Links to the Past

" Here we are! " Hase spoke as the four ponies reached the boutique.

Thunderflight, still suspicious of Hase, took a look at the building. " Carousel Boutique " was truly a fitting name, since the building was supported with columns, which on the second floor even had pony figures attached to them. The building was much fancier than the most Ponyville buildings, and as he looked at it, Thunderflight could remember of the rare occasions, when a carousel arrived in Canterlot and his parents allowed him to ride. They could rarely pay for such a luxury, but this was one of the pegasus' most happy memories of his foalhood: how he rode in wooden carts, on swans, even on ponies, all made out of wood, in that endless happiness. The building was actually more beautiful than the actual carousel, since although it was a magical experience for all four of them back in the days, the details were actually quite few.

The stallion smiled as he recalled these days, and than suddely realized, that he hadn't had more fun in his whole life. True, it was exciting, when he, Rush and Gale made their flight teacher proud and later became the Starfliers... but the excitement of the carousel was somehow greater than the excitement of any flight, now that he compared them. For a minute he didn't realize why, but than it struck him. Hase was right. The three pegasi were so caught up in flying and succeeding, that they let the most importrant things behind. While they were training, and later, performing, he, Gale and Rush were only... colleagues. Thunderflight thought it over. Even though that eyed shadow probably had malicious intentions, his act had one positive side: it made the three of them close again. The pegasus was surprised how little it took for the spark of their friendship, almost turned to liveless ash, to ignite their friendship to its full extent again. All it took was a small accident, an hour or two together without being at any show, just hanging out like in the old days, and they had become friends again. Before all of this happenned, the last time Thunderflight remembered being so close to Rush and Gale was when their lessons began, before they distanced themselves from eachother.

But what about Hase? They had come out of nowhere, interrupting the life he had craved... well, a lifetime, and what did he do? Instead of sending them away, he gave them a second chance. The stallion stopped being suspicious and approached Hase, while he was unlocking the door.

" I just want to say I'm sorry. " the pegasus said. The earth pony unlocked the door, but didn't open it. Instead he turned around and looked at him.

" Sorry for what? " he asked.

" Sorry for not helping you out, even when you needed us the most. I just realized, that during all of these years, our hunt for success has... distanced us, from you and from eachother. For the first time in many years, I actually feel you, Gale and Rush as my friends. Before all you were was a familliar pony, and they were only colleagues... "

" I understand. " the inventor interrupted him.

" Sometimes success is so obsessing, that you forget the things, that really matter. i was lucky enough to have somepony to show it to me, but I guess you didn't. I should have tried to explain it to you. "

" We wouldn't have listened. " Rush joined the conversation.

" Thunderflight's right. All of these years, we were just colleagues. Even my love for him faded out because of our hunt for success. " Gale supported the black- maned stallion.

" Do you really think we can be friends again? " Rush asked Hase. The earth pony just smiled and replied:

" We already are. "

He stretched his right forehoof.

" Do you remember how we called ourselves? What was the name of our team? " he spoke.

It took them a minute to remember, but than all three of them smiled and stretched their forehooves as well.

" Just make it quiet. The girls are sleeping upstairs. " Hase noted.

The four of them raised their hooves, saying:

" Adventure Hunters! "

" Seeking for adventure behind every corner! " Rush added.

The sun rays slipped through the blinds, landing on the eyes of the three fillies. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo had turned away in their dream, teased by the light, but Applebloom hadn't, so eventually it woke her up. She opened her eyes, but quickly had to close them since the sun shone directly in them. She moved aside and carefully opened them again, making sure the sun wouldn't blind her. The filly waited for a second, so that her eyes would adapt to the light, and than jumped off the edge of the bed. The earth pony noticed, that her friends were still sleeping, so she decided to let them sleep for a bit longer, until she returned from the bathroom.

The bathroom was nextdoor. As Applebloom looked in the mirror, she saw exactly what she expected to see: her mane, sticking out in all possible directions (even in some impossible, she thought to herself). The filly grabbed the brush in her mouth, leaned forward, so that she could reach her mane, and slowly brushed it, until it obeyed the law of gravity again.

" Good morning. " Sweetie Belle greeted, as she entered the bathroom.

" Good mornin' . " the earth pony replied, as she put on her ribbon, the final element to her manecut, and moved on to brushing her teeth.

It took Sweetie Belle signifcantly longer to put her mane back in order. Her curls had somehow straightened up during the night, although they usually never did. Luckily, it took her mane only about 5 minutes of brushing to remember its usual position and soon the curls were back where they belonged.

The unicorn filly smiled, levitated her toothbrush with magic and joined Applebloom in the toothbrushing. They finished with it at about the same time ( since Applebloom had secretely eaten a sticky candy the late evening and brushed longer than usual, so that Hase wouldn't notice any remainings) . Just as they were about to exit, Scootaloo entered. Her mane needed no brushing, she usually left it as it was, since it was short, so the other two fillies decided they could wait while their friend brushes and exit the bathoom together.

As the three left, a sound they had somehow missed while throtting from the bedroom to the bathroom, reached their ears. Sound of somepony laughing. What was really strange, more than one pony laughing. Apparenty they had guests.

The surprised fillies walked down the stairs. The table was surrounded by four chairs, each one of them occupied. One of them was Hase, and the other were three unknown pegasi. They were drinking water, since the last time Hase tried to prepare tea like Rarity did, the result was disastrous.

" Good morning. " Scootaloo, still confused, greeted, announcing their presence at the same time.

" Good morning, girls. " Hase replied.

He took notice of the discombobulated looks on their muzzles, so decided to introduce the other ponies, sitting around the table:

" Girls, I'd like you to meet some of my old friends. This is Thunderflight, " the stallion, sitting on the chair right in front of them turned around. He had a black mane and a gray coat. The pegasus looked at the three with some strange form of approval in his eyes, took a short glance directly at Scootaloo, nodded and turned around again:

" She has it in her. " he told Hase. A smile, that could mean more than one thing, appeared on the scientist's muzzle.

That confused the Cutie Mark Crusaders even more, especially Scootaloo.

" , this is Gale, " the inventor tilted his head leftwards. Gale was a pegasus mare as well, with a blue coat and a green mane. The expression she had was nothing like the serious, yet approving smile the stallion had given them. It was a smile, but a smile of curiosity and happiness.

" Hello, girls. " the mare said them.

Still utterly confused, the fillies muttered something, that nopony but them heard.

" It'll take some time, but when you really get to know eachother, I'm sure you would like eachother. " Hase assured her and turned to the last guest.

" And this, girls, is Rush. "

The stallion, sitting right from Hase, had an orange coat, in a darker shade of orange than Scootaloo's, and a red mane. He looked at the crusaders and winked, with a playful grin on his muzzle.

Sweetie Belle was the first to put the pieces of the puzzle together.

" Thunderflight, Gale and Rush... weren't those the Starfliers? Your old friends? " she turned to Hase, as she neared him.

" In deed they are. " the earth pony replied, emphasising on " are " .

" Apparently they have decided to enter some of my cryochambers, for Celestia knows what reason. Tough luck. They got the malfunctioning ones. They set off the alarm last night, trying to steal some of my Immortality Formulas, in order to heal what I called " Syndrome Of Rapid Metabolism Speed Increasement. I would have shortened it, but it sounds ridiculous. So, I gave them those Formulas, and here they are. "

" Didn't those ignore yah when yah most needed 'em? " Applebloom quoted Hase. She stood next to her unicorn friend.

" They did. " the stallion confirmed.

" However, they're sorry for it, so I've decided to give them a second chance. "

" That's nice of you. " Scoot nodded, while she carefully slipped past Thunderflight and came closer to her friends. As she turned around, she saw Thunderflight was looking at her with the same expression from before, which made her shivver.

" Hase, may we talk with you for a second? " Sweetie Belle got the words from her mouth.

" Of course. " the earth pony replied.

" I mean alone. "

Hase's expression was riddled, but he still followed them. The door was pushed open by the green magic of Sweetie and the four of them exited the Boutique. The unicorn filly shut the door behind them. Ponies were out on the streets already. Apparentl it was somewhere around 9 or 10 in the morning.

" Are yah absolutely sure yah can trust 'em? " Applebloom, a little bit concerned, spoke to Hase.

" Of course! After all, I've been friends with them an entire foalhood! Applebloom, would you still be friends with Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle after you grow up, even if you haven't seen them for years? "

" One difference, though. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo would neva' betray mah. " the red maned filly noted. The other two fillies nodded.

" Why are they even here? " Scootaloo wondered.

As she said that, Hase frowned and knit his brows. The little pegasus was right. During the last night interrogation the trio actually never said why they were here and now. They might have decided to change after their arrival, but what was the thought, that made them enter those chambers? Hase knew the ponies his friends once were, and he was sure they wouldn't have decided to do that, only so they could check if he's OK. For the old Starfliers, flying was everything. They wouldn't have given it up just to follow their friend in the future, but that was the only explanation the trio presented the previous night.

" We'll find that out. For now, girls, just think of them as ponies, wanting a fresh start, ponies, who are willing to undo their mistakes. If I ever find out they have ulterior motives different than those, believe me, you would understand it. " the inventor assured them.

" Was your conversation useful? " Gale asked, as the three fillies and the earth pony came back inside the boutique.

" Very useful, actually. I believe I never introduced myself. I am Sweetie Belle. " the unicorn filly stood in front of the three pegasi and introduced herself.

" Ah'm Applebloom. " her earth pony friend stood next to her.

" And I'm Scootaloo. " the pegasus stood next to her friends. Thunderflight was still looking strange, but she thought to herself, that there's nothing to be afraid from, and that gave her confidence.

" We are the Cutie Mark Crusaders! " the three proclaimed together. The three pegasi all raised an eyebrow.

" What do you do in your... team? " Gale wasn't sure what sort of an organisation the Cutie Mark Crusaders actually was.

" Group? " Rush also made a guess.

" It's a club. We do all the different things together, and try to find out our cutie marks. " Scoot explained them.

" I can't remember being so excited about my cutie mark. " Thunderflight noted.

" It isn't that, what truly matters, is it? More importrant is the fun you have while swimming, drawing, skating... " Gale was generally right, but had missed several importrant interests, which were soon added by the CMC:

" Paraglidin' ! " Applebloom exclaimed.

" Snake charming! " Sweetie Belle added.

" Elephant trick training! " Scootaloo noted.

" Hibernation! "

" Social psychology! "

" Cake baking! "

The three fillies continued pointing out activities they had tried, most of them very unusual. As they ended, Rush commented between giggles, while the other two were still with their jaws dropped almost to the floor:

" Foal interests have changed, haven't they? "

" Also, being the cause for general, but absolutely random chaos! " one of the windows of the boutique had its glass turned into the crusty cover of a pie, which was soon bursted open, as a familliar draconecqueus entered the building through the window. After he cracked with fingers again, it regained its normal state.

" We don't want pretty Rarity to be angry at me for a small window, do we? " Discord commented, still highly dissaproving of the normalness of that window. He struggled not to change it, and eventually succeeded by tying his claws with his tail. The master of chaos was still oblivious of the Starfliers and the shock he had caused.

" Hase! You have to contact Princess Celestia! " Rush yelled.

" Don't you recognise him? That's Discord... "

" Spirit of the disharmony, who foals dread in their dreams, whose arrival will signpost the upcoming years of chaos and unlimited and unpredictable randomness! " a deep and loud voice, fit for a narrator of a play, echoed as the ponies found themselves before a dark throne with a big, tall figure, from which only yellow eyes could be seen, and, high above, a storm of cotton candy clouds.

The illusion soon broke and Discord hung over the three pegasi, who were still afraid of him, and spoke:

" As if I weren't reformed... "

" Reformed? " Thunderflight wasn't aware of that fact.

" Apparently we're dealing with ponies, unaware of the current events! Especially rare specimens! " the draconecqueus spoke in awe, and the trio of pegasi found themselves wearing cavepony clothing, with a label, saying " Wild caveponies, dated around 1000 Before Reformation. " next to them. Soon the props vanished.

" What is the spirit of chaos doing in your living room? " the confused Gale turned to Hase, but her question was answered by the god himself:

" Oh, I just heard somepony randomly say different types of activities. I just couldn't resist joining! It's as useful as push-ups! " Discord had a sports shirt on and did a push- up with his tail, as he was speaking.

" In what way is randomly saying things as useful as doing push- ups? " Rush asked with an ironic tone, starting to like the draconecqueus a bit.

" As push-ups tone your muscles, the same way randomly describing things develops illogical thinking! " after he said that, a big wooden hand, giving a thumbs up with the number " 1 " written on it appeared on the end of Discord's left arm, and he shook the forehooves of the CMC one bby one, saying:

" It's great to see somepony but me practice that hard! I am afraid illogicall thinking is practiced by too few.

Apple trees are used for apples, forks are used for eating, fire is used for heating! This world is full of too many annoying rules! After all, why not use apple trees as constructions for establishment of bee hives? "

A miniature apple tree had appeared on the table. There was also a miniature figure, slightly resembling Big Mack, bucking the apples off. That was until a miniature Discord arrived, who pushed the stallion aside and created a big tornado around the tree. When it lost all its leaves, the tornado vanished, while the miniature figure hammered 10 tiny hives to the tree. He than stood under the tree and showered with honey.

" Perhaps b'cause yah can use other trees or houses for tha' purpose... and apples don' grow on other trees. " Applebloom told him. The small figures on the table vanished, as Discord greeted the earth pony's idea:

" I am afraid you're right about that... but houses? Brilliant! So why not put beehives on houses. Far from windows and doors, of course. Safety first. " the master of chaos knocked on the armour, that had appeared on his body.

" I don't know... why not? " Scootaloo said after a minute of thinking.

" Exactly! " Discord replied. The CMC found themselves on a piedestal, with medals, with  " Creative Thinker! " written on them.

" There is no reason why not, but nopony has thought of it! Only practicioners of random things description could come up with such an idea! "

" That's the idea of science as well, if I'm not mistaken, " the master of chaos also pulled Hase on the piedestal and placed a medal around his neck too.

" To have good ideas nopony else had ever had! "

" Right. " Hase confirmed.

" So, what are you up to today, my dear followers? " Discord asked, and than turned his gaze to the three pegasi.

" But first, who are those ponies with outdated knowledge? I'm sure I'd need to tune them in really quick, before the awe from the miracles of  the modern world renders them speechless! " as the draconecqueus cracked with fingers, a huge book fell in front of the trio. It was as big as a door and as thick as a wall. Its headline was " The absolute guide to Equestria " .

" Discord, those are my old friends, Thunderflight, Rush and Gale. "

" Refreshing my memory... " an arrow, spinning in a circle, appeared on Discord's forehead and he touched it with the tip of his finger, which now had a small, white arrow on it. The arrow spun for a second or two, but than it vanished and the master of chaos clicked with fingers:

" I remember! Those are the dastardly back- stabbing traitors, aren't they? Perhaps my mind is sharper than yours, but I think they need to be locked down. " prison bars grew out of the floor, restricting the trio of pegasi to a small area of the room.

" No, Discord! " Hase objected.

" They want a second chance, a chance to be reformed... like you. "

" Hmm. I guess you have a point. " the iron bars sank back, releasing the startled ponies.

" But I'll keep an eye on them. " Discord's left eye extended until it hung almost an inch in front of the Starfliers.

The morning was beautiful, so the group decided to take a walk to the end of the town. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were walking in front of the others, discussing new ideas about activities, that might bring them the desired cutie marks, while Hase explained the few new things, that had appeared in Equestria, to his friends, while Discord hung above them and observed " the suspicious strangers " .

" It's called a crane. " the earth pony stallion spoke to the trio of pegasi.

" It's basically a high construction, powered by mechanical energy, usually in the form of hamster wheels, and utilizing levers and reels to build high buildings. It's simple, but very useful. "

" Do they use it for normal buildings as well? " Rush asked. His parents had a part- time job as builders once, so he showed more interest to these new " cranes " .

" No. Buildings, lower than 5 stories are still built only by hoof. " Hase answered.

As they heard that, the CMC wondered if they could get their cutie marks by operating a crane.

" Nopony would ever let us even get near a crane! " Scootaloo complained.

" Since we might accidentally make the whole building, perhaps. " Sweetie Belle spoke with a sad voice.

" An'wha' if wah're ment ta have those cutie marks? Tha' we wouldn't b' able ta get'em until we're older! We'll stay blank flanks 'til we grow up! " Applebloom nearly panicked.

" Than why don't you try to operate a toy crane first? Who knows, it might do the trick! " Hase suggested.

The rest of the way was spent in an argument, wheter performing well at a miniature version of something would actually grant one a cutie mark, if they're ment to do well at that thing. Gale realised Hase was only trying to keep the girls out of harm's way, so she supported him, while Thunderflight and Rush supported the CMC.

" Rainbow Dash didn't get her cutie mark for flying at all, she got her for making a sonic rainboom! " Scootaloo stated, and the two older pegasi supported her theory. They said they got their cutie marks only when they were good enough, not in the beggining.

" But who knows? " Thunderflight said in the end of the argument, when they had already reached the big lawn between the Everfree and Ponyville.

" Maybe flying at all might just do the trick. "

" Scootaloo, I've asked Thunder for a small favor. You stay here while me and Rush go to check on the cryochambers, and he'll try to teach you to fly. " Hase said, as the two with Rush stood aside from the others.

The filly's eyes shone, and she quickly turned to the pegasus. As the two ponies left the lawn, they could still hear the little filly's laugh and shouts of excitement, although she still hadn't flown.