It’s time for her to know everything… I’m both excited for and terrified of this moment…

Rarity held up the first crystal. Taking a step toward Rainbow Dash, she touched the crystal to Rainbow’s head. Murmuring a spell, she felt her soul be pulled free of her body. Unlike last time, she held back. These were Rainbow’s memories.

Rainbow looked around. Her hooves were slightly transparent, but it didn’t bother her. for some reason, she felt safe. She scanned the horizon, noticing a familiar figure. It was strange, Rainbow knew she had never seen this pony before, but a name flashed in her mind when she saw her. Aquilegias Rainbow watched this pony closely. She looked different than most other unicorns she had seen before.

Aquilegias walked over the top of a hill, quickly joined by another pony. Rainbow Dash walked- no, floated, to the duo. She only felt a little bit of shock when she realized the other pony was herself. She followed the pair to Carousel Boutique. She watched herself knock on the door. Rarity opened it, asking what Rainbow was doing.

“This is Aquilegias, I met her while scouting above Canterlot. She’s looking for a bit of a makeover, and I knew you’d be the perfect pony to do it.” Rainbow Dash explained. Aquilegias shyly waved her hoof. Rarity led them into the boutique. Trying to follow them, Rainbow felt her being tugged away from this memory, into another.

In this one, she was laying on her side, something wrapped around her. Rainbow noticed something different about this memory… she was viewing it in first person. Rarity and Aquilegias stood over her. There was a third pony, one that looked like Aquilegias, but with a gray coat instead of brown. “Purpur, will she be okay?”

The third mare, Purpur, nodded. “Yes, Rainbow Dash, can you hear me? You crashed, but we’ll be okay. We’re going to shelter for the night, a rescue party will be here early tomorrow.”

Without thinking, Rainbow Dash nodded, allowing herself to be lifted by Purpur and Aquilegias. She was carried into a cave, it was already lit with a torch, and piles of leaf-mulch had been shaped into makeshift beds. Rainbow was set down on the largest pile, Rarity laid down next to her. “don’t worry, Darling, I know this is hard, but we’ll be safe by this time tomorrow.” Rarity has said something else, but Rainbow couldn’t hear it.

Rainbow wanted to hear more, but she felt the tug again, the pull of the imaginary thread saying this memory had nothing else to offer. Images flashed before her eyes. Even the most unfamiliar ones seemed as if they really were her memories. They were her memories, but Rainbow was still confused.

“When did all of this happen?” Rainbow asked, watching a terrible battle being fought.

Rarity looked at Dash, knowing that the answer wouldn’t make sense. “Rainbow Dash, this will happen. It’s the future of a sort.”

“Of a sort?” Rarity winced at the panic in Rainbow’s tone.

“Yes, Darling, this actually happened in another universe…”

“Is that even possible?”

“It’s the only way any of this could be happening. These crystals have your memories from the future on them. Something happened, so I came back in time to fix things, but the only way to do that without creating a time paradox was to go to a different universe.” Rarity explained.

“But…” Rainbow trailed off, the dream from before suddenly making sense. “Rarity, I need you to explain some other things then. First, did you strip me of my memories in the other universe? How are they on the crystals?”

“No, I copied your memories. As for the crystals, you saw Aquilegias, right? In the future she devizes a way to transfer magic into crystals for the war.” Rarity replied.

Rainbow shook, her head, questions were bouncing around her head like crazy. “What war?”

“I think it would be best for Princess Luna to explain that.” Rarity said, knowing the subject was a bit… sensitive. “But she doesn’t have to right away. It started with a rebellion, and escalated into a complete war. That’s why the crystals were so important. Earth ponies couldn’t do much against the unicorns and pegasi, so they needed the magic to help them. The war was between those who supported the way Equestria is ruled today, and more of an election-based government.

“The new government would have each town, like Ponyville and Appleloosa, elect a mayor and a representative. Then these two ponies would each attend meetings with the Princesses to vote on major changes to Equestrian law, while minor changes could be enforced in whichever towns felt them necessary. Whether or not they were necessary would be decided by a random selection of townsponies to hear unbiased opinions.

“I can’t tell you how this actually started a war, but the nation ended up mostly divided. Many ponies relocated to the neutral Crystal Empire, but control over it was constantly fought over. The ponies who supported the current government were mainly in Ponyville, Manehattan, and Las Pegasus. The ones who supported the new government were in smaller cities and towns, like Appleloosa, and Dodge Junction. They had bases hidden in the Everfree and on the edge of enemy towns for spying.

“The war was pretty much a stalemate. One side was good at spying, but bad at fighting. The other side was good at fighting, but bad at planning and spying. Eventually, the leader of each side agreed on a truce, and allowed the ponies relocated in the Crystal Empire to return, but by then the Crystal Empire had pretty much broken away into its own country. This truce was barely enforced, as the leaders were too caught up in trying to form a compromise.

“This let law enforcement up to vigilantes. There was still a lot of fighting, so not many ponies stayed in the broken Equestria. Eventually, the fighting began to rise, and a new war had pretty much been started. During this war, both sides wanted to use the Elements of Harmony, but we were divided.” Rarity stopped, taking a breath to see how well Rainbow was taking all the information in. The sequence of memories had finished as Rarity completed her explanation.

“Rainbow Dash, are you okay?” Luna asked, wrapping a wing around her. Rainbow just nodded.

“I really have just a few more questions. Did you send this crystal to me?” Rainbow Dash held up her hoof, the crystal still attached.

Rarity took a quick glance at it. “Actually, Aquilegias sent it using inter-dimensional mail, but it contains the last of your memories. Also, I did send the note about somebody coming to visit you tomorrow. I can’t really explain who without raising a ton of questions.”

“Okay, last one: Do you have more magical ability than Twilight?” Rainbow asked, remembering her dream.

Rarity’s eyes widened. “Yes, but you must swear not to tell anypony. I’ll explain that later, but please, just don’t say anything.”

“Okay, but can you get this crystal off of me? And the diary you and Twi were arguing about, was that also from the future?” Rainbow Dash stuck out her hoof.

Rarity pulled the crystal off, putting it in the box with the rest of them. “Yes, I kept a diary in the other universe, I’m using as a guide so I know what not to do.” Rarity put the box of crystals on her desk. Now, I have to go do something, you can stay for the night in the guest room. Princess Luna, you may use my bed, I’m probably going to be up all night.” Rarity left the room without waiting for answers.

Laying in her inspiration room, she pulled out the horn-shaped crystal from earlier. Before she could cast the spell, she heard the door open. Turning around, she saw Princess Luna. “Thank you for not making me tell her how the war started.”

“Not a problem, Princess. Now, I promised Aquilegias I’d visit her again, would you like to come?” Rarity hovered the crystal in front of Luna.

“I would like that, Rarity, but I’m not sure if you can handle doing the spell twice in one day, especially after the fight with Twilight.” Luna warned.

Rarity set the crystal down. “Okay, but I promised her I’d visit again.”

Luna picked up the crystal. “I could do the spell.” Rarity nodded, closing her eyes. After all that had happened earlier, she was grateful for Luna’s help. As she waited for it too take effect, she felt the odd feeling that something was wrong. Opening her eyes, she saw Luna shake her head. “She must be on a mission, I couldn’t find her.”

“Rarity, I actually must have a word with you.” Luna’s sudden change of tone caught Rarity’s attention. “You are not going to like this, but I have a few things to tell you about the future. The first is that the war is inevitable. It will happen, and no matter what, you and your friends will be divided. Even in the best possible scenario, Fluttershy will have left for the Crystal Empire. The only way to save Equestria after the war begins, is to… harness Fluttershy’s soul”

Rarity knew immediately why Luna had said the last part in old Equestrian. “But we can’t do that! It’s… just so wrong… I couldn’t do that to Fluttershy.”

Luna sighed, and suddenly, Rarity felt like Princess Luna was very distant. She could tell that she wasn’t being told something, but knew not to press the matter. “Rarity, I need to tell you something. I’m sure you’re aware that you have traveled back in time in order to save Rainbow Dash more than once.”

“... Yes, I’m aware.” Rarity answered slowly, wary of where the conversation was going.

“I need to show you something….” Luna raised her hoof, resting it on Rarity’s chest, over her heart. Her horn lit up, and Rarity felt a strange tug. She couldn’t even hear what Princess Luna was saying. The tug became more intense, like she was being pulled apart. As the tug became stronger, she felt herself slip out of her body, but she remained conscious. She just felt… empty. She could feel everything that was touching her, but everything else slipped away. Then, the world exploded into millions of stars.
Oh my Celestia…. is this where I think it is?

Author's Note

Here's the next chapter :) after this, I'll be updating fairly regularly (weekly) and every once in a while I'll post something on my blog about the story with extra info or a deleted scene. The romance and sad tag are going to start to come into play within the next two chapters. Also, Rarity is not unconscious at the end of the chapter. You'll find out what happened to her next chapter.