Chapter One: The Device
Doctor Whooves wiped the sweat off his forehead as he worked tirelessly at his new invention. His hooves ached from days and days of work. But he would be done soon. And it would all be worth it.
The exhausted earth pony slipped on his work goggles and made sure that every single detail was correct. Nothing could be even slightly flawed, or all of his hard work would have been for nothing.
“Just one more little detail,” he muttered as he used a pair of tweezers to pick the dust and excess paint off of the machine. “Done!” Doctor Whooves gazed at his finished work.
No bigger than a hoof, the small device was shaped sort of like the wishbone of a chicken, and made out of a completely refined titanium alloy. The buttons on the remote were carefully crafted, but were not labeled. No matter, he had books full of how the device worked, he need not worry. The screen of the device was made out of crystal and diamond, and was as pristine and clear as glass.
He carefully lowered the device into a container and shut the lid quickly. He put the box in his desk and sighed.
“But it won’t work unless I can find a pony who can fly fast enough for the device to activate.” As if by cue, a certain cyan pegusus rushed overhead. A loud THUMP followed.
“Darn it!” He heard the pegusus yell. Doctor Whooves leaped up.
“That’s it!” He yelled aloud, and he rushed outside.
“Rainbow Dash!” He waved, trying to get her attention. Rainbow Dash did an impressive loop in the air and rushed to the ground.
“Oh, uh, hey Doctor Whooves. I haven’t seen you in a while. Where’ve you been?” Doctor Whooves was practically shaking with excitement.
“That doesn’t matter, Rainbow Dash. How fast can you fly?” Rainbow shrugged.
“I dunno. My friend Twilight once did this test and said something about “Mach” speeds and stuff like that. Why?” The brown pony sighed with exasperation.
“How fast did she say you were?” Rainbow Dash struggled to remember. “Something like Mach nine or ten or something?” Doctor Whooves’s face lit up.
“Perfect!”
Rainbow Dash was confused.
“Why are you asking all these questions?”
Doctor Whooves placed his hoof on the pegusus’ shoulder. “Rainbow Dash, how would you like to be the first pegusus to time travel?”
"Time travel?" Rainbow Dash scoffed. "Only unicorns can time travel, you know?" Doctor Whooves tried to explain.
"But Rainbow, that's just it! I need you to help me test the time-travel device!" The cyan pony was utterly confused.
"Wait a minute, why do you need ME? Why can't YOU test your 'device'?" Doctor Whooves sighed.
"You're the only pegusus that can fly fast enough for the device to activate! Please, Rainbow Dash, please." The pegusus lowered her head.
"Okay, fine, I'll do it." Doctor Whooves was overjoyed and relieved.
"Thank you so much for your help! You won't regret it!" Rainbow Dash smiled nervously.
"So, uh, when should I meet you?"
"At the field near the Everfree Forest, tonight!"
With that, Rainbow Dash quickly said goodbye and sped off without another word.
Doctor Whooves waited by the Everfree Forest. The trees were dark and menacing, and the timber wolves were howling. In a flash, Rainbow Dash swept down from the sky, her rainbow mane fluttering in the cool night breeze.
"Sorry I'm late, Doctor Whooves? Now where is this time-machine device thingy of yours?" The earth pony reached into the metal box that contained the device, and carefully lifted it out to show Rainbow Dash. It was glowing and beeping with mechanical sounds. Rainbow Dash prodded it with her hoof.
"This is it? This is the invention that you've been telling me about?"
"Of course! Isn't it magnificent? Made of pure titanium, hand crafted to perfection, so bold and bright and-"
"Ok, Doc, I get it? So how does this thing work?" Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes while Doctor Whooves explained.
"Well, it depends on where you would like to do, so, where DO you want to go?" Rainbow Dash found she had to think about this for a while. Doctor Whooves interjected with a suggestion.
"How about to the time of ancient pony scholars? I a sure that would excite your curiosity!"
"Uh, ok, I guess that'll be cool." Doctor Whooves proceeded.
"Alright, now that we know our destination," Doctor Whooves pressed some buttons on the device, "we can go over some rules and safety procedures. Wouldn't want anypony to get hurt!"
Rainbow Dash yawned and mostly tuned out during Doctor Whooves's lengthy lecture. She hated rules and plus, she was the fastest flier in Equestria, she could handle herself. She didn't need rules to handle it for her.
After he was done, Doctor Whooves handed Rainbow Dash a pair of what looked like flight goggles and told her to put them on. She immediately did so. He handed Rainbow Dash the device and warned her, once again, to not touch anything. Rainbow Dash eagerly leaped into the air and hovered.
"Okay, Rainbow Dash, here's how this is going to work. Fly up as high as you possibly can, and then try to hit the ground as hard as possible, got it?" Rainbow Dash nearly fainted.
"WHAT?! Hit the GROUND?! Are you INSANE?!" Doctor Whooves sighed once more.
"Trust me, you'll be fine."
Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes. "Okay, but if anything happens, I'll be seeing you in Canterlot Court!"
"Fair enough."
Well, if Doctor Whooves was so calm about this, Dash was, too.
"Just remember what I told you, Rainbow!" Doctor Whooves shouted as Rainbow Dash nodded quickly and flew higher and higher.
The treetops and buildings grew smaller as she continued to pump her wings and soar upward with the device in her hoof. Rainbow swallowed as she breached the cloud layer and looked down. She knew she could easily build enough speed to activate the device. Or so she hoped...
Here we go... C'mon Dash! It's now or never!
Rainbow Dash streaked towards the ground in a blur of rainbow. A white cone formed around her outstretched hooves as she sped faster and faster downward. She struggled to keep hold of the device. Even with the goggles on, her eyes were tearing up. She saw the cone narrow quickly around her body, and Rainbow Dash knew that she had reached hypersonic speeds.
Just a little faster...
BOOM! A giant disc of rainbows spread in all directions as Rainbow Dash performed her signature Sonic Rainboom. She was now flying faster than ever, and the ground was nearing quickly.
"This better work!" Rainbow yelled through clenched teeth. She closed her eyes and brace herself for the worst. She was now yards from the ground, then feet, then inches...