Tourmaline Boulevard
Crystal Empire
1334 AF (After Founding)

Ruins and slaves as well as shadow ponies everywhere I go. Ever since old Sombra up there decided it would be fun to team up with Discord and take over Equestria, these three things are the most prominent sights I've seen all around the Crystal Empire. As I run past yet another demolished building, I once more hear the resounding bay of the shadow hounds on my flank. Their breath also reeks of carrion, which I never understood since they don't even eat anything. That's always confused me, even though I spent about thirteen years working in Sombra's mines, with those hounds breathing down my neck.

Their breath is also cold, which is weird as well, considering the body heat they give off would make even a dragon sweat a little. Nah, that's an exaggeration, though they are unbearably uncomfortable to be around, never mind the gaping maws of razor sharp teeth. My hooves slip a little under me as I charge around a corner, into a relatively intact part of Tourmaline Boulevard. The hounds kept chasing me through the alleyways until they finally corner me in a dead end. Heh, funny that I'm here already, seeing as how I've managed to escape them for the past ten months.

I rubberneck around, trying to find a way out of this particular jam before the hounds catch up to me. Again. The first time wasn't fun, and if I get captured a second time, I'll probably get executed. Soon I realize, I am trapped, with no escape this time and impending death coming for me. When suddenly, a noise comes out of nowhere, and I soon find a rather strange, yet familiar, blue box materialize behind me.

A chestnut stallion pops out and shouts, "Get in!" What else could I do? The flimsy looking wood would only delay my death a bit further, although the random materialization probably meant some pretty powerful magic at work. So, yeah. Of course I could get in the box with the strange stallion. He could be an agent for Sombra though, and he could be trying to get my guard down and make me feel safe. I still have no idea why Sombra wants me so much, and the magic blue box would only delay my death for bit more.

I mean, what could possibly go wrong?

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Ponyville Library
Ponyville, Equestria
1007 ANM

A loud clatter could be heard upstairs, and an older Twilight Sparkle, now with wings, hangs her head and lets out an exasperated sigh, "Spike, please at least try to be careful. I don't want you to accidentally break something,"

"Yeah, it's harder than you think to not knock anything over with these kind of wings, Twi. Just lighten up! She'll send us something soon," he stated in annoyance as he walked into the foyer, sporting a fine set of wings, stretching to at least twice the length of his tail when extended. The spines along his back had grown in size and have taken a slightly ragged look. "I just wi-" Spike was interrupted by a massive belch that could have made a nordic pony proud, and the resulting emerald flame dropped seven intact scrolls on the floor.

However, only one of these scrolls bore Celestia's insignia, so Twilight opened this one first. She then read it aloud, for sake of habit.

Dear Princess Twilight,

I suppose I can no longer call you my student, seeing as how you have completed your lessons. You are probably wondering why there are seven scrolls, yet only one is from me. They are all for you, but from different times, and I have only just found them. Three of them are from long before you were born, as well.

Twilight scrunched her nose in confusion on this part.

I will continue to wish you luck on your studies on Friendship, and to know if your friend Rainbow Dash has challenged you yet.

Furthermore, if you have any more questions, then by all means, ask away.

Sincerely, Princess Celestia

Twilight lowered the scroll, still confused as to why somepony would write a letter to her before she was even born, let alone three. Dropping the scroll and picking up the next, she opened it, but with a worried look on her face.

Dear Twilight,

If you are reading this, that means you have become an Alicorn. What is enclosed in this letter is a request to not open the other five letters until the need arises. Don't worry, you'll know when the time comes, just be patient, and don't worry about what will come once you finish this letter. That is going to be beyond our control anyway, and it will work out for the better in your ensuing adventure. Oh, and before I forget, tell Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Applejack to come in. This letter is meant for them as well, and it would be better if they didn't eavesdrop and get the wrong idea.

At that, the four culprits walk through the door with a sheepish grin on all but Rainbow, who was fuming at being caught, by a letter from the past, no less. Twilight looked at them with a scolding, yet lighthearted glare, "You guys were actually doing that?" They nodded in response.

"I just wanna know how you knew!" Rainbow demanded in her brash tone.

"I didn't. It's literally in the letter, look," she moved the letter in question so they could see its text. "Anyway," Twilight said, clearing her throat, "let's get on with the message."

Okay, now that you five are here, I have a mission for you all, and it involves a certain Time Lord that you all know. Don't worry, I'm not going to cause harm to him or any of you. There's only a major incident in the past that you all will need to oversee, so that you may understand why the Changelings attacked Canterlot during Shining Armor and Princess Cadence's wedding. Upon arrival to 116 ANM in Ponyville's future location, do whatever the Doctor says, seeing as how you'll need him to travel that far back in time without an automatic return.

With your mission underway, you will then learn more about Equestria's past, as well as how it is relevant to all of you. Good luck, and may Friendship and Harmony forever be in your hearts.

-S

P.S. Don't worry about Fluttershy, she's already waiting for you.

After reading that last part, the scroll spontaneously combusts into a violet flame, cold to the touch, and totally harmless. The girls stare in wonder at the foresight that the writer of that letter had, and in Twilight's case, why they had to go back in time. Then, they all heard the familiar whirring that signaled the arrival of the most feared being in the universe. The familiar blue box materialized, and out stepped the Doctor, with a new bowtie as well.

"Well then, who called?"

Author's Note

I know that some of you may think this chapter is a little rushed, and I feel like it too. I did that on purpose, as I want you all to feel a bit of confusion at what is going on, since I want you to feel what the characters are feeling. Don't worry, I will get some other, more down-paced scenes in the next chapter, and hopefully it will be longer as well. The Doctor arriving in both sections of the chapter are merely from different times, as the Doctor grabs the OC before he gets captured, chronologically to the story after he just randomly arrives in the Ponyville Library to take the girls on an adventure from a mysterious 'S'. Just a heads up, it does not stand for what you think it means, and to whoever gets the right answer, goes the pot!