Travels in Limbo

by DarkPinkie

Rating: teen
Tags: Adventure, Pinkie Pie, Twilight Sparkle, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Alternate Universe, Original Character
Length: 4172

Twilight has invented a new spell to help Applejack to grow new trees quickly... you know the drill.

Twilight has invented a new spell to help Applejack out of a crisis at the acres by growing apple trees very quickly. When she tries to show her friends this new spell she manages to put herself and Pinkie Pie in Limbo, a stasis like existence outside the space time continuum...
Discontinued, simply because I did one of the biggest mistakes an author can do, Did not plan the plot through before. (and I totally lost all feel for this one when ''Its About Time'' episode introduced time travel spells :(

Published 2012-04-21 04:24:02 UTC
Last updated 2012-05-06 07:56:57 UTC

To Age a Tree

Travels in Limbo

Prologue: To Age a Tree

A fanfic by alek4ever / DarkPinkie

Applejack was in dire need of help, a quite large part of sweet apple acres had been attacked by some unknown kind of tree rot. Its origin was probably from the Everfree forest. By the time the ponies had figured out a cure most of the trees infected had all ready died. Dealing a almost mortal blow to Sweet Apple Acres. Applejack had told she might as well close down the farm if anything else happened. She was just hoping they would recover from this loss fast enough to stay afloat. Twilight had not accepted this. She had vowed to try to fix the problem, and had set out immediately to do so.

- - - - - - -

It had felt like she had been doing these calculations all night. The hypothesis had been Simple. To make a plant grow at a exponential rate. Being able to fully grow a tree in the matter of minutes with the use of magic. The calculations had however been long and complex. Twilight had done them, double checked em, triple checked em and checked them once more, not to mention the multitude of times she had checked her sources. They needed to be perfect if the spell was to work correctly. ‘’But calculations can only take you so far.’’ Twilight mused. It was time to put the spell to the test.

In front of her was a small piece of bamboo, she had pulled some strings to have had this piece of exotic plant shipped to ponyville just for this experiment. Twilight sighed and closed her eyes as she focused her magic on the plant in front of her, the magic surging through her horn and into the plant. She opened her eyes to gaze upon the bamboo plant. It was small, barely a hoof in height. But as Twilight’s magic increased she noticed it began to grow, fast. Twilight started to feel a bit numb, but she put little noticed to the feeling and mentally brushed it aside as it was probably just a side effect from the spell she was casting. when the bamboo shot a moment later had hit roughly 3 hoofs height she stopped the flow of magic and admired her work. There it stood before her. Triple its original size in just the matter of seconds. This growth would have otherwise taken many hours. Twilight grinned as she walked around the plant taking the sight in.. A spell of her own creation would revolutionized farming all over Equestria, as growing an entire orchard would now be able to be grown in days compared to years.

After admiring the bamboo for a while she let out a yawn. Twilight had stayed up the better part of the night with this and now was time for bed.

As the unicorn headed up to the cellar stairs towards the door and opened it her eyes were attacked by bright light. ''Is it morning already?'' She groaned, it had not felt like she had been up all night. Twilight was startled when she got a sudden response.

‘’Twilight? Did you stay up all night?... Again?’’ Spike Cried out from the kitchen, not a hint of surprise in his voice.

‘’Yes Spike. But I was working on a spell to help Applejack out of that crisis.’’ Twilight groaned once more when she looked over on her wall clock, it was 8am already.

Spike popped his head out of the kitchen. ‘’Well breakfast is done. I was just gonna wake you up when you started talking.’’ The baby dragon gave Twilight a wide grin. ‘’But now I don’t have too.’’

Twilight sighed and joined her assistant in the kitchen for breakfast.

- - - - - - -

Twilight and her five friends had gathered in a field not too far from Fluttershy’s cottage. The purple unicorn felt confident. Here among her friends she was going to demonstrate her new spell. She had explained how the spell worked to her friends on the way here.

Fluttershy had at several occurrences mentioned that she was growing a new oak tree a few minutes from her house to get her multitude of tree dwelling animals more housing space. But it had not growth as fast as the pegasus had expected and it was not much more than a sapling, despite growing it for several months.

Twilight had thought it to be the perfect opportunity to show her friends the spell she had worked all night on, and help fluttershy at the same time.

As Twilight and her friends walked up to the sapling of a tree, she commanded her friends attention. "Now I will use the spell to make the tree grow. Fluttershy how old do you want the tree to be?"

"Well... If its not too much trouble... Maybe 200 years?" The yellow pegasus responded.

"Two hundred years is like way old. You think you can handle that? I know I would if I was a uni--" The cocky blue pegasus bloated before being interrupted by a orange hoof in her side.

"Ahm sure yah will be able to do it Twi. Ah bet that if yah arn't tha most powerful unicorn in Equestria ah will eat mah hat." The cowpony stated, completely unfazed that Dash was currently glaring her daggers.

Twilight blushed "I'm sure there are others that are better at magic. Princess Celestia is--"

Pinkie interrupted her by popping out from behind the twig of a tree. "She said unicorn. Alicorn do not count silly." No one seemed to question how the pink pony could hide more than half her body behind virtually nothing.

"The most powerful or not, let's grow this tree shall we?" Twilight commented trying to change the subject.

Twilight started to charge her horn with magic. Her friends were now all looking at the oak, with the exception of Pinkie who was poking it.

A few seconds went by with nothing happening. Then Pinkie started shuddering. "A dozy! A dozy!" she screamed as she grabbed hold of Twilight with the intent on shaking her.

No one had realized what had happened before there was a bright flash of light.

Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie had vanished.

To Be Continued.

Hello, This is the author here, and I just wanted to tell you guys, this is my second story to be submitted. (unless you count that Manhatten blue prologe, but come one, that was just fail)
Since I'm not ''that'' good, if you could give some feedback would be great (Just don't be to fanatical about it.)

A Blurry Existence

Travels in Limbo

Chapter one: A Blurry Existence

Pinkie Pie felt numb. Everything around her had become colorless, everything but Twilight. Her ears did not seem to work properly either as all she could hear was a low ringing sound.

Pinkie could see her friends worried faces, but something was off, they were moving way too quickly.

Not much later they all left in a gallop. They were all gone in the blink of an eye.

Pinkie looked over at Twilight. The purple pony still standing still in her immense focus maintaining the spell. The world around them seemed to move at a increased pace. Gaining more speed every moment.

Pinkie just sat there as a few days seemed to pass within the matter of minutes. Anything moving around them had now turned into blurs. Pinkie saw her friends faces again for just a split second. They looked sad and like they were crying.

The speed of the world continued to pick up, and soon very many days passed in no time at all. The almost instantaneous swap between day and night forced Pinkie to close her eyes. Much alike how anypony would close or shield their eyes if somepony was flashing at them with a flashlight.

Suddenly it all stopped. It stopped ringing in her ears, and so did the blinking light. Feeling also returned to Pinkies body, and she dared to open her eyes. What she saw made a gasp escaped her. Twilight was laying in front of her, unconscious.

- - - - - - -

I woke up with a audible gasp. a couple of coughs managed to escape my throat. Where am I? Looking around did not help much, it was pitch black. The only thing I know of my surrounding is the bed I sitting in. The air is also kinda dry and a little heavy to breathe.

I begun using my magic in a try to light up my surrounding, no magic came. Alright try again... Nothing. Third time's the charm! I got my reward in the form of a splitting headache, but still no magic.

While calming down my hurting head a yawn escaped me. "If I'm already in a bed i might as well go back to sleep." I muttered before leaning back and was instantly rewarded with blissful sleep.

- - - - - - -

Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Pinkies mind were naught more than a jumbled mess of half broken thoughts. Twilight was laying in front of her, unmoving. A quick glance over her shoulder told pinkie it was close to sunset already.

What to do? What to do!? As she tried to cope with the current situation Pinkie ran around the spot aimlessly at speeds that would make Rainbow Dash jealous. Her mind still unable to form coherent sentences longer than three words.

A few moments later her frantic pacing was stopped by her running into a large tree that had seemed to come from nowhere. Stars where now spinning around her vision. Pinkie shook her head, yet the stars were still there. She chuckled and collected them with her hooves. "These will look perfect as decoration for my next nightmare night party."

As Pinkie put away the stars in her mane a glance returned once again to the unconscious Twilight. The sun was going down and it was getting darker already. She needed to bring Twilight somewhere safe. But where? Suddenly the last uncollected star lit up. "Fluttershy wouldn't have anything against us staying at her home for the night." It would be like one of those slumberparties, and anything that is named party is my special talent.''

Lifting Twilight on top of her back she set out for Fluttershy's cottage.

- - - - - - -

I awoke with a groan. Sitting up in the bed and rubbing my eyes. Unlike last time when it had been to dark to see, this time it was light enough. Even if it was still quite dark.

The reason for the darkness seemed to be the fact that the room's windows had been boarded with planks, only allowing tiny strands of light into the room.

I looked around inside the room. The bed i was sitting in was fairly large, it would easily accommodate for two sleeping ponies. Against the right wall next to the window was a dresser.

Against the left wall was a large wardrobe along with a full body mirror with some papers taped to it.

Straight in front of me the wall sported some stairs leading down, and a door, that had been boarded shut. There also seemed to be a old rug on the floor. It was also very dusty. It appears somepony have skipped out on cleaning duty...

As I moved out of bed, my eyes locked on to the stairs leading downstairs. I need to figure out where I am. As slowly made my way through the room, I passed the mirror and my gaze came to rest on the notes taped on it. It was a couple of news articles. As I read them my eyes grew wide.

Yesterday two young mares was reported missing. The mares Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie had been together with their friends suddenly vanished in a flash. If you have any information about their whereabouts contact the authorities.

My eyes moved on to the next one.

The search for the mares Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie that went missing five years ago have stopped and they have now been officially sentenced dead.

Five years, we have been missing for five years... or more. As my thoughts started spinning, In the corner of my eye I noticed a small piece of paper that seemed to have fallen of the mirror. Written on it was only one sentence.

We miss you.

Author here. I like writing this two chapters really much, but I need to ask you people, do anyone of you know how to fight procrastination? (and yes I will keep referring to things left and right.)

Thank you for reading. Rights go to the respective right holders... I kinda don't really care that much about it.

Time Undone

Author note: Well, here we are again. Another chapter of another amateur fic. But that's beside the point. The point is that I wanted to tell you, as you may have noticed, this fic swap between 3rd person and 1rst person and also jumps back and forth in time between the breaks. Don't worry, it was just me experimenting to write in new ways, and from here onward I will not do that anymore. Someday I will have to go back and perhaps rewrite the first 2 chapters. Also, this chapter is kinda short with its 600 words, well, chapter 4 will be longer instead. On another note, I could use a couple of more pre-readers and/or editors. But that's enough of my ranting.

Enjoy your crappy amateur fic.

Travels in Limbo

Chapter Two: Time undone

Pinkie had reached Fluttershy's cottage carrying the unconscious Twilight. Not a moment to soon. There were not many minutes of daylight left. Not to mention how tired she had become from carrying her friend all the way here.

But was it really Fluttershy's? It looked wrong. Very wrong. everything but the door was boarded shut, just like that incident with ''New Fluttershy''. Just thinking about it sent a shiver down Pinkies spine.

But there were no time to worry about that right now She needed to take care of twilight.

Pinkie knocked on the door three times, and waited.

A minute passed and no response. Another three knocks, these did however not go un answered, as the door instead fell off its hinges and tumbled inwards.

After giving the door a confused glance she popped her head inside the frame, and yelled. "Hello!? Fluttershy are you here!? Is anypony here?!" A few moments passed without an answer.

Slowly she took a few hesitant steps over the door and called out once more. No reply came.

Pinkie looked around the living room. It was dirty and dusty. "What happened here. It sure wasn't this dirty here earlier." she mumbled.

Movement on her back reminded Pinkie of urgency of the situation. So she begun to carry the unconscious unicorn up the stairs. It was a tough climb even if the stairs where short. Once up she wiped some sweat of her forehead. "Twilight, you need to go on a diet."

The bedroom looked just as bad as the living room, minus the broken door. the last strands of evening light barely reached the insides of the room, making it slightly dark and very gloomy.

Still Pinkie located the large bed and shook the cover sending dust everywhere. once the dust had settled she gently lay unconscious Twilight on the bed. Pinkie then pulled the cover back over her friend. a sigh of relief escaped Pinkie's lips as she sat down in the big comfy chair. Before the pink pony knew it, she had fallen into sweet sugar coated sleep. A sleep filled with dreams about mountains of sweet, delicious, tongue meltingly tasty candy and some unicorn stallion named charlie.

- - - - - - -

The very first rays of sunlight shone, marking the start of a new day. The early sun sent long shadows from everything. Inside one of these shadows stood an ominous figure eyeing the cottage with the broken door. It stood there for several minutes before running off in the direction of ponyville.

- - - - - - -

Twilight Sparkle was cautiously moving down the squeaky stairs. Taking her time with each step. Once she had reached the bottom of the stairs she glanced around the room.

This was Fluttersy's cottage, but what had happened here. The sofa was overturned, the door had been broken down, everything was covered in dust and dirt and there were spider webs everywhere.

Twilight cringed when realization hit her. They had been missing for over five years, anything could have happened during that time. The question is just, what?

‘’This place is a mess.’’ The unicorn thought out loud while looking around the living room once more.

‘’Twilight! Your awake!’’ A voice chirped from the kitchen.

‘’Pinkie is that you?’’ Twilight returned.

‘’Well duh, Who did you think it was? The Batmare? Even if that would be so cool. Can you imagine speaking to the Batmare? I would throw her a huge party!’’

‘’So Pinkie what are you doing in here?’’ Twilight asked as she walked into the surprisingly clean kitchen.

‘’I’m making breakfast!’’

Ruined Expectations

Travels in Limbo

Chapter Three: Ruined Expectations

After enjoying the breakfast that the pink pony somehow had managed to conjure out of nowhere, Twilight was trying to tell her about the notes on the mirror. Pinkie did not wait to comment. "Wow. Have we really been missing five years? I thought you said time travel was impossible Twilight.’’ ‘’It is... well almost.’’ Twilight quickly replied. A moment passed in silence, as the mares felt the weight of their plight.

‘’Well, lets just find a way back then.’’ The pink pony practically chirped, and gave the lavender unicorn a huge smile. ‘’But Pinkie! You are missing something.’’ Dread was practically creeping in Twilights voice. ‘’We are several years into the future. Who knows what have happened in that time. judging by the look of Fluttershy’s cottage.’’ She and Pinkie took a quick glance around the cottage. ‘’It must have been something really bad.’’

The party crazy pastry chef paused while she thought about what Twilight had just told her. After a few seconds Pinkie’s smile vanished in a flash, replaced by a look of concern aimed at her friend. ‘’Oh Twilight, you worry too much. What's the worst that could have happened?’’

‘’Thats just it! Anything! Absolutely anything.’’ Twilight spoke quickly with a voice of uncertainty.

Pinkie replied without even a hint of pause. ‘’Lets go find out then! It will be an adventure.’’ She started bouncing towards the now empty doorway leading outside. ‘’Afterwards we can throw a successful adventure party!’’

Twilight slowly started following pinkie. ‘’But Pinkie what if so-’’ She was silenced when a pink hoof connected with her muzzle. ‘’You worry too much’’ Pinkie repeated, and in return got only a deep sigh as they started to leave towards Ponyville.

- - - - - - -

It was a fine spring morning. The animals froliced in the warmth of the sun that shone brightly across the land. Not a worry in their mind as they basked in its radiant glory. However away from the sun’s brilliant light, in the shadows of an underground tunnel the mood was entirely different.

‘’You’re lying again! Nopony have been around here for years. Why would somepony come now?’’ Said a large hood clad colt.

‘’We have already told you. If you lied to us again we would be as nice as last time.’’ A smaller Colt, wearing the same type of hood as the first speaker.

‘’But I...’’ Stammered a khaki coated mare in response. She was just old enough to be considered a young mare. As she cowered in fear of the colts, her deep golden eyes almost seemed to glimmer in the darkness.

‘’Hey, give the girl some room. She might be right this time. It’s not her fault the last couple of ponies that came here ’mysteriously vanished’ before we got there.’’ This time the voice was clearly from a mare. Venom dripping from her every word. She was hooded in the same fashion as her two friends.

‘’I promise! I saw them this time! For real!’’ The young mare said with confidence, while moving a few strands of the golden blond mane out of her face.

‘’So you did lie to us.’’ The hooded mare replied. ‘’Well, anyway. You say that you saw two ponies go into that old abandoned cottage close to the everfree? Hmmm, interesting, I think I am going to investigate this. Big Bo you follow me.’’ She waved a hoof towards the big pony. ‘’Gloom, you stay here and take care of our little assistant, and please don’t be too hard on her. She hasn't lied to us this time... Yet’’

- - - - - - -

Pinkie Pie was sitting in the middle of a street in ponyville, or what was left of it. Outright shock and despair crossed the pink pony’s face as she could not believe her eyes. Twilight was not fairing much better at the sight.

Ponyville was in ruins. Most houses had at some point collapsed, those that still stood was empty and abandoned. The overgrowth was everywhere, and rubble littered the streets.

‘’This can’t be right.’’ Twilight was running back and forth between the rubble that had once been buildings. Panic building up in the unicorn’s voice. ‘’What happened here? What could have done this? Did Discord get loose again? Did Equestria get invaded once more? Dragon attacks?’’ Her list of possible scenarios went on.

But Pinkie did not listen to any of Twilights words. All she did was stare mindlessly at what had once been sugarcube corner. The large bakery that had once been both her home and her work had been reduced to nothing but rubble with a large cupcake on top. One word repeatedly left her lips. ‘’Why?’’

- - - - - - -

Maybe the frilly little mare was right. There could have been other ponies here. There were lines in the dust on the floor, and the kitchen seemed to have been cleaned and used recently. Not to mention the tracks leading away from the cottage. However, she did not rule out the possibility however little that may be, that it was the stupid little filly had done all of this herself.

‘’Bo what do you make out of this?’’ She asked her rather large companion.

‘’I dunno? That little goldilocks is lying again? There were no ponies here.’’ The large colt stated his voice slightly confused.

The smaller mare mentally face hoofed. Big Bo was large and strong, but everypony knew he was not the sharpest pen in the box. Heck, he was probably the dullest pencil in the entire store. ‘’Bo, there were somepony here. There is tracks leading to the town.’’ A grunt was all she got in response from her companion.

As they stared in the direction of Ponyville a rather strong wind blew, gripping into their clothes and unhood them. Exposing the pair’s faces to the element. The sudden increase in light startled the larger pony, and as he desperately tried to bring the hood back over his head.

The mare laughed at his feeble attempts. His brown coat the same color as dry dirt, his short unkempt mane and tail being basically the same color as his coat, only a little darker. But what amused her was the look of utter horror in his face. The rather dull dark blue eyes and that flat face. It makes him look even dumber than he really is, it’s not a surprise the colt wants to hide his face.

Bo glared at his companion as she laughed at him. Her green coat seemed to almost shine in the sunlight. On top of mares head was a short but well kempt mane, its red color and dark green highlights gave it contrast to her coat. The mare’s pristine ruby eyes looking at him as she laughed. ‘’He he he... What’s so funny?’’

‘’The way you were all like ‘Oh no! the sun! I’m a vampire so I need to get out of the sun quickly or I will die!’ and the way you was flailing your hooves trying to put your hood back on.’’

‘’I’m not a vampire Ivy! Does vampires even exist?’’ Bo stared at her with disbelief.

‘’Of course not you big dummy. They are just an old ponytale.’’ She said in a very serious tone. The mare chuckled a last time and looked back towards Ponyville. ‘’Well then we should get moving.’’ Bo gave her a grunt of acknowledgment. Ivy licked her lips started grin. ‘’let the hunt begin.’’