a walkie-talkie giving permission to the remote command center, some hundreds of miles away back on the Hippogriff mainland. “Operation Sunset Is cleared with the Secretary, we are ready to commence the countdown when ready.” Buzzing from the walkie-talkie can be heard as the various branches of the operation sign-off, a countdown starting after a minute, 30 seconds until detonation of Hippogriffia’s first thermonuclear device.

“To think we’re even in a position to test a thermonuclear bomb at this stage is amazing, Posada. I’m sure you realize that. It wouldn’t be possible without the immense support from you and the state. My research as a whole, really, wouldn’t be possible without it. So thank you,” the scientist exclaims, trying to keep his usual cheerful and calm demeanor as he anxiously awaits the culmination of years of research.

15..

14..

13..

“I appreciate the kind words, Terrafin. I must thank you as well, really. I know my ideas and visions can be a bit… out there.” Posada turns and looks back towards Skystar, her trusted friend and advisor, as well as princess-turned-revolutionary. “As some in this room can attest even if they might not say it outright,” she says with a smirk towards Skystar, which is returned by an eyeroll and a slight smile.

8..

7..

6..

As the countdown enters the final seconds the room, or bunker, rather, falls completely silent. Everypony’s attention turned to the thick glass blast shield in front of them, looking out to a distant ocean horizon obscured by light cloud cover. Over 250 miles away in the same direction is the nuclear fusion device, sat on a small atoll.

3..

2..

1..

A faint mushroom shaped cloud forms, followed mere milliseconds by a bright flash consuming the horizon. The whole sky going from blue to red in what seemed like an instant to the eyes of the observers. The group inside the bunker gasping as they witness their hard work pay-off.

The ocean itself is moved by the power of the bomb, waves forming as the shockwave from the explosion travels closer and closer. The bright flash subsiding slowly, revealing a towering, monstrous mushroom cloud, tainted red from the explosion. The shockwave soon rocks the bunker, the heavily reinforced concrete structure being pushed and bullied like a shanty house in a thunderstorm. The bomb had worked, and Terrafin left out a sigh of relief as the shaking subsided. Posada could only look out in awe, amazed by the destructive power of the atom. This was its final form, nuclear fusion. Seemingly the only one in horror being Skystar, realizing that they now held the ability to wipe out millions in a mere second. Her only comfort coming from knowing that it was at least only in Hippogriff claws, and Posada’s fins. For now, at least.

Over the walkie-talkie only a faint voice could be heard, saying “detonation successful..” then overpowered by another voice “WE’VE DETECTED A SECOND EXPLOS-“ the room fills suddenly with a bright flash of light, it’s as if looking straight at the sun. Nothing can be heard with sound being completely deafened out, only the sound of ringing echoes through the creatures’ ears.

…

…

…

There’s… Nothing…

My ears are ringing…

It’s dark… I… I can’t open my eyes… or talk…

It feels like I’m floating… Is this.. some type of vision...? no..

Wha.. what happened…

An untold amount of time passes. Consciousness wanes in and out as the primordial darkness seems to consume all but the soul of those within it. The endless nothingness only interrupted by thoughts when awake.

“There was a bright flash and then…”

“Something must’ve gone wrong… is… is this the afterlife? Did we die?”

There’s no replies. Only the echoes of Posada’s own thoughts.

“Skystar, Terrafin, I’m sorry… We were only there because of my own insistence… Because of my obsession… Please forgive me.”

Countless thoughts pass, thinking over everything from her time as Secretary to her decision to pursue thermonuclear bombs. She couldn’t help but think “This is my fault..” while still unsure of what “this” even was.

The unending pit of darkness becomes overwhelmed by yet another bright flash of light, what seems like life itself comes crashing back down as Posada feels the weight of her eyelids lift, her fins move, her tail sway. Looking up, she can see a blue sky, with light overcast. Wind lightly blowing against her as she lays in what feels like a grass field.

She touches her face with her fins. Closing and opening her eyes. Turning her head left she lets out a shocked gasp. Seeing Skystar lying beside her in the field, still unconscious. She quickly does her best to stand up, steadying herself and getting her bearings. Ambling over, she sees her breathing, no injuries, seemingly just asleep much like herself moments ago.

Posada’s light shaking jostles her awake, her eyes looking up and then quickly shifting to Posada. A slight smile appears on Skystar’s face upon seeing her, “Posada…” she says as she reaches her claw out to touch Posada’s face, smiling in relief upon feeling it. Not saying anything else she slowly gets up, laying in the grass field alongside Posada as she comes to.

“Posada, wha-what happened? I saw a bright flash and then-“Posada interrupts “And then everything disappeared, right? I think we went through the same thing. I heard yelling and then that was it. It felt like we were just… suspended in space,” the seapony says. “I honestly thought I had died. In and out of consciousness, I don’t understand what happened but… I think it’s fair to say it probably had something to do with the test,” she says with a concerned look on her face.

“Speaking of the test, Posada… This looks nothing like the test site. We were on a small island. This looks like something from back home in Hippogriffia. The lush grass, the trees and rolling hills. And Terrafin and the others aren’t here either,” the hippogriff says, puzzled at the current situation.

Posada looks around, “Skystar is right, this can’t be the same island the test was on. And why are we the only ones here?” she thought to herself.

“Sky, if you’re feeling okay I think it’d be a good idea to explore around. Figure out where we’re at and what we have to work with.” Posada gets up and changes into her hippogriff form from her seapony form she had been in while observing the test from her tank.

“Yeah, I’m good. Lemme just…” She slowly stands up, stretching her wings and body as Posada waits. “Ah~ That felt good. Nothing like a good stretch after waking up. Let’s go.”