Author's Note: There you have it.
I deliberately wrote the story to set up both the "They go back" and the "They don't go back" endings, to keep people from figuring it out through literary analysis. It's too boring to figure out a mystery early, then just slog through the story to see it resolve. And 350 is definitely a mystery in that respect, with the seemingly contradictory evidence.
I (hopefully) did a good job at misleading the readership into thinking that the two outcomes were mutually exclusive. But I have two ponies; I could do both. And for the curious, Three Hundred and Fifty is single-timeline inviolate. Everything seen in the fic is set in stone, nothing Twilight can do will alter what she or Sweetie experienced in the future.
And I do like the idea of an optimistic future for once. Despite the changes, it's still Equestria, and they are still ponies. The first thing that happens when Twilight gets to the future is that Sweetie's life is saved by a random faceless, nameless pony.
It should be obvious in hindsight why I skipped past years like I did. Sweetie Belle needed to be old enough to live on her own (well, with Spike at least). There'd be no way Sweetie could rationally choose to stay behind as a filly (or for Twilight to let her). The original outline called for 15 years passing, but I just ran out of material. Oh well.
On Celestia's lie: This was the answer to the question "Why can't Twilight ask a princess or look in a history book to find out whether she made it back?" that came up during outlining. It would be a perfectly logical thing for Twilight to do, and also destroy the story. This was the best solution I could come up with, with my best attempt at keeping it in character. Also notice that every piece of bad news she delivers is immediately followed by good news, to get Twilight's hopes of the future up.
Cadance: As far as 350's headcanon is concerned, despite being an alicorn she was still mortal, and died long ago with everypony else.
Princess Twilight: The joys of starting a fic mid-season. Making her an alicorn wouldn't be THAT difficult. I gave her wings anyways, after all. Introducing the amulets (and therefore the weather thing) properly would be trickier. There's no reason the Twileycorn couldn't happen after she gets back, although wings on her grave might tip unicorn-Twilight off that something's up. Or maybe the Twileycorn was immortal and hiding behind a bush for ten years.
The mystery:
I took great care to make everything in the story consistent with the outcome. Here's some off the top of my head:
Catching Up With the Sun: Yes, the first sign was right at the start of chapter three. Princess Celestia had been drinking tea for her nerves for over a decade. Not millennia. Not centuries. One decade. Like she was anticipating something. Twilight's favorite blend, too. Sure, she'd figure that Twilight was coming either way, but how would she know when? Unless somepony told her.
Old Friendships: The graves, of course. Twilight really is buried there. And the Sweetie Belle statue to show that she doesn't go back.
A View Like None Other: Don't you think that Luna is just a little TOO informal with Twilight? Not using her last name, for instance? Like Luna's talked with Twilight. Repeatedly. Over many many years.
One Last Reunion: Nothing Spike says is technically false. He doesn't want to lie to Twilight, and Celestia cowed him into going with her plan, so he just carefully picks his wording. Kinda suspiciously, in my opinion.
There are a few questions that I intentionally leave open. Like what the Main 5 got up to while Twilight was gone. Or how the rest of Sweetie Belle's life went. Or how and when Twilight eventually died. Or whether Twilight ever did forgive Princess Celestia. Make your own answers to those questions.
Thanks again for reading a fic that became a heck of a lot more popular than I'd expected. Seriously I was anticipating maybe a hundred views of this thing. But I had a fun time reading the comments (yes I read every one of them) and looking at speculation. Makes me feel all fuzzy inside.
Oh, and for the time-loop-challenged, I have provided a handy timeline of the story, as seen from outside the loop:
Year -25(approx): Twilight Sparkle & other 5 born
Year -12(approx): Sweetie Belle born
Year 0: Prologue, Twilight and Sweetie enter the apparatus to go to the future
Year 10: Epilogue, Twilight returns
(sometime in here Twilight gives Princess Luna the answer on whether she forgives Celestia, even if Luna won't understand for a while)
Year 45(approx): Twilight Sparkle & other 5 die. Assuming lifespan of 70 years
Year 310(approx): Griffon Civil War ends. Princess Celestia, anticipating Twilight's return, crafts her plan to keep her in the future. Princess Luna, disagreeing, argues with and separates from Celestia
Year 338(approx): Apple Crisp & Spot Light born
Year 340(or so): First moon colonization
Year 350: Twilight Sparkle and Sweetie Belle exit the apparatus, where the Nexus is destroyed
Year 351: Sweetie Belle gets her cutie mark
Year 355: Much ado with the moon and fire
Year 360: Spike returns, Twilight rebuilds the apparatus then leaves for the past. Luna gives Celestia her answer
Year 408(approx): Sweetie Belle, Apple Crisp, Spot Light die
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In the end, I would have to say you failed pretty hard. Several of your 'signs' point to something else entirely, and your 'optimistic' future is one of sterility and the loss of almost everything that makes life worth living in exchange for rabid 'progress'.
This story was beautiful, man... Just beautiful...
Well, an amazing story. I'm a sucker for time-travel/time-loop/causality¶dox stories, so I'm definitely keeping it my my favs.
I really liked how you were always trying to mislead the reader into believing that Twilight either comes back or not.
As for Celestia's lie... Well, that's actually a weak plot-device... Because, Twilight is still mortal and she would still die, either in the past, or in the future. So there really was no point in trying to keep her in the future. Unless, they get some new technology to prolong life...
And as for Sweetie Bell staying. Well, as I said somewhere earlier in the comments.. Twilight did use an age spell on Spike, a DRAGON of all things, to make him younger (by the way, did she forget to undo the spell before she came back
). She could very well do the same for Sweetie and herself and she wouldn't have to come back home with the 10 year gap.
I loved this story, it's one of my all time favorites. Beautiful work my friend, you have done well.
You magnificent bastard.
Apple Crisp, Spot Light and Sweetie Belle only becomes 70 years old?
Wasn't one of the ponies in one of the earlier chapters about 150?
well as much as i didnt enjoy the ending i can honestly say that this story is one of the best i have ever read
I will not forget this story. It was a beautiful, incredibly memorable experience. Thanks.
I don't think the timeline was necessary, but others may want/need it.
First of, I really loved your story. It was funny, emotional and just all in all well written.
Second SPOILER-WARNING:
That was the most depressing ending I've ever read. xD Really, that's the kind of deterministic nightmare that would sap my will to live.
And while the ending might have been unpredictable if you treat it like a time travel story, at least in my opinion it was pretty obvious when you look at it as a Person-in-a-strange-world story.
That being said, reread sentence one. ^^
The story, even when it is over, still begs to be given a sequel and also, a comical alternative on Twilight becoming Princess, I mean, it will be a bit of a stretch, but it would be nice that Twilight see Sweetie Belle again... and surprising her in the future.
But all in all, The story is very emotional and very worthwhile.
But... That's exactly what My Little Dashie did...
I would like to think that Twilight forgave Celestia and the two had good memories.
TIME FOR ALICORN TWILIGHT ALTERNATE ENDING
So long until next time. And make the next thing you do count.
Sad/hopeful/etc
To many feels at the end of the story. Ponies live to about 90 or so based on Granny Smith's story and how the doctor's said they extended life expectancy, not doubled it. Plus Pinkie cannot die, she is forever behind the scenes throwing parties.
I also get the feeling that Twilight has a few great-great-grandkids+ in Ponyville along with the others. Celestia likely barred them from visiting Twilight.
Twilight needs to make sure to keep trees and clouds for the future. Maybe Celestia turns Twilight into an Alicorn against her will, so Twilight at some point kills herself after being depressed for many years by the deaths of her friends.
SPOILERSSPOILERSSPOILERS
I dunno it's nice how Twilight does return but i don't really get Celestia's lie i can't really wrap my head around it. Spike seemed a bit childlike on return, didn't seem to be any changes to her friends and just jumped into the conversation in the final chapter? I didn't like that how they all just were happy to see her. It felt wooden.
It was an interesting story but i think the ending was a bit brief. Though ending with the letters from Sweetie Belle was nice i was surprised she didn't go back.
If you ever write a sequel, Winged Starbutt salutes you. Also SpikeBelle shipping because that's awesome.. Celestia had to keep up the lie because that's how time travel works. I dunno, ask Doctor Who or something.
For now, we part ways, dear author. Let's hope our paths cross again soon.
2274340 Most depressing fic ever? You obviously haven't read Background Pony. Like all SS&E fics it's best read with anti-depressants. The end of BP is best read under suicide watch. It hurts, like deep in the soul it hurts.
And no word about childen of Apple Crisp, Spot Light or Sweetie Belle?
It was glorious, amazing, awesome, sexy, perfect, hilarious, crazy, good, marvelous, majestic, sweet... MORE ADJECTIVES LIKE THIS PLEASE!!!
I usually wait until a story is finished until I give it a thumbs up or down. So there you go. a thumbs up
.
Someone's gonna write Twilight + Rarity's family taking a short trip to the future. If you want, it could even be you, Void Chicken.
Compared with editing every magical textbook in Equestria, altering or replacing a headstone hardly anyone else visits would be a very minor detail. Heck, maybe Celestia could even have forgotten about it... another clue!
On second thought...
...yep, headcanon accepted.
Very well done. I always find it's bittersweet to see a story end but that was fantastically executed. Time to go ready everything else you've written.
good job sir; everyone is going to have their own opinions but the bottom line is you wrote a wonderful story great job.
The story was NOT good in the end, people. A third of ponykind is casually discriminated against because their magic is considered 'worthless' (Earth Ponies), Celestia tries to rape the timeline to keep Twilight, her actions allowed an allied nation to devolve into civil war (Griffons), and she refuses to share technology that could help the world (amulets with the donkeys, in spite of showing in the fic that they can be made to work with an actual study.), there is an utter ecological disaster implied to be in progress from the dual whammy of no weather ever and the complete lack of trees (which would have any ecologist screaming in horror), and ALL OF IT IS UNAVOIDABLE.
That is a systematic failure of storytelling, there, when placed against what the author was trying to do. All of those elements would have been fine if they were avoidable and this fic was a 'put right what went wrong' fic, but the author tries to pass them off as GOOD things, and paints a horrible future with them.
Masterfully done! Great job!
I personally think that this future, while not being an ideal good world without trees, and stuff, it is neither Tartarus-like, as there is still good things in it, like improved medicine and stuff.
And this was a sad AND happy and moving epilogue with deep feels.
Awesome work.
Aww, I love this fig... It made me cry...
But in a good way? :)
I can fit Twilicorn in.
If Twilight knew she would become an Alicorn that would have radically altered how she would have behaved and acted, which would likely make her unsuitable for the job. Naturally, Celestia would have had to keep Twilight from finding out, which would beg the question of what actually DID happen.
How better to mask one massive conspiracy than by making up another massive conspiracy for people to find?
So, the only reason why Rarity doesn't get to see her sister again is because Twilight doesn't want to take her to visit the future? Seriously?
denver.mylittlefacewhen.com/media/f/img/mlfw8181-1348961216188.gif
2274875 Maybe she does, and just keeps it secret from Celestia and Luna and Spike.
2274934
But as presented in the story, she does not, and does not want to. Yes, a sequel could be written in which she changes her mind and does so, but the ending of this story has Twilight explicitly state that she doesn't want to do so, saying that she "has had enough time travel for one lifetime".
2274238>>2274678
How are Earth Ponies discriminated against? Because their farms aren't made of dirt anymore? Imagine, if you will, an earth pony who wants to be a great painter. Unfortunately, she has to hold the brush in her mouth and ends up less like Cezanne and more like the last time I picked up a brush. It's not that they're worthless, but with the amulets the playing field is equal.
A unicorn can join the Wonderbolts, a pegasus can be a doctor, an earth pony can be an aristocrat. If earth pony magic is worthless, by that logic unicorn magic is worthless and pegasus magic is worthless. Should an earth pony be forced to a life in the fields? A pegasus, the sky? I believe it was Abraham Lincoln who said, quote, "Fuck that shit, yo."
The reason the donkeys can't use the amulets is, it's dangerous. Okay, so you're just flying along, minding your own business, when suddenly, your wings disappear. Wheeeyyooooo- splat. You're magically carrying a crate full of rabid zombie monkeys through a daycare centre (it could happen!), and suddenly, your magic gives out. Crash. Ever see Dead Alive? And how about if someone steals a shipment of amulets and tries to go all ubermensch on everyone? You've got either a crazy psycho superman on the loose, or a walking thermonuclear bomb for crying out loud!
Now, as for the ecological disaster, water in the aquifer feeds the grass blah blah blah. I'm sure you can forgive the author for not being an expert on ecological sciences, it's science fiction! He explains it away with some magical mumbo jumbo, and that's alright because if Bob Heinlein can say people on the moon can't live on Earth because gravity something whatever, the environment can go on with pretend science!
And what, precisely, is 'almost everything that makes life worth living'? Please explain.
Nice story, thank you for sharing it.
I'd like to think Twilight forgave Celestia, and it would be really mean if by adding Twilicorn you forced the Princess to be all lie-y McLierson without a good reason.
Also, a sequel would made the story very weird and convoluted, as most time travel stories that go on on the same idea, even though they were not planned to do so. So maybe an AU story?
Is it weird this and the epilogue made me cry?
MUST... HAVE... SEQUEL!!!!!!!!!!
this was such a nice change of pace. A hearth warming tranquil history.
I really enjoyed, it reminded me of manga i once read "yokoshima shoping trip (ykk)", it evokes the same feelings (peace and feelz)
This story was epic. Nice writing, even nicer plot, fu****g well done time travel. My only downside is not knowing if she does or doesn't forgive Celestia.
You know, that felt right. That ending. It wasn't some grand spectacle with fanfare and fireworks but more like the end of a bedtime story during a rainy night. I hope you make something like this in the future, not a sequel but something else.
Ok so a sequal where rarity convinces twilight to take them all to year 360 or something to visit sweetie bell and somehow twilight goes in a coma. BOOM perfect sequal
Brilliant.
Not only did you drop hints from the start of your motives, but you explained each one, afterwords.It reminds me of watching a really good season of Doctor Who and realizing how well it all goes together.
Well done.
Nice story. Not fantastic, but still very good. I had feels at the bittersweet ending.
Thumbs up.
It was a nice story, but while your future isn't grimdark, it isn't exactly optimistic either. A lot has been sacrificed for the sake of efficiency and homogeneity. Yes, there is much gained, but also much lost. Without clouds or trees and with the magic pendants, any real sense of identity among the tribes has been lost, especially for earth ponies. The absence of wings and horn has few useful recompensations and is seen more as an unfortunate congenital defect that technology must correct.
On the other hand, in a world where nature itself is created and guided by society, is this not simply progress? Clouds and trees are not preexisting phenomena, but outmoded technologies. And there is still much to recommend the future...
I don't know. It just didn't feel right. Still, a good story. Thank you for it.
2275289
It's not really expanded on in the fic, but an amulet can't grant the powers of a race that already has it naturally. So a flight amulet will have no effect on a pegasus. Ever.
If a pegasus is too young to fly, the flight amulet does nothing. Or if her wing is broken, still nothing. Or if she loses her wing. Nothing.
If an earth pony wearing an amulet has it damaged, it can be replaced. No amulet can give a pegasus flight, or a unicorn magic.
Earth ponies have natural strength and durability (which the amulet cannot grant to other races). And they can replace flight or magic if it's lost. I'd say *they* get the best deal in this world.
2275289
I think the sacrafice is good element. Utopian and dystopian societies kinda get annoying over time so a nice mix (from out perspectives of "good" and "bad") makes it balanced. Similar to how we only like what we have experienced, they never experiences clouds or trees so they don't miss it. They do however get something in return, that being medial science and basic magic (for pegesai) and basic flight (for unicorns). I forgot if earth ponies can use the amulets (I think it said they could bit it is dangerous)
2275161
Just like lil'wayne
While I really enjoyed this story, I just wish we could have seen their reactions to Twilight suddenly reappearing to them a bit more, it seems our viewpoint came into existence a little bit after they all calmed down, other then that, I loved the entire thing.
... Okay, did I just miss if Twilight DID give an answer to Celestia, because I don't remember reading it. Is it left open-ended for us to decide?