Another Casting of the Cards

While Celestia looked like she wanted to scold me, Twilight simply looked confused. I grinned, looking between the two. Celestia was the first to speak, finally saying in a wondering tone, " I've heard of Time Lords before, but never one who could do it with such ease, nor one who could shift across universes." I responded uneasily, not wanting to correct her, but feeling it best she have the most accurate information, "actually, uh, princess, we didn't travel across dimensions, we simply moved around within the my own personal time stream. I'll admit, it's not as tiring as moving around outside of it, let alone outside this universe. Well, I've successfully fulfilled one part of my life that makes me what I am." I tilted my head to the right, then giggled happily.

I was expecting twilight, or the princess, for that matter, to be mad, but neither seemed angry. "Twilight sparkle, do you still want me to hold to my promise of not doing time magic? I'm working off the assumption that because I haven't done anything, except for that prophecy, which I will do, rather than mucking about in time streams. It's all very interesting. Oh, I guess we could see the beginning of history, anyone up for seeing… star-swirl the bearded? No, we can't visit him, might change too much."

A flicker of confusion passed across Celestia's face, and I realized that a great deal of time rested within those magenta pools. She slowly asked, "And all you do to initiate the portal is concentrate?" I nodded eagerly, happily, expounding on what she had said by saying, "I just need to concentrate, on say, this throne room. I'm sure I'll be moderately tired tommorow."  I added, slightly curious now, "you said I'm a time lord. Does that apply to me as a title?" Celestia nodded, a neutral look on her regal face.

I got to my hooves, if a tad unsteadily-- that had taken a lot out of me. Suddenly happy, I spun and somersaulted away from the throne. I reversed again, to face the crown, and archaically said to Celestia, "might there not be anything else thy humble pony can help thee with, mine princess?" She stared for a moment, looking rather surprised at my sudden change in tone and speech, but she answered in kind, "no, Sam, there be nothing that thine can help thee with. Go now, friend, and I wish thee well, as thou doth what thy will." I grinned, and trotted over to twilight, "shall we go, then, friend?" She nodded, looking as though she had many questions to ask, likely about my newfound abilities.

o.O.o

Later…

I chuckled, listening to Rainbow as she talked about saving a group of foals from falling into a vat of rainbows. I wasn't about to question that, though it was an interesting concept. She concluded, "and that's how I, Rainbow Dash, saved a new group of foals from certain death! Or rainbow-ization, I s'pose. But they were never in danger, cause I'm the awesomest flier in all of Equestria!" I chuckled, earning a glare from her. "And what's so funny, big guy? Got something to add? Ever saved a foal from certain death?"

I grinned, seeing as I was currently standing on my head, leaning against a wall of the train. "Well, I merely find your style of egotism amusing- I've met people with egos so massive, they would pop if you so much as gave them a compliment. In comparison, you are positively boring. I believe that answers your first and second questions. And in answer to your final question, I've never saved a foal from a certain death, but I did save a child from certain death. Actually, she wasn't a child, she was a friend who got caught in an icy arctic ravine. She didn't know how to get out, so threw down a belay set and told her what to do. Good enough?" I asked, not adding that the friend in question was later found in a basement, brutalized in a surgical operation that left her unable to move her entire body, with the exception of her eyes. I glanced up, with varying degrees of surprise on everyone's face.

"I'm sorry, Dash, I didn't mean to be rude. I simply responded as best as I could." She nodded, seemingly understanding the sentiment, and I saw Applejack smile approvingly-- I thought the Element of Honesty would appreciate a truthful account.

I looked at Twilight, and she seemed to be looking at at Rainbow Dash oddly-- I had less than no experience with females, but it was an odd look. I mentally shrugged. "Twilight," I softly called her name, and she jerked awake, looking slightly guilty. Was she really? "Huh? Yeah, what's up, Sam?" She responded, recovering quickly. "Why aren't you able to do time magic?" I asked, quietly. She sighed, looking at her forehooves. "I don't know. Maybe it's because it's outside the normal sphere of magic." I nodded, accepting the answer. I stopped, though, as a thought struck me.

"Time is the same as space, right?" Twilight nodded, confusion clearly etched onto her features. I flopped onto the floor, suddenly tired. All that time travel was hitting hard. "Then, can't I… move through space, as well as time?" Twilight nodded again, still wondering what I was up to. I grinned, and stopped thinking. I wasn't going to break my poor, overworked brain.

As it was still midday, I couldn't go to sleep, so instead I decided to make conversation. "So, Rarity, wherever do you get your inspiration for your clothing? If you don't mind me asking, that is." She chuckled, saying, "ah, a gentlecolt, I see. No, I don't mind you asking, though I thank you nevertheless for being polite about it. I'm not really sure where I get my inspiration, it just pops into my head. Does that make sense, dear?"

I nodded, understanding. Apparently Thomas had been a poet. He knew what it was like to have inspiration hit you like a sack of wet potatoes.

The train finally began to slow as it approached the station, and I spoke up, saying, "and I assume that the … cutie mark crusaders are the small fillies waiting on the platform?" Applejack nodded, looking a little surprised that I could make anything out at that distance- nearly a hundred and fifty yards. I exhaled, happily.

"Can't wait to meet the children. I expect I'll be coerced into helping them get their cutie marks?" This time, Rarity nodded, looking a little apprehensive at my suddenly slightly cynical tone. I said, quietly, "lets meet the children." We filed off the train, and I saw the little fillies rush to greet their relations. It was truly an endearing sight. I knew I always liked children, but this was simply another level of adorableness. As I was the last off the train, I was content to watch them greet one another. From the chatter I could catch, they had recently tried parasailing? I wondered why, until I realized that they had no cutie mark. They must be trying to get their cutie marks.

It was only a moment, however, before they noticed my phantom presence. I tried to shrink back against the train, but the white of the train didn't match too well with my coat. On second thought, maybe this isn't too useful. An off-grey would be better. Maybe rarity could help?

As soon as I started this line of thought, I found myself surrounded by the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Dante apparently forgot to write about this.

Finally, I got on eye level with them, and Apple Bloom said quietly, "Mister, where's yer cutie mark?"

I responded gently, "I don't have one, but maybe we can help each other get ours?" The one who idolized Rainbow, Scootaloo, gave me a funny look , as though wondering how I did that, but I ignored it.

Sweetie Belle gasped, apparently having spoken for her. I was confirmed when she stuttered, "How'd you know that?"

I smiled and responded truthfully, "Years of experience. Plus, it's not hard to imagine that you'd want me to join your club, since none of us has our cutie marks. I'm sure we can remedy that soon enough, though!" I added, grinning. The others looked momentarily surprised, then they all burst into giggles. I smiled, enjoying it as much as they surely were.

"Good with foals, I see, Sam?" Spoke the cultured voice of Rarity. I started, having dropped to my haunches to interact with the foals better, unbeknownst to me. I shrugged.

"I rather get the sense that I was never particularly good with anything, unlike you mares," I muttered sadly, gesturing at the ponies gathered around me.

"Still, if that's what you consider mediocre, I'd like to see you do something else," offered Rainbow. She furthered, saying, "I know you can't fly, but maybe you can run?"

Rarity smiled, saying politely, "Well, dear, if you ever need some extra bits, I'm sure you'd make a wonderful foslsitter." I thanked her, still not entirely sure how to respond. I was not accustomed to having my work complimented.

I snickered, and thought of something. If she was like Rainbow, then I had something for her; to test the waters, so to say. At the least, it was a part of my personal life, and I might make friends with one of the younger ponies. What could go wrong? "Hey, Scootaloo, can you keep a secret?" I asked, leaning in close to her. She nodded, confusion slowly seeping into her small face.

"You know what a secret agent is, right?" She nodded again, this time with a faint tinge of paranoia creeping in.

"Then you might be interested to know that I was a secret agent for a few months," I intoned this last with a deadpan expression. This was technically true, because I had been attached as a non-official cover in Colombia. This basically meant I was a full spy, with no embassy support. Hard, dangerous, and very risky. I suddenly had a new appreciation for the peace these ponies enjoy.

I also had the feeling that it was going to be a long day.